Volume 9, Issue 19
May 10, 2009

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FUNDS FOR WRITERS

Writer's Digest's 101 Best Websites for Writers
2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009

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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.

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PAID SPONSOR OF THE WEEK
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AWARD WINNING NOVELIST, STORY WRITER WILL EDIT YOUR WORK

Winner of the Excellence in Teaching Award from UNC Chapel Hill,
Richard Krawiec has published novels, story collections, plays,
poetry, feature articles, and Young Adult biographies. He's won
national awards and regional awards, been nominated for the
National Book Award, and Pushcart Prize.

It's hard to publish these days. 
Let Mr. Krawiec help you prepare your work for publication.

http://home.mindspring.com/~rkwriter/id2.html
                 
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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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THE SECRET TO SUCCESS

First, I'm assuming you know how to write and you have a
good idea for a product. But even if you have a halfway decent
idea and an average product, consider this secret.

LOL - I sound like an infomercial.

Seriously, though. If you find ten people who think you hung
the moon, you have the makings of success. Ten people who
adore you will tell ten more people. You can't package
that type of commercialism. It's genuine word-of-mouth
growth.

This isn't my idea. This is a common idea in the sales world.
I imagine it also works in the entertainment world. It ought
to operate in any world.

Imagine you've just read the best book. It left you wanting
more, thinking about the characters, wishing the story
hadn't stopped at THE END. You tell your coworkers, your
spouse, your best friend, maybe your child's teacher, your
doctor, dentist and hair stylist. You might take a month
telling them, but the writing is branded on your mind, so
time is meaningless. You want others to feel just as excited,
so you embellish, exclaim and expound about the feel-good
nature of that book.

That type of hype works like brush fire. It's hard to contain.

But I bet many of you are hesitant - wondering how you
find such dedicated fans. How do you locate people that
much in love with your writing?

You write until the writing is that good . . . that memorable.

Instead of thinking (and excusing) that those who read
your work aren't excited enough because they don't
understand, don't read your genre, or don't read enough,
period, to appreciate decent prose, stop and try to
understand first why your work isn't selling. It might
not be the reader. Chances are it's the writer.

We love to think that we are like all the literary greats
who suffered through dozens of rejections. We prefer to be
misunderstood than in need of a strong rewrite with 99.9
percent of us needing a major rehash instead. And I
guarantee that those famous writers didn't keep sending out
the same old manuscript. In between the rejections, they
edited again, and again.

Find ten people who cherish your work. If you can't, then
continue writing and editing until you develop material
that ten people can't do without. You'll know when you're
there. They'll tell you loud and clear.

    Hope

A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

GENIE AKIN & CURTISWOOD FARM
Cordially Welcomes C. HOPE CLARK, of FundsforWriters
to the First Annual Writer's Retreat at Curtiswood Farm

July 17-19, 2009

"A Weekend of Freelance Hope in Kentucky"

Limited to 35 writers.

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

  ~~~~~~****~~~~~~

WORDS OF SUCCESS
 
Success is the best revenge.

~Michele Jolivette

 
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SUCCESS OF THE WEEK
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Hi Hope,
I originally wrote my sitcom, now screenplay, THREE TWO ONE,
because of your posting about the NY TV festival contest.
Please see below and thanks for what you do.
 
Gail
 
<<Last Thursday night, the Seattle Cold Readers did a reading
from "THREE-TWO-ONE" a screenplay by Gail Moss. So what's
it about? Well...

It's Sex in the City meets Weight Watchers... kinda! A
girlfriend comedy about three friends (two women and a
"man") and their martini hampered efforts to lose weight,
understand men, find THE dress, and overcome parents and
salesgirls to get Emma and Logan down the aisle. Emma, an
extra curvy redhead, with a little help from her friends;
Gwynne a snarky semi-drag queen and Mandy a philosophical
dumb blond, is the glue that holds this trio together.
The actors performed an abridged version, twenty minutes
in length, that focused on only one aspect of the
screenplay, buying a wedding dress. >>

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ARTICLE
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Don't Take No for an Answer: Submit Until it Sells
 
By Ruth Schiffmann
 

If you've been writing for any amount of time you've heard
the stories about rejections: Dr. Seuss collected 23 of
them before selling his first book. C. S. Lewis and Ray
Bradbury received over 800 a piece. Undoubtedly, you've
collected a stockpile of your own, but don't let the
disappointments stall your submitting. Follow these steps
to take you out of the rejection doldrums and into the
land of future sales.      
 
Plan ahead. Have three markets chosen for a piece before
sending it into the world. This will save you from having
to work through the "is it really good enough?" thoughts
while considering sending it out again. There's nothing
to consider. Of course you're sending it out again - to
the next market on your list.
 
Re-examine. When you run out of markets for the nostalgia
story you've been submitting, take another look. Maybe it
would work as a children's story. With some vocabulary
adjustments and a change in your POV character, you can
target a whole slew of children's markets.

http://www.goodolddaysonline.com/pages/magazineinfo.html
http://www.storiesthatlift.com/STL-routines/submitstories.htm
 
Change genders. I wrote a story with boys as the main
characters and targeted Boy's Life, Boy's Quest, etc.
After a handful of rejections I thought I'd run out of
markets. Faced with retiring the piece or altering my
marketing plan, I changed the characters to girls,
adjusted a few details, and started submitting anew. It
sold its first time out and I had the pleasure of seeing
it in print and cashing an acceptance check.

http://boyslife.org/home/383/resources-for-contributors/
http://www.gemsgc.org/main/what_is.html
 
Squeeze into themes. A story of mine titled "Center Stage"
was about kids spending summer break in a community
theater production. I renamed it "Winter Break Blues,"
changed a handful of details, and submitted it for a
winter theme. I changed the title again to "Here Comes
Summer" for a "summer fun" theme. It finally sold when
targeted to a theme of "being compassionate." Funny thing
was the publication did some squeezing of their own, and
changed the title to "Here Comes Spring."

http://funforkidzmagazines.com/bq_guidelines
http://funforkidzmagazines.com/hs_guidelines
 
Look at the big picture. You may have a very specialized
article that you've written for a very particular market.
If it doesn't get snatched up, try widening your focus.
I've reworked homeschooling articles so that they were
of interest to any parent looking for educational
activities to enjoy with their children, opening the door
to the endless market of parenting publications.

http://www.mediaforliving.org/contact/
http://www.mops.org/page.php?pageid=553&srctype=linklist&src=657
 
Try the less obvious. "Me and My Big Mouth" was a fun
story about boys having a back yard camping adventure
and their encounter with a bat. I targeted a few general-
interest boys' magazines with no success. After some
fine-toothed digging through guidelines, I found a
magazine put out by the National Wild Turkey Federation.
They were looking for fun outdoorsy stories. I sent it
off to the editor, who asked me to elaborate on the bat's
navigational system and then made a hasty offer to buy.

http://www.nwtf.org/tv_magazines/Writers_Guidelines.html
www.youngbucksoutdoors.com
 
Crank up your target age.  Pushing an article aimed at
the' tween market, but running out of publications to
approach? Pump up the vocabulary and add a little more
meat to the content then target the many YA magazines.

www.six78th.com
http://www.relatemag.com/about/
 
When you get yet another rejection (and you will), it
doesn't mean it's the end of the road. It may mean you
have to take a detour to find the right market. No one
ever said the road to publication was straight and narrow.
Follow the twists and turns, enjoy the scenery, and don't
stop until you've made that sale.
 
BIO:
Ruth Schiffmann shares the trials and triumphs of
freelance writing with her husband and their two daughters.
Her stories and articles for children, teens, and adults
have appeared in more than 50 publications both in print
and online. Because the joy of an acceptance speaks louder
than the doubts of a rejection, she is constantly digging
up new markets and doesn't take no for an answer. To read
more of her work, visit www.RuthSchiffmann.com

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COMPETITIONS
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THERESA A. WHITE LITERARY AWARD
http://www.sci.edu/quiddity/download/2009_twhite_award.pdf
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$12 ENTRY FEE
Deadline August 1, 2009. Limit 500 words prose. First Prize: $500
and publication in the Spring/Summer 2010 print issue of
Quiddity as well as public-radio broadcast (offered via WUIS,
NPR member and PRI affiliate) Honorable mentions may also be
offered publication and broadcast.

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DONALD BARTHELME PRIZE FOR SHORT PROSE
http://www.gulfcoastmag.org/index.php?n=7
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$15 ENTRY FEE - INCLUDES A ONE-YEAR SUBSCRIPTION
Submit up to three previously unpublished prose poems, short
stories, or micro-essays, each no more than 500 words in
length. Your name and address should appear on the cover
letter only. All entries will be considered for publication,
though only one will receive our $500 prize. Deadline August
31, 2009.

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A DEVIL'S DICTIONARY CONTEST
http://www.uga.edu/garev/devil.html
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NO ENTRY FEE NOTED
The Georgia Review seeks submissions for a special feature,
"A Devil's Dictionary for the Twenty-First Century"--an update
of Ambrose Bierce's brilliant satirical work The Devil's
Dictionary, published just about one hundred years ago.
Writers are invited to send one or two original dictionary
entries--maximum length, two hundred words each--for publication
consideration. Those who renew or purchase a subscription to
the Georgia Review may send up to six dictionary entries. All
entries considered for publication. All accepted authors will
receive an honorarium. The competition pays $500 for first
place, $150 for second, and $100 for third. Deadline June 30,
2009.
 

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GRANTS
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LANESBORO RESIDENCY
http://www.lanesboroarts.org/cac-artist-in-residence.php
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Deadline June 30, 2009. Location is the Root River area of
Minnesota. Must reside in the United States. Work and living
space provided as well as stipends up to $2,000 for a four-
week residency.

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FIVE WINGS ARTS COUNCIL GRANTS
http://www.fwac.org/products.htm
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For individuals and nonprofits in Cass, Crow Wing, Morrison,
Todd and Wadena Counties in Minnesota.

Small Grants Program - Grants up to $500 are available to arts
organizations, schools, and community groups to sponsor any
arts related activity. This program is designed for first-time
applicants or those wishing to take advantage of a late breaking
opportunity. Deadline June 1, 2009.

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LEEWAY ART AND CHANGE GRANT
http://www.leeway.org
---
Project-based grants of up to $2,500 for women and trans
artists living in the Delaware Valley region (Bucks, Camden,
Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, or Philadelphia counties) for
projects that involve art and social change (social change
must be integral to the work; work must raise consciousness,
create a vision of a more just world, be a tool for organizing
and movement building, preserve or reclaim traditional
cultural practices, build community, challenge oppression,
and/or question mainstream culture and beliefs). Funds may be
used for any project-related expenses, including documentation,
artist stipend, or the purchase of materials. Applicants must
be women or trans artists and have a Change Partner (a person,
organization, or business that is part of the project in some
way and/or is a member of the community in which the project
takes place - a mentor, editor, collective, art space, theatre,
nonprofit organization, production company, etc.). Deadline
June 1, 2009.
 

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FREELANCE MARKETS
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VANCOUVER BUSINESS MAGAZINE
http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/wri/1153117797.html
---
Must be able to tell a great story and conduct great interviews.
Stories are assigned and subjects chosen. These are two to three-
source stories of 1,500. Pays 20 cents/word. Send resume and
three clips of your best work. These are business stories.

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ARIZONA WILDLIFE VIEWS
http://www.azgfd.gov/i_e/pubs/contributorguidelines.shtml
---
Official magazine of the Arizona  Game and Fish Department.
General interest, how-to, photo features, popularized technical
material on Arizona wildlife and wildlife management, habitat
issues, outdoor recreation involving wildlife, boating, fishing,
hunting, bird watching, animal observation, off-highway vehicle
use, etc., and historical articles about wildlife and wildlife
management. No "me and Joe" articles, anthropomorphism of
wildlife or opinionated pieces not based on confirmable facts.
Fees for the three feature categories are $450 (Less than 1,200
words), $600 (1,200 to 1,799 words), $800 (1,800 to 2,500 words).

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AT HOME TENNESSEE
http://www.athometn.com
---
At Home Tennessee magazine will enlighten, inspire and
entertain its readers with beautiful photography and
outstanding journalism about current and future fashions
for themselves, their homes and their lifestyles. Short
articles of 400-900 words. Pays roughly 20 cents/word.

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JOBS
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WEB CONTENT MANAGER
Location Portland, OR
http://jobsearch.usajobs.gov/getjob.asp?JobID=80717169&aid=27015391-3049&WT.mc_n=MKT000125
---
Deadline May 14, 2009. Employer US Army Corps of Engineers.
Serves as a Public Affairs Specialist (Web Content Manager)
with working knowledge of public affairs tactics, techniques
and procedures in the Public Affairs Office with primary
responsibility for: Management of the Portland District, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, internet and intranet websites.
Creation and/or revision of Web pages, developing/ modifying
public affairs products into Web-friendly formats. Management
of the District's "social media" program /efforts.

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WRITER-EDITOR
Location Idaho
http://jobsearch.usajobs.gov/getjob.asp?JobID=80760685&aid=27015391-459&WT.mc_n=MKT000125
---
Deadline May 18, 2009. Writes and edits materials for content,
such as reports, regulations, news, newsletters, magazines,
news releases, training materials, brochures, interpretive
handbooks, pamphlets, guidebooks, scholarly works, reference
works, speeches, or scripts. The work requires the development,
analysis, and selection of appropriate information and
presentation of the information in a form and at a level
suitable for the intended audience. Agency: Forest Service.

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FREELANCE HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS WRITERS
Location Cherry Creek, CO
http://denver.craigslist.org/wrg/1150608684.html
---
Local web company seeks the most compelling stories in high
school sports. We're looking for writers of deep intelligence,
humor and heart; those with the power to inspire and challenge
high school athletes and their parents. Please submit five clips
(one long-form and four short), and include Sports Writer and
your name in the subject line. Pays 25 cents/word.

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PUBLISHERS/AGENTS
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BICK PUBLISHING
http://www.bickpubhouse.com/
---
The mission of Bick Publishing House for Adults is to bring
professional information to the general audience in mental
illness and recovery, addictions and recovery, in the art
of living with disabilities, and in wildlife rehabilitation.
The mission of Bick Publishing House for Teens/Young Adults
is to relate modern science and its ethics, communications
arts, philosophy, psychology to the teenager's world, so
they can make their own responsible decisions about their
own lives and future.

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BIRLINN - Location UK
http://www.birlinn.co.uk/contact/details/5/
---
A press in the UK interested in fiction, nonfiction and
poetry. Prefers a cover letter, synopsis, three chapters or
ten poems, a bio and SASE. Fiction interests are primarily
historical, military, regional and sports. Nonfiction covers
a broad range.

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BLACK INC. - Location Australia
http://www.blackincbooks.com/blinc/contact/index.php
---
Black Inc. is happy to accept unsolicited manuscripts for
general non-fiction, biography and memoir. Black Inc. does
not accept manuscripts for fiction or children's books.
Please send a synopsis and 3 sample chapters marked to the
attention of the Senior Editor.

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CURTISWOOD FARM WRITING RETREAT WRITING CONTEST
http://www.fundsforwriters.com/Kentucky_Retreat.htm
---
$5 ENTRY FEE/NO ENTRY FEE FOR ATTENDEES
Submit your fiction and creative nonfiction into this first
time contest, judged by C. Hope Clark. Awards handed out
at the Curtiswood Farm Writing Retreat

Fiction First Prize $125
Fiction Second Prize $75
Creative Nonfiction First Prize $125
Creative Nonfiction Second Prize $75

Fiction or nonfiction accepted. First and second prizes awarded
in each category. Comments made on the five finalists in
each category. Single or double-space accepted. Maximum 750
words. Any topic accepted.

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WORLDWIDE FREELANCE MARKETS - Serving the freelance writing
community for 10 years. Come and try our searchable database of
writing markets from North America, Europe and around the world. 

http://www.worldwidefreelance.com

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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 

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BUSINESS STUFF
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C. Hope Clark
E-mail: hope@fundsforwriters.com

140-A Amicks Ferry Road #4
Chapin, SC 29036

http://www.fundsforwriters.com

Copyright 2000-2009, C. Hope Clark
ISSN: 1533-1326

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