SPONSOR OF THE WEEK

WHY YOU SHOULD CARE ABOUT THE NEW GUIDELINES FOR MYSTERY WRITERS OF AMERICA MEMBERSHIP

For years, the professional organizations like Mystery Writers of America, Romance Writers of America, Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and others, required that authors be traditionally published, and even then, with approved publishers. They wanted to keep a strong sense of professionalism in place. I admired that. However, we're in 2017 now, and self-publishing has come into its own.

The Mystery Writers of America was holding on longer to the old ways, but just this last week announced its new membership requirements. Some folks will not like it, which is expected since change ruffles everyone's feathers, but here is how they have opened to door to indie authors. 



<<The MWA National Board of Directors is pleased to announce that starting January 1, 2017 self-published authors can apply for Active Membership Status. You can qualify by fulfilling either of the following criteria:

You have been paid for your work by a print, e-book, print-on-demand, periodical or e-zine/webzine publisher that is on the MWA list of approved publishers and meets all of the criteria for inclusion.
-OR-
You have been self-published and have earned a minimum of $5,000 in a single calendar year from approved mystery works (novels, novellas, short stories), or suitable nonfiction titles, i.e., true crime; biographies of mystery authors; critical works about mysteries, their creators and characters; forensic works; or other nonfiction that is mystery or crime-related), either in print, electronically, or by way of an audio recording. (A “mystery work” is defined as a story where a crime is the central element.)

This earning requirement is a one-time event, meaning there is no need to generate a specified income each year to maintain one’s level of membership. The proof of earnings shall be either a US tax return (with all information not pertaining to publishing activity redacted) or an IRS Form 1099. These new criteria became effective January 1, 2017. However, MWA has agreed to accept proof of earnings for any calendar year beginning with 2014.

If your work is a contribution to a periodical, you must provide a hard copy. For an e-zine/webzine, you must provide a hard copy and proof of its online/electronic availability, even if the work is no longer available. A work must be available for a minimum of thirty days to be considered published.
 
Not eligible: Works offered through predatory i.e. subsidy publishing companies shall not qualify. (A predatory publisher is a company who assigns your book an ISBN number that subsequently belongs to them, i.e., they become the publisher of record that entitles them to receive an additional royalty whenever a book sells. They also set the book’s retail price.)>>

So, for those of you trying to decide how to publish your mystery (note that the other professional groups aren't much different than these guidelines, but check your own genre), you might consider tossing aside vanity presses, because they are not respected, and here is a perfect of example of it being said loud and clear. Publishing with a vanity press/subsidy press is like still accessing the Internet on dial-up. It's novice and speaks of hobby writers. If you don't care to be a professional writer, fine. But if you are serious, get real with your publishing. Go traditional or get serious with self-publishing, maybe consider some reputable hybrid publishers, but think twice before going with a subsidy/vanity press.  


 





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 WORDS OF SUCCESS

You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past. You don’t try to forget the mistakes, but you don’t dwell on it. You don’t let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space.

~Johnny Cash
 

Success Story

Hi Hope,

I am so excited  wish to share the news about my success in following up on  a lead I got off FundsforWriters. Last fall, as I realized I wasn't making any money on my writing efforts, that sales of my book, 'Yo God! Jay's Story' was flat lining, I decided to seek out leads and submit to publishers or magazines that might pay for my work. So, I made a contract with myself to write and submit at least one 'contribution' a week. 

I trolled through my lists and found many possible leads. After following the submission guidelines for several possibilities, I received acceptance messages from three publications. Kaleidoscope, Wordgatherings and Just Labs. The theme of my stories and poems were about service dogs to the disabled, which is also covered in some chapters of my book.

Last week, Kaleidoscope ran a story that resulted in a modest compensation and yesterday, I found two copies of Just Labs in the mailbox accompanied by a generous payment. 

The message I hoped to convey to you and your readers is that persistence and hard work can eventually lead to success and that FundsforWriters is such a valuable resource by providing information that does work. And that you, Hope take the time to lend a hand of support to your fans.

Thank you Hope, for the tremendous service you provide to us struggling word crafters.

June Capossela Kempf
Author: Yo God! Jay's Story

featured article

Winning the Kindle Scout Program

By Sean McLachlan

Writers have more choices than ever. You can go for a traditional publishing contract, or align yourself with one of the countless small electronic presses, or you become your own publisher.

And now there’s Kindle Scout, a publishing program by the biggest bookstore on the planet—Amazon. You submit a manuscript of 50,000 words or more, a blurb, a one-liner, a cover, and your bio and photo. If your book is selected to be in the competition, it’s presented to the public, with the first 50 pages as a reading sample. People have 30 days choose to nominate it from among a list of contenders, and if Amazon selects your book for publication, they get a free electronic copy. You get a $1,500 advance, 50% royalties, and a professional copyedit. Amazon takes electronic rights as well as options for electronic translations, audio, and a few other things. You can read the full contract here.

In May of 2016, I submitted my novel The Last Hotel Room. It’s set in contemporary Tangier and deals with the refugee crisis. Much of the story is based on refugees I’ve met in Morocco and Iraq. Part of my campaign was that if I won I’d donate $500 to charity. I eventually picked Doctors Without Borders Syria Appeal because they’re doing such great work on the ground under terrifying conditions.

My book won the contest and since then I’ve discussed Kindle Scout with many fellow winners. Here are some things I discovered.

The process is remarkably fast. My book was selected for the competition within a few days of uploading. It went public a few days after that. After my 30-day nomination period finished, I heard I’d won within two weeks. It came out three months later. My experience was typical.

It’s not a popularity contest. The system doesn’t tell participants their number of nominations, probably because Amazon doesn’t want to deal with the inevitable “I got more nominations than that guy, why wasn’t I picked?” complaints. It does, however, tell you your number of page views, and since you have to view the page before you can nominate, that gives an idea of how you’re doing, and of course many share those figures. I only got 293 page views, a dismal number well below almost everyone else in the competition. So while nominations help get you noticed, they’re not a requirement.

It’s a slush pile for Amazon’s other imprints. Some Kindle Scout winners have been directed to Amazon’s other imprints, where they’ve been offered more substantial contracts. While the majority of winners don’t get bumped upstairs, it’s something worth remembering.

A good cover and blurb are essential. I have never seen someone with a bad cover and blurb win. Never. And I have a feeling a lot of those who are rejected for inclusion in the nomination process probably tripped on this step.

Winning isn’t a magic formula for success. It’s still up to you. Amazon will help sell your book, but it’s not like you can sit back and watch the royalties roll in. For the first few weeks they stick you on the Hot New Releases for your category, which certainly helps sales. Also, the people who nominated you often review your work, and that helps your discoverability. After that, Amazon promises to promote your work “after 90 days.” That doesn’t mean you get a promotion on the 91st day your book has been out, just sometime in the vague future. Some of these promotions are major, like sales for the Kindle Fire readers, and shoot you to the top of the ranks. Others are quite minor. I know one author who only got a 99 cent promotion in India.

My book came out September 20, 2016. My first promotion is for the entire month of February 2017, where my ebook is part of the 100 Books for a Buck deal on the Amazon US store only. My ranking quickly went up from 50,000 to 10,000. By the second week as I’m writing this it has gone down to around 40,000. How it will do for the rest of the month is an open question.

So how do I rate the program? Having signed more than a dozen traditional book contracts, the one offered to me by Kindle Press was the fairest. My experience has been good enough so far that I can confidently say that writers now have another viable option for getting their books published.

BIO: Sean McLachlan is a novelist and historian who divides his time between Spain, England, and Morocco. You can learn more about him on his Amazon page, blog, and his new Instagram, where he will be posting photos from his latest writing project in Egypt.

 

COmpetitions

WORDS & MUSIC CONTEST - NOVELLA
https://wordsandmusic.org/william-faulkner-wisdom-competition/competition-guidelines/
$35 ENTRY FEE. 
Deadline May 1, 2017. Requirements: a short work of original fiction, previously unpublished. $35 entry fee. Works of fiction limited to 25,000 words will be accepted in the novella category. $1,500 prize.



WORDS & MUSIC CONTEST - SHORT STORY
https://wordsandmusic.org/william-faulkner-wisdom-competition/competition-guidelines/
$35 ENTRY FEE. 
Deadline May 1, 2017. Requirements: a short work of fiction of less than 10,000 words. First prize $1,500.



WORDS & MUSIC CONTEST - NOVEL-IN-PROGRESS
https://wordsandmusic.org/william-faulkner-wisdom-competition/competition-guidelines/
$35 ENTRY FEE. 
Deadline May 1, 2017. Requirements: highly polished one-page synopsis, and first few chapters or first 25 pages. Entry must not exceed 7,500 words, including the one-page synopsis. Entries may be any form of novel, including literary, mainstream, or genre. Entries exceeding 7,500 words will not be accepted. Prize $1,500.



WORDS & MUSIC CONTEST - NOVELS
https://wordsandmusic.org/william-faulkner-wisdom-competition/competition-guidelines/
$40 ENTRY FEE. 
Deadline May 1, 2017. Requirements: an original novel, previously unpublished. The Society places a word limit of 100,000 words on books within the single entry fee of $40. Writers who wish to submit books of up to 175,000 words must pay a $75 fee. Novels in excess of 175,000 words must pay a $125 fee. Books in excess of 225,000 require a $200 fee. Prize $7,500. 

 

GRANTS

FLORIDA HUMANITIES COUNCIL MINI-GRANTS
https://floridahumanities.org/grants/apply-now/community-project-grants/
Mini-grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded in support of single events, lectures or panel discussions, reading and discussion groups, film series, and/or online resources such as interpretive brochures, reading lists, audio/video recordings of scholarly presentations, and classroom resources. Eligible projects must be rooted in one or more of the disciplines of the humanities, enlist the participation of humanities scholars and/or experts in their planning and execution, and engage the public in thoughtful and informed activities that explore humanities topics, especially those related to Florida or of interest to Floridians. Deadline May 1, 2017. and August 28, 2017.



ELIZA SO FINISH YOUR BOOK FELLOWSHIP
https://fellowship.submittable.com/submit/75845/the-eliza-so-annual-finish-your-book-fellowship
We're very excited to offer the 1st Annual Eliza So Finish-Your-Book Fellowship. The goal of the fellowship is to give a writer time and solitude to help finish a book that is already in progress. The fellowship includes room and board at Las Vegas' Writer's Block for the month of June 2017, along with a $500 food stipend and $400 toward airfare. There is no fee to apply. You must have a novel, collection of stories, or memoir in progress (100 pages minimum) or poetry collection in progress (30 pages minimum). You must be at least one of the following: a) A US immigrant (documented or undocumented), b) first-generation American, c) a resident of Montana, or d) a parent with at least one child under the age of five. Applications are due by 11:59PM MST on Wednesday, March 15, 2017. The Writer's Block is located in downtown Las Vegas and consists of a Book Shop, Las Vegas' only independent bookstore. 



CONSTANCE SALTONSTALL FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS
http://www.saltonstall.org/application-guidelines
We accept New York State writers and artists for residencies in the following categories: Poetry, Fiction & Creative Nonfiction, Photography (film or digital) & Filmmaking, PSVA: Painting | Sculpture | Visual Arts.



BYRDCLIFFE ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
http://www.woodstockguild.org/artist-in-residence/
The Byrdcliffe Artist in Residence program provides visual artists, writers, and composers of exceptional talent with uninterrupted time and creative space within the serene natural setting of the Byrdcliffe Art Colony. Lasting four weeks, the residency offers artists private studio time within a community of peers. Artists are invited to participate in open studios, work-shares, and communal dinners and field trips, or may choose to work in solitude during their entire stay. Deadline March 1, 2017. Location New York.
 

FREELANCE MARKETS

HERIZONS
http://www.herizons.ca/contribute
The purpose of Herizons is to empower women; to inspire hope and foster a state of wellness that enriches women's lives; to build awareness of issues as they affect women; to foster a spirit of co operation; to promote the strength, wisdom and creativity of women; to broaden the boundaries of feminism to include building coalitions and support among other marginalized peoples; to foster peace and ecological awareness and to expand the influence of feminist principles in the world. Herizons is a non-profit organization based in Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada. Payment is made in Canadian funds upon publication. Articles in Herizons are licensed for first time North American rights @ .25 cents per word with an additional three cents per word for non-exclusive subsidiary rights, including the right to transfer articles to CD rom for educational/academic libraries and/or secure on-line database services. 



NIGHTMARE MAGAZINE
https://johnjosephadams.moksha.io/publication/nightmare/guidelines
Nightmare is seeking original horror and dark fantasy stories. All types of horror and dark fantasy are welcome. No subject should be considered off-limits, and we encourage writers to take chances with their fiction and push the envelope. Nightmare pays six cents per word for original fiction, or one cent per word for reprints. 



TEXAS HOME SCHOOL REVIEW
http://www.thsc.org/about-thsc/career-volunteer-opportunities/writing-opportunities/
THSC Review is a quarterly magazine for home schooling families. Deadline April 3, 2017. Specific topic regarding History/Social Studies/Civics (ex: Film-based study of the Civil Rights Movement, War-torn Texas: Famous battlefields of the Lone Star State); Effective Methods for Learning Foreign Languages. Main article with a 4 Stages sidebar with tips for all four learning stages (early and middle elementary, junior high and high school). Outside these walls: sports, extra-curricular and out-of-home learning experiences. Ages and Stages: Academic or social/emotional issues for junior high learners. Articles should be of general interest to Texas home schoolers. Feature article word count is 800 to 1,200 words. Sidebars range from 125 to 300 words. Total feature word counts range from 1,100 to 1,800 words. THSC pays $150 for the exclusive print and electronic copyright to previously unpublished works.



WILD NORTHEAST
http://www.wildnortheast.com/contributor-guidelines/
Wild Northeast (WNE) is a quarterly magazine that covers adventure sports, outdoor culture and environmental issues in the northeast. Currently, our area of coverage includes Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, southern Quebec and the maritime provinces of Canada. Pay is dependent upon length, complexities and demands of a story. Briefs (300–600 words) – $25 to $50. Article (650–1,000 words) – $100. Feature (Over 1,000 words) – $125 to $150.

 

JOBS

WRITER
Location Houston, TX
https://careers.slb.com/experiencedprofessionals/jobaddetail.aspx?id=14142
Schlumberger has an opening in Houston, Texas for a Writer . The Writer works closely with MarCom Managers, field engineers, and subject matter experts to develop clear, compelling copy for customer-facing print and digital collateral. Minimum Undergraduate Degree in Marketing, Advertising, Journalism, or English and three to five years of professional writing/editing/ communication, web writing, marketing, and working with creative teams experience.

 

Publishers/agents

CARBON BOOKS
http://www.carbonculturereview.com/carbonbooks/
CARBON will begin publishing books from our 2017 Open Subject submissions in early 2018. We are looking for poetry, novels, short fiction, memoir and experimental full length books on any subject, in any genre. We encourage new and established writers to submit their manuscripts to the 2017 open reading period. Authors will receive a standard royalty based contract, promotion in each Carbon Culture newsstand edition, numerous review copies mailed to magazines and journals and receive ten or more copies of the finished book. We will be publishing 1-4 books in our first year and look forward to reading your work!



LOVESWEPT AND FLIRT
http://www.randomhousebooks.com/loveswept-flirt/#becomeauthor
Loveswept and Flirt are Random House’s digital-only imprints focused on romance and women’s fiction titles. More consumers are reading eBooks than ever before, and we’re looking to the future and seeking to partner with the most forward-thinking and up-and-coming authors to introduce them to an avid new audience of digital readers.



CITY LIGHTS
http://www.citylights.com/publishing/?fa=publishing_manuscripts
City Lights Books is an independent publisher of fiction, essays, memoirs, translations, poetry, and books on social and political issues. We do not publish New Age, self-help, children’s literature, how-to guides, or genre works such as romance, westerns, or science fiction. 



COACH HOUSE BOOKS
https://chbooks.com/About-Us/Submissions
Coach House publishes innovative poetry, literary fiction, drama and select nonfiction. We do not publish children’s books, cookbooks, fantasy, historical romances, memoirs, mysteries, science fiction or self-help books. We receive several hundred submissions per year and accept only ten or so. 
 

SPONSORS

Short & Helpful Online Writer Workshops
Sign up any time and jump on our carousel of workshops—one each month, rotating annually.
 
Winter Collection: Character, Dialogue, Beginnings & Endings
Spring Collection: Conflict, Backstory, Self-Editing
Summer Collection: Memoir, World Building, Researching
Autumn Collection: Premise & Structure, Voice & POV, Settings
 
Use HOPE2017 discount code for 15% off any registration.
Register for a single workshop, a collection with FREE workbook, or all 12 for substantial SAVINGS.
 
http://ShortandHelpfulOnlineWriterWorkShops.com or just http://showws.com










 

NOTE FROM HOPE: These Book Design Templates are recommended by so many in the industry for formatting your ebook and print books properly. Highly recommended. I own several of these, and they give your book an extremely polished look. Cannot speak highly enough about them. 




 

How Savvy Authors Publish and Optimize their Books
for Blockbuster Sales on Amazon
 

Self-publishing expert Tracy Atkins has created an amazing set of tools and methods you can use to publish and optimize your book on Amazon—the right way. By following Tracy's simple, four-phase Amazon Success Method, you'll get an in-depth understand of the real Amazon, and to give your book a significant advantage over the competition.

This toolkit includes step-by-step instruction on how to publish your print book, Kindle eBook, and audiobook using Amazon’s publishing platforms: CreateSpace, Kindle Direct Publishing, and ACX.

Tracy also shows you how to use your Author Central account to take control of your book’s Amazon product page, and then tweak it to perfection.

You'll also get ten excellent worksheets and checklists to make the entire process easy to manage. You'll learn to make powerful choices that will help you sell more books on the world’s largest book retailer.

NOTE FROM HOPE! Get a special 25% off for your list with a coupon code,  AST25OFF

GET WEBSITES THAT ROCK, BOOK COVERS THAT SIZZLE

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I LOVE THIS LADY!!!!  If you want to improve your writing, she is the person to go to. ~C. Hope Clark
 

FINE PRINT

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C. Hope Clark
E-mail: hope@fundsforwriters.com
140-A Amicks Ferry Road #4
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Copyright 2000-2017, C. Hope Clark
ISSN: 1533-1326

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