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Volume 16, Issue 3, january 15, 2016 |
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Message from the Editor
Gave my first library presentation last night at the Calhoun County Library in St. Matthews, SC. The subject: Habits of the Successful Writer. Good attendance with everyone connected and excited. Loved the vibe in the room.
I'm lucky to be involved in a library grant that's designed to teach rural residents in SC how to write, make a living writing, and publish. Looks like I'll be teaching multiple times in Calhoun, Darlington, and McCormick Counties with the possibility of Anderson. The five topics are Habits of the Successful Writers, Plotting, Characterization, Editing, and Publishing. One hour classes. That's a lot to cram into these classes, but it's a meaty hour, that's for
sure.
Support your local library (appearance dates can be seen below!)
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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WHAT TO DO WHEN ASKED TO GIVE AWAY YOUR WORK
Received a little bit of feedback from last week's post on the flip side of free, but not as much as I would've thought. Which tells me something . . . more people are giving it away than I thought.
Twice this past weekend, I heard authors rant about how little they were making, and how their incomes had plummeted in the last few years. They were red-hot about their publishers being the culprits. While many publishers are known for inserting questionable, strangling, taking-advantage clauses in a contract, I do not hold them totally to blame. That's too easy, and it's not completely true.
It is true that publishers will take advantage. Their job is to make money publishing, not be friends with authors. I don't care how much you might love your publisher, sooner or later, you'll feel slighted. And they'll just keep on keeping on, not ruffled in the least. While it's nice to have a great working relationship, don't make the mistake of seeing it as anything but that.
The problem is that writers are accepting less and less for their work. So publishers and editors become more than happy to pay less. They lower the rates, and authors kneel and accept without negotiation. And new writers are coming in thinking that's the norm. Can you see the shifting paradigm? That goes for ebook sales, literary journals, writing for magazines, and royalties. Anyone who has started trying to publish in the last three years thinks today is the norm. And because they
make nickels and dimes from sales, they treat it like the income it provides: a hobby endeavor.
I want to go back to what FFW stands for: writers making money - not writers accepting what they can get. Come on, people. Ask for more. These days you can indie publish, for goodness sake, if they don't pay you what you deserve.
Readers do not understand any of this and don't care. They don't have to care, and they don't have to understand. I don't care about how much a worker makes who builds my car or stocks my grocery store. But still, readers think writers who publish are making gobs of money. We are not going to change that thought, so don't try. Our payment issue is an internal issue, not the reading public's.
I spoke to one author whose husband is a musician, where it's as bad as or worse than writing. She suggests declining the offers to give away work. When someone asks for free books from you, thinking you get tons of them for free, decline and suggest a library or a bookstore that offers a loyalty discount. When an editor of a publication asks for your work for free or an embarrassing figure like 1/2 cents per word, remind them you must be compensated for your work because you practice
a profession, not a hobby.
Now . . . to the hobbyists out there:
Writing for a hobby does not give you the latitude to give away your work. It hurts the entire industry. It's a big fat myth that you have to pay your dues writing for free to climb the ladder. If you pitch an article to me, and I see that you've only written for free in your bio, I will decline the submission on principle alone. I'd rather have an unpublished newbie than someone who only gives it away. If you do not respect your work enough to charge for it, neither will
I. Harsh, but somebody has to start somewhere.
I use this additional example when I speak to writers about earning a living:
I'll be a whore to whoever will pay me for my work. I will not give it away for free. However, I'd rather be a call girl than a hooker, and get paid more of what I'm worth.
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!
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Upcoming Book Signings and Classes!
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! Signing at Edisto Bookstore.
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, Franklin, 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!
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WORDS OF SUCCESS
There is no dishonor in losing the race.
There is only dishonor in not racing because you are afraid to lose.
~ Garth Stein (The Art of Racing in the Rain)
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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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Hope,
Happy New Year and thanks . . . for being there, being constant, being uplifting.
I've just had a request for my YA fantasy manuscript. This is my third read, and although I haven't yet snagged an agent, or a publisher, I realized that many writers don't get their manuscripts read at all. I'm ahead of the curve and determined to keep plugging. I have an overnight job, a three-hour round-trip commute and a weird schedule, but I am A Writer, and I will write! And I WILL get my novel published!
Thank you for being a constant source of encouragement and, yes, hope!
All the best for 2016,
Elizabeth Creith
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FEATURED ARTICLE
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Harness the Power of Your Critique Group
By Sara Leach
Ten years ago I went looking for writing advice in my community and joined a loose affiliation of novice writers. Over the years, we've grown into a dedicated group of eight authors with cumulative publishing credits that include ten books, 24 short stories and numerous awards. Along the way, we've helped each other learn the craft of writing, work toward publication and market our work.
Thinking of starting your own critique group? Want to make your group run more effectively or work harder for everyone involved? Here are some tips:
Numbers
I recommend a "closed" group — one in which new members are only invited because someone leaves. Six to eight people is an ideal size.
Leadership
It helps to have one person in charge of organizing and chairing the meetings, at least until the group is well established.
Timing
There are various ways of running meetings. My group meets once a month, with three stories sent in advance by email and critiqued at each session. In other groups members bring their work to each session and it is read just prior to being critiqued. Whatever system you choose, make sure that everyone is clear on the guidelines and that all members have an opportunity to speak, being sure to give both positive feedback and specific ideas for how to improve the piece. A timer can be useful
— in our group everyone gets five minutes to talk about each story.
Focus
You know those book clubs that are more about the food and the wine than the books? Don't make your critique group a dinner club. Try 15 minutes of chat at the beginning of the session and then get down to business, or all business for two hours followed by discussion and social time.
Commitment
Our group really took off when we began setting a rotation for submissions a few months in advance. Everyone is expected to submit something when it is his/her turn, with a fixed upper word count (ours is 4000 words). If someone can't make a meeting, they email their critiques to the other writers. Other groups don't have these expectations, but we needed the added pressure to keep writing.
If meeting in person doesn't work for you, check www.inkedvoices.com , a source for online critique groups. 
Do your critique group members attend seminars and workshops or read articles online and in print? Probably. Everyone in the group can take advantage of that learning — both through explicit sharing of the knowledge acquired and by putting that knowledge into practice through critique. For example, if I attend a session in which the presenter tells me to avoid using adverbs, suddenly (oops, there's one) I'm seeing adverbs in everybody's writing. If I explain why not to
use them, I'm passing my learning along to all the writers.
Widen your contacts and leads through your group. Share:
= Useful lists, websites and newsletters (I made sure to tell my whole group to sign up for FundsforWriters.)
= Contests
= Publishers (If I read a book similar to the writing of one of my group members, I'll mention it to them.)
= Upcoming workshops
Once you are published you can help each other increase sales:
= Commit to promoting your work via email and social media.
= Review each other's work on Goodreads and Amazon.
= Traveling? Visit local bookstores and talk up your book as well as those of your critique group members.
= Consider holding group launches to reduce costs and increase attendance. If you write in different genres this is a great opportunity to widen your nets.
= Contact local media about your group, or better yet, query them. Get paid to write an article about the success of writers in your area.
= Apply to speak at a writer's conference as a group.
Critiquing other writers' work takes time and commitment, but a well-run group can result in a return on investment that brings your writing career to the next level.
  BIO
Sara Leach is the author of five books for young readers, including Count Me In , which won the 2012/13 Red Cedar Book Award. She is a teacher-librarian in Whistler, BC. www.saraleach.com
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COMPETITIONS
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ARC POETRY PRIZE
http://arcpoetry.ca/?page_id=5586#poty
ENTRY FEE $35 CDN, and includes a one-year Canadian subscription of Arc.
Deadline February 1, 2016. One $5,000 grand prize to the Poem of the Year, and a new $500 prize for the Honourable Mention. Arc welcomes Poem of the Year entries from Canada, the United States, and around the world. The length of each poem must not exceed 100 lines.
1000 WORDS or LESS Flash Fiction Competition
http://www.1000words-or-less.com.au/
$15 AUD ENTRY FEE.
Deadline January 31, 2016. 1000 WORDS or LESS wishes to give writers the opportunity to showcase their creative skill in the shorter story genre. Up to 50 entries will be selected for publication to capture the creativity, inspiration, ideas and thoughts of a diverse range of writers and provide a permanent published record of contemporary, past or futuristic ideas or themes. The entrant may choose any subject, theme, idea or inspiration. The entry must be fictitious and not exceed 1,000
words. $1,000 AUD cash prize for winning entry. $100 AUD for five runners up.
DOOLIN WRITERS COMPETITION - SHORT FICTION AND POETRY
http://www.doolinwritersweekend.com/storyComp.php
€10 ENTRY FEE.
In each category of short fiction and poetry, first prize €1,000 plus Banshee Lit Editorial Team will consider the story for publication. Second Prize - free pass to Doolin writers’ weekend plus two nights' accommodation. Limit 3,000 words in short story category. Limit 40 lines for poetry. Submissions accepted from poets/writers of any nationality, from any country. Deadline February 5, 2016.
NORTH AMERICAN SNOWSPORTS JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION CONTEST
http://www.nasja.org/east
$25 ENTRY FEE.
Deadline March 1, 2016. NASJA East is seeking works that tell exceptional stories about snow sports. Theses stories should depict people having fun participating or watching snow sports. The goal is to promote snow sports. These works can be in the form of stories, photos or videos or any combination thereof. Eligible entries: Written content (photos are encouraged), Photographs, Videos. Judges may select 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners, and must select a 1st place winner. Ties are
prohibited. Only the first place winner is awarded the $500. Judges may award one or more Honorable Mentions at their discretion. All entries must relate to events that occurred between January 1, 2015 and March 1, 2016.
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GRANTS
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ART AIA
https://artaiaartist.wordpress.com/about/
Art Aia- Creatives-In-Residence is a cultural center, a creative residency , located inside a farm in the Friulian countryside of Northern Italy, near the town of Sesto al Reghena in the province of Pordenone. The accommodation rental and studios fees vary according to the type of creative residency. If funding permits, an allowance for housing and materials may be available. No deadline.
I-PARK
http://www.i-park.org/
I-Park, located in rural East Haddam, CT (U.S.), announces its 2016 multi-disciplinary artists-in-residence program. The program is open to those working in the following creative disciplines: visual arts, creative writing, music composition/sound art, architecture, moving image and landscape/garden/ecological design. Self-directed residencies are being offered from May through November 2016. Most residencies are four weeks in duration. International applicants are welcome. Deadline
January 25, 2016. This program is offered free of charge to accepted/invited artists, though there is a $30 application fee that helps defray the cost of the selection panels.
RESIDENCY 108
http://www.residency108.org
Residency 108 invites emerging and established artists, writers and thinkers of all disciplines to immerse themselves in their creative practice. We particularly welcome those who work with nature, ecology and the installation of temporary outdoor land-art works. The residency is free apart from the cost of travel and material expenses which must be assumed by the individual. Two four-week-long residencies are offered each year, one for the month of October and one for the month of May.
Deadline February 24, 2016. Location: Clermont, New York.
SEATTLE RESIDENCY
https://www.callforentry.org/festivals_unique_info.php?ID=3181&sortby=fair_name&apply=yes
The Seattle Office of Arts & Culture,(ARTS) in partnership with Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) seeks a practicing, published poet, fiction, or creative nonfiction writer for a unique project-based artist residency in the northwest tower of the Fremont Bridge. The selected writer will undertake an in-depth exploration of the bridge and write a piece in response to the experience. Established professional writers or poets living in Seattle or within 100 miles of Seattle are
eligible to apply. Students are not eligible to apply. The project budget is $10,000 USD ($5,000 for residency, $5,000 for project, presentation, documentation), inclusive of all residency costs, project, presentation, documentation of the work, and applicable taxes. Deadline 11 p.m. PDT, February 16, 2016.
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FREELANCE MARKETS
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THE LOOKOUT
http://www.lookoutmag.com/about-us/write-for-us/
The Lookout is designed to provide Christian adults with true-to-the-Bible teaching about current topics to help them mature as believers and live in the world as faithful witnesses of Christ. Our emphasis is on the needs of ordinary Christians who want to grow in their faith rather than on trained theologians or church leaders. Operates strictly with themed issues. Average articles 1,200 to 1,400 words. The Lookout pays up to 11 cents per word for first rights on unsolicited articles.
INSITE
http://www.ccca.org/ccca/Publications.asp
InSite magazine informs and inspires professionals serving in the Christian camp and conference community. Readers enjoy poignant features, practical columns, current association news and industry-related product information. Sample available for download. Pays up to 20 cents/word.
READERS DIGEST
http://www.rd.com/magazine/submissions/
Original articles are usually assigned to regular contributors to the magazine. We do not accept or return unpublished manuscripts. We do, however, accept one-page queries that clearly detail the article idea – with special emphasis on the arc of the story, your interview access to the main characters, your access to special documents, etc. We look for dramatic narratives, articles about everyday heroes, crime dramas, adventure stories. Do include a separate page of your writing
credits. Please email your article proposal queries to articleproposals@readersdigest.com.
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JOBS
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SENIOR CONTENT DEVELOPER
http://jobs.cancercenter.com/sr-writer-content-creator/job/5738047
The Senior Writer Content Creator takes the lead role in creating branded, informative and compelling content for the CTCA online and offline needs, including print and collateral materials, online blogs and newsletters, and other messaging initiatives. Location Boca Raton, FL.
FREELANCE CREATIVE WRITER
http://careers.balfourbeattyus.com/jobdescription.php?did=J3K0PX65R5JSDFP2XY6&t=1452819789342&idpartenaire=132
This individual will provide interim support at approx. 15-20 hours per week for an 8-10 week period between late January – late March 2016 for national Brand + Communications team initiatives. Assignments to include researching and writing external communications such as blog articles, press releases, project case studies, white papers, etc. Balfour Beatty Construction, Charlotte, NC.
AGENTS / PUBLISHERS
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NEW LEAF LITERARY AND MEDIA
http://www.newleafliterary.com/
Check each agent because they are individual in their desires and tastes on genres to represent. They cover the board in all writing.
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.
BOROUGHS PUBLISHING GROUP
http://boroughspublishinggroup.com/submit
We are seeking ROMANCE fiction in the following sub-genres: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Fantasy, Historical, LGBTQ+, Multi-cultural, New Adult, Paranormal, Romantic Suspense/Thrillers, Urban Fantasy, and Young Adult.
EVERNIGHT PUBLISHING
http://www.evernightpublishing.com/pages/Submissions.html
Romance publisher. All sub-genres of romance need to have a HEA or HFN ending. Regular Submissions 15,000 words to 100,000 words. Romance on the Go 8,000 to 14,000 words. Naughty Fairy Tales 15,000 to 35,000 words. Planet Alpha 25,000 to 50, 000. Anthologies 5,000 to 10,000 words.
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SPONSORS
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44 Key Questions about Your Story
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How are you feeling about yourself and your writing as we round the corner on the first month of 2016?
In control?
All over the place?
Maybe wishing you had a clear view of what you wanted for the year and how to get there?
Join Leigh Shulman for Creative Revolution's first free webinar of the year on January 28.
She'll be talking tools to create your writing goals for the year and ways to make meeting those goals manageable.
Space is limited! Sign up today!
Houston Writers House Novels Contest by Genre
$500 for the CRÈME DE LA CRÈME
PLUS: $100 first place in each genre
Submit no more than 15 opening pages of a manuscript
$20 per entry - Deadline March 30, 2016
The Categories
1) Mystery/Thriller/Adventure
2) Sci-fi/Fantasy/Horror
3) Historical or Contemporary Women's Fiction / Romance
4) Middle School and Young Adult Novels
Request rules and/or send entries via email: rpaulding@sbcglobal.net
or at www.houstonwritershouse.com where you also see the 2015 winners
Note: 15 percent discount if you found me at FundsforWriters!
Looking for a freelance book editor?
Katherine Don, “The Book Don,” welcomes all genres.
Services include:
- Developmental editing and copyediting
- Manuscript critiques and writing coaching
- Queries and proposals
Visit YourBookDon.com to learn more.
The Best Free Literary Contests - Free Newsletter
Subscribe to the free Winning Writers e-newsletter and receive timely news about the best free literary contests and great resources for writers. You'll also get instant online access to our database of The Best Free Literary Contests, now with over 200 detailed contest profiles. Unsubscribe at any time. We won't rent your contact information to anyone. Winning Writers is one of "101 Best Websites for Writers" (Writer's Digest). Join our 50,000 subscribers today at www.winningwriters.com/free
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
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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!
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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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
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