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

===

FIFTEEN YEARS

"It took me fifteen years to discover I had no talent for writing, but I couldn’t give it up because by that time I was too famous." ~ Robert Benchley

March 2014, I've been doing newsletters for fifteen years. That number makes me feel so insanely old, and makes me ponder my success, or lack of, depending on whether I see the glass half empty or half full. I fight to be positive, so I'll study this from the half full angle.

Admittedly, my newsletter reaches thousands of people, a feat in itself by anyone's standards. I'm
pleased with its success. Am I as famous as Jane Friedman? No, but Jane knows who I am, which is the next best thing, in my book. We aren't drinking buddies, but we recognize each other and mention each other's work, and I'm good with that.

My dream of traditionally publishing my fiction came true, and I'm penning my fourth contracted novel as we speak. That's a huge plus by anyone's standards, too. I've chosen traditional (and thank goodness traditional chose me). I could publish faster via self-publishing and nothing says I can't still do so with a new series, but for now, I enjoy my lot in life.

People have actually said to my face, "But I don't want to take that long to become successful."

But that fifteen years will zoom past whether I'm writing or not. Whether I'm trying to traditionally publish or not. Whether I do the newsletter or not. When we decide to write, we simply decide to write. Whether we publish or not, we still write. Whether we earn thousands of followers, we still write. Whether we land an agent or not, we still write. What else would we do?

Not write? I don't think so.

So, time clicks on. We write daily (or almost daily), for one year, two years, ten years; because after all, we would write anyway. Then somewhere along that route, when we don't really expect it, someone recognizes us. We win a contest, land an agent, find a publisher, or our self-pubbed book finds its niche. It just happens . . . because we continued writing.

There isn't a sudden Publishers Clearinghouse moment where people land on your doorstep with balloons and a check. There isn't a worldwide PR blitz of your name to make your book a bestseller. It's slow, methodical effort on your part. Then one day, you look up, glance back at where you started, and smile. You accomplished something simply by doing what you love to do.

~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

It took me fifteen years to discover I had no talent for writing, but I couldn’t give it up because by that time I was too famous.

- Robert Benchley

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,

I am sitting at a table in a warm, beautiful room watching winter forest and ocean. I have two weeks to write my screenplay (based on my book publish in Poland in February) and work on a translation. It is an amazing gift. I am at a writers retreat at Turkey Land Cove Foundation. I learned about this opportunity from your newsletter. Thank you for you time, generosity, and work, providing information for others writers. Thank you very much Hope!

I am so grateful to you and to the people from TCL Foundation. Thanks to generosity of all of you I
have a "room of my own", time, space and peaceful environment to write.

Malgorzata Pospiech

featured article

STREAMLINING SOCIAL MEDIA

By Corinne Litchfield

It’s a familiar song to many writers: to increase book sales you need to build an online platform that includes a website and social media accounts. But if you’re unfamiliar with the various social networks and their settings, the learning curve can be quite steep. Aside from hiring a social media manager, there are ways to streamline the process of posting fresh content, as well as monitoring activity relevant to your writing. Here are a few tips to get you started:

1. Add widgets and plugins to maximize social media.

For self-hosted Wordpress websites, add widgets to showcase your presence on Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks. Look for JetPack, an all-in-one plugin with social features. Know of a website that’s doing exactly what you want to do? Send them a message to find out what plugins they are using.

2. Use a dashboard service to monitor your accounts.

In the same way a car’s dashboard tells you what’s happening with your vehicle, a social media dashboard tells you what’s happening across multiple social networks. HootSuite.com is one of the most popular dashboard services, as its free version allows users to import up to five social media accounts for monitoring and posting. Set up tabs for each social media account, then add streams for various content, such as Facebook Page posts, Twitter mentions, and more. You can even add a Wordpress app to write and publish blog posts directly from HootSuite.

3. Take advantage of cross-posting.

Once you’ve imported your social networks into HootSuite, you can post simultaneously across several social media accounts by selecting them from the drop-down menu in the Compose window. You can also visit www.facebook.com/twitter to link your Facebook personal profile and/or Page to automatically send out a tweet every time you post. Use the Publicize feature on JetPack for Wordpress to connect your Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and/or Tumblr accounts so that new blog posts are automatically shared.

4. Create Twitter lists based on your genre.

Are you writing science fiction? Paranormal romance? Keep up with other writers in your genre by searching for relevant terms via Google or search.twitter.com, then create a Twitter list based on the results. View your list by adding the list stream to your HootSuite account, or click on Lists from the Twitter website.

5. Monitor conversations using hashtags.

Twitter popularized the hashtag, a search term/phrase preceded by a pound symbol (#). You can use search.twitter.com to find hashtags relevant to your content, then save the search to your Twitter account. You can also set up a hashtag search stream directly on HootSuite. Whenever that hashtag is used, it will appear in the search results, making it easy to scan for content you’d like to share with your followers.

6. Schedule posts and tweets in advance.

Set aside 30 to 45 minutes a week to write content you can post across Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks. Then copy and paste each post into HootSuite, select one or more networks to post from, and use the scheduling function to determine the day and time for each item to be posted.

7. Write and schedule evergreen promotional content.

Rather than inundate your audience with “buy my book” posts and tweets, schedule your promotional posts to go out every 8-10 hours. Have several books for sale, or working on multiple projects? Mix it up: Devote weekdays to project posts and weekends to promoting your book.

By taking the time to streamline your social media presence, you’ll be better equipped to engage with potential readers, and you’ll have more time to focus on doing what you do best: writing.

BIO:

Corinne Litchfield is a social media manager who works with authors to create and maintain Facebook Pages and Twitter accounts, and coaches clients on best practices in content writing and posting. In addition to social media consulting, Litchfield is also a contributing editor to Sacramento Magazine and has published short fiction and poetry. She is currently at work on a novel. http://www.corinnelitchfield.com

competitions

MSLEXIA SHORT STORY COMPETITION
https://www.mslexia.co.uk/whatson/msbusiness/scomp_active.php --- A competition for unpublished short stories of up to 2,200 words. We accept work on all subjects, so write about anything and everything you fancy - we love to read it. First prize £2,000 plus two optional extras: a week’s writing retreat at Chawton House Library, and a day with a Virago editor. Second prize: £500. Third prize: £250. Three other finalists each receive £100. Deadline March 17, 2014. All winning stories will be published in the Jun/Jul/Aug 2014 edition of Mslexia.

ERMA BOMBECK WRITING COMPETITION http://www.wclibrary.info/erma/index.asp --- $15 ENTRY FEE. Capture the essence of Erma's writings and you could win $500 and a free registration to the Erma
Bombeck Writers Workshop! Deadline February 17, 2014. Entries are accepted from anywhere in the
world. Entry must be written in English. Limit one entry total (not per category) per person. Personal essay must be 450 words or less (entries of more than 450 words will be disqualified). Two categories: humor and human interest.

GEIST POSTCARD CONTEST http://www.geist.com/contests/postcard-contest/ - $20 ENTRY FEE. Send us a story and a postcard—the relationship can be as strong or as tangential as you like, so
long as there is a clear connection between the story and the image. If you’re not sure where to
look for a postcard, you can make your own or visit Wikimedia Commons. The story can be fiction or non-fiction; maximum length is 500 words. First Prize: $500 Second Prize: $250 Third Prize: $150 . All winning entries will be published in Geist and on geist.com Honourable Mentions: Swell Geist
gifts and publication on geist.com. Deadline February 1, 2014.

FUGUE WRITING CONTEST http://www.fuguejournal.org/Submit.html --- $15 ENTRY FEE. The contest runs until April 1 and first prize for poetry and prose each receive $1,000. As always, all entries will be considered for publication in our summer/fall issue. All entries are considered for publication.

ABLE MUSE WRITE PRIZE http://www.ablemusepress.com/ --- $15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline February 15, 2014. $500 prize for the best poem, and $500 prize for the best short story (flash fiction), plus publication in Able Muse (the print journal). Finalists in each category will also be considered for publication. For poetry entries, each entry may contain 1 to 5 poems maximum, but all the poems combined should not exceed 10 pages per entry. For fiction entries, each entry may contain one to two stories maximum (each story should be flash fiction/short-short-short under 1,500 words each, typed double-spaced).

GRANTS

43 FELLOWSHIPS AT VERMONT STUDIO CENTER www.vermontstudiocenter.org/fellowships --- All who apply at our February 15, 2014 deadline are automatically eligible for one of 25 VSC Felowships, along with many other fellowship opportunities for artists and writers. See the website for the various qualifications for each fellowship.

SUSTAINABLE ARTS FOUNDATION SPRING GRANTS http://apply.sustainableartsfoundation.org/ ---
Deadline February 28, 2014. $2,000 and $6,000 awards. To be eligible, the applicant must have at least one child under the age of 18. The foundation offers awards in two major categories: visual arts and writing. We encourage writers working in fiction, nonfiction, playwriting, and poetry to apply. $10 application fee. Writing portfolios should be no more than 25 pages.

RHODE ISLAND GRANTS http://www.arts.ri.gov/grants/overview/ --- Fellowships encourage the creative development of artists by enabling them to set aside time to pursue their work and achieve specific creative and career goals. Fellowships are highly competitive awards. Artists are encouraged to apply when they have created a substantial body of work that they are prepared to present in a professional manner. Project Grants for Individuals (PGI): These grants are available to artists who are Rhode Island residents and do not require a non-profit (501c3) umbrella. Through Project Grants for Individuals, RISCA supports highly creative and talented artists who seek to produce, perform, teach or share their work with the public. Project grants to individuals might include the coordination of community arts events, public
performances, arts workshops, creative collaborations, and exhibitions and installations with a strong public component. If you are interested in applying to either grant category, contact cristina.dichiera@arts.ri.gov

SQUAW VALLEY WRITERS WORKSHOPS FINANCIAL AID http://www.squawvalleywriters.org/index.html --- Financial aid is available for each of our writing workshops. Requests for financial aid must be made in your application. Please indicate the minimum amount of financial aid you would need to get, in order to attend. For 44 summers, the Community of Writers at Squaw Valley has brought together poets, prose writers, and screenwriters for separate weeks of workshops, individual conferences, lectures, panels, readings, and discussions of the craft and the business of writing. Our aim is to assist writers to improve their craft and thus, in an atmosphere of camaraderie and mutual support, move them closer to achieving their goals. Location California.

THE DISTILLERY - SPONSORSHIPS http://neworleansdistillery.org/ --- The DISTILLERY imagines what 3 New Orleans early/mid-career performing artists could articulate if provided local mentorship, national mentorship, rehearsal space, free public showings and a development stipend in a comprehensive three-month fellowship program at the Contemporary Arts Center. The DISTILLERY welcomes applicants that come from a background in dance, film, puppetry, playwriting, multi-media, theater, music, set design, interdisciplinary arts, and interdisciplinary performance. Applicants should be compelled to engage in innovative processes that challenge the way performance interacts with the stage, the audience, and other creative disciplines.

FREELANCE MARKETS

INTERNATIONAL LIVING MAGAZINE http://internationalliving.com/about-il/write-for-il/ --- International Living's general themes are retiring overseas, how to get the best deals when traveling, real estate bargains outside of the U.S., how to set up a business outside of the U.S., etc. The countries that have our attention right now are Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Mexico, Ecuador, Belize, Panama, Nicaragua, Colombia, Costa Rica, France and Italy. Payment is upon publication. We pay $250 for 840 words and $400 for 1,400 words.

KNOJI http://knoji.com/consumer-report-application/ --- We're selecting a few writers to join our Consumer Guides writing staff. We're seeking writers who have a knack for doing online research, who have a good product sense, and who can break down and simplify complex issues for the average consumer. You should also have a portfolio of work published on mainstream, recognizable websites or offline publications. As a Consumer Guides writer, you'll earn between $50 to $200 per article (approximately $0.08 to $0.30 per word), and have the flexibility to choose from a range of projects at your convenience.

POWER FOR LIVING http://www.davidccook.com/About/jobs/index.cfm?N=7,166,2,1 --- Power for Living, a weekly take-home paper for adults, is filled with inspiring articles about famous and ordinary Christians whose insights demonstrate following Christ. The publication features reports on unique ministries, world missions, spiritual trends, and issues that affect families. Pays up to $375 (1500-1700 words) per article.

READERS DIGEST (CANADA) http://www2.readersdigest.ca/pdf/Writer's%20Guidelines.pdf --- Reader's Digest has a well-deserved reputation for treating writers and artists with respect, and paying professional contributors well. Our rates start at $1/word, and can go up according to shoe-leather, research and other factors involved. Features in RD range between 800-2500 words. We do not pay for published jokes or anecdotes (nonprofessional authors of these short items do, however, receive a free subscription).

BRAZEN CAREERIST http://blog.brazencareerist.com/ --- Brazen Life offers professional and life advice for GenY. We typically only pay regular contributors, but this is a special opportunity. We're looking for blog posts about the best networking events in five cities: New York City, Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. If you live in one of those cities and want to cover this topic, email alexis@brazencareerist.com with writing samples. We pay $50/post.

JOBS

BUSTLE.COM NEWS WRITER http://ed2010.com/whisper-jobs/bustle-com-freelancertemp/ --- Bustle is seeking a freelance news writer to produce roughly 4-5 posts per day. Articles will be a mix of news summaries and intelligently curated galleries, though original reporting and in-depth coverage will be encouraged (we’re not looking for autopilot reblogs). A minimum commitment of 2-3 days per week is required (the position could also be 4-5 days). We’re looking for someone with at least two years of blogging/reporting experience, a unique voice, pitch-perfect news judgement and speedy delivery. Applicants should be passionate about international and national news. Email a resume, short note with availability, and three related clips (links please) to write@bustle.com. Email subject line should be “News Writer-Your Name.”

PUBLISHERS

FIVE STAR PUBLICATIONS http://www.fivestarpublications.com/publishingoptions.php --- You've put a lot of time and effort into your book. Make certain the final product is what you envisioned, and then maximize your marketing opportunities. At Five Star Publications we offer a variety of options for getting your book published and promoted. Self-Published authors retain up to 100% of all profits. They are responsible for distribution and pay for printing costs, but most of the costs for editing, cover design, interior, website and media kit are included. Partnership Published authors can realize a 50% royalty on net profits. This option includes everything offered to the self published authors, plus, distribution and the option for a full marketing campaign. We also offer a number of services a la carte. While a number of our authors were Traditionally Published, our model for publishing has shifted and we no longer offer this option.

FLASHLIGHT BOOKS http://www.flashlightpress.com/submissionguidelines.html --- Before submitting an email query, make sure your manuscript is a fiction picture book (NOT: a concept book, non-fiction, an early reader, a chapter book, or a YA novel), has a universal theme (but no holiday themes, and no talking inanimate objects), deals with family or social situations, targets 4-8 year olds, is between 500-1,000 words, and feels like a Flashlight book (Please read about our books to determine whether your story really feels like a fit.)

FLYING PEN PRESS http://www.flyingpenpress.com/submissions.html --- At this time, Flying Pen Press is not currently considering unsolicited submissions. If you're interested in submitting, please contact us with your resume, publishing bibliography, and the status of your reader following. Please keep in mind before contacting us that you must have a completed manuscript ready for review. Our minimum word length for all fiction is 65,000 words, with a maximum length of 150,000 words. We prefer novels of 75,000-120,000 words. Please include the total word count for your manuscript in the initial email. Flying Pen Press considers all but the shortest nonfiction submissions. Our nonfiction books can range between 48 pages and 828 pages, in various trade-paperback trim sizes. We generally do not publish books with color pages except in very special situations. For this reason, we do not consider art or photography books.

FORTRESS PRESS http://store.fortresspress.com/store/acquisitions --- Fortress Press has three major customer groups: Members of professional academic guilds in religion, bible, and theology; students and professors in colleges, universities, and seminaries; professionals in ministry in all denominations. Fortress Press does NOT publish fiction, poetry, children's and young adult literature, and nonscholarly books for general audiences. Our editorial team is actively seeking proposals for scholarly works in biblical studies, theology, and Christian history.

FORWARD MOVEMENT http://www.forwardmovement.org/Pages/About/Writers_Guidelines.aspx --- Forward Movement is an official agency of The Episcopal Church. we publish books, pamphlets, and other materials with a focus on discipleship. We strive to provide insightful, engaging, and accessible content on a range of topics, including prayer, spiritual practices, stewardship, church traditions, emerging trends, and Bible study. Our materials are published in a variety of manners, including print, electronic books, PDF downloads, and smartphone applications. We also welcome new authors to the pages of our daily devotional guide Forward Day by Day.

SPONSORS

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

Shanti Arts Publishing Announces Its Inspired Short Stories Competition

Email/Online/Postmark submission deadline: March 1, 2014

Shanti Arts Publishing invites writers to submit original short stories inspired by the paintings of Bill Farnsworth. The winning stories will be published in a printed collection along with Farnsworth's paintings. Writers interested in participating in the 2014 Inspired Stories Competition should select one painting by Farnsworth and compose an original story inspired by that piece. Previously published work will not be accepted. Stories may not exceed 5,000 words.

Selections will be chosen by Joan Dempsey, founder and president of Literary Living. Selected authors will retain rights to their work, a $50 honorarium, and one copy of the completed book. There is a $15 entry fee. Details and Farnsworth’s images available at www.shantiarts.com.

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.

If you are considering publishing your own book, take a look at Sable Books -- a new animal in author-published books. We are the professional, affordable alternative to all the self-publishing companies out there -- years of publishing and marketing experience have teamed up to assist you in taking your book to print successfully. Our fees are low and you retain 100 percent of all sales income.

We care about your book as much as you do. Let us handle publishing for you so you can get back to writing sooner.

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/SableBooks) or at www.sablebooks.org

Mention this ad and get 10% off our services.

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

E-mail Shaila: info@myhouseofdesign.com View portfolio: http://myhouseofdesign.com/authors/ Services for authors: http://myhouseofdesign.com/services-for-authors/

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

**Note that FundsforWriters.com places paid advertising in this newsletter, ALL ads being related to writers and the business of writing, screened by FundsforWriters to make sure the information is suitable for writers and their endeavors to improve their careers. But the mailing list is not sold to third parties. You will not receive this newsletter without your permission. It's physically impossible since recipients must opt-in, giving us permission to send the newsletter. If at any time you no longer with to receive the newsletter, click the UNSUBSCRIBE link at the bottom of each newsletter. We want you to enjoy this newsletter at your pleasure, not be forced to read anything you do not wish to receive. The website is not advertised using unsolicited messages by Aweber, affiliates or other third parties. Direct any complaints, suggestions, and accolades to Hope Clark at hope@fundsforwriters.com. We are an anti-spam site.