VOLUME 25, ISSUE 43 | OCTOBER 31, 2025

ANNOUNCING YOURSELF TOO SOON

We get very eager to tell the world what we are writing, how much we have written, how much has been edited, how many beta readers are reading it, what the cover looks like, what our writers group thinks about it so far, etc. You get the picture.

Do not do this.

1. Nobody really wants to hear.
2. Nobody will understand except other writers, and they (usually) are not your market.
3. People hear enough about books that are completed and published. They don't need to hear about the steps of one that may or may not come out.
4. It robs the work product of its energy. By the time the book comes out, it's old news.
5. Nobody cares about the steps. They only care about how great the result is. (Assuming there is a result.) 

You might be amazed at how many people "talk" about writing a book and never complete it. Way more than complete one. It takes a long time to write and publish a book, and many don't have the patience to stick it out without praise. Some seek support  prematurely  in order to find a purpose to continue. Writing, editing, and publishing a book is NOT easy if done well. When someone tells me how easy it was, I instantly know they cut corners.

If you are writing a book just for friends and family, fine. Talk it up all day long. If you are writing a book for marketing, just hush and create the book.

C. Hope Clark
Editor, FundsforWriters
Email Hope | Visit Website | Sign up for Newsletter
Newsletter: ISSN: 1533-1326
FFW has been on the Writer's Digest's 101 Best Websites for Writers list every year since 2000

TWITTER - http://twitter.com/hopeclark
AUTHOR SITE - http://www.chopeclark.com 
FACEBOOK - http://www.facebook.com/chopeclark
GOODREADS - http://www.goodreads.com/hopeclark 
BOOKBUB - https://www.bookbub.com/authors/c-hope-clark

Read the FFW Archive

TOP SPONSOR

Okay, okay, fine. You're right. These guys all lived before the era of websites, but *you* don't, and one of the best places to reach your readers and stick in their brain is by having a website of your own. 

I mean, talk about memorable, that guy on the right's actual first name is "Mayonnaise." Yes, really... well, okay it was "Mayo," but the point still remains. He had a memorable name and you don't remember him. 

So you need more than a memorable name. You need a place to meet readers, a front door so to speak where you can usher them into your work, you know, a website. And while social media can do some of that front-door work, you need a place you can control. If the Zuckermuskatoks of the world decide to change the algorithm for their benefit and not yours, you'll be wishing you had something as memorable as a name like "Mayo." 

Or maybe you could just get a custom designed and built website. I wonder who offers those services? Oh, yeah, I do at AuthorWebSolutions.com

EDITOR'S THOUGHTS

THE 5-MINUTE RULE

Writer's block. I do not believe in it. And I wish others would stop using it as a reason not to write.

Upon reading this piece (found listed by FFW fan Tom Bentley), I felt totally validated in my belief.

"By limiting the commitment to just five minutes, the task feels more manageable and less intimidating. It helps you get over the hurdle, and it limits any procrastination tendencies." ~Dr. Faye Begetti, Neurologist and Neuroscientist at Oxford University Hospitals.

In essence, when you are faced with something you do not have the energy or desire to do (i.e., writer's block), sit down anyway and tell yourself, "Just do it for five minutes."

Your brain might be telling you it is tired and can't function on all cylinders. Believe it or not, your brain is trying to trick you into doing little to nothing. Those are the times you flop in front of the television, order Door Dash, and scroll your phone. Your brain actually exaggerates how tired it is or how much energy it takes to sit in front of the keyboard and write.

The toughest part is getting started.

So just muscle through for five minutes. You might be amazed at how you look up and thirty minutes have passed. Or you may stop at five minutes, but you not have let a day escape you with nothing written. Don't cheat and just put on a timer for five minutes and accomplish nothing. Give it effort. You might surprise yourself. To be honest, I never heard of this rule, but I make myself write daily. Might be 300 words or might be 5000, but I refuse to be sidelined by "writer's block." Anyone can do it. I promise.
 

SUPER SPONSOR

A Writer’s Woodstock

It’s a writer’s Woodstock — only with more laughter. Registration opens at noon (EST) on Nov. 5 for the March 26-28 Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop at the University of Dayton.

Join bestselling authors, publishing pros and hundreds of kindred spirits at one of the most sought-after literary workshops in the country. The workshop welcomes writers of all experience levels and genres who seek to improve their craft and build community. 

“I’ve attended plenty of retreats, conferences and workshops, and I usually feel a high after each one,” one attendee said, “but the high I feel after the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop is next level. I feel like my brain is in a vortex, but it is a magical, life-affirming one.

Check out the amazing lineup of keynoters, presenters and sessions, and be poised to register on Nov. 5. The $524 early bird registration fee includes all meals (and snacks). 

HOPE'S APPEARANCES

-Nov 14-19, 2025 - exact date TBD - signing Edisto Bookstore, Edisto, SC

-Nov 22, 2025 - Christmas Market - 8AM-2PM - ICRC Rec Ctr, Chapin, SC

Email: hope@chopeclark.com to schedule  events, online or otherwise. 

SUCCESS QUOTE

“Somewhere inside all of us is the power to change the world.” 

—Roald Dahl, Matilda

 

SUCCESS STORY

Hello Hope,

I am a long-time FFW subscriber in retirement. The January 3 newsletter inspired me to return to freelance writing. I gathered my myriad scribbled notes (does a writer ever REALLY stop writing) and followed your advice to simply restart with daily journaling and essay writing. I also enrolled in several Amber Petty workshops.

My short item appeared in the Circle of Kindness column in Woman's World. The process of writing and rewriting this one little paragraph reestablished daily discipline and confirmed my calculated guess that a February submission would prove timely for back-to-school season. On acceptance, I studied the editor's change - a deleted sentence that was certainly an unneeded idiom.

In 1987, my first freelance sale was a one-paragraph item in Better Homes and Gardens. It led to numerous freelance opportunities. Who knows where my current baby steps will take me in my eighth decade? The ideas are swirling. I already have an offer to return to a monthly column in a local publication. It is never too late to start over.

My next task is to create an online presence. As you often state, every writer needs one. I will begin with the basic pages you suggested in the May 2 newsletter.

I continue to read, study, navigate media technology, and write daily. I absorb your newsletters (past and current) as I gauge editors' needs, rediscover my voice, and fine-tune my pitches. Thank you for your guidance, informative articles, and the abundance of curated contests, markets, grants, and course offerings. You are truly inspirational.

Sincerely,

Mary Vaughan

<<If you have a success story you believe was prompted by FundsforWriters, please share with us! Send to hope@chopeclark.com >>

FEATURED ARTICLE

What Do AI Trainers Do?
 

By Dan Brotzel

Job pages aimed at writers are filling up with roles like ‘AI trainer’, ‘Freelance writer – AI’ and ‘AI tutor’. Here’s a typical one: ‘Get paid 20+/hr to write. Work training chatbot AI, while earning cash, on a schedule you set. Apply now to get started.’ 
For examples, check out these pages here, here and here. See also ai trainer jobs and this GigFish board, which gives a good overview of what’s out there, together with reviews.

With AI creeping in most sectors, many businesses hire freelance AI trainers directly, along with AI companies that carry out projects for different clients. Names that pop up a lot include Outlier, Mindrift and DataAnnotation.  

These jobs basically help AI tools to sound more human in their responses. You might be asked to write sample prompts and model answers (known as outputs), rank different AI-generated responses, or correct errors in AI text. You might write fictional stories or dialogue to help AI learn stylistic diversity.

Pay starts at around $15 per hour. It can go as high as $100-150, but these higher rates tend to be reserved for people with extra expertise to offer, such as a graduate or PhD level science specialism, an additional language, or data science, coding or dev skills.

Typical basic skills required include strong language and writing ability, attention to detail and critical thinking, and often a Bachelor-level qualification. Here’s a typical ask.

The whole area feels very giggy – often remote and project-based, offering varied hours. This flexibility attracts a lot of the usual suspects (like me) looking for a side hustle – journalists and content types, educators and grad students.  

To get onboarded, you often have to take online assessments. I’m doing that now and it’s driving me mad – so far I’ve had to check a stock price from May 2025 and compare the following: two poems about longing for a sandwich, two work email responses, two texts about the summer Olympics, and two film summaries. And I still must answer this, in 3-5 sentences: ‘If you could time travel to observe any historical period or moment for a day, where and when would you go, and what would you hope to learn?’ All unpaid of course.

I started looking at this kind of work with an open mind, but the more I’ve read the more disillusioned I’ve become. It all reminds of the old copy mills: tedious tests to pass and samples to write, and not very glamorous pay at the end of it. 
True, some people find the work stimulating, and the more specialised roles pay better. One interviewee in this Time article says it’s ‘a great side income to work on if you needed extra work from a laptop or computer’.

But there are lots of complaints too, as in subreddits like this one and this one (which is grad science-based).

Too many hoops to jump through, for example: 
‘They kept throwing these 100-page training manuals at me to learn all time. The pay wasn't worth it.’

There is talk about work getting lost (and going unpaid) because of a buggy user interface. There are sudden downgrades in pay or work: ‘They will remove you from a project with absolutely no explanation despite glowing feedback.’

Finding a human to discuss anything can be hard, too. ‘Onboarding was pretty bad and you were on your own,’ says one. 
Another comment: ‘Management/communication is awful and turnover is extremely high.’

Some AI platforms reward good or regular performers with access to better-paid projects, but income isn’t always guaranteed: ‘It's not great job security as it's essentially contract work and the task availability will ebb and flow.’

On top of all this, of course, there’s the underlying concern that we’re training bots to take our own jobs away. So shop around before you commit. Read online reviews, understand payment terms, and don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

BIO - Dan Brotzel’s latest novel is Thank You For The Days (Bloodhound Books). He also writes widely on Medium. 
 

COMPETITIONS

BATH CHILDREN'S NOVEL PRIZE
https://bathnovelaward.co.uk/bath-childrens-novel-award-2023-submissions/
£29.99 ENTRY FEE. Deadline November 30, 2025. Open to unagented writers who are yet to accept an offer of publication, for a novel or children’s fiction book, which includes an advance (pre-publication) payment from the publisher. The winner of the Bath Children’s Novel Award 2025 will be announced at www.bathnovelaward.co.uk in February 2026 and awarded £5,000 GBP. Entrants may be of any age, nationality or residency. We accept the following. YA novels; novels for teens; children’s novels; early readers; chapter books and the text of story picture books. Full manuscripts may be of any length. Submissions may be unpublished, self published or published without an advance.

DRIFTWOOD PRESS SHORT STORY CONTEST
https://www.driftwoodpress.com/storycontest
$30 ENTRY FEE. Deadline January 15, 2026. The Grand Prize winner will receive $400 USD and five copies of the issue in which the story appears. The winner will also have the opportunity to be interviewed about their work; the interview will be published alongside the story. Runner-ups will be offered publication, an accompanying interview, $200 USD, and one copy of the issue in which their work appears. Fiction only. 1,000-5,000 soft word limit.

BLACK FOX LITERARY CONTEST
https://blackfoxlitmag.com/contests/
$12 ENTRY FEE. Deadline November 30, 2025. The theme for this round is “Liar Liar.” The prize is $325 and print publication in the Winter 2026 issue. All submissions are considered for print publication in the Winter 2026 issue. Submissions should be no more than 5,000 words. For poetry, send up to three poems in the same document. For flash fiction, send up to two stories in the same document.

FALL F(R)ICTION CONTEST
https://frictioncontests.submittable.com/submit
$10-15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline November 7, 2025. Short stories: 1,001 – 7,500 words. Poetry: up the three pages per poem. Flash fiction: up to 1,000 words per piece. 1st prize in fiction receives $1,000 and will be considered for publication in F(r)iction, our triannual print collection or through our online blog F(r)iction Log. Up to five finalists will be considered for publication. 1st prize in poetry and flash fiction each receives $300 and will be considered for publication in F(r)iction. Up to five finalists in each ca tegory will be considered for publication.

REEDSY NOVEMBER NOVEL SPRINT
https://reedsy.com/studio/challenges/reedsy-novel-sprint-2025
Every November, thousands of writers set out to write their books. But this year, the stakes are higher. Join the Reedsy Novel Sprint for the chance to win $5,000 in cash prizes and introductions to a literary agent. Starting on November 1, 2025. Lots of perks depending on your word count. Lots of live sessions to assist you.
 

GRANTS / FELLOWSHIP / CROWDFUNDING

CANADIAN COUNCIL MICRO-GRANTS
https://canadacouncil.ca/funding/grants/upcoming-funding-opportunities/micro-grants
Rolling deadlines. Micro-grants will fund activities that will grow and advance your artistic career or practice. This may include engaging in career or artistic development activities, participation in a presentation or exhibition opportunity, increasing accessibility for audiences, artists and/or arts workers who are Deaf or have disabilities or market and network development. Up to $10 000 per application.

TENNESSEE ARTS FORWARD GRANTS
https://tnartscommission.org/news/special-opportunities-arts-forward-grant-now-open/
Arts Forward grants may be used to support participation in the 2026 South & Appalachian Creative Placemaking Summit. Individuals may apply for up to $1,000, and organizations sending at least two representatives may apply for up to $2,000 to help cover registration fees, travel expenses, stipends, and lodging for this national convening on arts, culture, and community development.

PEN EMERGING VOICES FELLOWSHIP
https://pen.org/emerging-voices-fellowship/
Opens in January 2026. The Emerging Voices Fellowship provides a virtual five-month immersive mentorship program for early-career writers from communities that are traditionally underrepresented in the publishing world. The program is committed to cultivating the careers of Black writers, and serves writers who identify as Indigenous, persons of color, LGBTQ+, immigrants, writers with disabilities, and those living outside of urban centers.

NEW YORK TIMES FELLOWSHIPS
https://www.nytco.com/press/applications-open-for-2026-27-new-york-times-fellowship/
Deadline November 19, 2025. This year will include reporters, visual journalists, an audience editor and an A.I. Initiatives fellow. Fellows work full time, in either the newsroom or the Opinion section. They are paid and receive benefits, and gain access to speakers and a writing coach. The fellowship is set to begin on June 1, 2026, and end on May 21, 2027. Ideal candidates will have some newsroom or equivalent experience and will demonstrate a strong commitment to journalistic independence. They should be curious about innovative approaches to storytelling. Applicants should not have more than five years of professional journalism experience beyond campus media and internships.

LITERARY ARTS FUND
https://literaryartsfund.org/grants/
The Literary Arts Fund will award at least $50 million in grants to the nonprofit literary arts field over the next five years, concluding in 2031. Literary arts nonprofits based in the U.S. whose primary mission is presenting, publishing, and/or otherwise supporting contemporary creative writers of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, or hybrid literary forms are invited to apply. The Literary Arts Fund will hold open calls for two opportunities: general operating grants and innovation project grants. Join the Literary Arts Fund for an information session about its 2026 general operating and innovation project grants, taking place on Thursday, November 13, 2025, at 11 a.m. PST / 1 p.m. CST / 2 p.m. EST. 
 

FREELANCE MARKETS / JOBS

SOUTHWEST COMTEMPORARY
https://southwestcontemporary.com/classifieds/call-for-pitches-southwest-contemporary-vol-13-the-road/
Deadline November 7, 2025. In Southwest Contemporary, Volume 13, we want to explore The Road as idea, as function, as experience, as connecting space and sinew. We are interested in highlighting artists who are examining roads materially and conceptually—from time-honored trails to soaring concrete cathedrals of freeway overpasses. The fee will be agreed upon at the time of commission, and typically range $100–500. We invite pitches for print articles related to this theme in the form of:

Studio visits/artist profiles (800 words).
Reporting (1200–2000 words).
Features (1200–2000 words).
Creative essays (400–700 words).
Interviews (500–2000 words).
Cultural criticism (1200–2000 words).
Travel writing / Field Reports (1200–1500 words).
Reviews (exhibitions reviews should be timely and do not need to adhere to the theme) (300 words).

AMERICAN CRAFT
https://craftcouncil.org/magazine/writers-guidelines/
Deadline November 10, 2025. As a nationwide, membership-based nonprofit, we leverage the transformative possibilities of craft through storytelling, resources for artists, and unique experiences designed to bring makers and appreciators together. Seeking pitches for reported articles, essays, and opinion pieces for Summer 2026 “Revolution” issue. Pay is $0.50–$1/word.

CHICKEN SOUP
http://www.chickensoup.com
Chicken Soup for the Soul is seeking true stories (900–1,200 words) for multiple upcoming anthologies. Pay is $200 and 10 contributor copies. December Holidays: Deadline February 28, 2026. Cat Tales: Deadline March 1, 2026. Married Couples: Deadline March 31, 2026.

FOODISM
https://foodism.ca/write-for-us/
We currently pay for print-first features and travel guides, which are then repurposed online. Familiarize yourself with our past Foodism and Escapism issues, and any upcoming themes. The Food Feature flat rate of $600 for 1,200 – 1,500 words. The Travel Feature flat rate of $600 for 1,200 – 1,500 words. The Travel Guide are around 500 words and up, and we pay $0.40 per word.
 

PUBLISHERS / AGENTS

WILD BLUE PRESS
https://wildbluepress.com/
Seeking true crime, romance, sci-fi, fantasy, mystery, history, horror, thriller, business.

ALCOVE PRESS
https://alcovepress.com/submissions/
What we’re looking for:
Action/Adventure, Apocalyptic/Post-Apocalyptic, Book Club, Chick Lit, Coming Of Age, Commercial, Contemporary, Cozy, Dystopian, Enemies To Lovers, Fairy Tales & Folk Tales, Fake Dating, Family Life, Family Saga, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Urban, Friends To Lovers, Ghost, Gothic, Historical, Holidays, Horror, LGBTQ+, Literary, Love Triangle, Multicultural, Myths & Legends, New Adult, Occult & Supernatural, Reading Group, Retellings, Romance, Category, Contemporary, Historical, Paranormal, Thriller/Suspense, Romantasy, Romantic Comedy/Rom Com, Science Fiction, Small Town/Rural, Southern, Speculative, Suburban, Time Travel, Upmarket, 
Western, Women’s Fiction, Workplace Romance, Young Adult Fantasy.

TULE MYSTERY
https://tulepublishing.com/submissions/
Our Tule Mystery imprint seeks amateur mysteries (60K words), in-depth crime novels (70K words), and thrillers (90K words).

TULE ROMANCE
https://tulepublishing.com/submissions/
American Heart romances are the perfect escape for readers who love heartwarming contemporaries and sexy happy ever afters. Holiday stories are filled with faraway places and irresistible romance, so pack your bags and enjoy the ride. We are also interested in your historical, paranormal, and fantasy manuscripts. Then there is Montana Born, the first and largest imprint by Tule Publishing and Texas Born came soon after.

BIG SANDY PRESS
https://ozarkmt.com/
New Age/Metaphysical or Spiritual, Historical, Paranormal, Youth and Teen material. Please do not send Poetry, Daily Inspirational Books or Cards, as we do not publish this style. We no longer publish Children's books. Also considers general non-fiction and fiction. Ozark Mountain Publishing’s Mission remains the same, taking readers beyond the unexplained and exploring the possibilities of the Universe and Beyond.
 

 

FUNDSFORWRITERS 

FINE PRINT