FundsforWriters - December 18 - When Family Isn't Supportive

Published: Fri, 12/18/15

Volume 15, Issue 51, december 18, 2015

Message from the Editor

Wow, but this week has been hectic. I have deadlines that are barely being met, one that I may have to beg to get extended, all because of that little bundle of blue in my arms. My youngest son's second son arrived Sunday afternoon. His complexion and hair lean dark, as you can see, and that's his brother laughing and hugging me - a platinum little guy. Night and day. But OMG, I'm going to explode from all this loving. This is why your newsletter is late tonight, and I'm making no excuse for it.

Editor, FundsforWriters
Email Hope | Visit Website
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EDITOR'S THOUGHTS
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WHEN FAMILY ISN'T SUPPORTIVE

I received a heart-breaking Facebook message from a 15-year-old young man who asked me how to get his writing accepted. When I explained about polishing his words, agents, publishers, indie and the like, he replied: "For me, I come from an unsupportive familly that doesn't take writing as a talent or a valuable art. How can I practice in such conditions?"

My husband supports me unconditionally, often following me to my appearances. One son out of town reads my work and gives honest feedback. My sister-in-law in Iowa reads every book within days of release. Other than that, nobody else in my family has read my novels much, and definitely haven't read any articles, blogs or other items I've published. While I thank my lucky stars for the three people I have, I know how that stings when family doesn't care.

I told the young man this:

"At your age, it's a matter of being well-read first and foremost, then attempting to write stories from what you've absorbed via those good authors. They are your family right now. You are young. You will be an adult in good time and be able to do what you wish, when you like, but in the meantime, read with a writer's eye, seeing what makes for a grand story, great character, and snappy dialogue. Write as you can. And know that successful authors everywhere are in your corner."

When family doesn't believe in your writing, you do the following:

1) Join a writer's group. Use it like a support group.
2) Read with a writer's eye. Nobody puts down reading.
3) Write when you can: lunches, night, early mornings, outside, riding in the car, or while everyone else is watching TV.
4) Relate your interest in writing to your family member's interest in something else. I once used my teenagers' interest in playing hockey. Ask them how much time and money they "invest" in their sports, hunting, cars, video games, etc.
5) Carve out time and call it yours. It doesn't have to be called writing time, but you use it as such. Just make sure you capitalize on it and write instead of doing other non-productive things.
6) Refuse to feel guilty about a beloved hobby/profession.
7) Display how much writing makes you whole . . . and happier. If you act grumpy, you accentuate their opinion.
8) Ask them when they'll give up reading, watching television, going to movies, listening to music, playing online games, because a writer allowed all of those entertainment opportunities to happen.
8) When someone asks when you'll do something other than "that writing stuff," tell them you adore what you do. Eighty percent of the world hates their job, and you aren't one of them.

Thanks
- Hope

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Upcoming Book Signings and Classes!

Jan 14 - Calhoun County Library, SC - The Habits of Successful Writers - 6:30 PM
Jan 26 - Darlington Library, SC - The Habits of Successful Writers - 6:30 PM
Feb 1 - Night Harbor Book Club, Chapin, SC - 7PM
Feb 4 - McCormick County Library, SC - Plot Development - 6:30 PM
Feb 9 - Judy Foster McNeely Book Club, Charleston, SC - 6:30 PM
Feb 11 - Calhoun County Library, SC - Plot Development - 6:30 PM

Feb. 13 - Workshop - Georgia Writers Assoc, Kennesaw, GA
Feb 23 - Darlington Library, SC - Plot Development - 6:30 PM
Mar 3 - McCormick County Library, SC - Character Development - 6:30 PM
Mar 7 - Ann Carlson Georgetown, SC Book Club - 3:00 PM
  Mar 10 - Calhoun County Library, SC - Character Development - 6:30 PM
Mar 14 -21 - EDISTO BEACH, SC!
Mar 22 - Darlington Library, SC - Character Development - 6:30 PM
Apr 7 - McCormick County Library, SC - Successful Editing - 6:30 PM
  Apr 14 - Calhoun County Library, SC - Successful Editing - 6:30 PM
Apr 26 - Darlington Library, SC - Successful Editing - 6:30 PM
May 5 - McCormick County Library, SC - Getting Published - 6:30 PM
  May 12 - Calhoun County Library, SC - Getting Published - 6:30 PM
May 24 - Darlington Library, SC - Getting Published - 6:30 PM
Jun 23-25 - Midwest Writers Center Conference - Davenport, IA

Check out all of Hope's books

For the most up-to-date information about Hope, contests, writing industry information and giveaways, keep up with Hope on Twitter and Facebook. Things get more interesting in real time!

WORDS OF SUCCESS

"Some days you don't feel like doing your job. But there is no "teacher's block" or "dentist's block." I can't figure out why we have created this mysterious phrase only for writers which only means "don't feel like doing this right now."

~Lois Lowry

EDISTO JINX

Is it a flesh and blood killer -

or restless spirits?

According to Sophie, the resident yoga mistress and psychic, beautiful Edisto Beach becomes a hotbed of troublemaking spirits every August. But when a visitor dies mysteriously during a beach house party, former big-city detective Callie Morgan and Edisto Beach police chief Mike Seabrook hunt for motives and suspects among the living. With tourists filling the beaches and local business owners anxious to squelch rumors of a murderer on the loose, Callie will need all the help she can get - especially once the killer's attention turns toward 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.


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SUCCESS STORY
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Hello Hope,

I so appreciate your honest editorials. I am currently working as a full-time in-house copywriter, so I actually have no spare time to send out freelance pitches. And in October this year, I signed a contract with a literary agent in New York after a year of querying (hurray!), which your newsletter helped me do. However, I still read your editorials every week because you always have such encouraging, motivating, and often light-a-fire-under-my-ass things to say.

So thank you! I hope this encouraging note may find you on a day where you need it, and even if you're already having a great one, then I hope it makes it even better. Your work makes a huge difference in the lives of thousands. Thank you.

Kind regards,

Amy Clarke

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FEATURED ARTICLE
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How My Local Library Helped Me Get from Jobless and Broke to Six Figures a Year

By Patrick Brian O'Neill

In 2008 I had the world by the tail.

I had a good job I loved. I earned a pretty good salary, and was constantly praised by company bigwigs and my colleagues for my sales abilities. I was pretty proud of myself.

What is that old saying about pride going before the fall? Yep, that's exactly what happened.

Through no fault of my own, the company I worked for as a high-end retail sales manager went bankrupt. We received no advance notice that they were closing our store. On a Thursday in late June of 2008, it was business as usual. Friday ... shut down.

That was the same year the economy crashed in the United States, creating a perfect storm of financial fear and self-doubt in my life. I sold my car and most of my possessions, so I would have some cash to fall back on in case I didn't find another job right away.

To bolster my income as I continued to look for work, I decided to learn about this whole "making money online" thing.

Since I could not even afford a monthly Internet bill, I walked to and from the nearby library one mile from my apartment each day. I arrived before they opened and stayed until they kicked me out. I used their Internet and every book they had on sales, marketing and copywriting to figure out how to realize my lifelong dream of being a professional writer.

I stumbled across a few Internet marketing forums, where I sold articles for as little as $5 or $10. After just over a year of cranking out low-paying work seven days a week, my financial situation slowly began to improve.

I persisted. I took online courses and writing classes. That persistence paid off.

One of my clients told me I should become a copywriter because my writing converted so well for him. I thanked him, hung up the phone and immediately grabbed my Webster's Dictionary. I had no clue what a copywriter was!

Almost instantly, I began writing copy instead of content. I realized that copywriting was where I needed to be, and where my natural inclinations and talents belonged. I began offering copywriting services to my clients and cut back on writing content.

Fast forward eight long years, and I am on pace to flirt with a six-figure income this year. What's the take-away from this story? Don't give up when things get tough.

Always keep your "Big Why" in the front of your mind.

Ask yourself why you want to earn a living as a writer. Be brutally honest with your answer. Keep asking yourself why, over and over, until you get to the basic motivating factor that drives your writing desires.

Was it fun for me, walking in the rain, the cold and the heat, seven days a week to my local library to frequently sit next to some less than desirable people while I taught myself how to make a good living writing online?

Of course it wasn't. But it was necessary.

Do whatever is necessary to live your dream life. It's not really as hard as you may think. It may take time. It is certainly going to take effort. But the personal empowerment and freedom that the freelance writing lifestyle delivers is worth any cost ... as long as your "Why?" is big enough.

BIO - Patrick Brian O'Neill is a full-time copywriter specializing in B2B Lead Generation and optimizing your LinkedIn profile to land your dream job or clients. www.PatrickBrianONeill.com

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COMPETITIONS
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LEARNING FROM NATURE CONTEST
https://www.creativenonfiction.org/submissions/learning-nature
NO ENTRY FEE.
The Biomimicry Center at Arizona State University will award $5,000 for best essay, and Creative Nonfiction editors will award $1,000 for runner-up. All essays will be considered for publication in a special "Learning from Nature" issue of the magazine to be published in fall 2016. Essays must be previously unpublished and no longer than 4,000 words. Multiple submissions are welcome, as are entries from outside the United States. Deadline February 1, 2016.

AURORA POETRY AND SHORT FICTION OPEN COMPETITION
http://www.writingeastmidlands.co.uk/opportunities-events/aurora-poetry-short-fiction-open-competition/
£7 ENTRY FEE.
The prizes are: 1st £500 , 2nd £100, 3rd £50, and the Stonewood Press Regional Prize £70, which includes a Writing School East Midlands course, and an invitation to read at the prize-giving event in Nottingham. Deadline February 1, 2016.

YORK LITERATURE FESTIVAL POETRY CONTEST
http://www.yorkmix.com/things-to-do/poetry/win-500-for-your-poem-in-the-york-literature-festival-yorkmix-poetry-competition-2016/
£5 ENTRY FEE.
Deadline February 14, 2016. First prize: £500. Second Prize: £125. Third Prize: £75. The York prize (£50) will be awarded to an excellent poem from an entrant with a York postcode. At the judge’s discretion, up to ten Highly Commended and up to 15 Commended poems will each win their writer a certificate. Poems are welcomed on any subject. To be eligible, poems must be in English, run to no longer than 40 lines, and fit on a single A4 page. Entrants must be over 18 and live in the British Isles.

BATH SHORT STORY AWARD
http://bathshortstoryaward.co.uk/
£8 ENTRY FEE.
Deadline April 25, 2016. We invite local, national and international entries from published and unpublished writers. Short stories of up to 2,200 words in all genres, styles welcome. No lower word limit. 1st £1,000. 2nd £200. 3rd £100. Local prize: £50 voucher. The Acorn Award for unpublished writers of fiction: £50.

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GRANTS
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LILLIAN E. SMITH WRITER-IN-SERVICE AWARD
http://www.piedmont.edu/writer-in-service-award
NO ENTRY FEE.
Deadline January 15, 2016. 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. While the work of writing instructors and volunteers is vital to the community, the demands often limit personal writing time. This award provides an opportunity for those writers who, like Lillian E. Smith, recognize "the power of the arts to transform the lives of all human beings." (Thanks www.erikadreifus.com)

MARYLAND PERFORMING ARTIST ROSTER
http://www.msac.org/touring-artists-roster
The Maryland Performing Artist Touring Roster is a listing of Maryland-based artists who have a demonstrated history of successful, professional touring engagements. Artists who are appointed to the Roster have been selected through a peer review process in which they are rated on artistic merit and recommendations from those presenting organizations where they have previously performed.

ARIZONA PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GRANTS
http://azarts.gov/grant/professional-development/
Deadline: 11:59pm, February 4, 2016. The application period for Professional Development Grants, Cycle C (for activities taking place between March 1, 2016 and June 30, 2016) is now open. Professional Development Grants provide funding support for participation in artistic development and skills building activities or opportunities that contribute to professional growth and career development.

SUMMER POET-IN-RESIDENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI
http://mfaenglish.olemiss.edu/spir-summer-poet-in-residence/
Deadline January 15, 2016. The residency supports a poet who desires a quiet, beautiful location in which to further his or her work, and it lasts four weeks, from June 15 to July 15. Designed for poets who have at least one full length book (either published or under contract) and no more than two books. Chapbooks are not full length books. The SpiR receives housing, a travel reimbursement, and an honorarium of $3,000 thanks to the generosity of The Department of English, The College of Liberal Arts, and the Division of Outreach and Continuing Education. In addition, the SPiR will receive ten broadsides of his or her work, designed by Jan Murray. The residency is designed to provide ample writing time to the SPiR while also allowing the University of Mississippi's summer course offerings to be enriched by the presence of a active poet on campus. To this end, the SPiR will be involved in the campus community and the University of Mississippi MFA program by giving a poetry reading and making 1-2 class visits a week. The SpiR will also be invited to serve as judge for the Yalobusha Review's Yellowwood Poetry Prize. As judge, the SPiR will be given ten finalist poems by the editorial staff and will select the winner and any honorable mentions.

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FREELANCE MARKETS
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ONLY IN YOUR STATE
http://www.onlyinyourstate.com/write-for-us/
OnlyInYourState is always looking for talented writers interested in joining our growing team. Currently, we are seeking writers either from or living in the following states: Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Connecticut, South Dakota, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New Mexico, New York, Delaware. If you’re interested, please contact hiring@onlyinyourstate.com with information about yourself, your experience, and, if possible, a writing sample. Pays $750 per month.

WELLBEING
http://www.wellbeing.com.au/html/contribute/
WellBeing magazine covers ways to improve the quality of your life, the lives of those around you and the health of the planet. Columns are very clear on the website under writers guidelines. No promotional pieces or profiles. We pay the following rates for items published in WellBeing: Feature articles: AU$600-$750 depending on word length. Article length, generally, is 2,000-2,500 words; and Real Life Experiences: AU$150 each, regardless of the number of words published.

DR. SEAN YOUNG, PhD BLOG
http://www.writejobs.info/2015/11/dr-seanyoungphdcom-freelance-health.html
Seanyoungphd (dot) com is expanding to include weekly news articles related to public health, social media and psychology. Are you a journalist with an interest in these topics? Did you study them in college? For this project, you will write AP-style news articles on the latest trends in this field. You will interview scientists, physicians, mental health counselors and others who can shed light. Each week you will be expected to contribute a high quality article, loaded with hyperlinks and a photograph with permission. You will be paid on a per article basis. Current budget is $600-$700 per article and extra consideration will be given to writers with an advanced degree in health care or science. (**Thanks WriteJobs.info)

SPORTING CLASSICS
http://67.20.84.117/magazine/staff/submissions
Sporting Classics is the magazine for discovering the best in hunting and fishing worldwide. Every page is carefully crafted, through word and picture, to transport you on an unforgettable journey into the great outdoors. We pay from $300-$700 per article, depending on the subject and author and how long he or she has been writing for our publication. About 95 percent of our stories are assignments to our contributing editors; still, we do welcome submittals. Before submitting an article, please review our magazine to familiarize yourself with story length (not to exceed 2,500 words) and the kinds of topics we publish. We do not publish how-to stories, and only rarely do we publish poetry. We do publish fiction.

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JOBS
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YOUNG WRITERS WORKSHOP CREATIVE WRITING INSTRUCTOR
https://jobs.virginia.edu/applicants/jsp/shared/frameset/Frameset.jsp?time=1450486538500
Sponsored by the Curry School of Education, the Young Writers Workshop is seeking applicants for the position of Creative Writing Instructor to develop curriculum for and teach genre-specific workshops in six genres (fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, scriptwriting [stage and screen], songwriting, and graphic fiction & nonfiction) as a part of its summer program for aspiring teenage writers, which is located on the campus of Sweet Briar College.

ASSISTANT EDITOR
https://jobs.wayne.edu/applicants/jsp/shared/position/JobDetails_css.jsp?postingId=514209
Assist in all facets of manuscript development. Assist in reviewing unsolicited manuscripts and proposals, securing appropriate and qualified reviewers, and preparing materials for editorial board review. Maintain and monitor manuscript review and publication schedules. Assist in all facets of editorial work. Assist in editing book manuscripts; identifying and overseeing freelancers, electronic coding and manuscript clean up, and interfacing with authors, contributors and editors. Wayne State University, Detroit, MI.

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AGENTS / PUBLISHERS
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LOOSE ID
http://www.loose-id.com/submissions/
Do you write romances with larger-than-life characters who have powerful chemistry, strong, sexy conflicts, and riveting stories? Loose Id wants to help you tell your tale.

SNOWBOOKS
http://snowbooks.com/pages/submissions
We are looking at genre fiction only. This means horror, sci-fi, and fantasy. 70,000 words and up.

RODEEN LITERARY MANAGEMENT
http://rodeenliterary.com/
Rodeen Literary Management is an independent literary agency which provides career management for experienced and aspiring authors and illustrators of children’s literature.

EAST WEST LITERARY AGENCY
http://eastwestliteraryagency.com/about.cfm
Represents authors and illustrators — both debut and established - in the board book, concept, illustration, multicultural, non-fiction, middle-grade and young adult markets.

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SPONSORS

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Are you looking for feedback on your writing? Do you want to develop and deepen your craft? Joining a Writer Workshop is your right next step.

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NOTE: This is the company for Jerome McClain who did my book trailer for Edisto Jinx. You should have seen the jaws dropping open as authors, agents, and editors alike saw the quality of the video trailer for Edisto Jinx on a screen at Killer Nashville. AWESOME!

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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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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

http://www.fundsforwriters.com

Copyright 2000-2015, C. Hope Clark
ISSN: 1533-1326

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