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Editor’s THOUGHTS

CREATING THE BEST WRITER'S GROUP

I'm a firm believer in a writer belonging to a writer's group. The reasons are wide and numerous, to include:

1) fellowship where everyone speaks the common language of writing,
2) extra eyes for edits,
3) sharing opportunities for contests and publishing, and
4) learning from those who've gone before you.

But wanting a great group and finding the group of one's dreams are far from the same. What do you expect in a great writer's group? Look for:

1) a leader who keeps attendees on schedule and on task,
2) a regular meeting day, starting time, and ending time,
3) a reliable meeting place,
4) clear rules on how many pages will be presented by each person at each meeting,
5) clear rules on how many readers will be allowed to present at each meeting,
5) clear rules on not critiquing the critiquer,
6) clear rules on which genres are and are not acceptable for the group, and
7) clear rules on time set aside for non-critiquing discussion, such as book releases, contests wins, and conferences attended.

Of course what this list does not cover are the intangibles you won't see until you attend a couple of sessions with a group, even one you created, including: 

1) the know-it-all individual,
2) the one who critiques but never brings material to be critiqued,
3) the ones who attend but do not speak up or participate or make notes on the paper,
4) the ones with baggage or strong opinions about publishing, gender, religion, ethnicity, etc., and
5) the one who attends only when they have something they want to read.

We are human, and we are such unpredictable creatures, but we can do our best to create a writer's group that works. We just need to play our role, stick to the rules, and take our writing so seriously so that others will follow our lead.


 

WE HAVE 2 NEWSLETTERS - THE FREEBIE and THE PAID SUBSCRIPTION . . . 

Remember that FundsforWriters, this newsletter, is free. Send it to whomever you like and share it liberally. But if you are serious about writing income resources, and your time is limited, consider subscribing to TOTAL FundsforWriters. It comes out biweekly, with 70 contests, markets, grants, retreats, publishers, freelance gigs, magazines and more, It's huge, but it saves you a lot of time searching. It's $18.75 for a year, or 26 issues. To subscribe, simply go to www.paypal.me/chopeclark/18.75 . It will be sent to the email you used unless you specify otherwise.

NOTE TO THE WISE: Send a receipt for one of Hope's books and receive TOTAL for free.    
(**and feel free to steal this graphic for your own site!)




Take a look at our Resources page at the FundsforWriters website. Hope has read each and every one of these books, and most are still dog-eared and highlighted on her book shelf and come highly recommended. 



 

WORDS OF SUCCESS

Literature is the art of discovering something extraordinary about ordinary people, and saying with ordinary words something extraordinary.

~Boris Pasternak

Success Story

It's been a banner week, Hope! My story "The Spirit of Santa" was chosen for Chicken Soup for the Soul's The Joy of Christmas the same week that my first YA novel, The Edge of Brilliance hits the stands! While I've written to you before about my successes, I want to thank you for guiding me on this journey. It's like you're a dear friend, holding my hand, leading me along, pointing out the opportunities along the way that I might miss without you: "Your story might work well here," "This publisher might like your novel," "A submission here might be advantageous." I've listened...and look at me now! Thank you for the wonderful service you offer.

Thanks again, really!
Susan Traugh
Author/Presenter
www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Susan-Traugh
www.susantraugh.com     susan.traugh@gmail.com

featured article

How FundsForWriters.com Taught Me to be a Successful Writer

By Devyani Borade

Once upon a time, there was a writer. She'd had over a hundred feature articles published in various magazines, before she heard about FundsForWriters.com. "Hey, I'm a writer! I bet I could tell other writers a thing or two, and earn fifty cool ones," she thought. So she dashed off a submission to the editor, Hope Clark. It was rejected. She tried again. And again. She had to pitch four times before her fifth submission was finally accepted. Even then, the piece seemed so less-than-satisfactorily edited, it spawned not one but two irate editorials, back-to-back, on the importance of perfecting a pitch before submitting - making her the only writer to have "inspired" such an occurrence. Hope's words stung her. She could've quit then. She could've packed it all in, declared this market unfit for her work, proclaimed its editor crazy and never looked back. Sour grapes? Likely. But she didn't. 

That writer was me.

Last year, a writer had five articles published with FundsForWriters.com. Meaning nearly once every couple of months, you read her name in the newsletter. She came this close to landing a "3-in-3": three acceptances in three days. She became one of only two people to ever have two feature articles published in the newsletter in the same month, a record.

That writer was also me. This is my story.

Here's how I went from 0 to 5 FFW credits in less than 12 months:

1. I learned to edit.

I am naturally verbose. If a thing can be said in four words, I use ten. So when asked to include voice, flavour, anecdotes and practical tips, all in under 600 words, I cursed and shook my head. "Impossible!" But then I did it. Five times. I grit my teeth, hardened my heart against my trademark lyrical prose and took a machete to the verbiage. As the word count dropped, my bank balance climbed.

2. I studied the market.

It helped to subscribe to the newsletter for several weeks, to discern a pattern to the features presented. The guidelines themselves said it best, they couldn't have laid it out any clearer. I took note.

3. I didn't encumber myself.

I've written on diverse topics from parenting to mobile-optimized websites. I drew upon my interest and experience from other fields to apply to writing. Nobody told me it couldn't be done, so I didn't let it stop me. I was bold. I took risks. Sure, there's a chance of failure, but at least I won't regret not trying.

4. I didn't spread myself too thin, either.

I'm online social media shy. All I have is a blog to showcase my biography, and my writing itself. I keep both updated. I don't invest time in doing things I don't want to, or can't. I recognize my limitations, and work to my strengths. I focus on what I want, and go after it. I considered breaking into FFW a challenge, a milestone, a personal yardstick of success. I persevered and succeeded.

5. I developed a good relationship with the editor.

Hope didn't think much of me to begin with. Probably she didn't think of me at all. Today she knows me as "sweet," "awfully professional," and "industrious." I worked hard to earn her respect, just like she earned mine. I paid heed to her feedback. I analysed, revised and realised. We may not always be of the same opinion, but that's alright; it would be boring to agree all the time. Now I wait for the day she calls me her "best freelancer."

Grapes? I always liked mine sweet and juicy.

Bio:
Devyani Borade writes on the humor and pathos of everyday life. Her articles on the craft, business and heart of writing have been accepted/published by nearly all writing-related publications in the USA and UK. She likes to eat chocolates, read comic books and try her husband's patience! Visit her website Verbolatry at http://devyaniborade.blogspot.com to contact her and read her other work.

 

COmpetitions

BRITISH CZECH & SLOVAK ASSOCIATION 2016 WRITING COMPETITION
http://www.bcsa.co.uk
NO ENTRY FEE
First prize: £300; second prize: £100.  The winning entry will be published in the December 2016 issue of the British Czech and Slovak Review and the runner-up in a subsequent issue. Deadline July 31, 2016. Fiction or fact – both are welcome. Entries should be 1,500 to 2,000 words long, be original writing in English, and relate to the links between Britain and the Czech/Slovak Republics, or describing society in transition in the Republics since the Velvet Revolution 1989. The European Union is a controversial topic currently much in the news, and entries featuring or referring to this would be welcome. 



THE WRITER SHORT STORY CONTEST
http://www.writermag.com/writing-resources/contests/
$25 ENTRY FEE.
Deadline August 31, 2016. Grand prize $1,000 and publication in The Writer. Limit 2,000 words. Our second-place winner will receive $500 and publication on our website, writermag.com; our third-place winner will receive $250 and publication on writermag.com as well.  



CREATIVE NONFICTION "HOW WE TEACH" CONTEST
https://www.creativenonfiction.org/submissions/how-we-teach
$20 ENTRY FEE. (WAIVED FOR MEMBERS)
For the spring 2017 issue of Creative Nonfiction magazine, we’re looking for original essays about teaching—whether in a traditional classroom or online; in summer camp or college; in preschool or in a prison; in the woods or in a workshop. Deadline August 29, 2016. Creative Nonfiction editors will award $1,000 for best essay and $500 for runner-up, and all essays submitted will be considered for publication. Essays must be previously unpublished and no longer than 4,000 words. 



SAN FRANCISCO WRITERS CONFERENCE CONTEST
https://sfwriters.org/2017-writing-contest-overview/
$35 ENTRY FEE.
Open to all writers everywhere, including those attending the 2017 San Francisco Writers Conference. Your entry must fit into one of the following categories: Adult Fiction, Adult Nonfiction (including memoir), Children’s/YA Books. Entries may have been self-published or not-yet-published, but not traditionally published. Entries can be up to 1,500 words in length (or less, but not more). Deadline January 13, 2017. The Grand Prize winner will receive $250 and a 15-minute in-person meeting at the conference or a 15-minute scheduled telephone call with a literary agent who represents work like yours. First place winners in each category will receive checks for $100.

 

GRANTS

EDITH WHARTON WRITERS-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM
http://www.edithwharton.org/visit/the-edith-wharton-writer-in-residence-program/
Deadline September 2, 2016. A two- to three-week residency for three women writers at The Mount, Edith Wharton’s Home. Each resident will receive a work space at The Mount, a $1,000 food and travel stipend, and lodging for the duration of their residency. Residents must provide their own transportation. The principal responsibility of each resident is to spend time further developing her creative work. In addition, residents are required to produce a short piece of public writing (essay, article, blog post, etc.) about their time at The Mount and offer a public reading of their work at The Mount. Residencies will be held in February or March each year. Residents will complete their residency at The Mount in Lenox, Massachusetts.



NATIONAL PARKS ARTS FOUNDATION ARTIST IN RESIDENCE PROGRAMS
http://www.nationalparksartsfoundation.org/
National Parks Arts Foundation´s Artist in Residence (AIR) Programs offer artists the opportunity to live and work in a national park, as an artist in residence for a specified term, providing the opportunity to create their art in a National Park setting. The artist may be able to present a public lecture or workshop, and may donate a piece of artwork to the National Park Service. Each individual artist in residence program is structured for the park, and specific aspirations of the artist selected. The artist in residence may be offered a place to live, a studio, use of workshop or lecture space, and interaction with NPS interpretation and other NPS staff.



100 WEST CORSICANA RESIDENCIES
http://www.100westcorsicana.com/
100 West grants artists and writers residencies to create work in this historic building repurposed for studio space. Large scale, light-filled rooms are provided alongside complete living accommodations and wood shop access to produce work in two or three dimension, installation, or writing. Funded and non-funded studio residencies are available alongside local grants. Two fully-funded, six-week residencies are offered to one artist and one writer between January and May, and October to December 2017. 100W takes a Summer hiatus June to September. Location Corsicana, Texas.



LeCouveNt RESIDENCIES
http://www.lecouventauzits.com/en/
Le CouveNt is a creative space dedicated to music, visual arts, multimedia, film, video, photography, literature and performing arts. Its MISSION is to promote contemporary artistic practices and the exchange between artists and co-creation projects that connect different creative processes. This project is supported by the European Union through the LEADER funds. Location Auzits, France. Deadline each year in March. Residencies and grants available. 
 

FREELANCE MARKETS

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.

 

JOBS

COPYWRITER
http://www.indeed.com/cmp/Counterpart/jobs/Copywriter-37f5f20af8007066
Location Memphis, TN
As our copywriter, you’ll play an important role in creative development — from ideas to execution. And since we’re a small company, you’ll participate in the entire range of our work — from simple clever headlines to long-form assignments like newsletters, websites, and sales training pieces. If you like variety, you’ll find it here at Counterpart.



PROOFREADERS
https://careers-apexcovantage.icims.com/jobs/1102/freelance-proofreader/job
Apex CoVantage is looking for freelance proofreaders to review academic nonfiction books covering a wide range of topics, ranging from philosophy to history, anthropology to fashion. Qualified candidates will review typeset pages for editorial and/or composition errors to ensure that the pages are clean and ready for printing. Work will be assigned to qualified candidates once a short proofreading test has been passed. Full-time proofreaders are preferred, but part-time applicants are accepted as scheduling allows. On average, Apex’s proofreaders earn $1.30/page.

publishers/agents

EMMA SWEENEY LITERARY AGENCY
http://www.emmasweeneyagency.com/About-us
Check with each agent in the agency as to what they are seeking. The differences range from children's to mystery, cookbooks to literary fiction. 



L. PERKINS AGENCY
http://www.lperkinsagency.com/#theagents
The L. Perkins Agency specializes in many different genres with six agents representing approximately 100 authors to the publishing industry. The agency also has agents in many foreign territories and works with an established film/television agency to maximize exposure for our clients. In 2010, the agency broke new ground by being the first agency to hire a literary agent who worked exclusively in the digital marketplace. To this day, the L. Perkins Agency works hard to identify new publishing venues and makes it a priority to help our authors stay ahead of the curve. ?The L. Perkins Agency’s five acquiring agents have a diverse range of tastes and are currently looking for material in a wide spectrum of genres and subjects.



SEVENTH STREET BOOKS
http://www.seventhstreetbooks.com/
Seventh Street Books, where fiction is a crime, is devoted to publishing quality mystery and thriller fiction. It is an imprint of Prometheus Books, an independent publisher of provocative and progressive nonfiction.



POLIS BOOKS
http://www.polisbooks.com/submissions/
Polis Books is an independent publishing company actively seeking new and established authors for our growing list. We are currently acquiring: Mystery, Commercial literary fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Procedural, Traditional crime (i.e. cozies), Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Supernatural, Urban Fantasy, Romance, Erotica, Commercial Women's Fiction, New Adult, Young Adult, Humor/Essays. We are not currently acquiring: Children's Picture books/coloring books, Graphic novels, Short stories or stand-alone novellas, Religious-based titles.

 

SPONSORS

Creative Writing Institute's Annual Short Story Contest
Entry fee $5

First place: Professionally designed Gold eMedal and $100, plus publication
Second place: Striking Silver eMedal and $50, plus publication
Third place: Brilliant Bronze eMedal and $25, plus publication
Fourth-Fifth places: Finalist eMedal, plus publication
Seven Judge’s Choice: eRibbon, plus publication



This is a themed contest and this exact sentence must appear in the story: "Explain how that happened."

Open genre. Limit 1,500-2,000 words. No swearing, profanity, explicit sexual scenes, graphic violence, etc. Must be unpublished. Creative Writing Institute has first, non-exclusive, electronic rights to publish the winners and Judge's Choice stories in our anthology. All other rights return to author upon publication. ONE submission per person. Deadline September 15, 2016, midnight, USA EST. No early or late submissions, please. Entries will only be accepted through the form at https://CreativeWritingInstitute.submittable.com/submit 

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Fine print

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 2000-2016, C. Hope Clark
ISSN: 1533-1326

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