Our red crape myrtle is much more vivid than this picture
shows. Crape myrtles are one of my favorite summer flowers.
I guess it's a close match to zinnias and gardenias . . .
and I have all three, of course! Took this pic before hitting
the road to Nashville. Hope to see some of you at the
Killer Nashville conference.

Editor: C. Hope Clark
Website: http://www.fundsforwriters.com
Email: Hope@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
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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

=====


IF I CAN'T FIND A PUBLISHER, I'LL JUST SELF-PUBLISH

I've heard that three times this week, and it makes me cringe.
"JUST self-publish" as if it's the option of last resort. That's
more like saying, "If I can't write romance, I'll write sci-fi."
One should have nothing to do with the other.

You have many publishing options, but deciding one over the
other because you can't succeed is a rather defeatist stance.
Starting off with an attitude that you settled for something
less than you originally wanted is starting off the race ten
feet behind the line-up of contenders.

Go for the gold, baby.

Of course, the "gold" is defined by you.

If you want to be traditionally published, then don't stop
until you are. "But it might take years, and it might never
happen, and then I'll never have a book out there," you say.
Then your goal ISN'T to be traditionally published. You
just want a book out there, and how it's published isn't
such a deep burning question, is it?

If you want to be traditionally published, then keep pitching.
Chances are, however, that those rejections mean your work
needs . . . work. Rewrite if you have to do it 47 times. Make
that rewriting and repitching effort never ending, as if THAT'S
your job . . . to make the book perfect. In your earnest effort,
you might find yourself ultimately accepted, contracted and
published.

Now . . . if you want to self-publish, then do it with grand
style. You did not settle for it. You embraced it, made love
to it, promised your first born to it. You decided that self-
publishing suited you, your style, your book, your world,
your readers. It's who you are. You provide your best work,
then you don the hat of publisher, distributor, and entrepreneur.

And you do not whine about which choice you made. That's like
choosing a wife and then complaining about her bad habits more
than appreciating her love.

Be proud. Be confident. Be positive and progressive in your
writing and publishing. A writer hesitantly moving forward
is not a writer a reader wants to experience. Remember, if a
reader loves the writing, he then gravitates to loving the
writer, and if you aren't dynamic enough to embrace him
back with confidence and style, there are many others who will.

Writing is hard work. Publishing is harder. Own it.

Hope

AUTHOR SITE - http://www.chopeclark.com
THE BLOG - http://www.chopeclark.com/blog
TWITTER - http://twitter.com/hopeclark
FACEBOOK - http://www.facebook.com/chopeclark
ABOUT.ME - http://about.me/hopeclark
GOODREADS - http://www.goodreads.com/hopeclark 
PINTEREST - http://pinterest.com/chopeclark/

=====

 

LOWCOUNTRY BRIBE !

The Carolina Slade Mystery Series is live with its premier
book Lowcountry Bribe. Welcome to the world of Carolina Slade.

She's a simple government employee offered a bribe.
She follows the rules and tells the authorities.
Then all hell breaks loose because she did.

Learn more at http://www.chopeclark.com

Available at Amazon, Bell Bridge Books, B&N, Books-a-Million,
Kobo and independent bookstores.

=====


SIGN UP FOR MORE FUNDSFORWRITERS. . .

TOTAL FundsforWriters is our largest newsletters - 75 markets,
contests, grants, publishers, agents and jobs for writers.
Just envision FundsforWriters, only five times larger.
Delivered biweekly to you by email. $15/year for 26 issues.

www.fundsforwriters.com/total.htm 

(Free w/ proof of purchase of Lowcountry Bribe.)


=====

YOU SAID IT!!!

THE LATEST COMMENT ABOUT LOWCOUNTRY BRIBE....

Suspenseful seems too tame a description for this page-turner.
Set in South Carolina's low country, the novel with its well-
developed cast of characters and their goings-on held my interest
from the first moment I met Carolina Slade until the spellbinding
end when she spent a harrowing few hours with a couple of hog
farming brothers.

Just when you think you've figured it out and that all is well,
Clark throws another surprise or two into the mystery. While
the novel doesn't have a fairy tale, happy-ever-after ending,
the ending is believable, and the reader comes away knowing that
Slade is one tough gal whose life can only get better.

As a South Carolinian, I've often driven the two lane roads of
the lowcountry. Now, I'll see roadside scenery in a totally
different light and wonder what secrets lurk there.

~Jayne P. Bowers, South Carolina, Amazon Reviewer



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

WORDS OF SUCCESS

"All writing is difficult. The most you can hope for is
a day when it goes reasonably easily. Plumbers don't get
plumber's block, and doctors don't get doctor's block;
why should writers have the only profession that gives a
special name to the difficulty of working, and then
expect sympathy.”

~Philip Pullman





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

Hi Mrs. Clark.

You don't know me, but I was introduced to your website/
newsletters/etc., by a friend and I have been inspired!
When she first sent me to your website, she said "Sign
up for the newsletters! You won't regret it!" And she was
so right!

I have been working on a novel idea for two years through
NaNoWriMo. At the end of the month, I was never happy with
where the story was going. Writing became hard for me, and
I nearly gave up. One morning, I was sifting through my
emails and found one of your articles that changed my focus.
Submitting my short stories to contests may be the way to get
my foot in the door. I finally got the courage to submit one
of my short stories (less than 1000 words) to a small publisher
of an anthology contest. Last week, I received the contract
for the story to be published! I will receive $25 and a free
copy of the book. It's such a small step to some writers -
who will read an anthology right? But I'm over the moon about
it because something I wrote will be in print with my name on it!

I just can't say thank you enough for the encouragement! Your
articles have encouraged me, and because of this first step,
I'm writing my novel again and other short stories. You have
been a blessing and a beacon of hope to me.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart,
Kristyn Phipps
Conover, NC


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


NOTE:
We are deviating from the normal article this week. Marcella
wrote me about her choice to write in spite of circumstances,
and I allowed her to share. Some of you may relate. ~Hope


Finding Time to Write is Hard

By Marcella Simmons

Finding the time is one of the hardest parts of being a writer -
at least for me anyway. I work days part time, and have a young
nine-month-old grand son living with me who requires 99.5 % of
my free time when I'm home. Writing is just that little thing I
do on the side, when there is extra time between naps!

Everyday, in between loading the dishwasher and making the bed,
in between feedings and nap time, I find ten or twenty minutes to
jot down ideas or write in my journal.

Church starts this morning in little over an hour and Baby Kendray
is napping so while the dishwasher is whining and the dryer is
buzzing, I am making use of what few minutes I have to spare.
Since there are several writing projects saved on my computer
desktop, these few minutes are used to make editorial changes,
jot down ideas and read a few articles about writing - my inspiration.
I even had a few minutes to work on this particular article about
finding time to write.

There are times when my mind is exhausted after a hard day at
work and then coming home to a little one. I either watch a little
television or just take it easy until I can find the energy to
write.

Starting a new family wasn't in my plans a few years ago but when
my daughter gave birth to Baby Kendray and realized three weeks
after he was born that she didn't really want him, it was my
grandmotherly duty to step in and adopt him. Having met him and
loving him from day one wasn't hard to do. How she gave him up
without second thoughts is beyond me, but there is a little more
to this story than is being told. All I can say is that the
situation my daughter found herself in wasn't good and yes, drugs
were involved - it was either take him in or the State would take
him and I couldn't see that happening, especially when it was
someone I cared so much for. His mother has little to do with him
now except during supervised visits once a week. His sperm donor
has no contact with him whatsoever.

But now that Kendray is a part of my life, I schedule my writing
time around him. Sometimes I write while he is in my lap! The
truth is, he just gave me more to write about! My journal is
filled with pages about Kendray - about his new tooth, when he
started crawling, and how he makes me laugh. There are so many
new ideas to write about - it's just finding the time to write
that is the hard part - or making myself write when I don't even
feel like moving a single muscle!

Make use of every free minute you can use to write. Have an idea,
jot it down. Ponder it in your mind until you're ready to write.
When you sit down to write, the idea is there - all you have to
do is take that idea and write the thoughts you had in your mind -
turn it into a poem, a story or an article. The most important
thing to remember is that finding time to write is hard work,
but once it is written, you can make into a workable piece of
art. Never let an idea go without jotting it down even if it's
no more than a short sentence. That sentence could turn into a
saleable story!

Good luck in all your writing endeavors!

BIO
Marcella has been writing for many years. She is working on
several romance suspense novels and is an active member of
the Shreveport Writer's Club (Shreveport, LA).
http://RomanceSuspenceBookProject.homestead.com/



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


2012 RROFIHE TROPHY
http://www.anderbo.com/anderbo1/no-fee-rrofihe-trophy2012.html
---
NO ENTRY FEE
For an unpublished short story. Submit 3,500 to 5,000 words.
Winner Receives: $500, trophy, announcement and publication on
anderbo.com. Deadline December 31, 2012.

=====

THE INAUGURAL THOMAS MORTON MEMORIAL PRIZE IN LITERARY EXCELLENCE
http://www.puritan-magazine.com/submissions.php
---
$10 CAD ENTRY FEE
Recognizes the single best piece of short fiction and poetry
submitted to The Puritan. Submissions will be read and judged
by the editors of The Puritan in a double-blind judging process.
Fiction submissions are capped at 12,000 words, and submissions
of poetry must be no longer than 3 pages in length. Deadline
September 30, 2012, and the winner will be announced in October.
The winners will receive a prize of $650 for best fiction and
$350 for best poem, and approximately $500 worth of books for
both winners! Titles come from Chaudiere Books, Coach House Books,
Cormorant Books, ECW Press, Freehand Books, Goose Lane Editions,
Insomniac Press, Mansfield Press, Pedlar Press, and Tightrope
Books!

=====

AMES ESSAY AWARD
http://www.literal-latte.com
---
$10 ENTRY FEE
Deadline September 15, 2012. A prize of $1,000 and publication
in Literal Latté is given annually for a personal essay. Submit
an essay of up to 8,000 words by September 15, 2012.



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


MASSACHUSETTS ARTIST FELLOWSHIPS PROGRAM
http://www.massculturalcouncil.org/applications/fellowsapp.asp
---
We are pleased to announce the launch of the 2013 Artist
Fellowships Program. MCC's Artist Fellowships are competitive,
anonymously-judged grants for individual artists, with awards
based solely on the artistic excellence of the original work
submitted. The 2013 Artist Fellowships Program accepts
applications in the following categories:

Crafts, Dramatic Writing, and Sculpture/Installation
Online applications available now
Application deadline: October 1, 2012

Film & Video, Music Composition, and Photography
Online applications available: December 15, 2012
Application deadline: January 28, 2013

=====

MAPFUND
http://apply.mapfund.org/guidelines_fiscal.php
---
The MAP Fund grant is awarded to nonprofit organizations, as
opposed to individuals. However, individual artists and
unincorporated ensembles may apply to MAP through a Fiscal
Sponsor. Fiscal Sponsorship is a financial arrangement by
which a nonprofit organization provides a legal umbrella to
an independent artist, making that artist eligible for a
greater scope of funding. Sponsorship is usually provided
in exchange for a fee from the artists, and often includes
a range of other services such as professional development
and networking opportunities. MAP requires that applicants
demonstrate a sound and legal arrangement between artists
and their fiscal sponsors, and that a mutually signed contract
between artists and fiscal sponsor be submitted with a Letter
of Inquiry application.

=====

FRACTURED ATLAS
http://www.fracturedatlas.org/site/fiscal/apply_instructions
---
Fiscal Sponsorship can help you raise money to support your
work. Insurance for everything from health care to public art
to film production and more. Artful.ly is online software to
manage your tickets, contacts, and more. Fractured U. provides
continuing education for the D.I.Y. artist. International Artist
Visas may come easier with a letter of consultation.

Fractured Atlas supports fiscally sponsored projects that are
consistent with our IRS-approved charitable mission. Projects
must be artistic in nature and may not be produced solely for
commercial gain. The term "project" is used very broadly, and
may refer to a one-time project, an ongoing group or company,
or even the work and career of an individual artist.


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


LIVING BIRD
http://birds.cornell.edu/page.aspx?pid=1644
---
A publication for members of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology,
a nonprofit dedicated to educating the public on birds.
Covers bird behavior, habitat, research, conservation, art,
and profiles. Articles are 2,000 words and pay around $350.
Note that this publication is largely open to freelance
submissions with 80 percent of the pieces being freelance.

=====

MICHIGAN HISTORY
http://www.hsmichigan.org/publications/michigan-history-magazine/contribute/
---
Edited for history buffs as well as history professionals,
it features stories of all kinds from Michigan’s colorful past.
Within its pages, all the classic topics of our history are
represented such as logging, mining, manufacturing, and military
engagements—as well as subjects like Michigan art and architecture,
our musical heritage, sports legends, and shipwrecks, among others.
About 50 manuscripts are accepted for publication each year.
Limit your manuscript to 2,500 words or less (1,000 words for
a “Remember the Time” essay) and send with other requested
materials to majher@hsmichigan.org . Pays $200 to $400.

=====

THE MOUNTAIN ASTROLOGER
http://www.mountainastrologer.com/standards/w_guide.html
---
Each issue has a student section, articles by and for professional
astrologers, a forecast section, daily aspects, the astrology of
world events, astrological data and more. Query letters should be
one to three pages maximum — and be very specific about the
proposed topic, estimated length (in words or characters-plus-
spaces, not pages), and charts or illustrations to be included.
We also print short anecdotal material, chart interpretation tips,
and other material of interest in our “Article Particles” section.
Pays $100 to $400 for articles of varying length. Nothing specific
on word count. Loves artwork with submissions.


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


SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
Location Washington DC
http://www.higheredjobs.com/details.cfm?JobCode=175660592
---
WAMU 88.5 is seeking a temporary Senior News Editor/Newscasts.
At the direction of the News Director, the Senior News Editor/
Newscasts helps lead WAMU’s editorial mission to provide
contextual, significant and thoughtful broadcast journalism
which distinguishes quality public radio, and helps our
listeners to both participate, and make informed decisions,
in the democratic process.

=====

UNIVERSITY WRITER AND EDITOR
Location Boca Raton, FL
http://www.higheredjobs.com/search/details.cfm?JobCode=175659659&Title=University%20Writer%20and%20Editor
---
Florida Atlantic University seeks an enthusiastic individual
to serve as the university writer and editor. Reporting to the
Director of Marketing and Creative Services in the Division of
Community Engagement, this position is part of a cohesive,
professional team that supports the marketing and communications
needs of the university. S/he works with the Director in
developing and implementing creative content ideas to support
the university's marketing and promotional efforts.

=====

WRITER-EDITOR
Location Boston, MA
http://www.higheredjobs.com/search/details.cfm?JobCode=175659051&Title=Writer%2FEditor
---
The Writer/Editor participates in the planning, writing and
editing of a variety of enrollment-related marketing and
communications vehicles, including print collateral, web copy,
interactive platform copy, targeted email and formal letters,
social media and the like.



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


ROBERT LECKER AGENCY
http://www.leckeragency.com/
---
RLA specializes in books about entertainment, music, popular
culture, popular science, intellectual and cultural history,
food, and travel. However, we are open to any idea that is
original and well presented. We are also receptive to books
written by academics that can attract a broad range of readers.

=====

PAUL S. LEVINE
http://www.paulslevinelit.com/
---
The vast majority of Paul S. Levine’s clients come to him as
new, previously unpublished, or self-published authors. Levine
has a keen understanding of industry strategy and has the
editorial contacts required to ensure his success as both a
literary agent and entertainment law attorney, and is thus
able to offer his clients a comprehensive range of publishing
or literary attorney services.

Fiction - Adventure, Business/Commerce, Children/Juvenile/
Young Adult, Mainstream, Mystery, Politics/Law, Romance,
Thrillers, Women’s Fiction

Non-Fiction – Business/Commerce,Children/Juvenile/Young Adult,
Contemporary/Popular Culture, How-To/ Self-Help, Politics/Law,
Relationships, Sports

=====

LIMELIGHT CELEBRITY MANAGEMENT
http://www.limelightmanagement.com/
---
We are a Celebrity Management company and Literary Agency
based in the heart of London and we focus on lifestyle subjects
and experts. We are Agents for TV celebrities, broadcasters,
writers, journalists, celebrity speakers and media personalities,
after dinner speakers and motivational speakers who are
specialists in the fields of food, drink, horticulture and
garden design, antiques and history, business, health, beauty,
and interior design.

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

C. Hope Clark will be attending and serve as part of the faculty. Come say hi!

=====



 

CALL FOR ENTRIES

Shelf Unbound Writing Competition for Best Self-Published Book.

Winner will be featured in December/January 2013 issue and will
receive a year of full-page ads in Shelf Unbound.

Details here:
http://www.shelfmediagroup.com/pages/competition.html


=====

 

ONE-NIGHT CLASS - COASTAL GEORGIA CENTER - DOWNTOWN SAVANNAH

Tuesday, October 2
6PM-9PM
Freelance Writing 101

If you're interested in creating a lucrative cache of writing
credits in magazines and growing your writers platform, then
this workshop is for you. What will you learn?

How to break into feature writing with very little or no clips.
Where to start in choosing the right market.
Where to find the appropriate editors' contact information.
How to create compelling query letters.

Take home a dozen query letters that were successful in achieving
publications in national markets such as Draft ("America's
Favorite Beer Magazine"), GO (AirTran Airways' in-flight magazine)
and Dog Fancy, to localized pieces for The Durham News. Workshop
to be hosted by Tara Lynne Groth. She started freelance writing
five years ago with no connections in the publishing industry.
Her writing business consistently outgrew itself and she resigned
from her salaried job in 2010 to run her writing business.

Advance registration required
Register at www.taralynnegroth.com 
$65 per person

Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/events/263724337076178/

 

=====

HIRE AN AWARD WINNING DESIGNER/AUTHOR TO DEVELOP YOUR WEBSITES

Shaila Abdullah has over a decade of experience designing websites
for authors. Being an author herself, she understands the industry,
and will provide you with a content management website that reflects
your unique style, genre, and personality. Other design services
such as book covers & interiors, marketing materials, and email
campaigns (newsletters, announcements, etc.) also available.

E-mail Shaila: info@myhouseofdesign.com
View portfolio: http://myhouseofdesign.com/authors.html

Testimonial from Yvonne Pesquera, writer and subscriber of FFW
http://yvonnepesquera.com/ 

“Nothing stands in Shaila's way. From my design requests to
technological needs--Shaila had a creative solution to offer
at every turn. I value her design services as a trusted part
of my business plan. Thank you, Shaila!”
 

=====


 

Your huge pretty ad could be right here.
FundsforWriters readers are loyal and read these ads.
See our testimonials at http://www.fundsforwriters.com/adrates.htm 



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

Please forward the newsletter in its entirety. To reprint
any editorials, contact hope@fundsforwriters.com  for permission.
Please do not assume that acknowledgements listed in your
publication is considered a valid right to publish.



C. Hope Clark
E-mail: hope@fundsforwriters.com

140-A Amicks Ferry Road #4
Chapin, SC 29036

http://www.fundsforwriters.com

Copyright 2000-2012, C. Hope Clark
ISSN: 1533-1326


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