Volume 9, Issue 37
September 13, 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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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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WEB 2.0 ADDICTION

I'll be the first to raise a hand and say I used to be anti-
Web 2.0 (i.e., Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn). Time
gobblers, I thought.

Then I realized that I could self-promote in a different
direction and with a twist to my FundsforWriters voice in
these venues. I can offer 140-character pearls of wisdom in
Twitter. I can post a contest or news-breaking writing topic
on Facebook. I can write an editorial any day of the week
on Blogger. All of these add to, not take away, from the
efforts I do in these weekly newsletters. I've learned that
readers love the variety.

It's reading the other bloggers, Facebookers and Tweeters
that can interrupt a day. The problem is, if you deliver
messages, you owe the Blogosphere, Twitter community and
Facebook fanatics enough reading in return. But be careful.
Web 2.0 can be addictive. Be selective on who you keep up
with, so you don't burn out.

I tend to rotate who I read, with very few attracting my
daily study. I really appreciate those who post a daily
blog, keeping it around 300-400 words or so. It takes
strong diligence to meet that daily quota while keeping
the message tight. The windy, wordy blogs, however, get my
boot after maybe two weeks. I leave sometimes irritated that
they didn't take the time to edit their words to carefully
craft condensed, meaningful messages.

Then there are the Twitter Tweeters. I won't post more
than 3-4 notes per day, often skipping a day or two.
But some people are addicted. I recently "unfollowed"
someone who tweeted 40 times in one day. Another tweets
15-20. I've labeled these folks Bully-Tweeters. They've
completely forgotten the fact that readers follow
other people, too. The readers are striving to learn,
pick up breaking news, keeping up with people they deem
important. Bully-Tweeters have lost respect for their
readers' time.

Sure, these Web 2.0 features are phenomenal marketing
tools. Businesses are capitalizing on these online
opportunities like crazy. But when they post over a dozen
Tweets or three blog posts or fifteen Facebook messages
in a single day, I can't help but sense an addiction in
place.

Maybe this is a pet peeve of mine, but my time is so
precious that I assume others' time is as well. When
a person or entity tries to dominate it, the posts
do the opposite of their intention. The "noise" of all
the words and lingo become like shouting hawkers at
a county fair. I tune them out and find some other
place where I can have more fun and hear myself think.

 
     Hope

 

Theme: Invisible Writing
Compose 750 words or less addressing this theme in essay form.
Deadline October 31, 2009.

Pay $5 or don't pay anything. You have a choice with FFW.
First, second and third prizes in each category, ranging
from $10 to $200.

NEW: FundsforWriters is featuring Tweetebooks. Yes, you
read right. In this day of social networking in spurts,
FFW has created abbreviated ebooks with abbreviated prices.
Enter the $5 entry fee category of the contest and receive
one free. Or buy one. They are only $1.99.

http://www.fundsforwriters.com/annualcontest.htm
http://www.fundsforwriters.com/tweetebooks.htm

NOTE:
Shelley Lieber and VIP Authors is our Platinum Sponsor this year.
We still have openings for gold and bronze sponsors. See the
deal you can buy for advertising in sync with the FFW annual
essay contest.

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

VIP AUTHORS SUPPORTS YOUR WRITING!
Get our FREE 53-page PUBLISHING SUCCESS ebook, loaded with
insider tips and resources to help you launch and skyrocket
your writing career at http://vipauthors.com.

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THE BLOG, THE BLOG!
http://www.hopeclark.blogspot.com

TWITTER ME
http://twitter.com/hopeclark

CONSULT WITH HOPE
http://www.fundsforwriters.com/ConsultHope.htm

I JUST JOINED FACEBOOK
http://www.facebook.com/chopeclark

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TWEETEBOOKS

Mini-ebooks. 20 markets in selective niches for $1.99.
wwww.fundsforwriters.com/tweetebooks.htm

  ~~~~~~****~~~~~~

WORDS OF SUCCESS

"In the long run men hit only what they aim at.
Therefore, though they should fail immediately,
they had better aim at something high."

-- Henry David Thoreau, author

 
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SUCCESS OF THE WEEK
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Hello Hope:

I just want to tell you that Writers Market and your Funds for
Writers are the two best sites going! Today I received
notification from Creative Writing Corner that I am one of
five Finalists in their recent competition. The top three will
be notified in the next few weeks. As you know, the writing
market is pretty tight as far as publishing goes, never mind
competitions. After 10 years of sending pieces to contests,
this is my first Finalist selection. In case you ever sit
facing the white screen and wonder if all your efforts matter
or if they're appreciated, please accept my answer of YES,
definitely YES!!! Thank you for all you do.

With sincerity,
Nancy Purcell
Brevard, NC

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ARTICLE
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Become a Freelance Chameleon
 
By Ruth Schiffmann

Find a successful freelancer these days and you've found
someone who can adapt to the ever-changing publishing world.
Is it any wonder that when I think freelancer I think of the
chameleon? As writers, we could take a closer look and apply
some of their behaviors to our writing lives.
 
Adapt to your surroundings. The chameleon's change in color
is a result of their surroundings; lighting, temperature and
humidity all have an effect. Like these ever-altering lizards,
be willing to adapt according to the current market needs.
Never written web copy? Start now. Fiction getting harder and
harder to sell? Change your spots; give the greeting card
market a try. Unfamiliar with the dos and don'ts of advertising
copywriting? Do a Google search and start learning!
 
http://www.psg-fpp.com/creative_guidelines.htm
http://www.papyrusonline.com/category/about+papyrus/artist+submission+guidelines.do
http://www.absolutewrite.com/specialty_writing/ad_copywriter.htm
http://www.adcopywriting.com/index.htm
 
 
Keep on climbing. Don't get too comfortable in your current
position. Keep striving for sales to publications with larger
audiences and higher rates of pay. Don't buy the lie your
inner critic tries to feed you about being out of your league.
The chameleon's sharp nails and grasping hands are great for
holding on but even better for climbing.
 
Tune In. Chameleons hear by feeling vibrations in the air.
You can keep your finger on the pulse of the latest publishing
news by subscribing to a variety of publications. There are
plenty of exceptional free newsletters you can opt in to.

Funds for Writers: www.fundsforwriters.com
Writers Weekly: www.writersweekly.com
Writing for Dollars: www.writingfordollars.com
The Practicing Writer: http://www.practicing-writer.com/content.php?page=newsletter
Flash Fiction Flash Newsletter: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FlashFictionFlash
Writing-World: http://www.writing-world.com/newsletter/index.shtml
Worldwide Freelance Writer http://www.worldwidefreelance.com/newsletter.htm
 
Focus. Don't let the dramas of the day encroach on your
writing time. Chameleon's don't sleep during the day. They
spend their time staying warm and hunting prey - their work.
Whether your writing time is six hours or six minutes -
devote yourself to it fully.
 
Don't over think.  A chameleon sees its prey then shoots out
its tongue to snag it with both accuracy and lightning speed.
When marketing, dig deep enough to target accurately, but
don't obsess. Hit send and move on.
 
Warm up. The cold-blooded chameleon needs an external heat
source to raise their body temperature. We writers often need
an outside source of our own to help us thrive. Beyond writers
groups and critique partners there are prompts and exercises
readily available to keep our minds stimulated and creative
energies flowing.

http://easystreetprompts.blogspot.com/
http://www.bravewriter.com/blog2/
http://pymprompts.blogspot.com/
http://community.livejournal.com/imagination500/
http://www.writersdigest.com/WritingPrompts/
http://www.susantaylorbrown.com/pictureprompts.html
http://piclits.com/compose_freestyle.aspx
http://www.debgallardo.com/virtuoso/755/creative-writing-exercises-prompts/
 
Multitask. A chameleon's eyes work independently from one
another. Yes, they can look in two different directions at
the same time! Just because you're in the throes of a YA
novel right now, doesn't mean it's not also the perfect time
to pen that memoir you've wanted to start or the how-to article
that's been buzzing around in your head. I work best with
several projects minimized on my desktop. When energy wanes
on one project, it often soars on another.
 
Reinvent yourself. Are you bound by routine? Writing the same
old same old? Querying and submitting to a handful of markets
again and again? Chameleons outgrow their skin, shedding every
four months or so. Don't be afraid to put on a fresh skin.
Update your business cards, website or My Space page to
announce your latest endeavors and updated specialties. Wear
your new skin like it's the new rave. Show the full spectrum
of your colors. You may find that you wear it well!

BIO: 
Ruth Schiffmann has been a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom
for many years. Currently she's enjoying wearing the skin of
a writer. To read more of her work, visit www.RuthSchiffmann.com.

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COMPETITIONS
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GLIMMERTRAIN FAMILY MATTERS
http://www.glimmertrain.com/familymatters.html
---
$15 ENTRY FEE
1st place wins $1,200, publication in Glimmer Train Stories,
and 20 copies of that issue. 2nd-place: $500. 3rd-place:$300.
Stories--about family--not to exceed 12,000 words.(No minimum,
though it's rare for a piece under 500 words to read as a full
story.) Deadline October 31, 2009. We are interested in
reading your original, unpublished short stories about family!

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GLIMMERTRAIN STANDARD STORY COMPETITION
http://glimmertrain.com/test.html
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NO ENTRY FEE
We are interested in reading your original, unpublished short
stories! Deadline October 31, 2009. $700, publication in
Glimmer Train Stories, and 10 copies of that issue. Open to
all writers. Stories not to exceed 12,000 words. (No minimum,
though it's rare for a piece under 500 words to read as a
full story.)

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A RIVER AND SOUND REVIEW POETRY CONTEST
http://www.riverandsoundreview.org/contests/contests.htm
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$10 ENTRY FEE
First place prize will be $500, plus a featured spot on a
future RSR Live Production and publication in an upcoming
issue of our journal. Submit up to three poems per entry.
Deadline October 31, 2009.

 
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GRANTS
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SCBWI WORK-IN-PROGRESS GRANT FOR CHILDREN'S BOOKS
http://www.scbwi.org/Pages.aspx/WIP-Grant
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In any given year, an applicant may apply for: the General
Work-In-Progress Grant OR the Work-In-Progress Grant for a
Contemporary Novel for Young People OR the Work-In-Progress
Nonfiction Research Grant. The Grant for a Work Whose Author
has Never Had a Book Published may not be applied for -- it
will be chosen from all the entries in the other Work-In-
Progress categories.

Eligibility: The Grants are available to both full and
associate members of the SCBWI. They are not available for
projects on which there are already contracts.

Grant Amounts: Four Grants of $1,500 will be awarded annually,
one in each category. Four Runner-Up Grants of $500 will also
be awarded, one in each category. Authors of other projects
cited by the judges as noteworthy will receive a Letter of
Merit. Completed application and accompanying materials must
be postmarked no earlier than February 15th and no later than
March 15th.

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BARBARA KARLIN GRANT
http://www.scbwi.org/Pages.aspx/Barbara-Karlin-Grant
---
The Barbara Karlin Grant has been established to recognize
and encourage the work of aspiring picture book writers.
The Grant is available to both full and associate members of
the SCBWI who have never had a picture book published and do
not have a picture book currently under contract. One Grant
of $1,500 will be awarded annually. A Runner-Up Grant in the
amount of $500 (funded by a generous donation from Ann Whitford
Paul) will also be awarded. One picture book manuscript per
applicant may be submitted. The text may be an original story,
work of nonfiction, or a re-telling or adaptation of a fairytale,
folktale or legend. Completed application and accompanying
materials must be postmarked no earlier than February 15th
and must be received no later than March 15th.

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OBRAS ART RESIDENCIES
http://www.obras-art.org/index.html
---
Artists and scientists with (emerging) professional standing
are eligible for residence. Disciplines include architecture,
music composition, film/video, dance and visual arts, literature,
drama and science (including history, philosophy, theology,
futurology and ecology). You live on your own in a spacious
two-person-apartment. The apartment has a kitchenette, a
bathroom with shower and a private terrace. Rent of a two-
persons apartment: 12 € per day for one artist and 19 Euro per
day for an artists couple (with a minimum of 3 weeks; to be
paid the first week of your stay). In August the rent is higher
because of summer holidays: 20 € per day for one artist and
30 € per day for an artists couple. Herdade da Marmeleira is
situated in the south of Portugal, in the province of Alentejo.
 

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FREELANCE MARKETS
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KITCH ART
Editor, Kitch Art magazine
E-mail - mike@sympatico.ca
613 233-9970 or 613 327-9970
76A Clarendon Ave., Ottawa, ON K1Y 0P7
---
Kitch Art magazine is a journal about the creative process.
It tracks the realization of creative drives, trying to untangle
how and why it works. These are stories about people.
Contributors to the magazine understand human nature and
how to explain it in clear, concise prose. We welcome
contributions on people and events from Ottawa and its
surrounding regions. The magazine is published every two
months and is distributed throughout Ottawa and the Ottawa
Valley. Its content is loosely themed for each issue and
comprises four parts: features that focus on individuals
who have come to their creative paths; event features that
focus on individuals or groups who are an integral part of
an upcoming event; columns that present creative-process
opinions; and news items that unveil things that happen
around the world of creativity.

Features  - 1,000- 1,200 words - These stories are highly
biographical, using the subject's life to explain why they
are where they are.

Event features - 500 - 600 words - These pieces are about a
creative person or collective involved in an upcoming event
happening during the two months that the magazine will be
on stands.

Columns - 600 - 800 words - Columns are opinions. Therefore,
a writer's ability with language is paramount. The writer
must be able to convey how creativity affects them or
others. Must fit the theme.

News items - 200-400 words - These short items try to
unearth creativity wherever it happens, in a new book, a
scientific discovery or a local happening.

Themes
October - Science: creativity in the empirical world.
December - Religion and Spirit: how creativity can augment faith.
February - Structure and Movement: creativity in all physical
           constructs.
April - Health: creativity from therapy to living space.

Query with a concise outline of the subject and story and
a short (partial) sample of an applicable published piece.
Kitch Art pays 20-25 cents (Canadian) per word for columns
and features; 10 cents for news items.

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GREATER GOOD MAGAZINE
http://peacecenter.berkeley.edu/greatergood/about_us/submission_guidelines.html
---
Greater Good's articles mix science reporting with storytelling,
often highlighting groundbreaking academic research, but in a
manner that's engaging and accessible to a popular audience.
If you are interested in writing an article for the magazine,
please first submit a 250-word article proposal. The second
half of every issue of Greater Good features journalistic
profiles of programs or research projects that help promote
peace and well-being. The magazine is especially interested
in stories of hope and transformation. Ideally, features for
Greater Good not only report on inspiring stories or provocative
research results, but also discuss the underlying factors behind
these stories or results, suggesting lessons readers can apply
to their own lives. Features are between 1,000 and 2,500 words
in length. Payment for feature articles is 25 cents/word.
Book reviews pay $75. Interviews are between 1,500 and 2,000
words and pay $350.

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SKYLIGHTS
http://www.skylightsmagazine.com/guidelines.aspx
---
Our stories offer quick and practical information on where
travelers are going, what's happening once they get there, where
they can eat, sleep, play, buy, relax. We present who and what
they're talking about---names, faces, music, movies, books,
gadgets, fashion -- in chatty, culture-current language. Our
voice reflects a youthful, sassy edge that informs, amuses
and delights our wide-ranging readership. Pays 25 to 40 cents/
word for fillers, departments and features. Inflight magazine
of Spirit Airlines.

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JOBS
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CAPTION WRITER
Location Virtual - Topic on Charleston, SC
Reply to: job-95yqv-1358469887@craigslist.org
---
Turner Publishing Company (turnerpublishing.com) is looking
for an author with a background in South Carolina history to
complete captions and chapter introductions for a book entitled
Historic Photos of South Carolina. The book will be hardcover
and will be sold in local bookstores. This book is one of a
series. Responsibilities: captions and introductions,
collaboration in image selection, and participation in events
such as signings at local bookstores. Qualifications: expertise
in South Carolina history, previous published writing a plus.
Compensation: Author fee based on experience.

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WRITER/PHOTOGRAPHY
Location Ridgeland, MS
http://tinyurl.com/nk62pr
---
Holmes Community College Ridgeland Campus is looking for a
freelance writer and photographer. Call Communications Director
Steve Diffey at 662-472-9068 for more information.

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WRITER
Location Salisbury, MD
http://tinyurl.com/mhcnef
---
Metropolitan Magazine is seeking regular freelance writers for
the lower Eastern Shore areas. Send samples and resume. Previous
experience in magazines/newspaper a plus.

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PUBLISHERS/AGENTS
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BLUEROAD PRESS
http://www.blueroadpress.com/
---
We are looking for high-quality literary fiction and works
of non-fiction. We do not accept general submissions of
poetry, children's literature, or genre fiction. With every
submission to Blueroad, please send a cover letter and author
bio. For fiction, we would like to see three to four sample
chapters or stories, with an outline for the rest of your
book. Please, no full manuscripts. If we are interested, we
will request more.

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HUB CITY PRESS
http://www.hubcity.org/news/spreading-our-wings-at-submission-time.html
---
The SC Arts Commission awarded Hub City a grant that will
help underwrite publication of four books during the next
two years written by South Carolina authors. Hub City publishes
literature and cultural history rooted in the places, people,
and traditions of the American Southeast. They are committed
to high-quality novels, short stories, poetry, plays, and non-
fiction. They publish four to five books a year and accept
book proposals during the months of September and March.

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UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA PRESS
http://uncpress.unc.edu/browse/page/616
---
UNC Press publishes nonfiction books for academic and general
audiences. We have a special interest in trade and scholarly
titles about our region. The Press does not, however, publish
original fiction, poetry, drama, memoir, or festschriften.

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SPONSORS
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AWARD WINNING NOVELIST, STORY WRITER WILL EDIT YOUR WORK

Winner of the 2009 Excellence in Teaching Award from
UNC Chapel Hill, Richard Krawiec has published novels,
story collections, plays, memoirs, poetry, feature articles,
and Young Adult biographies.  He's won NEA and NC Arts Council
grants, been nominated for the National Book Award and
Pushcart Prize. He was a Finalist for the 2009 Indie Book
Awards for Poetry.
 
It's hard to publish these days. 
Let someone who knows what they're doing help
you prepare your work for publication.

http://home.mindspring.com/~rkwriter/

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Download the free audio here ==> http://tinyurl.com/l2nlbd

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            GIVE ME YOUR NEEDY MANUSCRIPT            

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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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