Volume 10, Issue 29
July 18, 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, 2010

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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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Last Call for Entries!

Read newsletter online at: http://www.fundsforwriters.com/FFW.htm
Read past issues at: http://www.aweber.com/z/article/?fundsforwriters

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THE ANNUAL CONTEST - WHY WE DO IT

Each year the work is tremendous. Reading 200+ entries is time
consuming, so why does FundsforWriters offer an annual essay contest?

1. FFW believes in contests as a serious part of a portfolio.

Especially if you are unpublished, contests enable you to be
judged, maybe even edited, and hopefully add a credit to your
resume.

2. Contests build discipline.

Contests make you step up to the plate, read guidelines, and
harness your talent to a set of specifics. They make you meet
a deadline.

3. Essay contests are not common.

Essays are not short stories or journalism features. They are
essays . . . personal experience and maybe opinion, centered
around a thesis the writer introduces, develops, and proves
by the end of the piece. I love essays and get a chill when
I read a good one.

4. Contests make you submit.

Many writers are afraid to submit to editors and publishers.
Contests, however, aren't quite as hostile. Writers see the
winners, but do not receive a rejection letter.

5. Contests are more festive.

Contests aren't business as usual. All the writers are taking
a theme and trying to mold it to something worthy of a prize.
Judges choose winners and the sponsor celebrates with awards
and announcements. You get to see how the winner addressed
the same topic as you . . . and took the gold ring.

Each year, when I'm making my business plan, I ponder whether
or not to continue the contest. But there's something special
about reading someone's heart-felt interpretation of the theme.

As always, pay an entry fee or don't. The choice is yours. But
remember that the prize money is relative, more lucrative for
those daring enough to pay to play. But the fact there is a no
entry fee category means you have no excuse not to enter.

So once again I bring to you the Annual FundsforWriters Essay
Contest. I can't wait to read the submissions.

     Hope

9TH ANNUAL FUNDSFORWRITERS ESSAY CONTEST

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TWEETEBOOKS

Our Tweetebook library contains 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. Tweetebooks are like potato chips! You can't stop at one.

www.fundsforwriters.com/tweetebooks.htm

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THE BLOG - http://www.hopeclark.blogspot.com

TWITTER - http://twitter.com/hopeclark

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

FACEBOOK - http://www.facebook.com/chopeclark
 

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WORDS OF SUCCESS

Remember, happiness doesn't depend on who you are or what
you have; it depends solely on what you think.

--Dale Carnegie

 
 
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SUCCESS OF THE WEEK
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Hello Hope,
 
I have been receiving your newsletter for a couple of years
and want to tell you how much I appreciate your hard work.
For the past three years I've been submitting my work to contests
and last year (finally) I got the encouragement I was looking for.
I received an honorable mention for my screenplay from the Fort
Bend Writer's Guild First 10 Screenplay competition. I was also
offered a partial fellowship through the Vermont Studio Center.
If it wasn't for your wonderful, informative newsletter--this
wouldn't have been possible.
 
Thanks so much.

With Regards,
 
Sandra Campbell

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ARTICLE
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Online Research the Right Way 

by Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.D.

Would you like to do all your research on the computer?  No,
I do not mean looking at websites written by people of dubious
authority.  I mean real publications, from your computer.  The
federal government funds a program that makes databases of
magazines, newspapers, professional and scientific journals,
and some books available online.  In many cases, the entire
text of the article is included.

LexusNexus databases cost so much they do not even put the price
on their website.  You have to call them to get it.  This database,
though, is free.  You just have to get the website for your state
and the login information from your local librarian.  Once you do
that, you can access most resources from your computer.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the federal agency
charged with ensuring the health of the nation's libraries.  They
fund a collection of databases by giving grants to each state's
library commission.  These commissions, in turn, subscribe to the
databases and give each local library a patron login code and
password.  My librarian printed the codes and instructions to
access the databases on a handout she gives patrons.  Some
librarians must be asked about the access information, but all
should have it available somewhere.

With libraries cutting budgets, reducing hours, and eliminating
periodical subscriptions, this database can be a life saver.  If
you live in a rural area with a tiny library, as I do, it can
mean the difference between being able to look at the back issues
of a magazine or doing without.  It certainly makes doing the kind
of thorough review of a potential market writers are advised to do
much easier.

In Texas, the TexShare Database has a collection of "child safe"
databases to help children with homework assignments, genealogy
and history information, science and technology, health and
medicine, books and literature, business, and general information. 
You can specify full text only results or a mixture of citations
and full text.  I generally search everything at once, which
takes a little longer, but gives results from both consumer and
academic publications.

There are some journals that return only the citation and abstract
for each article.  This is generally true for the most current
month or issue of the journal.  Older issues have the full text of
the article available.  If you need the information right away, you
can often contact the first author and request a copy of the journal
article.  They will usually send you a PDF file containing the
article and any tables, graphs, and photographs.  As an added bonus,
you then have the author's contact information to use later if you
need an interview with them.

Searches can be saved in the system.  There is a way to pull out
the results you want and either read them online or download them
to your computer.  The only downside I have found to this system is
that I go through a lot of printer cartridges and a lot of paper
when I print the articles out to file.

Ready to get started?  Take your library card to your reference
librarian and ask for information on accessing the online literature
databases.  You will need the url for your state's system, the login
ID, and the password.  Once you return home, pull up the URL you
have been given on your computer.  Then plug in the login id and
password and you are in.  Search away!

BIO
Stephanie Suesan Smith writes on gardening, pet, and other
nonfiction topics and illustrates articles with her photography. 
http://www.stephaniesuesansmith.com

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COMPETITIONS
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TENNESSEE WILLIAMS POETRY CONTEST
http://www.tennesseewilliams.net/contests
---
$20 ENTRY FEE
Grand Prize: $1,000. VIP All Access Pass ($500 value) for the
"CenTENNial" Festival: our 25th anniversary Festival and the
100th birthday celebration of Tennessee Williams: March 23--27, 2011.
Publication in Louisiana Cultural Vistas magazine. Public Reading
at the 2011 Festival.

Top Ten Finalists - Names will appear on website. Finalists will
also receive a panel pass ($60 value) to attend the 2011 Festival.
Submit 2-4 unpublished poems of any style or theme with a combined
length of up to 400 lines. Unlimited entries per person. Deadline:
August 15, 2010 (postmark). Only open to writers who have not yet
published a book of poetry. Authors who have self-published or have
published chapbooks are eligible provided that their poetry
collection does not have an ISBN number.

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ALL GENRES WRITING CONTEST (FOR AGES 12 and UP)
http://www.allgenreswritingcontest.com/
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$25 ENTRY FEE
All Genres Writing Contest is an international writing contest,
but only accepts manuscript submissions in English. The first
prize is a three-day writing retreat at one of the top 10 luxury
resorts in the World, Dunton Hot Springs in Colorado. That
retreat includes air-fare in the continental U.S. and all of
your meals during your stay. Every writer deserves to be pampered,
so we also include $250 if you want to get a massage or other
treatment while on site. Winners can choose to receive the cash
equivalent of each prize ($3,000 first prize, $1,000 Category
prizes, $75 runners-up). Deadline August 15, 2010.

Every entrant will receive the following perks:
$50 off a new website. The offer includes a domain name and
hosting if you do not already have one.
$15 off one homemade cookie order from My Catered Cookie.
$25 off one funding search for grants/scholarship if in school.
We are always looking for new sponsors. Each time we get a new
sponsor, we will send you the coupon.

One winner will be selected in each of the categories. Each
winner will receive a brand new computer. You will be able to
choose from either Apple or HP stores. The grand prize replaces
the category prize for the winner. Allgenreswritingcontest.com
Contest is open to any individual who is 12 years of age or older
at the date of entry and has access to the Internet. Junior entries
are not eligible for the Colorado Retreat prize.

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AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE WRITING CONTEST
http://www.whispershome.com/contest.html
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NO ENTRY FEE
Deadline August 15, 2010. Judging will begin on August
16, 2010 with the top three winners and two honorable
mentions notified on or before October 15, 2010. First
Place Prize winner will receive $500, an award certificate,
and a contract for electronic publication of the winning
entry. Second Place Winner: $25, an award certificate, and
a contract for publication of the winning entry. Third Place
Winner: $10, an award certificate, and a contract for
publication of the winning entry.

 
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GRANTS
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AUTHORS LEAGUE FUND - EMERGENCY FUNDS
31 East 32nd Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10016
staff@authorsleaguefund.org
www.authorsleaguefund.org
Main Phone: (212)268-1208 / Main Fax: (212)564-5363
---
The Authors League Fund was established by the Authors League
of America, Inc., to help career authors and dramatists in the
United States and in financial distress due to an urgent situation.
The Fund makes interest-free loans to professional writers in
need; for example, writers with health problems and inadequate
health insurance, or older writers whose income has ceased.
Loan-seekers must show need and documentation of their
professional status. Method of contact: telephone, letter or email. 

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CLAYTON MEMORIAL MEDICAL FUND
c/o OSFCI
P.O. Box 5703
Portland, Oregon 97228 
http://www.osfci.org/clayton/index.html 
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The fund helps professional science fiction and fantasy writers
living in the Northwest states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and
Alaska deal with the financial burden of illness. 

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PROJECT WORKING MOM
http://tyrashow.warnerbros.com/promotions/projectworkingmom/
---
The Tyra Show has partnered with Project Working Mom who is
providing nearly $5M in full-tuition scholarships for working
moms and dads to pursue their education online. Finalists
may be selected to appear on the Tyra Show to receive their
scholarships. Deadline September 30, 2010.
 

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FREELANCE MARKETS
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2: THE MAGAZINE FOR COUPLES
http://www.2forcouples.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=59&Itemid=155
---
2 captures the many interests of 25- to 39-year-old young
urban couples. It entertains and informs couples on all
aspects of their lives, including relationships, home,
personal style, finance and leisure activities. 2 is a quarterly
lifestyle publication distributed across Canada to young urban
couples. Pays up to $1/word.

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AFAR
http://www.afar.com/guidelines
---
AFAR is for experiential travelers who have the desire and
the means to immerse themselves in other cultures, to engage
with local people, and to enrich their own lives. AFAR Media
will take its audience to the real experience of travel.
AFAR understands that simply seeing the sights is no longer
enough. Experiential travelers want to venture beyond the
beaten tourist paths and dive deeper into authentic, local
culture, connecting with people from other cultures in ways
that enrich their lives and create lasting memories. Pays
up to $1/word.

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ARRIVE MAGAZINE
http://www.arrivemagazine.com/AboutArrive.php
---
Arrive is Amtrak's onboard magazine for Northeast business and
leisure travelers. It provides millions of passengers with vital
information and welcome entertainment to help make most of visits
to the major destination cities of the Northeastern United States.
Pays up to 50 cents/word.
 

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JOBS
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WRITER
Location New York, NY
http://www.idealist.org/en/job/388280-59
---
Write, edit and proofread communications materials for the
1199SEIU Funds on union members' healthcare, pension, training
and child care benefits. Update existing materials and write
copy for newsletters, brochures, flyers, targeted letters,
surveys, phone scripts, reports and presentations. Conduct
research on health policy, employee benefits and healthcare
and benefit trends.

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PROOFREADERS/COPYEDITORS
Location Minneapolis, MN
http://www.digitalpeople.net/JobDetails.aspx?jobid=GEN4281
---
Digital People seeks seasoned copy editors/proofreaders for
their freelance talent pool. Must have at least five years of
experience as a copy editor or proofreader in a corporate
environment. Professional experience checking advertising and
marketing content (print ads, catalog, collateral, web content,
etc.) for grammar, punctuation, typographical errors and brand
guidelines. Bonus points if you are a bi-lingual editor with
fluency in Spanish! Please include your resume with a minimum
of two style guides that you have experience referencing.

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CREATIVE WRITING TEACHER
Location Houston, TX
http://www.idealist.org/en/job/388419-40
---
WITS is looking for writers and educators who can teach the joy
of creative writing to young people. Employment is part-time,
typically 2-6 hours of teaching, one day a week from September -
May. A yearlong commitment is required; however, writers who are
selected to be on the WITS roster are not guaranteed immediate
teaching opportunities. The pay is $55 per teaching hour. In
addition to teaching, the job duties include preparing lessons,
responding to student work, and compiling anthologies of student
writing at the end of the school year.

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PUBLISHERS/AGENTS
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PEARL STREET PUBLISHING
http://www.pearlstreetpublishing.com/
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Pearl Street Publishing is interested in submissions of fiction,
non-fiction, and poetry. The only limitation on submissions is
the creator's imagination.

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MEDALLION PRESS
http://www.medallionpress.com/guidlines/index.html
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Publishes mainstream fiction (unagented or agented) and
nonfiction (agented only). Fiction consists of mystery,
mainstream, historical, thriller/suspense, romance of all
types, horror, sci-fi, and  fantasy.

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BLIND EYE BOOKS
http://www.blindeyebooks.com/guidelines.html
---
Blind Eye Books publishes science fiction, fantasy and paranormal
romance novels featuring gay or lesbian protagonists. We do not
publish short story collections, poetry, erotica, horror or non-
fiction. We would hesitate to publish any manuscript that is less
than 70,000 or over 150,000 words.

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SPONSORS
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$500 First Prize Creme de la Creme Plus Six First Prizes $300
(Yes, that makes $800 for first prize.)

One winner in each Genre:

[1] Mystery/Thriller
[2} Mainstream/Upmarket/Woman's Fiction
[3] Romance
[4] Narrative Nonfiction/Memoir
[5] Action/Adventure/ Sci-fi
[6] Young Adult (all genre)

$25 per entry / Add a second entry for $15
No membership requirements

Deadline September 3, 2010
www.houstonwritersguild.org

E-mail: rpaulding@sbcglobal.net

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, text books, 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.

Email: rkwriter@gmail.com  
Web - www.rkeditor.com

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GET PAID TO WRITE: Become A Freelance Writer!

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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