Volume 10, Issue 14
April 4, 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.

As an author of five published books who has relied on a wide
variety of people and resources for help in writing and marketing,
I can say Peter Bowerman's "Well-Fed" books represent a high
quality of professionalism and contain invaluable advice. I have
frequently sponsored Peter at writing seminars and conferences
where he remains in hot demand because he is both knowledgeable
and personable. His books are easy to read and their concepts
are well explained. I consider these books a must for my personal
library and recommend them to all of us who are in the writing
profession, whether those who are beginners or those "well-seasoned."

Anne B. Jones, PhD
(Gold Thunder, All Around the Track, Blackwater Rising,
Brave at Heart, Tools for Successful Writing)
www.annebjones.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

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TOO MANY LITERARY JOURNALS?

I've had three requests from literary journals in as many days,
asking me to post their calls for submissions in FundsforWriters.
Unfortunately, all three had the same plea in one phrase or another:

"We're a new publication/non-profit that's still getting off
the ground, so we can't pay writers at the moment. But writers
would be able to include a clip in their portfolio and achieve
some recognition for their work."

I nicely declined their requests. Why?

1. They pay the printer to publish the journal. The online journals
pay for Internet service and domain.

Why not pay the writers?

2. They promise recognition . . . when they don't have any
to promise. They are new, small, struggling. Who has heard
of them? They need writers more than the writers need them.

Why not pay the writers?

3. They are a business, like any other magazine. Any other business
would pay for contracted or employed workers, not ask for volunteers.

Why not pay the writers?

Here are lists of literary magazines. Note the huge number. And
these are well-known.

Poets & Writers' - http://www.pw.org/literary_magazines
NewPages.com - http://www.newpages.com/literary-magazines/
Council of Literary Magazines and Presses - http://www.clmp.org/

Some pay. Most don't. Frankly, I'm disgusted in the ones that
don't. They argue that they are nonprofit. Makes no difference.
Nonprofits are operated like businesses. Too many losses and
they lose their nonprofit status (i.e., go out of business).

Most of the older ones also have achieved a professional status,
and believe that writers should be honored to appear in their
pages. If they are so established, so renown, then they should
be able to pay their writers from sponsors, ads, subscriptions
and grants. Editors, proofreaders, and administrative staff get
paid. The post office, electric company, printer and office
supply receive payment for services rendered.

My belief is that literary journals have grown accustomed to not
paying writers, as if paying them would tarnish the publications'
prestige. I can't deny that many such clips are revered, but their
writers eat and pay rent like all the rest. What's wrong with
issuing payment for their work?

Hats off to those that pay, like:

Glimmertrain - www.glimmertrain.com
Ploughshares - www.pshares.org
Freefall - www.freefallmagazine.ca
Grain - www.grainmagazine.ca
Narrative - www.narrativemagazine.com
West Branch - www.bucknell.edu/WestBranch.xml
Subtropics - www.english.ufl.edu/subtropics/submit.html
Iron Horse - http://ironhorsereview.com
 

     Hope

MAKE TOTAL TOTALLY YOURS

If you enjoy our free newsletters, you'll LOVE our paid
subscription. TOTAL has all the flavor of FundsforWriters,
except with 75 grants, contests, markets, publishers and jobs
instead of 15. It's immense, it's exciting, it's chocked full
of opportunity. Take your freelance writing seriously and
consider the largest newsletter in the FundsforWriters family.

=====

APRIL SPECIAL!
 
Our Tweetebook library is growing. You'll find 35 ebooks
now, each containing 20+ niche markets. Romance Publishers,
Children's Markets, Outdoor Markets, Seniors Markets, you name
it! Purchase one or two to try them out - they're only $1.99.
 
Or you can tap the April special - purchase all the Tweetebooks,
all 35, for $50 . . . AND get a subscription to TOTAL
FundsforWriters, a $15 value. That's almost a $30 value.

See all our Tweetebooks at www.fundsforwriters.com/tweetebooks.htm

Last month we offered Memoir Publishers Tweetebook for free.
This month it's General Short Story Markets (Book One).
Spread the word!

  ~~~~~~****~~~~~~

WORDS OF SUCCESS

"Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of
a second-rate version of somebody else."

--Judy Garland

 
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SUCCESS OF THE WEEK
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Hope,
 
I want to let you know how much I appreciate seeing your
positive, persistent approach to writing in your newsletters
each week.  More than you realize, you're an inspiration to
many of us to stay motivated to keep working toward our goals
and also to be open to trying new things. 
 
Two years ago, even though I had never entered a contest with
an entry fee, I entered and won second place in the annual
Funds for Writers contest.  This year (after several years of
trying) I entered the Erma Bombeck Writing Competition and was
awarded Honorable Mention. Although there is no entry fee for
that contest I wanted to give up instead of entering this year,
but the experience I had with Funds for Writers helped give me
the courage to keep trying. 
 
Often it's that mental boost that pushes me to write one more
paragraph, edit one more essay, or get one more submission in. 
Thanks for your help, and for your hard work, because you surely
teach by example.
 
Amy Mullis
Moore, SC

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ARTICLE
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Flying High: The right way to send off your children's book

By Harriet Cooper
 
Andrew, a client of mine, finally finished the children's adventure
book he started ten years ago. Over the last year, we'd added
adventure and interest to his writing by increasing tension,
decreasing back-story and using action rather than dialog tags.
 
The book was almost ready to fly.
 
I expected Andrew to make the final changes and then we'd tackle
his synopsis and cover letter. That didn't happen. After working
on the book for so long, Andrew lost patience with the process
and threw his "nestling" out of the proverbial nest. Unfortunately,
this nestling had two broken wings - a generic cover letter and a
poorly written synopsis.
 
By the time he contacted me again, one of the publishers had
already rejected the manuscript. "The publisher said the focus
was too narrow," Andrew said. "That not everyone is interested
in sailing."
 
I scanned his letter and synopsis. "I see the problem. You've
emphasized the sailing aspect rather than the kids growing and
learning to work together as a team. Character growth is a big
thing in children's publishing, especially when kids grow by
solving their own problems."
 
Since I had read the book twice, it was easy for me to add in
story highlights, emphasizing both the adventure aspect but also
the way the kids worked together to solve problems - showing both
their strengths and weaknesses.
 
Next I tackled the cover letters. Andrew's letters showed no
knowledge of the particular publisher. When I checked the
publishers' websites, I confirmed that only one was a good fit.
The other four either wanted feminist, literary or much shorter
book lengths. Andrew had wasted 80% of his queries on publishers
that would not be interested in his work.
 
I emailed Andrew. "You have homework. You need to find publishers
that are a good fit with your book, and then check their requirements.
We'll incorporate that information into individualized cover
letters."
 
His response: "I read somewhere that I was supposed to do that,
but I guess I skipped that step."
 
As Andrew found out, writing a book is really only the beginning.
Finding the right publisher is as important.
 
The first step is to go to the library or bookstore and find
children's publishers who have books that fall into the same
category as yours. You can also find some of this information in
newsletters where publishers list current interests.
 
Once you've found possible publishers, read their websites. Most
publishers are upfront with what they want or don't want, because
they don't want to waste their time or yours.
 
Check their target audience in terms of ages and reading abilities.
Some publishers specialize in picture books, beginner readers,
middle grade, teen or a more general young adult category. Others
are low-vocabulary/high interest for kids with reading problems.
Not all children's publishers have the same age cut offs for each
category or publish all categories.
 
Find out their preferred word counts, which can range from 25,000-
35,000 words up to 80,000 words. Picture and beginner reader
books are much shorter. And discover what types of books they're
interested in. Some publishers want literary, feminist or ethnic
books; others lean toward genre such as adventure or mystery.
 
You'll also get details about what the publishers want to see in
terms of a query letter, a synopsis or a particular number of
chapters. Some want all of the above; others prefer just a letter
and synopsis.
 
So, before you kick your own nestling out of the nest, make sure
you haven't clipped its wings. If you've done your homework, then
your little nestling may yet soar into publication.
 
NOTE: Children's book publishers are more likely than other
publishers to take unagented books.
 
BIO:
 
Harriet Cooper is an editor, freelance writer and language
instructor. She has edited children's books, newsletters,
educational material and memoirs. Her own articles, humor and
creative nonfiction have appeared in magazines, newspapers,
newsletters, anthologies, websites and radio. With over 30 of
her pieces appearing in anthologies, including 23 in Chicken
Soup, she considers herself an expert in this field and has
worked with several writers to get their creative nonfiction
accepted in anthologies and magazines.
 
To contact her, email her at coopereditorial@live.ca

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COMPETITIONS
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ESSEX POETRY FESTIVAL OPEN POETRY COMPETITION
http://www.essex-poetry-festival.co.uk/compa.html
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£6  ENTRY FEE
First Prize £1,000, Second £500, Third £250 and 3 runners-up
prizes of £50. Prize giving will be in October at the Essex
Poetry Festival. Winners & runners-up will be invited to read
their winning poems at the festival. Prize-winning poems will
be published on website. Deadline July 30, 2010. Poems may be
up to 40 lines, and on any subject.

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BLR LITERARY PRIZE - POETRY, FICTION, NONFICTION
http://blr.med.nyu.edu/submissions/prize-guidelines
---
$15 ENTRY FEE
BLR Prize awards outstanding writing related to themes of health,
healing, illness, the mind, and the body. First prize is $1,000
(in each genre) and publication in the Spring 2011 issue of the BLR.
Prose limited to 5,000 words. Up to 3 poems (maximum 5 pages).
Submissions that exceed these limits will be disqualified. Deadline
July 1, 2010. Winners will be announced by December 31, 2010.

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IDAHO PRIZE FOR POETRY
http://www.losthorsepress.org/idahoprize.html
---
$25 ENTRY FEE
The Idaho Prize is an annual, national competition offering
$1,000 plus publication by Lost Horse Press for a book-length
poetry manuscript. Manuscripts are accepted for review before
May 15 of each year, and on 15 August, a winner is announced.
In addition to announcements in national publications, the
winning book and author will be featured on the Lost Horse
Press website, along with a list of the finalists.

 
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GRANTS
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ARIZONA ARTIST PROJECT GRANTS
http://www.azarts.gov/apg/index.htm
---
Artist Project Grants is a program to support individual artists
in all disciplines for project-related costs that allow the
artist(s) increased time to research and develop ideas or new
works. The specific definition of eligible projects is purposely
left flexible to respond to artists' ideas, dreams and needs.
Up to $5,000. Deadline September.

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ALABAMA ARTIST FELLOWSHIPS
http://www.arts.alabama.gov/grants/Guidelines_2010-11_Revised.pdf
---
The Council awards Artist Fellowships of $5,000 for artists
working in crafts, dance, design, media/photography, music,
literature, theatre, and visual arts. Recipients may use funds
to set aside time to create art, improve their skills or to do
what is most advantageous to enhance their artistic careers.

Funds may be available to provide artists with up to $1,000 for
technical assistance. Applicants have used these grants for
marketing, establishing a portfolio, learning tax laws and
accounting basics for self-employment, resource development or
perfecting a technique or style of work. Funds may be used to
attend workshops or seminars, to study under another artist or
participate in a special institute for artists. Performing,
literary and visual artists are encouraged to apply.

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COLORADO CREATES
http://www.coloarts.state.co.us./grants/apply/artists/
---
Deadline April 5, 2010.
Through Colorado Creates, the CCA partners with individuals,
arts organizations, community groups, municipal, county and
state agencies to help achieve our mission and goals. Colorado
Creates awards are awarded annually on a competitive basis.
Proposals are reviewed by panels based on three review criteria:

Artistic excellence and merit of proposed activities
Community involvement and benefit from proposed activities
Implementation capacity, such as effective planning, management,
and budgeting of the project.
 

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FREELANCE MARKETS
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WOOD CARVING MAGAZINE
http://www.thegmcgroup.com/page--Contribute-to-Woodcarving--ste_MagWCCon.html
---
Featuring the work of top professionals and the most talented
amateur carvers from around the world, it has a new, picture-
led design which offers insight into the process of creating
both great and humble carvings.

Instructive articles are the backbone of the magazine but there
is always room for more general features. Whether you are
considering providing projects, technical articles or features,
the key to being published is good photography.

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BG&H PUBLISHING
http://www.bgandh.com/
---
Publishes several magazines for top executives. To apply for
any of several positions, send resume and cover letter to
careers@bgandh.com .

BG+H Publishing is looking for freelance writers to craft
interesting, well-written articles profiling assigned companies/
organizations for two of our publications, Canadian Builders
Quarterly and Canadian Executive Quarterly. Writers will be
given a two-week window of time for each assignment. Assignments
vary in length between 625 words and 750 words. Pay is 16 cents/
word ($100 for 625-word assignments, $120 for 750-word assignments).
Chicago Manual of Style guidelines are used. Experience required:
minimum of one year of business-to-business writing.

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FQ
http://www.fqmagazine.co.uk/contactus.php
---
FQ, the first in a new genre of men's magazine, developed entirely
for family-oriented men who've grown up and subsequently grown
out of the stable of lads mags on offer today. Targeting all fathers
and men whose lives and perspective have changed as they've entered
fatherhood. FQ is set to revolutionise the men's lifestyle market
by celebrating parenthood and lifestyle changes that come along with
it. FQ reflects the lives and aspirations of men who have grown out
of 'lads mags' and require a more sophisticated read to suit their
newly acquired tastes and interests. No guidelines online. Query with
clips, if possible.
 

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JOBS
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WRITER-EDITOR
30 vacancies available across the nation
Forest Service
http://tinyurl.com/ygom7qb
---
Deadline February 28, 2011 (yes, that's 2011)
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.
SALARY RANGE: 47,448.00 - 61,678.00 USD /year

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JOURNALISTS
Location Albuquerque, NM
Reply to: ersthap@hotmail.com
http://albuquerque.craigslist.org/wri/1663559025.html
---
THE Guadalupe County COMMUNICATOR, a tiny weekly newspaper with
disproportionate ambitions, is trying to find the best freelance
writers for future assignments in and around Santa Rosa, N.M.
Right now, we are looking for reporters with newspaper training and
newspaper experience who are willing to take on occasional
centerpiece-quality reporting and writing assignments. We're very
informal around here -- very. So if you're interested, send a short
e-mail with WRITE-ON! as the subject line to ersthap@hotmail.com.
Be sure to list your experience, include all your contact info, and
mention what topic areas you really love writing about. (A proper
resume and clips are not required, but if you have electronic
attachments or links, feel free to include them.) For more about
the newspaper owner and to read the feel of the publication:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/12/business/media/12communicator.html?_r=2

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EDITOR
Location Leavenworth, KS
Army Training and Doctrine Command
http://jobview.usajobs.gov/GetJob.aspx?JobID=87093316&aid=27015391-27310&WT.mc_n=125
---
Incumbent will compile and edit educational materials in the form
of courses, lessons, elective courses, student texts, and staff
specific training. Deadline April 9, 2010.

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PUBLISHERS/AGENTS
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YBK PUBLISHERS
http://www.ybkpublishers.com/free_reading.htm
---
YBK Publishers selects, edits, designs, and publishes its titles
free of cost to their authors. To participate in the selection do
not yet submit your manuscript.  Please first provide a description
of your work. Please provide your impression of your book's potential
readership--who will likely purchase and read your book--and any
special ways in which this group may be approached. If your synopsis
is chosen for full evaluation you will be asked to forward your
manuscript to us. While we will publish novels and poetry, we mostly
seek narrow-interest academic, professional, and technical nonfiction,
as well as focused general nonfiction.  We prefer that your book
address an identifiable and easily reached group of followers, large
or small.

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ALLWORTH
http://www.allworth.com/
---
We publish business and self-help books for artists, photographers,
graphic designers, and interior designers as well as for filmmakers,
performing artists, and authors. We also publish legal and personal
finance guides for the general public.

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RIO NUEVO PUBLISHERS
http://www.rionuevo.com/authors.php
---
Rio Nuevo Publishers welcomes agented and unagented submissions
and queries in the following subject areas:

Western history and folklore
Regionally based cookbooks and cuisines
Native American culture, history, artifacts & spirituality
General Trade non-fiction specific to the region
How-to; hobbies, tourism, travel
Western art, artists, architecture, and décor
Contemporary lifestyle, memoir, poetry, and biography
Collectibles and photography
Books of environmental interest to the region
Natural history, wildlife, gardening, nature

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SPONSORS
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Noble Row, a journal of contemporary fiction, art, and music
is now accepting submissions for its annual Short Fiction
Award. The competition is open to previously unpublished
short stories, 8,000 words or less. Winner receives $500
cash and featured publication in Noble Row. Up to 3 finalists
will also receive publication in Noble Row. What are we
looking for? Stories that are personal and engaging,
uncompromising in their vision, provocative, and
thought-provoking. In short, excellence. Deadline is 5/15/2010.

To enter online, please visit: http://noblerow.com/fictionprize

PUBLISHED WRITER WILL EDIT YOUR NOVEL, MEMOIR, POETRY

If you're going to work with an editor, work with the best.
Have your writing edited by an award-winning, professional
writer and editor, someone who actually knows how to help you
prepare your writing for publication.  Richard Krawiec has
published novels, biographies, textbooks, plays, and a story
and poetry collection.  He won the 2009 Excellence in Teaching
Award from UNC Chapel Hill for his online writing courses. His
essays, feature articles, and reviews have appeared in major
newspapers and magazines across the US. The NY Times, LA Times,
Publishers Weekly have reviewed his work. His awards include
National Endowment for the Arts and NC Arts Council grants, as
well as nominations for the National Book Award, Best American
Short Stories, and Pushcart Prize.

17TH ANNUAL SHORT PROSE & POETRY CONTEST
http://www.womenwhowrite.com/contests.html
---
$10 ENTRY FEE
The contest is open to women 18 and older. Cash prizes include:
$150 prize for 1st place prose, $150 prize for 1st place poetry
submission. 2nd place winners each receive $100 and 3rd place
winners each receive $75. Prose entries are 3,000 words or less.
Poetry entries are five pages or less. Additional entries in either
category are $5 per entry. Winners also receive publication in our
annual anthology and five free author copies. Winning authors are
recognized and invited to read an excerpt of their winning entry
at our annual awards ceremony held December 4, 2010. All entries
must be previously unpublished work. For complete guidelines please
check our Web site http://www.womenwhowrite.com/contests.html.
Deadline for submissions is May 30, 2010.

WAR POETRY CONTEST

9th year. Fifteen cash prizes totaling $5,000. Top prize $2,000.
Submit 1-3 unpublished poems on the theme of war, up to 500 lines
in all. Winning entries published online. Sponsored by Winning
Writers. $15 entry fee, payable to Winning Writers. Postmark
deadline: May 31. Final judge: Jendi Reiter. Include cover sheet
with contact information. No name on poems. Submit online or mail
to Winning Writers, ATTN: War Poetry Contest, 351 Pleasant Street,
PMB 222, Northampton, MA 01060. Winning Writers is proud to be
one of the "101 Best Websites for Writers" (Writer's Digest
2005-2009). More information: www.winningwriters.com/war

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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