FundsforWriters - August 15, 2010
Published: Fri, 08/13/10
Volume 10, Issue 33
August 15, 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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Mailto: Hope@fundsforwriters.com
Website: http://www.fundsforwriters.com
Newsletter: ISSN: 1533-1326
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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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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NOTE: Deep South Magazine does NOT pay for submissions, so
FundsforWriters does NOT endorse them. Information confirmed
through Erin Zaunbrecher-Bass, Editor, Deep South Magazine
337-205-2383, E-mail: erin@deepsouthmag.com , www.deepsouthmag.com
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TIMING IS EVERYTHING
While in a chat room recently, I read a comment that made me
sigh and shake my head. Someone had met an agent at a conference.
She requested the author's manuscript. In a rush, she decided
to go home and edit it one more time. Three weeks had passed.
She wanted more time. Her question? How much more time did we
think she had before she lost that open door chance with the agent?
Oh my gosh.
When doors open, you don't run back and pack your things,
expecting it to remain open indefinitely. You walk through.
My guess was that agent had forgotten about that author.
Some may argue with me, saying that agents make lots of
connections, and if the agent wanted it then, she'll want it
later. Maybe . . . but what if that agent loved that query
because she had an editor in mind who had just expressed over
lunch that week that he had an interest in that type of story?
A month later, that interest has probably been filled by
another agent and another author.
I once pitched a story to Landscape Management magazine about
how landscapers need to give clients more respect, and not
assume the customer knows zilch about grass and yards. I'd
been treated like a bimbo by a landscaper when in fact I have
an agronomy degree. I received a call from an associate editor
two hours after submitting (email submission). He'd just had
a conversation with his editor about the need for something
just like I queried. He wanted the piece immediately.
What if I'd waited several weeks to reply?
When you ride this writing merry-go-round, you occasionally
touch the brass ring. Do you grab it when you can? Or do you
vow to ride the circle one more time and try again?
You seize opportunity. If you have a good story, edit it now.
If you have a good idea, pitch it now. If you've thought about
a new way to cold call customers, refine it now. Because one
day your chance will arrive, and you'll want to stall, thinking
you have time to tweak and edit and make it better.
Trust me, you don't.
Hope
9TH ANNUAL FUNDSFORWRITERS ESSAY CONTEST
FundsforWriters.com and Literary Database.com team up to
co-sponsor the 9th Annual FundsforWriters Essay Contest.
Theme: Writing that made a difference.
Both entry fee and no entry fee categories. First place
winner receives $300. Six awards given. Limit 750 words.
Deadline October 31, 2010. Winners announced December 1, 2010.
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
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
Kindness can become its own motive.
We are made kind by being kind.
~ Eric Hoffer
(The Passionate State of Mind: And Other Essays)
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SUCCESS OF THE WEEK
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Hi Hope,
I just had to write you and let you know that I got my first
pub credit thanks to a link in your newsletter. You probably
hear this a lot, but thank you!
-Christine Cary
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ARTICLE
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Beautiful Bios: Making the Personal Profitable
by Laura Roberts
While some people tear their hair out when trying to find just
the right words to describe themselves, their artistic projects,
and their years of experience in the field, I've always found
writing personal biographies to be fun. Sure, it can be a
challenge to fit all of the important details into a small space
(such as the 100 or so words most freelancers are given at the
ends of articles like this one), but it's also an art. Writing
short bios is a skill, comparable to writing catchy tweets, or
creating great micro-fiction.
You can even charge money for it. I know I do!
The first biographies I wrote were on a whim; I needed a bit
of quick cash, and sent an email out to all my Facebook friends,
informing them that I would write their personal bios for a mere
$25 each. With a maximum of 500 words a piece, quantity was my
goal, and I figured that at least four of my perpetually broke
artist friends would be interested in my services at such rock-
bottom prices. A hundred bucks for a few afternoons' worth of
work sounded good to me, but I set a limit of three days for my
exclusive special to really motivate my potential clients.
Soon the requests were pouring in, and I set to work figuring
out how to get started. I asked my clients questions about
themselves and their work, about how they viewed their artistic
paths, and what their goals for the future were. I asked if they
could send me samples of their work and received photos, videos
and links to their websites--where I could also check out their
existing bios for more personal information that I may have
overlooked. It was great fun getting to know more about my
friends' many artistic projects, and when a band from the Ukraine
was referred to me, I even got some new music for my iPod. Score!
If you like talking about art or interviewing artists, writing
biographies may be just the thing. While it can sometimes be a
challenge to persuade other imaginative, hugely talented people
that their personally-written bios could be, well... in need of
a slight update, it can also be rewarding both creatively and
monetarily to get the chance to collaborate with them on something
so personal.
While I no longer charge a mere $25 for artist bios (except for
very short blurbs), I still aim to please cash-strapped artists
with my modest fees. Typically, I charge only $150 for my bios,
and have written for musical groups, visual artists, writers and
many others. If the client's work is creative in nature, I'm almost
always interested and available.
Some people prefer writing corporate biographies, as they often
pay much better (corporate writers can command salaries in the
six-figure range) and I have tried my hand at this as well. To me,
though, nothing can compare to the kind of praise you'll receive
from an artist who feels that, finally, someone truly "gets" them
and their work.
--
BIO: Laura Roberts is a freelance writer living in Austin, TX.
She is currently writing her first novel, Naked Montreal, a
fictional guide to the "Sin City of the North," in between writing
artistic biographies for the terminally cash-strapped. You can hire
her to write your very own short biography at http://buttontapper.com.
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COMPETITIONS
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WRITING4ALL SPIRIT AWARD
http://www.writing4all.ie/site/catalogues/entry/writing4all_writing/yes.htm?keep_has_js=1
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ENTRY FEE 7
Second annual Writing Spirit Award for Short Fiction and Poetry.
Fiction
First Prize: 1,000
Second Prize: 200
Third Prize: 100
Poetry
First Prize: 1,000
Second Prize: 200
Third Prize: 100
The competition is open to all nationalities and all genres.
The prize winning stories, along with 17 merited stories will
be published in an anthology at the end of the competition.
The contest opens 1st January 2010, and runs for four rounds
throughout the year.
First round: 31st March
Second round: 30th June
Third round: 30th September
Fourth round: 30th November
Each new round begins immediately after the end of the previous
round (i.e. you may enter at any time from 1st Jan to 30th Nov).
Story entries should be no more than 4,000 words (but there is
no minimum word count).
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WORDS WITH JAM SHORT STORY COMPETITION
http://www.wordswithjam.co.uk/#/competition/4539850014
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ENTRY FEE £6 for one entry, £10 for two.
We're looking for the best short story of up to 2,500 words.
1st Prize - £300. 2nd Prize - £100. 3rd Prize - £50. Deadline
August 31, 2010. All three winning entries will be published in
the December 2010 issue of Words with JAM.
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AESTHETICA CREATIVE WORKS COMPETITION
http://www.aestheticamagazine.com/submission_guide.htm
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£10 ENTRY FEE
The Aesthetica Creative Works Competition is internationally
recognised for identifying new artists and writers and bringing
them to international attention. There are three categories:
Artwork & Photography, Fiction and Poetry. There will be three
winners. One from each category. Each winner will receive £500.
Each winner will receive an additional prize from our competition
partners. Winners will be published in the Aesthetica Creative
Works Annual. Winners will receive a complimentary copy of the
Aesthetica Creative Works Annual. Deadline August 31, 2010.
Submit up to 2 short stories. Word count up to 2,000 words per piece.
Submit up to 2 poems. No more than 40 lines each. The competition
is open to anyone in the world. Creative works should be written in
English.
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GRANTS
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BLUE MOUNTAIN CENTER
http://www.bluemountaincenter.org/programs
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The Blue Mountain Center is a working community of writers,
artists, activists and musicians in the heart of Adirondacks.
Deadline February 2. The Blue Mountain Center hosts conferences
for up to 25 people during the spring and fall months. The
purpose of the meetings is to bring together those working on
pressing social problems such as civil liberties, environmental
health and safety, peace, and economic justice.
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RHODE ISLAND PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS DEVELOPMENT (PAD) PROGRAM
http://www.arts.ri.gov/grants/guidelines/pad.php
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The Rhode Island Arts Commission is holding free classes on
marketing, publicizing, bookkeeping, understanding contracts
and more. Attending one of these classes is mandatory to apply for
their PAD grants - Deadline for grant application is November
19, 2010. First class is September 1. Grants requests may range
from $250 - $750.
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NEW LIGHT RESIDENCIES
http://www.newlightstudios.com/guest_house.php
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Visual artists, sculptors, dancers, musicians, poets and writers
have all spent time creating at New Light Guest House. The house,
which once was home to local dairy workers, has been restored
with modern amenities. There are two bedrooms, one bath, and a
comfortable living room, complete with a separate kitchen/dining
room. New Light Guest House accepts visitors by the month or week,
but is willing to arrange a residency that fits the artist's schedule.
This space was conceived for serious artists to find the peace and
quiet, and the inspiration, to create great works. It is in this
spirit that a fee of $250 per month is suggested, although New Light
Studio does not wish for monetary concerns to prevent a visit.
Equally negotiable is the fee for shorter residencies. Location
Wisconsin.
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FREELANCE MARKETS
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KNOW: THE SCIENCE MAGAZINE FOR CURIOUS KIDS
http://www.knowmag.ca/about/guidelines.php
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KNOW is for children ages 6 to 9. We strive to engage our readers
in a fun, informative, and interactive way, keeping in mind that
children this age have a range of reading abilities and limited
science background. Every issue of KNOW contains short news items,
regular departments, a lengthy section related to our theme, short
fiction, activities, hands-on projects, interviews and more. Pays
approximately 40-50 cents(Canadian)/ word.
Non-fiction: At this time we are not accepting queries or
unsolicited non-fiction articles. If, however, you have experience
writing about science for 6-to-9-year old children you are invited
to contact the editor and you may also forward some samples of your
published work.
Fiction/Poetry: We are interested in receiving short fiction or
poetry (theme-related; see 2010 themes below).
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DESTINATIONS
http://www.buses.org/destinationsmagazine
---
Destinations magazine is the premier glossy in the group tour
industry. With award-winning design and writing, the bi-monthly
features extensive coverage of North America's best group travel
destinations, state-by-state travel/itinerary options, planning
calendars of ABA Top 100 events, motorcoach & tour operator
business tips, plus essential marketing and strategic insights.
Pays up to 75 cents/word.
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CLEAN EATING
http://www.cleaneatingmag.com/minisite/ce_index.htm
---
Recipes, success stories and features on clean eating. Clean
eating is consuming food in its most natural state. It's not
a diet, but a lifestyle approach to food and its preparation,
leading to health, well-being and a lean look. Pays up to
50 cents/word.
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JOBS
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COLUMNIST
Location Winston-Salem, NC
http://tinyurl.com/22qnpgs
---
The Winston-Salem Journal is looking for a freelance writer
who lives in downtown Winston-Salem and would be interested
in writing a weekly column in our relish entertainment section.
The column would be about your experiences in living in downtown:
funny or serious. The goal is to give readers a window on life
in downtown Winston-Salem, with its ups and downs, and guide
them on how to make the most of what downtown has to offer. If
you are interested, please send resume and writing samples to
acronk@wsjournal.com. Please write "Downtown Living Columnist"
in the subject line. No phone calls please.
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CREATIVE WRITER
Location Charleston, SC
http://charleston.craigslist.org/wrg/1887661186.html
http://www.ravenchase.com/
---
Ravenchase Adventures is looking for a creative writer to help us
design and host public adventure races throughout Charleston.
The ideal candidate will be intelligent, able to work independently,
exceptionally creative, but down to earth enough to have a beer
with. Our adventure race designer will be responsible for
researching and designing brilliant clues to help lead players
from point to point throughout the city, as well as serve as the
event MC. If you think you have what it takes, please send in your
resume, picture and a sample clue - written in the style of what
we expect here at Ravenchase. Check out our site for a sample.
Pay ranges from $12-25 per hour. This position is what you make
it. With the right gumption and elbow grease, this can easily turn
into a full time job and a rewarding lifelong career.
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ADVERTISING COPYWRITER
Location Charlotte, NC
http://charlotte.craigslist.org/wri/1887697289.html
---
Charlotte-based marketing firm with clients around the country
looking for freelance advertising copywriter for projects. Must
be seasoned with a good portfolio. Need someone who can adapt
concepts and text to brand platform we develop. Clever headlines.
Ability to say a lot in a little space. Freelance to start.
Could develop into full time.
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PUBLISHERS/AGENTS
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PRESS 53
http://www.press53.com/Submissions.html
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We publish books of literary fiction, poetry, and nonfiction.
We are looking for writers who are actively involved in the
writing community. We want to work with writers who are
submitting their work to journals, magazines and contests,
and who are getting published and earning recognition for
their work. We are a small press, so it is important that
we partner with writers who are putting themselves and their
work out there. We want to work with writers who know how to
market themselves and their work, and writers who will take
an active role in marketing their books.
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MISCHIEVOUS MUSE PRESS
http://www.worldnouveau.com/
---
We seek writers who have a finished, polished book and the
courage to present their work to the world, stand by it and
see it through. Mischievous Muse Press is looking for writers
who want to be involved in the process of publishing their
book, and willing to work in partnership with us to make
that dream a reality. Submit 1-2-page synopsis within an email
and a paragraph bio to museauthor@gmail.com. Answer within
2-3 weeks. Charges no fees. Also represents authors to larger
publishing companies, taking calls from interested parties who
may wish to publish the books for mass market. Copyright
remains with the author. If we like the book, we will publish
it. Doesn't matter who you are, where you live, or what you
have done with your life up to this point. Considers all
genres and types of books.
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TARPAULIN SKY PRESS
http://www.tarpaulinsky.com/guidelines.html
---
Chapbooks and full-length manuscripts submitted during open
reading periods may be published as chapbooks, trade paperbacks,
and hardcovers. Our next reading period for chapbooks will be
September 2010. Our next reading period for full-length
manuscripts will be October 2010. Tarpaulin Sky focuses on
cross-genre / trans-genre / hybrid forms as well as innovative
poetry and prose.
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SPONSORS
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AWARD-WINNING WRITER, PUBLISHER
WILL EDIT YOUR NOVEL, MEMOIR, POETRY
Have your writing edited by an award-winning, professional
writer,editor, and publisher, one who 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. 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. 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. He is founder of Jacar Press.
Contact rkwriter@gmail.com, www.rkeditor.com
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October 9-10, 2010 Houston Writers Guild
FALL GENRE CONTEST
NOVEL/SCREENPLAY CONTEST
Dead N line September 3
Seven first place winners
By genre
Winners announced at our
Fall Conference October 9
Featuring Sam Havens, Michael Larsen, Elizabeth Pomado, Jon Sternfeld, Nicholas Croce, & Jennifer Mattson
Get This Free Publicity Tool
Reporter Connection is a free service that tells you about
opportunities to get publicity in magazines, newspapers and
on radio/TV.
http://www.reporterconnection.com/joinfree/?11855
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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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