VOLUME 26, ISSUE 11 | MARCH 13, 2026 |
INTENTION VS GRAVITATION I read the best essay about writing today from a writer named Angela Yuriko Smith who manages the Substack page and newsletter called Authortunities. She's pretty cool and has some great ideas. We don't agree on everything, but I love how she justifies her thoughts. She's smart and she loves helping writers. Today she spoke of Protecting Your Lightning. In essence, we are surrounded by distractions. Phones, family, social media, etc. Worse, everyone has an urgency to them, thinking that since life is faster, that responses ought to be quick all around. That includes demands on you. "Our attention is a commodity," she says, and she isn't wrong. There's lots of good metaphors and
comparisons in the piece, but my favorite was the intentional vs. gravitational way we deal with it all. Having information at our fingertips is great. . . when we need it. But when we just scroll for the sake of scrolling, a lot doesn't get done. . . like writing. And it stifles our creativity and productivity. Develop habits and be religious about maintaining
them. Stick to what you sat down at the keyboard to do. . . or shut down the social media to put your butt in the chair in front of the keyboard in the first place. Don't throw away your minutes by allowing the world's noise to distract you, because a few minutes become hours, and hours become habits. Then you find yourself making excuses why you haven't done a darn thing to get your beautiful creativity done. And as I frequently
say, when you are a writing, success or failure is all on you. |
EDIT NOW OR LATER?
I have been asked a few times of late about whether a writer should hire an editor before pitching to an editor or agent. After all, if those gatekeepers love the idea, won't they provide an editor to clean it up? 1)
Editors cost money. If they receive a manuscript with a great idea that ALSO is clean, well-written, and clearly comfortable with grammar, don't you think they'll go for that one over one with just a great idea? The less they have to beat up a manuscript, the easier an author is to work with, the more attractive the deal. 2) Clean manuscripts demonstrate dedication. A good idea in a clean manuscript that the
author put a great deal of effort into presenting makes a grand impact on agents and publishers. 3) Clean manuscripts underline talent. Don't send a manuscript and expect them to look through errors or rough patches to find the magic. The patches will win every time. A clean and edited manuscript allows the agents or publisher to just read the story and grasp the brilliance without being distracted. Good ideas are a dime a dozen. Good writing of good ideas not so much. Be the cream that rises to the top and invest into the best manuscript you can offer. You only get one chance to make a good first impression.
Six authors. Six journeys. One powerful circle. Please join us as we welcome these incredible voices to the room:  Pat McNeely Bonnie Stanard Every genre carries
wisdom, and every voice adds something distinct to the space. From fiction to memoir, these women are stepping forward to share their books and the lived experiences behind the pages. There is a particular energy that fills a room when a woman reads her own words. We invite you to be part of that connection. Reserve your seat today and join us for a journey of conversation, courage, and collective storytelling. -March 21, 2026 - Writer's Digest Mystery/Thriller Writing Virtual Conference - time TBD -April 1, 2026 - Her Story, Her Voice, open to public ($18 each and catered), Something Small Catering, 2510 Main Street, Suite A, Columbia, SC - 5:30-8PM - 6 invited authors to read -April 6, 2026 - Night Harbor Book Club, Chapin, SC (Hope is moderator, book
Before the Coffee Gets Cold) -Apr 15, 2026 - Book Club, Noon to 2 PM - Elgin, SC (members only) -April 16, 2026 - Brookhaven Book Club, 3001 Stanbury Dr, Matthews, NC -7-9PM -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 -October 27-28, 2026 - SC Library Conference, Columbia Convention Ctr - lunch speaker -November 15-21, 2026 - Edisto Beach, signings TBD
Email: hope@chopeclark.com to schedule events, online or otherwise. “An education isn't how much you have committed to memory, or even how much you know. It's being able to differentiate between what you do know and what you don't.” – Anatole France
<<If you have a success story you believe was prompted by FundsforWriters, please share with us! Send to hope@chopeclark.com >> Reach Your Writing Goals with Your Personal Writing Calendar
By Tatiana Claudy
"How did it get so late so soon? It's night before it's afternoon . . . My goodness how the time has flewn." (Dr. Seuss). For years,
this was my reaction after realizing that I have missed – again! – the pitching deadlines for seasonal and thematic articles. But not anymore. I found a simple solution to facilitate my freelance writer's life – a personal writing calendar. This time-tracking tool helped me to organize my activities and increase my earnings. Let me share how a personal writing
calendar can help you, too. Submit in advance time-sensitive pitches and manuscripts Many editors need submissions related to holidays and anniversaries. Knowing in advance about upcoming events gives you a competitive edge in pitching. I use these resources: 2026 Anniversaries and Commemorations Awareness
Days & Events Historical Anniversaries
Holidays and Observances
around the World
Break into new publications by using editorial calendars Editorial calendars contain themes and deadlines for upcoming issues. The link to the editorial calendar can often be found in the advertisement section. By studying editorial calendars before pitching, you can tailor your queries to meet editors' needs. That's how I broke into Creation Illustrated and got
my first byline! I use the editor's calendar (deadlines) to pitch in advance season-related stories. This strategy helped me to have 21 articles published in this periodical. Set your writing goals and juggle multiple tasks The writing calendar is a tool to assist you in reaching your yearly, monthly, weekly, and daily goals. You can download free digital
planners here. Writing calendars are indispensable for those who work on several projects simultaneously and have to honor numerous deadlines. After receiving assignments from editors, I put deadlines in my writing calendar – this way I monitor my workloads and do not overcommit
myself. I also indicate in my calendar what photos (especially seasonal and travel) I need to complement my articles. Mentioning original photos in my pitch often helps to get the writing assignment – and sometimes provides extra money. Manage writing time more efficiently By planning your writing
time you can devote periods of your maximum productivity to the most important and difficult tasks. My writing calendar also helps to keep me busy after I have submitted my article to the editor. Instead of being anxious and checking my email, I focus on the next project. Complete unfinished projects and keep submissions in circulation Many of us have files
of old projects that we hope to complete "one day." Solution? To put these "oldies" into our writing calendars and assign realistic deadlines. After placing one "on hold" mystery story in my calendar, I got inspired to finish it – and my story has been published in Mystery Weekly Magazine! My writing calendar also helps me to remember checking the status of my submissions and send follow-up emails. Set aside time for markets research and contests Freelancers need to break into new markets to keep the steady flow of assignments. There are free electronic publications with paid writing market listings, such as FundsforWriters, WritersWeekly.com, WOW! Women on Writing, FreedomwithWriting. In my calendar, I dedicate one day weekly for market
research. And don't forget contests that require time and full attention! Thanks to FundsforWriters, we have plenty of contests to choose from! In my writing calendar, I create an early deadline for each contest to give myself a little breathing room. Are you ready to plan your writing related activities? Even if your current calendar is not perfect, it still helps you be in
control of your time and navigate your career in the right direction to reach your writing goals. BIO - Tatiana Claudy is a freelance writer from Indiana where she lives with her family on a farm. She loves to travel, take photos of fascinating places, and ride horses. Her bylines appeared in Writersweekly.com, Freedomwithwriting.com, WOW! Women on Writing, and also in Mystery Weekly, Creation Illustrated, The Upper
Room, The Secret Place, The Lutheran Digest, and Today's Christian Living magazines. ID 29101660 © Thitimontoyai | Dreamstime.com
DAG FOUNDAITON PRIZE FOR LITERATURE
https://www.dagfoundation.org/literary-application-description
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 18, 2026. You have published, as of the application deadline, one book of prose
for an adult readership with a nationally distributed U.S. press. Online publication and self-publication do not meet this criterion, nor do books first published in another country or in a language other than English. You aim to publish a second book of prose in the U.S., written in English. This second project must be substantially underway. You reside in the United States as of the application deadline. One prize of $20,000. RIVER
HERON REVIEW POETRY PRIZE
https://www.riverheronreview.com/the-rhr-poetry-contest
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline July 31, 2026. The River Heron Poetry Prize awards the winning poet $500 and four finalists $100 each, a Zoom reading, plus publication. Poets may submit up to 3 poems. WRITER'S DIGEST SELF-PUBLISHED BOOK AWARDS
https://www.writersdigest.com/writers-digest-competitions/self-published-book-awards
$100 ENTRY FEE. Early deadline April 1, 2026. One Grand Prize winner will receive $10,000, an interview with them in Writer’s Digest
(March/April 2027 issue) and on WritersDigest.com, paid trip to the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference, including a special trophy presentation at the keynote, a coveted pitch opportunity where the winner will receive one on one attention from editors or agents, and publication of an excerpt from their winning book on WritersDigest.com. One First Prize winner in each category will receive $1,000, their name and the winning book's title published in Writer’s Digest (March/April 2027 issue)
and on WritersDigest.com. POETRY OF THE PLAINS AND PRAIRIES CONTEST
https://ndsupress.submittable.com/submit
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 17, 2026. North Dakota State University Press seeks poetry submissions of any style for our annual Poetry of the Plains and Prairies
letterpress chapbook publication. The winner of the POPP Award will receive $200 upon signing our standard publication contract, national distribution, and an additional $200 for service as the next year's POPP Award finalist judge. In addition to the previously mentioned cash and contract, the winning author will receive ten free copies and an author discount on purchases of additional copies. The author must agree to give a public reading (in person or via Zoom) at a time and place in North
Dakota, convenient to NDSU Press and the author, the day of, or soon after, publication. COPPICE PRIZE
https://www.redbudwriting.org/coppice-prize-2026
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 31, 2026. The Coppice Prize is an annual short story competition run by the Redbud
Writing Project. Every year, we invite writers around the world to submit a short story, up to 4000 words. The contest is open to writers who identify as belonging to marginalized or under-represented groups (e.g. cultural identity, income level of your family, racial identity, gender identity, disability, or something else). Winners and the finalist receive review and feedback from a literary agent. Winners also receive $600 (first place), $300 (second place) and $100 (third
place).
GRANTS / FELLOWSHIP / CROWDFUNDING A PUBLIC SPACE WRITING FELLOWSHIPS
https://apublicspace.org/about/fellowships/writing-fellowship
Deadline March 31, 2026. The Writing Fellowships at A Public Space support writers who embrace risk in their work
and their own singular vision. Writers who have not yet published a book with a U.S. publisher are invited to apply. The three Fellows selected annually receive editorial support to prepare a piece for publication in the magazine; a $1,000 honorarium; complimentary access to all A Public Space Master Classes during the fellowship year; the opportunity to meet virtually with members of the publishing community and to participate in a public reading. DELAWARE ARTIST OPPORTUNITY GRANTS
https://arts.delaware.gov/grants-for-artists/
Four deadlines per year. January 2, April 1, July 15, and October 15. Awarded on a competitive basis to support unique professional and artistic development and presentation opportunities for artists. Applicants can request up
to 80% of the opportunity cost not to exceed $1,000. Must be a Delaware resident and 18 years of age. VERMONT CREATION GRANTS
https://www.vermontartscouncil.org/grants/find-a-grant/artists/creation/
Deadline April 5, 2026. Creation Grants
support Vermont artists or artist groups in creating new work. This highly competitive program is reviewed by an independent panel of practicing artists and arts professionals. Individual artists and artist groups may apply. Both established and emerging artists are encouraged to apply. Grant awards are a flat amount of $5,000 with a new option of $10,000 awards for performing arts groups. MASS MoCA FELLOWSHIPS https://massmoca.org/studios/applying-financial-aid/
The Studios at MASS MoCA will offer multiple full fellowships that do not have geographic or demographic limitations. This means anyone who wishes to can apply for one of these fellowships, regardless of discipline or location. The fellowship funds all residency fees for up to four
weeks in residence. To apply, simply select the appropriate box on the fellowships question of the general Studios residency application. There is no separate application for this opportunity. Be sure to also indicate whether you would like to be considered for a regular, partially subsidized residency at the Studios at MASS MoCA if you are not awarded one of these special fellowship residencies. All applicants must first be accepted through the regular jurying process to receive this
fellowship. Location Boston. SOUTHARTS CREATIVE PRACTICE GRANTS
https://www.southarts.org/grants-opportunities/artist-creative-practice
South Arts offers Artist Creative Practice Grants (formerly Individual Artist Career Opportunity Grants) to ensure that
artists from our region can take advantage of a variety of career enhancing opportunities. The Artist Creative Practice Grant supports a variety of professional development opportunities including milestone activities in an artist's career that will likely lead to substantial career growth. Grants up to $3,000 are available for opportunities taking place between November 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026. Must be a legal resident of the United States and the South Arts region (Alabama, Florida,
Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, or Tennessee).
REWIRE NEWS
https://rewirenewsgroup.com/about-us/
https://rewirenewsgroup.com/about-us/write-for-us/
https://rewirenewsgroup.com/about-us/write-for-us/submit-a-pitch/
Rewire News Group is an independent nonprofit newsroom and the only national publication exclusively dedicated to expert reporting on the full spectrum of reproductive and sexual health,
rights, and justice. All pitches must go through the pitch portal on the website, even for writers with an established relationship with RNG. Due to volume, we can only respond to ideas that we're interested in assigning. Pays $350-500. OFFRANGE
https://ambrook.com/offrange/writing-for-us
Offrange exists first for farmers, ranchers, and other food producers. We take their concerns and experiences as our starting point, but we also hope to tell their stories to anyone who cares where their food comes from. Farming and ranching are our primary focus but Offrange also publishes stories about fisheries, meat production, natural resources, and public lands. Offrange rates will vary depending on writer experience and the
complexity of a particular story, but generally fall between $0.50 and $1.00 a word. THE BLACK LIGHT
https://amsterdamnews.com/work-with-us/
The Blacklight, the NY Amsterdam News’ investigative unit, is looking for experienced freelance journalists. We primarily work with journalists based
in the NYC area but we are also open to pitches from journalists based outside the region. Fact Checks – $250+, 500-1000 words, 1-2 interviews, 1-2 days of research. Medium length Articles – $1 a word, 800-1500 words, 2-4 interviews, research 2-5 days. Long form Articles – $2 a word or flat commission fee, 1500+words, 4+ interviews, 5+ days of research. Data Visualizations $250-$500+ per piece, 1-3 days of work, may or may not require data cleaning. EPIC MAGAZINE
https://epicmagazine.com/#about
You know that feeling you get when a good true-life tale grabs you right from the start? You can’t stop turning the page — because you realize incredible things happen to real people — and it's hard to believe that what you’re reading is non-fiction. That is the kind of story we like to tell.
Epic writers travel the world searching for encounters with the unknown. Wartime romance, unlikely savants, deranged detectives, gentlemen thieves, and love struck killers: stories that tap into the thrill of being alive. Epic publishes extraordinary true stories that get noticed. More than 50 of our articles have been optioned by Hollywood, including Argo, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture, and the 2023 Sundance winner Radical. Pays $1-2/word. Word count 5,000 to 6,000 words. WIRECUTTER
https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/how-to-pitch/
We want to form relationships with freelancers who have beat knowledge in the areas we cover. Are you a cookbook author obsessed with kitchen equipment? A networking specialist who lives to optimize people’s crappy internet? A
trained industrial designer who loves to geek out over desk or chair design? An equally qualified type of expert writer? We want to hear from you. We pay $300 for a scout report (initial research on a product category), and a relatively light update to an existing review is around $500. We pay as much as $1,500 for more involved updates, and for new reviews or substantial rewrites, we pay at least $2,500 and up to $4,000 for challenging reviews with demanding testing needs.
PRATHAM BOOKS
https://prathambooks.org/submissions/
At Pratham Books, we publish books that enrich the reading experience for a child. We select manuscripts based on several parameters. Selected stories may not have all of the following attributes, but
we do look for scripts that match most of them.
Original and engaging, Indian setting, Interesting plot and characters, Diverse Fiction, creative non-fiction, non-fiction.
Word Limit:
Level 1: 50-150
Level 2: 150-200
Level 3: 200-500
Level 4: 500-1,000 AETHON BOOKS
https://aethonbooks.com/submissions/
At Aethon Books, we’re open to all genre fiction, with a focus on Science Fiction and Fantasy. We don’t care what sub-genre you write in. Hard Sci-fi, Epic Fantasy, Romantasy, Space opera, LitRPG, Military SF, Alt/History, Time Travel and more, our main concern is story, story, story. We are also now open to Thrillers of all types, though with an emphasis on Action, Political, and Military Thrillers. WHITE CITY PRESS
https://whitecitypress.com/calls-for-submission/
Cross-genre mysteries (i.e.: scifi/mystery, horror/mystery) where the mystery is the key element. Mysteries for the YA/NA reading ages as well as mysteries with protagonists over the age of 55. “Historical” mysteries based anywhere from
1950-2000, with the 1980s being of particular interest. International mysteries: those that take place somewhere other than the US and preferably outside of England. Africa or South America is a plus. We are particularly interested in novellas and series. We will consider short story collections but no flash fiction. HASELDEN PUBLISHING
https://www.hazelden.org/store/publicpage/faq
Hazelden Publishing creates products for the prevention, treatment, criminal justice, behavioral healthcare, and consumer markets. Hazelden publishes engaging content that helps build recovery in the lives of individuals, families, and communities affected by alcoholism, drug dependency and related disorders. In addition, its publications and services are intended to meet a full range of needs for
professionals -- counselors, educators, doctors, clinicians, researchers, clergy, and others -- who work with individuals with substance use and mental health disorders. JKP PUBLISHING
https://us.jkp.com/pages/write-for-us
The purpose of JKP’s publishing is to create positive narratives about
difference, and encourage social justice by making information and knowledge available in an accessible way. Generally, we are a non-fiction publisher, but some of our children’s publishing uses stories to help champion understanding and empowerment. At Jessica Kingsley Publishers, our authors have been celebrated for both their lived experience and specialist expertise on autism, social work, and arts therapies since we started in 1987. Since then, we've broken ground in mental health, gender
diversity, adoption, and neurodiversity, as we persist in seeking out voices that have been, and continue to be, underrepresented in our world.
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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