VOLUME 26, ISSUE 27 | JULY 10, 2026 |
WHAT DO YOU WRITE?
Can you answer in one, not-so-long, sentence? C. Hope Clark writes destination Southern mysteries with strong female protagonists. I recently asked someone
what they wrote. The answer went on for paragraphs and included multiple genres and subgenres, like they had to fill up words for a final English exam. I went through it all and honestly, could not pigeon-hole them into a genre. And they were wanting to write another book, in another genre. And they wondered why they weren't selling books. Write for yourself.
That's fine. But if you are writing to be bought and read, learn the rules. Who are you? How will people find you? What do you write...in one sentence. When people ask, they want a quick answer. Be prepared to have one. That simple concept in itself can land you a sale and introduce someone to your work. Nobody cares about all your writing interests or all your
attempts. Nobody cares that you want to be diverse and are still finding yourself. All they want is to buy a darn book, people. And enjoy reading it. And if they really enjoy it, they want to go back and buy something along the same vein. If you do more than that, you lessen your odds. And trust me, there are plenty of others writing who are doing it properly who will run over you in landing that
reader. |
Join us Monday, July 20, 2026, from 2-3:30 pm EST. Learn how mindfulness can support your writing process, boost creativity, and soften the inner critic. M.J. is a certified mindfulness instructor and a published writer. Her work has appeared in
Ghost Girls, The Hong Kong Review, and Sewanee Review. She is a lifetime writer in residence at The Writers' Colony at Dairy Hollow in Eureka Springs, AR, and she was the recipient of the Tryon Prize in Writing, Smith College, 2024, the Gertrude Posner Spencer Prize for Excellence in Nonfiction Writing, Smith College, 2023, and the Gertrude Posner Spencer Prize for Excellence in Fiction Writing, Smith College, 2023. Enjoy meditation,
mindful writing exercises, and discussion. Whether you write professionally, as a hobby, or only in your journal, you are welcome! Only $38. Workshop recording provided for those who can't attend live. https://www.studio138healingcenter.com/courses-and-workshops A QUOTE THAT MEANS SOMETHING
“There is not an idea that cannot be expressed in 200 words. But the writer must know precisely what he wants to say. If you have nothing to say and want badly to say it, then all the words in all the dictionaries will not suffice.” — Eric
Hoffer (1902–1983) On so many social media groups, in many writing groups, I see writers writing without having anything burning to write about. They want to be writers, want to have written, want to be published, want to see a byline, and want to earn money. But is the message worth saying? Is the story worth telling? They never really say. No passion in sight. Why? How many books have you picked up and then put down? The message didn't resonate. The writing style wasn't fluid. The grammar and syntax were flawed. We can say that a good book depends upon the reader, but we can also say that some books rise to the top, and others fall to the bottom, with the latter often having been prematurely released into the wild. Be purposeful in what you
write. Having written is one thing. Having written well, having written something memorable, is a whole other thing. You'll be remembered for your choice.
-July 12, 2026 - Edisto Artists Guild, Art in the Park - 6:30 PM - Edisto Beach, SC -Concert - Prettier Than Matt performing Washed in the Tide, created for Hope's book Edge of Edisto -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 -September 9, 2026 - Lexington Book Club - 220 W. Main St, Lexington, SC - 10:30 AM -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. “You must love your work, and not be always looking over the edge of it, wanting your play to begin. And the other is, you must not be ashamed of your work, and think it would be more honorable to you to be doing something else. You must have a pride in your own work and in learning to do it well.” —
George Eliot (1819–1880), “Middlemarch”
Getting Noticed by the Media
By Alex J. Coyne Media coverage from bloggers and newspapers is part of the writing journey since this is how readers discover their favorite authors and how ‘public
figures’ remain relevant. Here’s what I learned about promotion working for Crossed Crow Books. Starting with Crossed Crow Author Raven Digitalis asked me to promote A Gothic Witch’s Oracle Deck (Digitalis/Santerineross). in 2023. This turned into a referral to his publisher, Crossed Crow Books and soon I was promoting some of their other titles. As an author, you could publish a fantastic book this second, but sans reviews, interviews, and coverage, you won’t do more than float copies around to friends and family. First you send hundreds of emails for a handful of great responses! Keep going. Finding People One huge chunk of authors
and book promotion is research such as finding news websites, journalists, blogs, and influencers. The big question is which people are most likely to be interested in what you’ve got to sell. Crossed Crow Books publishes “occult books specializing in Witch rituals, magic, divination, spirit work, and
the overall operative nature of the Witch's craft.” Therefore, I looked for publications and people (influencers) within their specialty. Feedspot lists various Wiccan and other blogs, Reddit has discussions about witchy influencers, and sites like TikTok are searchable for specific tags like WitchTok. Google was a huge help, but I also branched out to Bing and DuckDuckGo for different results. Habitually bookmark sites you’ve seen (and publications you’ve read). Usually there’s a Contact the Journalist page somewhere – this catches bloggers and journalists who are actively looking for something to cover. Angled Interest For Crossed Crow Books, we put together an email containing an
introduction (“I’m writing to you from CCB”) and got straight to the point (“We’re looking for book reviews and author coverage.”). We received 60% positive responses; about 40% never answered the initial email. We gave attention to those who responded and pushed forward to contact more new sites and blogs. Will everyone answer? No, but keep going. People who say no
still took the time to respond and might be contactable in future. Keep a record of everyone who responds, note how they responded, and keep lists. Angle your introduction message for what you’re selling. If there’s no current book release, offer to talk about your craft or relate something you’ve written to a newsworthy point. The Empath’s Oracle (Digitalis/Santerineross) was an older 2022 release. However, the deck felt relevant in 2025 – and all we had to do was ask for great reviews from Wicked Moonlight (YouTube), Leanne Aligned (YouTube), and Essence of the Moon (YouTube). A Database of Journalists, Websites, and
More You’re likely to start with a massive list of maybes. Eventually, this filters into a more reliable database of people you have relationships with like journalists or blogs that you know are looking for talking points. At this point, you switch from general contact emails to more personal ones. Your database will need little notes like “Sarah, Likes Voodoo Books
But No Astrology Topics”. A large list of people definitely needs notes to jog your memory. Roadmap by Moonlight Roadmap by
Moonlight (Deborah Lipp) launched in March 2026. A successful author and excellent book made the process easier; however, remember that it’s the same process for a Big Author as for Any Author. (1) Do your research, (2) Frame your angle, (3) Contact everyone, (4) Don’t stop. Keep the momentum going. Promotion isn’t all about buying Facebook and Amazon ads. The
old-fashioned method of reaching out and connecting is still incredibly powerful when it comes to promoting books and brands. About the Author: Alex J. Coyne is a journalist, author, and proofreader. He has written for a variety of publications and websites, with a radar calibrated for gothic, gonzo, and the weird.
GUTSY GREAT NOVELIST PAGE ONE PRIZE $20 ENTRY FEE. 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. 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 TULIP TREE: Stories That Need to Be Told
https://www.tuliptreepub.com/thecontest
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 9, 2026. Prompt: What if the only way to save yourself from this reality is to write yourself a new one? Grand Prize:
$1,000 and a 2-year ($100) gift certificate to Duotrope. Five additional prizes of $200 will be given for stories that excel in the merits of Humor, Passion, Depth, and (any form of) Love. An additional $200 prize will be awarded in a wild card category, to be determined by the entries. We'll call this one the Bonus category. Prose: 10,000 words. Poetry: 5 pages per poem (note: one poem per entry fee). THE GRATEFUL AMERICAN BOOK
PRIZE
https://gratefulamericanbookprize.org/the-grateful-american-book-prize-submission-form/
Deadline July 31, 2026. Looking for excellence in writing and storytelling of historically accurate children’s books of fiction or non-fiction depicting important events and personalities
throughout the history of the United States. Books meeting those criteria, are eligible. Books published between August 1, 2025, and July 31, 2026, are eligible. Self-published books do not qualify. The Prize consists of a $13,000 award in commemoration of the 13 original Colonies, and a lifetime membership to The New York Historical. In addition, the winner receives a silver medallion designed by Smith’s mother, the renowned artist, Clarice Smith. The two “Honorable Mentions” get $500 each and
the silver medallion. ANTHOLOGY SHORT STORY COMPETITION
https://anthology-magazine.com/awards/short-story-competition/
€18 ENTRY FEE. Deadline July 31, 2026. FIRST: The winner will receive €1,000 and the winning story will be published in a future
issue of Anthology. SECOND: €250. THIRD: €150. Open to all ages; no restrictions on theme or style. Submit original, unpublished works in English (max 1,500 words). THE ADROIT JOURNAL EDITOR’S PRIZES IN POETRY & FICTION
https://theadroitjournal.org/editors-prizes-in-poetry-and-fiction
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline July 31, 2026. The recipient of the Editor’s Prize in Poetry and the recipient of the Editor’s Prize in Fiction will each receive $1,000 and publication in an upcoming issue. Poetry: Submit 1–3 poems in a single document. Fiction: Submit 1 short story (max 6,000 words recommended). We will only consider the first 300 submissions received in each genre. GIVAL PRESS SHORT STORY AWARD
https://givalpress.submittable.com/submit/358367/23rd-annual-gival-press-short-story-award-august-2026
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 8, 2026. Author will receive $1,000 and the winning
story will be published on the Gival Press website. Submit a previously unpublished original (not a translation) stand-alone short story in English must be approximately 5,000 to 15,000 words of high literary quality. GRANTS / FELLOWSHIP / CROWDFUNDING STORYKNIFE WRITERS RETREAT
https://storyknife.org/how-to-apply/
Deadline August 31, 2026. Storyknife provides women with the time and space to explore their craft without distraction. Residencies at Storyknife in Homer, Alaska,
are either for two or four weeks. Resident’s food and lodging is covered during the period of their residency, but travel to and from Homer, Alaska, is the responsibility of the resident. Residents stay in individual cabins & dine at the main house. An on-staff chef is responsible for food preparation. BANFF CENTRE DEEP WINTER WRITERS RESIDENCY
https://www.banffcentre.ca/programs/literary-arts/deep-winter-writers-2027
Deadline July 15, 2026. This 19-day self-directed residency offers time away from the constraints of everyday life to delve deeply into a creative project while connecting with a community of artistic peers. Designed for emerging and established writers across genres, the
program includes consultations with exceptional mentors Karen Solie, Yasmine Seale, and Renee Gladman, alongside professional guest Rita Bullwinkel (McSweeney's), as well as optional group sessions exploring literary tools, craft, and technique. Faculty are on-campus for the first two weeks of the residency. The third week allows residents to dive deeper into their writing and apply the learning from the first two weeks. Domestic and international applications are welcome. Location Banff,
Alberta, Canada. JENTEL ARTIST RESIDENCY
https://www.jentelarts.org/apply/
Residency Dates: January 15 - May 7. Jentel awards residencies to artists, writers, and composers who are focused and serious about their intent, who may have proven themselves by publication, exhibition or
performance or who may not necessarily be well advanced in their work, but who have developed a personal vision or voice. The program welcomes visual artists in all media and writers in fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry and composers in all genres of music. Anyone over 25 years of age who is a resident of the United States is eligible to apply. Each resident receives a $300 stipend distributed in weekly increments to offset living and meal preparation expenses during the residency. WRITERS AND LITERARY TRANSLATORS’ RESIDENCIES - CHATEAU DE LAVIGNY
https://www.chateaudelavigny.ch/writers-residence
The writer and literary translator’s residence is open from May to October and is able to host a maximum of six writers per session. To be eligible writers and literary
translators must be published (min. one book - self published not accepted), playwrights and scriptwriters must be published or produced. The writers are provided with a private room in the Chateau. The residents are responsible for buying and preparing their own meals. In the evening, an aperitif is offered by the management to the residents to allow them to get together and chat. Once a week a dinner is prepared and offered by the management. Residents are left in peace to work and can plan
their time as they wish. There are several fellowship possibilities at the Chateau de Lavigny. Location Switzerland. ASJA'S EMERGENCY GRANTS FOR FREELANCE WRITERS
https://www.asja.org/what-we-do/weaf/
Rolling deadline. Freelancers are economically vulnerable to emergencies that prevent us from
working. ASJA’s Writers Emergency Assistance Fund (WEAF) was founded to provide grants to professional freelance writers who are temporarily or permanently prevented from continuing with their freelance writing businesses.
ELITE PERSONAL FINANCE
https://www.elitepersonalfinance.com/write-for-us/
ElitePersonalFinance is a highly trusted finance blog with content from some of the best in the finance sector. Aim for 1,000 to 3,000 words per post. Pays $300. We
are also willing to compensate you for your own identity theft story if you have been victimized before. FLEXIMIZE
https://images.fleximize.com/docs/Fleximize-Contributor-Guidelines.pdf
Content must be actionable, non-advertorial and advice-led, written for an
audience of UK business owners. It must be unbiased, provide genuine value and insight to our readers, and not include any self-promotion or advertising. Articles need to be 1000 words long, with titles no more than 50 characters long. We work with some of the top marketing and PR companies in the UK, along with working directly with freelance writers, business owners and industry experts. GOOD GRIT MAGAZINE
https://goodgritmag.com/contributor-guidelines/
At Good Grit Magazine, we serve a community of adventure-driven millennials who crave meaningful travel experiences. Assignments are typically 700-800 words. Our longest pieces are 1000-1200 words. We generally pay $0.25 to $0.30 per word, and rates can be negotiated based on story complexity and budget. Our aim is to
inspire and connect readers to genuine Southern experiences without resorting to fluff. 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. DISABILITY BRIEF
https://www.disabilitydebrief.org/dear-disability-diary/#make-a-submission
Deadline July 20, 2026. How did disability shape your day? Tell us about the access barriers you encountered, the comments people made, or the moments of joy or despair that you felt as you navigate the world around you, whether that’s in school, work, relationships or
anywhere else. Send us a diary entry of up to 500 words. We will publish our five favourite entries. We will pay £100 for published entries.
ROWAN PROSE PUBLISHING
https://www.rowanprosepublishing.com/
A boutique traditional publisher of romance, cozy mysteries, thriller, fantasy, YA, women's fiction, urban fantasy, and horror. Rowan Prose is hiring for editorial intern positions. Please
email [email protected] with Subject: Editor Intern Inquiry. DECADENT PUBLISHING
http://decadentpublishing.com/submissions/
We are a romance fiction publisher. We are only
accepting romance fiction submissions at this time. We aren't considering queries, proposals or partial manuscripts (unless otherwise noted,) nor do we consider a manuscript that is simultaneously submitted to other publishers. DEEP DESIRES PRESS
https://www.deepdesirespress.com/submissions/
Deep Desires Press is a publisher of erotica and high-heat-level erotic romance. Our main goal is to excite the reader, to take their imagination into the most erotic of scenarios. We are currently seeking submissions. ALCOVE PRESS
https://alcovepress.com/submissions/
We will contact you within two weeks if we are interested in reading further. We’re looking for the following. Action/Adventure, Apocalyptic/Post-Apocalyptic, Book Club, Chick Lit, Coming Of Age, Commercial, Contemporary, 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.
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
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 [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
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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