Volume 10, Issue 4
January 24, 2010

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

THE WELL-FED WRITER

In less than four months, Peter Bowerman built a lucrative
"paying-all-the-bills" commercial writing practice:
writing for businesses, large and small and for hourly
rates of $50-$125+ (and did so with NO industry contacts,
previous paid writing experience or writing training.

No, this isn't a huge course on how to get rich writing.
It's a reality story, condensed in a book that teaches
you how to do the same. For less than $20, grab the
know-how that many pay hundreds of dollars to learn.

                 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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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CHOOSING YOUR CONFERENCES

I'm a newfound believer in small retreat-like conferences.
I've done two in ten days, and instead of walking away
drained, I strutted away rejuvenated. And I was the speaker!

I've helped create large conferences, attended them and
presented at them. While you may think they offer more,
consider the cost. A two to three-day, out-of-town conference
costs $500 on the cheap side and as much as $1,000, assuming
you don't fly. For that cost you could:

==> take several classes at a nearby tech school or college;
==> purchase 30-40 subscriptions and online memberships;
==> hire a serious editor for your manuscript;
==> attend a far-away retreat and write without distraction.
==> attend a dozen small presentations within driving distance.

My first presentation took place at Cleveland, NC at the
Weathers Creek Farm Writers Series. We had a brunch of tea,
coffee and homemade cinnamon rolls before I launched into
a two-hour session followed by a garden-picked, country
luncheon. After eating, I wrapped up another couple of hours,
then visited with the 15 attendees over wine and cheese.

My second small group occurred in Beaufort, SC in an art
gallery. Again, about 15 people sat in folding chairs for
a two-hour session. We chatted, laughed and exchanged
information.

My third session will be in Mobile, Alabama. Again, a small
group. I'm looking forward to that one in March.

The advantages of such groups slapped me between the eyes.
See if they make sense to you, too.

==> Cheaper;
==> The topic is streamlined to your specific needs;
==> You are freer to talk to the presenter about your ideas;
==> You meet peers with your likes and interests in the more laid-back social setting;
==> You consume less time and walk away with more answers for the time invested;
==> Less stressful for those of us who abhor large crowds;
==> Less travel.

Another group in North Carolina is considering a day with
me for the fall. I'm excited about it. What's great about
these sessions is they take less time to plan, too, so if
you aren't finding enough of these events in your area,
create one. You never know if a presenter like me would
appreciate such a setting to deliver her message cleaner,
easier and sweeter. 

     Hope

FIRST SPECIAL FOR 2010 !!!

Order TOTAL FundsforWriters, our paid subscription
newsletter containing 75 markets/grants/contests,
for only $9 through January 31, 2010.

We've featured TOTAL for six years at the rate of $12.
We are raising the regular rate beginning in February,
but to give you one last chance, we're offering this
low rate of $9 for the first month of the new year.

Now's the time to start that New Year's resolution
with a subscription to TOTAL.

www.fundsforwriters.com/total.htm

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BYLINES DAILY DESK CALENDAR IS AVAILABLE!

Many have asked when the calendars would be ready.
This year's Bylines features writers from 26 states and
4 foreign countries (Ireland, Great Britain, Australia
and Canada). This is the 7th edition.

This is the calendar Hope has used for five years.
See why so many FundsforWriters readers can't wait
for it each year. Sells for $14.95.

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

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EBOOKS

Just updated the following ebooks for your reading pleasure.

Funds for the Essayist
Tis the Season
No Fee Contests

If you purchased any of these in the last three months,
email hope@fundsforwriters.com for your free update.
Others can purchase these and other ebooks at

www.fundsforwriters.com/ebooks.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 JOINED FACEBOOK
http://www.facebook.com/chopeclark

  ~~~~~~****~~~~~~

WORDS OF SUCCESS

You must keep sending work out; you must never let a
manuscript do nothing but eat its head off in a drawer.
You send that work out again and again, while you're
working on another one. If you have talent, you will
receive some measure of success - but only if you persist.

~Isaac Asimov (1920 - 1992)

 
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SUCCESS OF THE WEEK
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Dear Hope,
 
I look forward to your newsletter every week. Today I received
an e-mail from SRS TruVolume telling me I am one of three winners
of their creative writing contest. The prize is a Vizio Soundbar.
My college-age son is thrilled (the soundbar is worth more than
my television). I read about the contest on your blog. Thanks so
much for all you do!
 
Sincerely,
 
Gina Vazquez
Ceres, CA

---

Hi, Hope,
 
I thought I'd thank you for mentioning the CynicMagazine.com
holiday short story contest in FFW Small Markets. I entered
a story and got 2nd place.  Fifty bucks.  It was fun to write
it and it will be fun to read it on the Internet. 

Happy Holidays!
Douglas J. Moore

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ARTICLE
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Invoicing Tools for Writers

By Thursday Bram

Most writers want to write, rather than send out invoices or
spend time on other paperwork. It is necessary to take care of
such business details in order to get paid for your writing,
but there are tools available to make the process a little easier.
Rather than tracking which articles you've got paid for with a
spreadsheet, you can use an application to manage everything
from sending out the original invoices to reminding clients if
they're late with a payment.

Many invoicing applications are web-based, which is often less
expensive than buying a full bookkeeping software package. Such
tools can also be used from anywhere that you can get online.
Some can even be accessed through an iPhone or other smart phone.
New invoicing tools are debuting every day, but a few have proven
especially useful for freelance writers.

Harvest

When you look at Harvest ( http://www.getharvest.com ), you
quickly realize that it was developed with freelancers in mind.
In addition to being able to send out invoices and manage your
accounts receivable, the tool has time tracking built in -- you
can determine just how much time you're spending on particular
projects, making it easier to determine if you're really charging
enough for each article you write. If you have expenses associated
with a particular story, you can also add those to the rate you're
charging quickly. Harvest offers a plan for freelancers priced at
$12 per month. You can also try the service out for free.

Blinksale

Write a column or a blog that makes it necessary to bill a client
every month? Blink Sale ( http://www.blinksale.com/ ) allows you
to create a reoccurring invoice that will go out to your client
every month without you needing to even touch your computer. The
service also makes it easier for your clients to pay you: you can
include a PayPal link in your invoice that allows your client to
pay your invoice immediately. If you're working with editors or other
clients who prefer printed invoices, Blinksale can help you format
professional invoices quickly. Blinksale's pricing is based on the
number of invoices you need to send out each month. For six or
fewer invoices, the service is priced at $6. For $12, you can
send up to fifty invoices. No matter how many invoices you need
to send, though, you can try Harvest out for free.

Freshbooks

Freshbooks ( http://www.freshbooks.com) takes steps to automate as
much of the invoicing process as possible. If you need to send out
printed invoices, for instance, the service can print and mail
your invoices for a small fee. If you work with another writer or
freelancer on a project, he or she can also submit invoices to you
through the application and you can automatically bill those
invoices to your client's account. Freshbooks' prices are set
based on the number of clients you have, although the site does
offer a free trial. The 'Shuttle Bus' plan allows you to manage
25 clients for $19 per month, while the 'Limousine' plan lets you
manage 100 clients for $29. Freshbooks' prices go up from there.

Choosing Your Invoicing Tool

Most online invoicing applications offer a free trial that makes
it easy to tell if you'll be comfortable using it in the long run.
You do want to double-check the security policies of any invoicing
tool you are considering using: Blinksale, Freshbooks and Harvest
all offer SSL encryption, which guarantees that your clients'
information is protected. Not all applications provide that kind
of protection, however.

Bio:
Thursday Bram writes about small business and personal finance
topics. Her ebook, "Market Your Freelance Writing in 31 Days,"
is available through Thursday's website, ThursdayBram.com, where
she also blogs about the business side of freelance writing.

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COMPETITIONS
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MEMOIRS INK HALF YEARLY CONTEST
http://memoirsink.blogspot.com/2009/12/memoirs-inks-half-yearly-writing.html
---
ENTRY FEE: $15  
First Prize: $1,000. Second Prize: $500. Third Prize: $250.
Word Limit: 1,500 words. Deadline: February 15, 2010 (postmark).
Late Deadline: February 28, 2010 (Postmark - Late entries
require additional $5 entry fee per entry). Winners will be
announced April 30 by e-mail and on our website. Send via
postal mail with submissions form available at website.

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WRITERS' FORUM FICTION COMPETITION
http://www.writers-forum.com/storycomp.html
---
£10 ENTRY FEE
Want to see YOUR story published in Writers' Forum? Three
great prizes every issue. 1st £300; 2nd £150; 3rd £100.
All types of stories are welcome, be it crime, comedy, romance,
thriller, twist in the tail, horror, SF etc. Every entry
receives feedback in a tick-box form. Stories must be between
1,000 and 3,000 words. Monthly, deadline the 15th.

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MEMOIR (AND)
http://memoirjournal.squarespace.com/contest/
---
NO ENTRY FEE
Deadline February 15, 2010.

Grand Prize for Memoir in Prose or Poetry $500 cash award,
publication in print and online, six copies of the journal.

Second Prize for Memoir in Prose or Poetry.
$250 cash award publication in print and online, six copies
of the journal.

Tird Prize for Memoir in Prose or Poetry.
$100 cash award publication in print and online and three
copies of the journal.

Prose (one submission, maximum 10,000 words) OR Poetry
(maximum of five poems of any length, all in one document) OR
Graphic memoir (one submission that will fit on no more than
twenty 7" x 10" pages) OR Narrative photography (up to five
images).

 
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GRANTS
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TRANSVIDEO STUDIOS GRANTS
http://www.transvideo.com/about/matching-grants/
---
Filmmakers in the process of seeking funding may apply for
a matching grant from Transvideo Studios. Applications are
processed on a rolling basis. Filmmakers will be notified of
the status of the application within 2 to 4 weeks.

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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC ALL ROADS FILM PROJECT
http://events.nationalgeographic.com/events/all-roads/
---
The All Roads Film Project is a National Geographic initiative
dedicated to helping indigenous and underrepresented minority-
culture storytellers around the world showcase their works and
promote greater knowledge, dialogue, and understanding with a
broader, global audience. All Roads includes a film festival,
photography program, and seed-grant program. The seed-grant
program is open to indigenous and underrepresented minority-
culture filmmakers as well as filmmakers who can demonstrate
that they have been designated by indigenous or minority
communities to tell their story. Grant funds should be used
toward the development and production of a feature film, long
documentary, short documentary, shorts, animation, or music
video. The program awards grants ranging from $1,000 to $10,000
and up to sixteen film projects annually. Funding may be used
for equipment, travel for field research, editing time, etc.
Deadline: Quarterly (next is March 15, 2010.)

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ING UNSUNG HEROES PROJECT
http://www.ing-usa.com/us/aboutING/CorporateCitizenship/Education/INGUnsungHeroes/index.htm
---
Are you an educator with a class project that is short on
funding but long on potential? Do you know a teacher looking
for grant dollars? ING Unsung Heroes® could help you turn great
ideas into reality for 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. Deadline: April
30, 2010. Imagine being the writer a teacher needs to make a
creative project come to life? You could even suggest the
project to a teacher, and offer to write the grant.
 

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FREELANCE MARKETS
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THE BIG ISSUE
http://www.bigissue.org.au/the-magazine/contribute/
---
The Big Issue Australia is one of Australia's leading social
enterprises providing creative solutions to the issue of
homelessness.

Accepts unsolicited manuscripts. Alternatively writers can
pitch stories by email first. To be considered the pitch
should be one paragraph long and contain a topic sentence,
a sample introductory sentence, and give the story angle,
writing tone, suggested word length, a list of possible
interviewees (if appropriate) and whether or not photographs
and/or illustrative material is available. Feature stories
run between 600-1,200 words (and most commonly are two-page
spreads of approx 850 words), columns are around 600 words,
and one-page pieces are usually 600-650 words. The standard
rate of pay for features and news stories is 20 cents a word.
Payment for film, book, DVD and CD reviews is a flat rate of
$30.

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JET AWAY MAGAZINE
http://jet2mag.com/contact/
---
The in-flight magazine for Northern England's low-cost airline,
Jet2. Feature articles range from 1,000 to 1,400 words long,
and compensation depends on the article length and topic.
Query first. Send your story or photo pitch to:
gemma.harris@ink-publishing.com . Guidelines not available
on website. They prefer you request them via email.

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PINK
http://www.pinkmagazine.com/about/writer_guidelines.html
---
The PINK reader is a sophisticated, highly successful female
business executive or entrepreneur. PINK endeavors to be a
vital tool to help her find greater financial independence
and success in work and more joy in life.

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JOBS
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COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST
Location Washington DC
http://www.idealist.org/en/job/364313-326
---
Respond to media queries. Prepare press releases, statements,
advisories, news kits, and other media materials. Participate
in organizing and executing press events. Pitch story ideas
to print, broadcast, and Internet media, with appropriate
follow-up. Arrange media interviews for PFAW spokespersons.
Assist in the preparation of PFAW briefing materials for
spokespersons. People For the American Way is a national
organization dedicated to defending constitutional and civil
rights and promoting the democratic values of citizen
participation, freedom of expression, freedom of religion and
equal opportunity for all.

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EDITOR
Location New York, NY
http://www.idealist.org/en/job/364576-117
---
Vera's Communications Department is charged with ensuring that
the Institute's work product is accessible and meaningful to
our core audiences: government officials, practitioners, the
media, foundations, and the public. The position does not
require prior experience in Vera's areas of concentration.
However, the successful candidate will be curious about the
range of Vera's activities and have a demonstrated commitment
to social justice.

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COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
Location: Houston, Texas
http://www.idealist.org/en/job/364619-194
---
Writers in the Schools (WITS) seeks a full-time staff member
to serve as our Communications Manager. This position is open
immediately. Benefits are included. The Communications Manager
handles a variety of tasks including but not limited to the
preparation and dissemination of press releases and regular
communication with media. In addition, the position entails
working closely with graphic designers, printing companies,
and staff to manage the creation and production of printed
materials.

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PUBLISHERS/AGENTS
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NEW HORIZON PRESS
http://www.newhorizonpressbooks.com/submit.php3
---
Wants targeted self-help topics and hard-hitting issues
with news impact and publicity value. Also needs topics
which fit into our Small Horizons imprint, such as those
which teach crisis, coping and service skills, and which
are written by mental health professionals or educators.
Also wants true crime, redemption, people who break social
barriers, and victim stories.

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MOUNTAINEERS BOOKS
http://www.mountaineersbooks.org/client/client_pages/mtn_publishing.cfm
---
The Mountaineers Books publishes nonfiction material about
the outdoors. This includes non-motorized, self-propelled
sports such as mountain climbing, hiking, walking, skiing,
snowshoeing, surfing, and more. We also publish works on
environmental and conservation subjects, narratives of
mountaineering expeditions and adventure travel, outdoor
guidebooks to specific areas, mountaineering history,
safety/first aid, and books on sporting skills and techniques.

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JUNO BOOKS
http://juno-books.com/guidelines.html
---
The novel must have a strong female protagonist. This is a
fantasy imprint. Techo-thrillers, suspense, crime, science
fiction, action-adventure, etc. without an element of the
fantastic are not fantasies. Nor are we interested in Young
Adult, teen, or children's books. We do not want novelettes,
novellas, collections of stories, anthologies, or poetry.

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SPONSORS
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SLOGAN WRITING CONTEST

Think you can write a slogan? Pennwriters, Inc. is running
a contest for a new slogan for its Online Courses service!
It's part of an effort to take the highly-rated service to
new heights in 2010 with even more course time, more teaching,
and more attention. 

Contest deadline is 1/31/2010. Winners will be announced to the
public through various media outlets by 2/28/2010. Add another
award to your writing resume. The contest is open to everyone,
so spread the word to your writer friends and post it on your
websites. Contest entry is easy and FREE. To enter, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/PennwritersOnlineCourses

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RESOLVE to get published in the New Year. 

Toss The Writer's Market and get the fully updated
LITERARY DATABASE 2010.  With it, you can easily tell
when and where to submit your short stories, essays,
and poetry. And LITERARY DATABASE 2010 always tells you
who pays you for your work.

Literary Database 2010 has two layers of listings:
the first are those journals and magazines that are
considered for the annual The Best American Short Stories
anthology.  The second layer is a good mix of 'step-up'
journals that will look good on your cover letter, and
journals with narrowed submission criterion where beginning
writers may more readily publish.

Literary Database 2010 is only $15.95 until the end of January. 

Discount link: http://www.literarydatabase.com/discount.html

=====

 

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Do you need your manuscript edited and proofread?
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=====

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://www.rkeditor.com/

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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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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 2000-2010, C. Hope Clark
ISSN: 1533-1326

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