Volume 8, Issue 49
December 7, 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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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.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PAID SPONSOR OF THE WEEK
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PURPLE SNOWFLAKE

Looking for a way to make your book stand out like a purple
snowflake in a snowstorm? Learn frugal, effective marketing
techniques with the Purple Snowflake Marketing e-book;
with 21 appendices and well over 500 direct links, authors
can begin promotion activities with a click of their mouse
and design a marketing plan for every book they write.

All this and more for under $7 (US).

WWW.sunshinecable.com/~drumit/purple.html

                 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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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AWARD WINNERS!!!

Once a year, I get to play emcee and announce the winners of
our Annual FundsforWriters Essay Contest. We narrowed the
ENTRY FEE finalists to 18 and the NO ENTRY FEE finalists to
13, and boy, was it hard from there. Out of 250 entries,
the following six writers were chosen. However, a few entries
were considered so exceptional in their message that FundsforWriters
will be using them in future FundsforWriters issues. And yes,
they get paid for the privilege.

We had stories of war, college, coming-of-age, illness and love.
Some were humorous while others prompted a tear. Some writers
sent thank-yous with their entries, stating the contest served
as a catalyst to pen a story they needed to write for years.

I wish I could offer the awards other than virtually. I also
pine to provide twice as many awards. Some didn't win that
really deserved recognition.

Some essays were written by seasoned writers, while others
professed to be new at the craft. We received entries from
six countries (that we could tell) and all ages from WWII
vintage to college students.

That's what I love to see. It warms my soul to know that all
avenues of life feel comfortable enough to submit to FFW.
We want to touch everyone, not just new writers, not just
serious writers. And we want to entertain you all as well.

So without further adieu, take a look at the winning entries.
www.fundsforwriters.com/annualcontest.htm

And stay tuned for next year!

1st ENTRY FEE- $200
Ryma Shohami - "I Can Never Write That Well"
 
2nd ENTRY FEE - $20 - and a free copy of IdeaWeaver.com software
Amy Mullis - "Being Bombeck"

3rd ENTRY FEE - $10
Sheryl Platte - "You Don't Need a Real Cabbage Patch Doll"

1st NO ENTRY FEE  - $50
Anna Steegmann - "Don't Submit to the New York Times"

2nd NO ENTRY FEE- $20
Miranda Ward - "Bliss"

3rd NO ENTRY FEE - $10
Kelly Christensen - "The Tired Dog"

    Hope

http://www.hopeclark.blogspot.com

People are raving about the new look...and the new opportunities
offered four-five days a week.

=====

CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR THE WRITERS IN YOUR WORLD

TOTAL FFW subscription - www.fundsforwriters.com/total.htm
THE SHY WRITER - www.fundsforwriters.com/shywriter.htm
EBOOKS - www.fundsforwriters/ebooks.htm

If you have an idea for a combination gift package, contact
Hope at hope@fundsforwriters.com

=====

WOW-WOMENONWRITING HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

Free!

http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/downloads/WOWHolidayGiftGuide.pdf

  ~~~~~~****~~~~~~

WORDS OF SUCCESS

And the trouble is, if you don't risk anything,
you risk even more.

~ Erica Jong (How to Save Your Own Life)

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SUCCESS OF THE WEEK
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Hope-
Because of your encouragement, I've gotten serious about
submitting -- seldom fail to find a possible market with
every issue of Funds For Writers. Just got my check for an
article about making miniature quilts to commemorate a sister's
passing which was bought by Capper's and will be both in print
and online (yes, I did get extra pay for online use.) I'm
especially pleased to see this article in print because of its
personal story. (see www.cappers.com after Dec. 1st)
 
I really appreciate your dedication to all us writers.
Keep up the fabulous job.

Gay Ingram
http://www.authorsden.com/gayingram

NOTE: Send your success story to hope@fundsforwriters.com

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ARTICLE
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How to Negotiate So That Everyone Wins
By Mridu Khullar

Despite scores of articles and essays written on the subject,
one of the most common problems freelance writers face is
negotiating with editors or clients for more money. Many a
writer has missed out on an extra $100, a bigger bio, a kill
fee, or even just quicker payment, by failing to ask for more.

It doesn't have to be that hard. Here are simple yet
effective ways to negotiate with your clients and reach
numbers that everyone likes.

1. Ask, ask, ask. You don't ask, you don't get. It's that
simple. Yet, out of fear of rejection, fear of looking like
a fool, or fear of not being good enough, many writers will
simply accept the first offer that's sent their way. Here's
a secret: no editor, and I mean no editor who has any
experience in the publishing world is going to take back an
offer simply because you asked if it's possible to go higher.
So ask!

2. You don't always have to ask for higher pay, especially
if you know that the rates of the publication are fixed.
You can negotiate for other things--for instance, ask for a
bio under your piece, ask for payment on acceptance, and
this may be new to you--ask for volume of work. If the editor
is going low on pay, ask if she'd give you regular work so
that you don't have to spend all that time on marketing.

3. Give them a reason. You don't have to, and it's certainly
not expected, but by getting a little personal with your
editors, you have an advantage. Use it by telling them why
you think you deserve more--do you typically get paid a
certain rate by other publications for pieces of this nature?
Is their rate below the market average? Do you bring something
more to the topic and to the publication? Will it require
travel? Build on your skills and give them a reason to
increase your pay.

4. Okay, so you get more cash out of the transaction. What
do they get? Why should they pay you more? This is something
you should keep in mind when you're negotiating. What's your
negotiating power? It could be any of the things I mentioned
in the last point, but it could also be that you're an expert
on the topic or that you bring specialized knowledge or
research. Make it lucrative to the client to hire you over
someone else and pay you more as well.

5. A very good question to ask is, "What's the highest you
can go?" Straight up, no games. Let the editor know you're
serious about delivering work, and you're serious about
getting paid. What's the highest they can go? Then take it
or leave it.

6. Another strategy is to say, "The lowest I can go is..."
This shows the client that you're willing to compromise,
but there's a limit to it. I always suggest keeping a fixed
minimum limit that you will not go below, no matter the
circumstance.

8. Try not to go first. You always want to let the editor
start with a number and go from there. If you go first, it's
very likely that you'll end up underselling yourself.

9. Don't get emotional. Unless the editor's rate is downright
offensive, avoid getting into confrontations about how much
writers should be paid, the state of the publishing industry,
and how plumbers don't work on spec. Keep it professional.
Either you agree on a number, or you don't. Most of the time
though, you'll find you'll be meeting most clients somewhere
in the middle.

BIO:

Mridu Khullar, 26, is a freelance journalist from New Delhi,
India. She has lived and worked in Asia and Africa, and is
currently a Visiting Scholar at UC Berkeley's Graduate School
of Journalism. She has written for Time, Marie Claire, Ms.,
Elle, Parade.com, Women's eNews, The World & I, and East West
Magazine, among others.

Visit her at http://www.mridukhullar.com.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
COMPETITIONS
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FULTON PRIZE FOR SHORT FICTION
http://theadirondackreview.com/FultonPrize.html
---
$10 ENTRY FEE
The winner will receive $400 and publication in The
Adirondack Review. Entrants whose stories receive honorable
mention will also have their stories published in The
Adirondack Review. In addition, they will be awarded an
honorarium of $30. Contest deadline: January 31, 2009.
Winners will be announced during the summer. Prizes will
be awarded in conjunction with the publication of Volume X,
No. 3 of The Adirondack Review (Fall, 2009).

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LIMNISA WRITING COMPETITION
http://www.limnisa.com/writing
---
ENTRY FEE £5
Entry must be the author's original, unpublished work of
fiction of not more than 3,000 words. English only. Deadline
March 1, 2009. Optional extra fee of £15 (so £20 in total) for
an evaluation of your story by Philip Wooderson, 
(www.philipwooderson.com), published author and creative
writing tutor.

1st Prize: One week Holiday in self catering Seaview Apartment
with terrace and two double bedrooms, 3 minutes from the Beach
in Methana, Greece (2 hours by ferry from Piraeus).

2nd Prize: Free single place on one Week Creative Writing
Holiday at Seaside Location on Methana, Greece.

Five runners up will get a 25% discount on the same one Week
Creative Writing Holiday.

The winning stories will be published on our new writers'
website, starting this winter. Though all contest entries
will also be considered for publication (subject to permission
by authors). First 50 entrants to the competition are invited
to become founder members of the new creative writers' site
with no first six months' subscription.

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KATHY FISH FLASH FICTION FELLOWSHIP
http://smokelong.com/features/2008/11/announcing-2009-kathy-fish-fellowship.html
---
NO ENTRY FEE
The winner of the 2009 Kathy Fish Fellowship will be considered
a "writer in residence" at SmokeLong for each of the four
issues to be published in 2009. Each issue will include one
flash by the Fellowship winner. The winner of the Fellowship
will receive $500, to be paid as follows: $100 on announcement
of the winner, and $100 upon publication of each of the four
issues in 2009. The winner will be announced January 20, 2009.
Deadline December 20, 2008. This award is open to any writer
not previously published in SmokeLong Quarterly. Applications
should include five samples of your flash fiction (stories of
a thousand words or less). These samples may be unpublished or
previously published in venues other than SmokeLong Quarterly.
 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GRANTS
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GETTYSBURG REVIEW CONFERENCE
http://public.gettysburg.edu/academics/gettysburg_review/conference.html
---
Join a community of writers in a bucolic,convivial,and historic
setting for a week in May. Small workshops (maximum of
ten people each) will be led by award-winning writers
who have dedicated their lives to the teaching of poetry
and prose. Two partial scholarships available in each genre.

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AWP WC&C SCHOLARSHIPS
http://www.awpwriter.org/contests/wccscholarship.htm
---
$10 APPLICATION FEE
Writers' Conferences & Centers is conducting its annual
competition to provide scholarships for emerging writers
who wish to attend a writers' conference, center, retreat,
festival, or residency. The scholarships will be applied to
fees to attend any of the members of WC&C, an association
of outstanding conferences, colonies, and festivals for
writers. Two scholarships of $500 will be awarded. Submissions
in fiction and poetry will be considered. Separate submissions
in each genre are permitted. Submissions must be postmarked
between December 1 and March 30 of each year.

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ING UNSUNG HEROES GRANTS
http://www.ing-usa.com/us/aboutING/CorporateCitizenship/Education/INGUnsungHeroes/index.htm
---
For more than 10 years, and with $3 million in awarded
grants, ING Unsung Heroes has proven to be an A+ program
with educators. The program's "alumni" have inspired
success in the classroom and impacted countless numbers of
students. Each year, 100 educators are selected to receive
$2,000 to help fund their innovative class projects. Three
of those are chosen to receive the top awards of an
additional $5,000, $10,000 and $25,000. Applications for
the 2009 awards are now available. The application deadline
is April 30, 2009.
 

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FREELANCE MARKETS
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WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT
http://www.workforce.com/section/04/article/23/22/84.html
---
Workforce Management is a monthly business magazine for senior
level human resources executives as well as other C-level
leaders who make key decisions--for better and for worse--on
people management issues in the 20,000 largest corporations
in America. Key question for every story: Is this the smartest
way to run a company? Cover stories in the printed magazine
run 2,500 to 3,500 words. We also want secondary stories
(1,500-2,000 words, perhaps not as grand in scope or in
company size), dealing with issues such as diversity,
management, legal issues and implications, outstanding and
outrageous performance. We also want stories of 1,000 to
1,200 words for the back of the book departments--vignettes
about developments and trends of interest, or people who did
or attempted something of interest. The general range is 75
cents to $1.50 /word. Purchases all rights.

=====

KIWANIS
http://66.29.197.80/magazine/writerkc.asp
---
Payment for accepted material ranges from $150 to $400 for
1,000 to 1,500 word articles. We pay on acceptance for
publication. We prefer queries, but we will consider unsolicited
manuscripts. The official publication of Key Club International,
the largest high school service organization in the world.
Members of Key Club are service-minded students interested in
helping others and in making their communities and schools
better places in which to live and learn. We are looking for
general-interest, academic, self-help, and service- and
leadership-related feature articles that help Key Clubbers
become better students and better Key Club members.

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WILDFLOWERS
http://www.wildflower.org/magazine/
---
Wildflower magazine educates people about how native
wildflowers, plants and landscapes affect our lives, not
only through their beauty but also through the benefits
they provide to ecosystems everywhere. Published by the
University of Texas at Austin. Pays up to 30 cents/word.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
JOBS
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PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPECIALIST
Location Denver, CO
http://jobsearch.usajobs.gov/getjob.asp?JobID=77686189&aid=27015391-1128&WT.mc_n=MKT000125
---
Deadline December 15, 2008. Employing Agency Internal
Revenue Service. As a Media Relations Specialist you will
perform work involved in establishing and maintaining mutual
communication between Federal agencies and the general public
and various other pertinent publics including internal and
external audiences.  You will be involved in identifying
communication needs and developing informational materials
that inform appropriate publics of the agency's policies,
programs, services and activities; and planning, executing,
and evaluating the effectiveness of information and
communications programs.

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COPYWRITER
Location Alameda, CA
http://journalism.berkeley.edu/jobs/details.php?cat=misc&ID=7143
---
Full-time, temporary contract position (9 weeks up to 1 year).
This job requires medium editing of website copy. The copywriter
will work on a team with web designers to come up with great
concepts as well as great lines, produce advertising concepts
for clients and proofread copy for web presentation. Our ideal
candidate must be able to think like a consumer and be able to
communicate clearly, producing web pages that generate more
business contacts for the customer. Deadline December 29, 2008.

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RESUME WRITERS
Location Virtual
http://dayjobfinder.com/job/10680
---
ResumeEdge provides the resume writing services to thousands
of sites, including The Wall Street Journals CareerJournal,
Lycos, SallieMae, and WetFeet. ResumeEdge freelance writers
work from their own computers and offices from anywhere in
the world via the Internet. You (and your staff if applicable)
would complete jobs helping write and edit resumes and cover
letters using existing resumes and cover letters and additional
information (if available). You are paid per completed editing
job. Jobs are accepted via electronic email contract.
Freelance editors in the past have found the effective per job
hourly rate to vary between $20 - $35 per hour.

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PUBLISHERS/AGENTS
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THE AGENCY GROUP
http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/Mgerald/
---
The Agency Group Ltd's literary department represents a
broad roster of writers, artists, athletes and pop culture
brands to the book publishing, motion picture, television
and radio fields. Nurturing clients from original concept
through to completion, we take an innovative and free-ranging
approach to the development and representation of content. We
have placed books with every major house. From our home in
Los Angeles, we have been unusually successful in developing
books across platform. Send an email or letter with the first
25-50 pages.

=====

MEL PARKER BOOKS
http://www.melparkerbooks.com/about.html
---
As a literary agency, we represent authors for projects they
bring to us, focusing primarily on high-profile narrative
nonfiction, biography and commercial fiction. Mel Parker
Books, LLC is both a book producer and a literary agency.

=====

LARK PRODUCTIONS
http://www.larkproductions.com/about.html
---
Lark represents authors in the sale of their book proposals
to the most appropriate publishers, negotiates publishing
contracts, and acts as an advocate for the author and the
book throughout the entire publishing process. Produces
and represents books. Primarily nonfiction.

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SPONSORS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Energize your career with an intensive three-day weekend of
workshops and small group sessions on the business of writing,
from developing online markets and building your brand to
negotiating contracts and producing content. Held January 9-11,
in Orlando, FL, the 14th annual SATW Institute offers one-on-one
interaction with faculty, including Christopher P. Baker, Lowell
Thomas Journalist of the Year.

Registration is $395. Visit www.satwinstitute.org or contact
Herb Hiller at hiller@funport.net or 386-467-8223.

=====

Canada's first national group -- to stimulate, encourage and
support your writing ministry. More than 8,500 links and other
resources. National fall conference and spring workshop,
regional groups, contests and newsletter for members.

Join now!

www.inscribe.org

=====

Free eBook Begin Your Memoir Now--sign up for our newsletter.
Coming in January--Online Workshops--Writing a Healing Memoir,
Make Your Stories Sparkle, Find Your Story Structure.

NAMW has CDs, ebooks, books, audios,
and many generous membership benefits--
and monthly teleseminars only for members.

April: FREE Writing to Heal TeleSummit.
www.namw.org   510-524-3898

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CALL FOR ENTRIES!

Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest. Write a poem,
30 lines or fewer on any subject or write a short story,
5 pages max., on any theme. Single or double-line spacing,
neatly hand printed or typed. Entry fees: Poetry Contest:
$5 per poem, Writing Contest: $10 per story. Poetry Contest
First Prize: $500, 2nd: $125; 3rd: $50; Writing Contest
First Prize: $250, 2nd: $125; 3rd: $100.
Postmark Deadline: December 31, 2008.

Visit http://www.dreamquestone.com/ for details and to enter!

=====

FERTILITY ANTHOLOGY SEEKING SUBMISSIONS

Catalyst Book Press (www.catalystbookpress.com) and its ezine
The Fertile Source (www.fertilesource.com) invite submissions
on fertility, infertility, and adoption related topics. Catalyst
Book Press is currently seeking essays on the adoption triad and
on miscarriages for upcoming anthologies; guidelines can be
viewed at www.catalystbookpress.com/Guidelines.html. The Fertile
Source is seeking submissions (essays, poems, short stories, book
reviews, and interviews) on all topics related to those themes.

For information, email Jessica at jess@catalystbookpress.com
or visit the websites. All submissions to the ezine will be
considered for inclusion in Catalyst's fertility-related anthologies.

=====

www.thewriterspond.com

The Writer's Pond has tools for the trade; paper, pens,
writer's supplies, and research materials. You'll also
find fuel for the passion, in a special blend of New Orleans
style coffee, to sip from our chalkboard mug. Our gift items
are unique and all hand picked for interest and fun; meant
for writers of all genres.

Can't decide? Go for the non-expiring, but, very inspiring,
Gift Certificate from The Writer's Pond. Great for the readers
and writers on your holiday list, just print it out and you've
wrapped it up! By purchasing a Writer's Pond Gift Certificate
you also receive a free gift.

Make a Ripple~
www.thewriterspond.com

=====

If yes, you could be in big demand, earning big money, writing
just a few hours a day from anywhere in the world you choose to
be. Learn the secrets of this little-known, lucrative business.
 
http://www.thewriterslife.com/awi/b8a1

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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
writing markets from USA, Canada, UK, Europe, Australia.

http://www.worldwidefreelance.com

=====

Advertise with FundsforWriters !!!
Advertise with FFW Small Markets!

ADS FOR $12 AND UP!

$12 - one week in FFW Small Markets
$30 - four weeks in FFW Small Markets

$25 - one week in FundsforWriters
$75 - four weeks in FundsforWriters

$30 - one week in both FundsforWriters & FFW Small Markets
$90 - four weeks in FundsforWriters & FFW Small Markets

http://www.fundsforwriters.com/adrates.htm 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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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