FundsforWriters - January 27, 2008

Published: Fri, 01/25/08

 Volume 8, Issue 4       
January 27, 2008

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FUNDS FOR WRITERS
Writer's Digest's 101 Best Websites for Writers
2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
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Editor:  C. Hope Clark
Mailto:    Hope@fundsforwriters.com
Website: http://www.fundsforwriters.com
Newsletter: 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.
                 
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EDITOR'S THOUGHTS
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Read newsletter online at: http://www.fundsforwriters.com/FFW.htm
Read past issues at: http://www.aweber.com/z/article/?fundsforwriters
=====
 
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=====
I WISH I WERE YOU
 
People ask me how I am so focused. Others want to know my
organizational skills. Many envy the fact I quit the day job
to write full-time and bask in my study overlooking the lake.
But sometimes I wish I were you.
 
I've created a world I love. Peace and quiet nurture me. But
I've noticed something. Having the same routine and the same
environment removes me from story catalysts.
 
Experiences, good or bad, create stories. I live in a self-
designed buffer that serves me well. But there are times when
I rack my brain for story ideas. I've reached a point that
when I leave my Garden of Eden and venture to a conference,
an event, heck, even the mall and the grocery store, I make
a conscious effort to scout for stories.
 
Most of you, however, jump out there into the population,
traffic and sea of activity and get inundated with stimuli.
You ought to come home every day clamoring for the computer,
eager to jot down all those story concepts. You stay awake
at night sorting through the potential magazine feature,
touching anthology piece or character dissection as a result
of the people you contacted. But most individuals do not
recognize the magic they possess.
 
Why is it that people beg to get away and write? Why are retreats
so popular? Most think they cannot tap their muse without
peace and solitude. I think people choose to cage that muse
until it's a convenient time to write. So they pay for a trip
or apply for a fellowship. They arrive, let down their hair
and give themselves permission to write.
 
I think that's screwed up. Your world is right there - all
those inciting fancies at your fingertips, under your nose,
beating on you to let them in.
 
I have to go out and find the synergy. You live it.
So why not just write it down?

    Hope

WOW-WomenonWriting.com - The January issue is out!
http://wow-womenonwriting.com/17-Funds4Writers.html
 
=====
http://www.hopeclark.blogspot.com
People are raving about the new look...and the new opportunities
offered three-five days a week.
 
=====
GOT YOUR CALENDAR YET FOR ALL THOSE 2008 GOALS?
 
Once again FundsforWriters is offering the Bylines Calendar
for your writing needs. I've used one for going on four years
now, and I'm addicted to it. Listing a writer (like Hope)
for every week along with the writer's personal points of
wisdom makes you realize you aren't alone in this struggle
to make a living at what you love. Order yours today!
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=====
OUR NEW NEWSLETTER SERVICE
Aweber.com is the host of our newsletters. If you have a need
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  ~~~~~~****~~~~~~
 
WORDS OF SUCCESS
 
"Keep your face in the sunshine and you can never see the shadow."
 
-- Helen Keller

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ARTICLE
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It Does More Than Pay the Bills:  Lessons from Technical Writing
By Katherine Hauswirth
 
When I reveal that I'm a technical writer, I don't draw an
interested crowd at parties. Sometimes even I'm not interested
in my day job, but I do count myself lucky that my affinity for
writing merged with my overriding need to pay bills. This landed
me a well paying job with fairly flexible hours. Although
grateful for the steady gig, I grumbled. Yes, I was writing for
a living, but certainly not on the topics I crave. And I was too
tired (at first) to do any real writing after the work day ended.
 
My friends offered, "At least you are writing." This was like
telling a highly-trained chef who was cooking short order "At
least you are cooking." Surely that chef would sneer and say,
"This is not cooking. It is slinging hash."
 
"Hash slinging" in the technical world has provided several
lessons that have enhanced my approach to the colorful cuisine
I really go for, creative writing. Here is what I have learned:
 
  • Time is money: Whether you write technical papers or suspenseful
    tales, you must set realistic time limits. Learn not to linger over
    minute details. Step back and reprioritize at least once a day.
    Being realistic about your time constraints shapes your project
    and task choices, guaranteeing wise use of your creative energy.
  •  
  • Remember your reader:  Technical writers mold disconnected data
    into something understandable, thinking primarily of the reader
    at every step in the process. Even as you pound out a loosely
    woven first draft, enter the mind of your reader. How does your
    writing serve the reader? Stick to what the reader wants and needs.
  •  
  • Ask questions:  In technical writing, first drafts are printed
    and read with a critical eye, and the margins are quickly
    crammed with questions. Is this the best way to present the
    message? Can you provide more detail? Keep a list of questions
    as you write: Does your character need more color? Can you try
    a first-person approach?
  •  
  • Have a system:  High-volume work and short timelines demand
    that technical writers hone a systematic approach. Having a
    predictable system builds confidence and efficiency. Find yours.
    Perhaps your best revisions require a hard copy, a cup of coffee,
    a comfortable chair, and a green pen. Stick to your system.
    Eventually the green ink will diminish and your piece will take
    shape for submission.
  •  
  • Criticism is not all bad:  Comments on technical reports range
    from ridiculous to right on target. Technical writers must be
    balanced: they cannot take comments personally or ignore the
    feedback of their team. Remember that a good reviewer wants you
    to succeed. Carefully consider the best reviewer for the topic
    you are covering, and use them early in the process.
  •  
  • Take it with you:  Technical writers attend a lot of meetings,
    and often edit several pages while waiting for the meeting to
    start. Adopting this practice at home can double your creative
    productivity. Keep a knapsack with you, stuffed with files ready
    for when you wait your turn at the doctor or the auto body shop.
  •  
  • Let go and move on:  For technical writers, the impulse to
    rewrite yet again is limited by looming deadlines. To use your
    writing time and energy efficiently, you may need to "back burner"
    your current project and work up a new idea instead. Remember, no
    writing experience gets wasted. Every project contributes to your
    skills.
  •  
    The last lesson I have learned is that I am not alone. Each
    time I have a new list of tables and figures to edit, I remind
    myself of other former "hash slingers" turned poet or novelist.
    Archibald MacLeish was Director of the Office of Facts and
    Figures. Don Delillo and Hart Crane wrote advertising copy
    before novels and poems. Maybe I will soon join the ranks of
    former technical writers. In the meantime I will study the
    lessons offered by my day job.
     
    BIO
    Katherine Hauswirth is a medical writer by day and a creative
    writer by stolen moments. In addition to her recent
    contribution to Get Satisfied: How Twenty People Like You
    Found the Satisfaction of Enough and its companion House
    Party Discussion Guide, she has been published in The Writer,
    Byline, The Writer's Handbook, The Writer's Guide to Fiction,
    Pregnancy, and Pilgrimage. Her blog is called, Inching Towards
    Simplicity: Pragmatics and Prose. Katherine is the author of
    the book Things My Mother Told Me: Reflections on Parenthood.
    A Long Island native, Katherine lives with her husband and son
    near the Connecticut shoreline.
     
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    COMPETITIONS
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    CHAPTER ONE INTERNATIONAL SHORT STORY COMPETITION
    http://www.chapteronepromotions.com/competitions/open-short-story-competition.htm
    ---
    £10 ENTRY FEE
    No theme. Looking for entries that are well crafted and
    original - a short story that is wonderfully written and
    captivating. Deadline January 31, 2008. Maximum 2,500 words.
    Prizes: £2,500, £1,000 & £500 plus publication. The winners,
    ten runners up and five highly recommended will be published
    in Chapter One Promotions anthology.
     
    =====
     
    BEACH BOOK FESTIVAL PRIZES
    http://entwrite.brinkster.net/portal/
    ---
    $50 ENTRY FEE
    The Beach Book Festival will consider self-published or
    independent publisher non-fiction, fiction, biography/
    autobiography, children's books, teenage, how-to, science
    fiction, romance, comics, poetry, spiritual, compilations/
    anthologies, history, business and health-oriented books
    published on or after Jan. 1, 2000 and be commercially
    available. Our grand prize for the 2008 Beach Book Festival
    is $1,500 cash, a flight to Atlantic City and a publicity
    campaign from a leading international PR firm following the
    competition. Deadline April 25, 2008.
     
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    INTERNATIONAL PLAYWRIGHTS FORUM
    http://www.playwrightsforum.com/english.html
    ---
    NO ENTRY FEE
    For 2008, the International Playwrights' Forum pays attention
    to the clashes inherent in contemporary life. We are inviting
    playwrights to write monodramas inspired by whatever 'clash'
    may mean to them. Monodrama is a medium where clashes can be
    seen in the individual. The entries must be in one of the
    UNESCO languages (English and French) or in Arabic. The play
    has to be a monodrama: a play written for one performer.
    1st prize: 1500 US-Dollars, 2nd prize: 1000 dollars, 3rd
    prize: 500 dollars. The winning plays will be announced at the
    next Congress of International Theatre Institute in 2008.
    Deadline March 31, 2008.

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    GRANTS
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    CHARLES PICK FELLOWSHIP
    http://www1.uea.ac.uk/cm/home/schools/hum/lit/awards/pick
    ---
    The Fellowship seeks to support the work of a new and, as yet,
    unpublished writer of fictional or non-fictional prose. Its
    purpose is to give promising writers time to devote to the
    development of his/her talents. The Fellowship will be for
    six months, starting on 1 September. The award is £10,000.
    The fellow will be a member of the School of Literature and
    Creative Writing and be required to reside at the University of
    East Anglia, Norwich, UK. No teaching duties. Submit up to
    2,500 words. This must be a sample of the project that will
    be undertaken if awarded the fellowship. Deadline January 31,
    2008.
     
    =====
     
    DAVID T. K. WONG FELLOWSHIP
    http://www1.uea.ac.uk/cm/home/schools/hum/lit/awards
    ---
    The David T. K. Wong Fellowship is a unique and generous
    annual award of £26,000 (from October 2008) to enable a
    fiction writer who wants to write in English about the Far
    East to spend a year in the UK, at the University of East
    Anglia in Norwich. Submit up to 2,500 words. This must be a
    sample of the project that will be undertaken if awarded the
    fellowship. Deadline January 31, 2008.
     
    =====
     
    ANTIOCH WRITERS WORKSHOP SCHOLARSHIPS
    http://www.antiochwritersworkshop.com/scholarships.php
    ---
    Offers three scholarships annually.
    Betty Crumrine Scholarship to a single parent who is committed
    to writing and who could not otherwise attend the workshop.
    This scholarship is for a weeklong conference of intensive
    study and an honorary seat at the banquet opening night. Room,
    board, and transportation are not provided. The workshop,
    however will help the scholarship recipient to find a village
    host for minimal cost ($150/week). This contest is a national
    one; anyone from anywhere may apply. Available for poetry,
    nonfiction, fiction or drama. Deadline May 1, 2008.
    Judson Jerome Poetry Scholarship - This scholarship is for a
    week-long conference of intensive study in poetry and an
    honorary seat at the banquet opening night. Room, board, and
    transportation are not provided. The workshop, however, will
    help the scholarship recipient to find a village host for
    minimal cost ($150/week). This contest is a national one;
    anyone from anywhere may apply. Available for poetry,
    nonfiction, fiction or drama. Deadline May 1, 2008.
    Bill Baker Scholarship is for a writer who is nominated by
    someone who can testify to his or her qualifications both
    as writer and community member. Offers same as the other
    two scholarships. To submit a nomination for the Bill Baker
    Scholarship, please send the nominee's name, contact
    information, a short sample of their writing (conforming to
    the formatting and submission requirements detailed above),
    a 1-2 page essay that delineates their bravery, innovation,
    or significant contribution to their community.

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    FREELANCE MARKETS
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    HOPE FOR WOMEN
    E-mail: publisher@hopeforwomen.org
    http://www.hopeforwomen.org
    ---
    Hope for Women's focus is on empowering women to live with
    passion and purpose. Through solution-based coaching women
    develop a custom plan to move forward with renewed hope and
    learned skills. For the modern Christian woman. Pays up to
    20 cents/word. Specifically seeks nonfiction to include essays,
    general, how-to, humor, inspiration, interviews, personal
    experience, travel, even book excerpts.
     
    =====
     
    HOW
    http://www.howjournal.com/subswriters.html
    ---
    An art and literary journal that publishes an eclectic mix of
    established and new talent to raise money and awareness for
    the 15 million children orphaned by HIV/AIDS. Publishes
    fiction, nonfiction, photography, painting and drawing.
    Word length up to 8,000 words. Asking for $5 donations with
    submissions, however, the journal pays accepted writers
    $200 to $500. Purchases First Serial Rights, nonexclusive,
    and one-time anthology rights. Authors also receive two copies.
    Deadline for the next issue is February 1, 2008.
     
    =====
     
    SOJOURNERS
    http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=about_us.writers_guidelines
    ---
    Payment to authors varies depending on the type of article.
    The range is roughly $50 to $400. In each issue we feature
    book, film, and/or music reviews. Lengths vary from about
    500 to 1,000 words. The length of features is generally 1,200-
    3,000 words. In addition to feature articles, we print "Taking
    Action" pieces (profiles of groups making a difference in the
    world) of about 600 words. We also publish commentaries, of
    roughly 600-650 words, on particularly current events.
    Our mission is to articulate the biblical call to social
    justice, inspiring hope and building a movement to transform
    individuals, communities, the church, and the world.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    JOBS
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     
    WRITER-EDITOR
    Location Arlington, VA
    http://jobsearch.usajobs.gov/getjob.asp?JobID=67435208&AVSDM=2008%2D01%2D17+00%3A03%3A02&Logo=0&sort=rv&vw=d&brd=3876&ss=0&customapplicant=15513,15514,15515,15669,15523,15512,15516,45575&q=writer
    ---
    Deadline February 7, 2008. Employing Agency: Department Of
    State. Responsible for the editing of sensitive, high-
    precedence written briefs, messages, and/or other documentation. 
    Proofreads and evaluates documents for correct grammar,
    punctuation, style, scope, content, organization, and logic. 
    As such, the writer/editor may need to rewrite sections of
    or entire documents as necessary to ensure paragraph unity
    and coherence or to eliminate jargon and redundancies.
     
    =====
     
    TECHNICAL WRITER
    Location Albuquerque, NM
    http://jobsearch.usajobs.gov/getjob.asp?JobID=67250386&AVSDM=2008%2D01%2D12+00%3A00%3A05&Logo=0&sort=rv&vw=d&brd=3876&ss=0&customapplicant=15513,15514,15515,15669,15523,15512,15516,45575&q=writer
    ---
    Deadline February 12, 2008. Employing Agency: Defense Threat
    Reduction Agency. Composes finished drafts from furnished
    source data. Evaluates Joint Nuclear Weapons Publication
    System (JNWPS) technical manual formatting needs and designs/
    develops templates in the Unstructured and Structured
    Framemaker environment to meet JNWPS formatting requirements.
     
    =====
     
    FULL-TIME WRITER
    Location Orem, UT
    http://www.hirebridge.com/jobseeker2/viewdetail.asp?joblistid=57238
    ---
    This is a full-time salaried position. It does not require a
    degree in English, journalism, or fry sauce mixing. It's not
    rocket science (though you may be asked to research and write
    about it). If you are creative and can write with proper
    English, then you probably qualify. An understanding of SEO,
    how search engines work, and online marketing in general are
    big pluses.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    PUBLISHERS/AGENTS
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     
    HIGHLAND PRESS
    http://www.highlandpress.org/
    ---
    Offering quality fiction novels and anthologies that capture
    the heart...Romance, Historical, Contemporary, Fantasy,
    Paranormal, Men's and Women's Fiction, Inspirational, YA,
    Children's...and more.
     
    =====
     
    LANGTONS INTERNATIONAL AGENCY
    http://www.langtonsinternational.com/
    ---
    Langtons International Agency is a multi-media literary and
    licensing agency specializing in non-fiction,  thrillers,
    and children's books as well as the visual world of
    photography, illustrative art, gift books, calendars,
    greeting cards, posters and all other related products.
     
    =====
     
    THE ROD HALL AGENCY LIMITED
    http://www.rodhallagency.com/
    ---
    The Rod Hall Agency is a London-based specialist literary
    agency for film, television and theatre. Representing writers,
    writer-directors and directors with highly distinctive and
    original voices as well as rights in books for film,
    television or theatre.

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    SPONSORS
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     
    GRANTS FOR WRITERS: FOLLOW THE MONEY
    Download this recorded class that is jam-packed with immediately
    useful specifics about grants that exist to help actualize
    writing projects. Don't leave money sitting on the table! In
    this class, you'll gain an overview  of the grant process
    followed by key funding sources you can access.
    Go to www.lulu.com/content/1270501 for details and to order.
     
    =====
     
    THE SHY WRITER
    Along with THE SHY WRITER purchase, you receive a subscription
    to TOTAL FFW. Just send a copy of your receipt via email
    to hope@fundsforwriters.com
    http://www.fundsforwriters.com/shywriter.htm
     
    =====
     
    WORLDWIDE FREELANCE WRITER - Download a free list of writing
    markets if you subscribe this week. Our database has almost 2,000
    writing markets from USA, Canada, UK, Europe, Australia.
    http://www.worldwidefreelance.com
     
    =====
     
    ARE YOU A STARVING POET?
    Subscribe to The Poetry Market Ezine, by logging onto
    www.thepoetrymarket.com and using the sign up box, or
    send any email to:  poetrymarket-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
    The newsletter features poetry markets, contests, and news.
    Listed as one of Writer's Digest's 101 Best Websites for
    Writers 2007, The Poetry Market ezine has been exclusively
    catering to poets for over 6 years! 
    For general info, send any email to tpme@thepoetrymarket.com
     
    =====
     
    Advertise with FundsforWriters !!!
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    $75 - four weeks in FundsforWriters & FFW Small Markets
    http://www.fundsforwriters.com/adrates.htm

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    BUSINESS STUFF
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    C. Hope Clark
    E-mail: hope@fundsforwriters.com
    140-A Amicks Ferry Road #4
    Chapin, SC 29036
    http://www.fundsforwriters.com
    Copyright 2000-2008, C. Hope Clark
    ISSN: 1533-1326

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