Volume 11, Issue 15
April 15, 2011

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
          
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.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PAID SPONSOR OF THE WEEK
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When I turned to writing fiction, I struggled to write regularly
and never finished anything. Now, I am writing every day.

                        ~ Erica Hansen, Literary Living participant

 
Discover your unique writing life. Literary Living, the program
for serious, aspiring writers. Summer session starts June 10th.

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

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

=====

A COUPLE OF NEW GRANT RESOURCES

I spent the weekend in St. Louis at the Missouri Writers
Guild Conference. They had interesting speakers and
intriguing topics, and everything wasn't for novices, either.
In some workshops you actually wrote. In others you received
critiques - real heavy-handed ones, too. Writers learned
about social media, how to upload ebooks, even how to write
specifically for Chicken Soup from Linda Apple who's published
in thirteen Chicken Soup books. Agents talked platform.

And I spoke on funding streams and grants.

The sessions amounted to six hours of speaking. Whew! I slept
like the dead when I got home at 3 AM Monday morning.

I offered one Master Class on grants - three hours straight.
We had a cozy attendance, and we solved all kinds of issues
and brainstormed until I swear we had smoke coming out of
our ears.

Two relatively new grant resources had attendees giddy with
excitement. As a result of their reaction, I felt the need
to share them with you.
 
SUSTAINABLE ARTS FOUNDATION 2011 AWARDS
http://www.sustainableartsfoundation.org/
---
In recognition of the challenges of leading a creative
life while raising children, the Sustainable Arts Foundation
provides financial support to writers and artists with families.
They offer a number of $6,000 awards in both the Spring and in
Winter. This is brand spanking new, and the director asked me
to share it with you.

The applicant must have at least one child under the age of 18.
They welcome applications from anywhere, but give some preference
to residents of the San Francisco Bay area. In addition, they
award a number of Promise Awards of smaller dollar figures to
applicants whose work may not qualify for the main awards, but
demonstrates both skill and potential. As with most grants,
your portfolio aids the judges to rank you. They are also
interested in hearing about your plans and how this award
might assist you in attaining your goals.

KICKSTARTER
http://www.kickstarter.com
---
In essence, you solicit for sponsors, only you can do it
in trickles of money. Post your project, your budgetary
need, and your goals on the website and start the timer.
People visit the site and analyze the various projects,
seeking for someone to assist. Everyday people donate in
addition to serious donors. If you receive enough pledges
to meet your goal, you get the money and you're off to
become successful at your project. If the pledges fall
short by the deadline, no money changes hands.

The key is to have a well-planned, intriguing, innovative
project. Start-up magazines have been born via Kickstarter.
Books have been written and published. It's wide open
in terms of topic and creativity. Kickstarter receives
five percent for their administrative fees. Amazon handles
payment processing, and their fee is three to five percent.

Hopefully these two grant offerings tickle your fancy
enough to apply. They are hungry for new artists, and you
don't get much more liberal and less guideline-bound than
with these two grants.
 
Good luck!

     Hope

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

TWITTER - http://twitter.com/hopeclark

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

  ~~~~~~****~~~~~~

WORDS OF SUCCESS

Our attitude toward life
determines life's attitude towards us.

~ Earl Nightingale

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

Exploring New Markets in Children's Writing

By Christine Dixon

Many writers trying to break into writing for children focus
on fiction. This is such a highly competitive market, even for
published and agented writers. But what many writers may not
have considered is the nonfiction market for children.

Not only are nonfiction books gaining popularity, there is
room for more creative approaches to nonfiction. Some publishers
refer to this as creative nonfiction, or narrative nonfiction.
Gone are the days when non-fiction for children had to be
boring and just a presentation of facts. Children love stories,
and presenting information to them creatively has made children's
nonfiction a genre that is continually gaining popularity.

What is creative nonfiction? This form of nonfiction is still
factually based, but is written in a style that reads more like
fiction, paying attention to literary style. In essence, a
creative nonfiction or narrative nonfiction book is a story
that will capture a child's interest, delivering facts in the
story and possibly also as sidebars.

One of the benefits of writing this type of book is that once
you have proven yourself to a publisher, you may open yourself
up to assignments for further books in the future. Often
nonfiction is developed in-house. This means that the publisher
comes up with the idea, and then looks for a writer who they
feel they can work with, and who they know will deliver a
premium manuscript.

As with fiction books for children, an excellent way to build
writing credits is to sell to magazines. Children's magazines
are always looking for good nonfiction. One of the benefits of
writing for children's magazines first is that you build a
writer's resume of samples. Many nonfiction publishers will
look at your samples to determine if they might hire you to
write nonfiction for them.

Nonfiction books for children are either published by trade
publishers who sell to the general public by traditional outlets
such as bookstores and online, or by educational publishers who
sell to schools, libraries and other educational markets.

Nonfiction books for children have many prestigious awards
associated with the genre, including The Orbis Pictus Award
for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children, awarded by the
National Council of Teachers of English; The Washington
Post - Children's Book Guild Nonfiction Award; The Horn Book
Award, one of the most prestigious awards in children's
literature; and the American Library Association who awards
the Robert F. Sibert for an informational book for children.

Children's nonfiction is a highly respectable, interesting
and worthwhile genre for children's authors to consider,
especially if being creative, researching, learning and
having fun while writing sounds like a great way to make a
living.

There are many children's book publishers who are interested
in reading nonfiction submissions. The following three
publishers are a great place to start.

BEARPORT PUBLISHING
http://www.bearportpublishing.com/

They publish primary nonfiction, narrative nonfiction and
high interest nonfiction for grades K-6. They do not publish
individual titles but books that are part of a larger series.
If you have ideas or suggestions for a new series, please
e-mail them to asiegel@bearportpublishing.com along with
your resume and writing samples (ideally nonfiction for
grades K-6).

ABRAMS BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS & AMULET BOOKS
http://www.abramsbooks.com/

They accept nonfiction manuscripts, including nonfiction
picture books. Please send nonfiction submissions along
with your biographical information (what makes you
qualified to write on the subject).

CAT'S PYJAMAS
http://www.catspyjamasbooks.com/index.html

They publish fiction and nonfiction books for children.
Their nonfiction looks to be series-based. Please email
digital samples to: mail@catspyjamasbooks.com and enter
the subject as EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS

BIO
Christine Dixon is a freelance writer, food & drink magazine
columnist, a book publishing student at Ryerson University,
and has just started Cottage Country Press.
http://www.cottagecountrypress.com
 

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

THE DAVID NATHAN MEYERSON FICTION PRIZE
http://smu.edu/southwestreview/Meyerson%20Contest.asp
---
$25 ENTRY FEE
The prize is open to writers who have not yet published a
book of fiction, either a novel or collection of stories.
Submissions must be no longer than 8,000 words. Deadline
May 1, 2011. The prize consists of $1,000 and publication
in Southwest Review.

=====

DEADLINE EXTENDED FOR FAULKNER - WISDOM CREATIVE WRITING COMPETITION
http://www.wordsandmusic.org/2011%20Guidelines.html
---
ENTRY FEES - a variety of fees depending on the category.

Entries are accepted in seven categories: Novel, Novella,
Novel-in-Progress, Short Story, Essay, Poetry, and Short
Story by a High School Student. Overall goals of the
competition are to seek out new, talented writers and
assist them in finding literary agents and, ultimately,
publishers for their work. Deadline has been extended to
May 1, 2011. Prizes from $7,500 for a novel to $250 for
student submissions.

=====

THIRD ANNUAL MARGUERITE McGLINN PRIZE FOR FICTION
http://www.philadelphiastories.org/marguerite-mcglinn-prize-fiction-0
---
$10 ENTRY FEE
The Marguerite McGlinn Prize for Fiction is an annual
national short fiction contest. The prize includes a $2,000
cash award, and includes travel expenses to an awards dinner
in Philadelphia in October. The winning story appears in the
winter print and online issue of Philadelphia Stories.
Deadline June 11, 2011. Submit previously unpublished works
of fiction up to 8,000 words. Multiple submissions will be
accepted for the contest only. Simultaneous submissions are
also accepted, however, we must be notified immediately if
your work is accepted elsewhere. Authors currently residing
in or originally from the United States are eligible.
All entrants will receive a complimentary one-year membership
to Philadelphia Stories.

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

MONTANA CULTURAL & AESTHETIC PROJECT GRANTS
http://art.mt.gov/orgs/orgs_ca.asp
---
Applications must be for cultural and aesthetic projects
including, but not limited to, the visual, performing,
literary and media arts, history, archaeology, folklore,
archives, collections, research, historic preservation and
the construction or renovation of cultural facilities.
Applications are encouraged for applicants serving rural
communities, racial and ethnic groups, people with disabilities,
institutionalized populations, youth and the aging. The deadline
for applications to the FY 2012 - 2013 Cultural and Aesthetic
Grants Program is now past. The next application deadline will
be August 1, 2012.

=====

BERKSHIRE COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS - ARTIST ASSISTANCE
http://www.arthome.org/
---
Under the umbrella of Berkshire Creative, MASS MoCA, Pittsfield's
Office of Cultural Development, and MCLA's Berkshire Cultural
Resource Center launched Assets for Artists. This pilot initiative
is aimed at helping artists throughout Berkshire County who wish
to become home owners and/or receive small business training and
assistance. Training sessions custom designed for artists are
offered on both homeownership and business management. Financial
assistance via individual development accounts are available for
low- to moderate-income artists.

=====

CALIFORNIA ARTS COUNCIL ARTS AND ACCESSIBILITY TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM GRANTS
http://nadc.ucla.edu/grants.cfm
---
The purpose of the California Arts and Accessibility Technical
Assistance Program is to enhance opportunities for participation
in the arts by people with disabilities. This is done through
small, but critical grants of $500 or $1000 to artists with
disabilities and arts organizations. Grants for artists with
disabilities are intended to support those who are committed
to advancing their work and their careers. Applications are
encouraged from artists in all artistic disciplines. Artist
grants are for specific projects that contribute directly to
their growth and development as professionals. Funding will
be available through May 2011.

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

 
MILITARY OFFICER
http://www.moaa.org/pubs/pubs_mom/pubs_guidelines.htm
---
Audience: Commissioned and warrant officers, families, and
surviving spouses of the seven uniformed services: Army,
Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Public Health
Service, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
-- to include members of the National Guard and Reserve --
actively serving as well as retired. Current military/political
affairs; recent military history, especially Vietnam and Korea;
personal financial planning; health and fitness; military family;
retirement lifestyles; travel; and general interest. No fiction,
poetry, or fillers. Original material only; no reprints. Pays
up to 80 cents/word.

====

MOUNTAIN HOMES
http://www.mountainhomessouthernstyle.com/cu/esg.html
---
Mountain Homes is a quarterly, full-color magazine celebrating
the best of upscale living in the Southern mountains--the homes,
the events, the art, the style, the food, and the cities and
towns that people today are increasingly seeking out for
retirement or as an escape from big city living. Our territory
extends from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia down into northern
Georgia and includes all territory in the mountain regions of
Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia,
Tennessee and Georgia.

=====

THE BIG ISSUE
http://www.thebigissue.org.au/Index.html
---
The Big Issue Australia is an independent organisation that
develops and operates social enterprises and creative, sustainable
solutions to homelessness; providing opportunities for homeless
and marginalised people to positively change their lives. We are
an agent for social change, using entrepreneurial practices and
sound business strategy to promote social inclusion and alleviate
poverty in Australia. Our innovative programs and services focus
on helping people who are socially disadvantaged, and may
otherwise slip through the cracks, to build confidence and the
capacity to help themselves. Pays 20 cents/word. This editor
interview from four years ago gives you a good idea of what they
seek since they do not have specific guidelines at the site.
http://www.actnow.com.au/Interviews/Interview_with_The_Big_Issues_deputy_editor.aspx

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

 
PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPECIALIST
Location Lakewood, CO
http://jobview.usajobs.gov/getjob.aspx?JobID=98522250&aid=27015391-15411&WT.mc_n=125
---
Deadline May 5, 2011. The Public Affairs Specialist will
specialize in web development to enhance the Region's
effectiveness in its strategic mission and its internal and
external communication capabilities.  The employee will
analyze, conduct, and enhance the effectiveness of public
information activities via the internet and intranet by
developing and implementing state-of-the art audio/visual/
electronic communication techniques for the Service's
communication efforts.

=====

WRITER/RESEARCH ASSISTANT
Location Washington DC
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/wri/2312417006.html
---
To assist with information research, writing, editorial work,
admin/reception and administrative duties for global websites
and web-based services. Specific duties will include interfacing
with partners to the organization to obtain, develop, edit,
proof, and post copy to a website that tracks global industry
activity. Pays $20/hour for 20 hours/week, with particular
emphasis on onsite availability in afternoons. Send resume and
cover letter to: jobs@icap.org, please put "Writer/research
Assistant" in the subject line.

=====

WEB EDITOR
Location New York, NY
http://www.journalismnext.com/jobdetails.cfm?jid=6917
---
The American Lawyer is a prize-winning monthly magazine that
reports on the business of the major law firms in the United
States and, increasingly, around the world. We are looking for
a Web Editor for the Web site. Will be responsible for assigning
and editing daily online content, both breaking news and
commentary, for the Web and daily newsletters, as well as
coordinating with other Web sites in the company and the
monthly print magazine. The web editor should have a thorough
understanding of the importance of The American Lawyer brand
to its influential, thought-leading consumers.

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

 
ZOVA BOOKS
http://www.zovabooks.com/
http://zovabooks.blogspot.com/
---
ZOVA Books is an independent publisher of genre and literary
fiction based in Los Angeles, California. Established in 2010,
they are one of the fastest growing small publishers in the
nation. ZOVA Books has entered into a groundbreaking partnership
with Hollywood production and management company Circle of
Confusion to represent its catalog for film, television and
foreign rights.

=====

RED WILLOW DIGITAL PUBLISHING
http://www.redwillowdigitalpress.com/
---
Red Willow Digital Press is an e-book publishing company
with traditional terms. Authors submit their manuscript for
review and if accepted, Red Willow takes care of the rest.
We publish only high quality writing, including fiction,
nonfiction, poetry, memoir, or any other genre. We limit
ourselves not by genre, but by quality.

=====

GROSVENOR LITERARY AGENCY
http://grosvenorlit.com/
---
The Grosvenor Literary Agency represents a variety of fiction
and nonfiction. However, we do not represent books in the
following categories:

Mind/Body/Spirit
Reference
Romance
Screenplays
Children's Books/Picture books

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

Get an amazing website by hiring a true professional.

Hi, my name is Shaila Abdullah and I have over a decade of experience
designing websites for authors. Being an author myself, I know what
works in the industry. I will provide you with a site that reflects
your own individual style and personality--just like your own home. I
use search optimization and new media tools to ensure that your site
can compete with today's trends. I am also experienced in producing
quality book designs and marketing materials. Contact me at
shailaabdullah@gmail.com .

View portfolio of my work:
http://shailaabdullah.com/houseofdesign/authors.html

Read testimonial from my happy clients:
http://shailaabdullah.com/houseofdesign/testimonials.html

HOW I SEE IT: AUTOBIOGRAPHY IN IMPRESSIONIST POETRY & PROSE
LED BY JACQUELINE KOLOSOV and KIRSTEN SUNDBERG LUNSTRUM

Memoir, the genre most closely associated with recording individual
experience, and autobiographical or post-confessional poetry built
upon the precedents of the Impressionists. Participants will use
their experiences and sensory observations of SW France to create
short biographical essays and poems.

$2,200 Tuition/Lodging/Most Meals Inclusive
Possibility of further discounts up to $300.

"The sleepy villages, the velvety purple grapes and the glowing
carpets of sunflowers define the Gascony countryside near the
village of Auvillar. Unspoiled by changing times, life is slow
and relaxed. It is a feast for the eyes and soul of an artist"
--Terry Conway, THE HUNT MAGAZINE

Please contact Jacqueline Kolosov at poppiesbloom@usa.net
for further guidelines.

 

10th 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,
2005-2010).

More information: www.winningwriters.com/war

Named as one of the top-ten creative retreats in the world,
Writing Away Retreats is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to
connect with and receive feedback from the very best in the
industry. Every writer gets a 10K word detailed MS consult
with each staff member (3 editors: Kevin Doughten: Penguin,
Anica Rissi: Simon and Schuster, Katie Gilligan: Thomas Dunne,
1 agent: Scott Hoffman, Folio Lit. and 1 NYT bestselling author:
David Corbett) during their 5 day/4 night experience in the
Rocky Mountains. This unprecedented access allows for an
experience that can truly forward your writing career in the
right direction.

For further information go to the website:
www.writingawayretreats.com

Contact Cicily and let her know how she can help you attend
this event. E-mail: creativelivesworkshop@hotmail.com

 

Summer Workshop with Award-winning Playwright/TV Writer

 

Five days (Monday Aug 15-Friday Aug 19) near Woodstock, NY
focused on nuts-and-bolts technique for stage and screen
with Jeffrey Sweet - winner of the Writers Guild of America
Award, Emmy nominee, author of The Dramatist's Toolkit and
resident writer of Tony-winning Victory Gardens Theatre of
Chicago. Work on scenes, then hand them to resident actors to
test them in front of an audience. Look up Jeffrey Sweet
on Amazon.

 

Info: www.artisticnewdirections.org/retreats.html 
Questions? Write: DGSweet@aol.com

 

 

WHY ADVERTISE IN FUNDSFORWRITERS?

For my first advertising for my fledging business I needed to
make strategic choices within a very limited budget. I chose
to advertise in two places:  the Funds for Writers (FFW)
newsletter and a major writer's magazine (circulation of 100,000).
FFW far outperformed the magazine! From my first FFW ad I got an
immediate and enormous spike in traffic to my web site and within
24-hours had more than 100 people sign up on my website. And that
was just the first ad! Over the course of the six-week ad campaign
I saw a noticeable spike in traffic after each ad hit people's
inboxes and in total garnered at least 500 new sign-ups.

If you're thinking about advertising in FFW, do it!
    
Joan Dempsey, Founder & President
http://www.literaryliving.com

MARKETS PLUS: 2500 WRITING MARKETS

For 10 years Worldwide Freelance has been helping freelance
writers to find paying markets. Search or browse the free
database of 750+ markets. Or join Markets Plus and you will
have 2500+ markets at your fingertips.

http://www.worldwidefreelance.com

=====

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 2000-2011, C. Hope Clark
ISSN: 1533-1326

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