FundsforWriters - July 21, 2017 - Four Touch Love, Common Sense Rules in Freelancing

Published: Fri, 07/21/17

Volume 17, Issue 29 | JULY 21, 2017

Message from the Editor

When you have spells of no feedback, and your family and friends do not take your writing seriously, what do you do? There lies the crossroad. The point of decision between writing for reward and pats on the back. . . or writing for sanity and joy.

If you do one, you wonder why you cannot have the other. But in reality you understand that heavy focus on one always robs from the other.

I was at the bank recently, and the banker asked me what I did for a living. I said I was an author. He asked more. I explained I retired from the federal government at 46 to write, and I've been doing it every since. "Oh," he said. "Now you can just have fun."

I smiled and accepted the back-handed, ignorant, meant-to-be-nice compliment. After all, I needed his help. But the comment stuck with me for days after.

Add to that the comment of my father. Facing dementia, he calls almost daily, forgetting whatever we talked about the day before, usually asking, "Am I interrupting anything?" I usually say that I am working, which means at the computer writing. This week he replied, "Are you working, or just writing?" Of course you don't scold an old man for not understanding.

Then there's the old friend from years ago who hubby and I met for dinner. "What book are you on now?" he asked. "Four?" To which I replied, "Eight, if we're talking novels." To which he said, "Wow, guess I lost track. So how's it coming getting it on television?"

But then a reader asked me to read her essay and offer feedback before she entered a contest. A very reputable contest, so I gave it a look-see. It blew me away. The piece was poignant, deeply personal, and gripped me through the entire 5,500 words. It made me wish I had the liberty to only write from the heart and only for me. Wishing that making a living didn't factor into the equation.

As a reader, take a second to respect the author. Whether you loved the story or tossed it in the trash, somebody on the other end poured tons of time and heart into creating that book.

As an author, take a second to remember that you have to write for you first and foremost. You have to love living inside your stories before anyone else can. And if the book doesn't sell, well, you created a world for yourself. . . designed by you, for you, a place you can go back to for time to come.

And as a successful author, take a moment to measure if you're still loyal to the writing. Because it's that umbilical cord connection that birthed you and got you started. Don't get so independent, or so successful, that you don't recall that writing is what sets you mentally free.

C. Hope Clark
Editor, FundsforWriters
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	Those who haven't read any of C. Hope Clark's books are short-changing themselves. You can't begin a C. Hope Clark book and then put it down." - Clay Stafford, author / filmmaker, founder of Killer Nashville and publisher of Killer Nashville Magazine.

SPONSOR OF THE WEEK

Editor’s THOUGHTS

FOUR TOUGH LOVE, COMMON SENSE RULES IN FREELANCING

When a new writer asks me how to start making money freelancing, they usually ask "What are the rules?" You can buy many books and take classes on freelancing, but there are some pieces of advice that are pure common sense.

1) Do not pitch pieces until you already write well.

You don't start writing by asking to be hired. A wanna-be teacher doesn't apply for a teaching position before acquiring the degree. If you need fast money, then find something else to do. You cannot pitch substandard work without making a memorable negative mark on the mind of an editor. Editors do not like being used as practice markets. And yes, your English must read like it's your first language.

2) Know that market well.

Sounds almost like a cliche, but believe it or not, most of the queries I receive have nothing to do with FundsforWriters. Same goes for most blogs, magazines, and periodicals. Many writers sling articles out hoping they fit somewhere. Editors get more than enough good articles to select from without sorting through those that don't. And yes, word count matters. Pitch smart and accurately. Clean and intelligently.

3) Do not ask for the guidelines.

Editors do not have time to teach you how to write for them. It's your job to read the publication, hunt for guidelines, and pitch correctly. When you write and ask what an editor needs and how they want it, expect rejection. The exception to this rule is if you are well-established as a freelancer, can tout a serious string of credentials with superb publications, and want to write a letter of introduction instead.

4) Do not argue with the editor.

Arguing with an editor is asking for rejection. They don't have time for that. They also know better than you what best fits the publication.

Tough love indeed. A newbie or hobby writer may find these four lessons harsh. But the industry is not for the thin-skinned, and only those with fortitude and the will to succeed will last . . . and bother to freelance correctly.

Hope's Appearances

--August 5, 2017 - 1PM - Writer's Digest Online Mystery and Thriller Conference

--September 12 - 1PM - Mark Dawson Podcast Self-Publishing Formula

--September 24 - 7PM - The Writers Chatroom with Hope

--November 3-5, 2017 - Independent Writers Conference - Philadelphia, PA - and guess who is one of the presenters! I'd love to meet a herd of FundsforWriters followers while I'm there. Check it out.

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. Biweekly, with 65 contests, markets, grants, retreats, publishers, freelance gigs, magazines and more. $18.75 for a year, or 26 issues. To subscribe, simply go to www.paypal.me/chopeclark/18.75 or read more at FundsforWriters.com.

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

WORDS OF SUCCESS

A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.

- Greek Proverb -

Success Story

Hi Hope,

Long time reader and subscriber (from Australia) to Total Funds. Just to let you know that two of my stories have been picked up by U.S. literary journals. "Boat People" by The Tishman Review and "Weintraub's Disorder" by Flying South. Please keep your amazing assistance to writers coming.

Kind regards,
Yvonne Fein
First, do no harm - Galen
www.yvonnefein.net

Thinking Outside the Box, Turning Rejections to Payments

By Nick Taylor

It's always painful when we spend time writing up articles only to have them rejected, time and again. However, a simple technique can turn your rejection emails in to payments. You just need to think outside the normal boxes and appeal to a different audience.

Let me set the scene. Walking, hiking and backpacking are where I draw most of my inspiration for my writing. I planned a weekend trip to a 'mountain bothy', a small mountain shelter that is free to use and is a great place to spend an overnight in the wild. They are little more than brick built tents. On my return, I pitched an article to several magazines specialising in hiking and mountaineering. However, they all rejected me. Feeling a bit lost and dejected, I flicked through the long list of magazines accepting submissions.

After spending some time reworking the article, I submitted to a completely different genre. Living in the city of London and then spending time in the mountains of Wales, I had the chance to see more of the stars and the heavens than I had ever seen before. Reflecting on this, I decided that it would be good to rewrite the article for a Christian magazine. After all, I am a practising Christian, and enjoy reading about others experiences so why not share my own? I spent some time considering Bible quotations and rewriting the article to reflect how the experience could bring other people closer to God. As the article was for a non-specialist magazine, I need to adapt the language and add explanations that would be required for readers to understand the context of the article. The experience of rewriting was extremely useful, not just to be published, but also to find errors and to tidy up my original article.

I pitched to the editor and almost immediately received a response, requesting some images and examples of my previous writing. The article went to features meeting where it was accepted and so I sent the final article with the photographs that I had taken on my trip. The editor was impressed with the uniqueness of the article, especially for his magazine, which led to getting the article published. Having photographs helped too, as this meant that the editor had a complete package and did not need to spend money on stock photography.

Magazines that specialise in the outdoors will undoubtedly be inundated with lots of articles on the topic of spending a night in a bothy, so in order to stand out and have a chance of being published you need to provide a unique angle. Whereas a publication that has a different focus might be more willing to publish as you have a different angle. Try it with one of your own rejected article pitches. Where else could you submit it? Perhaps you could rewrite the news feature for a specialist magazine into an article for a local newspaper. Or maybe a local interest story that was covered by a staff writer could be written for a national publication by you. Try different outlets for your writing, but don't get tunnel vision thinking it is for a specific type of publication.

My tips for turning rejections to payments:

· Try rewriting the article for a different market

· Look beyond the obvious sources of income, who else might be interested

· Find a different angle for your article

· Try to include photographs and images as editors prefer a complete packaged (you may be paid more for it!)

Bio:
Nicholas Taylor is a freelance writer, working in London. Nicholas enjoys life in the outdoors, especially walking, climbing and mountain biking and draws much of his inspiration from this. He is a member of the Long Distance Walkers Association. Nicholas' first book, 'Tube Walks: 12 Countryside Walks from London's Tube Stations', is out now, available from www.lulu.com/spotlight/NickWalks. He blogs about the outdoors at http://nickhikes.wordpress.com

COmpetitions

WRITER'S BLOCK PRIZE
https://www.louisvilleliteraryarts.org/writersblockcontest
$12 ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 15, 2017. One first place winner will receive $500, an opportunity to read at the 2017 Writer’s Block Festival in Louisville, KY on October 21, and publication in The Louisville Review, the literary magazine of Spalding University’s nationally distinguished low residency MFA in Writing program. Please submit an original piece of creative nonfiction, such as personal or lyric essay, personal narrative, memoir, or any other form that involves a creative treatment of a nonfiction subject. Entries must be 4,000 words or less.

THE UNCLASSIFIABLES CONTEST
https://artsandletters.submittable.com/submit
$8 ENTRY FEE. Deadline July 31, 2017. This contest is for unclassifiable works: works that blur, bend, blend, erase, or obliterate genre and other labels. Works of up to 5,000 words considered. Judged by Michael Martone. The winner will receive $500 and publication. Finalists will also be considered for publication.

THE EPOCH TIMES
http://www.theepochtimes.com/inspiring-the-world/
NO ENTRY FEE. We are inviting submissions of short (500-1,000 words), nonfiction articles that highlight any of the following themes: compassion, redemption, triumph of the human spirit, and life’s surprises. There is no entrance fee. Each entry must include: an article plus supporting media (photo, video) plus a mockup of an Facebook post. Three deadlines: Group 1: July 24, 2017 at 11:59 p.m. EST. Group 2: August 7, 2017 at 11:59 p.m. EST. Group 3: August 21, 2017 at 11:59 p.m. EST. First prize $5,000, publication, and copy of print edition. Second prize $3,000 and same. Third prize $1,500 and same. Honorable mentions $200 and publication. Write an article that captures any of the following themes: Compassion, Redemption, Triumph of the human spirit, Life’s surprises.

SEAT 14C PRIZE
http://www.seat14c.com
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 25, 2017, by 11:59 pm Pacific Time. The winning story will be uploaded to Seat 14C on the seat map (see website). The winner will also receive: Roundtrip economy airfare to Tokyo, Japan for you and (1) guest on ANA Airlines* (ARV: $6,000); four nights’ accommodation in a 4-Star Hotel (ARV: $1,500); check for $1,500 (ARV: $1,500); GoPro Hero5 Black 4K video camera (ARV: $400); ili Handheld Universal Translator (ARV: $249), and membership and access to the acclaimed Science Fiction Advisory Council. Stories must be a minimum of 2,000 and a maximum of 4,000 words. Your story is a first-person account of the passenger in Seat 14C, on ANA Flight #008, as this passenger discovers they’ve mysteriously been transported 20 years into the future.

GRANTS

FULTON COUNTY ARTS GRANTS
http://fultonarts.org/images/events/2017/cfs-workshops-july-2017-1.jpg
For the arts in and around Atlanta, GA. For small, one time arts projects. Grants $1,500 to $2,000. Highly suggested you attend an application workshop. Several workshops planned in July.

SCANDINAVIAN FOLK ARTS AND CULTURES GRANTS
http://www.amscan.org/fellowships-grants/grants-for-folk-arts/
The American-Scandinavian Foundation (ASF) has released guidelines for a new program to support Scandinavian folk arts and cultural traditions in the Upper Midwest (defined as North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan). Two categories of support will be available—fellowships for artists and/or scholars and grants for public programs and community projects. All of our grants will encourage both the practice of folk arts and the presentation of those arts to public audiences.

SAG HARBOR CREATIVE NONFICTION WRITERS CONFERENCE SCHOLARSHIPS
https://foreverbungalows.com/sag-harbor-creative-nonfiction-writers-conference/
The Sag Harbor Creative Nonfiction Writers Conference is now accepting applications for two scholarships for their inaugural conference this November 2-5, 2017. The Sag Harbor Conference is the only small and focused nonfiction writing conference in the US. Located in Sag Harbor, the heart of the East end of Long Island, the conference features award-winning authors, editors, agents and marketing experts for a three-day intensive focused on both the craft and the business of writing essays, biography, memoir, true crime and narrative nonfiction. Faculty includes Patrica McCormick, Roger Rosenblatt, Donna Kaz, Matt Pasca, Terri Muuss, Sandra Yin, Roohi Choudhry, Alex Hess, Michelle Blankenship and Judson Merrill. The Sag Harbor Creative Nonfiction Writers Conference accepts just 16 writers and our student/faculty ratio is three to one. Two scholarships of $250 will be awarded. Applications are accepted only through July 28, 2017.

DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA ARTS COUNCIL EMERGING ARTIST GRANTS
http://www.durhamarts.org/artistinfo_emergingartists.html
Deadline September 22, 2017. Grants of up to $1,500 will be awarded in support of artistic projects in the areas of painting/drawing, photography, installation, film/video, drama, literature, printmaking/mixed media, craft, sculpture, dance, and music. To be eligible, applicants must be an individual artists (not an ensemble or group). In addition, applicants must have resided in Chatham, Durham, Granville, Orange, or Person counties for at least a year immediately prior to the application deadline.

FREELANCE MARKETS

ENROUTE
http://enroute.aircanada.com/en/articles/writers-guidelines/
Air Canada enRoute is a travel magazine with a Canadian perspective that speaks to an international readership. We engage our audience through intelligent writing, insight, humour and spot-on service journalism. Outline your story idea and your approach, writing your query in the same tone that you’re proposing for your piece, with a strong sense of place. Your pitch needs to fit on one printed page, contained in the body of an email.

HEALING LIFESTYLES
https://healinglifestyles.com
Healing Lifestyles & Spas’ content focuses on infusing integrative spa modalities and destination spa experiences ~ healing remedies ~ integrative medicine ~ wellness and sustainable practices into our daily lives; providing tools and inspiration to live a more healthy and healing spa lifestyle. We believe that spa living is a day-to-day experience. We all need to slow down, press pause, and nurture this absolute need to give back to ourselves. Living a healing lifestyle means taking care of the Earth and its people, and we thereby emphasize environmental wellness and sustainable living as a necessary component on this path. Pays $150 to $500 for articles of 1,000 to 2,000 words.

FT. MYERS MAGAZINE
http://www.ftmyersmagazine.com/FtMmag-WRITERS.html
Ft. Myers magazine is a bi-monthly magazine focusing on local and national arts and lifestyles throughout Lee and Collier Counties in Southwest Florida. Ft. Myers magazine is targeted at educated, active, creative and successful residents of Southwest Florida, ages 20-75 years old, as well as guests at the best hotels and resorts on the Gulf Coast. Pays ten cents/word for articles of 500 to 1,500 words.

CALIFORNIA REAL ESTATE MAGAZINE
http://www.car.org/knowledge/pubs/crem/writersguide/
Traditionally, California Real Estate magazine works with freelance writers on an assignment basis. To be considered for a freelance opportunity, please submit your résumé and three recent published samples of your writing. California Real Estate magazine works on a three to four-month lead time. View our editorial calendar.

JOBS

NEWSLETTER EDITOR DIGITAL
https://bu.silkroad.com/epostings/index.cfm?version=1&company_id=15509
Location Boston, Massachusetts. The Newsletter Editor works with WBUR digital and editorial management to create and implement a newsletter strategy that will meet the needs of a growing audience with engaging and meaningful content. This position will oversee the production of WBUR's editorial newsletter products. This includes editorial oversight, writing, and tracking the analytics of our editorial newsletters. Requires bachelor's degree with at least three to five years of related experience.

COPYEDITOR/WRITER
http://linksmedia.applytojob.com/apply/job_20170718192919_IVJDJAM9643IKXOE/CopyeditorWriter
Location Washington DC. We are looking for mid-level copyeditors to support a variety of government-agency based full-time positions. Position requirements will vary from position to position and may require subject matter expertise on topics such as public health, international development, environmental science, technology, security, finance, and other. Provide copyediting/proofreading services for publications. Ensure that all print deliverables comply with copyright, trademark laws and regulations.

COPYEDITOR/PROOFREADER
https://jobs.smartrecruiters.com/MichaelJHennessyAssociatesInc/743999656003370-copy-editor-proofreader
Location Cranbury, NJ. We are currently seeking a Copy Editor/Proof Reader to join our team. The ideal candidate is a dedicated, hard-working team player who thrives in a highly entrepreneurial, fast-paced environment, and can execute with excellence. This position will ensure all print and digital media meet the highest standards of accuracy and quality — through fact-checking and adherence to style guidelines.

Publishers/agents

ARBORDALE PUBLISHING
http://www.arbordalepublishing.com/Submissions.htm
Our mission is to get children excited about science and math through fun-to-read picture book stories. We are primarily looking for fiction manuscripts with non-fiction facts woven into the story, although we will also consider some non-fiction stories. In every manuscript, we look for a "cuddle factor" that will make parents and children want to read it together.

BLUE BIKE BOOKS
http://www.bluebikebooks.com/Submission_Guidelines.html
Blue Bike Books is looking for authors and manuscripts for books about trivia and weird science. While most of our books are targeted to a general audience, the science books are intended for younger readers (approximately ages 10–14), though we will also consider science books for a general audience. At the present time, we are looking for material in the following areas: food trivia, holiday trivia, cultural trivia (births, deaths, weddings, etc.), strange/weird science, and strange phenomena.

BLUE RIVER PRESS
http://brpressbooks.com/about-us/
We are currently looking for nonfiction content suitable for producing in book format and appealing to a general or specialized audience. We are interested in both series products and stand-alone books. We seek knowledgeable authors with a passion for their subject and a willingness to promote their ideas and books. Considers subjects of sports, health, fitness, education, games, popular culture, travel, and more.

LIBRARY TALES PUBLISHING
http://www.librarytalespublishing.com/pages/About-Us.html
Library Tales Publishing is an independent book publishing company founded in 2011. The company is focused on publishing, marketing and distributing self-help, memoirs and niche fiction books by qualified and talented authors. Library Tales Publishing has domestic and international distribution, film rights, and sales representation throughout the world and is heavily invested in digital and physical distribution channels; its editorial choices are motivated primarily by quality content and long-term relationship potential with its authors.