Volume 10, Issue 26
June 27, 2010

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
          
FUNDS FOR WRITERS

Writer's Digest's 101 Best Websites for Writers
2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010

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

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.

 
                 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EDITOR'S THOUGHTS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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

=====

NOTE:
Hope's chicken house made www.BobVila.com !
http://www.bobvila.com/HowTo_Library/InspirationGallery/Backyard_Chicken_Coops-G4433.html

=====

COMMENTS AGENTS/PUBLISHERS DO NOT WANT TO HEAR

Believe it or not, agents and publishers don't want to know
everything about you. We have dreams of finding these mentors
who become our partners, as much in love with our work as
we are. Truth is, you are a commodity. Your writing is a commodity.
If either of you can't generate sales, you are history.

If you make a dollar, it's a business. And when you are in
business, you deal with competition and the latest desire of
the reading population. There's nothing warm and fuzzy about
the relationship you seek with a publisher or agent. Same goes
for magazine editors.

Not that agents/publishers can't be nice people. They can.
Just don't expect the nice to cross over to the point of
befriending you if your work isn't top notch.

So, now that you have your entrepreneurial hat on, I want to
propose a list of information that agents/publishers do not
need to know, don't want to hear, and interpret as possible
cause for rejection. Don't put these items in your query letters.

1. This is my first book/first time writing.

Give me a good reason for this. Seriously. Do you think they'll
cut you some slack if this is your virgin manuscript? Quite the
opposite. They'll look harder for reasons to reject you because
you don't know the business and might need hand-holding. Just
don't say this.

2. I am disabled/financially struggling/retired.

These three items demonstrate a possible obstacle in an agent's/
publisher's mind with the largest doubt being you might not be
able to promote the book. Like Item 1, this type of remark can
only hurt, and does not elicit sympathy or provide extra points
on your behalf. Stick to a pitch about the writing.

3. This story could be a bestseller.

When you say this, it's like telling a judge how to hold court.
Agents and publishers know better than you what is bestseller
material. Assuming you know more than they do is often construed
as naive and arrogant.

4. I've done all these things in my life.

Limit your bio to items that promote your writing. If you've
been a real estate agent, but you're writing romance, don't talk
about your accolades selling property. Limit your bio to
experience, education and recognition that reflects on you as a
writer or promoter. Saying you have a PhD, are a politician with
many connections, won three fellowships, teach creative writing,
or belong to professional writing groups can aid since they
apply to the biz. Don't say you've written all your life when
you've never published, either. Makes one wonder why.

5. I don't have a website or blog.

If they like you, they will Google you. I promise.

Focus. Make your query all about your writing and you as a
writer. They have to sense you are serious enough to not only
know how to write, but know what is expected in a darn good
query. After all, it's your first impression.

     Hope

HOPE'S CHAT ON SUNDAY, JUNE 27

http://www.writerschatroom.com
Sunday, 7:00-9:00 PM Eastern
No password needed. Just pop in and say hi. We chat about
whatever is on your mind about writing.

=====

THE ANNUAL FUNDSFORWRITERS ESSAY CONTEST SEEKS SPONSORS

We're getting ready to kick off the annual FundsforWriters
Essay Contest once again, and this year we plan to up the
ante in terms of prize money. Care to play a part in this
popular event? We have several sponsorships that will grant
you gobs of exposure.

If you've ever considered an ad with FundsforWriters, this
is the time to put that notion into action. Dollar for dollar,
a sponsorship beats a regular FundsforWriters ad.

For a website that receives hundreds of thousands of hits
per month, this is a prime advertising opportunity.

Contact Hope@FundsforWriters.com or see details at
www.fundsforwriters.com/adrates.htm

=====

UH-OH - JUNE 2010 SPECIAL IS HERE!

Ever considered subscribing to TOTAL FundsforWriters?
Better look here. Now's the time. Especially at this price.
Resub as well. Only a few days left.

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

=====

JUNE SPECIAL!

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.
 
Purchase all the Tweetebooks, all 35, for the discounted price
of $50 . . . AND get a subscription to TOTAL FundsforWriters,
a $15 value. That's a $35+ savings.

Last month we offered Airline Magazine Markets Tweetebook for free.
This month it's Poetry Markets.

Tweetebooks are like potato chips! You can't stop at one.

www.fundsforwriters.com/tweetebooks.htm

=====

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
 

  ~~~~~~****~~~~~~

WORDS OF SUCCESS

"If I had my life to live over again, I would have made a
rule to read some poetry and listen to some music at least
once a week."

-- Charles Darwin, scientist

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FEEDBACK FROM LAST WEEK
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hope, you are so right about resubmitting material. When I first
began writing for magazines about ten years ago, I submitted a
great story to Guideposts. I got an acceptance letter back, but
it warned me that the GP editors choose stories to fit themes and
that my story would join many others in their "accepted file" to
await selection for the appropriate issue--which could be very
soon or never. Well, I filed the letter, rewrote the story to fit
other publications and sold it a couple of times. Last fall, I
remembered reading that you should resubmit to the same publication
if the editors have changed, so I pulled out the old Guideposts
version of this story, edited it yet again and resubmitted it to
Guideposts online. A few months later, the current editor contacted
me to say he was ready to buy it! Here's the link:
www.guideposts.com/story/mysterious-ways-open-wide

So far, I've had this story published three times in different forms,
and last week a fourth magazine emailed to say the story had been
accepted there, too. Double moral when you've got a really adaptable
story: 1. Rewrite and submit elsewhere. 2. Resubmit. And don't wait
ten years to do it as I did!

Rosanne McDowell
Resolution Writer, SC Legislative Council
of the General Assembly
Columbia, SC

=====

Hi Hope,
I think you were right on target with your editorial in the
6/20/10 Funds for Writers, but I'd like to suggest an addition
to the advice. If you enter a contest and don't win with an entry,
but feel the entry was really good and met all the contest
particulars, don't hesitate about entering it somewhere else--or
even in the same contest the next time it's held. The judges are
different every time, and someone who didn't like an entry this
time may give you first place the next time you enter it.

Joan Rhine
JMRhine@gmail.com

 
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SUCCESS OF THE WEEK
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I just had an e-mail from Deep South Magazine. They want to
publish my short story, "(I'd Like) to Kill a Mockingbird."
I sent it in, not really thinking they would like it. I was
pleasantly surprised :)
 
Thanks Hope!
 
Ruth J. Hartman
Author of "My Life in Mental Chains"
Contact: Rghartman@aol.com
Visit me at: www.ruthjhartman.blogspot.com
http://www.supamasu.co.uk/glos.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ARTICLE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

READING FOR CASH

By: Penny Lockwood Ehrenrkanz

Would you like to get paid for reading? Becoming a copyeditor
is a way for you to turn the writing skills you use every day
into additional income.

With so many new publishing houses opening, particularly those
catering to electronic publishing, there are new opportunities
for utilizing your skills. If you have a good command of the
English language, are confident in your ability to use good
grammar and punctuation, and can spell correctly, copyediting
may be for you.

Copyediting happens at the manuscript stage of publishing. A
copyeditor reads to improve the writing in a manuscript including
checking facts, word usage, grammar, typos, style, and punctuation.
A copy editor's job is to make the manuscript easy to understand,
factually and grammatically correct, and consistent.

While you don't need a degree, you do need to prove your ability
to a prospective employer. A degree in journalism, English or
communications is a plus. Although, some type of communications
job where you can learn the basics of good writing can substitute
for a degree. You need to have knowledge of style guides used by
the publisher including Chicago, AP, or in-house. To work for a
publisher, you generally have to take a written test. Many
publishers have developed their own tests. Some will send you
three or more pages of a raw manuscript which contains errors.

A lot of publishers have a select group of freelancers, but it
is still possible to break-in. This year, I signed up with two
different publishing houses as a paid copyeditor. I was fortunate
to make these connections through a writers' conference, but how
can you find a copyediting job?

Writers Market - (http://www.writersmarket.com/)

Literary Market Place -
http://www.literarymarketplace.com/lmp/us/index_us.asp

Join The Editorial Freelancers Association - http://www.the-efa.org/
and respond to listings.

Copyediting - http://www.copyediting.com which includes a Job Board.

Seek out referrals from colleagues. Or, as I did, make connections
at conferences and workshops. Create a list of book publishers,
include phone numbers, addresses, e-mail addresses, and names of
managing editors, production editors or copy chiefs. Call and speak
with the person in charge of freelance copyeditors, or send a letter
or email and inquire about openings. If they have nothing available,
check back. Some firms publish on a seasonal basis.

Since so much work is done over the Internet now, it doesn't matter
where you live as long as you have ready access to the web. Books
will be sent to you electronically. You will do your edits and
return the finished product to the publisher. Pay for doing
copyediting varies with the publishing houses. A senior copyeditor
working for a major publisher in New York could earn as much as
$90,000, while an entry level copy editor at a minor house may only
earn $25,000. Many publishers pay per page and this can range from
$3.25 to $6.00 depending upon the difficulty of the content. Large
circulation magazine editors pay from $35 to $60 per hour. Small
independent publishers pay a royalty to copyeditors of 3% to 6%
based on book sales. Pay will depend upon your experience as well
as the industry. The Editorial Freelancers Association lists common
rates for writing related different jobs at
http://www.the-efa.org/res/rates.php.

When you're looking to make a little extra money with your writing
skills, think outside the usual areas. You may find just what you
enjoy by becoming a copyeditor.

BIO
Penny Lockwood Ehrenkranz has published more than 80 articles, 60
stories, two e-books, a chapbook, and her stories have been included in
two anthologies. She writes for both adults and children. Her fiction
has appeared in numerous genre and children's publications and
non-fiction work has appeared in a variety of writing, parenting, and
young adult print magazines and on line publications. She is a
copyeditor for MuseItUp Publishing and Damnation Books LLC. Visit her
web site at http://www.pennylockwoodehrenkranz.yolasite.com
<http://www.pennylockwoodehrenkranz.yolasite.com/>. Her writing
blog is located at http://pennylockwoodehrenkranz.blogspot.com/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
COMPETITIONS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

RROFIHE TROPHY
http://www.opencity.org/rrofihe.html
---
$10 ENTRY FEE
Contest for an unpublished short story up to 5,000 words. Winner
receives $500 cash, trophy, publication in Open City. Deadline
October 15, 2010.

=====

2011 MINOTAUR BOOKS/ MYSTERY WRITERS OF AMERICA FIRST CRIME NOVEL
COMPETITION
http://us.macmillan.com/Content.aspx?publisher=minotaurbooks&id=4933
---
NO ENTRY FEE
The Competition is open to any writer, regardless of nationality,
who has never been the author of a published novel (authors of
self-published works may enter, as long as the manuscript submitted
is not the self-published work) and is not under contract with a
publisher for publication of a novel. Only one manuscript entry is
permitted per writer. All manuscripts must be original, previously
unpublished works of book length (no less than 220 typewritten pages
or 60,000 words) written in the English language by the entrants.
Murder or another serious crime or crimes is at the heart of the
story. If a winner is selected, Minotaur Books will offer to enter
into its standard form author's agreement with the entrant for
publication of the winning manuscript. After execution of the
standard form author's agreement by both parties, the winner will
receive an advance against future royalties of $10,000. Deadline
November 13, 2010.

=====

OVER THE EDGE COMPETITION
http://overtheedgeliteraryevents.blogspot.com/2010/01/announcing-2010-over-edge-new-writer-of.html
---
€10 ENTRY FEE
The competition is open to both poets and fiction writers. The
best fiction entry will win €300. The best poetry entry will win
€300. One of these will then be chosen as the overall winner and
will receive an additional €400, giving the overall winner total
prize money of €700 and the title Over The Edge New Writer of The
Year 2010. The 2010 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year will be
a Featured Reader at a reading to be scheduled in Galway City
Library in Winter 2010/11. Submit fiction of up to 3,000 words,
three poems of up to 40 lines, or one poem of up to 100 lines.
Deadline August 3, 2010.

 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GRANTS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 
TURN2US
https://www.turn2us.org.uk
---
Turn2us is a new independent charity that helps people access
the money available to them - through welfare benefits, grants
and other help. Their free, accessible website is a comprehensive
and invaluable resource that helps you find sources of financial
support, quickly and easily, based on your particular needs and
circumstances.

=====

THE AUTHORS' FOUNDATION - UK
http://www.societyofauthors.org/sites/default/files/Guidelines-Authors'%20Foundation_0.pdf
---
The Foundation provides grants to writers to assist them while
writing books. There are two rounds of grants each year, awarded
in the summer and in the winter. The next closing date for
applications is 30th September 2010. To apply the author must meet
one of the following conditions:

1. The author has been commissioned by a commercial British
publisher to write a full-length work of fiction, poetry or
non-fiction and needs funding (in addition to the publisher's
advance) for important research, travel, or other more general
expenditure.

2. The author is without a contractual commitment by a publisher
but has had at least one book published commercially by a British
publisher, and there is a strong likelihood that their next book
will be published in Britain.

=====

ILLINOIS INDIVIDUAL ARTIST GRANTS
http://www.arts.illinois.gov/grants-programs/funding-programs/individual-artist-support
---
The Individual Artist Professional Development track (IA-PD)
supports professional development opportunities and projects
related to an individual artist's career. Grant amounts for IA-PD
are $500 or $750 with no cash match required. The Individual Artist
Project track (IA-Project) supports individual creative artists in
the creation, production, and presentation of their work. Grant
amounts for IA-Project are $2,000, $3,500, or $5,000 with a 25%
cash match required. Deadline in February each year.
 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FREELANCE MARKETS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ENTREPRENEUR
http://www.entrepreneur.com/entmagwg.html
---
Entrepreneur reports on innovative methods and strategies to
help readers improve their business operations. We also cover
current issues and trends that affect entrepreneurial companies,
as well as new business ideas and opportunities. We provide
detailed how-to information in an entertaining, intriguing and
evocative fashion, with a writing style that is punchy,
sophisticated and chatty. Features are 1,700 words, including
sidebars, charts and/or boxes. Entrepreneur's upfront section,
"Edge," features brief, punchy articles on news and trends
affecting small-business owners. We purchase short (250-400
words) articles for $1 per word. Other columns available.
Good guidelines and well-paying publication.

=====

ESCHOOL NEWS
http://www.eschoolnews.com/about/
---
eSchool News is a monthly print and digital newspaper providing
the news and information necessary to help K-20 decision-makers
successfully use technology and the internet to transform North
America's schools and colleges and achieve their educational
goals. Pays roughly 20-30 cents/word.

=====

EXPLORE MAGAZINE
http://explore-mag.com/feedback/contact/
---
Explore is the award-winning national lifestyle magazine that
delivers the information and inspiration that active outdoor-
loving Canadians want. We cover a wide range of topics--hiking,
mountain biking, climbing, canoeing, kayaking, winter sports and
more. And as our tagline suggests, our content is largely Canadian.
New writers usually break into the Explorata News Section that
takes 100-600 words on expeditions, competitions, destinations,
recreation, gear, humor, and more. In-depth features are 2,500
to 5,000 words and pay $1,500 and up.
 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
JOBS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FREELANCE WRITERS
Walsh Writing
Location Virtual
http://tinyurl.com/2a9a3xz
---
We are looking for writers for our websites and auctions. You
will need to create short (20 - 100 word) write ups of daily
auctions. We will pay $0.05-0.25/word to start up, then
increase if it goes well. Must live in the US.

=====

FREELANCE WRITER
American Cancer Institute
http://www.idealist.org/en/job/385066-115
---
Responsible for writing a newly created newsletter focusing on
workplace health and wellness. Roughly 30 hours per quarter.
Experienced writer, with e-newsletter experience preferred.
Ideal candidate has a background in human resources and/or
health and wellness; background in writing for nutrition,
science or health publications can be helpful. Please send
resume with: Hourly wage history and requirements; relevant
writing samples to j.mcilveen@aicr.org

=====

COMMUNICATIONS FELLOWSHIP
Location Washington DC
http://www.idealist.org/en/job/385365-83
---
The Government Accountability Project (GAP) is offering a twelve-
month, communications/public relations fellowship in our Washington,
D.C. office beginning in July/August 2010. A non-profit, public
interest organization, GAP is the nation's leading whistleblower
protection and advocacy group. Includes managing the social media
pages of the organization, updating website, coordinating local
TV stations, composing newsletters/media advisories.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PUBLISHERS/AGENTS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

KIDS CAN PRESS
http://www.kidscanpress.com/Canada/WritersGuidelines.aspx
---
Interested in reading quality picture books and nonfiction
manuscripts for children, as well as chapter books for ages
7-10. Does not accept young adult fiction or fantasy novels
for any age. Does not accept unsolicited manuscripts from
children or teenagers, or from authors outside of Canada.

=====

SAGE HILL PRESS
http://www.sagehillpress.com/
---
We are a small press dedicated to publishing a few good books
that reflect our love for the land of the American high plains
and Rocky Mountain region. We publish fiction, historical non-
fiction and poetry in which the land figures as a central
character and its impact on humankind, not the other way around. 
Our books are unapologetically environmental in focus while
celebrating human story.

=====

CELLAR DOOR PUBLISHING
http://www.cellardoorpublishing.com/submissions.htm
---
Cellar Door Publishing specializes in the publication of high-
quality illustrated literature and graphic novels. We are
looking for all genres and age groups. We encourage creators
to experiment with format and content, though it is not required.
We do accept a limited number of submissions for books without
illustrations. This is generally reserved for books that are
either unique in content or controversial in nature, or
literary projects that can be released in a serialized format.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SPONSORS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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

=====

Houston Writers Guild Novel/Screenplay by Genre Contest

$500 First Prize Creme de la Creme

(Yes, that makes $800 for first prize. No ties this time)

Plus Six First Prizes $300

One 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 Sept 3, 2010

www.houstonwritersguild.org for rules & regulations
email: rpaulding@sbcglobal.net

=====

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

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BUSINESS STUFF
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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

-----------------------------