FundsforWriters - September 27, 2013

Published: Fri, 09/27/13

Volume 13, Issue 39 | September 27, 2013

Message from the Editor

Smartphone shot of the Mighty Roo, as we call her. Took 15 pictures to land one with me smiling and her not a blurred tongue, butt or back of her head. She's as demanding as a toddler these days, often right in the middle of a chapter, of course.

Editor, FundsforWriters
Email Hope | Visit Website
Newsletter: ISSN: 1533-1326
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Editor’s THOUGHTS

APPRECIATING THE DIFFERENCE

Many of my FundsforWriters readers did not realize I was a mystery novelist writing late at night after I'd finished composing FundsforWriters material. Nonfiction and fiction. Who does that? Don't they contradict each other?

Actually, a serious writer delves outside his routine path. And a good writer can write in most genres. Of course he'll write better in one over another if for no other reason than he prefers a specific category. But he has the skills to write what is asked of him.

In other words, if his words were the only means to put food on the table, he'd write anything beautifully.

You've seen adult fiction authors break out of the norm and pen a YA or children's story. You've seen JK Rowling break out of YA and do adult suspense. Many authors pen magazine features for an income while struggling with their novels at night, like I did for years.

Frankly, if an author has worked hard enough to make a name for himself in one genre, he'll most likely perform in the switch genre. I had a literary review editor and college professor compliment me one time after hearing me do an open reading of Lowcountry Bribe, my first mystery. I explained it was my first work of fiction and I specialized in nonfiction. He said something I'll never forget: It didn't matter what I wrote before, because whatever it was had taught me how to mesh words together well.

I'm not a poet, and I have no inclination to ever be one. That also means I rarely read poetry. However, when I heard that Robert Lee Brewer, an editor with Writer's Digest, had a poetry book recently released via Press 53 publishing, I ordered it. I know Robert from conferences, online events, and by writing for him when he wears his Writer's Digest hat. I knew his work ethic and his love for what we all do. So I bought his book. It's beautiful. It's lovely. It's thought-provoking. I enjoy reading his poetry in his chapbook entitled Solving the World's Problems. (Check out http://robertleebrewer.blogspot.com/ - highly recommended.)

If you are worried that writing for magazines so you can eat will detract from your goal to compose a brilliant sci-fi novel, get over it. Each word you write makes you better. And each advancement empowers you as a writer, any kind of writer. If you have to make a name for yourself in one area to earn a living, do so, then use that name to springboard the writing you love.

Writing is putting one word in front of the other, and all of them get you somewhere.

~HOPE

WORDS OF SUCCESS

Love what you do and do what you love.

- Ray Bradbury -

The Carolina Slade Mystery Series
http://www.chopeclark.com/

On Tidewater Murder: Terrific. Smart, knowing, clever…and completely original. A taut, high-tension page-turned—in a unique and fascinating setting. An absolute winner! ~Hank Phillippi Ryan, Agatha, Anthony and Macavity winning author

On Lowcountry Bribe: With a story that moves so fast you are sure to get a case of literary whiplash, LOWCOUNTRY BRIBE is almost impossible to put down. Written with grace and ferocity, I for one can hardly wait for a second helping of this unpredictably un-pretentious and hard-scrabble down-home gal. ~Rachel Gladstone, Dish Magazine

Purchase any of Hope's books and receive a one-year subscription to TOTAL FFW free. Send receipt to hope@fundsforwriters.com

Success Story

Dear Hope,

I just wanted to say thanks for your weekly email and to share some good news. Back in May you included information concerning the Whidbey Writers Workshop MFA Alumni Association's Emerging Writers Contest. I submitted my young adult sci-fi novel and am a top ten finalist!

http://www.whidbeymfaalumni.org/?page_id=1154

If it hadn't been for you, I'd have never known about this contest. I really appreciate you sharing with us every week. My novel may never be published, but this sure was affirmation that my writing is improving!

God bless, JULIANA M. JONES http://julianamjones.weebly.com

featured article

A HOMEGROWN WRITING RETREAT

By Elizabeth Creith

Ah, the writers' retreat! A four-star hotel with room service, or maybe just an idyllic cabin in the woods, with meals delivered on tippy-toe so as not to disturb the Muse. What you couldn't get done in such an environment – provided you can afford the fees and travel costs, and make it past the waiting list.

If you can't, don't despair. For the last six years my writers' group has held three or four retreats a year: spring, summer, fall and sometimes also winter. It's simple, inexpensive, and very, very effective.

Most of us who attend the retreats write daily, and professionally. The retreats allow us to kick-start a new project or make major progress on an existing one. Here's what you need for your own retreat:

==At least three writers committed to showing up all three days. Four, five or six reduces the work per person. More than that would probably be unwieldy.

==A space big enough for everyone to write in, with facilities for meals. Ours is the living room in the home of two of our writers. You might also be able to use a church hall or some other community space that has a kitchen.

==A meal plan. Ours is done a week ahead so everyone knows what meals they'll be responsible for. Meals are scheduled: breakfast 8 a.m., lunch 1 p.m., supper 6 p.m. They're also simple, and as much as possible, made ahead. The person responsible for the next meal cleans up from the last one, which means you know where you put the cheese grater or the big spoon. We try to keep breakfast and lunch self-serve, and gather for conversation and readings at dinner.

==A project, and whatever research materials, notes or so on you require, plus your writing tools of choice.

We list food sensitivities and dislikes on the meal plan. We also ban television, movies, radio, phone calls and music except with headphones. Visitors are discouraged, and any conversation has to be away from the writing area. Alcohol comes out only in moderation with dinner, where we read aloud from the day's work and cheer each other on.

Three of us are hard-core and attend every day of every retreat. Three or four others regularly show up for a day or two (with a meal and cleanup). The work is minimal – at worst, one meal and one cleanup per day. It's not unusual to have a day on which you're not responsible for any kitchen work.

As for cost, I live fifteen miles from the retreat location and usually do two meals and provide some snacks (fruit, nuts or biscotti, plus dark chocolate). My total costs for the weekend are $60-$80 in gas and food. If my friends' guest room is available, it's less than that.

Results? They can be amazing. I regularly get two weeks' worth of writing done in three days. I've polished a manuscript for publication, written 80 percent of a non-fiction book and ploughed through more pages than I can remember. My colleagues have had similar results.

While it's my daily writing practice that keeps me productive and sharp, the retreats help me remember that there are others out there sharing this creative life. I come out of a retreat refreshed and re- committed. The camaraderie eases the usual loneliness of the writer's work, the feedback warms the heart. And the production doesn't hurt, either.

BIO

Elizabeth Creith lives and writes in Wharncliffe, Northern Ontario, distracted occasionally by her dog, cats and husband. Her memoir Shepherd in Residence was published in 2012 by Scrivener Press. Elizabeth is currently working on the second book of a young-adult fantasy trilogy. She blogs about writing, art and life at http://ecreith.com .

competitions

NCW POETRY CONTEST

http://northerncoloradowriters.com/upcoming-events-mainmenu-133/writing-contests/307-2012-writing-contests.html --- $20 ENTRY FEE. NCW is hosting its 3rd annual nationwide Poetry competition. Prizes are 1st: $1,000; 2nd: $250; 3rd: $100. Winners, honorable mentions, and editor's picks will be published in and receive a free copy of the winners' anthology, Pooled Ink: Celebrating the 2013 NCW Contest Winners. Up to 250 lines per poem, submit up to 3 poems per entry fee. Final judge is David Mason. See website for submission guidelines.

PERMAFROST BOOK PRIZE IN POETRY

http://permafrostmag.com/contests/1st-annual-permafrost-book-prize-in-poetry/ --- $20 ENTRY FEE. The Permafrost Book Prize in Poetry offers publication of a book length collection of poems, $1,000, and distribution through University of Alaska Press. The Permafrost Book Prize in Poetry welcomes manuscripts from any writer, including non-US citizens, writing in English. Deadline November 15, 2013. We prefer that manuscripts are at least 50 pages long.

MAGMA POETRY CONTEST

http://magmapoetry.com/magma-competition-2013-2/ --- ENTRY FEE £5 for the first poem, £4 for the second and £3 for the third. The entry period opens on 16 October 2013 and closes on 12 December 2013. The competition has two contests:

Magma Judge’s Prize For a poem of 13 to 80 lines. First Prize £1,000 Second Prize £300 Third Prize £150

Magma Editors’ Prize This celebrates the short poem and is open to poems of up to 12 lines. First prize £1,000 Second Prize £300 Plus 10 Special Mentions £15 each

As part of the prize, all 15 winners will have their poems published in our Spring Issue 2014 and be invited to read alongside Philip Gross at Magma’s prize-giving event early next year.

SAN MIGUEL WRITERS' CONFERENCE WRITING CONTEST

http://sanmiguelwritersconferenceblog.org/2014-writing-contest-guidlines/ --- $30 ENTRY FEE. Seeking a few good writers to join us this February 2014 in Mexico. Submit your poetry, creative nonfiction or fiction for a chance to attend the 9th annual San Miguel Writers' Conference free of charge. Three writers will be awarded the entire six-day Full Conference Package (February 12-17, 2014) as well as have their housing paid for during the conference. Deadline November 4, 2013. Open to anyone writing in English who has not yet published or self-published a book that has sold over 1,000 copies in the genre of application. Work must be unpublished. Not to exceed 5,000 words for prose and five pages for poetry.

WILDA HEARNE FLASH FICTION CONTEST

http://www6.semo.edu/universitypress/Contests/WHFF.htm --- $10 ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 1, 2013. We're searching for the best short-short story of any theme. Semi-finalists will be chosen by a regional team of published writers. The final manuscript will be chosen by Susan Swartwout, publisher of Southeast Missouri State University Press. Winner receives an award of $300 and publication in Big Muddy: A Journal of the Mississippi River Valley.

MIGHTY RIVER SHORT STORY CONTEST

http://www6.semo.edu/universitypress/Contests/MRSS.htm --- $15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 1, 2013. $500 and publication in an issue of Big Muddy: A Journal of the Mississippi River Valley. Submit a maximum of 30 pages, double-spaced.

GRANTS

BERTON HOUSE WRITERS RETREAT

http://www.bertonhouse.ca/retreat.html --- The Berton House Writers' Retreat is located in Dawson City, Yukon Territory. Professional Canadian writers who have one published book and are established in any creative literary discipline(s) -- fiction, non-fiction, poetry, playwriting, journalism -- are all encouraged to apply. The writer will be housed in the Berton House at no cost in rent or utilities. A monthly honorarium is provided to help cover food and other living expenses. The writer is responsible for their own telephone bill. Travel costs to and from Dawson will be covered.

UNIVERSITY OF WINDSOR WRITER RESIDENCY

http://www1.uwindsor.ca/english/apply-to-the-writer-in-residence --- The University of Windsor seeks to fill a nine-month residency position for a Canadian writer. The position runs from September 1st through to May 31st and is co-funded by The Canada Council for the Arts in association with the Department of English Language, Literature, and Creative Writing, and the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Windsor. The purpose of the Writer-in-Residence programme is to give the writer in residence time to write while publicly involving the writer in consultative and facilitative capacities with students and other members of the campus and the local community. 60 percent of the writer’s time during this tenure is allotted to his or her own private writing activities, and 40 percent to consultation and related public activities.

SPARC 2014 RESIDENCY

http://www.lmcc.net/residencies/sparc --- Deadline: September 30, 5PM. Seniors Partnering with Artists Citywide (SPARC) is a community arts engagement program that places artists in residence at senior centers across the five boroughs of New York City. The program provides selected artists with a stipend and access to workspace in senior centers in exchange for the creation and delivery of arts programming for seniors. Selected artists will engage seniors in an art project or series of cultural programs over the course of the residency, which must also include a public program component; exhibits, readings, performances, open houses, and other cultural interactions open to the surrounding community.

CREATIVE CURRICULA

http://www.lmcc.net/grants/creative_curricula --- Creative Curricula is a local arts-education funding program supporting projects that engage students in rich artistic learning experiences in a classroom setting. The program supports arts-education and integrated arts-in-education projects developed by teaching artists and arts organizations working in partnership with Manhattan public schools. Deadline October 15, 2013.

UCROSS RESIDENCY PROGRAM

www.ucrossfoundation.org --- Ucross, Wyoming - Residencies of 2-8 weeks for visual artists, writers and composers. Residency provides housing, studio space, and all meals. Artists responsible for travel and materials. $40 application fee. Deadline: October 1, 2013.

FREELANCE MARKETS

CANOE & KAYAK

http://www.canoekayak.com/contact/ --- Best places in this magazine to break into include: -front of the book section - the try out section -back of the book section - Dirtbag Diaries (450 words) -essay section - Aquaphile (800-1,200 words) They love seeing character in the people mentioned. Features and Destinations sections are usually held for the more experienced. Editors like web pitches, too, and it's a great way to break in. However, they only pay around $50 for a 1,000-word online piece. Other pieces in the magazine itself pay around 50 cents/word. No kill fee. For features and destinations, Jeff Moag: jef@CANOEKAYAK.COM For Front-of-book, "Dirtbag Diaries" and "Gear," Dave Shively: dave@CANOEKAYAK.COM

RELISH

http://www.relish.com --- The magazine brings readers useful cooking tips, delicious recipes and new products for the kitchen. The mag focuses on garden to table and fresh food, but always accessible. Freelancers are encouraged to pitch stories for the Web, and proposing multimedia content can increase the chances that a pitch will be accepted. Pay is about the same for online as it is print. Pay rate: $1 per word and $100 per recipe, plus food expenses. No kill fee. All pitches must be addressed to Editor-in-chief Jill Melton: jmelton@pubgroup.com

CLEAN EATING

http://www.cleaneatingmag.com/ --- Make pitches short and sweet. Freelancers new to Clean Eating should focus on its "Bits 'n' Bites" section first and foremost. Writers for Clean Eating generally have backgrounds in food, recipe development, nutrition, health and/or well-being. The magazine sometimes recruits registered dietitians to create the 14-Day Clean Eating Meal Plan; writers for these pieces must have experience with meal planning. "Bits 'n' Bites" pieces are generally 75-150 words. Recipe features are generally six recipes and are about 300-500 words throughout including the introduction, recipe headers, nutritional bonuses, tips and notes. Possible freelance opportunities exist in newsletter recipe development; two original recipes are used each month in the Clean Eating Exclusives newsletter. $150 per recipe plus food expenses. Pay-per-word rates start at 50 cents a word, but this can vary depending on experience, whether the piece includes recipes and if editors pays a flat rate, which happens often with "Bits 'n' Bites." Kill fee 25 percent. Pitch Editor-in-chief Alicia Rewega: arewega@cleaneatingmag.com

VEGNEWS

http://vegnews.com/pages/page.do?pageId=13 --- A magazine on veganism, available in big chain stories and health food stores. Also caters to those considering cutting back on carnivore habits. Remember not even dairy or eggs are acceptable in recipes. Contributors are most likely to harvest bylines by pitching travel sections "VegEscapes" (1,200 words) and "VegVacations" (1,800 words) and the feature well (3,000 words). Pitch online as well. They consider 600-word stories that center on current events, the environment, travel or lifestyle content for online publishing. Pays 35 cents/word on average. No kill fee. Pitch Managing editor Elizabeth Castoria: ecastoria@vegnews.com

SI.COM

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/ --- Although Sports Illustrated the weekly is difficult to break into, writers can increase their chances of writing for the print publication if they're published on SI.com. SI.com seeks news stories of national interest in areas staffers may not be assigned to, such as college wrestling or non-mainstream sports. As far as word lengths, most pieces on the site run from 600 to 1,000 words, while stories in "The Bonus" section range from 2,000 to 3,000. Email your pitch with a few links to clips. Pays $150–$500 per piece, with the longer-form "Bonus" pieces on the high end, particularly for established writers who have written for the site before. Pitch Executive editor BJ Schecter: bj_schecter@simail.com

JOBS

WRITER-EDITOR
Location New Orleans, LA
https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/352039800
---
Deadline October 1, 2013. This position is located in the Office of the Director at the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System in New Orleans, Louisiana. The individual selected for this position serves as the writer-editor for the medical center and performs work related to writing and editing, as well as reviewing for print, broadcast and electronic media (such as newspapers, magazines, brochures, radio, the Internet, social media and television).

PUBLISHERS

BLAZEVOX

http://www.blazevox.org/ --- BlazeVOX [books] presents innovative fictions and wide ranging fields of contemporary poetry. Our books push at the frontiers of what is possible with our innovative poetry, fiction and select non-fiction and literary criticism.

WILLOW CREEK PRESS

http://www.willowcreekpress.com/aboutus.php --- Willow Creek Press is a publisher whose primary commitment is to publish books specializing in nature, outdoor and sporting topics, gardening, wildlife and animal books, and cookbooks. We also publish nature, wildlife, fishing, and sporting calendars. Personal memoirs, children's books, and manuscripts dealing with limited regional subject matter may be considered, but generally stand little chance of acceptance.

LILLIBRIDGE PRESS

http://www.lillibridgepress.com/submissions --- Lillibridge Press is seeking stories in these genres ONLY: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Horror/Gothic, Myths/Tales, Magick/ Occult, Superheroes, High Romance, LGBTQ, and Erotica. Stories can stand alone or be part of a well-developed series, but MUST HAVE AN ELEMENT OF THE SPECULATIVE.

MUSEIT UP PUBLISHING

https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/write-for-us/editors-submission-calls --- Open to romance, paranormal, fantasy, mystery, suspense, thriller, YA, MuseItYoung for tweens, horror and dark fiction, science fiction, erotica.

AMIRA

http://www.amirapress.com/ --- Erotic romance only. We are primarily an e-book publisher, offering electronic downloads available immediately inside your account from our cart. We also publish books in print which are over 50,000 words.