FundsforWriters - January 8 - The Flip Side of Free

Published: Fri, 01/08/16

FundsForWriters: Tips and Tools for serious writers to advance their careers!
  Volume 16, Issue 2, january 8, 2016  
 
     
       
  Message from the Editor

Hubby caught me at the gym. Yep, the holidays threw us off our schedule and we're back at it. Frankly, going four or more times a week does make us feel better. And again, frankly, it's like our writing. The closer we get to exercising it daily, the easier it gets. We write better, feel better, grow faster. 

I've been doing well with my writing exercise, and honestly, I'm getting a bit more prolific. Writing 1,000 words/day or editing four chapters. Some days I reach the 1,000 mark and go, wow, that wasn't so hard, and I keep going. 

A routine matters. It really does. 

Hope Clark
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
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THE FLIP SIDE OF FREE

My publisher and I butt heads at times, and I sense I'd butt heads with any publisher, frankly. It's just the creative differences between the publisher and the artist, I guess. But one thing they rarely do is offer books for free. $1.99 for a week, maybe even a month, but rarely free. We agree there.

Then the other day, an author contacted me all incensed about the fact a book club, headed by a fairly wealthy woman, asked an author to let her club "borrow" enough books for them to read. They'd be happy to give them back later. When the author asked them to purchase the books, she never heard back from the club again. She was hurt, rightfully so, and I suggested she write them off and move on. Confrontation would only make matters worse. 

Sure, everyone likes the occasional freebie, but people who incessantly shop for free put cost above quality. Some must due to budget constraints, but if they are having that much of a struggle, then they can't afford to take an interest in the author and their endeavor to earn a living. And unlike the myth everyone would like to believe, they are not the souls that read a cheap book then run out and pay full price for all the others by that author. They keep "buying" free.

Giving away free books was once a gimmick that few were daring enough to try. Considered an uncommon practice, it worked. Free attracted readers who then bought the other books in a series or by that author. Today, free gives me reason to pause and wonder if the book is worth the investment of my reading time.  

Too many indie authors too readily use free. Stop and think about what's free in your life. When you see something for free, don't you instantly wonder what the deal is? Don't you sense that it's a lesser quality than something you'd have to buy? And most of all, wouldn't you rather pay a discount for a quality product than get something of lesser quality for free?

That's the public's general mentality about free, and why shouldn't it apply to books?

When I give away a handful of free books, it's done with a clear understanding that a review is expected. Sure, about a third of those people just run off with the book and never write a review. While that saddens me, I still collect a fair number of reviews. 

But that book club issue hurt that author's feelings. I understood and asked her to consider moving on and not letting it get under her skin. But it's hard when you, the author, are not respected. I was once signing books at a book release event in North Carolina and a tenured college professor in creative writing came up to me and just took a book, said she'd TRY to review it, turned on her heel, and walked off without paying. She never did the review, probably never meant to. I remember her to this day.

We work too hard for that. Free isn't that big a deal anymore, and in a way it just might cheapen you as an author. Be careful how you use it.
 


Thanks
- Hope

 




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NOTE FROM HOPE: I've used these templates for ARCS, review copies for Edisto Jinx and fell in love with them!




 
 
  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 4 - Timberlake Book Club, Chapin, SC - 1:00 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
  Aug 1 - Batesburg Library Mystery Club, Batesburg/:Leesville, SC - 6 PM
  Aug 18-21 -Killer Nashville Conference, Nashville, TN

  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
 
From the Author’s Note in Dreamcatcher: 

“One final note. This book was written with the world’s finest word processor, a Waterman cartridge fountain pen. To write the first draft of such a long book by hand put me in touch with the language as I haven’t been in years. I even wrote one night (during a power outage) by candlelight. One rarely finds such opportunities in the twenty-first century, and they are to be savored."

-Stephen King


 
       
       
 

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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Dear Hope,

It finally happened! A piece I wrote got picked up by an online magazine that you listed several months ago.  My piece, entitled "Unbreakable Spirit" is on the "You and ME America's Medical Magazine" website. And I got paid for it! It's only 1,000 words but I followed the guidelines to the letter and wrote a successful essay from a child's point of view about dealing with "brittle bones" my entire life.

Check it out: http://www.youandmemagazine.com/articles/unbreakable-spirit

You have been a constant source of information and inspiration to me with your newsletter. I have told every writer I know about you. Please keep up your good work and I promise to keep up mine in 2016.

Thank you,
Mary Encinias
 
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FEATURED ARTICLE
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Answer Ads Late

By Leah Zitter

I am contrarian to the bone. When everyone masses in one direction, I head in the other. Then by happenstance, this quality became one of my freelance habits.

Job-seekers are advised to answer ads within twelve hours of their posting. Wait too long, we are told, and competitors will beat you. After all, recruiters dislike clicking through reams of digital resumes, and several hirers, according to Alison Green, author of Ask a Manager.com, either call the first five incoming qualified applicants or respond to the top five resumes that dominate their stack.

"Apply as soon as you know you’re interested, because if you wait, you may miss the window of opportunity entirely." 

This may be particularly so with writers. Supply is higher than demand. Competition is ferocious. Your competitors may sound more appealing than you, particularly if they whittle their price down to cents. Remember the proverb that “the early bird catches the worm?” Shouldn’t you be this bird? Or, maybe, there’s another way . . . 

Reverse direction.

I answer freelancer-recruiting advertisements several months late.

The idea first came to me on Carol Tice’s job-board.  Carol advertises her Board for Freelance Writer's Den membvers as Junk-Free, but she fails to mention that jobs are snatched up as soon they reach freelancers’ eyes. I salivated for that Board. But as soon as I saw those first few listings, I despaired. Advertisements of Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday quickly fell off, filled. And then on a whim, I scrolled down to the bottom – one year ago, two years ago - and recklessly dispatched queries:

Hey Mr. X:

I noticed your ad on MakeaLivingWriting.com. I’m a writer who can professionally and punctually do your job. Are you still looking? (Note: this was not my literal query).

Four out of five recipients answered affirmatively.

I didn’t land the jobs. I wasn’t good enough for those particular positions. But I came away with a mesmerizing idea. What if I answered ads late? Very late? I would have the hirer’s unswerving attention, and he’d see how good I am!

I experimented with random adverts, checking terms such as "writer wanted", "blogger wanted", and so forth and queried ads that were four months, eight months, one year old. I received some affirmative Craigslist responses: copywriting, a PR assignment, requests for blog posts. I landed a regular assignment on XpatNation and another on WomenMakeWaves. The Turkish Diplomatic Observer gave me a weekly column. That was huge. The paper paid $100 for 300 words and had a German readership, too.

I could relax. I didn’t have to browse Monster, et. al. every morning nor click on each and every alert within seconds it appeared. I could focus on my work and have the pick of advertisements.

The concept made sense. Mr. or Mrs. Smith, disgruntled by previous freelancers or the advertising process, may have not wanted to advertise again. They had all the time in the world to read my resume. I was one amongst none, and so Mr. or Mrs. Smith gladly hired me.

So, reader, if you tire of rushing to the fresh ads, reconsider. Wait until the ad is stale, maybe a month or two, and answer it then.  

Make sense?


Leah Zitter
Reporter: Politics, Economics, & Culture
https://www.linkedin.com/in/leahzitter
http://freelancersmarket.com/
 












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COMPETITIONS
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LEA RYAN'S FUND FOR EMERGING WOMEN WRITERS
http://www.leahryansfeww.com/apply.html
NO ENTRY FEE.
All women who consider themselves emerging playwrights (as distinct from fledgling or mid-career playwrights) are eligible to apply for the FEWW Prize. Playwrights from all over the world are encouraged to apply, but the play must be written in English. Eligibility does not require that a submitted work adhere to the traditional three-act structure. One-acts, two-acts (even four-, five-, six- acts), monologues, adaptations, and any other wild (or deceptively tame) format will be considered with equal seriousness. The only absolute requirement is that the submitted text be a completed full-length work for theater. The 2016 winner will be presented her award as part of the 2016 Lily Awards, which honors the work of women in American theater. The winner will also receive a cash award of $2,500 as well as a staged reading of her play hosted by FEWW at a theater in New York City. In addition, a stipend of up to $700 for travel and accommodation may be provided by FEWW if necessary. Deadline January 11, 2016 at 5pm EST.



JOY BALE BOONE POETRY PRIZE
http://theheartlandreview.elizabethtown.kctcs.edu/
$10 ENTRY FEE.
$350 First Place. $100 Second Place. $75 Third Place. Deadline February 1, 2016. Limit three poems.



MAGMA POETRY COMPETITION
http://magmapoetry.com/competition/
£5 ENTRY FEE.
Magma’s Poetry Competition has two contests, one for short poems of up to 10 lines, and one for poems of 11 to 50 lines. Two categories pay: First Prize £1,000, Second Prize £300, Third Prize £150. The competition is open to anyone, including non-UK residents. Deadline January 18, 2016.  



KENT & SUSSEX POETRY PRIZE
http://kentandsussexpoetry.com/the-kent-sussex-poetry-society-open-competition/
£5 ENTRY FEE.
Deadline January 31, 2016. First prize: £1,000. Second prize: £300. Third prize: £100. Plus 4 x £50. Poems may be on any subject and in any form or style. They must be typed and not longer than 40 lines. 
 
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GRANTS
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DEBORAH ROGERS FOUNDATION
http://www.deborahrogersfoundation.org/writers-award
A £10,000 award to a first-time writer who needs financial support to complete their work. Entrants must be from the Commonwealth or Ireland and submissions should take the form of 20-30,000 words of a work in progress (fiction or nonfiction) which is not under option or contract. Deadline January 31, 2016.



ALDERWORKS ALASKA RESIDENCIES
http://alderworksalaska.com/guidelines/
The purpose of Alderworks is to enhance the creative process. If you are accepted, how you succeed at creating new or better work is pretty much up to you. What we provide is a simple setting, secluded on the edge of wilderness, that is meant to inspire. If something wonderful comes from this experience, whether a work of art or a jumbled puzzle of brilliant ideas that need more honing, then we are happy and hopefully you will be too. We do ask that you do something for the community while you are here, whether giving a reading, having a small show, or hosting a workshop. You also are welcome to help in the garden if you want to. The deadline for applications is January 15, 2016. 



SUMMER POET IN RESIDENCE
http://mfaenglish.olemiss.edu/spir-summer-poet-in-residence/
The residency is 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. Eligible poets are encouraged to apply. 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 Summer Poet in Residence (SPiR) is at the University of Mississippi. 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, 2016. Deadline January 15, 2016. 



VANCOUVER WRITER IN RESIDENCE
http://www.vpl.ca/programs/details/Writer_in_Residence_-_Call_for_Expressions_of_Interest
Vancouver Public Library will host a resident thriller or mystery author between August 29 and December 16, 2016. The Writer in Residence program promotes Canadian writing and literature to Vancouver citizens. The aims of the residency are to foster greater public appreciation for Canadian writing, provide opportunities to interact with the resident author and to provide the space, time and resources for a Canadian author to write. The Writer in Residence will develop exciting public programs and provide advice to emerging writers through one-to-one consultations and group workshops, as well as outreach to targeted communities. This full-time position (35 hours/week) requires 40 percent of the author’s time be spent on library programs or projects, leaving 60 percent of the work week available for creative writing. Must be a Canadian resident. Deadline January 22, 2016. 
 
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FREELANCE MARKETS
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EMMY MAGAZINE
http://www.emmys.com/emmy-magazine/staff/writer-guidelines
We require television expertise and clear, lively writing. We do not run highly technical articles, nor do we accept academic or fan-magazine approaches. Most departments are written by regular contributors, but newcomers can break into Labors of Love — 500-word, front-of-the book profiles of TV people and their passions.



GIRLS' LIFE
http://www.girlslife.com/page/Writers-Guidelines.aspx
Girls' Life accepts unsolicited manuscripts on a speculative basis only. Girls' Life magazine does not accept poetry submissions. Each issue of GL is packed with the stuff girls crave—real information and advice—from academic success to peer pressure to time-management and stress-relieving tips; from growing up to boosting self-esteem. Plus, GL profiles real girls facing real challenges that have amazed and inspired readers for almost two decades.



RICHMOND FAMILY MAGAZINE
http://richmondfamilymagazine.com/contact/submission-guidelines/
Richmond Family Magazine is a full-size, full-color monthly magazine published for the Metro Richmond, Virginia readership. Articles vary in length from 600 to approximately 2,400 words. Our articles are informative and topical with regional or local relevance and written for parents with kids of all ages – from babies to teens. Writing style is upbeat and informal.



AARP
http://www.aarp.org/about-aarp/info-05-2010/writers-guidelines-aarp-magazine.html
Pays up to $1/word. AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, with a membership of more than 37 million, that helps people turn their goals and dreams into real possibilities, strengthens communities and fights for the issues that matter most to families such as healthcare, employment security and retirement planning. We advocate for consumers in the marketplace by selecting products and services of high quality and value to carry the AARP name as well as help our members obtain discounts on a wide range of products, travel, and services. A trusted source for lifestyle tips, news and educational information, AARP produces AARP The Magazine, the world's largest circulation magazine; AARP Bulletin; www.aarp.org; AARP TV & Radio; and AARP Books. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to political campaigns or candidates. Devoted to readers 50 years of age and older.
 

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JOBS
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BLOGGER - HR/RECRUITING
https://theapplicantmanager.com/jobs?pos=HR132
The Applicant Manager (TAM) is looking for a talented Freelance Blogger to write timely blogs on Human Resources and Recruiting. If you’re an experienced HR blogger/journalist and know the in's and out's of the recruiting/HR space, you’re a perfect match for us. You will be expected to write: weekly blogs averaging 900 words, about timely topics that are helpful and interesting to our blog readers and not the same old churn, blogs that can also be thought provoking, that draw a following, and that demonstrate your expertise. Compensation: $80-$100/blog.

 
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AGENTS / PUBLISHERS
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SKY PONY PRESS
http://www.skyponypress.com/guidelines/
We will consider picture books, early readers, middle 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.



TILBURY HOUSE
https://tilburyhouse.com/about-us/
The aim of Tilbury House is to publish picture books that nourish and cultivate a child’s imagination. Tilbury’s books for adult readers have evolved from an exclusive focus on New England regional culture and history to include general nonfiction and essays, gardening how-to, and the occasional novel that strikes us as so wonderful that we can’t resist publishing it.  We’ve also been able to add some amazing books to our list by distributing books for museums, universities, and other organizations.



ANAIAH PRESS
http://www.anaiahpress.com/imprints.html
As a Christian press, we publish books with a strong inspirational theme and/ or a message of faith. We do not accept manuscripts with the following: anti-Christian propaganda/ themes, gratuitous sex, messages of religious or social intolerance. They have four imprints: YA romance, adult romance, nonfiction, and children's fiction. 



WISEBLOOD BOOKS
http://www.wisebloodbooks.com/submissions.html
Wiseblood Books fosters works of fiction and nonfiction, poetry and philosophy that find redemption in uncanny places and people, wrestle us from the tyranny of boredom, mock the pretensions of respectability, articulate faith and doubt in their incarnate complexity, dare an unflinching gaze at human beings as "political animals," and suffer through this world's trials without forfeiting hope. We publish short story collections, novels, novellas, literary nonfiction, poetry, and, on occasion, critical or essayistic works. We do relational marketing, setting up author interviews and book  reviews  with relevant publications, and make each book available through Amazon and elsewhere. Authors keep 20-50 percent of all book-sales profits.  
 
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SPONSORS
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A new software program automates scheduling and tracking tasks for book projects, particularly great for indie authors. It's called Book Planner, another Joel Friedlander product, so that alone sells me on it. ~Hope







 


BookFrenzy Studios provides professional video marketing services for authors including Cinematic Book Trailers, Promotional Videos and Social Media Video Ads. To learn more, visit their website at www.bookfrenzystudios.com

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!








 



 


NOTE: 30 percent off for FundsforWriters readers. 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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POTENTIAL SPONSORS:
www.fundsforwriters.com/advertising

 
 
 
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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 2000-2016, 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.