FundsforWriters - December 26, 2014

Published: Fri, 12/26/14

Volume 14, Issue 52 | December 26, 2014

Message from the Editor

Is this not the most precious picture? We had a marvelous time watching our 15-month-old grandson marvel at events on Christmas Eve. Hope you and yours are enjoying the season, and if you do not celebrate Christmas, I hope you are enjoying your friends and families as well. Be nice to one another. See you next year.

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.

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Editor's THOUGHTS

THE HIGHS AND LOWS

This is the time of year we take stock in our accomplishments and shortfalls, our choices that worked and those that made us scratch our heads and wonder what were we thinking.

We don't often air these thoughts. We might share our awards and publishing credits, but what about those bad deals, letdowns, disappointments and plain stupid decisions? Whether you broadcast them to the world or not, spend an afternoon during these holidays and be honest with yourself about 2014. Then take notes on what to repeat and what never to do again.

The highs are great. We may think we learn from the highs, but we plan and hope for the highs. Sometimes we get blindsided by a once-in-a-lifetime high. Highs feel good, and you love dreaming of them. You focus on them.

However, we learn our lessons from our lows. We don't expect them so much. We don't want to think about the dark side of our experiences, but we grow more intelligently by dwelling on what went wrong and what disappointed us. And if we're honest with each other, we can learn from each other's disappointments.

Some of my lows in 2014 (some of which you might understand):

1) Finding copy mistakes on one of my book covers.
2) Seeing critique feedback wane from writers I used to rely heavily upon.
3) Changing editors.
4) Realizing that people who ask to review a book don't necessarily follow through.
5) Expecting friends and family to read my book.

Don't think these lows have me beat down and feeling negative. On the contrary.

I know to pay more attention to book cover editing now. I rely on different writers for feedback. I look forward to fresh ideas from the new editor.

Reviewers of my new releases will be chosen more prudently with new parameters. I better understand that just because someone is a friend or relative doesn't mean they like reading the genre I write.

These revelations have refocused me. I'm good. I have a better sense of direction, and I'm excited about another year.

Take an accounting of your 2014. Be excited about finding the flaws, because in doing so, you can create more successes.

What do you think?

-Hope Clark

Upcoming Book Signings and Classes!

Carolina Slade and Edisto Island Mysteries make great presents!

January 12, 2015 - Summerville Book Club, Summerville, SC - 6-8 PM

January 25, 2015 - Friends of the Library, Newberry, SC

March 3, 2015 - Story Structure Class, Irmo, SC Library - 7 PM

March 7, 2015 - Multi-author signing, Irmo, SC Library - 2-5 PM

March 22-24, 2015- PubSense, Charleston, SC, Francis Marion Hotel

April 7, 2015 - Chapin Women's Club, Lake Murray Sailing Club, Chapin, SC

April 25, 2015 - One-day Fiction Class, HawksNest Writers, Madison, WI

May 29, 2015 - Savannah Book Club, Savannah, GA - 6 PM

June 20-21, 2015 - Southeast Writers Conf, St Simons Island, GA

June 25-27, 2015 - Freelance Writing, Midwest Writing Center, Davenport, IA

WORDS OF SUCCESS

Every production of genius must be the production of enthusiasm.

~ Benjamin Disraeli

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

Dear Hope,

I've been a fan of FFW for years, and first found out about you through the Writer's Digest annual "101 Best Websites for Writers" list. Your inspirational advice and enthusiasm come through in every edition of FFW!

Because of you and FFW, I came up with an idea for a book of mine. Most of my books are history books - state histories (3) and Native American history (5). The thing about history books is, since history's always changing, those books have to be updated every few years.

So I was looking at my bookshelf, wondering what I could do to create a book based on something I'd already written and didn't have to be updated, when my eye fell on some of the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" books. I have nine stories in those, and (for those of you wishing to write for CSFTS) once the stories are published, the rights automatically revert back to the author.

I took those nine stories, combined them with seven other of my similar-in-tone stories (published in other various outlets), edited them all and re-trademarked them, and they are now out as SWEET! SIXTEEN SHORT STORIES TO BRIGHTEN YOUR DAY AND LIFT YOUR SPIRITS.

Before the book came out, I took on your full-of-chutzpah persona ("What would Hope do?") and contacted Amy Newmark, the CSFTS publisher, and told her my plan - and asked her to write the Foreword. She said YES! So of course, I put that on the cover as well.

Thanks for your inspiration, Hope! YOU are a gift to all of US.

Theresa (T. Jensen Lacey)
www.TJensenLacey.com

featured article

What to Do and Not Do to Make More Money When the Work Dries Up
By David Geer

As I close in on 14 years of full-time freelancing, I find that now and then work can suddenly dry up. Whether the high-paying kind of work that I enjoy offers returns depends on how I respond to these lulls.

I used to panic and go after any and all work that I could find. This so-called work included the cheapest lowball offers in and outside my niche, accepting any style, genre and subject matter. I was desperate and looked and acted it. I attracted the worst side of this business. I lost much of my confidence in getting high-quality, high-paying work again.

After about two or three weeks of this behavior, my plate would fill with bad, low-paying gigs. Then, as luck would have it, a flood of my normal, high-paying work would come in too. Now I had twice the work I could handle, half of which I didn't want. I couldn't turn the good work down, and I couldn't ignore my responsibility to complete the other work I had committed to.

I have since learned to spend those two- or three-week periods calmly, patiently and confidently going after the best work I possibly could. I did so with patience, not letting anyone know my situation, not acting or appearing desperate. Now at the end of such periods, there is no crap to deal with when my luck turns around.

I now live and work with the confidence that every time such periods come along, if I respond in a confident manner, in lieu of fearful and desperate, everything will return to normal in a few weeks.

Let me elaborate on what I do during those typically two- to three- week periods to bring a rush of new work in.

First, I approach existing editors, asking them as to how they are doing and taking a genuine interest in them, both personally and professionally. I drop them an email with tips and leads or open up a discussion on topics that interest them.

If that doesn't lead to an assignment, I re-read the publication and competing publications, and I look for unanswered questions and other material that may be the impetus for new pitches. Then I write longer, better and more detailed pitches than I typically do for these editors I already know. I think they respect the additional effort and commitment to the project. And the more they can see upfront, the more convincing my argument that I can finish a great story.

I do likewise with new-to-me editors, but again only those with the best work and pay rates. I put together well-considered letters of introduction and samples to go with great story pitches. The more excited I am about a story, and the more research I have done to develop it, the easier it is for editors to become interested.

Here is the critical theme in all this: The more you need the work, the more serious and committed you have to be. You have to make your biggest investment, your strongest commitment, and demonstrate extensive preparation in your proposals in order to get the work.

More than that, show your best creative writing chops in the process. Write things that are genuinely profound in unique ways. Speak about subjects in a manner no one has ever done before. Don't be afraid to cut against the grain a little bit. But don't let them smell your fear. That does nobody any good.

--

Bio: David Geer writes for national and international trade, business, and consumer publications. Follow David on https://twitter.com/geercom, http://www.about.me/daviddgeer, http://www.linkedin.com/in/daviddgeer and http://www.davidgeer.com.

competitions

FROST PLACE CHAPBOOK COMPETITION
https://thefrostplace.submittable.com/submit
$25 ENTRY FEE.
The winning chapbook will be published by Bull City Press, and the winner will receive ten copies and $250. The winner will also receive a full fellowship to attend the five-and-a-half-day Poetry Seminar at The Frost Place in summer 2015, including room and board (a cash value of approximately $1,500), and will give a featured reading from the chapbook at the Seminar. In addition, the chapbook fellow will have the option to spend one week living and writing in The Frost Place House-Museum in September 2015 (peak leaf season in the White Mountains), at a time agreed upon by the fellow and The Frost Place. Deadline December 31, 2014.

ORISON BOOKS PRIZE
https://orisonbooks.submittable.com/submit
$25 ENTRY FEE.
Orison Books is accepting submissions for The Orison Poetry Prize, judged by C. Dale Young, through February 15, 2015. $1,500 and publication in hardcover, paperback, and e-book formats will be awarded to the winner. Submit a manuscript of 60-100 pages. Orison Books is a non-profit literary press focused on the life of the spirit from a broad and inclusive range of perspectives.

2015 NEW WOMEN'S VOICES SERIES CHAPBOOK COMPETITION
https://finishinglinepress.submittable.com/submit/37185
ENTRY FEE $15.
$1,000 and publication for a chapbook-length poetry collection in print edition and ebook format. Open to women who have never before published a full-length poetry collection. Previous chapbook publication does not disqualify. International entries are welcome. Multiple submissions are accepted. All entries will be considered for publication. The top-ten finalists will be offered publication in the New Women's Voices Series. Submit up to 26 pages of poetry, PLUS bio, acknowledgments, SASE and cover letter. Deadline March 31, 2015.

STELLA KUPFERBERG SHORT STORY PRIZE
http://www.selectedshorts.org
ENTRY FEE $25.
Deadline: March 15, 2015. $1,000 plus publication at electricliterature.com and two tickets to a performance of Selected Shorts featuring your winning story. For stories 750 words maximum.

GINOSKO FLASH FICTION CONTEST
http://ginoskoliteraryjournal.com/contest.htm
ENTRY FEE $5 - $10.
Deadline March 1, 2015. Submit up to two pieces. Limit 800 words maximum each piece. One prize of $500.

GRANTS

VERMONT STUDIO CENTER RESIDENCIES
http://www.vermontstudiocenter.org/apply/
Residencies at the Vermont Studio Center are offered based on a review of the portfolio or manuscript. Applications are considered year-round on a rolling basis; however, applicants who wish to be considered for a fellowship that covers the full cost of a four-week residency must submit a fellowship application by one of three annual award deadlines. The next deadline is February 15, 2015.

WRITER'S RETREAT SCHOLARSHIP IN ICELAND
http://icelandwritersretreat.tumblr.com/
Iceland Writers Retreat is offering one lucky writer a free delegate's ticket to its April 2015 event. The winner will receive a full retreat package including accommodation, tours, most meals and all workshops for the duration of the retreat which runs from 8 to 12 April. To enter, contestants are asked to write a short story or essay of no more than 500 words using the above image of Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Center as their inspiration. The prize does not include flights to Iceland or transfers. Only one entry per person is permitted and there is no entry fee. Deadline January 25, 2015.

THE STEINBECK FELLOWS PROGRAM
http://www.sjsu.edu/steinbeck/fellows/steinbeckfellows_apply/
Offers emerging writers of any age and background the opportunity to pursue a significant writing project while in residence at San José State University (SJSU). The emphasis of the program is on helping writers who have had some success, but not published extensively, and whose promising work would be aided by the financial support and sponsorship of the Center and the University's creative writing program. The fellowships afford a stipend of $10,000. Residency in the San José area is required during the academic year (approximately 1 September - 20 May). SJSU offers one-year fellowships in Steinbeck scholarship and in creative writing, including fiction, drama, creative nonfiction, and biography. Deadline January 2, 2015.

OUT OF THE BINDERS SYMPOSIUM ON WOMEN WRITERS
http://la.bindercon.com/apply-scholarship/
The Out of the Binders Scholarship Program is designed to increase diversity by offering free admission to up to 50 promising writers who might not otherwise be able to attend due to financial hardship. The scholarships include free attendance to all the events on Saturday, March 28 and Sunday, March 29, networking opportunities to meet agents and editors, and a ticket to the VIP party, but do not include airfare and/or accommodations, or food. (Some meals may be provided as part of the conference programming.)

FREELANCE MARKETS

TIN HOUSE
http://www.tinhouse.com/blog/magazine-submission-guidelines-faq
We accept submissions September 1 through May 31, and, as always, our summer and winter issues are not themed. We consider each submission for all upcoming issues regardless of theme. If you wish to be considered for a particular theme, please make a note in your cover letter. Please submit only one story or essay (ten-thousand-word limit), or up to five poems at a time.

CHICKEN SOUP: INSPIRATION FOR NURSES
http://www.chickensoup.com
Deadline extended until January 15, 2015. We all know that times are tough in healthcare today. Nurses are dedicated and caring professionals who are doing more... with less. We are looking for true stories that will inspire, support, motivate and nurture those in the nursing profession. We are also looking for stories from people who are not nurses but have stories to tell about them. These true stories, of no more than 1,200 words, can be serious or humorous. Pays $200 and ten copies.

EUREKA STREET
http://www.eurekastreet.com.au/article.aspx?aeid=33927#.VIKgbWAtBFr
Eureka Street will consider unsolicited submissions of up to 800 words. Articles should provide humane, ethical analysis or commentary on politics, religion, popular culture or current events in Australia or the world. Payment for freelancers is $200 per article, paid for exclusive first publication right.

DISSENT NEWSWIRE
http://www.defendingdissent.org/now/write4us/
We are seeking freelance writers who can write occasionally or as a regular contributor. We are committed to building a site filled with engaging and authoritative content written by people who are passionate and knowledgeable about the topic of dissent. We are interested in real journalism and are able to pay for original articles that are 700 to 1,500 words in length. Pays $100.

PRESBYTERIAN TODAY
http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/today/writers-guidelines/
Presbyterians Today welcomes contributions from freelance writers. Preferred maximum length is approximately 1,500 words. Appropriate subjects are: profiles of interesting Presbyterians and of unique activities or mission projects of Presbyterian individuals or congregations; issues of current concern to the church; and ways in which individuals and families express their Christian faith in significant ways, or relate their faith to the problems of society. Most articles have some direct relevance to a Presbyterian audience, however, Presbyterians Today also seeks well-informed articles that can help individuals and families cope with the stresses of daily living from a Christian perspective. Presbyterians Today also accepts short features (250-500 words) about interesting people, programs, events and congregations. NOTE: needs non-fiction articles for the April 2015 issue on a theme of Money. Deadline January 2, 2015. Pays up to $300.

JOBS

Several Writer positions available this week in Washington DC and the Maryland area nearby. All of these are federal positions that pay quite well.

WRITER-EDITOR
https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/389140400
Pays $75,621 to $116,901 / year.

WRITER-EDITOR
https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/389755500
Pays $63,091 to $82,019 / year

SENIOR TECHNICAL WRITER/EDITOR
https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/389400200
Pays $89,924 to $116,901 / year

publishers/agents

ARCADE PUBLISHING
http://www.arcadepub.com/guidelines/
We are open to receiving submissions for proposed books in the following categories: Adventure and Travel, Fiction, History, Literary Nonfiction, Military History, Business, Memoir, Arts, Nature and Science, Food and Wine, Current Events.

SKYHORSE PUBLISHING
http://www.skyhorsepublishing.com/guidelines/
We are open to receiving submissions for proposed books in the following categories:
Sports (Team and Individual), Outdoor Sport (Hunting, Fishing, and Camping), Adventure and Travel, Health and Fitness, House and Home, History, Humor, Military History, Business, Games and Gambling, Horses, Pets and Animals, Nature and Science, Food and Wine, Aviation, True Crime, Current Events.

SKY PONY PRESS
http://www.skyponypress.com/guidelines/
We will consider picture books, early readers, mid-grade novels, novelties, and informational books for all ages. Although we are not searching for YA fiction in particular, we would consider projects that tied in with the subject areas in which we are publishing. We are mainly publishing single titles but are open to series ideas.

TALOS PRESS
http://www.talospress.com/guidelines/
We are open to receiving submissions for proposed books in the following categories: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror.

NIGHT SHADE BOOKS
http://www.nightshadebooks.com/about-us/
Night Shade Books has been publishing science fiction, fantasy and horror for over a decade. The books published by Night Shade are routinely well-reviewed by trade and online venues and are frequently nominated for, and occasionally win, major industry awards, including the Shirley Jackson, Stoker, World Fantasy, Nebula, and Hugo awards. We are proud to have published some of the most renowned and critically acclaimed names in genre fiction and just as proud to be the place where many new authors have found their start.