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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

Editor’s THOUGHTS

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

===

WHAT WE DO

Recently I saw a multi-published traditional author literally cry over her latest royalty statement. Remember these checks arrive every six months. SIX MONTHS. So when they come, you hold your breath, because the check represents your success for that half a year. The amount was barely enough for a night on the town, and she was questioning her abilities. She wisely asked for advice from her fellow authors. We all gave her "atta-girl" comments, relating how we'd been there ourselves. She went to bed, rose the next day, and returned to her journey, assuring us she'd gotten over herself.

Somewhere along our writing trek, we have to look at ourselves in the mirror and ask, "Is this worth it?" Are we writing for fun, for satisfaction, for a living, or because we don't know what else to do?

If your goal is to earn a living, then you need to think strategically about your writing. You need to write more than books, becoming diversified to get your name out there more quickly. Because, face it, name recognition equals sales. That means writing for magazines and blogs, speaking, maybe accepting freelance gigs for copy/bios/resumes. Not to say you can't work on your dream project at the same time, but if you think your dream project is going to make you wealthy, then you believe you'll one day win the lottery. Sure, you might, but face it...what are the odds?

Nothing is magical and nothing happens suddenly in this business. You scrap and scrape each inch of the way. Then one day you look back and see how far you've come, trying not to think about the less-than-minimum wage you received for the effort. Your spouse, family and friends cock a questionable eyebrow at you when you can't show much income or you can't list a dozen pieces you've published recently. You almost embarrass yourself saying you published this and that when those accomplishments occurred a decade or more ago.

Books make little money without a full-time effort at promotion. Freelancing assists you in branding and income production. But all of it takes back-breaking work. One day it'll make you cry. That's when you ask yourself why you're doing this. Why put yourself through the trauma of making nickels and dimes instead of the tens of thousands of dollars you might earn in a job?

You quit or you keep going. You might even do as I suggest, find freelance work to supplement the long, hard, dry spell. But if you feel you can't live like this, then don't. Goodness knows there are other jobs and means of earning the rent. But if you can't envision yourself doing anything else, then accept the life you've chosen.

One day you might make serious money, but it doesn't happen with luck walking in the door. It means you keep working at it, writing, submitting, and promoting, until your sweat and diligence crosses the path of opportunity. If you aren't working, you never meet it...or know how close you were to it when you gave it up.

~HOPE

Listen to Hope's latest podcast! "Trying to Self-Publish" - It's a rant you might find entertaining. http://chopeclark.com/2014/03/trying-to-self-publish/

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

I have always believed, and I still believe, that whatever good or bad fortune may come our way we can always give it meaning and transform it into something of value.

~ Hermann Hesse (Siddhartha)

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 - Or receive a free subscription with the full-price purchase of a Carolina Slade Mystery or The Shy Writer Reborn - ebook or print.

	The Carolina Slade Mystery Series http://www.chopeclark.com/ Palmetto Poison is out!!!!! The third in the Carolina Slade Mystery Series. Carolina Slade is the real deal – Southern charm, a steely determination, and a vulnerability she’ll never admit to. Slade is at her absolute best in C. Hope Clark’s Palmetto Poison so hold on for the ride! ~Lynn Chandler-Willis, best selling author and winner of the 2013 Minotaur Books/PWA Best First Private Eye Novel Competition Clark’s intensely lush and conversational writing will keep you…turning the pages faster than you can read them. ~Dish Magazine Comment on Dru's Musings after reading A Day in the Life of Carolina Slade celebrating the release of Palmetto Poison: This is the very best interview I’ve read on a blog. Ever! Can’t wait to head on over to Amazon and order up the book. Nice to meet you Ms Slade! Now to check out this dude in the cowboy boots and a five o’clock shadow. Autographed copies available: see www.chopeclark.com (Don't forget to leave a review on Amazon/Goodreads/B&N.)

Success Story

Hope:

I’ve been following Funds for Writers for several years. I find great values in your editorials with advice, philosophy, and pep talks for us writers. You highly recommend getting to a writer’s conference or two every year, and as a member of SCBWI (Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) I’ve gone to four of our regional conferences since joining in 2009. I’ve learned enough there to make a good stab at getting published, but it just hadn’t happened yet, that moment when your eyes meet the editor/agent/art director’s across the critique table and she leaps up and yells, “I’ve got it! The next Caldicott winner!”

Conferences can be expensive, and I was thrilled to be able to volunteer at The Whidbey Island Writer’s Conference in Fall 2013. I was admitted for free, in exchange for working full time for the weekend. Volunteers could sign up to assist with panels and sessions, and I got to attend all my first choice sessions.

The first evening of the conference, I learned of Booktrope, a Seattle publisher with a team-approach publishing model. I was intrigued enough to look them up on line that night, and the next day signed up for a pitch session with editor Beth Bacon from Booktrope.

I had worked on Pandamorphosis for four years. It is a wordless picture book about a cat that wishes she could be a panda, so that her panda obsessed human would love her as much as she loves pandas. I’d been through countless queries to publishers and agents, many of who praised the book and the artwork (my background and training is in fine art, not writing) but weren’t convinced they could sell it. Beth responded positively immediately, and asked me to submit to Booktrope.

As Booktrope is small, I was responsible for getting the illustrations digitized. So I ran a Kickstarter campaign to raise the funds necessary, as well as to gage response and enthusiasm for the book. The Kickstarter campaign was a huge success, and now Pandamorphosis is going to print much sooner than anticipated, and certainly much sooner than it would in a big publishing house.

I’m so happy to finally let loose the bears!

Booktrope’s team publishing model - http://booktrope.com/ Follow the pandas’ progress - http://www.yourbrainonpandas.com/pandamorphosis-project-page/

Thank you so much, Hope, for all the advice, information and encouragement you gift writers with, in every issue of Funds for Writers. Anne Belov

Anne Belov has been drawing and painting since she could hold a crayon. A few years ago, pandas entered her life and soon she began writing and drawing comics starring a cast of pandas. Her desire to tell stories soon merged with her fine art background and she began work on Pandamorphosis, a wordless picture book which will be published by Booktrope Publishing in April 2014. You can find her panda comics at http://yourbrainonpandas.com and Pandamorphosis information at http://booktrope.com . Anne makes her home in the glorious Pacific Northwest.

featured article

WRITING FOR INTERNATIONAL MARKETS

By Behlor Santi

Make your freelance writing career go viral. To make more money in 2014, take your marketing outside of North America. Introduce your work to a global audience. The Internet and social media have made this task easy, but it's still your responsibility to be pro-active.

Like hanging out on Facebook, the epitome of social media? Facebook can lead you to international markets. Using hashtags, you can find a publication with similar content to your post. For example, if you're writing about high school proms, you can write about the increasing cost of prom dresses, underaged sex or alcohol. By putting hashtags to keywords like #designerdresses, #safesex and #underagedrinking, you'll find parenting and lifestyle publications worldwide.

When working with editors from overseas, keep in mind five types of stories most likely to be accepted:

1. Celebrity profiles. Overseas, the American entertainment industry still creates the most revenue. If you've written profiles of American celebrities and business leaders, and you still own rights, sell them to overseas publications as reprints. Even if you sold all rights to one article, most of the time you can still write and publish articles on similar topics.

2. Travel articles. If you're a native New Yorker, editors from London to Mumbai eagerly want to read your views of Central Park, the Brooklyn neighborhood of Williamsburg and the Bronx Zoo. Ditto for residents of Orlando or Vail, Colorado. Even if your town's small and relatively nondescript, use your imagination to transform a local event or destination into a beautiful word picture for foreign vacationers or local staycationers.

3. Write about the demographic of your magazine. This is almost impossible for writers not familar with the magazine's location. The majority of editors prefer local writers to write about their culture. However, if you know some Indian-Americans, for example, and you want to write about how domestic violence or mental illness affects the Indian-American community in your city, you can pitch to an Indian magazine.

4. Write about American trends. To most of the world, America's still a leader in finance, culture and science. Many international publications want stories on how trends in the United States affect their particular country. An Australian magazine may want a piece on how their local retail sector reacted to the financial safety breach at Target. A trade magazine from South Africa may want a how-to on encouraging customers to start using credit and debit cards again after similar scandals. If it's just a straightforward trend article, editors prefer local writers, so stand out by pitching something only Americans can get - an interview with Target's CEO or an American who recently had her identity stolen.

5. Essays. Another way to crack international markets is through personal essays, especially based on experiences located in the magazine's country. Essays can be humorous, political or foster cross-cultural understanding. In this case, always read the magazine before submitting your unsolicited manuscript - even if the magazine only comes through snail mail. Stereotypes are not only offensive, they're a waste of time and cost you money.

Here are seven international publications that are looking for material:

Writing Magazine www.writers-online.co.uk Country: United Kingdom. Contact: Jonathan Telfer Email: jtelfer@writersnews.co.uk

BUZZZ Caribbean Lifestyle Magazine www.buzzzmagazine.com Country: Jamaica. Contact: Fabian Barracks Email: buzzzeditor@gmail.com

female www.femalemag.co.my Country: Malaysia. Contact: Terry Saw Email: terrysaw@bluinc.com.my

British Airways' High Life www.highlife.ba.com Country: United Kingdom. Contact: Kerry Smith Email: kerry.smith@cedarcom.co.uk

GQ Australia www.gq.com.au Country: Australia. Contact: Jake Millar Email: jake.millar@news.com.au

WestJet's up! Magazine www.upmagazine.com Country: Canad.a Contact: website for online submission form

In Lan Chile Magazine www.in-lan.com Country: Chile. Contact: Roberto Schiattino Email: rschiattino@spafax.com

BIO Behlor Santi is a regular contributor to FundsForWriters.com. Some of her articles have appeared in or will appear in Women's eNews, Minority Nurse Magazine and Brainworld Magazine. Contact her at behlorsanti.net.

competitions

SATURDAY EVENING POST CONTEST http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/fiction-contest --- $10 ENTRY FEE. The winning story will be published in the Jan/Feb 2015 edition of The Saturday Evening Post, and the author will receive a $500 payment. Five runners-up will each receive a $100 cash payment and will also have their stories published online. Stories must be between 1,500 and 5,000 words in length. All stories must be submitted by the author, and previously unpublished (excluding personal websites and blogs). No extreme profanity or graphic sex scenes. Think local. The Post has historically played a role in defining what it means to be an American. Your story should in some way touch upon the publication’s mission: Celebrating America, past, present, and future. Deadline July 1, 2014.

GREAT LAKES COLLEGES ASSOCIATION NEW WRITERS AWARDS http://glca.org/programs/new-writers-award --- NO ENTRY FEE. Poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction. In each category, the submitted work must be an author’s first published volume. For this year’s competition GLCA will accept entries published from the spring of 2013 through the spring of 2014. GLCA will also accept galley proofs for works to be published in late spring or early summer of 2014. Publishers submit works on behalf of their authors; the key criterion for this award is that any work submitted must be an author’s first published volume in the genre. The winning authors tour several of GLCA’s member colleges from which they receive invitations, giving readings, lecturing, visiting classes, conducting workshops, and publicizing their books. Each writer receives an honorarium of at least $500 from each college visited, as well as travel expenses, hotel accommodations, and hospitality. Deadline July 25, 2014.

MOON CITY POETRY AWARD https://mooncitypress.submittable.com --- $25 ENTRY FEE. For an original collection of poems written in English by a single author. Individual poems in the collection may be published in periodicals or may have appeared in a chapbook, but poems should not be previously published in full-length manuscript form. Open to all writers not associated with Moon City Press. Missouri State University students, alumni, and employees are ineligible. Manuscripts should be at least 48 pages. Please include a Table of Contents and an Acknowledgements page. Deadline: May 1, 2014. First prize $1,000, publication by Moon City Press (including international distribution through the University of Arkansas Press), and a standard royalty contract. Three additional finalists will be named and considered for publication.

INDIANA REVIEW POETRY PRIZE http://indianareview.org/prizes/2014-poetry-prize/ --- $20 ENTRY FEE. The winner of our contest will receive $1,000 and publication in Indiana Review. Send no more than three poems per entry, eight pages maximum. Deadline April 1, 2014.

SWITCHBACK EDITOR'S PRIZE https://www.swback.com/call/ --- NO ENTRY FEE. $200 to the writer who has written the most impressive, interesting, superior, or just blatantly magnificent piece of literary work. Deadline March 31, 2014. Additional prizes in the amounts of $75.00 and $50.00 will be awarded to the first two runners up.

GRANTS

GLADSTONE RESIDENCIES - UK http://www.gladstoneslibrary.org/writers/ --- Gladstone’s Library’s immensely successful Writer in Residence programme is now seeking submissions for residencies to take place in 2015. There will be four residencies offered in 2015. Each of the winning writers will be awarded a full month’s residency in the wonderfully creative atmosphere of Gladstone’s Library. During that month, each writer will publish two blogs about their stay, run a one-day workshop on the craft of creative writing, and host an evening event where they talk about any aspect of their writing life. Each residency comes with full board and lodging, travel expenses within the UK and a stipend of £100 per week. Deadline June 30, 2014.

RED GATE RESIDENCY - CHINA http://www.chinaresidencies.com/residencies/red-gate-residency --- Red Gate Residency in Beijing is currently accepting applications for October, November and December of 2014 and all of 2015. Red Gate Residency is an international artists residency program providing artists, curators, writers, and academics with the opportunity to live and create work in China. Our objective is to provide facilities for artists to easily start their projects and offer a community in which they can participate as much as they like. Artists working in any medium, writers, academics, and researchers are all eligible.

OSAGE ARTS COMMUNITY - MISSOURI http://osageac.org/ --- Emerging and mid-career visual artists, writers, composers, and artists of all disciplines are encouraged to apply for residency at Osage Arts Community. OAC is located in an isolated rural mountainside setting bordered by the Gasconade River, providing a solitary retreat and a country environment to individual artists and collaborative teams. $25 application fee.

ISLAND ARTIST RESIDENCY - MICHIGAN http://www.artmeetsearth.org --- The Hill House Artist Residency supports talented artists—emerging songwriters, writers at all stages of their career and many kinds of non-studio artists—with the time and space to create new work. Artists age 21 and older from anywhere in the world may apply. Solo artists as well as collaborating teams of up to four people are welcome. Application deadlines: April 1 and October 1.

HORNED DORSET COLONY http://www.horneddorsetcolony.org --- Emerging and professional artists working in the fields of writing,translating, musical composition, visual arts and interdisciplinary arts will be eligible to apply for a 4-week residency in the rural town of Leondardsville, located in central New York State.

FREELANCE MARKETS

HOBBY FARMS http://www.hobbyfarms.com/corporate/writer-guidelines.aspx --- Hobby Farms is a general-circulation magazine, directed to hobby and small farmers or those simply living (or wishing to live) in the country. Hobby farmers are homesteaders, as well as those living in rural areas near larger, suburban areas. They raise traditional livestock like cows, horses, goats, pigs and chickens and alternative livestock, such as alpacas, llamas, emus, Jacob sheep, Scottish Highland cattle and other rare breeds. The magazine caters to the on-farm aspects of rural living. The best time to send feature article queries is January 1-April 1. We pay $300 and higher for feature articles; "Happenings” articles receive $50 to $75 per piece. Accompanying high-quality photographs are paid additionally for any that are used.

GRADUATE SCHOOLS MAGAZINE http://www.gradschoolsmag.com/contact/ --- The magazine is designed to attract prospective students and is strategically placed in high traffic areas such as: student centers, campus libraries, admissions offices, and administration buildings at more than 65 higher education institutions. Contact pmhoon@graduateschoolsmag.com for details.

ELDER LAW ADVOCATES http://elderlawadvocates.com/ http://www.freelancejobopenings.com/job/freelance-writing-birmingham-al-elder-law-advocates-11a2a0309d/ --- Seeking freelance writers and photographers for an as-yet published quarterly lifestyle magazine to be circulated for free in the Jefferson and Shelby county Alabama metro areas. The readership will primarily be women, aged 40-60, so all articles should bear some relevance to that demographic. The magazine will feature stories on a number of topics including travel, dining, local culture, recent developments in medicine, legal and estate planning suggestions, caregiving for elderly parents, divorce and custody, fitness and similar. This magazine will be supported by advertisers but we will be able to pay the going rate for freelance submissions. Up to $250 for short articles, $500 for longer articles, for example. If interested, please contact me. Publishing will be quarterly.

THE COUNTRYMAN http://www.countrymanmagazine.co.uk/contacts.html --- The countryside is the biggest untold story in British journalism today. Help us to tell that story in all its variety and subtlety by emailing news, feature ideas and letters to: editorial@thecountryman.co.uk. Focuses on rural issues, as well as including features on the people, places, history and wildlife. Length: up to 1,200 words.

DEER & DEER HUNTING http://www.deeranddeerhunting.com/editorial --- The editorial content of the magazine focuses on white-tailed deer biology and behavior, management principles and practices, habitat requirements, natural history of deer, hunting techniques and hunting ethics. We also publish a wide range of “how-to” articles designed to help hunters locate and get close to deer at all times of the year. Most of our readership consists of three-season hunters (bow, centerfire/shotgun and muzzleloader) and about one-third camera hunt. Feature articles dealing with deer biology or behavior should be documented by scientific research (the author or that of others) as opposed to a limited number of personal observations. Features $150 to $600.

JOBS

STAFF WRITER Location England http://www.mediauk.com/newspapers/jobs/17963/staff-writer --- Pageant Media has an excellent opportunity for a first jobber to get involved in all aspects of working on annual supplements for weekly and monthly magazines, plus features and news writing for the magazines themselves. Short-listed candidates will have a post-graduate certificate in journalism and an excellent grasp of grammar. Proven writing skills and good time management are essential for this job. Please apply by sending a CV and cover letter, detailing any relevant experience. Please note that this is an entry-level position, working mainly on sponsored editorial, although previous candidates have quickly advanced to other Pageant titles.

MULTIMEDIA JOURNALIST Location Columbia, SC http://www.jobs.net/jobs/gannett/job/Multimedia-Journalist-WLTX-TV-Columbia-SC/ --- WLTX, Gannett’s CBS affiliate in Columbia, SC is looking for a highly motivated journalist, with strong news judgment and writing skills, solid on-air performance skills, and the drive and determination to get the story.

PUBLISHERS

DREAMSPINNER PRESS http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/ --- Dreamspinner Press seeks gay male romance stories in all genres. We encourage tales that cross genres. For example, a science-fiction mystery or romantic fantasy. Stories can stand alone or be part of a well-developed series. We publish a wide range of genres.

MISCHIEF BOOKS http://www.mischiefbooks.com/books/ --- Mischief is a new series of ebook erotica and erotic romance fiction exploring romance and explicit sexual fantasies for the purpose of pleasure.

WHISKEY CREEK PRESS http://whiskeycreekpress.com/submissions.shtml --- Whiskey Creek Press is a royalty-paying traditional publisher of fiction and non-fiction. Especially interested in all genres of romance, sci-fi, and fantasy.

CARINA PRESS http://carinapress.com/blog/submission-guidelines/ --- Mystery: 70,000 words and up. Paranormal romance: 50,000 words and up. Historical romance: 50,000 words and up. Romantic suspense: 50,000 words and up. Science fiction: 50,000 words and up. Fantasy: 50,000 words and up. Carina Press is one of Harlequin’s digital-first adult fiction single-title imprints, publishing first in digital, with releases in audio and print as well.

A.M. HEATH LITERARY AGENTS http://amheath.com/about-us --- Founded in 1919, A.M.Heath is one of the UK’s leading literary agencies. We represent established contemporary authors, rising stars and some of the iconic writers of the 20th Century. Our focus is on working with authors to exploit the potential of their writing in as many arenas as possible. Our agents work closely together to ensure that we cover all areas of the business and each author benefits from the shared expertise of our tight-knit and supportive team. Between us we represent a wide range of prize-winning and bestselling fiction and non-fiction; journalists, historians, biographers, experts and novelists across all genres, from crime to literary, historical to YA and children’s.

SPONSORS

REFRESH YOUR WRITING SKILLS THIS SPRING WITH WOW!

WOW! Women On Writing offers online courses in fiction, nonfiction, short story, personal essay, poetry, screenwriting, freelance, editing, author platform, self-publishing, and more. Work with our award-winning instructors one-on-one and get personalized feedback on assignments.

Here’s a sampling of some of our classes starting soon:

• How to Become a Paid Book Reviewer (April 7)
• Tips and Tools for Editing (April 7)
• Writing Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults (April 7)
• Creating Poems and Personal Essays from Journal and Journal Style Writings (April 21)
• Flash Fiction Workshop (April 28)
• Literary Devices (April 28)

Visit the WOW! Classroom for a full list of classes and workshops:

http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html

Sports Fiction & Essay Contest

Now in its third year. $3,000 in cash prizes, including $1,000 for the best story and $1,000 for the best essay. Submit published or unpublished works of prose on sports-related themes, up to 6,000 words per entry. All entries that win cash prizes will be published on WinningWriters.com and announced in the Winning Writers Newsletter, with over 50,000 subscribers. Fee is $16 per entry. Submit online by May 31. Final judge: Jendi Reiter. Winning Writers is one of the "101 Best Websites for Writers" (Writer's Digest, 2005-2013). See guidelines, past winners, and enter online at www.winningwriters.com/sports

Dylan Thomas' Wales

July 8-15, 2014, Swansea, Wales

ARE YOU A WRITER WHO LOVES TO TRAVEL? Join us in the UK to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Dylan Thomas' birth. Immerse yourself in the literary landscape immortalized in his poetry and prose. This writing retreat will feature supportive workshops, socializing with local writers and excursions along the beautifully rugged coastline. Open to poets, fiction, memoir and nonfiction writers. **Scholarships available**

"I had a more enriching experience at the retreat than in the book-writing group I attended for a year. Our workshop leader was at the top of the scale, keeping the workshop intensive, genuine, supportive and inspiring." — Juliet, Philadelphia, PA

Register by April 1 and save $75: www.murphywriting.com/wales

BUSINESS CARDS THEY HAVE TO TOUCH

When I make appearances, I hand people my card. I have one for each book. The first thing they do is rub their thumbs over the thick gorgeous cardstock finish, release a long soothing ooh or aah, then ask where I got my cards.

I may change where I purchase my postcards or banners, but I'll never change where I buy my business cards. Moo.com is remarkable in quality and service. A highly recommended resource for the serious writer. ~C. Hope Clark, Author Carolina Slade Mystery Series, Editor FundsforWriters.com

2014 Houston Writers Guild Annual Agents & Editors Conference
50 Shades Beyond Grey: Color Your Writing, Infuse Your Future
Marriott Sugar Land Town Center, 16090 City Walk, Sugar Land, TX 77479 April 11-13, 2014

Author Nikki Loftin will keynote. Conference opportunities include manuscript consults w/ pro editors/coaches; agent/editor pitch sessions (Eddie Schneider of JABberwocky, Jennifer Udden of Donald Maass, Pooja Menon of Kimberley Cameron, Stella Riley of Soul Mate Publishing, Dawn Dowdle of Blue Ridge Literary Agency, & Jessica Kirkland of the Blythe Danield Agency); Power Revision Workshop; Author Platform Workshop; 15 concurrent learning sessions in 3 tracks; agent Q&A Panel; and dinner with agents and editors. Bonus: Mar 15 Pitch Workshop to prepare for the Conference. Nonmembers welcome.

Registration/details at http://houstonwritersguild.org/annual-conference. See you there!

A FREE Master Class in Creative Writing Success

Enroll FREE in a 14-part 'mini course' in short story writing success. This highly acclaimed Writers' Village 'Master Class' shows you how to get published - profitably - plus win cash prizes in fiction awards.

Discover how to open a chapter with 'wow' impact, add new energy to a scene, build a character in moments, sustain page-turning suspense even through long passages of exposition... plus 97 further powerful ideas you can use at once.

Enjoy the course without charge now at: http://www.writers-village.org/writing-success.php

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.

You’re Invited to the “Fifty Shades of Writing” Conference

The Missouri Writers’ Guild welcomes Writer’s Digest Book Editor Chuck Sambuchino and other distinguished writing faculty to St. Louis, Missouri, from April 11-13 for the “Fifty Shades of Writing” Conference.

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN AND INCLUDES: o “Pitch Perfect” welcome session by Chuck Sambuchino o Individual agent and editor pitch appointments o Luncheon keynote by USA Best Selling Author Mary Buckham o 16+ Saturday breakout sessions on topics like query letters, character development, editing, and more o Friday early bird arrival session presented by Literary Agent Sorche Fairbank o An expanded “Agents & Editors Read the Slush Pile” Session o Open mic, sponsored by the St. Louis Writers’ Guild

Additional in-depth master classes and Saturday night banquet available for additional fees. Meet 100+ other writers in St. Louis this April and refine your craft at one of the most affordable conferences in the Midwest.

Visit http://missouriwritersguild.org/MWG%20Conference%202014/ to learn more and register.

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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