VOLUME 26, ISSUE 25 | JUNE 26, 2026 |
GETTING AWAY TO WRITE “How much better is silence; the coffee cup, the table. How much better to sit by myself like the solitary sea-bird that opens its wings on the stake. Let me sit here for ever with bare things, this coffee cup, this knife, this fork, things in themselves,
myself being myself.” — Virginia Woolf (1882–1941), “The Waves” Recently we had a rain storm during a warm eighty degree afternoon. I was stressed, so I went outside with my tea and watched, smelled, and listened to the rain. I just existed. I meditated. I slowed the world down. And as inevitably happened, plotting crept into my head. Not all consuming such that it threw
me out of my meditation, but just hovering. And in that moment, I thought of details that could make the story better. The smell of meat on a grill. The tickle of sweat. The small shock of everyone looking at you at once. The taste of ginger ale. Take the time to just be. You'll see what you're missing in moving through life too fast. And it makes your writing better. |
Memoir Showcase Season Has Officially Begun! The Memoir Showcase is our annual contest for five-page true stories, and it’s special because there are two ways to get published: - The 12th Annual Theatrical Memoir Showcase. Nine winning stories are
professionally edited and brought to life on stage by professional actors and directors at our live performance at 7 p.m. on Friday, November 20, 2026, in The Garfield Theater in La Jolla, California. Your words. Their voices. A room full of readers, writers, and memoir lovers watching your story come alive on stage.
- Volume 10, Shaking the Tree: brazen. short. memoir. An additional twenty stories are selected for editing and
publication in the milestone tenth edition of our acclaimed anthology series, due out in early 2029.
One submission. Two opportunities for publication. (And if you’re selected for this year’s Memoir Showcase, your piece will also appear in Shaking the Tree, Volume 10.) Open to new and experienced writers. This could be your year! This year’s theme: Home. Submissions Close: August 1 ACCIDENTALLY CULLING YOUR OWN READERS
For years, I've counselled writers to avoid religion and politics in their branding unless they are part of their brand. There are always potential readers on the other side of the fence, and with so much competition for book sales, do you really want to alienate a chunk of them? There's another category rearing its head in this accidental culling of your own market, too, and its totally different than religion and politics. It's AI. When some readers (more than you think) learn that you might have used AI in the creation of your work, they put you on their do-not-read list. You can call it unfair or not. You can call them troglodytes. You can call them out of touch for
not keeping up with progress. But you know what? You still will not sell them a book. But what does that mean? What if you cannot afford a cover designer? What if you just used AI on the cover but not the copy, or vice versa? What if it was used for brainstorming or editing or rewriting a chapter? None of that matters. If the reader who avoids AI hears you used it in any fashion, regardless of how your writing group supported it or
your Facebook group nodded in approval, they categorize you. To some readers, any whiff of AI is a will-not-read signal. How many? We don't know. But how many no's can you afford? I can't afford to lose a single reader. Call me ignorant, but AI is not anywhere near my books.
-July 25, 2026 - Smoking
Guns Sisters in Crime Zoom meeting - Noon - Zoom -August 17, 2026 - Saluda County Library, Saluda, SC - 5:30-7 PM -August 29, 2026 - Saturday Writers Group - noon Eastern - Zoom -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. “Man is not the creature of circumstances, circumstances are the creatures of men. We are free agents, and man is more powerful than matter.” — Benjamin Disraeli (1804–1881)
What I Learned After Losing Money on Writing Contests
By Millicent Mwololo Lagat I used to treat writing contests like a gamble. I'd scroll through listings, pay my entry fees, and hope for a
miracle. It was a strategy built on "maybe," and it left my bank account empty. The issue wasn't that my writing was bad, it was that my strategy was non-existent. I was treating contests like $20 lottery tickets instead of a professional investment. After a few years of losing money on entry fees and not applying to win anything, I had to stop and look at the math. I
realized that for a working freelancer, "hope" is a dangerous business plan. Here is the advice I wish I'd had before I spent a cent on entry fees. Time is the Most Expensive Entry Fee Most writers only look at entry fees in dollar amounts. I started looking at the clock and realized that I was spending way too much time on submissions that may not pay off
in the long run. If a submission requires four hours of tailoring, that is half a day I am not spending on a guaranteed freelance check. I now treat every entry as a total investment. If I wouldn't work for a client for four hours without a guaranteed paycheck, I shouldn't gamble that same time on a contest with a low win rate. I Stopped Chasing "the Big
Ones" A $10,000 top prize looks amazing, but if thousands of people enter, the competition is overwhelming. I've stopped asking, "Could I win this?" and started asking, "Is this a fit?" My best advice is to look for niche, regional, or trade-specific contests. I would much rather enter a contest with a $200 prize and 30 entrants than a global one where I'm just a
name in a pile. In smaller pools, your specific voice actually has a chance to be heard.I audit accordingly. Some contests offer "visibility" instead of cash. I've learned to be cold about this. Visibility only counts if it's a credit I can use to land a higher-paying client. If the publication isn't one my target editors read, the exposure is worthless. I'm no longer
willing to lose money because I feel "honored" to be seen. If it doesn't lead to a paycheck or a massive career level-up, it's just a hobby. Portfolio vs Payday I now separate my submissions into two categories. If my entry is for "rent money," the odds must be high and the fee must be low. If the
entry is to grow my "brand" as a freelance writer, I'm willing to take a longer shot, but only if the publication name is prestigious enough to act as a permanent boost for my resume. Everything has to add up on paper. The hardest lesson I learned was that I had to stop romanticizing my writing and start being protective of my time. Adopting these guardrails didn't mean I gave up on my dreams; it meant I started valuing my own work
enough to stop giving it away for free. But this is something that has taken a long time to master. I still hope to someday win a stellar prize in a writing contest. But I've become more picky. Now, when I skip a contest that doesn't fit my goals, I don't feel like a failure, I feel like a business owner. Once you stop treating contests like a lottery, the rejection doesn't
sting. You just move on to the next opportunity that actually respects your worth. Lately, one person has been respecting my writing the most: me.
BIO - Millicent Mwololo Lagat is a writer who focuses on stories that matter. She enjoys the ins, outs and in-betweens of the writing world. https://muckrack.com/millicent-mwololo
ID 20200133 © Corina Rosu | Dreamstime.com
GUTSY GREAT NOVELIST PAGE ONE PRIZE $20 ENTRY FEE. Submissions
open Tuesday, June 16, 2026. Deadline Thursday, July 16, 2026. The 7th Annual Gutsy Great Novelist Page One Prize is awarded for an outstanding first page of an unpublished novel. First prize is $1,000; 2nd is $500; and 3rd is $250. The prize is open internationally to anyone over 18 writing a novel in English in any genre for adult or YA readers (fiction only). Winners will be announced Thursday, August 27, 2026. TWFEST LITERARY CONTEST - POETRY
https://tennesseewilliamsfestival.submittable.com/submit
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 15, 2026. Poetry category - Grand Prize $1,000, VIP All-Access Festival pass for the
next Festival ($600 value). This contest is open only to emerging writers who have not yet published a book of poetry. Published books include self-published books, chap books, or any book with an ISBN. Submit a collection of 2-4 original, unpublished poems of any style or theme, written in English, with a combined length of up to 400 lines. TWFEST LITERARY CONTEST - ONE-ACT PLAY
https://tennesseewilliamsfestival.submittable.com/submit
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 15, 2026. One-Act Play category - Grand Prize $1,500, domestic airfare (up to $500) and French Quarter accommodations to attend the Festival in New Orleans, VIP All-Access Festival pass for the next Festival ($600 value). This contest is for emerging or previously unpublished
playwrights. Published books include any book with an ISBN, including self-published. Plays should run no more than one hour in length (one act or approx. 60 pages.) SPOKANE PRIZE FOR SHORT FICTION
https://wse.submittable.com/submit
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline November 1, 2026.
Accepting submissions of short-story collections of at least three (3) pieces and a minimum of 100 pages. Collections may include no more than one novella when included with at least three short-story length pieces. All authors, regardless of publication history, are eligible. The prize for the winning manuscript is $1,500 and publication by Willow Springs Books. SAINTS & SINNERS LITERARY CONTESTS
https://tennesseewilliamsfestival.submittable.com/submit
$10-$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 15, 2026. The annual fiction contest is open to LGBTQ+ authors at all stages of their careers, from all over the globe, with stories in all genres. The fiction winner will be selected from submissions of original, unpublished short stories between
3,000 and 7,000 words with LGBTQ+ content on the broad theme of “Saints and Sinners.” The very short fiction winner selected from unpublished very short stories no longer than 1,250 words with LGBTQ+ content on the broad theme of “Saints and Sinners.” Poetry winner chosen from original, unpublished poetry no longer than 400 lines total with LGBTQ+ content on the broad theme of “Saints and Sinners.” Prizes are $500-$750 for first place winners, depending on category. CREATIVE WRITING INK SHORT STORY COMPETITION
https://creativewritingink.co.uk/competitions/creative-writing-ink-short-story-competition-2026/
£12 ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 30, 2026. Entries can be on any subject, theme or genre. Your
story must be written in English. A maximum of 3,000 words. No minimum. First prize is £1,000, an online creative writing course with Creative Writing Ink, and publication on our website. Two runners-up will receive £200 each. The Competition is open to writers across the globe. GRANTS / FELLOWSHIP / CROWDFUNDING NEW YORK EMERGENCY GRANTS
https://maxskansascity.org/emergency-grants
Max’s Emergency Relief & Resource Fund is a one-time grant of between $500 and $1000 to assist self-employed artists who have a steady work history, but who are
experiencing a temporary financial set back. MKCP assistance is designed to resolve this short term crisis, whatever it may be, and the applicant will again gain employment in the near future. Individuals seeking assistance must be residents of New York State. Please note, although MKCP Emergency Grant does cover medical bills, it does not cover psychotherapy costs unless the psychotherapist is an MD. MKCP only covers housing, medical and legal aid. The application and support materials
must be sent by snail mail! FOUNDATION FOR CONTEMPORARY ARTS EMERGENCY GRANTS
https://www.foundationforcontemporaryarts.org/grants/emergency-grants
Emergency Grants provide urgent funding for visual and performing artists and poets who have sudden, unanticipated
opportunities to present their work to the public when there is insufficient time to seek other sources of funding. Or they incur unexpected or unbudgeted expenses for projects close to completion with committed exhibition or performance dates. Emergency Grants is a year-round, multi-disciplinary program that offers immediate, project-based assistance to artists living and working anywhere in the United States, for projects occurring in the U.S. and abroad. Each month FCA receives an average of
100 Emergency Grant applications and makes approximately 15-20 grants in the range of $500 to $3,000 each. Applicants may request any amount in that range and, if granted, may receive full or partial funding. The average grant is currently $2,200. CARNEGIE FUND FOR AUTHORS
https://www.carnegiefundforauthors.org/
Awards grants to published authors who are in need of emergency financial assistance as a result of illness or injury to self, spouse, or dependent child, or who has had some other misfortune that has placed the applicant in pressing and substantial pecuniary need. We accept applications from any American author who has written at least one book of reasonable length that has been published commercially and received reader
acceptance. FLAVORS OF THE SOUTH FELLOWSHIP
https://writerscolony.org/scholarships-fellowships/fellowships-current-past/
Deadline June 30, 2026. A new residency celebrating writers whose work explores the food, culture, and stories of the
American South. Fellows will enjoy a two-week stay in our acclaimed culinary suite at Writers Colony, plus a $1,500 unrestricted stipend. The Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to nurturing writers of all backgrounds, genres, and experience levels in a supportive environment that fosters community, stimulates new ideas, enhances creative expression, and maximizes productivity. Location Eureka Springs, AR.
OH READER
https://www.ohreader.com/submissions
We’re looking for stories about your experiences as a reader, insight into the effect of reading on humans, humorous takes on the world of words, and anything else you as a reader or writer might be
interested in sharing. In other words: we’re open to any ideas you may have (as long as they relate to reading). Only accepts Non-fiction/essay, Humor, Poetry. We will accept non-fiction and humor based solely on a pitch; if you are submitting poetry, please send the entire piece to [email protected]. Pays $200 per published article and $75 for poetry. GRASSROOTS THINKING
https://www.grassrootsthinking.com/submissions/
Grassroots Thinking is an independent publication focused on the stories that matter to the Black working class. We explain the news, politics, and culture through reportage, analysis, commentary, interviews, and essays with an anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist lens. Our contributors are organizers, experts, and cultural workers who see the
world as it is and know the point is to change it. Pay is based on an estimated $.10/word starting at $75 per story. INKSTICK
https://inkstickmedia.com/contribute/
Inkstick is written explicitly by and for you: a broad, inter-generational, and diverse group of real people impacted by global
security. Relatable human stories alongside hard-hitting news and analysis. We consider a standard reported feature of around 1,200 or so words is generally $500. For essays and long reads, it really would vary significantly based on the nature of the piece, the depth of reporting, and the length. TRACTOR BEAM
https://www.tractorbeam.earth/about
https://form.asana.com/?k=1Y8tUplV_qFweCD-9yX0sw&d=1209916390997463
Deadline June 30, 2026. Tractor Beam is a quarterly speculative and science fiction publication dedicated to soilpunk: radical visions of hopeful futures on Earth. Our editorial
mandate is to explore provocative, optimistic ideas around farming, food, soil, and beyond, reimagining how humans can live more harmoniously with nature. We are looking for original written and graphic works exploring anti-apocalyptic futures on Earth that have actionable soil-based technologies as their premise. They accept speculative fiction, flash fiction, and comics/graphic novellas generally under 6,000 words or 12-16 panels for comics. The compensation is $1000 regardless of whether the
piece is published online, on their Substack, or in print.
PROPEL DISABILITY POETRY BOOK SERIES
https://press.syr.edu/supressbook-series/propel-poetry/
The Propel Disability Poetry Book Series is an imprint of Nine Mile, a small literary publisher and magazine based in Central New York.
Written and edited by disabled poets, these books exemplify the concept of “disability gain” in which disability is recognized as a source of insight and value. Contact Nine Mile Books [email protected]. The Propel Disability Poetry Book Series call for manuscripts will be open to August 31, 2026, for publication in 2027. 8th HOUSE
PUBLISHING
https://www.8thhousepublishing.com/submissions
Submit your manuscript to 8th House Publishing, Montreal's independent book publisher. We seek modern, radical, insightful fiction, philosophy & esoterica. BAOBAB PRESS
https://baobabpress.submittable.com/submit
Baobab Press seeks books that communicate and support their themes through new and well-articulated means. We like risk. We like invention. More importantly, we look for a quality of thought that adds depth to a writer's concerns. And although it is not an official requirement, we tend to select literary work with a strong sense of place at its core.
Ultimately, our goal is to publish work that resonates in the contemporary climate and that will continue to resonate in years to come. HERA BOOKS
https://www.herabooks.com/submissions/
We're looking for mystery and thriller fiction, romance (including romantasy) and women's fiction,
family sagas and horror fiction of at least 80,000 words. Not publishing non fiction, young adult or children’s fiction, poetry, science fiction and fantasy or short stories. Please send a one-page synopsis, the whole manuscript as a Word document and contact details to [email protected] TORREY HOUSE PRESS
https//www.torreyhouse.org/submissions
While Torrey House Press is based in the Intermountain West, we seek compelling literature from writers throughout North America who align with our mission to publish books at the intersection of literary arts and environmental advocacy. No children's material.
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]
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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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