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SPONSOR OF THE WEEK
Third annual Business of Writing International Summit - August 1-2, 2014 in Louisville, KY.
Learn
how to grow your book sales and build your author platform at this
annual two day event for writers, authors and small publishers. 30+
sessions on self-publishing, small press publishing, book promotion,
marketing, eBooks, social media, and the craft of writing. Enjoy great
food; outstanding networking opportunities; meet published authors,
publishers and other industry experts; study the latest tools and
resources.
Pre-Summit Workshop on July 31, 2014: All-day Self
Publishing Workshop with Peggy DeKay, author of Self Publishing For
Virgins. This class will lead you through the process of self publishing
using CreateSpace and Microsoft Word. You can self-publish a book with
little money and limited computer skills.
Questions or to register by phone, call: Larry DeKay 502-303-7926
 502-303-7926
Editor's THOUGHTS
HOW MANY WAYS CAN YOU EDIT?
In my opinion you cannot edit too much unless you have no idea what you're writing. If you have purpose in your project and understand the direction of your story, then you'll know when the editing is done. How many times do you edit a story? Wrong question. The question is more along the lines of how many ways can you edit.
I cannot tell you what's right for all writers, novelists, freelancers and copywriters, but I can tell you what I do when I'm writing my mysteries. I also use many of these for my magazine projects as well.
The ways Hope edits:
1) Finish the rough draft. (on screen)
2) Let it sit overnight at a minimum. A novel needs to sit for a week or two.
3) Edit it on screen for the big picture aspects. Does it have a beginning, middle and ending? Does it open strong and end strong, making the point clear? Did the middle sag? Is the plot solid?
4) Edit it on screen for flow, syntax, and flavor. Tweak dialogue. Revisit the climax. Dissect the pivotal scenes. Make the setting three dimensional and the characters real.
5) Edit it on screen for grammar, typos and spelling.
6) Print it off and pull out your red pen. Read it with a hard editor's eye, slowly and methodically. You will see the story differently on paper than you did on the screen.
7) Now, read it aloud. You can read it to someone or they can read it to you. If the other person is not a serious writer, have them read it to you, so your ear can catch the mistakes, lulls and boredom.
8) Have a beta reader who is a writer read it.
9) Have a beta reader who is a voracious reader read it . Do not waste your time with someone who is not a solid, well-read recreational reader. They will not catch the boo-boos.
10) Hire an editor.
11) Find a copyeditor.
12) Find a proofreader. (You can often combine numbers 10, 11, 12 or 11 and 12.)
One editing tactic that makes my work better is locating repeating words. As you read your work aloud, you'll "hear" the words that are stated too many times. In my most recent manuscript, I took note of such words as I read it, listing words like HAND, LOOK, ROSE, UNDERSTAND, THOUGHT, and STOOD. Don't assume you repeat the same words in each of the works, because I've found that no two stories are the same in the words I like to overuse.
There are lots of steps to edit your work, especially your long works. If you wonder about whether you're editing enough, chances are you aren't.
-Hope Clark
NOTE: Last week I posted John Hunt Publishers. While I've found nothing negative about them, they are indeed a vanity press, and you pay to publish. The books also sell for more than the norm, like vanity presses seem to do. Just wanted you to be informed. ~Hope
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HAWKSNEST WRITERS CONFERENCE
Speakers
include Lyle Ernst, Kim Sigafus, Lori Perkins, Anthony Wedgeworth and
Keynote C. Hope Clark of FundsforWriters and The Carolina Slade Mystery
Series
Saturday, July 12, 2914 9 a.m. -- 4 p.m.
State Bank of Cross Plains Conference Room
Black Earth, WI
Cost $50 (includes catered lunch)
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WORDS OF SUCCESS
Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday.
~ John Wayne
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The Carolina Slade Mystery Series
On Palmetto Poison. 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
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 |
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Success Story
Hi Hope,
I just bought Tidewater Murder from the Kindle Store to renew my TOTAL FundsforWriters subscription. I value my subscription to TOTAL FFW so much. Thank you for all you do!
I actually have a recent success to share that came from a market listed in one of your newsletters. Page & Spine, an online literary magazine (they pay!), accepted my short story, "Tight Pants," for publication. Date still TBD but thanks to you I'm celebrating another stepping stone in my writing journey, and I'm so grateful for your sound advice and excellent resources.
Bria Burton
www.briaburton.com
www.briaburton.blogspot.com
www.runbriarun.blogspot.com
www.lanceandringotails.blogspot.com
featured article
THE CROWDFUNDING CRAZE
By Kirsten S. Traynor
Crowdfunding sites pop up all over the internet, competing with the two big early giants Kickstarter and Indiegogo. Some crowdfunding sites cater more to creative artists, others to charitable projects or tech startups.
A few dedicate themselves to fine writing, pushing the evolution of the publishing industry. These platforms create unique communities that pair writers and readers, letting them mingle online. The three currently vying for writers and supporters of fine prose are:
Unbound: UK based. Believes that people who love books deserve a say in what gets published. The model is simple: The author pitches an idea. Readers support it. With enough support, the book is published by Unbound. After production costs, net profits are split 50/50 with the author.
Pubslush: (featured in 05/09/2014 FFW newsletter) similar to Kickstarter with tiered rewards. Allows authors to raise funds for books, publishing and literary events. All projects must raise a minimum of $500. If no one funds the project in the first 2 weeks, it disappears. The site provides authors with a platform to gauge reader interest. Once successfully funded and the manuscript has been uploaded, the fund button morphs into a purchase icon, driving sales.
Inkshares: For novels, illustrated books and articles. Combines traditional aspects of legacy publishing houses, such as editing, marketing, book design and distribution with do-it-your-self entrepreneurial spirit, so authors play an active role throughout. Successful projects are edited by their top-notch team at $0.07/word using a portion of the funds raised. Inkshares develops relationships with national publications, helping writers break in to large markets with a fully-fledged project. Recently they sold a funded piece to Atlantic Monthly and are negotiating another for GQ. For books, royalties are split 70/30 in the author's favor.
I decided to test drive the Inkshares system, launching an article for Pollinator Week: Stung: In Search of Honey Bees. I set a modest goal of $540 for a 6,000 word piece. A big chunk of the funds will go towards editing. Believing that an early push helps drive others to fund, Inkshares kicks in an extra $5 for every new backer during the first 10 days of the campaign.
Experience taught me crowdfunding requires diligence, especially if your audience isn't web savvy. Although I reached over 35% of my goal in the first 3 days, in retrospect it would have been better to develop a clear marketing strategy before launching. Due to the lag time in magazine publishing some of my media blitzes will not appear until early August, near the end of my campaign.
If I ever decide to launch a larger book crowdfunding project, this footwork will come first:
=> Line up 10 supporters in place to back small amounts immediately
=> Draft personal campaign letters to potential backers in advance; send immediately when project launches
=> Let relevant magazines, blogs and clubs know about the campaign in advance, identifying relevant tie-ins so they announce the project to their members/readers.
=> Engage in public events locally, spreading the word via flyers
=> Have a greater social media presence on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Tumblr, etc. prior to launching, so I have increased name recognition and my campaign spreads online.
All three sites allow the author to share drafts or excerpts during the funding phase, building excitement and enthusiasm in their sponsors. These sponsors turn into advocates, driving others to your work. Readers will often offer advice, comments and suggestions, creating a two-way exchange between the author and their audience. Crowdfunding platforms have the potential to revolutionize the publishing industry, but they require dedication, enthusiasm and lots of advance planning.
BIO
Kirsten S. Traynor is an English major turned scientist, whose research improves honey bee health. Her work has appeared in Wired and Scientific American Mind. By reading FFW, she won her first grant, a German Chancellor Scholarship (BuKa) to traipse around Western Europe for 18 months studying bees. She has since landed a Fulbright, an NSF honorable mention, a PEO scholar award, and a USDA NIFA grant. For her crowdfunding project she stepped out of the ivory tower of academia and is learning to navigate social media. Follow her on Twitter @FlowersLoveBees. www.flowerslovebees.com Go get STUNG!
competitions
GEMINI MAGAZINE FLASH FICTION CONTEST
http://www.gemini-magazine.com/contest.html
ENTRY FEE $4.
Deadline September 2, 2014. Maximum length 1,000 words (any subject, style, or genre). First prize $1,000. Second prize $100. Four Honorable Mentions $25 each. Submit up to 1,000 words.
2014 NANO PRIZE
http://nanofiction.org/submit
ENTRY FEE $15 (for up to 3 shorts).
Deadline September 1, 2014. Publication and $500 to a previously unpublished work of fiction of 300 words or fewer. All entrants receive a one-year subscription to NANO Fiction. Winners announced in mid-September. All submitted pieces will be considered for publication.
THE CONISTON PRIZE
http://www.radarpoetry.com/contest
$15 ENTRY FEE.
Recognizes an outstanding group of poems by a woman writing in English. The winner will receive $1,000 and will be featured in Issue 4. All finalists will also be awarded publication. Deadline September 1, 2014. We will notify all entrants on or before October 1.
SISKIYOU PRIZE FOR NEW ENVIRONMENTAL LITERATURE
https://ashlandcreekpress.submittable.com/submit
$25 ENTRY FEE.
The Siskiyou Prize is open to unpublished, full-length prose manuscripts with environmental themes, including novels, memoirs, short story collections, and essay collections. Manuscripts should be approximately 40,000 to 90,000 words (i.e., please do not send novellas or individual essays or stories; please also note the contest is not open to poetry or children's books). Deadline September 30, 2014.
THE BOOK PIPELINE COMPETITION
http://bookpipeline.com/
$50 ENTRY FEE.
The Book Pipeline Competition, presented by Script Pipeline, is searching for playwrights and authors with material well-suited for film or television adaptation. The winning writer will have meetings with Energy Entertainment (Extant), Benderspink (We're the Millers, A History of Violence), Lakeshore Entertainment (Million Dollar Baby), and Paradigm to discuss further development. Deadline September 15, 2014. Acceptable entries include: Novels (fiction or non-fiction), Book Proposals / Pitches, Graphic Novels, Plays. $1,000 cash to winning entry. Airfare to attend the Book Pipeline event (or $500 airfare reimbursement for international finalists).
GRANTS
CAN SERRAT WRITERS STIPEND
http://www.canserrat.org
Deadline July 31, 2014. Offers two writers full stipends, and two visual artists full stipends which entitle the winners to a 30-day residency including free accommodation, breakfast and dinner (except Sundays). Open to writers and visual artists in all fields regardless of nationality or age. Residents are responsible for all extra personal living expenses, travel and insurance costs, telephone charges and any other expenses during their stay. (Thanks www.erikedreifus.com)
STONE COURT WRITER-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM
http://waldorfhigh.org/stone-court-writer-in-residence/
Deadline July 25, 2014. Provides emerging writers the freedom, time and material support to concentrate on their creative work. Focuses on bringing to the Berkshire Hills in Western Massachusetts young writers who represent diverse American voices. It is structured to permit the writer to contribute to the community by leading a creative writing master class at a local independent high school and offering at least one community reading of his/her work. Two 8-12 week residencies will be offered, one starting in September and one starting in February. The residency includes a small one bedroom apartment in Stockbridge, Mass. Residents receive a stipend ($250/week) plus lodging and utilities.
SUSTAINABLE ARTS FOUNDATION AWARDS
http://www.sustainableartsfoundation.org/awards
Deadline: September 8, 2014. Focuses on awards to individual artists and writers with families. Specifically, the applicant must have at least one child under the age of 18. We welcome applicants from anywhere, but will give some preference to residents of the San Francisco Bay Area. Multiple winners will be awarded $6,000. Additionally, we will be awarding a number of smaller Promise Awards to those applicants whose work may not qualify for the main awards, but nonetheless demonstrates both skill and potential.
DELAWARE INDIVIDUAL ARTIST FELLOWSHIPS
http://www.artsdel.org/grants
Deadline August 1, 2014. Emerging and Established Professional Fellowship applications will be accepted from visual, performing, media, folk, and literary artists. Masters Fellowship applications will be accepted this year in Dance, Jazz, or Music.
FREELANCE MARKETS
SOUTH CAROLINA WILDLIFE
http://www.scwildlife.com/guidelines.html
Pays 20 cents/word. SCW considers all types of articles dealing with conservation of our wildlife and natural resources, outdoor activities (hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, etc.), natural and scenic areas, the state's heritage as related to the outdoors, natural history of particular game and nongame species, and subjects on a national level of interest to outdoor-oriented readers anywhere (such as famous outdoorsmen of the past who affected our outdoor lifestyle, or environmental issues). We also are looking for well-done outdoor articles with a humorous angle. Limit 500 to 2,000 words.
DOUGLAS BUSINESS MAGAZINE
https://www.pageonepublishing.ca/submission-guidelines/
Douglas readers are Southern Vancouver Island's business elite -- entrepreneurs, influential decision-makers, CEOs and upper management. Editorial topics include: in-depth business features, profiles, real estate and development, finance, sales and marketing, technology, business lifestyle and resources. Like all of our publications, Douglas is designed to be coffee-table worthy and is a respected source for readers seeking the inside track on business. Pays 40 cents/word.
YAM MAGAZINE
https://www.pageonepublishing.ca/submission-guidelines/
YAM magazine celebrates the unique personalities, trends and tastes that make Greater Victoria such a desirable place in which to live. This vibrant magazine features exclusive, original content designed to inspire readers, with a focus on home and garden, food and wine, experiential travel, arts and culture, health and fitness, and lifestyle. We are looking for features of 1,200 to 3,000 words in length, as well as shorter pieces.
WANDERLUST TRAVEL MAGAZINE
http://www.wanderlust.co.uk/aboutus/writers
Wanderlust aims to cover all aspects of independent, semi-independent and special-interest travel. We do cover 'soft' adventure but leave the crampons and adrenalin stuff to other magazines. Off-the-beaten-track destinations, secret corners of the world and unusual angles on well-known places are always of particular interest. We are particularly interested in local culture and try to provide more of an insight than travel articles in other publications - hence, we prefer pieces to be written by someone with an in-depth knowledge of a topic or destination. Pays £220 per 1,000 published words.
DELTA SKY MAGAZINE
http://deltaskymag.delta.com/About-Delta-Sky/Writers-Guidelines.aspx
We are looking for expertly executed stories about travel, lifestyle and business. Features range from 600-2,000 words. Departments include very small 100-word pieces to longer 500-word columns.
JOBS
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Location Springfield, IL
http://tinyurl.com/pvskuhr
BA, MA, MFA or MSc in Creative Writing, English, Communications, or related field. At least one year of experience with a print publication or journal of national distribution. The Assistant Editor, Production and Layout, Quiddity will assist with the management and production of Quiddity's international and Public-Radio Program, including Web management, upholding quality, calendar, and budgetary expectations.
publishers/agents
3 SEAS LITERARY AGENCY
http://threeseasagency.com/
3 Seas is a full-service literary agency, and we're all about building our authors' careers! We represent more than 50 authors who write romance, women's fiction, science fiction/fantasy, thrillers, young adult and middle grade fiction as well as select nonfiction titles. In the fourteen years since the agency doors were opened, our agents have successfully sold into all the major publishing houses.
AMY RENNERT AGENCY
http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/amyrennert/
The agency represents a select group of quality fiction and nonfiction writers - many of them award-winners - and dozens of agency books have been New York Times and national bestsellers.
Represents General fiction, Mystery, Biography, Business/investing/finance, History, Mind/body/spirit, Health, Lifestyle, Sports, Literary fiction, Narrative non-fiction especially memoir and reportage.
ANDY ROSS AGENCY
http://andyrossagency.com/agency.html
Represents authors who write books in a wide range of subjects including: narrative non-fiction, science, journalism, history, current affairs, contemporary culture, religion, children's books and commercial and literary fiction. Eager to work with projects in most genres as long as the subject or its treatment is smart, original, and will appeal to a wide readership.
THE AUGUST AGENCY
http://www.augustagency.com/Submissions.html
The August Agency is always on the hunt for exceptional writers to represent. We welcome submissions with an emphasis in the following areas: mainstream fiction, creative nonfiction, narrative nonfiction, fiction & nonfiction with an international flavor, crime fiction and true crime, including historicals, memoir, popular culture, arts & entertainment, media/current events (seasoned journalists receive special favor), political & social sciences, business, biography, history, academic works, international authors with works of international significance. We favor persuasive and prescriptive works, each with a full-bodied narrative command and an undeniable contemporary relevance.
BALDI AGENCY
http://baldibooks.com/
The Baldi Agency is an independent and eclectic agency specializing in literary fiction, memoir and cultural history.
SPONSORS
MarketingNewAuthors.com WRITERS' GROUP is open for individuals who love the written word.
Group Members receive:
=> availability to all MANA Specials regarding marketing and self-publishing plans and an additional percentage discounts
=> discounts on all publishing plans
=> input from club members, if desired
=> customized workshops
=> one-on-one consultation up to an hour (once a month)
=> every two months a newsletter for club members
=> $10 for every referral
=> free e-book
Club Fee: $49.95 for every 6 months or $80 for a year.
MANA is committed to those committed to becoming a writer!
Come join the MANA Writers' Group!
For more details, contact MANA at 734-975-0028
734-975-0028
or info@marketingnewauthors.com.
2014 Houston Writers Guild Fall Contest is open for submission!
Entry fee $35 for fiction/nonfiction. $25 for poetry.
Open to all writers, regardless of publishing status.
Winners will be announced at our annual Fall Conference.
$75 prize awarded to first place in each category.
Entering is easy. Deadline is September 1.
For more information visit http://houstonwritersguild.org/contests
Call for Entries: Writers & Poets!
Dream Quest One Poetry &
Writing Contest. Write a poem, 30 lines or fewer on any subject or
write a short story, 5 pages maximum length on any theme, single or
double-line spacing, neatly hand printed or typed.
Writing First Prize: $500, 2nd: $125; 3rd: $100
Poetry First Prize: $250, 2nd: $125; 3rd: $50.
Entry fees: $5 per poem, $10 per story. Postmark deadline: July 31, 2014
How to enter, visit: http://www.dreamquestone.com
Click here to visit Book Design Templates.- Instead
of trying to decide what your books should look like, we've made all
the decisions for you. Just follow our friendly instructional guide,
pour in your text and your book will be ready to go. All your styles and
formatting needs are coded into our templates for easy use. Enthusiastically endorsed by Hope!
ALSO - Our cover templates are out!
The template actually comes with 3 different files, one each for
CreateSpace, Lightning Source/Spark, and a generic template for other
printers. We've also packaged the template with 20 fonts to make using
it even easier.
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 CODE FFW2014 AND GET 10% OFF (NEW CLIENTS ONLY)
EXISTING CLIENTS EARN 8% REFERRAL FEE FOR SENDING IN NEW CLIENTS
A few testimonials from happy clients:
"Thank
you for the gift of your creativity, insight, and problem-solving as I
threw you question after question. The site captures my spirit and
passion, and it honors my dream since childhood. I feel blessed to have
come across you (thanks C Hope Clark!) and will recommend you to those
who are in the market for a new site." --Lyn Fairchild Hawks, author, http://lynhawks.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
A few client sites:
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 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
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no longer with to receive the newsletter, click the UNSUBSCRIBE link at
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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.
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