FundsforWriters - October 25, 2013

Published: Fri, 10/25/13

Volume 13, Issue 43 | OCTOBER 25, 2013

Message from the Editor

Unless you attend a conference or book signing where I'm presenting, you don't get to see the man behind the camera, who takes all the great pictures of me, Roo, chickens, gardening, etc. Gary is my own federal agent and my foundation, and he's often asked if he is Wayne Largo from my mystery series. He quickly says no, and has been known to slightly blush when asked to autograph one of my books!

Editor, FundsforWriters
Email Hope | Visit Website
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"Superb work, excellent customer service. Just marvelous overall.” —C. Hope Clark, author, founder of FundsforWriters, http://chopeclark.com | http://www.fundsforwriters.com

"Since working with Shaila I now have a beautiful book that hit #1 one on Amazon, a monthly newsletter that captures the attention of my valued readers, and a beautiful website that has generated a tremendous amount of interest in my subject matter with over 245,000 hits." —Carolyn Brent, author of Why Wait? http://www.caregiverstory.com/

"When I first saw Shaila’s work, I was struck by the fact that each site she designs is not only beautiful but also perfectly reflects the personality of the business it represents. Her suggestions, insight, and artistic talent made the final product much better than what I’d envisioned on my own.” —Jacqueline Adams, writer, http://jacqueline-adams.com/

Editor’s THOUGHTS

THE SKINNY AND THE FAT OF SELF-PUBLISHING

(Warning: Opinion.)

A reader contacted me just today for advice on whether to self-publish, a question very often asked of me. The issue is bigger than that, though. The paths to publishing are many.

She asked about a subsidy publisher . . . a vanity press. For a "reasonable" sum, they wanted to package her book, to include cover, a certain degree of marketing, formatting, and then hand her the label of published author on Amazon and Barnes & Noble (online, anyway). The fee? Only $4,000.

$4,000 is an awful lot of money for anybody.

On top of that, they promised her 50 percent royalties on her books. Wow, she thought. That's great compared to the 8 percent that traditional publishers pay. Excuse me, but what does the $4,000 go for if they still need 50 percent of the gross proceeds? And additionally, do you know how much fluff is inserted into that $4,000? I almost asked to see what the cover would look like, but just didn't want to take it that far.

I presumed that they tried to sell her a promotional or marketing package, too. I've never seen one of those promo packages work. I quit counting the number of authors who've written me, fussing about how the vanity publisher's marketing amounted to zilch. Listen...the only platform where you'll sell books is that which you create on your own. If you have a platform, the publisher makes money. If you don't have a platform and don't sell books, the publisher makes money (from the $4,000). They will not lose a cent, trust me. The author, however, can lose his shirt.

I scoff at the $4,000 promise atop the fact they STILL will receive that 50 percent, yet they distract authors by saying, "Oh, you'll get 50 percent instead of 8 percent. What a deal!" Yes, traditional is around 8 percent, but you pay zero up front, you have editors (yes, they still edit books), you have book distribution (versus packaging up each book in your bedroom and running to the post office), and you have the credibility of a traditional press behind you, meaning a bookstore is more likely to accept your book on its shelf. Surprise! Vanity press books do not find their way to bookstores.

If you want to self-publish, why not learn how to genuinely self-publish? Learn how to put a book together (heck, you can use CreateSpace for nothing) and promote it yourself. If you've got $4,000 to invest into a book, you can do a darn fine job of it by hiring your own cover designer, paying someone to format the book, and finding an editor to fine-tune your prose. Those are the self-pubbed books beginning to make a name for the business.

Whether I self-pub or traditionally pub, I would NOT use a vanity press. They rob you blind.

The Shy Writer Reborn is self-pubbed. I formatted the book, ran it by beta readers, and hired a cover designer. My mysteries, however, are traditionally published with Bell Bridge Books, Memphis, TN. I pitched the series and they contracted with me to write it.

This day and time, you choose what fits the book and more importantly, your platform. To be honest, if you have no platform, to let a vanity press publish your book is throwing money away. Vanity presses chuckle about that all the way to the bank.

Choosing a vanity press is like taking the path of least resistence. It's easier, but just what have you accomplished once you took the journey?

~HOPE

WEBSITE - http://www.chopeclark.com
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://www.pinterest.com/chopeclark

WORDS OF SUCCESS

Publishing is a business. Writing may be art, but publishing, when all is said and done, comes down to dollars.

~Nicholas Sparks

THE SHY WRITER

Introversion may seem like a major obstacle to building a successful writing career, but this wonderful “covers-all-the-bases” book handily debunks the notion. ~Peter Bowerman, Author “The Well-Fed Writer” series

Hope has solutions in The Shy Writer Reborn that let you make the most of who you are instead of asking you to change your personality. ~Linda Formichelli, The Renegade Writer

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 owe you at least two separate thank yous, however I hesitate to put a number on and quantify my appreciation for your newsletter from which I ALWAYS glean useful tidbits. Thank you and please keep up your wonderful work. We LOVE your missives.

The kudos which swell my journalistic ego are two first prizes in the Writers-Editors Network Annual International Writing Competition, both in the category PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED NONFICTION ARTICLE/ESSAY/BOOK CHAPTER.

“Earning Our Turns," Vermont Magazine Jan/Feb 2012, chronicles how my Norwegian descended husband has brainwashed me into thinking that snowy, subzero uphill ski treks are better than date night, and it “entertains while it informs,” according to the judges.

"Open Season: Answering Blackburn's Challenge," Rowing News July 2012, describes yet another one of my eccentric husband’s eccentric pursuits: a grueling, nautically rich, open ocean race named after a 19th century hard core Gloucester fisherman. The judges explain: "From a strong, descriptive, creative lead paragraph to the last paragraph of this long article, the author writes as if she were in conversation with someone, telling her story. The author inserts details without getting bogged down with too much information. Her word choices are wise and relevant, and flow very well. She puts the reader right in the middle of the Blackburn rowing challenge. Very well done."

I would NOT be the recipient of these prizes without learning about the competition from you and FundsforWriters.

Gratefully Yours,

Alessandra Bianchi Marblehead, MA www.alessandra-bianchi.com

featured article

MAKING IT PERSONAL

By Anne Vize

Forging links with individuals who have an idea for a story but lack the writing skills to complete the task can be a lucrative income stream for writers. Personal writing support and advice is immensely satisfying and offers regular, immediate payments.

I’ve written for several clients who lacked the writing skills to complete important, highly personal writing projects. One was a hilarious woman who would have provided great scope for a fiction writer as the basis for a character in a chic lit novel. She’d been married twice and had stories of romance, mystery and intrigue that made my hair curl. As well as helping with paragraphing, sequencing of her story and considerable editing, I also advised her about laws to protect individuals from slander, and suggested she should be careful making unfounded and serious allegations about former partners, no matter how true they may have been! She paid me $45 per hour for around 20 hours work in total.

Another client wanted help to edit his already complete life story. We worked through several chapters at a leisurely pace, both enjoying the relaxed process of editing and discussing his story. He was happy to pay me $50 per hour for editing, consulting and formatting and layout advice. One day the phone rang. It was his son, telling me his father had been diagnosed with cancer and had only weeks to live. The race was on to get the story finished and fast! There was suddenly no time for planning and conferencing – the book had to be finished and printed - now. After several late night editing sessions, the book was done and delivered. He read through his life story book on the last day he was able to sit up alone, and enjoyed seeing his project completed. A deadline has never been quite so critical and a project has never felt quite so important as that one.

One client wanted help to adapt her African children’s stories for an English speaking audience. She paid me $50 per hour to suggest changes to her stories so they were readable for a young audience and appropriate for the age group. This called on my skills as a writer and also my experience as a teacher. I was able to suggest how to make the stories marketable for an educational audience as well as a general fiction one, and so increase her chances of publication.

Personal writing support for private clients is a three-step process. You need to advertise or seek out clients who want to engage your services. This could be through a small ad in a magazine such as ‘The Genealogist’ (Australian) or Family Tree magazine (USA) or in your local or regional paper. Offer a workshop in your local area about writing a life story and spin some free advertorial in the local paper from this. Workshops on life writing are also good sources for finding potential clients.

Next, meet with potential clients to discuss their needs and work out a writing plan. Explain your payment requirements, such as an hourly rate or flat fee for a project. Be clear that you will not be the author of the work but you will provide writing advice and consultation. Explain copyright and plagiarism rules and the importance of thinking carefully about anything they publish in a formal sense. Take care when meeting new clients and always consider your personal safety. Lastly, complete the project with regular updates on progress. Establish an easy invoicing arrangement that suits you both, such as direct payments into your bank account or through Paypal or similar.

Biography:

Anne Vize is an Australian freelance author who writes for educational publishers as well as local and international magazines.

competitions

CWA MARGERY ALLINGHAM SHORT STORY COMPETITION http://www.emperorsclothes.co.uk/2013/10/the-cwa-margery-allingham-short-story.html --- £10 ENTRY FEE There are two key requirements – the first is that this must be an UNPUBLISHED short story; the second that it fits Margery’s definition of a mystery:

“The Mystery remains box-shaped, at once a prison and a refuge. Its four walls are, roughly, a Crime, a Mystery, an Enquiry and a Conclusion with an Element of Satisfaction in it.”

Margery Allingham was an English crime writer best known for her detective stories featuring the gentleman sleuth Albert Campion. The Margery Allingham Society is sponsoring this competition. The winner will receive £1,000 as well as other prizes to be announced nearer the time. Stories must be no longer than 3,500 words and must be submitted before 4:00pm on Sunday, March 16, 2014. To enter please fill out the form on the CWA site.

NEW DELTA REVIEW CHAPBOOK CONTEST https://newdeltareview.submittable.com/submit --- $15 ENTRY FEE. Limit 45 pages. The winner will receive a $100 prize and 20 complimentary copies of the chapbook, to be published in the spring of 2014. Deadline for entry is December 2, 2013. For this contest, NDR is looking for brilliant, inventive, moving and mind-bending manuscripts of unpublished poetry, fiction, or hybrid work.

GOOD HOUSEKEEPING MEMOIR CONTEST http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/sweeps/memoir-writing-contest-official-rules --- $15 ENTRY FEE. Theme: Every mother has a memory. The memoir must be non-fiction about your mom, your life as a mom, or a mom you’ve known, must be between 3,000 and 7,500 words in length, and not previously published or a finalist for any other writing prize or award. Entrants will be charged a submission fee of $15 if they are legal residents of Canada (excluding Quebec), the District of Columbia, and the United States, excluding residents of Arizona, Iowa, Louisiana, and North Dakota (where collection of a submission fee is prohibited by law). All entrants will receive a free two-month electronic subscription to Shebooks.

VERMONT MAGAZINE PRIZE http://www.vermontmagazine.com/2013/vt-writers-prize-entry-form.pdf --- NO ENTRY FEE Deadline November 1, 2013. May be a play, poem, short story, or essay, but must be on the theme of Vermont - its people, the place, its history, its values. Limit 1,500 words. Must be unpublished. Open to all Vermont residents, including seasonal residents and students enrolled in VT colleges. The winning entry will be published in Vermont Magazine , and the author will receive a $1,500 cash prize. (Thanks to http://www.erikadreifus.com/ )

NARRATIVE THIRTY BELOW CONTEST http://www.narrativemagazine.com/node/221773 --- $22 ENTRY FEE. Prose submissions up to 15,000 words. Each poetry submission may contain up to five poems. 1st place $1,500; 2nd place $750; 3rd place $300; 10 finalists $100 each. Deadline November 3, 2013.

GRANTS

SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR THE WINTER POETRY & PROSE GETAWAY www.wintergetaway.com/scholarship.html --- Four scholarships are being offered for first-time participants of the 21st Annual WINTER POETRY & PROSE GETAWAY, January 17-20, 2014 in the Atlantic City area. Recipients may choose from workshops in poetry, fiction, nonfiction, memoir and more, including special advanced sections with Stephen Dunn and Tony Hoagland. In addition, the conference also offers open mics, tutorials, talks, sunrise yoga, dancing at the Getaway Disco and writerly camaraderie. There are two different categories of scholarships available: The Toni Brown Memorial Scholarship for two poets or writers age 31 and over. Deadline: Nov. 15, 2013. The Jan-ai Scholarship for two poets or writers between the ages of 18 - 30. Deadline: November 30, 2013.

ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/funding/apply-for-funding/grants-for-the-arts --- Through Grants for the arts, we are able to make grants of between £1,000 and £100,000 for activities lasting up to three years. In special circumstances we can award larger grants for more major projects. If you plan to apply for over £100,000 you must contact us to request permission to apply. Grants for the arts is a continuous programme, so you can apply at any time. There are no deadlines but you need to allow enough time between when you apply and when your activity starts. We need six weeks to process applications for £15,000 and under We need 12 weeks for applications for more than £15,000.

IOWA INDIVIDUAL ARTIST PROJECT GRANTS http://www.iowaartscouncil.org/funding/assets/Guidelines112013/ProjectGrant_ArtistGuidelines112013.pdf

df --- Deadline November 1, 2013. Grants are $1,000 to $10,000. Project grants support expenses for arts projects that have a beginning and end. Expenses must be incurred during the course of the project and funding period. Eligible expenses must be dedicated specifically to the project and can include: Artist Fees, Non-Artist Contractor Fees, Project Materials & Equipment, Project Space Rental, Marketing, Travel.

NORTH CAROLINA ARTS COUNCIL REGIONAL ARTIST PROJECT GRANTS http://ncarts.org/grants/grants-for-artistsindividuals/regional-artist-project-grants-to-artists/ --- This program, funded by the N. C. Arts Council, provides the opportunity for regional consortia of local arts councils to award project grants to artists in their regions. These grants support professional artists in any discipline and at any stage in their careers to pursue projects that further their professional development. Types of fundable projects include: Creation of new work, Purchase of equipment and materials, Professional development workshops, Travel support for expenses associated with a professional opportunity such as participating in an exhibition or a conference, Development or upgrading of promotional materials such as brochures, DVDs, CDs, and websites. Grant amounts vary from region to region. Statewide, they range from $300 to $5,000, though most grants are between $500 and $2,000.

FREELANCE MARKETS

PLANET TACHYON www.Planet-Tachyon.com http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/wri/4139662021.html --- We're seeking one or more individuals who possess a true gift for converting ideas, thoughts, research and concepts into written words of action that while helping to build solid brand personas will also resonate with intended audiences. Industries we work with: EMF protection, Cell phone radiation protection, Smart meter protection, Safe EMF Environments and a host of 100 more subjects areas of interest. Needs blogs and articles. Blogs: We will supply topics. 400-600 words. $10 - $40 per accepted post. Articles: We assign the topic. The quality, tone, research sited are important. Pay will range between 10 to 30 cents/word.

iMOTOR TIMES - FREELANCE WRITERS Location Virtual http://www.linkedin.com/jobs2/view/9347150?trk=rj_jshp --- iMotorTimes.com is seeking talented, driven writers to join our growing news team. Our freelance writers will be responsible for the development, production, and publication of original auto industry, car culture, and motorsports news for iMotorTimes.com. You'll be given the opportunity to sign up for time-sensitive news stories developed by your editors and to pitch your own ideas. You will be digging through studies and press releases, reaching out to manufacturer spokespersons, automotive experts, and racing organizations. Reporters will be working towards daily deadlines. This is a contract position that reports directly to the lead editor of iMotor Times.

MONTANA MAGAZINE http://www.montanamagazine.com/submissions.php --- We are looking for well-written, well-researched articles on issues, interesting people and life in Montana. Published feature-length articles are in the 1,500-word range. Shorter department stories generally should be 800 to 1,000 words. Pay for written work is negotiated with the writer. We pay for one-time rights, which include the right to use an accepted story in the magazine and at montanamagazine.com. Pays around 20 cents/word.

NEVADA MAGAZINE http://www.nevadamagazine.com/index.php/info/read/writers_guidelines --- See the “Developing Story Ideas” section for a description of the magazine’s topics. Most stories range from 500 to 1,500 words. Payment — generally 25 to 35 cents per word — is on publication and varies with article length and quality. We prefer to establish a flat rate of $250 or less with writers if possible. For Web stories published on nevadamagazine.com, we pay a flat rate of $100 or $200 depending on the assignment. Nevada Magazine does not pay expenses (travel costs, etc.).

NEW HAMPSHIRE MAGAZINE http://www.nhmagazine.com/About-Us/ --- Stories typically run 300 to 2,000 words and we feature lifestyle, home, cuisine, adventures, personalities and other compelling topics of NH human interest. Pays $50 to $500 for most pieces.

JOBS

PART-TIME FREELANCE WRITER Location Orlando, FL (possibly virtual) http://www.linkedin.com/jobs2/view/9374891?trk=rj_jshp --- Part-time freelance position will interview top executives from U.S. and international motoring clubs, cover business meetings and write follow-up articles, as well as editing and assistance in managing production process. The ideal candidate will be team-oriented, have strong writing and editing skills and be comfortable working in a fast-paced environment marked by tight deadlines. Must have college degree in English, Journalism or related field and at least 10 years of experience in corporate and news-style writing with a proven track record of seeing projects through from start to finish. Submit your resume to: www.AAA.com/jobs.

PUBLISHERS

DANCING WITH BEAR PUBLISHING (ADULT) http://www.dancingwithbearpublishing.com/submissionguidelines.htm --- Seeks adult Christian fiction and non-fiction.

DANCING WITH BEAR CHILDREN'S LINE http://www.dwbchildrensline.com/authorservices.htm --- "Family friendly" manuscripts for ages 9 to 15 years old. We are not accepting picture book manuscripts.

LAZY FASCIST PRESS http://lazyfascistpress.com/about/ --- We’ve published everything from minimalist dark comedies to meta-fictional SF, along with historical fiction, fairy tales for adults, and hybrid plays. We seek out books that are emotionally hard-hitting, critically engaging, and exhibit crisp, original prose. These books tend to be difficult to pigeonhole under any one banner, but together they form a complex mosaic of the disenfranchised, the poor, and others who are struggling to survive — and make an impact — in an increasingly bleak world. However, we’re not all about doom and gloom. We like to laugh, demand the absurd, and love great storytelling above anything else.

THE NEW PRESS http://thenewpress.com/ --- Editorially, The New Press focuses on number of key program areas, including: contemporary social issues, with an emphasis on race relations, women's issues, immigration, human rights, labor and popular economics, and the media; education reform and alternative teaching materials; cultural criticism; art and art education; international literature; and law and legal studies. Across these disciplines, The Press has also taken a leading role in publishing a wide range of new work in African American, Asian American, Latino, gay and lesbian, and Native American studies, as well as work by and about other minority groups. In all of these areas, The New Press has worked with cultural organizations, including historical societies, museums, archives, media watch groups, and educational associations to bring the most exciting work produced at a local level to a broad, national audience.

OTHER PRESS http://www.otherpress.com/about/ --- We publish novels, short stories, poetry, and essays from America and around the world that represent literature at its best. Our nonfiction books – should they be history, current events, popular culture or memoir – explore how psychic, cultural, historical, and literary shifts inform our vision of the world and of each other.