VOLUME 25, ISSUE 21 | MAY 23, 2025 |
WHEN YOU AREN'T FEELING IT I started a new novel, and I'm five chapters into it. Love the premise. Like the different type of crime. But I'm not feeling the jazz. Traction isn't keen yet, and I miss feeling hot and excited about the direction I'm headed. Every writer has moments when they aren't "feeling it." I'm no exception. I'll get there sooner or later, and it's not that I don't write at all when I feel that way. I write articles, essays, and webinars when I am not writing novels. I love to write. I hate not writing. But when I have a book to work on, and it's not singing my name, calling me to the keyboard, I have to stop and wonder
why. I often will work harder seeking that sweet spot of writing enjoyment, when I love the words coming out of me and the story is spinning ahead, keeping me energized. But sometimes that doesn't happen. Here's when people say do something else. For me, that means working with my hands. Cooking, gardening, building on chicken coops, raising chickens. Changing which side of the brain to use seems to give the other side a rest. But I
don't give it long. Skipping one day of the novel is fine. Two feels uncomfortable, but can be justified. But to skip weeks or months? No justification. None. And while I'm working with my hands, my mind is wandering in and out of the pending story. Some may say they need a long break. Do you miss it during that time? Or do you dread returning to the routine? Is that
something you might need to figure out? I spent yesterday rebuilding a coop for my chicks. Today I built on it some more. This afternoon, however, I write. No television, no reading the latest book on my nightstand, no entertainment. I put in the words first. I make myself available for when that spark happens. . . and it will. |
Stories are all around us. We hear them. We read them. We tell them. What stories are in you? Have you ever thought about exploring your past, resurrecting childhood memories or bringing your family history to life? Join published author and writing coach Kate Meadows on May 31 for a one-hour webinar, "Telling Our Life Stories." Together, we'll explore the power of story, learn how to preserve and share memories of the past and think critically about why stories matter. We tell stories for many reasons. From this webinar, you'll walk away with the tools and the game plan you need to bring your story to life. DATE: Saturday, May 31, 2025 TIME: 9 a.m. MT (11 a.m. ET) COST: $15 Kate Meadows is a published writer, proven editor and passionate writing
coach with an MFA in Professional Writing. Learn more at www.katemeadows.com. WHERE AND WHEN TO VOICE OUR POLITICS
Politics, religion, school board decisions, and so on. We believe we have a right to opinions about them. We also believe we have a right not to have to listen to other people's opinions. Some days
we stand on one side. . . then surprisingly we stand on the other. A lot depends on the time and place and the people listening as to whether we ought to speak our minds. There is no right or wrong way. There are, however, consequences for whichever way we choose. If someone signs up to FundsforWriters, they are not asking for my opinion on anything but writing. I
have opinions, experiences, lessons learned, and news about writing, and all go in the newsletter. I might even talk about writing political or religious material. My job is to make it more about the writing and selling of the topics than the topics themselves. Make sense? But if I start talking the right and wrong, the left and right of the topic outside of just writing something to market, I've left FundsforWriters and opted to stray
into the details of the topic matter rather than the niche I promised my subscribers. Right then I have betrayed my readership. If you have social media, or a newsletter, or a blog, or a Substack/Medium page, look at who your targeted readership is. Remain true to them. Do not deviate from the mission. Is where you have staked your flag about you, the individual? Or about you
the writer? Or you the school teacher, you the young mother, you the musician, you the chef, you the gardener, you the dachshund owner? Decide where your parameters are. What is your brand? That dictates your readership. Try not to stray or you dilute it, or ruin it. These are difficult times, but the image you build online has a purpose. When you decide to use it to promote a new cause or take a detour, you run the risk of alienating
some of your audience who followed you for other reasons. It isn't their fault. It's nobody's fault, really, but it is indeed a reality. Whatever you are selling, pitching, or preaching about dictates your audience. When you alter it along the way, when your allegiance becomes something other than your original purpose, you likewise alter your fanbase. It's why politics isn't allowed on my site. Nor will I talk it at anything writing
related. I made a promise to my following to be about writing, and that's where I continue to stand. That's a happier world for me. . . and for so many others who feel the same way.
"I want to work in revelations, not just spin silly tales for money. I want to fish as deep down as possible into my own subconscious in the belief that once that far down, everyone will understand because they are the same that far down."
– Jack Kerouac
Dear Hope, I'm writing with a success story, even though this stage of the book selling process feels more like purgatory than heaven. Two years ago, I was waking up at 4 am every night. Because I value my sleep, I would lay there and stubbornly
will myself back to slumber. I was determined that this weird insomnia would not leave me tired for the coming day. I had things to do. People routinely asked me "How do you do it all?" Well, one way is that I get my proper rest. But this early wake up call just would not stop. So I gave in to it and decided I would get some writing done. I had a novel that was more than 50%
finished for a decade. I would see the title sometimes in my google docs and turn away from it ashamed. It was like a failed relationship. I had ghosted the three sweet protagonists. I was the writer equivalent of a cad. Then, I found an old list of writer's retreats and put them in order by due date and applied. "If I get into a retreat this summer I will definitely use the time to finish the book." I thought. When I received the
email from Yaddo that I had been selected to attend for the month of July, I was ecstatic. And when I arrived in Saratoga Springs, New York and saw the private cottage, I said to myself "Treasure, if you can't finish this novel here, don't bring it back up to anyone." Well, I left Yaddo on Sunday, July 23rd of 2023 and I wrote "The End" on the next day. I finished the
book. In 2024 I queried several agents and now I have representation who has put my book into editors' hands! FundsforWriters was and continues to be my professional tether. As a working mom parenting alone, sometimes I wondered if I should even still call myself a writer! Then FFW would land in my inbox and I would
remember, "Oh yeah, you have a creative life, too." The articles in FFW gave me a bank of models that let me know my book, set in Mississippi about three queer Black boys in 1989, had a chance in the market. Thank you, Hope for being a consistent light for all of us. Hopefully, I'll have some even better news to share soon! All Best,
Dr. Treasure Shields Redmond
Founder & Executive Director, The Community Archive
Chancellor's Post Doctoral Fellow, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville <<If you have a success story you believe was prompted by FundsforWriters, please share with us! Send to hope@chopeclark.com >>
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Do Writers Need a Business Plan?
By Christina Nifong Earning a living from writing is not as easy to wrap your head around as opening a coffee shop or becoming a tax accountant. The work writers do is often mitigated by a publisher. Thinking of what "goods" or "services" you provide as a writer and who your "customers" are can feel intangible and vague. But that doesn't mean
that writing isn't a business or that writers should skip creating a business plan. This is a lesson I keep having to learn. In 2015, I launched a website, opened Twitter and Instagram accounts, and reached out to newspaper and magazine editors in the city where I lived. Before I knew it, I had writing assignments and deadlines, and soon enough, paychecks. But the path from a few paychecks to a profitable writing business hasn't been as smooth as I expected. It wasn't long until I received a notice from my city's Treasury Department. It turns out that in
Roanoke, VA, writers need a business license in order to work. Who knew? Filing taxes as a sole proprietor was a steep learning curve. One of the magazines I wrote for didn't send my promised fee. When I reached out, the editor connected me with the finance department, who told me they had no
record of my invoice. Wait. I was supposed to send an invoice? Eventually, I reached out to my local Small Business Development Center. These centers are located across the country and offer free support to small businesses. I scheduled a meeting with a business counselor, who
answered my questions and sent me home with a thick packet filled with information. I scanned the packet, read sections that seemed pertinent. . . and filed it away. Then, in 2024, I felt the need for better systems to track assignments, expenses, and pay. I considered forming an LLC and finding ways to take on more complex work. I reached for that long-neglected file and discovered a treasure trove I wish I'd spent more time with all those years ago. On the
opening pages, this packet described a business plan as "a road map to how the business will operate." It assured me "the most important part of the business plan is the process itself." Much of the information wasn't tailored to a freelance writing business (i.e., how to on-board employees, how to stock merchandise). But much of it was. There was a great questionnaire to kick off the plan-writing process, titled: Are You Ready to Own Your Own Business? It
featured inquiries like: Are you good at solving problems? Can you make timely decisions? Are you good at managing money? I'm not sure I considered any of those questions when I started freelancing. Walking through the included Simple Business Plan Template helped me clarify goals. My mission statement? To find local, regional, and national print and online publications to publish my writing or employ me as an editor. Other prompts asked
more technical questions: How will you price your services? What will your operations look like? What would be your ideal work week? For those interested in resources more customized for writing careers, try Jenni Gritters, a "solopreneur" coach with relevant advice, or The Write Life with information for a variety of writing businesses. The Creative Penn offers its own Business Plan Template. And publishing expert Jane Friedman provides free and fee-based resources and classes for writers of all kinds. Do I wish I had spent more time early on thinking through what it meant to run a writing business? For sure. But it's never too late. The day I spent creating a business plan will help me make decisions to move my career forward, seek out the knowledge I need to improve my business, and help me reach my business goals. Win. Win.
Win. BIO - Christina Nifong is a freelance writer based in Roanoke, VA. Find more of her work at christinanifong.com.
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THE ORISON CHAPBOOK PRIZE
https://duotrope.com/duosuma/submit/orison-chapbook-prize-6T0fK
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline July 1, 2025. The Orison Chapbook Prize for manuscripts of 20
– 45 pages, in any genre (poetry, fiction, nonfiction, drama, or hybrid). The winner receives $300 and publication. Self-published manuscripts are considered previously published. 42 MILES PRESS POETRY AWARD
https://42milespress.com/contest/
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline June 15, 2025.
The prize is offered annually to any poet writing in English, including international poets. The winning poet will receive $1,000, publication of their book, and 50 author copies. The winner will also be invited to give a reading at Indiana University South Bend as part of the release of their book. The manuscript should be paginated (between 48 and 120 pp.) and include a table of contents and acknowledgments page. WRITE BY THE
SEA
https://writebythesea.ie/writing-competition/
€10 ENTRY FEE. Deadline June 6, 2025. There are four competition categories:
1. Fiction Short Story (maximum 2,500 words)
2. Flash Fiction (maximum 700 words)
3. Poetry (maximum 40 lines)
4. Memoir/Personal Essay (maximum 1,000 words)
The winner of each
category will receive a cash prize of €500 and a free weekend pass to the Write By The Sea Festival 2025. All four winning pieces will be published in Issue 10 of The Waxed Lemon Literary Journal. The runners-up in each category will receive €300 and third place will receive €200. CATAMARAN POETRY AWARD
https://catamaranliteraryreader.submittable.com/submit/
$45 ENTRY FEE. Deadline June 15, 2025. The Catamaran Poetry Prize encourages the submission of previously unpublished poetry manuscripts across a range of styles, themes, and forms. This contest is for a book length collection of poetry only. Manuscripts of fiction, creative nonfiction, translations, or screenplays are ineligible. The prize is only open to West Coast
poets living in California, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and Hawaii. All submissions should be written in English. A prize of $1,000 will and publication in book form will be awarded to poet for the winning poetry collection selected by the judge for publication. Manuscripts must be typed, paginated, and between 60-100 pages in length. NEW AMERICAN FICTION PRIZE
https://newamericanpress.submittable.com/submit
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline June 15, 2025. The winning manuscript will be published and its author will receive a publication contract including $1,500 and 25 copies. Manuscripts should be at least 100 pages, but there is no maximum length. All forms and styles of full-length fiction manuscripts are welcome, including story
collections, novels, novellas, collections of novellas, flash fiction collections, novels in verse, and other hybrid forms.
GRANTS / FELLOWSHIP / CROWDFUNDING LOGHAVEN ARTIST RESIDENCY
https://loghaven.org/residencies/apply/
Deadline July 15, 2025. Loghaven Artist Residency’s mission is to serve artists by providing them with a transformative residency
experience and continued post-residency support. The residency is located on ninety acres of woodland in Knoxville, Tennessee. Artists live in five historic log cabins that have been both rehabilitated and modernized to create an ideal setting for reflection and work, and they have access to new, purpose-built studio space. All Loghaven Fellows are awarded stipends to support the creation of new work during the residency. 100 VOICES OF
FLORIDA
https://www.100vof.com/
Deadline July 31, 2025. Receive an unrestricted prize of up to $5,000 for your short film or script. Yes, you can submit films in another language but please make sure English subtitles are available and/or burned-in. We must be able to access it from your film link. Scripts must be written in English. We understand
storytellers come from various backgrounds, levels of expertise, and genres. ADOBE CREATIVE RESIDENCY FUND
https://www.adobe.com/about-adobe/creative-residency/community-fund.html
Rolling deadline. If selected, you will receive US$10,000 from the Adobe
Creative Residency Community Fund. While applicants can use the money granted to them by the Community Fund in their full and lawful discretion, the purpose of the award is to allow recipients impacted by the invasion of Ukraine to support themselves and their families during this time of conflict. Selection is determined based on your professional portfolio and whether you have been directly impacted by the attacks on Ukraine. PRAIRIE
RONDE ARTIST RESIDENCIES
https://prairieronde.org/about/apply/
Deadline June 15, 2025. We’re looking for individuals who are highly independent, engaged and curious. We do not limit our residency to any specific medium, but rather are looking for diverse artists who can creatively interact with The Mill. We host three sessions annually
and accept 2 – 4 residents per session. Accepted residents receive a stipend of $2,000 for 5 – 6 weeks, a $500 travel grant and private housing. We work with residents to share their work with the community (a gallery show, public workshop or other). Prairie Ronde is hosted by The Mill at Vicksburg, a redevelopment project of the former Lee Paper Company mill, in the historic village of Vicksburg, Michigan. BOSTON
WRITER-IN-RESIDENCE
https://associatesofthebostonpubliclibrary.submittable.com/submit
Deadline June 6, 2025. The Associates of the Boston Public Library is now accepting applications for our 2025-26 Writer-in-Residence. We recently increased the stipend to $70,000 from $50,000 thanks to an anonymous investor
who is dedicated to writers earning a living wage. For the past twenty years, the Associates has had a profound impact on emerging authors writing for children or young adults, with our alumni publishing over eighty books. This year's Writer-in-Residence will receive a $70,000 stipend, up to $2,500 for coaching and/or editing, a private office at the Boston Public Library from October 2025 through September 2026. A wide variety of literary projects are eligible including fiction, non-fiction, a
script, graphic novel, memoir, and poetry. The winner will be selected through a blind judging process.
TRAILS MAGAZINE
https://trailsmag.net/pages/contributor-information
The focus of Trails is on backpacking and other human/naturally-powered means of sleeping outdoors: bikepacking, canoe camping, even things like rafting or mountaineering
are fair game (feel free to be creative with those criteria—we covered “skatepacking” in Issue One). Features range anywhere from 1,000 to 5,000 words or longer and we pay anywhere from $0.50 to $2 per word, depending on the difficulty of the story, the writer's experience, and the commitment required. INDIGINEWS
https://indiginews.com/home/work-with-us
We want to encourage more Indigenous storytelling! Whether you have years of journalism experience, or simply have a story to share, send us your pitch. IndigiNews is focused on relationship-building, uplifting storytelling, trauma-informed practices and holding colonial institutions to account. We centre Indigenous people in our stories. We welcome ideas for news stories, feature stories,
investigations, arts stories and op-eds, including photo essays. IndigiNews stories typically range from 500 to 2,000 words. IndigiNews pays freelancers on a sliding scale, usually between $350 and $850, depending on a story’s length, quality of images, depth and estimated time for completion. DEBRIEF
https://www.disabilitydebrief.org/writing-for-the-debrief/
We want to tell disability stories in a new way, and throw light on subjects that aren't being covered elsewhere. Articles are written for the disability community and disability curious. Debrief articles are sent as emails and written as a conversation. They begin with a greeting and end with a sign-off. They are more friendly than formal. Length is typically between 1,500 and 2,500
words. The rate for published articles starts at £450. BEACH.COM
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdTDH6ipaRVneJzhLgMFmYKNMBFqJ93UR06mFiuQUURap3xpA/viewform
At Beach.com, we’re searching for freelance pitches focused on
beach destinations and coastal getaways across the globe. We’re looking for writers with a deep love and knowledge of beach destinations, so make sure your pitch offers a unique perspective and expertise. $250 for 1,500-word articles using exclusively stock images. $300 for 1,500-word articles that include personal images or a mix of stock and personal photos (minimum of 3 high-quality, landscape-oriented images). MOTLEY BLOOM
https://www.motley-bloom.com/submissions#WriteForUs
We’re interested in short (500-800 words) first-person narratives and articles on travel, beauty, home design, work and career, product reviews–anything that falls under the umbrella of Neurodivergent Living. Longer, researched articles are typically commissioned, but if you have a great idea,
send it our way. We're also interested in longer (1000+ words) first-person narratives that showcase the diversity of opinion and experience with neurodivergence. Rates start at $300 for short articles, $500 for longer pieces. We're especially excited for pitches that include photos.
ENTANGLED PUBLISHING
https://entangledpublishing.com/submission-information
Their imprints. Only pitch the one that best matches your manuscript.
Amara – 70k-120k word single title adult romance novels.
August – 20k-70k
word category romance featuring Gen-X characters.
Bliss – 20k-60k sweet category romance.
Brazen – 20k-60k erotic category romance.
Embrace – New Adult romance novels or novels with romantic elements.
Indulgence – 45k-60k contemporary category romance.
Lovestruck – 20k-60k contemporary, romantic comedy category romance.
Scandalous – 20k-65k historical category romance.
Scorched – 15k-65k novellas, serialized novellas, and full-length novels, all with erotic romance
elements.
Sideways – 70k to 110k words in length.
Mayhem – 90-120k — Older YA for 16+ with fantasy, sci-fi, horror, contemporary, thriller, with romantic elements.
Mischief – 80-100k — General YA for ages 13+ with fantasy, sci-fi, horror, contemporary, thriller, with sweet romantic elements. EVERYTHING WITH WORDS
https://www.everythingwithwords.com/about-us/
Everything With Words is an independent publisher of literary fiction for children and adults. They’re enthusiastic and committed to books that just feel a little different, a fresh way of telling a story, a striking way with words, a beguiling sense of humour and irony, and sometimes when lucky, all those things at once. ANYA
https://www.pageandvine.com/hybrid
Under its Anya imprint, Page & Vine has created a non-exclusive hybrid publishing model for successful indie authors seeking a traditional print distribution solution that expands their brand into brick-and-mortar locations while preserving their direct revenue streams. Under the hybrid publishing program, authors will
retain 60% of the net profits of their traditionally distributed print revenue and benefit from full service sales, warehousing, and distribution via Simon & Schuster, introducing their books to large retailers like Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, libraries, specialty markets, and more. The Page & Vine team provides line editing and proofreading services, print formatting, a retail sales force, warehousing, distribution management, and promotions tailored to reach booksellers,
librarians, and access to its proprietary database of 4,500 romance/fiction influencers. THE INNOVATION PRESS
https://www.theinnovationpress.com/submissions
At this time, we are only interested in submissions that appeal primarily to a PreK-5th grade audience. We are
particularly interested in hybrid texts that blend fiction elements with nonfiction elements (picture book, chapter book, middle grade, and graphic novel), though we also welcome traditional fiction and nonfiction submissions. We love books that make us laugh and we get excited when we see a presentation/approach or subject we have not seen before. We are also actively seeking #OwnVoices submissions.
Please forward the newsletter in its entirety. To reprint any editorials, contact hope@fundsforwriters.com for permission. Do not assume that acknowledgements listed in your publication is considered a valid right to publish out of ours.
C. Hope Clark
E-mail: hope@fundsforwriters.com
140-A Amicks Ferry Road #4
Chapin, SC 29036
http://www.fundsforwriters.com Copyright 2000-2025, C. Hope Clark
ISSN: 1533-1326 Our subscriber list is NOT made available to others. Use information listed at your own risk. FundsforWriters gives no warranty to completeness, accuracy, or fitness of the markets, contests, and grants although research is done to the best of our
ability. FundsforWriters finds open submission calls, contests, and markets from a wide variety of sources, including Erika Dreifus' Practicing Writer
newsletter, Erica Verrillo's blog, Authors Publish, Poets & Writers, Duotrope, Winning Writers, Write Jobs Plus, LinkedIn Jobs, Emily Stoddard, and other newsletters and online sites. Many announcements are submitted directly to FundsforWriters. All must be paying opportunities. Contests must pay a minimum of $200 first place. Submit potential listings to hope@chopeclark.com **Note that FundsforWriters.com places paid advertising in this newsletter. ALL ads are related to writers and the business of writing, screened by FundsforWriters to make sure the information is suitable for writers and their endeavors to improve their careers. While the mailing list is
not sold to third parties, other parties do advertise in the newsletter, to include the occasional solo ad. You will not receive this newsletter without your permission. It's physically impossible since recipients must opt-in, giving us permission to send the newsletter. If at any time you no longer wish to receive the newsletter, click the UNSUBSCRIBE link at the bottom of each newsletter. We want you to enjoy this newsletter at your pleasure, not be forced to read anything you do not wish to
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