VOLUME 26, ISSUE 21 | MAY 22, 2026 |
THE AI TIDE AI is happening. No doubt about it. Where it happens, and how acceptable it is in assorted venues, however, varies. People are using it like a resource right and left. The majority of people online use it.
People let it take notes, use it to look up books (and their reviews), and ask it to organize a zillion things. Copywriting uses it more than you think. However, using it for covers and the content of books is still a huge no-no. Barnes & Noble's CEO made that clear recently. https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bookselling/article/100465-daunt-looks-to-clarify-b-n-s-position-on-ai-generated-books.html Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt issued a statement yesterday saying
the bookseller does not “endorse or intentionally sell AI-generated books. We take active measures to exclude all AI-generated books from our online offerings and never knowingly order any for in-store stock.” Be careful. AI is tempting. AI is cheaper than hiring artists and editors. However, if you get caught up in a whirlwind of negativity because you did, if readers chastize you for it, if a bookseller or publisher smells it,
you become a permanent reminder of it. Your name and brand and future could be damaged and painted as fraud. Once somebody even thinks you may have used it, you've lost fans. And they don't come back. |
Creative Nonfiction 101: Using the Tools of Fiction to Tell True Stories
What if your real-life experiences could read like a page-turner? On Saturday, May 30, I'll lead a one-hour webinar called,
"Creative Nonfiction 101." We'll explore the art of creative nonfiction—where truth meets the creative storytelling techniques that bring it to life. You'll learn what creative nonfiction is (true stories shaped with the tools of fiction—think vivid scenes, strong characters, and meaningful arcs) and what it isn't (stretching the truth
until it breaks). Along the way, we'll look at why this genre resonates so deeply with readers and how you can begin using it in your own writing. Whether you're capturing personal memories, family history, or moments that matter, this session will give you a fresh perspective—and a few practical tools—to tell your story with clarity and heart. Kate Meadows is a published author, book coach and editor with an MFA in Professional Writing. Learn more at www.katemeadows.com. PITCHING MAGS AND ONLINE SITES
Believe it or not, online sites and magazines are seeking freelance writers they can rely upon. And if they develop a reliable relationship with them, they'll use those writers as long as they can. The reason? Reliable writers who can follow direction, think intelligently,
and write well without AI are few and far between. I am one of those editors. I just received a submission from someone new. Oh my goodness, her work was well written, all guidelines followed, and the thought well presented. I bought the article and extended an invitation to submit again. People, those invitations are worth their weight in gold. 1) Look for guidelines first, then follow them to the letter.
2) Never ask an editor is they are looking for writers. Why do you think the guidelines are out there? Don't make the editor answer because you are too lazy to. Asking me that earns you instant rejection. . . or no reply.
3) Respect the market by knowing it well. Respect the editor by not asking if you can pitch, telling them how reliable you are, or asking for ideas. Editors are strung
out and juggling a lot of balls. They don't need anymore emails than they already have.
4) Submit completely. Don't make the editor have to ask questions, or ask for a bio, or ask for your PayPal address, or...anything.
5) Pitch well, as if that one submission dictates whether you are considered for a long-term gig. You only get one chance to make a great impression. And yes, editors often remember your name. And yes, sometimes
they remember you as a permanent NO. Why? Because others will get it right the first time.
-June 4, 2026 - Chapin Library, Chapin, SC - 1-2 PM -June 13-20, 2026 - Gutsy Great Novel Retreat, Bar Harbor, Maine - Hope as author-in-residence -July 25, 2026 - Smoking Guns Sisters in Crime Zoom meeting - Noon - Zoom -August 17, 2026 - Saluda County Library, Saluda, SC - 5:30-7 PM -October 27-28, 2026 - SC Library Conference,
Columbia Convention Ctr - lunch speaker -November 15-21, 2026 - Edisto Beach, signings TBD
Email: [email protected] to schedule events, online or otherwise. “I don't think there's any artist of any value who doesn't doubt what they're doing.” – Francis Ford Coppola
Three Unique Ways to Find New Markets to Pitch
By Rachel Carrington As freelance writers, we struggle to find markets that suit our interests. Even sites dedicated to providing freelance listings,
while excellent for the most part, can't list every available market. Often, the smaller niche publishers aren’t even included in listings, but with some effort there are ways to find them. Search Medium for [Subject] Writers’ Guidelines or Article Submissions Medium is widely known as an online home where writers can create their own home for their stories and content. However, it has become much more than that, having also evolved into a search engine and a powerful tool to find markets you never even knew existed. By searching for your subject, you can also narrow the returns for those journals and/or sites. For example, I searched for “lifestyle writers guidelines,” and the guidelines for Cosmopolitan Magazine showed up alongside The Lifestyle Café which had a listing for “Writers Wanted.” A little further down in the search I found more guidelines for Wellness Travel Adventures and for a site called Ice Cream. There were also articles with publications that paid lifestyle and health writers. While some Medium content is behind a paywall, there is still enough available to make this worth your time to search. Magazine Line Though this site is a place to get discounted magazine deals, it’s also a treasure trove of information on digital and printed magazines that won’t be familiar to a lot of people. Not only can you search by your interests like cooking and fashion, but you can search for regional
publications, professional and trade, education, and more. You can also search by topic as well as category. Just to see what was possible, I searched for raising chickens and was surprised when a magazine popped up! Once you’ve found a magazine that interests you, Google
for the writers’ guidelines. I discovered Still Point Arts Quarterly Magazine on Magazine Line and found an open call for essays that were right in my wheelhouse. This isn’t a market that I’d seen on any other listing. For particular geography interests, you can
search for local and regional magazines. I spend a lot of time in Missouri and discovered Missouri Life and St. Louis Magazine. And, as a bonus, when I researched the submission guidelines
for Missouri Life, The Missouri Review popped up. It not only reviews submissions year-round, but it has a contest currently underway with a $1,000 prize. Refdesk I knew nothing about this site until searching for
regional newspapers, I clicked on a link that took me to Refdesk.com. There I discovered links to United States and Worldwide newspapers. I clicked on my state and was excited to see several smaller newspapers I’d never heard of before. It’s much easier to break into regional newspapers than larger publications. While smaller publications won’t pay as much, you could garner
free marketing for any books you’ve written in the byline or even in the article itself if niche enough. I reached out to a small newspaper in my area and ended up taking a local journalist for coffee. I pitched an idea for a column which she will discuss with her editor. That pitch led me to reach out
to the news manager for our biggest newspaper, The Post and Courier and suggest that they include a section for book reviews that would tie into our annual local literary events like the Charleston Literary Festival and YALL Fest, which is our young adult book festival. On a side note,
when performing your searches, make sure to use specific terminology. Don’t just look for health magazines unless you want to write about a variety of areas. Instead, narrow your search to a specific issue like fibromyalgia, heart disease, or diabetes. The best markets can be buried in unexpected corners of the internet. If you’re willing to dig, change up your keywords, and follow leads a little deeper, you’ll uncover publications
that are looking for what you write. Writing takes talent, but it also takes initiative. The writers who are always working are generally always searching as well. Bio: As well as being a published author of fantasy and paranormal fiction, Rachel Carrington is also a freelance writer who has written for the New York Times, FundsforWriters, Startrek.com, The Writer, to name a few. She can be found on the internet at www.rachelcarrington.com as well as on Instagram and Twitter at rcarrington2004.
ID 119289006 © Arturszczybylo | Dreamstime.com
GRANUM FOUNDATION PRIZE
https://www.granumfoundation.org/granum-prize
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 1, 2026. Awarded annually to help U.S.-based writers complete substantive literary works—such as poetry books, essay or short
story collections, novels, and memoirs—or to help launch these works. One winner will be awarded $5,000. Up to three finalists will be awarded $500 or more. Writers who have published more than five books, including chapbooks, are not eligible. Additionally, the Granum Foundation Translation Prize will be awarded to support the completion of a work translated into English by a U.S.-based writer. Prize: One winner will receive $1,500 or more. At this time, we are not accepting screenplays, stage
plays, or children’s picture books. Only U.S. residents 18+ are eligible for funding, and prizes must be spent in the U.S. LOS ANGELES REVIEW PRIZE
https://losangelesreview.org/awards/
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline July 31, 2026. Submissions are open to all and are not limited to
residents of Los Angeles. Fiction: We’re looking for hard-to-put-down sequences of shorts or stand-alone lengthier stories in the 1,000 – 4,000 words range. Regardless of length, we always hope to see lively, vivid, excellent literary fiction. Flash Fiction: We’re looking for shorts under 1,000 words that we want to read again and again. We’re looking for work that is lively, vivid, and leaves us wanting more. Nonfiction: Please submit an essay, memoir, or commentary told as compelling, focused,
sustained narrative in a distinctive voice, rich with detail. Send 1,000-4,000 words or delight us with flash nonfiction that cat-burgles our expectations. Poetry: Please submit 3-5 poems that will surprise us, wow us, and make us wish we’d written them ourselves. Pay is $1,000 per genre winner + publication. KELLMAN PRIZE FOR IMMIGRANT LITERATURE
https://restlessbooks.org/prize-for-immigrant-literature
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline May 31, 2026. Created to honor outstanding debut literary works by first-generation immigrants whose work examines how immigration shapes our lives, our communities, and our world. The winner receives $10,000, a writing residency from Millay Arts, and publication by Restless Books.
Beginning in 2025, the prize no longer alternates between fiction and nonfiction, but accepts submissions in both genres each year. SATURDAY EVENING POST GREAT AMERICAN FICTION CONTEST
https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/fiction-contest/
$10 ENTRY FEE. Deadline July 1,
2026. Stories must be between 1,500 and 5,000 words long. Entries should be character- or plot-driven pieces in any genre of fiction. $1000 and publication for first place. Each runner-up receives $200 and publication. GRANTS / FELLOWSHIP / CROWDFUNDING HAWTHORNDEN CASTLE RESIDENCIES
https://www.hawthornden.org/hawthornden-castle
Deadline May 29, 2026. Hawthornden Literary Retreat at Hawthornden Castle in Scotland was originally founded to provide a peaceful setting for
creative writers to work without disturbance. The residency receives writers for ten months of the year. It houses six writers at a time, in sessions lasting four weeks each. Literary fiction writers, poets, short story writers, creative nonfiction writers, essayists, playwrights, screenwriters, and translators (into English) are all invited to apply. Each participating writer will be offered a stipend of $1,000 (if they are traveling from Europe) or $2,500 (if they are traveling from elsewhere
in the world). ARTHURDALE WRITERS RESIDENCY
https://www.arthurdaleheritage.org/literature-and-storytelling/arthurdale-writers-residency/
Deadline May 31, 2026. This is a one-week long residency for emerging and mid-career
writers who strive to write more nuanced narratives about Appalachia. The writer-in-residence will stay on a rural Arthurdale homestead in a historic cottage surrounded by tall trees and will be given a $250 stipend. Genres: poetry, fiction, non-fiction, creative nonfiction, songwriting, plays, screen-plays. Must be an emerging or mid-career writer who does NOT yet have a published book. Location Arthurdale, WV. GRIMSSON FELLOWS
https://www.arcticcircle.org/grimsson-fellows
Deadline June 1, 2026. Grímsson Fellowships are open to scientists, researchers, experts, scholars and writers of any nationality. The fellows are invited to stay in the House of Grímur in the historic town of Ísafjörður, the capital of the beautiful Westfjords region in Iceland. In
addition to the free stay, the Fellowship includes travel to and from Iceland, as well as a stipend contribution towards living cost. Two to four will be selected. ARKANSAS ARTS IN EDUCATION ROSTER
https://www.arkansasheritage.com/arkansas-art-council/registry-rosters/arts-in-education
Deadline July 1, 2026. The Arts in Education Artist Roster is an online listing of professional performers and visual or literary artists who are available to participate in a variety of Arts in Education programs. Local schools and community nonprofit organizations may sponsor individual teaching artists. Artist on the roster are compensated.
LEGION
https://legionmagazine.com/contributions/
Legion Magazine is published six times a year for a national readership composed of members of The Royal Canadian Legion and their families, as well as serving members of the Canadian Forces, the
Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the general public. Areas of coverage include military history, military and veterans affairs, policing issues, issues of concern to senior citizens, health, recreation, humour and current affairs of interest to a national audience. Average article length is between 1,500 and 2,200 words, although stories as short as 600 and as long as 3,000 words are accepted on occasion. First North American serial rights range from $150 to $1,200. ROVA
https://www.rovamag.com/be-a-contributor
Are you a road-tripper, a US travel nut, a writer extraordinaire, an RV aficionado? Writers and photographers will be paid a flat rate of $200 per article/photo essay subject to acceptance for publication. IN DEVELOPMENT
https://indevelopmentmag.com/pitch/
Deadline June 30, 2026. In Development is a new magazine dedicated to exploring how progress happens — or doesn’t happen — in the developing world. We’re commissioning 2,000–4,000-word pieces that tell a compelling story about how something works – or fails to work – in the
developing world. We accept pitches on a rolling basis, but review at specific times. Payment is $2,000 upon publication. ATAVAIST
https://magazine.atavist.com/submissions
Atavist stories can be historical or current; they can be about crime or science, adventure or romance; they can be
rooted in investigative reporting or in first-person experiences. What unites them is their narrative approach—our stories are plot- and character-driven, cinematic, the kind of yarns you don’t want to stop reading because you can’t wait to see what happens next. What we are not looking for: News dispatches or analyses, think pieces, trend pieces, reviews, round-ups on a subject, profiles of well-known figures, and most any other topic-driven feature. Also, blog posts, op-eds, and academic
papers. We’re looking for stories that need to be longer than a typical magazine feature, anywhere from 8,000 to 30,000 words. Payment rates vary by project. We offer a story fee plus, if applicable, a budget for expenses. Our baseline story fee is $6,000. We guarantee 25 percent payment for all assigned stories. ALLRECIPES
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe-zfwsnwih82dfk09CWv1Yj_C1BspX8NNYi8JtflDAwNjtPQ/viewform
https://www.allrecipes.com/about-us-6648102#toc-contact-us
We're always looking for talented freelance writers to contribute to Allrecipes' features coverage. We're currently accepting pitches for recipes, news and trending articles, and features (especially personal essays and food histories). HEARTDRUM https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/childrens-heartdrum-books
Heartdrum is a Native-focused imprint of HarperCollins Children’s Books, author-curated by Cynthia Leitich Smith and edited by
Rosemary Brosnan. Our focus is on Indigenous stories that reflect Native people whose Nations are located within the borders of what’s now called the United States and Canada. We are open to considering picture book, chapter book, middle grade novel, and young adult novel manuscripts as well as middle grade and young adult nonfiction manuscripts, and both poetry and graphic novel formats. TUNDRA BOOKS
https://tundrabooks.com/submissions/
We are committed to working with dynamic authors and illustrators to create the very best books for children and to amplifying underrepresented voices in children’s books. We are currently only accepting manuscript and art submissions by creators from underrepresented communities. If you identify as Black, Indigenous or as a person of
color, LGBTSQI2S+, having a disability or have ever had refugee status, we want to hear from you. We love to hear from Canadian writers, but we’re happy to hear from writers all over the world. LAWLEY PUBLISHING
https://lawleypublishing.com/submissions
In search of Children's fiction and
nonfiction picture books, Early Reader fiction and nonfiction chapter books, and Middle Grade fiction and nonfiction. Lawley Publishing accepts physical, mailed copies of manuscripts. We are not currently accepting digital submissions. Please allow 3–6 months to hear back regarding your submission. FAMILIUS PUBLISHING
https://familius.com/author-submissions/
Our categories include children’s picture books and board books, parenting, relationships, self-help, family fun, education, cooking, and health and wellness for both adults and young adults. Basically, if your book can help us achieve our mission of helping families be happy, we want to talk to you.
FUNDSFORWRITERS FINE PRINT Please forward the newsletter in its entirety. To reprint any editorials, contact [email protected] 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: [email protected]
140-A Amicks Ferry Road #4
Chapin, SC 29036
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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
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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 [email protected] **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
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