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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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THE WELL-FED WRITER

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No, this isn't a huge course on how to get rich writing.
It's a reality story, condensed in a book that teaches
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know-how that many pay hundreds of dollars to learn.

Read this note from a FundsforWriters reader after reading this ad:

His mantra? "If I can do it, you can do it." Writers need each other. Here it applies.

Steve Sears
www.SGSWrite.com
Sea598@aol.com

                 
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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

=====

SELECT WHO TO LISTEN TO

I counsel writers who fear rejection. Some fear they waste
time writing when the piece might not be accepted. There are
two frictions going on here.

1. The fear of complete strangers.
2. The naivete that only published writing is worth the effort.

No one likes being turned down, ridiculed or cast aside.
Everyone knows you can't please everyone, yet they still try.
Does it matter that your mother doesn't understand your writing?
Do you really care about a rejection from some magazine editor
in Wisconsin? Why does a negative critique from your writers'
group send you into a tailspin?

Suck it up.

Don't get mad. I'm just trying to help. I'm trying to get
rid of some of the unnecessary stress in your writing life.
(The holidays are hard enough!)

You determine your outlook, not the naysayers. In reality,
as you dwell on why someone rejected you, your competition
is querying, pitching and advancing their careers. Stewing
in your juices is self-deprecating.

Unfortunately, many folks get stuck in a personal-put-down
rut. It's more comfortable than the risk of putting themselves
out there for scrutiny again. They fuss about editors, agents
and publishers, when they'd be more successful if they sucked
it up and worked harder instead.

Self-publishing preys on these people. No, I'm not saying
that self-publishing is all bad; however, it's not good
for many, many people. I have the emails from them to prove it.

Move forward in your writing career. Write. Query. Take the
rejections on the chin and don't go down. Move past it. Don't
look back. Don't stop and wring your hands about how hard
life is treating you. Society tends to shun that behavior.

Everyone loves a hard-working winner. It's a simple mindset
shift that takes you from a loser's stance to that of a
climbing winner.

I'm a winner. I may not be a NY Times Bestselling author, but
I'm winning my race. Editors turn me down, often for valid
reasons, but they'll never take me down. I'm bigger than they
are. I can always re-query, re-ponder, and re-write to make
myself better and find those acceptances. Someone can take a
stab at me with the words "this isn't quite right for me,"
but he is one in a sea of millions and can't hold a candle
to my drive to write better and publish well.

It's not his call to make . . . it's mine.

     Hope

TWEETEBOOKS

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

=====

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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TIS THE SEASON EBOOK

Twelve months of holidays, seasons and markets for
your seasonal writing. One of our most popular and
inexpensive ebooks. $4.95

www.fundsforwriters.com/ebooks.htm

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See Hope's latest freelance piece, an interview with
mystery author Marcia Mueller at www.wow-womenonwriting.com
 

  ~~~~~~****~~~~~~

WORDS OF SUCCESS

"One should guard against preaching to young people success
in the customary form as the main aim in life. The most
important motive for work in school and in life is pleasure
in work, pleasure in its result, and the knowledge of the
value of the result to the community."

-- Albert Einstein

 
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SUCCESS OF THE WEEK
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Hello Hope!

I thought I'd let you know of three literary successes I just
had which I learned about from your Newsletters.

I applied FIVE TIMES for admission to, and a scholarship to
the prestigious, world-renown, Banff Centre For The Arts in
the gorgeous mountain town of Banff, Alberta, Canada. Perseverance
pays off, because I got in this year to be mentored in Poetry, by
award-winning poet/novelist Sue Goyette. The Centre is "chock-a-
block" with award-winning writers, artists and scientists -
creativity reigns supreme (there)! My course is called "Wired
Writing" - there are many Literary Courses in several genres
and cross-genres (such as Science Communication, for one
example.) Artistes from all over our world come to this
spectacular Centre. Do let your readers know of this wonderful,
magical, stupendous place of learning, letting loose, and
"anteing up your literary game." Go to www.banffcentre.ca/

While there, I received the happy news that one of my poems
placed sixth in a competition held by the Welsh online
magazine Cooldog.

Upon my arrival home, I received news that astounded me:
The glossy British Arts magazine AESTHETICA emailed me with
this news: "(Your poem) was highly commended by the judges.
Congratulations on this massive achievement. We had over
3,000 entries this year."

...and I heard about it first in Hope's FundsForWriters!

SheLa E. Nefertiti Morrison
Gabriola Island (soon-to-be Nanaimo, B.C.) Canada

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ARTICLE
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Don't Query, Be happy!
(Effective strategies for working smarter, not harder)

By Jennifer Brown Banks
 
Contrary to popular opinion, queries are not the only way to
reach the pinnacles of publishing--no more than a college
degree is a prerequisite for corporate success. Look at Bill
Gates.
 
During today's tough times with limited resources, it's all
about savvy and strategy. To this end, here are seven insider's
tips to maximize your resources and your creative potential in
2010.
 
Know your editor!

Writing is a business. Just as you would research a company for
which you would like to work, you should do your homework with
editors for whom you'd like to write. Editors are people too. As
such, they have built in biases, pet peeves, charitable causes,
idiosyncrasies, favorite topics, and geographic preferences. Give
yourself a competitive edge by spending time researching their
online Bios, backgrounds, and even Facebook and social media
profiles to create a connection. Knowledge is power.

If opportunity won't knock, Create it!

2010 will mark five years for me as a relationship columnist for
a popular online dating site. Truth be told, when I pitched the
editor for a potential columnist gig, there was no job posted
on his website. I liked his publication and what it stood for,
so I took a chance. I simply sent a few of my best crafted
articles and a letter of introduction, and the next month he
hired me. Sometimes success means taking a few risks.

Govern your time like you would govern your money.

Know how to glean the most out of your time and your resources.
Ever wonder how each of us is allocated the same number of
hours, and yet some folks seem to be more productive and
profitable? Learn how to identify your most productive time of
day. Multi-task. Capitalize on any time at your disposal.
Dodge the television and learn to say no to social requests.
It's amazing the time you'll have at your fingertips if you
grasp it.

If you want to go the distance, learn the shortcuts.

To save time on researching markets, sign up for the popular,
free Ezines for writers that email money-making markets to
your inbox on a weekly or monthly basis. My two favorites are
Funds for Writers and Writing for Dollars.  Freelancedaily.net
also offers a similar service for a nominal fee. Another
valuable tool in your arsenal is networking. There's great
truth to the expression, "It's not always what you know, but
who you know that counts."

To build your portfolio, don't burn bridges.

Have you had a bad experience with an editor or publisher?
Join the club. Just like any other professional industry, the
world of publishing has good folks and bad. But whether you've
encountered "creative differences," were treated unfairly,
didn't get paid as promised, or worked with someone who was
a real she-devil, don't feel the need to exercise your "first
amendment rights" all over the Internet. Report it to one of
the watchdog agencies for writers, and then move forward. Put it
behind you and expend that frustrated energy toward queries and
writing rather than sour grapes.

Let go of your ego.

Know your strengths and limitations. This awareness keeps you
focused and empowered. Recognize when it comes to certain genres
and creative pursuits, you, well . . . suck. Be okay with that.
Know how to be your own fan, while being your best critic as well. 

Reward yourself for progress.

What good are the "spoils of success" if you can't spoil yourself
with the money you make from writing? Treat yourself to some
Starbucks. Buy that new gadget. Or revamp your writer's space.
Pay for a new website designer. A new image will jack up your
self-assuredness. The reward system has always been a motivator
for kids and adults alike. So go for it!
 

By following these seven common sense tips, you'll experience a
more profitable career, with more leisure time to enjoy it.
All it takes is a little focus and attitude adjustment, and
before you know it, you've put a few dollars in the bank.
 
BIO
Jennifer Brown Banks, Veteran freelance writer, columnist, editor.
http://penandprosper.blogspot.com/

 
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COMPETITIONS
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RBC BRONWEN WALLACE AWARD FOR EMERGING WRITERS
http://www.writerstrust.com/programs_apa_bronwenwallace.html
---
NO ENTRY FEE
Deadline: January 15, 2010. A prize of $5,000 will be awarded
to the best work of short fiction. Two honourable mentions
will each receive $1,000 prizes. To be eligible a candidate
must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, under the
age of 35, unpublished in book form and without a book contract,
but whose literary work has appeared in at least one independently
edited magazine or anthology.

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MALAHAT REVIEW NOVELLA PRIZE
http://www.malahatreview.ca/novella_contest/info.html
---
ENTRY FEE
$35 CAD for Canadians
$40 USD for US entries
$45 USD for entries from elsewhere.
Deadline: February 1, 2010. Submit a single work of fiction,
with a minimum length of 10,000 words, and a maximum length
of 20,000 words. No restrictions as to genre, subject matter,
or aesthetic approach. One prize of $500 CAD is awarded,
plus payment at the rate of $40 CAD per printed page upon
publication.

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WRITERS AND ARTISTS SHORT STORY COMPETITION
http://www.writersandartists.co.uk/short-story-competition/
---
NO ENTRY FEE
For published and aspiring writers alike - enter the Writers'
& Artists' 2010 short story competition and you could win a
cash prize of £500, a place on an Arvon Foundation residential
writing course worth at least £575, and publication of your
story on the Writers' & Artists' Yearbook website. All you
have to do is write a short story (for adults) of no more
than 2,000 words, on the theme of 'Unity or Union' and email
it to competition@acblack.com with 'WAYB10 competition' as
the subject line. Deadline February 14, 2010. One entry only.

 
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GRANTS
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WILDACRES RETREAT
http://wildacres.org/about/residency.html
---
The program continues each year, with 25 one-week residencies
available from May through October. The sessions begin each
Monday afternoon and conclude after breakfast on Sunday. The
program allows individuals the solitude and inspiration
needed to begin or continue work on a project in their
particular field. Participants stay in a comfortable, rustic
cabin located 1/4 mile from the retreat, and have use of the
Wildacres facilities. Location Switzerland, NC.

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ARKANSAS FELLOWSHIPS
http://www.arkansasarts.com/grants/iaf.aspx
---
Individual Artist Fellowships are unconditional, non-matching
awards of $4,000 made directly to individual artists in
recognition of their artistic abilities. Awards are based on
the creative excellence of works submitted for review and are
awarded to a limited number of artists of outstanding talent.
The categories for 2010 are literary non-fiction, choreography
and works on paper. Check the Arts Council website in late
December for the applications. Deadline May 7, 2010.

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NORTHWOOD UNIVERSITY ALDEN B. DOW CREATIVITY CENTER
http://www.northwood.edu/abd
---
$10 APPLICATION FEE
Location Midland, MI. Residencies average 10 weeks for U.S.
citizens working in the arts, humanities, and sciences.
Residency provides housing, workspace, lunch, travel stipend
($500), materials stipend ($750), and general stipend ($1,750
for 10 weeks). Deadline: December 31, 2009.
 

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FREELANCE MARKETS
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AMERICAN WAY
http://www.americanwaymag.com/AW/ContactUs.aspx
---
American Way, available to every passenger on every American
Airlines flight, consistently delivers award-winning content
and design that covers the latest trends in travel, lifestyle,
and business.

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YOU & ME
http://www.youandmemagazine.com/pages/submissions
---
You&Me America's Medical Magazine seeks non-fiction articles,
perferably from a first-person perspective, about the human
aspects of dealing with all medical issues, from the life
threatening to the chronic to the so-called "trivial." We do
not want all happy endings or all sad endings- and we invite
articles dealing with end-of-life issues from a first person
or close family perspective. We can use some health-care
provider prospectives, poetry and expressionistic pieces, and
cartoons. We do not want or use informational articles.

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GRANTA
http://www.granta.com/Magazine/Submissions-policy
---
Granta does not have a political or literary manifesto, but
it does have a belief in the power and urgency of the story,
both in fiction and non-fiction, and the story's supreme
ability to describe, illuminate and make real.

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JOBS
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CREATIVE WRITING INSTRUCTOR - NATURE WRITING
Location Bath, UK
http://www.bathspa.ac.uk/services/hr/jobs/current-vacancies/Adverts%202009/10_09_1366.pdf
---
£34,435- £43,622 per annum pro rata. Half time position.
Deadline January 11, 2010. We are one of the country's leading
universities for creative writing and for environmental
approaches to literary criticism. We are currently looking
for a new member of the creative writing team: a published
writer of environmental non-fiction and/or novels with
environmental content.

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FREELANCE CONTRACT WRITER/EDITOR
Location Washington DC
http://www.idealist.org/en/job/359399-16
---
Employer American Association of University Women. The American
Association of University Women Publications Department seeks a
freelance/contract editor and writer to work on a variety of
AAUW publications, including web and print projects. Although
flexible scheduling is available, the position requires on-site
work at least several days each week.

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CONSERVATION WRITER
Location Chicago, IL
http://www.idealist.org/en/job/359469-13
---
Bachelor's degree in English, Journalism, or related field
and 4 years related experience or equivalent combination.
Experience writing and editing one or more of the following:
newsletter, magazine, annual report, and web-site articles/
stories; donor profiles, presidential acknowledgment letters,
campaign brochures, funding proposals, fact sheets, and
presentations; or equivalent. Experience presenting to
diverse audiences including some or all of the following:
donors, members, board members, and the public or equivalent.

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PUBLISHERS/AGENTS
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ALLEN & UNWIN - AUS/NZ
http://www.allenandunwin.com/
---
Allen & Unwin is the country's largest independent publishing
house, producing more than 250 new titles each year in areas
as diverse as academic books, professional reference works,
adult fiction, children's books and electronic publications.

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SALKIND AGENCY
http://www.studiob.com/salkindagency/
---
Works with general non-fiction trade and textbook authors.

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CHILDREN'S BOOK PRESS
http://www.childrensbookpress.org/
---
The mission of Children's Book Press is to help broaden the
base of children's literature in the United States by
publishing multicultural and bilingual stories that reflect
the diversity and experiences of minority and/or new immigrant
communities in the United States today.

Publishing has changed more in the past year than it has in the previous 50.
And the rate of change is getting faster and faster. The rules that seemed to
be written in stone have begun to erode and are disappearing entirely.
 
Change is exciting and confusing at the same time. There are more
opportunities to get published than ever before--if you know what you're
doing. Now, with all the changes, it's harder than ever to know what to do.
And, wrong decisions can be costly errors. But what if you had a mentor
to guide you to the next step--no matter where you are right now?
 
Join publisher and author Shelley Lieber in the last of the three-part
tele-series that will help you make informed decisions about how to:
 
-- Choose between traditional publishing and self-publishing
-- Avoid scams
-- Choose the right POD publisher
-- Publish your work as an ebook, audio book or print book
-- Find print and digital markets for your work
-- Build a community--and waiting audience--for your book
-- Use social networking sites effectively (and not waste your time)
-- Create a buzz with free publicity
 
Free Class: "2010: A Publishing Odyssey, Part III"
When: Tuesday, December 15, 2009 at 2 pm ET (11 am PT)
Details: http://wordywoman.com

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LAST CALL FOR ENTRIES!
 
Dream Quest One Writing Contest is now accepting short
stories, 5 pages maximum length on any subject or theme,
single or double line spacing, neatly hand printed or
typed. Entry fee: $10 per story. First Writing Prize is
$500, 2nd: $250; 3rd: $100. All contest winners will
be published online in the Dare to Dream pages.
Postmark deadline: December 31, 2009.

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

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Do you need your book endorsed?

We give quality book reviews to both published and
unpublished books.

Why wait? Take advantage of our Express Review Service.
 
Let us promote your book at a very affordable rate. 
Get your book noticed fast and see results immediately.

Do you need your manuscript edited and proofread?
We polish your writing to perfection at an unbeatable price.

We help authors succeed!

For more information please visit:
http://pacificbookreview.com

NOTE FROM A FFW READER WHO USED PACIFIC BOOK REVIEW:

Dear Hope: I love your newsletter and I was really happy
to see Pacific Book Review listed. I just wanted to tell
you about my experience with them. Their CEO is named Nicole
and she is simply passionate about reading. She and her group
not only read and rate the book but discuss it at morning
meetings with other reviewers. As an author, you walk away
with a powerful piece of information. Either your book is
great or it's not. If not, you receive at least a page of
suggestions. They are the best reviewing service I have had
experience with. Pacific Book Review is kind, compassionate
and constructive. They are an especially good choice for the
writer who has never had their worked critiqued professionally.
Regardless of their rating, you are left with a sense of
respect and hope. I simply cannot recommend them enough.    

~Best regards, Dr. Reece W. Manley, DD, M.Ed., MPM, 
www.SpiritThinking.net 

=====

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/

The Association of Professional Business Writers represent
people that write for business in a fee for work or freelance
capacity. Contact us at www.apbw.us 

(FundsforWriters readers can use promo code FFW001 for
membership and a 20% discount)

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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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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