SPONSOR OF THE WEEK

Editor’s THOUGHTS

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

===

CHOICES

A few weeks back, as I studied my goals for 2014 and set out my business plan for the New Year, I realized that I had more on my plate as a writer than I ever expected. Four newsletters were eating into my writing time. It was the age-old dilemma of doing vs. marketing and how much time to devote to each without infringing on the needs of the other.

Late 2012, I put FFW Small Markets on hiatus. That left FundsforWriters, TOTAL
FundsforWriters (the paid subscription), and WritingKid. After a year of analyzing the readership, I realized that the plea for renewing FFW Small Markets outweighed the silence coming from the WritingKid readers.

I love offering a service to kids, helping struggling youngsters find markets for their writing.
But having raised three boys, I also know that youngsters get excited about writing for a little
while then move on when another interest steals their enthusiasm. Very few hang onto the writing bug.

However, the call for FFW Small Markets kept escalating, from readers eager to receive it, who were also reading my books. A decision was made.

In the decision process, I asked feedback from my Facebook fans. I'm open to suggestion.
Overwhelmingly, they wanted FFW Small Markets. But they were concerned about the other two - FundsforWriters and TOTAL FundsforWriters.

Friends, those two are here to stay! This newsletter you're reading now is how I got my start in
the writing world. I'd be remiss to give it up, plus I adore working with it. It's my mainstay, my
brand, my world of online friends I could NOT do without.

TOTAL FundsforWriters came along because I was inundated with resources acquired for
FundsforWriters. Just too many to count! So I created the paid subscription, because not everyone wants this huge newsletter with 70 contests, grants, markets and publishing opportunities. Not everyone needs that much information. However, I had a group of hard-core, eager writers who craved it, so it came around the year I left my full-time job and took the leap into freelance-hood. Hard to believe it's been in existence for ten years.

So there . . . you have a glimpse into a piece of the FundsforWriters business world. I hate making such decisions because I envision some writer distressed at the change. But change is good. Change is a catalyst. Change makes us analyze our standing and adjust, almost always for the better.

So WritingKid is on hiatus. Small Markets will be back sometime in February. And in case you did not know about the dearth of information in TOTAL, now you do. It's huge. It's ridiculously worth the $15 annual subscription for 26 issues of 70 or more opportunities. And on top of everything else... I give TOTAL to you for free if you send proof of purchase of any of my books purchased at full price, ebook or print.

http://www.fundsforwriters.com/newsletters/
OR
http://www.chopeclark.com (to see the books)

There you go! Thanks so much for being a reader. It means the world to me.

~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

If you can tell stories, create characters, devise incidents, and have sincerity and passion, it
doesn’t matter a damn how you write.

- Somerset Maugham

TOTAL FUNDSFORWRITERS

TOTAL is the paid subscription to FundsforWriters. 70+ grants, contests, markets, publishers and more for the serious writer. $15 annual subscription for 26 biweekly Friday issues to your email. www.fundsforwriters.com

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 Watch for Palmetto Poison in February! 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,

Just wanted to share that I won one of the first place prizes in the 1,000 Prompts contest featured in your Dec 13 newsletter. Thank you for the weekly shot of inspiration and opportunity.

Best wishes,
Cila Warncke
Web: cilawarncke.com
LinkedIn: Cila Warncke

featured article

WE LIKE IT FRESH: WHAT WOMEN'S MAGAZINE EDITORS WANT AND HOW TO DELIVER

By Mridu Khullar Relph

Every month, without fail, I vow to give up writing for women’s magazines. It’s usually when an
editor I’ve worked with (or worse, never worked with before) has asked for “fresh” ideas and I’ve racked my brain from here to eternity and come up empty.

I hate the word “fresh.”

Because the truth is, what my editors at women’s magazines want is not "fresh." What they want is “evergreen” — another word I learned as a new writer that I’ve come to detest.

How do you write a story that’s evergreen but fresh, and oh, has tips no one’s ever read before?
Figure that out and the world of $2 per word markets suddenly opens up to you.

Here’s how to make dull stories interesting, twist headlines to make cover lines that entice, and
come up with ideas that make editors jump with joy.

* Practice your copywriting skills: One of the best ways to take a stale, overdone idea and make it interesting is to think up a really clever headline. Copywriters know that they only have a few
seconds to grab someone’s attention, so they spend hours crafting the perfect headline. This is
exactly what you should be doing, too. Take your time coming up with a headline that will grab an editor’s attention immediately. Make her want to read your pitch and you have a sale.

* Throw different and distinct ideas together: I like to come up with absolutely random subjects
that, on the surface, have nothing to do with each other and brainstorm story ideas that use both. For instance, take friendship and confidence, two topics women’s magazines love and put them together to create “Are Your Rich Friends Wreaking Havoc on Your Self Esteem?”

* Be specific and use numbers when possible: Women’s magazines have known for decades what the online world is only just discovering: People love lists. The longer, the better. Come up with 101 ways to do something, be something, know something, and you have a winner. Remember to make the list clever. The 101 ways to be happier idea just makes them sad because it’s been done 101 times. Be specific, too. If you’re talking about saving money, don’t say “How to Save Money.” Say, “How I Saved $1,389 in a Month.”

* Appeal to an emotion: Many of us, when we first start writing for women’s magazines think about solving problems. That’s usually what all the books and guides advise, too, so you’re certainly not alone if you’ve gone down this path. The difficulty with this approach, however, is that there isn’t a problem you can think of that a woman’s magazine hasn’t already solved for its readers. So unless you can come up with a unique problem (or a unique solution), my suggestion is to be counter-intuitive, personalize your approach, and appeal to a reader’s emotions. “How Asking for a Divorce Strengthened My Marriage,” is a good example.

* Test the tips: Another great way to find unique women’s magazine stories (and to have a lot of
fun researching them) is to take several theories that have been advocated by experts over a period of time and put them through a test. Take ten of the most popular diets doing the rounds, for instance, and talk to experts to see if they really hold up against scientific analysis. Or try out every single relationship tip from the just-released books in the market in your own marriage and see how they hold up in real-life situations.

The great thing about women’s magazines (other than that they pay well) is that they’re always
hungry for writers who can bring new twists to old ideas. Do that and you’ll have steady clients
for years to come.

**
BIO
Mridu Khullar Relph has written for national and international editions of Vogue, Glamour,
Cosmopolitan, Self, Marie Claire, and many more. She was a contributing editor at Elle magazine’s Indian edition for many years. Visit her website to get 21 of her query letters that sold to editors at major publications. http://www.mridukhullar.com/ebook-queries/

competitions

ABLE MUSE BOOK AWARD http://www.ablemusepress.com/ablemuse-book-award --- $25 ENTRY FEE. $1,000 prize plus publication of the winning manuscript by Able Muse Press. Finalists will also be considered for publication. Entry deadline: March 31, 2014. A poetry manuscript of 50 to 120 pages.

NELLIGAN PRIZE FOR SHORT FICTION https://nelliganprize.submittable.com/submit --- $17 ENTRY FEE. $2,000 will be awarded for the best short story, which will be published in the fall/winter 2014 issue of Colorado Review. Deadline March 15, 2014. There are no theme restrictions, but stories must be under 50 pages.

DORIS BETTS FICTION PRIZE https://nclr.submittable.com/submit --- $10-$20 ENTRY FEE. The Doris Betts Fiction Prize awards the first-prize winner $250 and publication in the North Carolina Literary Review. Finalists will also be considered for publication in the NCLR. Deadline February 15, 2014. The competition is open to any writer who is a legal resident of North Carolina or a member of the North Carolina Writers’ Network. North Carolina Literary Review subscribers with North Carolina connections (lives or has lived in NC) are also eligible. The competition is for previously unpublished short stories up to 6,000 words. One entry per writer. No novel excerpts. Stories do NOT have to relate to NCLR’s annual special feature topic.

STAR SHORT STORY CONTEST http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/01/04/star_short_story_contest_seeks_entries.html# --- NO ENTRY FEE. A first prize of $5,000 plus tuition for the 30-week creative writing correspondence program at the Humber School for Writers valued at $3,000. Deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. February 28, 2014. Second prize is $2,000 while third is $1,000. Open to Ontario residents 16 and older, submissions can be on any topic, but must be previously unpublished and not exceed 2,500 words. There’s a limit of one entry per person.

THE WRITERS' UNION OF CANADA SHORT PROSE COMPETITION http://www.writersunion.ca/short-prose-competition --- $29 ENTRY FEE. Winner and finalists will have their stories submitted to three Canadian magazine publishers for consideration. Deadline: postmarked March 1, 2014. Eligible Writers Canadian citizens or landed immigrants. All writers must not have been published in book format, in any genre and not have a contract with a book publisher. Eligible entries nonfiction and fiction prose; up to 2,500 words, English language.

GRANTS

RESIDENCY FOR AFRICAN WOMEN WRITERS http://creativewritingnews.blogspot.com/2014/01/residency-for-african-women-writers.html --- FEMRITE is calling for submissions for the 6th Residency for African Women Writers which will be co-hosted with the Swedish literary magazine Karavan, in October 2014.The 10-Day Writing Residency aims to give women writers space to reflect on their writing, connect with one another, read each others’ manuscripts and give feedback, interact with established writers and build literary bridges across cultures of the continent. The residency is also aimed at strengthening collaboration among women writers’ initiatives in Africa. Open to an African woman writer who lives on the Continent and needs such space and able to write & express herself in English.

HEMERA FOUNDATION http://hemerafoundation.fluidreview.com/ --- Run by the Hemera Foundation, the Tending Space: Contemplative Practice Fellowship for Artists program aims to nurture the creative practice of seeing things as they are – and to live and to create from this insight. Toward this end, we will support artists with opportunities for both contemplation and creation. Application is open to those who are deeply engaged with, and have a demonstrable commitment too, an art form and who *also* have an interest in beginning or deepening a spiritual practice. Fellowships will be open to visual artists, performing artists, and writers. Compensation will be provided to 10 fellows for a residential meditation retreat, an art retreat or workshop, a meditation mentor, an art mentor, and a stipend for a two-week period where fellows can focus only on their art. Deadline: April 1, 2014.

JAPAN RESIDENCY FOR WRITERS http://www.jusfc.gov/creative-artists-programs/ --- The Japan Creative Artist Residencies Program awards up to five three-month residencies, each of which includes a monthly stipend of $20,000 for living expenses, housing, and professional support. Open to published U.S. poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers to live in Japan and pursue creative projects. Each residency also includes a travel grant of up to $2,000. Writers who have published a book or at least 20 poems in five or more journals or five stories or essays in two or more journals are eligible. No entry fee.

LOUISIANA DECENTRALIZED ARTS FUNDING http://www.crt.state.la.us /arts/decentralizedfunding.aspx --- The Louisiana Decentralized Arts Fund Program (DAF) makes the arts available in every parish in the State of Louisiana by providing grant funding for artists, nonprofit organizations, community groups, and local government agencies.

ARKANSAS ARTS IN EDUCATION GRANTS http://www.arkansasarts.org/grants/available-grants/arts-in-education/default.aspx --- Arts in Education initiates new arts programs, or enhances existing ones, in schools and local arts agencies by providing direct interaction with professional artists in residencies for pre-K – 12 students. Three Arts in Education grants are available: After-School / Summer Residency Program, Arts Curriculum Project Grants, and In-School Residency Program.

FREELANCE MARKETS

ROUTES http://routesmagazine.ca/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Writers-Guidelines-Final.pdf --- Routes is distributed in the foothills region and some south Calgary suburbs. Primarily a lifestyle magazine, Routes showcases local business, history, people and events, with a mandate to inform, entertain, and impassion its audience. Routes pays writers competitively within the professional magazine industry. Rates may vary depending on the experience of the writer and the difficulty of the assignment. Some stories are paid by the word (typically around 50 cents/word) and some departments and features have set rates.

RURALITE http://www.ruralite.org/learn-more/writers-guidelines/ --- Ruralite magazine is a monthly family-oriented, general-interest publication used by 47 rural electric cooperatives and PUDs in seven Western states to communicate with their members. Ruralite readers are predominantly rural and small-town residents who are interested in stories about people and issues that affect their Northwest lifestyles. Payment ranges from $50 for a short, 100- to 200-word feature to $500 for a major, well-illustrated article.

CHICKEN SOUP The Power of Forgiveness: 101 Stories about How to Let Go and Change Your Life http://www.chickensoup.com --- For the "New Year New You" 2015 season we plan to publish a book about the power of forgiveness. Have you ever noticed how forgiving someone frees you to move on with your life? We are looking for stories that will show our readers how forgiving someone or being forgiven by someone changed your life in a positive way. Were you able to reestablish a relationship after forgiving or being forgiven? Did letting go of your hurt feelings heal you and bring you a sense of peace? Help others find the same resolution by sharing your story. Pays $200 and 10 copies of the book. Limit 1,200 words.

SIGNIFICANT LIVING http://www.significantliving.org/writers-guidelines.html --- Significant Living is a faith-based magazine whose focus is celebrating life and faith. Each issue contains dramatic and inspirational stories about ordinary Christians who live extraordinary lives. The magazine also features well known public personalities who have turned their lives over to the Lord. Payment is based on word count. Less than 800 words, $50; 800-1,199 words, $100; 1,200-1,800 words, $150. $25 additional for photos.

CETE https://cete.submittable.com/submit --- CETE is currently looking for writers to submit quality poetry and prose to be considered for use on state assessments. CETE is accepting poetry, fiction, and nonfiction texts for use on reading assessments for grades 3 – 12. Buys exclusive assessment rights and non-exclusive other rights. Pays $250 upon acceptance. Previously published work is acceptable, but author must hold the copyright and must include prior publication information when submitting.

JOBS

WRITER- Location San Jose, CA http://journalism.berkeley.edu/jobs/detail/16294/ --- The Law Office of Robert Miranda is currently expanding and improving their website by adding a monthly newsletter. We are looking for a journalism student who would be interested in writing a fictional story based on a real case which would be featured in our monthly newsletter. We would provide the facts of the case and the student would write a fictional story about the basics of the facts of the case. Attorney Miranda would provide the case and the student would write the story. Our goal is to publish a newsletter every 4-5 weeks featuring a new story based upon facts. We will pay for each story.

DIRECTOR OF CONTENT - GOVLOOP - Location Washington DC http://journalism.berkeley.edu/jobs/detail/16307/ --- GovLoop is a rapidly growing knowledge network connecting over 100,000+ government employees. Our community is a mix of GovLoop employee-created and user-generated content in the forms of blogs, discussions, research guides, online webinars, and more with a singular focus on helping people in government do their jobs better. The Director of Content supervises the day-to-day operations of the content team from blog posts to research guides to industry perspectives.

P/T STAFF WRITER - Location Manning, SC - http://www.scpress.org/jobs.html --- The Manning Times, Clarendon County’s oldest community newspaper, is seeking a part-time staff writer, with work of up to 28 hours each week, to cover community events, public meetings and possibly some sports events.

PUBLISHERS

MCFARLAND BOOKS http://www.mcfarlandbooks.com/authors/faq-for-authors/ --- McFarland is a leading independent publisher of academic and nonfiction books. We are especially known for covering topics of popular appeal in a serious and scholarly fashion, and for going to great lengths to manufacture our books to the highest standards and library specifications. With rare exceptions we do not publish fiction. We don’t do children’s books. As for poetry — technically, yes, but only in the scholarly realm, for instance medieval topics. We do not publish devotional works, cookbooks, exposés or stories of personal triumph over adversity.

LAKE CLAREMONT PRESS http://www.lakeclaremont.com/ --- Lake Claremont Press publishes books on the Chicago area and its history by authors with a passion and organizations with a mission. Join us in preserving the past of this grand metropolis, exploring its present environment, and ensuring a future sense of place for this favorite corner of the globe.

RAINBOW PUBLISHERS http://www.rainbowpublishers.com/submissions.aspx --- Rainbow Publishers accepts unsolicited book proposals from authors. We also hire freelance
illustrators for both the interiors and covers of our books. We specifically seek reproducible
classroom resource books that use crafts, games, puzzles and other activities to creatively teach the Bible to kids ages 2-12. Therefore, we do not publish any other types of books including — but not limited to — academics, poetry, picture books and fiction.

KNOX ROBINSON PUBLISHING http://www.knoxrobinsonpublishing.com/submission.php --- KRP publishes historical fiction and historical romance, any story set in an era prior to 1960 is
acceptable. We also publish medieval fantasy. We do not publish science fiction. We do not publish fantasy with children and/or animal protagonists. We do not publish novels that involve any aspects of time travel. We welcome the submission of a well-written, detailed synopsis and the first three chapters of completed manuscripts directly from authors.

KRAUSE PUBLICATIONS http://www.krausebooks.com/aboutus --- We pride ourselves in supplying collectors and hobbyists with the information and instruction they need to enjoy their hobby even more. There's something for everyone from antique collectors to comic book collectors, old cars fans, hunters and shooters, sewers and quilters, coin collectors and more.

SPONSORS

READY TO KICK YOUR WRITING UP A NOTCH?
Take an online class with Cat Rambo.

Nebula and World Fantasy Award nominee writer/editor Cat Rambo is an engaging, personable teacher -- who kicks you in the butt to write.

Wanted to crow and say thanks: the first story I wrote after taking your class was my very first
sale. Coincidence? nah….thanks so much. -K. Richardson

Upcoming classes include Writing Fantasy & Science Fiction Stories, Editing 101, The Art of the
Book Review, Literary Techniques for Genre Fiction, Character Building, Flash Fiction Workshop,
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Classes are taught online via Google Hangouts and limited to eight students. A computer with
microphone is necessary, but headphones and a webcam make for the best experience.

FINE SILVER NEEDS POLISHING, AND SO DO FINE MANUSCRIPTS

Regina Williams, award winning founder and editor of The Storyteller Magazine and Mocking Bird Lane Press, looks forward to polishing your manuscripts for $3.00 a page. A novelist, and guest speaker at numerous writing conferences, she’ll use her red pencil to make your work all that it should be.

Please call her at 879-647-2137 or e-mail her at storytellermag1@yahoo.com

PENTIMENTO
more than meets the eye

Pentimento, a literary magazine for the disability community, is seeking interviews, essays,
poetry, art, and photography. We accept submissions by an individual with a disability (including
children) or a member of the disability community such as a special educator, caregiver, family
member, therapist, etc. Submissions by a community member must have a disability-related theme.

We generally pay for published submissions and publish in June and December. Each issue includes a
writing topic for our readers. The topic for the June 2014 issue is “Staying or Not Staying in the Room.” The topic for the December 2014 issue is “Romance.”

For further information and to request a free issue, please visit our website at
www.pentimentomag.org

Sable Books offers a full range of services to bring your book to print and ebook, and market it for you. We handle cover and interior design, formatting, all communication with the printer, as well as ebook upload and a personalized marketing & branding strategy.

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GET WEBSITES THAT ROCK, BOOK COVERS THAT SIZZLE

Shaila Abdullah has over a decade of experience designing websites for authors. Being an award-winning 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.

MENTION THIS AD AND GET 10% OFF (NEW CLIENTS ONLY)

EXISTING CLIENTS EARN 8% REFERRAL FEE FOR SENDING IN NEW CLIENTS

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A few testimonials from happy clients:

"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

The Henderson Writers’ Group Presents
2014 Las Vegas Writers Conference
April 24-26, 2014

Join writing professionals, agents, publishers and marketing experts for a weekend of workshops and enlightening discussions about the publishing industry. Limited to 150 attendees, the Las Vegas Writer’s Conference provides a unique and intimate setting for each participant to meet and mingle with publishers and agents, as well as participate in free pitch sessions. Take the next step to selling your manuscript. The conference offers:

• Formal pitch sessions with agents and publishers
• Workshops, seminars and expert panels
• Q&A panels
• Meet & Greet Cocktail party with faculty and fellow writers
• Opportunities to mingle and network with publishing industry professionals
• "First Read" panels

Visit our website at www.lasvegaswritersconference.com to see who is on this year’s faculty. Join us and your fellow writers for the best conference yet. And register before January 15 to take advantage of our discounted pricing.

Fine print

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 2000-2014, C. Hope Clark
ISSN: 1533-1326

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