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Volume 15, Issue 28, JUly 10, 2015 |
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Message from the Editor
As always. the signings on Edisto Island are remarkable, successful, and just dang fun. We have a party! They kept my wine class filled, there were trays of hors d'oeurves, and everyone seemed thrilled to get an autographed copy. You see . . . this lady in the picture is Julie Gyselinck, editor of Explore Edisto. The magazine is published once a year and is placed in every rental and restaurant on the island and beyond in the SC Lowcountry. This year they featured Murder on Edisto, and the Edisto Bookstore can't keep the book in stock mostly as a result of this magazine. At the two-hour book signing, we sold 50 copies of the book, and afterwards I signed 100 more for the bookstore owner to have on hand for the tourists who continually come in asking for it. An author's dream!
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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SPONSOR OF THE WEEK
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EDITOR'S THOUGHTS
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QUESTIONING THE REJECTION
I wear three hats - FundsforWriters editor, freelance writer, and mystery author. With the first, I have the painful privilege of accepting and declining submissions. In my other two roles, I'm the recipient of the decision.
As the writer/author, I've been politely declined, unfortunately ignored, laughed at, and derided tongue-in-cheek by editors (and their assistants) when my work wasn't accepted. Therefore, as editor of FundsforWriters, I attempt to handle rejection in a nice manner.
I reply to every submission, usually with a reason if the piece was unacceptable. I'm booked through 2015, so there is no shortage of submissions. When a concept shows serious potential, the submitter receives an invitation to resubmit an edited version. Some do and some don't. Most, however, are eager to try again.
Keep in mind I'm not your normal editor.
Still, however, I have writers who become irate or question my logic. The ones who complain the loudest are those who resubmit and I do not accept the piece. The argument usually sounds something like this:
"I did what you asked and you still reject it? I've invested all this time and effort and you still don't want it? How dare you waste my time. I'm done."
When you submit to a magazine/newsletter/publisher, you are asking that someone on the other end take their time to read your work and hopefully pay you. You are one of many. Ten, a hundred, maybe a thousand others like you will be considered for the same slot. How would you like to spend an entire day going over submissions knowing you're only allowed to pick one or two, and that all those other people will be unhappy with you if you take the time to reply?
So, to all my writing friends out there, when you pitch to an editor:
First, be happy that you receive a response either way. It's expensive to send rejections to so many people. That effort could easily explode into a full-time position with no hope of return on investment. Yes, it might be mannerly to offer a rejection, but when some rejection recipients get upset over the answer, you might understand why it's easier not to reply at all.
Second, be happy that the reply included editorial remarks. Someone cared.
Third, be ecstatic if the reply leaves the door open to resubmit. Someone is reaching out.
Finally, never bite the hand that has the potential to feed you. If you are rejected after all that back and forth, chill. The person on the other side took time with you. This is an opportunity for you, even if you are rejected. Get mad and they'll never consider future pieces. Yes, most of them will remember.
I'll bet it never crossed your mind that you ought to be paid less because someone had to edit your work two or three times, either. That publication could've even taken a loss buying the piece, when you look at the hourly pay of that editor.
Be positive. Be proactive. Be thankful. Be nice. Trust me, it all comes around.
NOTE: Did you miss the Bookarma podcast? Fun interview between Nancy Baumann and myself. Here it is in case you did: https://youtu.be/vCHNnj3lc-Q
P.S. TOTAL FundsforWriters is the extended version of this newsletter, with 70 markets, contests, grants, etc. and still at the ten-year-old cost of $15 for 26 issues. A great way to find opportunities to make money, without the hours of searching. Some subscribers have been around since TOTAL's origin a decade ago...they swear by it that much.
-Hope Clark
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Upcoming Book Signings and Classes!
July 31-Aug 1 - Mississippi Writers Conference, Oxford, MS
August 26 - SC Library Association, keynote, Irmo Branch Library, 3:30PM
Sept 16 - Louisville Writers Group, Louisville, KY (GO TIGERS!)
Oct 9 - Lexington, SC Book Club - ON EDISTO BEACH!
Oct 29-Nov 1 - Killer Nashville Con, Nashville, TN
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WORDS OF SUCCESS
Things need not have happened to be true. Tales and adventures are the shadow truths that will endure when mere facts are dust and ashes and forgotten.
~Neil Gaiman
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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
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Hi Hope,
I'm so excited to continue my subscription with TOTAL FundsforWriters. I tell every writer I know about FFW and how helpful it is to receive your newsletters. I've received two reprint acceptances (both paying markets) and one original piece acceptance in the last two months. I have TFFW to thank not only for the many markets showcased but for the great advice in your editorials and guest articles. As long as you continue TFFW, I'll be a subscriber!
Sincerely, Bria Burton
www.briaburton.com
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FEATURED ARTICLE
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How to Break the Andy Syndrome
By Sherri Langton
I feel your pain, Miranda Priestly.
Miranda is the perfectionist editor-in-chief of Runway, a top fashion magazine in The Devil Wears Prada. One morning she sweeps into her New York City office and finds Andy Sachs waiting for her. A college graduate, Andy is applying for a job as Miranda’s second assistant.
One look at this naïve, plainly dressed young lady tells Miranda she has no fashion sense. But that’s not all. In front of this editing icon, Andy admits she has never read Runway.
Amazing how life imitates art. As an editor at the Bible Advocate magazine and Now What? e-zine, I’ve dealt with many Andys — not job applicants but freelance writers. Without even peeking at our pages, they trot out their manuscripts and watch them crash in the rejection pile. Often the problem isn’t poor writing but a poor match. These writers have no clue who we are and what we publish.
Take the man who submitted reprints of his published columns. He fanned out his credentials like a deck of cards, then admitted he hadn’t seen our magazine before submitting. Another writer pitched a piece on the conflicts a librarian faces, like annoying customers, e-readers and aching feet.
Seriously? If you thumb through our magazine for sixty seconds, you’ll see nothing related to librarians and no columns written by outside authors. The work of these freelancers sat in my inbox for two months when they could have been making money in suitable markets.
Editorial guidelines urge writers to read the magazine before submitting, but many of them don’t — or don’t know what to look for. Analyzing a magazine isn’t hard to do, but it does take time and know-how. Though there are a number of areas to study, these five can get you started:
• Cover. The magazine’s “front door” reflects the readership (brides, fishermen, musicians, ministers, etc.) or perhaps the theme of that issue. Does your idea fit these readers?
• Ads. These too reflect the readership. A piece about homeschooling your kids won’t fly in a magazine with ads for denture cream. Do you see pages promoting cruises to expensive resorts? If so, your tips for travel on a tight budget will miss the boat.
• Contents page. This can consist of how-to pieces, personal experiences, profiles, interviews, essays, self-help articles — you name it. Do you see the kind of content you like to write? Remember, the more articles in relation to standing columns (written by staff members), the greater the chances of freelancers getting in.
• Article structure. Once you’re deep inside the magazine, pick an article that comes closest to the one you want to write, and crack its “code.” Is the introduction an anecdote, a quotation or a startling statement? Does the body consist of quotations from authors and other sources? Is the conclusion another anecdote, a quotation, advice or a strong summary? Once you decipher the article’s code, follow it to a T.
• Style. Is the writing conversational, as if you’re talking to a friend over coffee? Or more formal, as if you’re listening to a lecture? When you study a magazine, think of it as a “voice lesson” in matching the periodical’s distinct sound.
Whatever happened to Andy Sachs? She got the job at Runway. Through sheer fortitude, she learned about the magazine the hard way — and had the scars to prove it.
You can save yourself that kind of grief. If you want to make money writing for a magazine, get to know it first. The editor will love you for it.
BIO: Sherri Langton is associate editor of the Bible Advocate magazine and Now What? e-zine.
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COMPETITIONS
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THE X.J. KENNEDY AWARD FOR NONFICTION
http://www.rsbd.net/NEW/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=81&Itemid=27
$10 ENTRY FEE.
Deadline August 15, 2015. Ideal length of the nonfiction submission is 3,500 words or less. First prize $1,000, publication in Rosebud, and three copies. Four runners-up will receive $100 and publication. Entries may be any kind of nonfiction, including essays of all kinds, nature writing, travel writing, and memoir.
BLACK WARRIOR CONTEST
https://bwr.submittable.com/submit
ENTRY FEE $20-$30.
Deadline September 1, 2015. Submit up to 7,000 words nonfiction or fiction. The entry fee covers one packet of up to three poems. Each entry comes with a one-year subscription.
ARCADIA NONFICTION AWARD
https://arcadiajournal.submittable.com/submit/42821
$15 ENTRY FEE.
Deadline August 16, 2015. A prize of $1,000 and publication in the spring issue of Arcadia is given annually for a work of nonfiction. Submit an essay, memoir, or other piece of creative nonfiction of less than 8,000 words. We're looking for the best in literary nonfiction.
MID-SOUTH POETRY FESTIVAL
http://www.poetrysocietytn.org
$2 ENTRY FEE.
Deadline August 22, 2015. Small prize monies under $100 for 28 categories but there is a $250 best-of-the-best award.
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GRANTS
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SCRIPTAPALOOZA FELLOWSHIP
http://www.scriptapalooza.com/fellowship/
The Scriptapalooza Fellowship recipient will be awarded a five-day screenwriting retreat in Costa Rica with Award-Winning Screenwriter Jacob Krueger. The retreat takes place June 10-14, 2016 in Samara, Costa Rica, in a private hotel reserved exclusively for the fellowship recipient and twelve other talented writers. The winning fellowship recipient will enjoy a full curriculum of writing classes, discussions, workshops and feedback sessions taught by Jacob Krueger and senior members of the JK Studio Staff. Each retreat will offer a unique program created specifically for the needs of the writers attending. The Scriptapalooza Fellowship recipient will receive six months of mentoring from one of our vastly talented industry mentors. Fellowship applications will only be available from September 1, 2015 to October 31, 2015.
INDIANA - BRINGING BACK ART TO OUR PARKS GRANTS
http://in.gov/arts/2866.htm
Deadline September 14, 2015. Arts in the Parks provides up to $3,000 funding for arts program related projects that encourage the creation of and public engagement with art about the Indiana state park/forest system. Funding will provide nonprofit organizations and individual artists to bring arts programs, services and artists in residence to local communities in participating state parks and forests promoting public engagement in the state park/forest system. Program related projects and/or arts activities to the public (tourists, visitors, local residents, etc.) may include, but are not limited to: artist residencies, performing arts events, exhibitions, educational residencies, and hands-on arts activities for citizens and visitors of all ages.
SUSTAINABLE ARTS GRANTS
http://www.sustainableartsfoundation.org/awards
Our program focuses on awards to individual artists and writers with families. Specifically, the applicant must have at least one child under the age of 18. There are no geographic restrictions on our applicants. The foundation will award the following: Sustainable Arts Foundation Visual Arts Award: $6,000; and Sustainable Arts Foundation Writing Award: $6,000. There will be multiple winners for each award. Deadline November 20, 2015.
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FREELANCE MARKETS
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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. We are looking for features of 1,200 to 3,000 words in length, as well as shorter pieces. In general, payment of 40 cents per word is made for all freelance submissions.
YAM
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. With its ‘living smart’ philosophy, YAM engages with a 30-to-55 readership that sees this engaging, high-quality magazine as the local source for making life the very best it can be. We are looking for features of 1,200 to 3,000 words in length, as well as shorter pieces. In general, payment of 40 cents per word is made for all freelance submissions.
SALT
https://www.pageonepublishing.ca/submission-guidelines/
Published twice a year, Salt is distributed directly to a targeted readership: savvy, highly educated, affluent Calgarians who appreciate the finer things in life. Articles in Salt cover local cuisine and beverages, homes and home décor, real estate and development, art galleries and shopping, high-end adventures and activities and regional travel destinations. We are looking for features of 1,200 to 3,000 words in length, as well as shorter pieces. In general, payment of 40 cents per word is made for all freelance submissions.
SPORTS SPECTRUM
http://www.sportsspectrum.com/about/writers-guide.php
Seeks articles about athletes who are grounded in their Christian faith. Query first. Pays at least 21 cents/word plus expenses. Articles are 1,500 to 2,000 words plus one or two sidebars.
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JOBS
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AG JOURNALIST NEEDED
https://www.journalismjobs.com/job-listings/1622393
Agweek, a growing, award-winning publication dedicated to the agriculture industry, needs a dogged, motivated freelance reporter who is energetic and resourceful, appreciates the beauty and importance of agriculture, and can tell a good story simply and succinctly. This weekly publication has a print circulation of almost 30,000, mostly in its coverage area of North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Minnesota. Our new team member would cover South Dakota and southern Minnesota, adding relevant, well-written copy to our lineup. Your work would appear in multiple sister publications, online and on Agweek’s television show launched just this year, AgweekTV. Photography and videography experience is a plus, and while we value experience, newer journalists with strong work ethics and great clips will also be considered for the position. Qualified candidates should apply by July 27 to Agweek Editor Lisa Gibson at lgibson@agweek.com .
NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Location Takoma Park, MD
http://www.idealist.org/view/job/mhCzP4jnDx74
The City of Takoma Park is seeking a Contract Editor for the Takoma Park Newsletter, a 12- to 16-page monthly publication published by the City of Takoma Park and mailed to residents. As a city-funded entity, the newsletter is a hybrid, with balanced news and features that keep our readers engaged, as well as nuts-and-bolts information generated by city staff. The Editor will also be responsible for producing three 40 pages programmatic guides a year. The contracted rate is $1,800 per month. Additional funds are paid for freelance, photos, and special publications, including the City program guide.
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AGENTS / PUBLISHERS
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TURNER PUBLISHING
http://www.turnerpublishing.com/about-us
Turner Publishing is accepting submission of manuscripts and/or proposals. Submissions can be made by agents or authors directly. Headquartered in Nashville, TN and operating since 1984, Turner currently publishes over 3,000 titles. Turner has a broad array of titles in fiction & non-fiction, including business, young adult, history, romance, mystery, cookbooks, health and wellness, animals, design, and more. Turner continues to expand their titles by acquiring innovative content from existing and debut authors worldwide. Turner books are currently being sold in over 55 countries and continuing to grow.
BOROUGHS PUBLISHING
http://boroughspublishinggroup.com/submit
We’re seeking submissions from writers who can deliver the emotional punch readers crave. Space cowboys, gargoyles, the hunk next-door and crusty cops welcome. Boroughs Publishing Group will not limit your imagination; we encourage creative freedom. Stick to the tropes of the genre or push the envelope, as long as you’re providing well written incredible storytelling we’re game. Seeking romance in the following subgenres: Contemporary, Erotic, Romance, Fantasy, Historical, Multi-cultural, Paranormal, Romantic, Suspense/Thrillers, Urban, Fantasy, Young Adult.
BEACHWALK PRESS
http://beachwalkpress.com/submissions/
Beachwalk Press is accepting submissions of all subgenres of romance. We are only accepting works with a rating of "sensual" or higher. Submissions must be no less than 15,000 words and no more than 75,000 words. We are not accepting "sweet" romances or young adult romances.
CLEAN READS (formerly ASTREA PRESS)
http://cleanreads.com/index.php/submissions
Open submission call for Urban Fantasy, Young Adult, Regency Romance. Well-written, clean manuscripts with no language and no gratuitous sex. No less than 15,000 words and no more than 100,000.
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SPONSORS
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Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest
13th year. $4,000 in prizes will be awarded, including $1,500 for a poem in any style and $1,500 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 $10 per poem. Each poem may have up to 250 lines. Deadline: September 30. See guidelines, past winners, and enter at www.winningwriters.com/tompoetry
 
NOTE: 30 percent off for FundsforWriters readers for a short time. Click here.
Grammarly sucked me in and owned me after only ten minutes of using it on my latest manuscript, Edisto Jinx. Though my grammar skills are solid, Grammarly pointed me toward flow issues, awkward wording, repeated wording, and yes, the occasional grammar oversight. I caught myself changing sentences and enjoying the second set of eyes. Grammarly is truly one of the simplest and most useful editing tools I've ever experienced. ~C. Hope Clark, award-winning mystery author, www.chopeclark.com, and editor of FundsforWriters.com
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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.
NOTE: This is my web designer, and I recommend Shaila highly. ~Hope
Winner of several AEP and Marcom design awards, Shaila Abdullah has over 20 years of experience as a graphic and web designer. She has assisted over 50 authors and writers with their design needs ranging from websites, books, marketing materials, social media banners, ads, to email campaigns (newsletters and announcements). Being an award-winning author herself, Shaila understands the industry, and will provide you with designs that reflects your unique style, genre, and personality.
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“After months of collaborating on my vision of a website as a place to showcase my published essays and offer writing and editing services, Shaila Abdullah turned out a site design that is my dream come true. —Kate Meadows, writer and author
"Superb work, excellent customer service. Just marvelous overall.” —C. Hope Clark, FundsforWriters
“Nothing stands in Shaila’s way. From my design requests to technological needs–Shaila had a creative solution to offer at every turn. I value her design services as a trusted part of my business plan.” —Yvonne Pesquera, writer
"Shaila helped us redesign the website for our writers' conference. She went above and beyond, looking through thousands of our pictures to choose the best, and often wrote chunks of content for us to fill in gaps. Shaila was wonderful to work with and it was worth every penny." —Amanda Murphy, Managing Director of the Winter Poetry & Prose Getaway
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Fine print
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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 2000-2015, 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 opt-in, giving us permission to send the newsletter. If at any time you no longer wish to receive the newsletter, click the UNSUBSCRIBE link at the bottom of each newsletter. We want you to enjoy this newsletter at 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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