SPONSOR OF THE WEEK

At FanStory you'll get:

Feedback for everything you write.
Contests with cash prizes. Over 50 every month!
Fun. Be a part of a writing community that supports writers of all skill levels.
Find out More | Watch Our Video

Here are some of the Upcoming Contests

Cinquain Poetry

The format for this type of poem is simple. Each line has a specific number of syllables.  Line 1 - 2 syllables.  Line 2 - 4 syllables.  Line 3 - 6 syllables.  Line 4 - 8 syllables.  Line 5 - 2 syllables.  You decide the rhyme scheme (if any) and the subject matter.  Deadline is Aug. 9th

Minute Poem

The Minute Poem is a poem that follows the "8,4,4,4" syllable count structure. It usually has 3 stanzas that are exactly the same. So: 8,4,4,4; 8,4,4,4; 8,4,4,4 syllables.  Deadline: Aug 15th.

2-4-2 Poetry

It has three lines. The first line has 2 syllables, the second line has 4 syllables and the last line has 2 syllables again. The subject can be anything. 

5-7-5 Poetry

A 5-7-5 follows the structure of a Haiku but without any limitation to the topic.  The first line has 5 syllables. The second line has 7 syllables. The third line has 5 syllables again. 

This is just a few of our contests. View our full listing here. Find out more about FanStory here. Watch our video here.

Editor’s THOUGHTS

WHEN WE DON'T FEEL SPECIAL

Of course you are special. We all are in our own right. It's just there comes a time when you are not the winner, are not selected, and are not the chosen one. Nobody likes to lose, but we need to. We have to. Not everyone can be first. Not everyone can be in the top 100, top 1,000, heck, in the top 10,000. But that doesn't mean we cannot strive for that goal. 

We have to feel rejected in order to learn how to dig down and focus enough to succeed. Nobody wins without trying, and nobody wins without having lost. So why is this so hard for people to swallow?

In the recent Killer Nashville Scholarship that FundsforWriters created and funded, we had a strong showing of 80 applicants. Granted, some didn't come close to finalist level, but many did. So many great essays from individuals who had their heart in the right place, wanted to improve their writing, and were eager to take this opportunity and use it to fuel their effort. When we made the announcements, many people congratulated the winner (Rona Simmons from Cumming, Georgia, by the way), but of course there was one who wrote me anonymously, blasting the fact that she was more destitute and in more financial need than just about anyone who could've applied. Poor thing . . . and as we say down South, "Bless her heart." She didn't understand that being poor wasn't a primary qualification for this grant. Instead of asking how she could've made her application better, she blasted the scholarship altogether. Which means she hasn't learned a thing.

In my recent giveaway of 30 copies of my release Echoes of Edisto, over 100 people asked me for a review copy. I was honored and thrilled at this reaction! However, when two particular ones were not chosen, they complained about how they didn't learn in time, or that they should've been chosen over others. Instead, why not become familiar with the books, do a few reviews on their own, and let me know that they love the novels? Seems that would be a better way to endear one's self to an author.

The point? Take every single negative in your life, every rejection, every shortfall, and see if it can be twisted around into a lesson. Or maybe even a game plan to improve. We are writers. We are rejected, put down, and one-starred to death, but we are some of the most diligent people on the planet. We keep on in spite of the walls. We get back up after being smacked in the face. Just remember to take it further and do it with a smile on your face and a drive to do it in a positive light. Be remembered as a nice person.

You are in this business to win, but you'll lose a few times before you get there. Own it when you do and make that nasty, uncomfortable moment one that turns you into something greater - as a writer and a person.



 

PS - To celebrate the release of Echoes of Edisto, Tidewater Murder is on sale through August 15 for $1.99, book two in the Carolina Slade Mystery Series. 

PPS - C. Hope Clark is starting a newsletter just about the books. Join now to learn about giveaways, new releases, and appearances. Here's where you can raise your hand for review copies (and she does this a lot). Here's where you might find insight on the next book, or what direction Hope might be taking a character. Sign up at http://chopeclark.com/  - see SUBSCRIBE at the top.










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

The truth is, everyone is going to hurt you. You just got to find the ones worth suffering for.

~ Bob Marley

Success Story

We know summer has everyone sluggish, maybe putting the writing on hold a bit, but let FundsforWriters know when you've found a success story from the newsletter or website. We'll post it here!. Email Hope at hope@chopeclark.com 

featured article

How Writing About My Hardships and Sharing My Weaknesses is Leading to My Success

by Laura Yeager

I've written, published, and received monetary compensation about my bipolar illness since 1995. Though risky to divulge my shortcomings, it's also rewarding. By sharing my tumultuous experiences, I help other people. The same goes for others with "sad" life experiences. 

My bipolar material first appeared in literary magazines. Kaleidoscope, http://www.udsakron.org/kaleidoscope.aspx, specializing in both mental and physical disability, printed "The Prodigal Daughter," the first bipolar story I ever wrote. 

The Missouri Review, http://www.missourireview.com/, and The North American Review, http://northamericanreview.org/, picked up my fictional stories with mentally ill main characters, formulated on my personal experiences with the illness. "Having Anne," published in The Missouri Review, was shortlisted for an O. Henry Prize in 2000. 

A big, mental health publication bp Magazine is completely devoted to discussing bipolar illness. I wrote a few humor pieces for these folks. 

I turned to venues on the internet.  In EmpowHER, http://www.empowher.com/, I wrote about my early years with bipolar illness, and how I came down with the disease, how I was first treated, how I struggled to adjust, and how my friends and family reacted. I received more positive feedback for that gig. People liked how I made my mental illness experiences funny through "lite" bipolar personal essays.  

At Author, authormagazine.org, I wrote specifically about how my bipolar illness affected my writing career. Then I blogged about bipolar illness at PsychCentral, http://psychcentral.com.  Since January, I've written ten blog posts for PsychCentral.  Some of the posts included "A Tribute to Patty Duke," "Living Through a Medication Change," "The Good Family Myth," "Is Your Diagnosis a Deal-breaker?  How to Survive an Adoption Home Study," and "Which is Worse, Mental or Physical Illness?"

Here are three other paying publications that I have personal experience with that specialize in health issues:

Woman's World (see masthead of actual magazine for contact information) — This weekly magazine readers can pick up in their grocery checkout line prints beautiful stories about women who've dealt with difficult health issues.  And they do it in a very upbeat way.  (I like this magazine so much that I have a yearly subscription to it.)  I'm currently working closely with an editor there who is considering publishing a story about my experience with cancer.

You & Me Magazine, http://www.youandmemagazine.com —"The World's Medical Magazine," You & Me publishes nonfiction articles, preferably in first person, about dealing with all medical issues.  You & Me published a story of mine about lithium usage and pregnancy.

Pentimento, http://www.pentimentomag.org/ — This "Journal of All Things Disability" lists itself as a disability-themed literary magazine.  They accept poetry, fiction, nonfiction and art and photography.  This is a great little journal.  I've been trying to break into it for years.  That's another story.

Through writing about my hardships and sharing my weaknesses, I'm thoroughly enjoying myself, and I know from the feedback I've received that I'm aiding others.

In being sincere about your trials and tribulations, you can find acceptances for your material because editors discern that you've "been there," and you know what you're talking about.  In a way, you're an expert on misery.  Then there's always "write what you know." 

In reality, my life is problematic and often tough, but it's also filled with joy because suffering ultimately brings empathy for people, and that's what it's all about.

So if life has dealt you a difficult hand, consider creating articles, short stories, blog posts, essays, about your experiences. This is not a new concept. We all know that all good writing addresses human problems.

Now, go make some lemonade.

BIO
Laura Yeager has been writing for over 35 years. Some of her favorite topics include writing, religion, mental health, parenthood and her day-to-day life. Her articles about writing have appeared in The Writer Magazine, The Toastmaster Magazine, writersweekly.com and authormagazine.org. She is a mental health writer for PsychCentral.com.  Her spiritual writing has been featured in several venues including Aleteia USA, Busted Halo, The Liguorian Magazine, Canticle Magazine and Guideposts Magazine. A graduate of The Writers' Workshop at The University of Iowa, Laura teaches writing at Kent State University and online Creative Writing at Gotham Writers' Workshop.
 

COmpetitions

KORE SHORT FICTION CONTEST
http://korepress.org/KorePressShortFictionAward.htm
$20 ENTRY FEE.
This competition is open to any female-identified individual writing in English, regardless of nationality. Deadline August 30, 2016. A minimum of 4,000 words and a maximum of 12,000 words of short fiction acceptable. Winner receives $1,250 prize and publication.



STILL THE JOURNAL ANNUAL WRITING CONTESTS IN FICTION, POETRY, AND CREATIVE NONFICTION
http://www.stilljournal.net/contest.php
$10 ENTRY FEE.
$200 each for first-place winners of fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction, and publication in Still: The Journal, 22: Fall 2016. All other contest entries will be considered for possible publication. Prose entries must not exceed 6,500 words. Poetry entries should not exceed 80 lines per poem. Deadline September 6, 2016.



JAKE ADAM YORK PRIZE
https://coppernickel.submittable.com/submit
$25 ENTRY FEE.
Open to poets writing in English who have published no more than one full-length poetry collection. The prize-winning poet will receive $2,000 and publication by MILKWEED EDITIONS. Screening for the prize will be facilitated by COPPER NICKEL. All entrants will receive a one-year subscription to COPPER NICKEL in exchange for their reading fee. Translations are not eligible, nor are previously self-published books. Deadline October 16, 2016. 



WRITER'S BLOCK PRIZE IN POETRY
https://writersblockaward.submittable.com/submit/60675
$8 ENTRY FEE.
Deadline September 15, 2016. Louisville Literary Arts announces the third annual creative writing prize to be celebrated with a $500 prize for first place at the 2016 Writer’s Block and with publication in The Louisville Review, the literary magazine of Spalding University’s nationally distinguished low residency MFA in Writing program. Submit through Submittable up to three poems, total page number not to exceed seven pages.
 

GRANTS

LITERARY GRANTS AVAILABLE TO THOSE AROUND THE WASHINGTON DC BELTWAY
http://www.beltwaypoetry.com/resource/grants/
Covers DC as well as surrounding cities to include but not limited to Alexandria, Baltimore, and Arlington. And states like Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and West Virginia. Great list of very active grants for individuals.



TOURWEST GRANTS
https://tourwest.culturegrants.org/
The TourWest 2016-2017 grant program application is now open. The application deadline is April 1, 2016. Only presenters may apply. Funding for the 2016-2017 cycle is available for projects that take place between September 1, 2016 and August 31, 2017. TourWest is a competitive grant program that provides subsidies to arts and community organizations for the presentation of out-of-state touring performers and literary artists. All TourWest grants must be matched on a one-to-one basis in cash by the presenting organization. Funds are available to organizations that sponsor performances or literary events within the 13-state WESTAF region.



GRANTS FOR INDIVIDUALS - IDAHO
https://arts.idaho.gov/grant/professional-development-for-individuals/
Deadline September 12, 2016. Artists and arts administrators may receive reimbursement for attending a conference, workshop, or other form of career advancement. Traditional artists may request funds to attend gatherings where they will teach or learn from peers. Limit $750. 
-and-
Deadline: September 12, 2016. Quickprojects are artist-initiated activities; specific projects or new works that will be shared with the public. Examples include attendance at an artist residency, release time to create and exhibit a significant body of work, staging of performances, readings, or the creation of public art.



OKLAHOMA CENTER FOR THE BOOK
http://www.odl.state.ok.us/ocb/
The Oklahoma Center for the Book (OCB) is a state affiliate of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, and is organized to focus attention on the vital role of books and reading in our lives. The Center promotes the past, current, and future works of Oklahoma authors; promotes the literary heritage of the state; and encourages reading for pleasure by Oklahomans of all ages.
 

FREELANCE MARKETS

NORTHERN WOODLANDS
http://northernwoodlands.org/issues/writers-photographers
Northern Woodlands’ audience consists of conservation-minded people with an interest in all aspects of the forests of the Northeast. Our articles and columns range in scope, and may include subjects such as woodlot management, wildlife species, scat, chainsaw maintenance, woodworking, and reflections on natural landscapes. We like to surprise our readers with stories they won't find anywhere else. We are not a trade magazine for the forest products industry or an advocacy magazine for preservationists. We welcome submissions from writers with varying backgrounds, but all should be familiar with the magazine, its contents, and our audience before pitching. Pays ten cents/word and up.



BOSTON GLOBE MAGAZINE
http://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/aboutthemagazine
The best places for new writers to start with the magazine are the Perspective column, an opinionated 800-word essay on a timely local news topic, and Connections, a 650-word first-person essay on relationships of any kind (romantic as well as those between friends, siblings, and parents and children). The following are not open to freelance submissions: Your Week Ahead, On the Block, Cooking, Miss Conduct, Dinner With Cupid. The Boston Globe Magazine is published weekly inside The Boston Sunday Globe.



SIERRA
http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/editorial-guidelines
Sierra is a bimonthly national magazine publishing writing, photography, and art about the natural world. Our readers are environmentally concerned, politically diverse, and actively enjoy the outdoors. Sierra is looking for strong, well-researched, literate nonfiction storytelling about significant environmental and conservation issues, adventure travel, nature, self-propelled sports, and trends in green living. Feature lengths range from 500 words to (rarely) 4,000 words or more with payment starting at about 75 cents a word and rising to considerably more for well-known writers with crackerjack credentials. Department articles are 100 to 1,500 words in length; payment is $50 to $1,000 unless otherwise noted. Expenses of up to $50 may be paid in some cases.



PITTSBURGH MAGAZINE
http://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/Pittsburgh-Magazine/Writers-Guidelines/
Pittsburgh Magazine has celebrated the people, places and happenings in our region for 40 years. Built on a foundation of independent quality journalism, the Pittsburgh Magazine brand is a trusted information partner for our most engaged residents and visitors. 
 

JOBS

TECHNICAL WRITER
Location Durham, NC.
https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/445843700/
Deadline August 15, 2016. The Office of the Deputy Director (ODD), National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), is pleased to announce an opening for a Technical Writer for the News section of the scientific journal, Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP). EHP is international in scope, interest, and audience, publishing the best in environmental health science research. 



TECHNICAL WRITER/EDITOR
Location San Francisco, CA.
https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/445151700/
Deadline August 9. 2016. Duties include but are not limited to the following: Taking a lead role in writing and publishing well-researched written products accessible to a variety of audiences and distributed through various mediums such as papers, newsletters, and web posts; reviewing, analyzing, and summarizing primary scientific and medical research relevant to illnesses potentially associated with the Gulf War or other service-related health issues; consulting with scientists, health care practitioners, policymakers and other relevant key opinion leaders with expertise relevant to deployment health issues in order to more fully understand issues; reviewing, analyzing, and summarizing reports from scientific and government institutions; Tracking the medical research field for up-to-date scientific developments and treatments related to Gulf War Veterans' illnesses and contributing to the development of ideas for the committee and other audiences to consider; Researching medical research publications for manuscripts/journal articles relevant to health consequences from the Gulf War.


NOTE: These are federal governments positions. All federal writing positions pay very well compared to private sector. Keep up with more vacancies at www.usajobs.gov

publishers/agents

BELLEVUE LITERARY PRESS
http://blpress.org/about/
Bellevue Literary Press is devoted to publishing literary fiction and nonfiction at the intersection of the arts and sciences because we believe that science and the humanities are natural companions for understanding the human experience. With each book we publish, our goal is to foster a rich, interdisciplinary dialogue that will forge new tools for thinking and engaging with the world.



CHELSEA GREEN PUBLISHING
http://www.chelseagreen.com/submission-guidelines
Chelsea Green specializes in books that promote the politics and practice of sustainable living. Before you submit a query or proposal, please browse our website, look closely at our titles to see the kinds of books we publish, and carefully review our submission criteria. We receive annually more than 800 submissions and publish approximately 30 titles.



DAWN PUBLICATIONS
https://dawnpub.com/submission-guidelines/
Dawn's nature awareness titles — almost always picture books — are intended to encourage an appreciation for nature and a respectful participation in it. We want to inspire children as well as educate them. An inspired child is a motivated child.



DUNDURN
https://www.dundurn.com/submissions
Dundurn is not currently accepting fiction submissions, including mysteries or YA, nor is it accepting children’s nonfiction submissions. Submissions in these areas will not be considered. Dundurn is currently accepting submissions for adult nonfiction books in the following areas of interest: Canadian history, Biographies, Autobiographies, memoirs, current events, True crime and the paranormal, Arts and culture, Business, Genealogy, Transportation, Health, Canadiana and local interest. Dundurn does not accept submissions from authors outside of Canada.
 

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 

GET WEBSITES THAT ROCK, BOOK COVERS THAT SIZZLE

Shaila Abdullah has designed websites, book designs, marketing materials, and email campaigns for over 60 authors, writers and speakers. Being an award-winning author herself, she understands the industry, and will provide you with designs that reflect your unique style, genre, and personality. 

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

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

A few testimonials from happy clients:

"Superb work, excellent customer service. Just marvelous overall.” —C. Hope Clark, author, founder of FundsforWriters, 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/

"When I first saw Shaila’s work, I was struck by the fact that her designs are not only beautiful but also perfectly reflect the personality of the business it represents. 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/
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http://wagnerjulia.com/
http://lisakwinkler.com/
http://kbhyde.com/
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Click here to visit Book Design Templates.- Instead of trying to decide what your books should look like, we've made all the decisions for you. Just follow our friendly instructional guide, pour in your text and your book will be ready to go. All your styles and formatting needs are coded into our templates for easy use. Enthusiastically endorsed by Hope!





 

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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