WRAPPING UP THE FREEBIE TALK

Well, after having a couple dozen unsubscribes after my two weeks of ranting about not giving away our writing for free, I acquired 100 new people in one day! The emails got crazy with thanks for having the guts to speak up about this trend that is eroding our profession. Friggin' awesome! I was amazed at how many people were remaining gutsy and not accepting jobs that do not pay. 

Want to know something else? Those people are pretty dang proud of themselves, too. They look themselves in the mirror, as well as face their questioning families and friends, and say, "Yes, I earn money as a writer." 

And when I've mentioned that I will no longer "purchase" a book for free on BookBub, Riffle or other promotional venues, only one person disagreed. I've learned in discussions with readers (who are often writers), that they download freebies and then rarely read them. Many have several hundred free books just languishing on their Kindles and Nooks. So...the writer gave it away for nothing, not even acquiring a one-liner review of "loved it" or "it sucked." Giving it away without a kiss for thanks, if you catch my drift.

When I've had specials on my books, usually $1.99, the reviews get nasty, terse, short, and tacky. Some don't read but a few pages of the book. This doesn't happen when someone buys the book at a normal price. 

There is very little difference in $1.99, 99 cents or free. The range is small. However, the respect for yourself is higher the more you ask. And believe it or not, someone respects your work more if they have to pay for it.  

If I give you a book, then I see you as a reviewer and I expect a review. Sure, some people have run off with the books and never offered the reviews, which is sad for me and says a lot about their character, but thus is the expectation of free in my house. Otherwise, I expect to be paid for my effort, talent, and entrepreneurial sweat. No other business treats its members in this manner, so why should we?

Respect yourself. Whether copywriting, freelancing or writing books, expect compensation for your work. People do not  think less of you if you do . . . and will more than likely respect you more and give you greater worth.

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

One Step Back – Using Smaller Markets To Break Into Larger Ones

By S.E. Batt

When breaking into a large market – especially where you have no prior experience – rejection is a certainty. Not everyone can nail the perfect pitch on the first try, and writers should keep their heads up and keep trying. But what happens when the rejections keep coming in, no matter what you try?

Each person would have their own reasons as to why they aren't nailing the pitch. It might be the pitch being bland, it might be the ideas not hitting the target, or it might be good, solid ideas that have been covered already. To help hone what part of the process is letting you down, you can try pitching to publications lower down the rung.

This move backwards can either be very simple or extremely hard, depending how niche your target publication is. Someone writing about technology could probably have an easier time than those wanting to write about model trains. If moving downwards seems impossible, consider going sideways: find a publication which doesn't necessarily feature your niche, but still utilizes it. Once you've found your target, it's time to start!

You may find that articles that were rejected from your original target are more than suitable for the smaller publications, given the fact that they're in more need to fill up slots for their publication schedule. Once you get an acceptance, you can develop a working relationship with the editor: talk them through pitches, note what they reject and accept, see why they reject specific articles and hone your pitches and ideas to suit them.

After a few months, you may begin to notice that the publication becomes very easy to pitch to. This means it's time to spread your wings and go for bigger, better-paying publications – mainly, your original target! Use your new-found skills to make a second attempt at landing that acceptance. The best part is, any queries that fail to strike the fancy of your target can very easily become accepted ideas with the editor you work with.

I learned this the hard way when I decided that bite-sized, factual articles would be great fun to write. I was first drawn to Listverse because of its simplicity: research ten points, write the article, send it in, and get paid $100 for the enjoyment of creating a well-researched article. It seemed ideal, but I couldn't break in at all.

I decided to try the waters with another website, TopTenz, despite their paying only half of what Listverse does. They liked the ideas that Listverse didn't, and I began to work with the editor of TopTenz to get my ideas out there and earning some money. I learned a lot from the months of working with the editor, and when I look back at the pitches I gave Listverse, I cringe at how naive I was.

While I still work with the TopTenz editor closely, I recently decided to use my new-found knowledge to try to break into Listverse once again. On the second pitch of my re-attempt, I got a green light that eventually lead to an acceptance and payment! I highly doubt I could have crafted a winning pitch if it were not for my experience with TopTenz.

If you're having issues getting into a publication, try mastering the level below it. Once you've done that, the only feasible step is to move up – and that's when you'll be much better equipped to land that gig you've wanted.

Bio: S.E. Batt is a passionate writer. He writes freelance nonfiction for various websites, and moonlights as a fiction writer when he finds the time to do so. He enjoys cats, tea, and a good keyboard, even though they're fatal when placed all together. You can find him at www.sebatt.com 

Stairs ID: 182096 © Mary Lane | Dreamstime Stock Photos

 

HORROR WRITERS ASSOCIATION SCHOLARSHIPS
http://www.horrorscholarships.com
Scholarship categories for horror and dark fantasy writing include fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. The HWA also offers the Mary Shelley Scholarship for female writers. Two of the scholarships — the Rocky Wood Memorial Scholarship for Nonfiction Writing and the Scholarship from Hell — are new additions to the HWA’s scholarship offerings. Scholarships assist professional development, research, nonfiction, fiction, and a travel package to StokerCon in Vegas in May. 



ARTIST AT PINE NEEDLES RESIDENCY PROGRAM
http://www.smm.org/scwrs/programs/artist 
Deadline February 29, 2016. The Artist at Pine Needles residency program invites natural history artists or writers to spend two to four weeks to immerse themselves in a field experience, gather resource materials, and interact with environmental scientists and the local community. The setting for the Artist at Pine Needles project is the James Taylor Dunn Pine Needles Cabin, located just north of the village along the St. Croix River. Applications will be accepted from writers and visual artists who focus on environmental or natural history topics. 



SEASIDE WRITERS CONFERENCE
http://seasidewritersconference.weebly.com
The Seaside Writers Conference is an annual gathering of creative writers from all over the nation, and features award-winning writers in poetry and fiction and creative nonfiction who will offer a full week of intensive writing workshops, one day seminars, lectures, readings, and social events. This event occurs every year in May, and offers the opportunity for beginning, intermediate, and advanced writers to celebrate writing, network with other writers, make new literary friends, and hone their craft. The Fellowship covers full tuition for the conference, as well as housing near beautiful Seaside Academic Village, across the street from one of the most spectacular beaches in the US. The Scholarship covers full tuition for the conference, and offers a steep discount for the superb housing we have at Seaside (scholars pay a fee of $250 total for the full conference).  Please note: Travel stipends are not included at this time for scholars and fellows, though we hope to offer funding for this in the future. Deadline February 29, 2016.



ELSEWHERE COLLABORATIVE
http://www.goelsewhere.org/residencies
Location Greensboro, NC. Residencies for two to six weeks for creative artists working in all media. The collaborative is a three-floor former thrift store turned into a living museum. Residents constantly compose and re-imagine the environment through projects that respond to layers of objects, artworks, collections, architecture, histories, and concepts within the building. Residents enter into an evolving collaborative artwork, inhabit production spaces, and establish living sites throughout the museum, using the resources from the 58-year-old inventory. Residency provides housing, workspace, and materials; artist responsible for program fee ($500), travel, and participation in food co-operative ($50/week). Deadline February 13, 2016.

BOOTPRINTS
https://www.journalismjobs.com/job-listings/1627569
Bootprints is a network of email newsletters about outdoor sports and adventure. We provide weekly tips about local adventures, festivals, and events to more than 300,000 subscribers across four editions. What we need (the job): A local adventure expert to write for our Denver + Front Range Edition. The selected applicant will provide five 350-400 word email newsletters each month (with photos) about hiking trails, festivals, and other weekend outdoor adventures in Colorado. Qualified candidates will have in-depth knowledge about outdoor opportunities around Colorado, and should be able to communicate a great deal within a short word count. $500/month. Opportunities for additional work may be available. Send resume, cover letter, and three clips to Editorial Director Matt Minich at editor@bootprints.com. 



EDITORIAL WRITERS (with international flavor)
http://www.indeed.ca/cmp/WestEast-Marketing/jobs/Want-Get-Paid-Well-Writing-Well-2ba079aa92f39c54
Specifically, we’re looking for an Editorial Writer who can convincingly, clearly and concisely write about financial and political issues, particularly from an international perspective. We’re willing to pay well for the right person. We’ll pay really well for the perfect person. Naturally, this is tailored to the person applying. You’ll be writing about international topics (“international” defined as being outside the United States or Canada depending on the project) in the areas listed in job announcement. Only one year of writing experience required. 



DICK'S SPORTING GOODS - CONTENT WRITER
https://dsg.taleo.net/careersection/dsg_career_section/jobdetail.ftl?job=1600039Z
DICK’S Sporting Goods has an exciting opportunity for a freelance content marketing editor. The editor is accountable for the daily editorial content and experience of ProTips.DicksSportingGoods.com, as well as the site’s general content strategy. Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, English or Communications and five to seven years' experience. Predominant location Pittsburgh, PA.
 

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IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR - TAX TIME!

Several of you have asked how I do my taxes for FundsforWriters and my author income. It's TurboTax . . . seriously. I use the Home & Business edition, but depending on your situation, you might use any of several versions of TurboTax. They walk you right through all the scenarios you could have, and I'm proud to recommend it.   ~Hope Clark 















GET WEBSITES THAT ROCK, BOOK COVERS THAT SIZZLE

Shaila Abdullah has over a decade of experience designing websites for authors. Being an award-winning author herself, she understands the industry, and will provide you with a content management website that reflects your unique style, genre, and personality. Other design services such as book covers & interiors, marketing materials, and email campaigns (newsletters, announcements, etc.) also available.

MENTION THIS AD AND GET 10% OFF (NEW CLIENTS ONLY)
EXISTING CLIENTS EARN 8% REFERRAL FEE FOR SENDING NEW CLIENTS 

E-mail Shaila: info@myhouseofdesign.com
View portfolio: http://myhouseofdesign.com/authors/
Services for authors: http://myhouseofdesign.com/services-for-authors/

"Superb work, excellent customer service. Just marvelous overall.” —C. Hope Clark, author, founder of FundsforWriters, http://chopeclark.com  | http://www.fundsforwriters.com

"The site captures my spirit and passion, and it honors my dream since childhood." —Lyn Fairchild Hawks, author, http://lynhawks.com/

"Shaila is a terrific designer, highly professional and extremely creative and delivers amazing results. Her sense of humor and positive spirit has made the whole process of developing and launching my web site a pleasure. –James Hutchison, playwright, http://jameshutchison.ca/

"Her suggestions, insight, and artistic talent made the final product much better than what I’d envisioned on my own.” —Jacqueline Adams, writer, http://jacqueline-adams.com/

Other websites:
http://sbalexander.com/
http://lisakwinkler.com/
http://kbhyde.com/
http://musingsbymccoy.com/









44 Key Questions about Your Story

Hi, I’m copywriter Alex Limberg and I blog on www.ridethepen.com to  boost your fiction writing skills; we dissect famous authors (works,  not bodies). I put together a short, free manual so you can check your  story yourself.

This ebook is the quickest, easiest and cheapest way to self-assess  your story:

-    No need to pay for consultation or bug people for feedback; just  answer these questions honestly
-    Do it right away with a neatly arranged checklist of 44 questions
-    Make your life as a writer a lot easier: Use the list on all your  future stories, till you grow daisies
-    Feel confident that you have a good story at hand – or that you need  a revision
-    Know exactly what you need to change to make your story intriguing  (if anything)

If you want a free copy, just click the ad.










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.











Write Naked is a writing life cut open, run by full-time writer Tara Lynne Groth. The blog features PAID guest contributors in publishing, freelancing, and more.

Write Naked's subscriber base doubled in 2014, and now enjoys approximately 900 followers. More than 32,500 unique visitors explored the site in 2015. Write Naked welcomes sponsors. Get exposure for your writing event, book, publishing service, and more through sponsored content, social media mentions, and a newsletter for writers.

http://writenaked.net/advertising-for-writers/









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












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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