Volume 8, Issue 16       
April 20, 2008

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FUNDS FOR WRITERS

Writer's Digest's 101 Best Websites for Writers
2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008

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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

=====

LEAD WITH YOUR STRENGTHS

Earlier this month, Scott Hoffman wrote a piece on the
Writer's Digest web site entitled "Publish Your First Book
After 50." Sounded optimistic enough. The tone, however,
soon troubled me.

http://www.writersdigest.com/article/publish_your_first_book_after_50/

He quickly informed me that older authors get rejected more.
What? Since when? Reading on, we learn that said authors
should not mention the R word - RETIREMENT. He said retirement
"conjures up images of mobile homes and leisure time."

While he started off on the wrong foot, in my humble opinion,
he finally got around to making some solid points. He could
have said it more eloquently using simple words like "lead
with your strengths."

When you pitch a book or query a story, you want that editor,
agent or publisher to see you as a ball of positives, a
collection of assets worthy of investment. An energy or force
equipped to aid the mission, organization, magazine, agency
or publishing house.

I used to advise people on writing resumes. I also wrote
political correspondence and budget justifications. My peers
once deemed my writing fine government fiction, because I
could take any situation, no matter how dire, and spin it positive.

When you are selling your writing, your services and yourself,
why would you ever mention any topic that might work against you?
What you want to do is avoid terminology like this:

"I am unable to (FILL IN THE BLANK)."
"I am only (FILL IN THE BLANK)."
"I can't (FILL IN THE BLANK)."
"I have never (FILL IN THE BLANK)."
"I am not (FILL IN THE BLANK)."

Instead, just like in your writing, you want an active, positive
voice. Tell them what you CAN do, what your writing WILL do, what
your experience is instead of what it isn't. Be an energetic
force to be reckoned with.

If you are not sold on yourself and your writing, it comes
through in the query. Write it, and then read it aloud with a
smile. Edit it to sound proactive. Leave humble at home. Agents
and editors don't seek and scout for talent. They want to open
the envelope and get hit with finesse, quality and your positive
determination to be a success.

    Hope

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  ~~~~~~****~~~~~~

WORDS OF SUCCESS

Some people regard discipline as a chore.
For me, it is a kind of order that sets me free to fly.

~ Julie Andrews

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ARTICLE
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Rejection Slip Album

by Gloria Griepenstroh

If you're a writer, you've gotten them - Rejection Slips.
These badges of courage come in all shapes, sizes, and colors.
They arrive by snail mail and e-mail. Some are personal letters
and others are form letters. However they present themselves,
often they represent the only proof of a writer's continuing
effort in the publication battle.

Through sweat and tears, I have earned a HUGE number of
rejection slips and have kept most of them. I encourage
everyone to do the same. These ego deflators can be a positive
influence that will improve your writing career and better
organize your writing world.

Much useful information can be gleaned from these pieces of
paper. First, organize your rejection slips. Choose an
expandable folder to store all of them and use dividers for
separation. You could decide to have a folder for each article
or one for each year. A photo album or scrapbook is another
choice for a more artistic display. The choice is yours.

Write the date you receive the rejection and the name of the
article or story on it.  This makes tracking a submission
easier. If your rejection is by e-mail, the message will have
the date and usually the subject matter. You can make a folder
in your in-box to store these, but I find it best to print a
hard copy, too.

Watch for phone or fax numbers that appear on the rejection
notices, which might not be listed in your market source or
on guidelines. If the letter came from an assistant editor,
it might have his or her phone number or extension. Add this
new information to your writing contacts and use it the next
time you query that magazine, newsletter or publisher.

Notes jotted on your rejections by editors may be more than
just encouraging words. They may inform you that their
publication is no longer using items once listed on their
guidelines, or that they are not accepting any submissions
for a period of time. These few words can save you time and
postage.

Check the editor's name against that shown in your market
source or guidelines. Write any new name on a post-it and
place it on the market listing.

Stationery used for rejections may have the name of other
publications printed by the same publisher. Sometimes this
information may suggest another market that you have
overlooked.

If you received a rejection slip because the market you chose
is no longer publishing, be sure to note it. Otherwise, you
might forget and waste precious time sending another piece to
the same out-of-business magazine.

Post copies of rejection slips near your writing station for
encouragement. Once you have broken into a market you have
posted, remove that one and focus on another. These slips
can motivate the most dejected writer.

Rejection slips provide evidence, too. If the IRS audits
your writing business and wants to disallow some of your
expenses, these slips could be a gold mine. By having the
name of the article and date returned, you can prove you
were working hard, but just didn't make a sale. A paper
trail means everything to the IRS.

Taking the time to flip back through the rejections can be
rewarding.  The trip down memory lane is good for your
"writing soul" and shows how you have progressed. I have
relived many fond memories as I read the personal notes
of editors, and found only one note that was nasty enough
to make me blush. But that slip taught me something, because
I've not had that comment again.

When reviewing your rejection album, you might be reminded of
an article that could be re-written or an editor with whom
you've developed a relationship. Maybe the piece needs to be
longer, shorter or have a different focus to sell to the new
market. By revisiting the past you just might have a new sale.

So, turn your negatives into positives. Review your rejections
and use the experience as motivation for future success.
 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
COMPETITIONS
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ARC POEM OF THE YEAR CONTEST
http://www.arcpoetry.ca/mag/contests/poem_of_the_year_contest.php
---
ENTRY FEE $23 CANADIAN - entitled to a one-year subscription
Deadline June 30, 2008.
1st Prize: $1,500
2nd Prize: $1,000
3rd Prize: $750
Entrants may submit up to two unpublished poems with your
$23 fee. To include extra poems, add $5 per poem. Length of
each poem must not exceed 100 lines.

=====

THE RALPH WILLIAMS PRIZE FOR SPECULATIVE FICTION
http://www.akwguild.alaskawriters.com/book10.html
---
$50 ENTRY FEE
Complete short stories, written in English, fitting into the
broad category of speculative fiction. Deadline May 1, 2008.
GRAND PRIZE: $5,000 ($4,000 in addition to $1,000 first
place prize = $5,000). 25-page limit.

a) Science Fiction: $1,000 prize.
Must have some integral element of a scientific nature.

b) Fantasy $1,000 prize. Any departure from generally accepted
limits of present or past reality.

c) Humor or Horror $1,000 prize.
Any speculative fiction grounded in humor or horror.

d) Alaskana $1,000 prize.
Any speculative fiction with an Alaskan theme or integrated
setting. Merely placing the story in Anchorage, if the setting
is not integral to the story, will not qualify the entry as
Alaskana. Some unique aspect of life in Alaska must be an
integral element of story.

e) Young adult $1,000 prize
Speculative fiction, which might otherwise fall into any of
the above categories, written for and appealing particularly
to an audience from upper elementary through high-school level.

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SATIRICAL WORK IN COMMEMORATION OF JONATHAN SWIFT CONTEST
http://www.boynewriters.com/swift.html
---
ENTRY FEE €7 (or £5 or $10) per entry.

Subject: The Lisbon Treaty referendum: a Modest Proposal
OR
Global Warming - a Lot of Hot Air

Entries will be judged on the basis of satire, irony, absurd
humour, acute political insight, grotesque imagination, and
lacerating wit - the hallmarks of Swift's best works. Note:
Familiarity with the Lisbon Treaty is NOT a requirement for
entry into this competition. Extra explanatory material of
not more than 100 words may be included with each entry.
This is to facilitate judging of entries because this type
of material sometimes lends itself to allegorical references
which may not be immediately clear. Length: Prose - minimum
of 600 words, not more than 800 words. Poetry - minimum 30
lines, maximum 100 lines. Prizes: 1st €500, 2nd €300, 3rd €200.
Deadline May 7, 2008. Entries are welcome from anyone, including
non-Irish applicants, over 16 years.

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GRANTS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 
THORNTON WRITING RESIDENCY
http://www.lynchburg.edu/thornton.xml
---
To be considered for the Thornton Writing-in-Residence, please
submit a cover letter indicating your interest in the residence,
a curriculum vitae, teaching evaluations and a copy of your
published work or works. The deadline for submitting materials
for the fall writer-in-residence is March 15. The deadline for
submitting materials for the spring poet-in-residence is
September 1. For further information, please contact Patty Irwin
at Irwin_P@lynchburg.edu or 434/544-8267. Location Lynchburg, VA.

=====

ALBERT DOW CREATIVE MINDS IN RESIDENCY PROGRAM
http://www.northwood.edu/abd/fellowships/
---
Send a one page biography with a one page proposal outlining
what you would like to do to interact with our student
population. Location Midland, Michigan.

=====

MARTHA BOSCHEN PORTER FUND
http://www.berkshiretaconic.org/Grantseekers/GrantApps/BoschenApp.pdf
---
Supports artists in Connecticut. Has 50 grants for projects in
the arts, to include writing. Applicants must have been full-time
residents in the Berkshire Taconic region (Berkshire County, NA;
Columbia County and northeast Dutchess County, NY; Northwest
Litchfield County, CT) for two years prior to applying. Grants
are $1,000 to $5,000. Deadlines February 1 and July 1 each year.
 

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FREELANCE MARKETS
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PLUM MAGAZINE
http://www.plummagazine.com/press/story_58.php
---
The first-ever pregnancy magazine for women 35 years and older.
Later childbearing is a hallmark of our time--with more women
than ever before having babies later in life. Plum, a name
chosen because it means "something especially prized" describes
how a 35+ pregnancy--whether her first, second, or fifth--fits
into a woman's rich life of family, relationships and career.
Published annually. Pays $1/word. 800-2,500 words.

=====

TEA, A MAGAZINE
http://www.teamag.com/index_files/Page318.htm
---
A consumer quarterly magazine all about tea, both as a beverage
and for its cultural significance in art, music, literature,
history, and society.

=====

COASTAL LIVING
http://www.coastalliving.com/coastal/magazine/writers_guide.html
---
As stated on every cover, we are "The Magazine for People Who
Love the Coast." Our editorial lineup takes readers to homes,
destinations, activities, and people along the Atlantic,
Pacific, and Gulf shores of North America. We include Hawaii
and Alaska as well as coastal Canada and Mexico. We also visit
the multinational Caribbean islands from time to time, and the
waterside ways of life along the U.S. Great Lakes. Our rule-
of-thumb: With the exception of features on the Great Lakes,
or "North Coast," Coastal Living stories spotlight topics
within sight, sound, taste, touch, or smell of salt water.
Pays $1/word.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
JOBS
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WRITER
Location New York, NY
http://www.idealist.org/en/job/272604-297
---
The Writer will assist the Development Unit (in New York and
Brussels) primarily by preparing proposals and reports about
the country and thematic programs envisaged or undertaken by
the Center. This position is based in New York. Work with
Development and ICTJ program staff to develop program
initiatives, write proposals for general and project-related
support, and report on achievement of program and project goals.
Prepare proposals and reports to foundations, international
government sources, and others as needed. Work with staff on
preparation of budgets and financial reports and supplementary
materials for proposals and reports to funders.

=====

SPEECHWRITER
Location Arlington, VA
http://jobsearch.usajobs.gov/getjob.asp?JobID=70706362&aid=27015391-1148&WT.mc_n=MKT000125
---
Deadline April 25, 2008. Employing Agency: Department Of State.
As chief speechwriter, responsible for writing speeches,
talking points, op-ed pieces for publication, personal columns,
and testimony for the Assistant Secretary and Deputy Assistant
Secretary.  These speeches frequently are policy pronouncements
and carry significant weight/importance to the Assistant
Secretary and the Bureau and carry high visibility and high
priority and explain and interpret a variety of complex and
potentially controversial policies, programs, issues and
activities.

=====

WRITER-EDITOR
Location Washington DC
http://jobsearch.usajobs.gov/getjob.asp?JobID=70698779&aid=27015391-1148&WT.mc_n=MKT000125
---
Deadline April 23, 2008. Employing Agency: Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI). Writer-Editor oversees the Office of Public
Affairs intranet web site and the news portion of the main FBI
intranet web page.  Manages the production of articles and
coordinates the efforts of unit writers, public affairs
specialists, photographers, and others involved in
the process from initial concept to the final product. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PUBLISHERS/AGENTS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SARAH JANE FREYMANN AGENCY
http://www.sarahjanefreymann.com/AboutUs.htm
---
Categories/subjects most interested in:
Nonfiction -- spiritual, psychology, self-help, women's/men's
issues, books by health experts (conventional and alternative),
cookbooks, narrative non-fiction, natural science, nature,
memoirs, cutting-edge journalism, travel, multicultural issues,
parenting, lifestyle. Popular fiction (crime, thrillers, and
historical novels), world and national affairs, business books,
self-help, psychology, humor, sports, and travel. Sophisticated
mainstream and literary fiction with a distinctive voice.

Categories we're not interested in:
Science Fiction, fantasy, horror, genre romance or genre mystery,
screenplays, and almost anything channeled.

=====

THE ZACK COMPANY, INC.
http://zackcompany.com/
---
This literary agency has too many interests to post. They
have a remarkable page on their web site with details of what
they seek at the moment. They specifically ask you not to query
unless your writing topic/genre is on that list.

=====

BARBARA J. ZITWER
http://www.barbarajzitweragency.com/submissions.html
---
Accepts work from all over the world. Submission must be
accompanied by an English translation - at least partial
translation and English synopsis. Seeks to represent Hispanic
writers who are living in the US and writing in English or
Spanish and Spanish writers from every country whose work
can appeal to US readers as well as international readers.
They read Spanish so if you are writing in Spanish, you need
only send an English synopsis with your manuscript. Working
with many Chinese writers and looking for other young, modern
Chinese authors. Does not handle cookbooks, science, business,
health, gardening, design books, genre romance and westerns -
however if the book has a philosophical outlook and strong
personal voice they will consider it. Does not represent
YA or children's books, but from time to time, will take on
something special.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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=====

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=====

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=====

WORLDWIDE FREELANCE WRITER - Download a free list of writing
markets if you subscribe this week. Our database has almost 2,000
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http://www.worldwidefreelance.com

=====

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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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