Volume 11, Issue 39
September 30, 2011


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FUNDS FOR WRITERS

Chosen for Writer's Digest Magazine
101 Best Websites for Writers
2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005,
2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011

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

Dixie, bless her heart, is 15 years old but still loves to be held.

Editor: C. Hope Clark
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.



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

=====


WHEN EDITORS AND AGENTS DO NOT RESPOND

For some reason, writers still get highly agitated when
they submit and hear nothing in return. For some reason
that has never bothered me . . . because there's not a
thing I can do about it.

At first blush, it appears rude. In reality, they either
have too many submissions to afford the staff member to
respond, or they don't want to open the door for their
judgment to be questioned. Some writers take rejection
way too personal.

So when do you assume it's a no?

1. Check the guidelines. Many will tell you how many
weeks they take to make a decision. At the end of that
time period, assume no and move on.

2. No guidelines? Give them eight weeks. I've learned
that's a pretty good average. At the end, either write
them again, asking if they received your submission, or
pitch the piece to someone else. No, you don't have to
withdraw it from the first market.

Do not burn a bridge with editors and agents who do not
respond. You might need them for another pitch later,
and trust me, they remember those who fuss.

But let's turn the tables here. You read a lot of blogs.
You probably write a blog. You love getting comments, and
on those days you receive none, you feel let down. It's
like submitting and not hearing from the agents or editors
you query, right?

But do you leave a comment on every blog you visit?
I already know the answer. No. Not long ago I wrote
a blog post called "No Comment," where I explained
that writers wrote blogs for education, entertainment
and self-promotion. When you read those blog posts
and do not leave a comment, you let that writer down.

So many writers replied to my post! It set a new record
at the time.

The reasons for not always replying were:

1. Not enough time.
2. Didn't want to just say thanks.
3. Had nothing specific to say.

Apply that to agents and editors. They often do not
respond to your query because:

1. Not enough time to reply and take care of their current
clients.
2. Didn't want to just say no thanks.
3. Had nothing specific to say about the turn down other
than they didn't like it, and didn't have the time to
do a critique.

Sound familiar? Unless you are posting a thoughtful response
on every blog you read, don't fuss about agents and editors
not giving you a reply. Life is too busy for us to fuss
anyway.

Realize you've been rejected and move on to someone who
might just like your writing instead of wasting time angry
about the ones who don't.



Hope


THE BLOG - http://www.hopeclark.blogspot.com
TWITTER - http://twitter.com/hopeclark
FACEBOOK - http://www.facebook.com/chopeclark
ABOUT.ME - http://about.me/hopeclark

=====

THE ANNUAL FUNDSFORWRITERS CONTEST IS OPEN

The 10th Annual FundsforWriters Essay Contest seeks nonfiction
submissions. First prize $400. Five additional cash prizes.
Zero entry fee and $5 entry fee categories. Theme: Diligence.
Limit 750 words. Email submissions only.

Guidelines at www.fundsforwriters.com/annualcontest.htm 

=====

THAT TIME OF YEAR

If you enjoy FundsforWriters.com, please feel free to send
an email to writersdigest@fwmedia.com  with "101 Websites"
in the subject, and ask them to include FundsforWriters
at www.fundsforwriters.com  on their next list for 2012!

Thanks.




~~~~~~****~~~~~~

WORDS OF SUCCESS

We owe most of our great inventions and most of the achievements
of genius to idleness - either enforced or voluntary. The human
mind prefers to be spoon-fed with the thoughts of others, but
deprived of such nourishment it will, reluctantly, begin to
think for itself - and such thinking, remember, is original
thinking and may have valuable results.

~ Agatha Christie


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SUCCESS OF THE WEEK
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Dear Hope,

Here's a success story with so much Serendipity it borders
on the implausible. It also shows just how valuable a service
you provide for writers.

You may recall that last week my Small Markets newsletter
ended up in the spam file (curse you, Yahoo) and the big
market newsletter ended up in parts unknown. I emailed you
a resend request and you promptly fulfilled it.

That newsletter linked to the Edgar Allan Poe museum fundraising
anthology.

I submitted my most Poe-tic story and was rejected. I mentioned
an Ambrose Bierce story and was invited to send it, though it
was in the slush pile at Weird Tales. In a miracle of timing,
Weird Tales is undergoing a regime change and returned all
stories. Before I found this out, I wrote a fresh story for the
Spirit of Poe anthology.

Jerry at the Poe museum couldn't have been kinder or more
encouraging. Though he rejected my first submission, he mentioned
he would like to publish it in a non-Poe anthology. For Poe, he
bought the other two stories.

So that's three sales I made, all because I made sure that I
didn't miss a single copy of your wonderful newsletters. Yes,
I owe you.

In the Spirit of Poe should be published by Halloween. I
encourage your readers to support America's literary heritage.

Kind regards,
Curtis James McConnell
Temple, Texas

http://digitalsciencefiction.com/science-fiction-author-curtis-james-mcconnell/
http://www.raglitmag.com  "The Real Deal"
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0986948411



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ARTICLE
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Shoot First, Query Later

by Erika Hoffman

If you want to sell your articles, pictures help. I wrote a
piece about a seaplane trip to the Misty Fjords of Ketchikan.
Northwest Travel Magazine liked my story, but before they
bought it, they asked: Have any photos? I did. Sold!
Celebrate Life expressed interest in a story I wrote about
eldercare and my dad. "You have pictures of him and the
family?" Sure thing. Sold! Sometimes, the jpeg you send
is needed for the illustrator to use as a guide for an
accompanying sketch complementing your narrative. That was
the case when I wrote two stories for Mature Years.

I'm no professional photog. Most of the time, I use point
and shoot cameras like Cool Pix. Yet, I do know a few tips
of the trade that have made my snapshots saleable. For those
of you, who want to enhance your stories and make them more
profitable, then follow these ten hints.

1. Leading lines help a picture. Look for fences, railroad
tracks, a colonnade, or anything that an eye follows into the
distance.

2. If you're lucky enough to be toting your camera before
a storm or after a storm, you're able to create postcard
perfect likenesses. Skies are more interesting with clouds.
Overcast days are good cinematically -speaking. No shades!
No glare! Rain is even desirable!

3. When taking photos of people, look at their eyes. Get
eye level with them, especially with kids. Or squat below them
for more impact.

4. Got a too-boring vanilla sky? Crop most of it out.
Nevertheless, remember anything white gets washed out on a
bright day; therefore, be thankful for overcast days which
are superb for shooting pictures of flowers. Many photographers
use scrims (white sheets) to shield the subject from light.
Polarizing lens will reduce glare, too.

5. A main rule of thumb is the rule of thirds. Divide
your frame in thirds; the key subject is in one third of the
frame, not smack in the middle!

6. Take hordes of photos. Professionals do. They hope
for an accidentally good shot.

7. Seek out red and yellow. Grandma always said, "Red
and yellow catch a fellow." True for photos, as well. Those
colors attract the eye.

8. Use a flash in taking a close up of a person, even if
it is a bright, sunshiny day in San Diego and you don't need
a flash. Adjust the flash manually to come on. (2.8 apertures
are good for faces) No shutterbug wants panda eyes on their
model unless he's filming the panda at the San Diego Zoo!

9. Wide angle lenses are helpful if you want to get into
the shot more. Filming surfers with a wide angle makes you
feel part of the waves!

10. As to the ISO setting, you want a low ISO. "100" is
standard. The ISO setting tells how to balance light. The
longer the shutter speed, the better the color. Hold your
camera steady. Tripods are great but cumbersome for tourists
taking in sights so use your knee, a wall, or hand to balance
the camera.

If inspiration for a storyline escapes you, take your camera
on a trip and start shooting! You will learn what interests
you as you start examining your environs for photo subjects.
Sometimes, the picture comes first and then the story! Look
through a family album and you'll find stories to write! So
be a double threat to the media world: a writer who can also
create a Kodak Moment!

BIO:
Erika Hoffman has written many non-fiction narratives that
appear in several editions of Chicken Soup for the Soul, A
Cup of Comfort, Patchwork Path, Whispering Angels Anthologies,
and others. She also writes inspirational pieces for religious
magazines like Mature Years, true tales for women's magazines
like Sasee, and travel pieces. One novel of hers has been
published under a nom de plume, Riki Vogel. Its name is Secrets,
Lies, and Grace. A second novel is with her publisher now. She
also likes to fancy herself the next Erma Bombeck!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
COMPETITIONS
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CHILDREN'S CHAPTER BOOK COMPETITION
http://www.nawe.co.uk/DB/jobs-and-opportunities/childrens-chapter-book-competition.html
---
£20 ENTRY FEE
Deadline November 30, 2011. Judging the competition is Shelley
Instone, Children's Editor at Eve White: Literary Agency.
The winner of the Children's Chapter Book Competition will
win £500 plus Shelley will review their full manuscript before
passing it on to a leading literary agent. Send the first three
chapters, a one page synopsis, the word count, a brief author
biography, contact details and a list of chapter titles if
appropriate.

=====

2011-2012 CLAUDER COMPETITION
http://www.portlandstage.org/Page.45.Clauder+Competition
---
NO NOTE OF ENTRY FEE
The Clauder Competition is a playwriting award hosted by PORTLAND
STAGE and open to all New England playwrights. Plays must be full-
length, with a running time between one and three hours. Plays must
require no more than 8 actors to perform. All submissions must be
postmarked by March 1, 2012. Playwrights must currently live or
attend school in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire,
Rhode Island, or Vermont. This residency requirement may be waived
in cases where the material has significant relevance to New England
AND where the playwright has previously lived in New England for a
considerable period of time.

Clauder Grand Prize: a $2,500 cash award, and a workshop production
followed by a full production at Portland Stage during 2013 season.

Gold Prizes: $600 cash awards each, plus a workshop production at
Portland Stage.

Additional prizes will also be awarded to the best play from each
of the six New England states.

=====

THE MALAHAT REVIEW'S 2012 OPEN SEASON AWARDS
http://www.malahatreview.ca/contests/open_season/info.html
---
ENTRY FEE:
$35 CAD for Canadians
$40 USD for entries from the USA
$45 USD for entries from elsewhere
(entry fee includes a one-year subscription to the magazine)

Deadline: November 1, 2011. Prize: $1000 in each of three
categories. Writers of all levels are encouraged to enter.
One entry consists of either:
Poetry: up to three poems (100 lines max. each)
Short fiction: 1 story, 2,500 words max.
Creative nonfiction: 1 story, 2,500 words max.
(you are welcome to enter in more than one category, but the
full entry fee must be paid per entry)



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GRANTS
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NATIONAL ARTS COUNCIL OF SOUTH AFRICA
http://www.nac.org.za/funding/literature
---
Individuals; institutions; community groups and organizations
are eligible for funding. Types of projects considered:

Creative writing (writing and research grants, including
autobiographies, novels, short stories, children's literature);
Literary festivals and conferences; Poetry by established writers;
Commissioned research; Literary magazines; Story telling;
Residency programmes; Workshops (submit names and CV's of
facilitators, list of participants and detailed content of
the workshop); Publishing subsidies for publishing houses.
Individual writers needing publishing assistance need to
apply via a publishing house. Categories not funded include
costs such as running costs of organizations, seed funding,
recording, music instruments, purchasing of equipment,
infrastructure and capital costs.

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ING UNSUNG HEROES GRANTS
http://ing.us/about-ing/citizenship/childrens-education/ing-unsung-heroes
---
Are you an educator with a class project that is short on
funding but long on potential? Do you know a teacher looking
for grant dollars? ING Unsung Heroes® could help you turn
great ideas into reality for students.

Each year, 100 educators are selected to receive $2,000 to
help fund their innovative class projects. Three of those are
chosen to receive the top awards of an additional $5,000,
$10,000 and $25,000. Applications for the 2012 awards are due
by April 30, 2012.

NOTE: Get together with a teacher and pitch YOUR project to
her, to aid her/his class in winning this award.

=====

WOMEN'S INDEPENDENCE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
http://www.wispinc.org/Programs/WISP/tabid/62/Default.aspx
---
The Women's Independence Scholarship Program (WISP) was created
in 1999 to help formerly battered women overcome barriers to
the education necessary for their becoming employable and
financially stable. The primary intent is to help single mothers
with young children who have the greatest financial challenges
(childcare costs, etc.) to gain work skills so they can support
their families. Our funds target women who are in desperate
financial situations and absolutely must have both an education
and our funds to assist them. Limited to US citizens.


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FREELANCE MARKETS
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CONVENIENCE DISTRIBUTION
http://www.awmanet.org/page/convenience-distribution-%E2%84%A2-writers-guide
---
The magazine is primarily targeted toward distributors of
candy, tobacco, snacks, general merchandise, health and
beauty care products, beverages, foodservice items, and
more. We often refer to these readers as "convenience
distributors." Convenience stores are the largest customer
base of our readers. However, our distributor audience also
serves grocery stores, drugstores, newsstands, institutions,
tobacco shops, gift shops, delis, restaurants, mass merchants,
fundraising organizations and many other outlets. Pays 50 cents
a word for experienced writers. New writers may receive a lower
rate to be determined by the editor in chief.

=====

CONVENTION SOUTH
http://www.conventionsouth.com/contact/about_us.htm
http://www.conventionsouth.com/contact.htm
---
ConventionSouth provides invaluable how-to features, keeping
meeting planners up-to-date with destination profiles, meeting
news, trade show venue information, meeting planner profiles
and more--everything they need to get the most out of events
they hold in the South!

NOTE: They offer a free subscription.

=====

COUNTRY BUSINESS
http://www.country-business.com/magazine/submissions.aspx
---
Note the editorial calendar. Country Business offers valuable,
can't-live-without information for any specialty retailer.
Every issue is packed with expert advice, new products, top
trends and more. Even if country is only a small part of your
business, you'll still find useful tips and articles that
pertain to any retail operation--everything from marketing
and display ideas to finance and legal matters.



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


JOURNALIST IN RESIDENCE
Location Murfreesboro, TN
http://www.higheredjobs.com/details.cfm?JobCode=175558751
---
The successful applicant should have a nationally recognized
reputation in journalism and the ability to help direct the
educational, research and outreach programs of the school in
print, digital, video and online journalism. A candidate who
has professional contacts in the Tennessee media market is a
plus. Responsibilities of the Journalist in Residence include
classroom instruction in editing and writing for media and
enhancing programs involving the school's contributions to
newspapers and magazines, broadcasting, online, advertising
and public relations.

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WEB WRITER
Location New York, NY
http://www.idealist.org/view/job/BB9n4DGFstW4/
---
World Education Services (WES) is a non-profit organization
working in the field of international education and credential
evaluation.WES is seeking an interim web writer/consultant
(3-6 month assignment) with exceptional talent in writing
informational, instructional and marketing copy for global
websites.

=====

WRITER-ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Location Montgomery, AL
http://www.topschooljobs.org/jobseekerx/viewjobrss.asp?cjid=41859&accountno=62643
---
The Southern Poverty Law Center is seeking a Writer/Associate
Editor for its award-winning education project, Teaching
Tolerance. The project is dedicated to helping K-12 teachers
promote equity and respect in the classroom and beyond. The
project publishes a semiannual magazine distributed at no
charge to over 450,000 educators, produces free multimedia
curriculum packages, and operates a website, www.tolerance.org.
Teaching Tolerance magazine has won more than twenty EdPress
awards; the project's documentary films have been nominated
for three Academy Awards. The Writer/Associate Editor will
write blogs, articles, emails and web copy; copyedit and fact-
check print and online publications, conduct research and work
closely with the TT team. The ideal candidate has both editorial
and educational experience and is committed to anti-racism and
anti-bias education.


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


UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS PRESS
http://www.uapress.com/geninfo/guidelines.html
---
The University of Arkansas Press publishes books in U.S.
history, southern history, African American history, civil
rights studies, Civil War in the West, Middle East studies,
sport history, and Arkansas and regional studies.

=====

OOLIGAN PRESS
http://ooligan.pdx.edu/?page_id=49
---
Ooligan seeks to publish the finest works of literary, cultural,
and social value. We publish a wide variety of books, including
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and books for young adults (we aim
to publish one young adult book and one work of poetry each year).
We gladly accept submissions from writers living in the Pacific
Northwest, writers whose work has a strong Pacific Northwest
connection, and writers within the Portland State University
community.

=====

PALARI PUBLISHING
http://www.palaribooks.com/index.asp?page_value=Submission%20Guidelines
---
Hardcover and trade paperback originals. Specialties are Virginia/
regional, nonfiction, mystery, and memoirs. We seek writers on the
cutting edge of ideas who do not write in clichés.




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



 

JUST A CONTEST
http://www.justacontest.com/

Your one-stop-shop for writing contests.
Sign up for our newsletter.

 

=====

Call for Entries: Poets & Writers!

Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest.

Write a poem, 30 lines or fewer on any subject or write a short story,
5 pages maximum length on any theme, single or double-line spacing,
neatly hand printed or typed.

Writing First Prize: $500, 2nd: $125; 3rd: $100

Poetry First Prize: $250, 2nd: $125; 3rd: $50.

Entry fees: $5 per poem, $10 per story.

Postmark deadline: December 31, 2011.

Visit http://www.dreamquestone.com  for details and enter!

=====

THE MISSOURI REVIEW'S EDITORS' PRIZE
Over $15,000 in Prizes

Postmark Deadline: October 1

Submit your best poetry, fiction, or nonfiction. Winners
in each genre receive $5,000, a featured publication in
our spring issue, and a trip to Columbia, MO for a gala
reading and reception. Three finalists in each genre
receive cash prizes and will also be considered for
publication. $20 contest fee includes a one-year
subscription to The Missouri Review.

Entries must be previously unpublished and will not be
returned. Please include no more than 25 typed, double-
spaced pages for fiction and nonfiction. Poetry entries
can include any number of poems up to 10 pages in total.
Each story, essay, or group of poems constitutes one
entry. Submit online or by mail. Please visit the website
at http://www.missourireview.com  for complete guidelines.

=====




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




=====

WHY ADVERTISE IN FUNDSFORWRITERS?

For my first advertising for my fledgling 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 

=====

ANOTHER FANTASTIC REASON TO ADVERTISE IN FUNDSFORWRITERS

Chalet Publishers, LLC, ran an ad ONE TIME in announcing we
were currently accepting submissions. It had been exactly 24
hours since the newsletter and the ad were distributed. Queries,
chapters, entire manuscripts --- the influx has just now slowed
down. We received way over forty responses to our ad, and they
are still pouring in.  (BTW, this is a very good problem!). Just
wanted to let you know we think you and your newsletter rock!
It's just amazing and lets us know just how loyal your fans are.

Joyce Norman,
Chalet Publishers, LLC
http://www.chaletpublishers.com

=====

WORLDWIDE FREELANCE WRITER

We're in the business of writing. For 10 years we've been
helping freelance writers to find paying markets. Please
browse our free database of 750 markets or join Markets
Plus and 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


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