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SPONSOR OF THE WEEK
Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest - Final Month!
12th year. $3,000 in prizes will be awarded, including $1,000 for a poem in any style and $1,000 for a poem that rhymes or has a traditional style. Both published and unpublished work accepted. All entries that win cash prizes will be published on WinningWriters.com and announced in the Winning Writers Newsletter, with over 50,000 subscribers. Entry fee is $16 for 1-2 poems of any length. Deadline: September 30. Winning Writers is one of the "101 Best Websites for Writers" (Writer's Digest, 2005-2013). See guidelines, past winners, and enter at www.winningwriters.com/
tompoetry
Editor's THOUGHTS
GET A LIFE
You cannot be really first-rate at your work if your work is all you are.
So I suppose the best piece of advice I could give anyone is pretty simple: get a life.
~ Anna Quindlen (A Short Guide to a Happy Life)
I love succinct quotes with a punch. They're more likely to wake you up and shake sense into you. This isn't exactly a writing quote, either. It's a living quote, which I'm more about.
Writing is something we do. It's not who we are. All too often I feel writers think they are indeed their writing, so that when they are rejected, they crumble to pieces. I hate that. Nobody ought to have that much power over you.
"Get a life" is often used as a criticism, unfortunately, when it's just common sense and positive guidance. It's not that you don't have a life, it's that you need to seize the one you have. Or if you aren't pleased with the one you have, then stop messing around and create what you want.
That means loving yourself. What does it take for you to love yourself? For some of us, writing is what makes us feel whole. I know that NOT writing would leave a huge hole in my day, my thoughts, maybe even my being. But, if I'm rejected, if I don't finish a book on schedule, if I don't sell enough copies, it's a task that fell short, and I'm still who I am.
Now . . . this is not an excuse to say that not having enough time to write, or not wanting to market yourself, is related to who you are. That's the point of this essay. Your work ethic, your moral compass, and your positive attitude are who you are. You are your treatment of people, and the way you look at life in the morning. Those things are your life. Writing is supposed to be icing on a cake that's already made and tastes fine.
---
NOTE: Listed Helm Publishing last week - http://www.publishersdrive.com/submissions.html - and was contacted by some disgruntled writers about Helm Publishing's professionalism. Just letting you know.
-Hope Clark
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Mystery Writers of America University (MWA-U) is a
full-day, low-cost writing seminar designed to teach participants the essential
skills needed to craft a novel. The college-level courses are taught by
published writers and experienced teachers. The core curriculum includes:
After the Idea - Jess Louery
Dramatic Structure & Plot - Laura
DiSilverio
Setting & Description - Richie
Narvaez
Character - Carolyn Haines
Writing as Re-Writing - Hallie Ephron
The Writing Life - Hank Phillippi
Ryan
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Westin Peachtree Plaza, Chastain D & E, 6th
Floor
210 Peachtree Street NW, Atlanta, GA
Cost: $50 for members and $75 for nonmembers
To register, go to:
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WORDS OF SUCCESS
When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news,
my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers.
You will always find people who are helping.
~ Fred Rogers
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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
Good day, Hope:
I'd like to thank you for your "Funds for Writers." I've been an aspiring writer since I could talk - my grandmother would record me making up stories. In high school, I began to take it seriously and my first querying attempts were...well, I'll call them learning experiences. I began to research the craft in more depth and came across "Funds for Writers." Through your many opportunities, I was able to get my name out there. I'm now represented by Belcastro Agency, have been published in numerous anthologies, and have five novels soon to be published by Curiosity Quills Press. Thank you for being a writer's guiding light.
Jordan Elizabeth Mierek
Author of ESCAPE FROM WITCHWOOD HOLLOW and TREASURE DARKLY, both published by Curiosity Quills.
www.JordanElizabethMierek.com
featured article
5 Ways to Expand into a New Market
By Shanon Lee
As the marketplace becomes saturated with new freelance writers every day, you must stay competitive. Often, this means pursuing opportunities in a new market. Whether you are diversifying to meet financial goals, or out of curiosity, here are 5 ways to expand into a new market:
1. Write From Personal Experience
Are you a technology lover? Have you had personal experience with substance abuse? Ever been pregnant? Just because you do not have formal training or professional experience does not mean that you cannot write authoritatively on a subject. Client ads will often specify whether they want you to be a credentialed expert, or just be well versed in a subject. Start by pursuing opportunities that request writing in a conversational tone, human-interest stories, or list-based articles.
2. Write For Sites You Like
One of my first clients was secured after I sent an e-mail expressing my love for their website. If you take pleasure in reading articles on a site, you are bound to enjoy writing articles for the site as well. Excelling at the task will be easier because you represent the target market and you are familiar with the preferred writing style. A complimentary e-mail to the editor explaining why you like the site and why you want to become a contributor is worth the effort and may land you the gig.
3. Volunteer
Consider writing for free if it will help establish you as an authority and bring future opportunities. Weeks after I opted to contribute to a website without pay, I had my first syndicated article on Huffington Post. The site formed a partnership with Huffington Post shortly after I joined as a contributing writer. The exposure led to more traffic on my website and new writing opportunities.
Before you consider writing for free, I suggest taking the following steps:
1. Review the sites content: Read its articles, editor's bio and contributor bios to ensure your participation will benefit your brand.
2. Confirm that the site has a strong social media presence and high visitor trafficking
3. Determine whether the site has other perks for its writers (i.e. future opportunities for compensation, a writers spotlight, free items for review, etc.).
4. Use All Prior Training and Experience
Despite the length of time that you spent working in an industry, you received professional training and can likely identify topics of interest to the target market. For example, the 6 months you moonlighted as a travel agent probably gave you some insight as to how to identify the best travel deals, which is always of interest to consumers. Do a mental inventory of each industry that you have received professional training for and worked in. Parlay that knowledge into new writing opportunities by mentioning your exposure to the industry in your query.
5. Write Sample Posts
When you have a diverse portfolio, you may assume potential clients are able to make a hiring decision based on your previous work. However, if you do not have a writing sample specifically relevant to your target market, crafting a sample post may be beneficial. For best practices, publish the post to your online portfolio and use it for more than one query. Keep it brief (300 - 500 words) and, if possible, use the link from your portfolio to submit the sample instead of e-mailing it directly to a prospective client to avoid scams.
Don't be afraid to put yourself out there and pitch ideas in markets that you never would have considered writing for in the past. Not only will you generate more income, you may discover a new niche that you enjoy.
BIO:
Shanon Lee is a contributing author for DivorcedMoms.com. She has an HR and mental health background and often writes about employment, women's issues, health and addiction. Connect with her at http://myloveforwriting.com and @mylove4writing on Twitter.
competitions
ALLIGATOR JUNIPER CONTEST
http://www.alligatorjuniper.org/
$18 ENTRY FEE.
Alligator Juniper is an award-winning national literary magazine published by the Arts & Letters program at Prescott College and featuring contemporary poetry, fiction, & creative nonfiction. We encourage submissions from writers at all levels, emerging, early-career, and established. We produce one annual issue comprised of the winners and finalists of our national contests. All entrants receive a complementary copy of that year's issue in the spring. We also offer editorial feedback on every manuscript submitted. First place winning writers in each genre receive a $1,000 prize. All finalists are published and paid in contributor copies. Deadline October 1, 2014.
THE GOLDEN KEY FLASH FICTION CONTEST
http://www.whatwonderfulthings.net/main/the-golden-key-flash-fiction-open/
$5 ENTRY FEE.
The winner will receive $200 and publication in our 6th issue (Spring/Summer 2015). As each issue is themed to be inspired by an "object" that might come out of the little iron chest, the subject of the winning story will also determine the theme for Issue 6. We will be accepting submissions of flash fiction (up to 500 words) until September 15, 2014.
THE FICTION DESK NEWCOMER'S PRIZE
http://www.thefictiondesk.com/submissions/newcomer-short-story-prize.php
ENTRY FEE £8.
Deadline October 31, 2014. First prize £500, second prize £250. The competition is for stories from 1,000 - 5,000 words. Writers should not have been previously published by The Fiction Desk, and should not have published a novel or collection of short stories in printed form.
MSLEXIA MEMOIR COMPETITION
https://www.mslexia.co.uk/whatson/msbusiness/ncomp_active.php
£25 ENTRY FEE.
We're looking for memoirs written by previously unpublished women memoirists. Submissions need to be the first 5,000 words of a full-length memoir, written in prose, and narrate actual events in your life. First Prize: £5,000. Five other finalists will be offered free professional feedback by The Literary Consultancy. Deadline September 22, 2014. To constitute a full length memoir, it must total at least 50,000 words. Women who have had other types of books published (e.g. poetry, fiction, nonfiction), but have not had a memoir published, are eligible. Self-published manuscripts and memoirists are eligible.
RIVER STYX 2015 SCHLAFLY BEER MICRO-BREW MICRO-FICTION CONTEST
http://www.riverstyx.org/contests/
$10 entry fee.
$1,500 First Prize plus one case of micro-brewed Schlafly Beer. Entry fee includes a copy of the issue in which the winning stories will appear. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners and honorable mentions will be published in the spring issue. Deadline December 31, 2014.
GRANTS
CHARLOTTE AREA GRANTS
http://www.artsandscience.org/grants-a-funding/individuals/regional-artist-project-grants
Regional Artist Project Grants provide an award for individuals and groups of unincorporated artists to pursue projects that further enhance their artistic development by attending a professional development experience or purchasing/renting a piece of equipment. Artists may ask for a maximum of $2,000. Only one application per individual will be accepted annually. The grant program is offered by the arts councils of Cabarrus, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Rowan, Rutherford, Union and York (SC) counties. Artists who have lived in these counties for one year are eligible to apply. The North Carolina Arts Council, a state agency, the Blumenthal Endowment and the participating arts councils support the program. Deadline Friday, September 19, 2014 at 12:00 pm.
UCROSS FOUNDATION - WYOMING
http://www.ucrossfoundation.org/
The Ucross Foundation provides uninterrupted time, work space, and living accommodations to competitively selected visual artists, writers, and composers. Currently, the foundation is accepting applications for its 2015 Spring Residency program, which runs from late-February to mid-June. Residencies vary in length from two weeks to six weeks. Most meals are provided, and there is cell phone service on the property as well as wireless Internet connection for resident use. Residents are responsible for providing their own working materials and for their travel to Sheridan, Wyoming. There is no charge for a residency. Artists, writers, and composers from the United States and around the globe in any stage of their professional careers are invited to apply. Deadline for application is October 1, 2014.
THE RENSING CENTER - SOUTH CAROLINA
http://www.rensingcenter.org
Application fee: $35 Residency fee: Eight hours of work + $50 per week - work directly related to the success of the Rensing Center, such as community outreach, grant writing, facilities maintenance and improvement, gardening, internet communication. Or the resident may choose to pay $150 per week with no work requirement. Each resident must pay a $50 cleaning fee at the conclusion of their residency. Artist in Residence programs of one week to six months are offered in, but not limited to, music, painting, metal, wood, photography, poetry, playwriting and environmental studies. Located on 28 acres in the rolling rural hills of beautiful southern Appalachia, in Pickens County, South Carolina. Deadline October 15, 2014.
THE WRITER UN-BOXED UN-CONFERENCE SCHOLARSHIPS
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-writer-unboxed-un-conference-registration-11517267457
Location Salem, MA. November 3, 2014. What's so special about the Un-Conference? Part symposium. Part networking affair. Part workshop. Part retreat. Our hybrid event will not focus on the business of writing; there will be zero (zip, nada) sessions on finding agents or writing query letters or building platform. Instead, our focus will be on drilled-down conversations, networking, and time to write. How can you apply for the scholarship? Tell us in 300 words or less why you'd like to attend. Send your essay with the subject line "Writer Unboxed Scholarship" to us at writerunboxed.com by September 12th. Entries will be stripped of identifying information and judged blind by a panel of trusted WU'ers. Questions? Contact us at writerunboxed@writerunboxed.com.
AMERICAN ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY FELLOWSHIPS
http://www.americanantiquarian.org/artistfellowship.htm
Calling for applications for visiting fellowships for historical research by creative and performing artists, writers, film makers, journalists, and other persons whose goals are to produce imaginative, non-formulaic works dealing with pre-twentieth-century American history. Successful applicants are those whose work is for the general public rather than for academic or educational audiences. $1,850 stipend.
FREELANCE MARKETS
CHICKEN SOUP: TIME TO THRIVE
http://www.chickensoup.com
If you have a story about taking time to thrive, i.e. pursuing a passion, finding your purpose, improving your wellbeing, or if you realized it was time to thrive and you did something about it, we want to hear from you. If your story is chosen, you will be a published author and your bio will be printed in the book if you so choose. You will also receive a check for $200 and 10 free copies of your book, worth more than $100. You will retain the copyright for your story and you will retain the right to resell it. Deadline December 31, 2014.
SOUTHERN REVIEW
http://thesouthernreview.org/submissions/
We accept unsolicited fiction and nonfiction postmarked September 1 through December 1. We accept unsolicited poetry postmarked September 1 through February 1. For poetry, submit no more than five poems at one time. For prose, submit one story or essay. Pays $25 per printed page with a maximum payment of $200 for prose and $125 for poetry, plus two copies of the issue in which the work appears and a one-year subscription to The Southern Review.
ONE STORY
http://www.one-story.com/index.php?page=submit
One Story is seeking literary fiction. Because of our format, we can only accept stories between 3,000 and 8,000 words. They can be any style and on any subject as long as they are good. We are looking for stories that leave readers feeling satisfied and are strong enough to stand alone. One Story is offering $500 and 25 contributors copies for First Serial North American rights. All rights will revert to the author upon publication.
B'NAI B'RITH MAGAZINE
http://www.bnaibrith.org/contact-us.html
B'nai B'rith Magazine presents information and analysis on topics of interest and concern to the international Jewish community; insight into issues not yet on the radar screen; and news about current and future B'nai B'rith International endeavors. From the environment to anti-Semitism on campus, domestic abuse to disaster relief -- with a side trip into the humor and foibles of Jewish life -- B'nai B'rith Magazine is a must-read for the inquiring Jewish mind. Pays up to $800 for articles of 1,000 to 2,500 words. Lead time 5-6 months.
JOBS
LITERARY ARTS TEACHING ARTISTS - POETRY
https://www.phoenix.gov/solicitations/93
The Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture is seeking two (2) experienced and accomplished Literary Arts Teaching Artists to work with a classroom of youth to write poems that broaden public thinking about reuse, recycling and a greener environment. The poems will be featured as part of an annually-changing outdoor exhibition of poetry and art at 7th Avenue and West Glenrosa Street.
Literary Arts Teaching Artists will lead 6-8 workshops with students (ages 10-18) to create poems that will be read at a culminating community event and exhibition at the Public Art Program's 7th Avenue site of changing art and poetry panels.
publishers/agents
BRASH BOOKS
http://www.mysterythrillerbooks.com/about/
We're open for submissions. To have your crime novel considered for publication, please submit two chapters of your manuscript (double-spaced and not to exceed 25 pages), along with a synopsis (double-spaced and not to exceed two pages) by email to brashbooks@gmail.com.
OAK TREE PRESS
http://oaktreebooks.com/guidelines.htm
We consider fiction and non-fiction in a variety of genres, although our special emphasis (and expertise ) is publishing mysteries, crime fiction, suspense, police procedurals, and books by and about other public safety personnel. We also occasionally publish romances, westerns, children's books and some young adult work. We are less likely to be interested in poetry, supernatural themes, non-fiction including textbooks, technical manuals, self help, cookbooks, coffee table books, or collections of essays, business related books or books on politics or religion. We basically never publish sci-fi, fantasy, porn, erotica or anything that is overloaded with obscenities, racism, inflammatory language or depicts gratuitous violence. We are also unlikely to publish the work of authors who do not live in North America.
2 LEAF PRESS
http://2leafpress.org/online/2lp-submission-guidelines/
2Leaf Press is always on the lookout for strikingly unconventional manuscripts and book proposals. A well-written novella, an off-beat memoir, a cool book of photography, an epic poem, or a book of photography and crazy illustrations are some of the books we are currently publishing. We're also open to books that are unconventional and different, like a full-color, beautifully illustrated hardcover book of folktales. When we accidentally stumbled upon the idea of creating a bilingual edition with our very first book, Hey Yo! Yo Soy!, who knew that in our desire to build a comprehensive catalog of multicultural works, translations would become the bedrock of 2Leaf Press? And then there's 2Leaf Press' first love: poetry.
AMPERSAND BOOKS
http://ampersand-books.com/about-2/
Ampersand Books is a madcap romp through literature's unexplored basement, a heroic quest to its highest peaks, a gasoline-and-banana smoothie. Our books are nuns in thongs and dogs playing poker, gallows humour and deathbed confessions, honest country preachers with that con-man's smirk. Our books are celebrations of the written word, explorations of the written world, concentrating on fiction, the short story, Bloody Fine Chapbooks, and the critically acclaimed literary magazine, The Ampersand Review, available both in print and online.
BAGWYN BOOKS
https://acmrs.org/publications/bagwyn
Bagwyn Books is dedicated to publishing well-researched historical fiction that is appropriate for an audience ranging from young adult (ages 14+) to an adult audience. We are open to different styles and genres of writing.
SPONSORS
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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
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