FundsforWriters - December 19, 2014

Published: Fri, 12/19/14

Volume 14, Issue 51 | December 19, 2014

Message from the Editor

Look who came to visit me at a book signing at Books on Main in Newberry, SC. Santa was pretty authentic in his dress and manner - so much so I had to have a picture. And he gives good hugs, too! He said I've been good, but we'll see come the 25th!

Editor, FundsforWriters
Email Hope | Visit Website
Newsletter: ISSN: 1533-1326
FFW has proudly been on the Writer's Digest's 101 Best Websites for Writers list every year since 2001

Our subscriber list is NOT made available to others. Use information listed at your own risk. FundsforWriters gives no warranty to completeness, accuracy, or fitness of the markets, contests and grants although research is done to the best of our ability.

SPONSOR OF THE WEEK

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Editor's THOUGHTS

FINDING CRITIQUERS

We all need reality checks, but most of all we need to understand our own internal writer's gyroscope. We need to be mature and confident enough to sift out the good, mediocre and bad advice we receive so we best understand our voice. The only way to develop that balance and strength is to be rabidly and regularly critiqued.

But finding a good critique group is not easy. You might have to try out several, and that's okay. But where do you start?

Critters.org

Critters has been around as long as I've been writing. Critters belongs to the Critique.org family of online workshops/critique groups, and is for serious writers of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror. You get critiqued in exchange for critiquing the work of others. It's run by Andrew Burt, former vice-president of SFWA. Critters is listed as one of the 101 Best Websites for Writers by Writer's Digest along with FundsforWriters.

CritiqueCircle.com

CritiqueCircle.com is over a decade old. You join as a Trial user, which means there are restrictions on what you can do. Once a moderator has reviewed your application you will be upgraded to a full registered member, which can be handled in as little as a couple of hours. Critique Circle runs on a credit system. You "pay" three credits to submit a story and receive credits for writing a critique of someone else's story. The credits you receive range from 1/2 to 2 per crit, depending on the length of the crit and the length of the story. Critique Circle is based in Iceland.

Scribophile.com

Scribophile is an online community where writers can post their work and get critiques from other writers. Before you post your work, you must earn karma points either by critiquing someone else's work, or when other members like your critiques. The longer your critique, the more karma you earn. You "spend" these karma points when you post your work.

Meetup.com

At the website, hunt for "Literature & Writing" Meetup groups in your area. This site is amazingly organized, and no doubt you'll find a writer's group near you. Several, probably. Also, Meetup.com is great finding book clubs where you might have your book discussed (which means they all had to buy it first).

Your library

Librarians hear about writers groups and often host them in their meeting rooms. If they don't host a writer's group, they can probably send you to another library that does.

YahooGroups.com / GoogleGroups.com

Search for writing critique groups at listservs. I found one of mine on GoogleGroups!

No excuses now. Yes, there is a way to get critiqued, and it might just be a matter of clicking to a site and asking to join.

-Hope Clark

Upcoming Book Signings!

Carolina Slade and Edisto Island Mysteries make great presents!

December 20 - 2-4 PM - Westwood Barnes & Noble, Charleston, SC

WORDS OF SUCCESS

I live with the people I create and it has always made my essential loneliness less keen.

~Carson McCullers

MURDER ON EDISTO

A big city detective

A Lowcountry crime

When her husband is murdered by the Russian mob, Boston detective Callie Jean Morgan suffers a mental break and relinquishes her badge to return home to South Carolina. She has no idea how to proceed with her life, but her son deserves to move on with his, so she relocates them to the family vacation home.

But the day they arrive on Edisto Beach, Callie finds her childhood mentor and elderly neighbor murdered. Her fragile sanity is threatened when the murderer taunts her, and the home that was to be her sanctuary is repeatedly violated. Callie loses her fight to walk away from law enforcement as she becomes the only person able to pursue the culprit who's turned the coastal paradise into a paranoid patch of sand where nobody's safe. But what will it cost her?

http://www.chopeclark.com/

Purchase any of Hope's books and receive a one-year subscription to TOTAL FFW free. Send receipt to hope@fundsforwriters.com

Success Story

Hi, Hope!

I read about the Black Orchid Novella Award last spring in your newsletter. Being a long-time Rex Stout fan, I wrote and submitted 'Dyed to Death', set in a 1920s cotton mill village...and I won! The trip to NYC for the awards banquet on Dec 6 was amazing, and my novella will be published in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine next year. Thanks so much for all you do from a fellow SC-writer!

Best,
K. G. McAbee

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Writers of the Future
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featured article

FREELANCE EDITORS FOR INDIE AUTHORS
By Betty Kelly Sargent

Do you want to make your book the best it can be? Of course you do. But how do you do that? If you are an indie author, as so many of us are these days, it is essential that you work with both a professional editor and an experienced cover designer. The process for finding these pros is pretty similar but today we are going to take a look at how to find the perfect-fit editor for you and your book.

Editors come in two general categories:

a.) developmental editors -- who work with you right out of the gate to help you understand your market, conceptualize your book, organize the material, avoid repetition, keep it moving, engaging, fresh and original, and

b.) copyeditors and proofreaders -- who make sure your completed manuscript is error-free and professionally designed.

How Do You Find A Good Developmental Editor?

"Good" is the key word here. A good editor is likely to be a professional editor who has had lots of experience in the traditional book publishing world. Once you have located an editor you feel may be right for your book, find out where she has worked and what published books she has worked on. Make sure she has had experience editing the kind of book you are writing. This is very important.

And where do you find this person?

=> Get a referral. Check around, ask other writers, your friends, agents at writers' conferences.

=> Look online. Go to Google and type in "Freelance Editors." Of course, you can type in "Freelance Copyeditors and Proofreaders" or "Freelance Book Designers," too, if that's what you happen to be looking for.

Also, you can check out our recently published guide The Self-Publisher's Ultimate Resource Guide* by Joel Friedlander and Betty Sargent (that's me) for a complete list of available professionals as well as tools for writers, in 33 categories. Also check out:

www.bookdocs.com The Independent Editors Group (full disclosure, I'm a member of this group.
www.bookworks.com The Self-Publishers Association
www.bibliocrunch.com Bibliocrunch
www.consulting-editors.com Consulting Editors Alliance
www.digitalbookworld.com Digital Book World
www.elance.com Elance
www.the-efa.org Editorial Freelancers Association
www.mediabistro.com Media Bistro
www.publishersmarketplace.com Publishers Market Place

=> Chat with the editor. Define your goals. Feel free to ask him for his credentials and for the titles of a few of the published books he has worked on. If he has not worked on any books that have been published by a traditional publisher, be cautious. With so many fine, professional editors available, why settle for one with less-than-stellar experience? Try to be clear about what you expect from an editor. Do you like him? Is he enthusiastic about your project? Make sure you feel a connection with him because your working relationship will become a close one.

=> Be clear about the fee structure. Does she charge by the project, per page, by the hour? When and how does she expect to be paid?

=> Ask about the time line. How long does she expect the editing process to take? This depends on how quickly you get the revisions back to her, but make sure you both agree on what is a reasonable amount of time for this project to take.

=> Ask if he has had experience with self-publishing. This is not essential, but sometimes an editor who knows his way around self-publishing, or who can at least refer you to others who do, can be a big help for first time indie authors.

Always remember, this is your book. You are the creator, the artist, and your name is on the cover. When you disagree with your editor's suggestions, trust your instincts and go with what you feel is right. You are the boss and that's as it should be.

BIO
Betty Kelly Sargent is founder of www.BookWorks.com and www.TheEducatedAuthor.com as well as a former Editor-In-Chief of William Morrow.

**Joel Friedlander has a special offer for anyone who buys the new Self-Publisher's Ultimate Resource Guide between now and January 11. See his post for complete details: http://www.thebookdesigner.com/2014/12/the-self-publishers-ultimate-resource-guide

competitions

CINESTORY FELLOWSHIP AND AWARDS
http:/www.cinestory.org
ENTRY FEE $35-$80.
Seeking up-and-coming screenwriters for developmental mentorship program. Prizes include cash, free tuition, room and board at the Cinestory Writers Retreat, 12-month fellowship with two Hollywood professionals, and other prizes for first place; cash, mentorship, and other prizes for second and third place. Submit original feature-length screenplay (85-130 pages) in any genre. Deadline January 15, 2015 (regular), February 15, 2015 (late), March 5, 2015 (extended).

GUERNSEY POETRY PRIZE
http://www.guernseyliteraryfestival.com/
£4 ENTRY FEE
Deadline December 31, 2014. Open to all writing in English. Maximum length 14 lines. Winning poems will become part of the Poems on the Move exhibition, and/or be placed on one of the 33 Guernsey buses, for a period of no less than 6 months, to coincide with the Guernsey Literary Festival on 16-20 September 2015. 1st prize £600. 2nd place £400. 3rd place £200. Six finalists from each category, and a further 15 poems for the exhibition, will be selected by the judge. The decision is final. Three categories: Open Poetry for ages 18 and over, Channel Islands' Poetry for ages 18 and over who are born or reside in the Channel Islands, Young People's Poetry for ages 12-17 (no entry fee).

FOUR COUNTIES POETRY COMPETITION
http://www.rottingdeanwritersgroup.co.uk/four-counties-poets-competition
ENTRY FEE £5.
Designed for poets connected to Greater London, Kent, Surrey and Sussex. Deadline Friday, January 30, 2015. Three major cash prizes and discretionary honorary awards will be presented at an awards ceremony on Wednesday, February 25, 2015. £750, sponsored by Wellesley Wealth Advisory. £250, sponsored by The English Language Centre. £100, sponsored by Chalk Gallery, Lewes. Limit 40 lines.

FROGMORE POETRY PRIZE
http://www.frogmorepress.co.uk/
ENTRY FEE £3.
The winner of the Frogmore Poetry Prize for 2015 will win two hundred and fifty guineas and a two-year subscription to The Frogmore Papers. The first and second runners-up will receive seventy-five and fifty guineas respectively and a year's subscription to The Frogmore Papers. Shortlisted poets will receive copies of selected Frogmore Press publications. Poems must be in English not to exceed 40 lines. Deadline May 31, 2015.

THE GOVER PRIZE FOR SHORT-SHORT STORIES
https://bestnewwriting.submittable.com/Submit
$5 ENTRY FEE.
Deadline January 10, 2015. $250 and publication in Best New Writing to the best short fiction and creative nonfiction. Entries are limited to 500 words or less. Gover Prize winner and finalists will be published in the upcoming BNW edition.

GRANTS

SAN FRANCISCO FOUNDATION ARTS AND CULTURE GRANTS
http://www.sff.org
Grants for projects that substantially benefit residents in at least one of the five Bay Area counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo. Eligible projects and organizations include those who: develop and present high quality and diverse artistic practices reflective of the myriad communities in the region; foster creativity, self-expression, cross-cultural exchange, and civic participation for children and young adults; increase opportunities for all to participate in diverse cultural and artistic experiences; engage in the arts to build communities. Deadline: January 21, 2015.

KENYON PLAYWRITING CONFERENCE RESIDENCIES
http://www.kenyoninstitute.org/programs/playwrights-conference
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlJccRBI3U0
Location Kenyon, OH. Immerse yourself in the craft of playwriting surrounded by some of the most exciting early-stage play development in the U.S. and U.K. You will write every day, hear your work read in the evenings, and interact with the creative teams from powerhouse companies and three commissioned playwrights in residence. Please submit a paragraph (no more than 250 words) about why you are applying to this workshop and what you hope to take away from it. Additionally, please submit a sample scene of no more than five pages.

HAWTHORNDEN CASTLE
http://www.transartists.org/air/hawthornden-castle
Location Midlothian, Scotland. International one-month retreats for creative writers of all types from anywhere in the world to work without disturbance. Residency provides individual room/study in shared house and meals. Artist responsible for travel. Applicants must be published writers. Deadline Ongoing.

MEDIA ARTS GRANTS FOR NEW YORK STATE ARTISTS
http://wavefarm.org
Fiscal sponsorship as well as the New York Media Arts Map and the Media Arts Assistance Fund (MAAF), which support electronic media and film organizations, as well as individual artists, in all regions of New York State through a Regrant Partnership with NYSCA, Electronic Media and Film. Applicants must be New York State residents and must have all rights to distribute works.

CUBAN RESEARCH GRANTS
http://repeatingislands.com/2014/12/03/2015-diaz-ayala-library-travel-grants/
CRI is currently accepting applications for the 2015 Díaz-Ayala Library Travel Grants. The grants can be used to study any of the collections related to Cuba and its diaspora at the Florida International University Libraries. The deadline to receive applications is March 2, 2015. Three research stipends of up to $1,500 each to offset the costs of a minimum one-week stay to use the collections. The current funding cycle will cover research travel during the spring and early summer of 2015.

FREELANCE MARKETS

TOR.COM
http://www.tor.com/page/submissions-guidelines
Tor.com welcomes original speculative fiction short stories and poetry. We define speculative fiction broadly, including SF, fantasy, horror, alternate history, and related genres. We're particularly interested in stories under 12,000 words. We will consider stories that are slightly longer than 12k, but we really must put our foot down at the "novelette" mark -- in other words, we will not read anything over 17,500 words. We pay 25 cents a word for the first 5,000 words, 15 cents a word for the next 5,000, and 10 cents a word after that.

TRANSITION
http://sk.cmha.ca/get-involved/transition-magazine/
Send original, unpublished articles, fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and visual art that represent current mental health issues and reflect on their impact on individuals, especially in the Saskatchewan region of Canada where the publication is headquartered. Maximum manuscript lengths: articles - 15 pages; all other prose - 10 pages; poetry - 10 poems or 10 pages, whichever is less; visual art - 10 pieces. Payment is $50 per printed page.

UNCANNY
http://uncannymag.com/submissions/
Uncanny is seeking passionate SF/F fiction and poetry from writers from every conceivable background. We want intricate, experimental stories and poems with gorgeous prose, verve, and imagination that elicit strong emotions and challenge beliefs. Uncanny believes there's still plenty of room in the genre for tales that make you feel. Uncanny is looking for original, unpublished speculative fiction stories between 750-7,500 words. Payment is $.08 per word (including audio rights). Payment is $30 per poem.

UPPER ROOM
http://www.upperroom.org/about/writer-guidelines/upper-room
Needs 250 word meditations and pays $25 per meditation. Wants authentic meditations about a writer's belief in God.

WORDS WITHOUT MASTER
http://dig1000holes.wordpress.com/words/submissions/
Words Without Master is currently seeking works of fiction totaling 2,500 words or less in the sword & sorcery genre. We will pay $200 for the rights to accepted works of this nature. Words Without Master is also seeking complete and functional tabletop role-playing games totaling 2,500 words or less appropriate to the sword & sorcery genre. We will pay $200 for the rights to accepted works of this nature. Words Without Master also wants non-fiction articles totaling 1,500 words or less. We will pay $100 for the rights to accepted works of this nature.

JOBS

FREELANCE B2B CONTENT MARKETING WRITER
Location Virtual.
http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/wri/4803501858.html
After a tryout of one assignment, we hope to establish the writer in a regular beat with at least one article per month. Our material generally ranges between 1,000 and 3,000 words based on interviews with between 3 and 10 experts. This is a great opportunity for people with experience as an entry-level reporter or marketing associate with strong writing skills and the flexibility for freelance work. We pay on a per-project basis, but it generally amounts to $.20/word.

publishers/agents

BENU PRESS
https://benupress.submittable.com/submit
Throughout the months of December and January, Benu Press will open submissions for book-length manuscripts. We are reading fiction and essay collections with social justice themes. The author will receive a 15 percent royalty from book sales and 20 copies of the book. Books that have been previously published are not eligible. All work must be original work by the author.

FLASHLIGHT BOOKS
http://www.flashlightpress.com/submissionguidelines.html
Make sure your manuscript fits the following criteria: 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.)

TILBURY HOUSE - CHILDREN
http://www.tilburyhouse.com/authors/submissions/
We are primarily interested in children's picture books (for ages 5-12) that: Deal with issues of cultural diversity (global), nature, or the environment (we don't publish "general" children's books about animals, fables, or fantasy); appeal to children and parents and offer enough learning content so that they will also appeal to the educational market; will sell to the national (not just regional) market; and offer possibilities for developing a separate teacher's guide (written by an educator) that will expand the focus of the book, offer additional information, and suggest learning activities and approaches.

BARRICADE BOOKS
http://www.barricadebooks.com/index.php/about
For years, we at Barricade Books have prided ourselves on providing books to readers that other publishers would shy away from. Our books test the boundaries of the First Amendment, ultimately strengthening it and protecting our personal freedom. In this age of publishing dinosaurs that gobble each other up to become even larger, Barricade Books is unique. We remain an independent publishing house committed not only to making a profit but also to protecting people's right to free speech.