SPONSOR OF THE WEEK

GET AWAY TO WRITE - SPAIN
July 11-18, 2017, Tavertet, Spain
Led by Peter E. Murphy with Roberta Clipper & Christine E. Salvatore

http://www.stockton.edu/murphywriting   ARE YOU A WRITER WHO LOVES TO TRAVEL? Retreat to beautiful northern Spain to immerse yourself in a supportive week-long writing experience that will energize and inspire you. Enjoy encouraging workshops, plentiful writing time, panoramic clifftop views, excursions to Barcelona and more.

"Peter is simply one of the finest writing teachers I have ever encountered. His craft talks were inventive, astute and insightful. His imaginative prompts often inspired startlingly fresh and innovative writing. In short, Peter empowers his students to write, while offering instruction and feedback that allows them to make leaps and bounds in their writing."— Patty Paine, Doha, Qatar -  Founding editor of Diode Poetry Journal and author of four books

This retreat will fill. Register now: www.stockton.edu/murphywriting   

DOES IT MATTER HOW YOU PUBLISH?

I'm still deluged with questions, comments, and concerns regarding self-publishing. There's still a huge misunderstanding that self-publishing is the second-best option to traditional. That self-publishing is for those who cannot traditionally publish. The amazing part of these misconceptions is that most of these folks have no idea how traditional publishing works. They are going with the route that most people go with, that carries less risk (or so they think), where nobody can reject. 

After some back and forth, here's an email message from a reader:

<<Hope - At first, I had the notion about self-publishing being second option because this was what I’d been told and made to believe by some published people in the writing business, but I beg to disagree now because you are the proof that it is not true. Self-publishing is second to none. In my own experience, it was hurtful to hear that a self-published work is not considered published. Correct me if I’m wrong, and if I’m right, so be it. For me, money is the only thing that differentiates traditional from self-publishing only because publishers are willing to spend money on your book. I look forward to that day that self-publishing will ignite the same excitement as the traditional.>> 

First, whether traditional or self-published, publishing is simply a tool. What you do with it deems its importance. Forget reputations affiliated with self-publishing. I don’t tell ANYONE that I’ve self-pubbed one book or traditionally published another. A reader doesn’t care. Only when I’m asked do I state which is which. 

We become so entrenched in the publishing industry, that we forget about the readers who only want a good book. Amazon has helped balance the playing field for self-published authors, and I commend them for that. However, I blame writers for how they use and misuse that opportunity. 

Mistakes self-published writers make:

-They publish prematurely.
-They design bad covers.
-They design bad cover copy.
-They format unprofessionally.
-They do not edit enough. 
-They do not proofread enough (different from editing).
-They do not market themselves well.

The reputation of self-publishing isn't what hurts you. Nobody knows how you published if you don't tell them. It's all about how you present and sell yourself, and especially how well you write and present the book. It's on you, the author, to create a phenomenal book.

But as long as self-publishing is just that - available for everyone to do it themselves - you will have bad work out there. I wave off the sarcasms that traditional markets have bad works, too, because the percentages don’t even compare. There are far more bad books out there in the self-publishing world because there are no gatekeepers. It is what it is. Until self-published authors as a whole pour as much attention into their books as traditional presses pour into theirs, the scales won't balance.

The main point is simply to choose which way to publish, use it, own it, and don’t lead with how you published, but with how good the book is.







 

 


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 65 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: Purchase an autographed copy or new copy of Hope's book and receive TOTAL for free.  Send the receipt to hope@fundsforwriters.com (**and feel free to steal this graphic for your own site!)





WORDS OF SUCCESS

Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.

~Calvin Coolidge
 

Success Story

Hey, reader. If you've had a success thanks to FundsforWriters, please let us know. We want to share it with ALL the readers. Email hope@fundsforwriters.com 

featured article

Supplementing Your Income with Writing

By Pamela S Thibodeaux
    
So you’re a published author and you love it! But there’s too much time between contract and publication, advance (if you receive one), and royalties (if you even earn out that advance). How can you supplement your income?

Maybe you’re not a freelance writer but would love to be one, or perhaps you’ve written for fun not realizing you could supplement your regular income by writing for cash. Where do you start?

Here are a few ideas. . . 

Take a freelance writing course. There are free, paid and college courses. Institute for Writers (formerly Longridge Writers Group) offers courses on writing for children and breaking into print.

Sign up for newsletters and follow blogs that share information on writing gigs. FundsforWriters, Freedom with Writing, and Mallee Blue Media are great resources.

Write short stories. Markets like Woman’s World Magazine pay top dollars for short romance and mysteries. They also pay for short true life pieces. True Story and True Confessions are other avenues to earn a few bucks.

Write nonfiction. Chicken Soup for the Soul and other such publications are always looking for great nonfiction stories. The pay is decent, and there are many different topics to choose from. Watch for anthology call for submissions in genres like fantasy, sci-fi, and mystery.

Write Your life. What do you do when you’re not writing? Are you a full-time wife and mother? Stay home dad? What is your “day” job? Are you qualified in fitness and nutrition, business and finance? Perhaps you make jewelry, or you’re an artist. Maybe you travel for business and/or pleasure. Are you an interior designer/decorator or Feng Shui expert? 

Write for magazines. There are magazines and blogs out there that pay for articles on any subject from Parenting to Finance & Insurance to Stretching your Dollars. There are Fitness Magazines, RV / Travel Magazines and Blogs. About.com pays for articles/blog posts on any number of topics.

Write an ebook. What is your passion, your expertise? Are you a Life Coach or Spiritual Mentor? People love self-help/success stories! Writing and publishing an ebook can add to your credentials and client base as well as supplement your income. Here’s an interesting article by Amy Lynn Andrews on the topic of how to come up with an idea and make it happen.

Broaden your horizon with speaking engagements. Many authors, (especially nonfiction) can make a lot of cash speaking on their topic of expertise. Here’s a great article at Famous in Your Field on where to find opportunities to do so.

Teach writing. Many local colleges/universities teach leisure learning courses. Pitch one and see what happens! Be a mentor or writing coach and work one-on-one with new/aspiring authors. Teach at libraries. 

Start your own writing service / publishing company. With the influx of self / co-publishing options, book promotion, book cover design, editing and formatting are in high demand. Use your knowledge and expertise in the industry and fill one or more of those needs. George Washington University offers a Master’s Degree in publishing available both in person and online.

Sell/resell your current backlog of articles. There are numerous sites that pay a nominal fee for previously published work. Some pay per view or per click. You’re not going to make a lot of money this way, but hey it all adds up. Check out The Penny Hoarder for lists of such sites. 

These are just a few ways you can supplement your income with writing. With a little research and creative imagination, I’ve no doubt you can come up with more.

Bio: Pamela S Thibodeaux is multi-published in fiction and creative non-fiction. Tagged as “Inspirational with an Edge!” ™ her writing ventures include novels, short stories, devotionals, anthologies, articles and essays. http://pamelathibodeaux.com 


 

COmpetitions

THE SFWP WRITERS CONTEST
http://sfwp.com/the-contest/
$30 ENTRY FEE.
Deadline July 20, 2017. All fiction and creative nonfiction will be eligible despite genre, form, subject, or length. We take full-length manuscripts, works-in-progress, collections short or long, and essays. We don’t care about what the big presses believe to be “marketable,” we want to see excellence in writing, no matter the form it takes. Past winners have ranged from flash fiction to memoir to magical realism to literary fiction to cultural essays. The length of your entry is not an issue. There’s no minimum or maximum. The grand prize is $1,500, and two runner-ups will receive $1,000 each. Authors retain all rights to their work. Winners will be offered a competitive book contract for full-market, frontlist release. There’s no obligation to sign this contract. All unpublished work is eligible.



ISLAND VERSE PRIZE
http://www.islandverse.com/chapbook-prizes.html
$20 ENTRY FEE. 
Deadline June 30, 2017. Winner receives chapbook publication by Island Verse Editions which are perfectly bound and beautifully typeset, a $250 honorarium and 10 contributor copies. Entrants must be 18 years of age, and have NOT published  a full-length collection of poetry. Manuscript should include a table of contents, and be no more than 28 pages.



WRITING PITTSBURGH BOOK PRIZE
https://www.creativenonfiction.org/submissions/writing-pittsburgh-book-prize
NO ENTRY FEE.
Deadline October 23, 2017. The Writing Pittsburgh Book Prize will recognize one book focusing on a subject of regional and national significance, by a writer with a meaningful Pittsburgh connection. The author of the winning manuscript will receive a $10,000 honorarium; publication of their book by CNF's independent book imprint, In Fact Books (IFB); national distribution; and a marketing and publicity campaign. The winning author will work with CNF/IFB's editorial staff to refine and polish the manuscript. Publication will occur between one year and 15 months from the announcement of the prize.



TALKING WRITING
https://talkingwriting.submittable.com/submit
$15 ENTRY FEE. 
Deadline October 16, 2017. The Talking Writing Prize is an annual contest that celebrates the diversity online of original, personally driven writing. This year's Talking Writing Prize for Personal Essay will spotlight our annual holiday theme. We're looking for honest, unsentimental nonfiction about soul searching through words. How do you tackle life's Big Questions? Writers are invited to address mortality, belief, culture of origin, atheism, or any other issues connected to making meaning in a complicated world. Length: Up to 2,000 words. Include only the story title (not your name or affiliation) on the first page and in the page headers. Prize: $500 and publication in Talking Writing.

 

GRANTS

DICKINSON HOUSE FELLOWSHIPS
https://111o.submittable.com/submit
Deadline June 30, 2017. No application fee. Between July 1 and Sept 15, there is a €15 fee to apply. Dickinson House is pleased to offer two fellowships to writers for its 2018 residency season. These fellowships (all two-week residencies) waive the residency fee (room and board). Fellows are responsible for travel costs, their own insurance and visa fees, and any incidentals. Fellowships are awarded based on merit and need. People of color, women, and LGBTQ people are especially encouraged to apply. You do not need to apply for a residency separately if you apply for a fellowship. Your fellowship application constitutes application for residency. Location Belgium. 



ZION NATIONAL PARK RESIDENCY
https://www.nps.gov/zion/getinvolved/supportyourpark/artist-in-residence.htm
The Zion National Park Artist in Residence program offers professional artists the opportunity to live and work in the majestic desert environment of southern Utah for a period of one month. Four artists will be selected for two spring and two fall residency slots. All visual (painters, photographers, sculptures, etc.), performing (drama, dance, music, composition, etc.) and literary artists are welcome to apply. International applicants are not being accepted at this time. Applications are due by July 31, 2017.



ST. LOUIS GRANTS
https://racstl.org/grant/artists-fellowships/
Deadline August 10, 2017. Ten St. Louis artists working in varied disciplines are chosen by an Advisory Committee panel of professionals, peers, and RAC Commissioners each year. These fellowships are investments in the careers of St. Louis artists as well as in the cultural vitality of the region. Artists make substantial contributions to our community’s vibrancy by boosting creative problem-solving, pushing boundaries, provoking thought, and animating our neighborhoods and cultural institutions. These artist fellowships are designed to call attention to the depth and quality of the art being created in St. Louis and to amplify the work of ten outstanding St. Louis artists in varied disciplines each year.



THE DONOR CIRCLE FOR THE ARTS
https://www.siliconvalleycf.org/donor-circle-arts-rfp
Its mission is simple: to support emerging artists working with underserved populations and to expand arts opportunities for the diverse cultural communities of our region. Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations and individual artists with nonprofit fiscal sponsors may apply. Must be based in Santa Clara or San Mateo counties only in the Silicon Valley of California. Must fit into one of six categories (Arts Education programs within each discipline will be considered): Theatre, Music, Dance, Visual Arts, Media (e.g. film, digital media, etc.), Literary Arts (e.g. spoken word, poetry, etc.).

 

FREELANCE MARKETS

VIRGINIA WILDLIFE MAGAZINE
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/virginia-wildlife/
In each issue you will be treated to a magazine that includes something for the entire family: instruction on becoming a better bow-hunter, tips on tackling that monster catfish, unique game and fish recipes, stunning photographs, and much, much more. Feature article $500.00 per article for 1,000-1,200 words. One-page article $200 per article, with a 350-600 word length. Journal article $50 per article, with a 100-350 word length.



PTO TODAY
http://www.ptotoday.com/pto-today-submission-guidelines
PTO Today magazine is an essential resource for leaders of parent groups (often called parent-teacher organizations) at the 80,000 elementary and middle schools across the United States. Articles focus on helping the volunteer leaders of these groups run their organizations more efficiently and support their schools more effectively. Features run roughly 1,200 to 2,200 words, and the average assignment is 1,500 words. Department pieces run 600 to 1,200 words. Payment depends on the difficulty of the topic and the experience of the writer. We pay by the assignment, not by the word; our pay scale ranges from $200 to $700 for features and $150 to $400 for departments. 



THE GREEN PARENT
https://thegreenparent.co.uk/about/write-for-us
We are more likely to publish your article if you are a Green Parent reader and are familiar with the issues we discuss and our standpoint on raising children, alternative health and environmental concerns, for example. Consider those subjects about which you are passionate and those that are undercovered. We are looking for articles covering the following topics: Pregnancy and Conscious Birth, Breastfeeding, Family Life and Simple Living, Alternative Education, Natural Health and Beauty, Green Travel, Feeding a Family, Gardening, Particularly Growing Your Own, Sustainable Fashion, Length of Features. Full length article: 1,500-2,000 words. Short Opinion Piece: 600 words. We pay £75 per 1,000 words. 



CAROLINA PARENT
http://www.carolinaparent.com/CP/Morris-Media-Network-Writers-Guidelines/
Carolina Parent is a monthly parenting magazine with a Triangle-wide print circulation of 35,000 in Wake, Durham and Orange counties in North Carolina. Issues typically reflect a theme, and include regular features and columns. Our audience consists of parents, teachers, child care providers and other advocates for newborns through teenagers. Word count for features ranges from 600-1,200. Original, feature-length manuscripts written on assignment generally pay $75-$300 depending on the word count.

 

JOBS

CREATIVE WRITER FOR ONLINE PLATFORM - NEEDS SHORT STORIES
https://www.readlongshorts.com
https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=bc286cdf73fa5d46
Seeking creative writers to create short stories for our new reading app. (A type of social media for fictional stories only.) We right now looking for someone able to write game related stories. 
If you are interested in story telling through video games or social medias please feel free to contact me with an e-mail having as subject GAME STORIES. You'll then receive the information about our project and the link to apply on-line. (We only accept on-line application through our website.) $300/week.



WRITER - PART-TIME
Location Penn State University
https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=04e232c93b7142c3
Primarily responsible for the research and writing of 3-5 weekly news stories that will be posted on news.psu.edu, appear on the homepage of Penn State Abington’s website and released to the media; research and writing of a bi-weekly Chancellor’s message; research and writing of feature stories; and ongoing engagement with the college’s Twitter feed to maintain relationships with members of the local media. The position requires the ability to follow external media trends and campus events to identify story ideas, conduct research and interviews, write and edit, and release stories on various platforms.



CONTENT WRITER
Location Los Angeles
https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Doctorpedia/jobs/Content-Writer-75cfe24cf2b34cca
Doctorpedia is a next generation Online Healthcare website providing our users with clear and accessible medical information. The ideal candidate is someone with strong writing skills. Huge plus if you have SEO writing experience, but not a requirement. We are looking for content writers with good research skills and the ability to write with a clear, concise and accessible style. 

Publishers/agents

CHALICE PRESS
http://www.chalicepress.com/AuthorGuidelines.aspx
At Chalice Press, we are always looking for exceptional new people and content for publication. If you have an idea or a manuscript for us to consider, please begin by sending a letter of inquiry to us at submissions@chalicepress.com. NOTE: They give a great sample of a query letter. CBP/Chalice Press is open to receiving any publishing proposal that aligns with our mission to publish resources inviting all people into deeper relationship with God, equipping them as disciples of Jesus Christ, and sending them into ministries as the Holy Spirit calls them. At this time, we are particularly interested in publishing content by and for women, young adults (age 18 to 35), and racial/ethnic cultures for our academic, congregational leadership, and general audiences. We offer print, digital, and multi-media formats. Topics of particular interest include: non-fiction in the areas of Academics (Homiletics, Biblical Studies, Theology, Christian Education); Congregational Leadership (Preaching, Evangelism, Hospitality, Leadership Development, Discipleship/Equipping Ministries); General (Faith and Life, Inspiration/Devotion, Bible Study/Application, Mission/Evangelism). Although Chalice Press publishes a broad range of material, you should usually avoid asking us to consider publishing poetry, fiction, dissertations, children's books, cookbooks, festschrifts (essays in honor of someone), collections of sermons, newsletter columns, etc. 



CITY LIGHTS PRESS
http://citylightspress.com/publisher-accepts-unsolicited-manuscripts/
City Lights Press would love to see your work. We are currently accepting unsolicited manuscripts in the following three genres: romance (not including erotic romance), young adult and new adult. Our goal is to find and share fun, sexy, laugh-out-loud stories from authors in all stages of their writing careers.  



KENSINGTON
http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/page.aspx/submissions
Established in 1974, Kensington, America's independent publisher, located in New York City, is the foremost independent publishing house in the United States publishing in hardcover, trade paperback, and mass market. We publish over 500 books annually in both fiction and non-fiction. Kensington has sweeping and diverse imprints, including Kensington, Citadel Press, Dafina Books, Zebra Books, Pinnacle Books, Brava, Aphrodisia, K-Teen and our digital imprints eKensington and the newly acquired Lyrical Press. These imprints are well-known for popular women's fiction, African-American titles, multicultural young adult fiction, nonfiction, as well as true crime, Western, and mystery titles. Kensington continues to be the foremost American publisher of romance novels. Has a huge editorial staff that will consider unagented submissions in most genres. Please pitch the specific editor on this page that pairs best with your genre.



THE OVERLOOK PRESS
http://www.overlookpress.com/contact-us
The Overlook Press is an independent general-interest publisher, founded in 1971. The publishing program consists of approximately 100 new books per year, roughly divided between hardcovers and trade paperbacks. The list is eclectic, with areas of strength in fiction, history, biography, drama, design, and other visual media.
 

SPONSORS

MarketingNewAuthors.com is making a call for short stories for its WRITERS’ CONTEST!

Submit 500 to 700 words. 
Genres include comedic, children's, fantasy, mystery, romance, science fiction and western.
Cash prizes $100, $50, and $25. 
Additional prizes include $350, $275, and $175 off a self-publishing plan. 
Deadline July 30, 2017. 

For more information, go to marketingnewauthors.com.











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/

Other websites:
http://bapsisidhwa.com/
http://wagnerjulia.com/
http://lisakwinkler.com/
http://kbhyde.com/
http://meredithwargo.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. SIX new templates for genre authors that work for Word, Pages, and InDesign. $30 off this week!!!

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

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



 

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 2000-2017, C. Hope Clark
ISSN: 1533-1326

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