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Editor's THOUGHTS
BOOKSTORES
You all know that most of my editorials come from the little seeds planted by you, right?
When you email me, my heart breaks, or my anger seethes, and my brain kicks into gear. This time an author wrote me about the sucky booksigning she had at an indie bookstore. Finally I had an excuse to write this op-ed.
Bookstores are not sacrosanct, people. While some of them shine, some of them can stink.
This author had an atrocious signing, with the store owner obviously not a fan of her story, her title, her hair color, who the heck knows? They stuck her in the back of the store near this tiny rack of her genre (which screamed that the owner didn't love the genre, BTW), and left her to rot for hours on a Saturday when shopping should've been hot. The author was mad; she was hurt. And this author has an award-winning book by a New York publisher.
Because someone throws up a bookstore does not make them a god, a celebrity, or an all-
knowing bibliophile. A bookstore is a business first and foremost, and some of these owners don't appreciate authors. Well, unless those authors are Stephen King, Pat Conroy, Karen White, fill-in-the-blank. Those are okay. Those are worth groveling over. The rest, well, they are hatchlings, and most of them won't live long.
My point is that you need to be selective of your bookstore signing just as you are about anything else in your writing career. You don't jump at the first agent that speaks your name. You don't self-publish with the first vanity press that shoots you spam. You don't hire the first editor who quotes you a cheap rate. You don't listen to all criticism from your writing group. In other words, be true to yourself. If the fit doesn't feel right, trust your instincts and walk away. You have to be able to look at yourself in the morning.
Some bookstores are fabulous. I have some in my circle I'd die for. They've been so kind to me, and so supportive. A couple of them, however, I won't name. They shunned me because I wasn't big enough. They have their business . . . but so do I.
Do not feel you have to sign . . . there's the Internet.
Do not feel any bookstore is king . . . there are good and bad ones.
Do not let them stick you in the back of the store . . . speak up.
Too many writers think they are at the mercy of whoever will carry, sell, mention their book. No. You deserve some pride. And you have a right to be selective so you can feel proud.
-Hope Clark
Had a glorious time in this interview with Dorit Sasson. We talked one-liners in our writing, from fiction to promotion to using them for self-confidence and overcoming shyness. Great topic you can learn a lot from. Visit http://www.creatingcalmnetwork.com/giving-voice-to-your-story.html to listen in. I love doing these things! It's like going to have coffee with friends.
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Upcoming Book Signings!
Carolina Slade and Edisto Island Mysteries make great presents!
December 12 - 3-5 PM - Books on Main, Newberry, SC
December 13 - 2-4 PM - Barnes & Noble, Mt Pleasant, SC
December 20 - 2-4 PM - Westwood Barnes & Noble, Charleston, SC |
WORDS OF SUCCESS
It is impossible to discourage the real writers - they don't give a damn what you say, they're going to write.
~Sinclair Lewis
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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?
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
Here's where you send me your success story. You found something in FundsforWriters that
made a difference. We want to hear about it. Mail to hope@fundsforwriters.com
featured article
Where does your writing reside?
By Carrie Naughton
Is it time for you to apply to that writer's residency? Do it. Apply to half a dozen of them. There's a huge number of options out there, from a week in Colorado to a month in Spain. A few of the best resources are:
http://www.artistcommunities.org
http://www.resartis.org/en/residencies/
http://ratemyartistresidency.com
A good portion of residencies are for visual artists. But writers, and musicians, too, are usually included in the definition of artist. As well we should be, so keep an eye open. And know this: as a writer you want to go to a residency with artists and musicians, and vice versa. We are all navigating the vast oceans of creativity, and roping our rafts and dinghies and barges together is the best way to sail, if only for a while. This is where inspiration can come from, a gathering of unique and passionate people making friends, making tea, making art. There is serendipitous collision, complimentary growth, and unexpected collaboration.
Not surprisingly, the top residencies are free. You pay your travel costs, possibly your food, and sometimes nothing more. If you can get accepted to the Vermont Arts Center, good on you! But the smaller residencies that require a fee are still going to give you the chance to be somewhere unique for far less than the cost of a vacation. You can find financial assistance all over the web, in addition to crowdfunding.
http://www.creative-capital.org
http://www.transartists.org/funding
Oftentimes, the residency itself will help you find grants or benefactors to pay your fees. What's more, most residencies are not only thrilled but determined to facilitate public readings, radio interviews, and mixed media openings that will help you promote and sell your work during your residency period.
At the same time, you will be cohabiting with and working alongside the most incredible human beings you will ever meet. They will be interested in what you are creating, and your network will grow in fun, fulfilling, life-altering ways. Quite possibly, you will find yourself engaged in elaborate late night conversations about anything from smoked eggplant to abstract painting to biodynamic farming. You'll end up on a treasure hunt to the local flea market with a gaggle of artists and photographers searching for found objects and props. Who knows what new character or poem or blog post you might stumble into that day? Your time is yours. Do you want to work on submitting that pile of poems and fiction to various journals? Do you want to finish your novel or pound out some flash fiction, possibly even tackling social media and your business plan in the evenings after a communal meal?
There will be visionary masters of artistic stamina who work from five in the morning to late at night, bursting with art every second and brewing pot after pot of coffee. You'll immerse yourself in fantastic conversations when you're invited to share your thoughts on artistic and literary works-in-progress. You'll meet folks who know how to market themselves, who are working all kinds of freelance jobs on the side until they're established, and who want to know how you do what you do.
Your fellow residents will want to know where you're from, and where your writing comes from. What will you tell them?
Think about that now, where you want to go, and what you want to get out of a residency. Then get ready, because once you're there, the time will go too quickly. Back home, you'll realize you've changed for the better. Where will you reside next?
Bio:
Carrie Naughton is a freelance bookkeeper who writes speculative fiction and poetry, posts on her blog, and tries to get outside as much as possible. Find her musings and book reviews at carrienaughton.com
competitions
THE ORISON POETRY PRIZE
https://orisonbooks.submittable.com/submit
$25 ENTRY FEE.
A $1,500 prize and publication in hardcover, paperback, and e-book formats will be awarded to the winner. Submit a manuscript of 60-100 pages by February 15, 2015. Orison Books is a non-profit literary press focused on the life of the spirit from a broad and inclusive range of perspectives.
WAG'S REVUE WINTER CONTEST
http://www.wagsrevue.com/submit
$22.09 ENTRY FEE.
First prize is $1,000 and guaranteed publication in the magazine, second prize is $500 and third $100. All pieces are considered for publication. Deadline February 28, 2015. If selected for regular publication, Wag's Revue compensates its writers $100 per piece (interview, poem or group of poems, essay, or short story). Accepts short fiction, poetry, and essays.
LILLIAN E. SMITH WRITER-IN-SERVICE AWARD
http://www.piedmont.edu/files/docs/Writer-in-Service-Award1415648377.pdf
NO ENTRY FEE.
Deadline January 15, 2015. The Lillian E. Smith Center for Creative Arts (owned and operated by Piedmont College in Demorest, Georgia) sponsors the annual Writer-in-Service Award, which includes a two-week residency at the Center, a $500 honorarium, and a $300 travel allowance. The Award is open to U.S. residents working to advance writing through public service careers or volunteer work. Eligible activities include, but are not limited to, arts education, literacy instruction, prison arts and education, English as a second language instruction, art-related therapies, etc.
PLAYBOY FICTION PRIZE
https://playboymagazine.submittable.com/submit
NO ENTRY FEE.
$3,000 and publication of their manuscript in Playboy's October 2015 issue. Second and third place winners will receive $300 and $150, respectively, and a year's subscription to Playboy. To submit, upload a typed, double-spaced manuscript of 5,000 words or fewer. Deadline February 13, 2015.
NELSON AGREN AWARD
https://algren.submittable.com/submit
NO ENTRY FEE.
Deadline January 31, 2015. Limit 8,000 words. Fiction only. One grand prize winner will receive $3,500. Four finalists will each receive $1,000. Five runners-up will each receive $500. Limit two entries.
GRANTS
MYSTERY WRITERS OF AMERICA LOAN FUND
http://mysterywriters.org/how-to-become-a-member-of-mwa/benefits-of-membership/
The MWA Loan Fund helps members in need of temporary financial assistance, either to pay their dues or to ease a personal problem.
NOVELISTS, INC.
http://www.ninc.com/join_ninc/index.asp
Assists members who encounter legal issues pertaining to their careers (excluding contract negotiations). Most issues will not be resolved within the limits of the Funds, but it does afford members an opportunity to go over their situation with a legal professional, who will assess the problem and render advice.
SOCIETY OF CHILDREN'S BOOK WRITERS AND ILLUSTRATORS
http://www.scbwi.org/awards
The SCBWI presents several annual awards to recognize works by SCBWI members that exhibit excellence in writing or illustration, and genuinely appeal to the interests and concerns of children. In addition, the SCBWI provides grants and scholarships to encourage continuing excellence in the creation of children's literature. Grants are awarded throughout the year and provide financial assistance to members to finish works-in-progress, polish portfolios, attend conferences, market published books and more.
SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY WRITERS OF AMERICA EMERGENCY MEDICAL FUND
http://www.sfwa.org/about/benevolent-funds/emergency-medical-fund/
The SFWA Emergency Medical Fund offers interest-free loans to members facing unexpected medical expenses. Active SFWA members are eligible to request assistance from the Fund.
SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY WRITERS OF AMERICA EMERGENCY LEGAL FUND
http://www.sfwa.org/about/benevolent-funds/legal-fund/
The SFWA legal fund does not seek to promote or prolong litigation, but rather seeks to assure that the outcome of cases involving major principles or practices is fair and favorable to writers. The fund is not intended to be used in cases where there are many decisions which support the writers' position, but the fund may be used to help individual members who do not have the wherewithal to afford to take action even where the law is clearly on their side.
FREELANCE MARKETS
STONESLIDE CORRECTIVE
http://stoneslidecorrective.com/another-page-here/
The Stoneslide Corrective pays for stories upon publication. Authors will be paid $250 for short fiction and short narrative non-fiction, and $100 for flash pieces up to 1,000 words. We like serious, comic, lighthearted, dark, emotional, and acerbic. The important factor for us is that the work use story, characters, emotions, and other fundamental elements of storytelling to think, to ask questions, to move the mind forward.
STRANGE HORIZONS
http://www.strangehorizons.com/guidelines/fiction.php
Speculative fiction, broadly defined. Up to 10,000 words (under 5,000 preferred). Payment of 8¢/word USD, within 60 days of contract. Response time currently within 40 days.
THE SUN
http://thesunmagazine.org/about/submission_guidelines/writing
We publish essays, interviews, fiction, and poetry. We tend to favor personal writing, but we're also looking for provocative pieces on political and cultural issues.
THAT'S LIFE
http://www.thatslife.com.au/FastFictionGuidelines
That's Life! weekly magazine (one-page story) pays $300 (700-2,800 words). In their Fast Fiction quarterly, they pay 1 page $200, 2 pages $300, 3 pages $400, 4 pages $500. Looking for humorous, clever, positive, contemporary stories with a strong and easy-to-follow plot. It's a good idea to read several issues of the magazines to get the flavour of the type of fiction. Avoid straightforward romance.
URBAN MINISTRIES
http://www.freelancejobopenings.com/job/freelance-writing-talent-calumet-city-il-urban-
ministries-inc-375c6e2ce3
UMI is looking for freelance and contract writing talent to join our team! These roles will touch one or more of our organization's branded publications and digital products. Aside from meeting all deadlines, responsibilities may include overseeing product development from conception through finished product, managing the support group (writers, graphic designers) assigned to the publication(s), and completing all necessary paperwork relating to the development of the publication(s). Pays $200 per article.
JOBS
FINANCIAL WRITER
Location Baltimore, MD
http://www.journalismjobs.com/job-listings/1614955
Do you have a passion for the markets and investing? Do you want to spend your days writing for the fastest-growing investing information website? We need a market-savvy writer to join our team. Your main responsibilities will be to produce articles, reports, and graphics, research new ideas/investing topics, brainstorm story ideas, and learn our search engine optimization strategy. We welcome applicants who have not written professionally but do love investing.
ASSISTANT ONLINE EDITOR
Location Lake Mary, FL
http://www.journalismjobs.com/job-listings/1614878
Charisma Media's Content Development department is looking for an Assistant Online Editor for Charisma Media,one of America's largest Christian media outlets. On any given day, the Assistant Online Editor could go from blogging about a breaking news story to editing a video to marketing the latest digital magazine via social media. An ideal candidate for this position would possess a unique blend of web development, design and editing experience, and would also thrive in a fast-paced, fluid and creative environment. This is a full-time, in house position located in our Lake Mary, Florida office.
publishers/agents
HOT KEY BOOKS
https://www.hotkeybooks.com/about
A brand new division of Bonnier Publishing, publishing books for 9 to 19 year olds. Location London.
CRYSTAL LAKE PUBLISHING
http://www.crystallakepub.com/submission-guidelines.php
We're looking for DARK FICTION, be it horror, suspense thrillers, fantasy, action adventure, sci-fi (no space operas, please), supernatural, or noir. We're interested in reading your novels, novellas, short story collections, non-fiction books linked to dark fiction topics, and poetry collections. All books should be above 60,000 words (novellas need to be at least 40,000 or accompanied by one or two extra short stories - otherwise it'll be ebook only), preferably below 110,000.
ELLECHOR PUBLISHING HOUSE
http://www.ellechorpublishinghouse.com/
Ellechor Publishing House, LLC is producer of both Christian fiction and non-fiction literature. We provide our readers with top quality publications by focusing not only on the product, but on the providers as well.
THE HELEN HELLER AGENCY
http://helenhelleragency.com/
We are a full service boutique literary agency specializing in internationally successful front-list adult and young adult fiction and non-fiction, with clients at the top of the New York Times and London Sunday Times lists.
SPONSORS
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com.
NOTE FROM HOPE: Highly endorsed by me. Linda Formichelli and Carol Tice are masters at this freelance business, and I told them recently that I wish I wasn't under a novel deadline or I'd take the class as well. Awesome, awesome material from awesome teachers, not to mention the serious magazine editors they'd brought on board. For the serious writer ready to make freelancing their career,
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Just email MANA with promo code designated only for FundsforWriters Members: 363636.
For more info, visit our site, www.MarketingNewAuthors.com or e-mail us at: info@marketingnewauthors.com
Happy Holidays!
Win $1600 for your short fiction in Writers' Village Award winter 2014
$1600 is the top prize on offer for your short story in the Writers' Village International Short Fiction Award winter 2014. The second prize is $800, third prize $400 and there are five runner up prizes of $80. A further ten Highly Commended entrants will receive a free entry in the next round. Everyone wins because every contestant, win or lose, gains feedback on how their stories were graded - plus tips for improvement.
Any genre of prose fiction may be submitted up to 3000 words, except play scripts and poetry. Entries are welcomed world-wide. The fee is $24 and multiple entries are permitted. Deadline is midnight 31st December 2014. Entry rules plus all winning stories since 2009 can be found at:
The Georgia Author of the Year Awards is currently accepting nominations until Saturday, January 31. Georgia authors published in 2014 are eligible for nomination in one of nineteen fiction and nonfiction categories. Visit http://www.authoroftheyear.org for more information.
Click here to visit Book Design Templates.- Instead
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Joel has created coupon code FFW35 for FFW readers. When you use FFW35 at BookDesignTemplates.com shopping cart, it will give you a 35% discount on anything on the site.
Hey folks! Remember the Charleston, SC conference I raved about last
year? I've never been so excited about a conference in my life than I
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Discount will be reflected at check-out.
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who are in the market for a new site." --Lyn Fairchild Hawks, author, http://lynhawks.com/
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I first saw Shaila's work, I was struck by the fact that each site she
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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
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