FundsforWriters - October 27, 2017

FundsforWriters - October 27, 2017 - Loving the Bad

Published: Fri, 10/27/17

Volume 17, Issue 43 | OCTOBER 27, 2017

Message from the Editor

People occasionally ask me how the chickens are doing. For those of you who don't know, I raise chickens. Fourteen buff Orpington hens in one coop, and a rooster and four ten-year-old hens in another.

We go back a ways. Alex here is my only rooster. I raised him from an egg. He's a mutt rooster, meaning he has so many different varieties in him we aren't sure what he is. But in his eight-year-old life, he's been mighty pretty and served his flock well.

For the last year, he's had health troubles, though. He has a growth on his upper thigh which hurts him and has reduced him to being a one-legged bird. He no longer can climb inside the coop, but luckily the facility I've built leaves him comfortably outside. With winter coming, however, I'm going to have to build him his own little house to stay warm. I'm glad we're in the South.

But as awkward and painful as that little man appears to be, he keeps on keeping on. He handles his hens, to include still servicing them every now and then. He eats well. I can see him struggle with some things, but see him still fighting to be his best at others.

We don't find a place in life and plant ourselves there. We will constantly change. That includes our writing. We should ever strive to write better, market better, learn how to publish better, and satisfy readers better. Whether we are 18 or 88, we should still strive to improve.

We never truly arrive until we stop breathing.

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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

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EDitor’s THOUGHTS

LOVING THE BAD

“Attaining lasting happiness requires that we enjoy the journey on our way toward a destination we deem valuable. Happiness, therefore, is not about making it to the peak of the mountain, nor is it about climbing aimlessly around the mountain: happiness is the experience of climbing toward the peak.” - Tal Ben-Shahar, Harvard professor who taught one of the most popular classes in the university's history — Positive Psychology 1504

The world is awash in disgruntled writers, angry about the difficulty of the writing profession. Every profession has its difficulties, but because we are writing for the love of it, we become incensed when we face obstacles or must perform aspects of writing we do not like.

Writing is what it is. You must take the bad with the good or you are not fully invested in the profession. And the less time you spend on grumbling, the more time you can spend on improving at writing, publishing, and marketing. The writers choosing to just stick with what they enjoy are the ones not selling their work.

Author Julianna Baggott recently guest posted on Writer Unboxed (http://writerunboxed.com/2017/10/17/the-writerly-skills-test/) about this issue. While teaching a class, she asked writers what they prefer not to do in their writing. Not write in first person, for instance. Her response was to write exclusively in first person until the fear was gone.

Often what we perceive as bad in our profession is simply a fear of what we can't do well. The answer is to face those fears and dive into learning more about them, until they are no longer fears and become a part of our writing toolbox.

Same goes for publishing. Are you listening to blog posts about not pitching to agents and going indie? Are you afraid of the rejection? Are you afraid your work isn't up to par for traditional? Pitching traditionally might solve both those issues.

Ms. Baggott also gave her class a list of 100 items on a Writer Skills List. You'll find it here. Rank yourself 1-10 on each one. What are the worst three? Bingo. Now you have your homework.

PREVIOUS FAVORITE POSTS:

WORDS OF SUCCESS

"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."

~Albert Einstein~

Success Story

Hi Hope,

I've had more good news two weeks ago from one of your postings. LIGOURIAN magazine bought my story "Finding God at the Beach" and it will appear in their March 2018 issue. And on October 22, I discovered this exciting news below.

Dear Laura, Congratulations! Your short story entitled The Small Red Dot has won third place in Creative Writing Institute's Annual Short Story Contest! Your prize is $50 ( OR $125 applied toward a privately tutored writing course), publication in our anthology and a bronze eMedal for your website. Very best, Deborah Owen CEO, Creative Writing Institute http://www.CreativeWritingInstitute.com

Thank you, again.
Laura Lee Perkins, MS
www.LauraLeePerkinsAuthor.com / spiritualquest@earthlink.net

Make Money Teaching Memoir Writing Workshops

By Jacquie McTaggart

Stop. Before you dismiss the idea with “I don’t know much about memoir writing and I’m not a teacher,” hear me out. If you’ve ever shown anyone how to do anything, you’re a teacher. And learning the ropes of memoir writing is child’s play – if you know how to access a search engine.
Using my best friend Google, I entered “memoir writing.” After scouring several articles in that category I went on to “Memoir Writing Prompts,” “Memoir Writing Exercises,” and finally “Memoir Writing Workshops.” Within a couple of weeks I grew comfortable with the “how” of teaching a memoir writing workshop.

Next I needed to find a place to hold the workshop and identify a funding source. I started with a call to our public library director and asked if she was interested in a six-week “What’s Your Story?” memoir writing workshop for seniors. She sounded enthused and invited me to stop by the library for an in-depth discussion on the matter.

By 2 o’clock that afternoon it was a done deal. We would meet in the Community Room at the public library from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on Mondays for six weeks. The library staff would advertise the class, provide coffee, juice and munchies, and print all handouts. And…drum roll…the Friends of the Library would foot the bill: $100 per session for a total of $600. Life was good.

Although there are countless ways to run a writing workshop, this is the format (after some trial and error) that I used during each presentation: (1) Tell a “senior” joke (2) Select ten volunteers to read aloud a piece written at home (3) Hold a chew and chat break (4) Teach a mini-lesson on one writing craft (5) Distribute handouts that correlate with the day’s mini-lesson (6) Announce a category for the weekly write-at-home assignment.

Caution: It’s important to urge participants to not skip a class just because they didn’t complete that week’s assignment. Sometimes life gets in the way, and that’s understandable. This “permission” is indicative of the relaxed atmosphere I maintained throughout the entire workshop. I believe it is the primary reason my workshops have been so successful.

How successful were the sessions? Pardon me while I boast. The first group of writers requested (and were granted) an additional six-week workshop for the following year, and word spread to neighboring towns and cities with lightning speed. As of this writing I have done ten six-week sessions at public libraries, with three more on the docket for next fall. I have kept my fee at $600 per series, plus $.57 per mi. travel expense. Thus far, the Friends of The Library, a nationwide network of non-profit groups that raise money to help public libraries, has funded all of the workshops. There is of course, no fee for participants.

Why is this relatively simple endeavor so popular? I think participants enjoy the experience for a number of reasons: It gives them a sense of purpose and a feeling of accomplishment; they have an opportunity to share their stories with others in a warm and friendly environment; they make new friends; and everyone – including the instructor – has a rip-roaring good time.
Growing older doesn’t mean we have to stop growing or enjoy doing it.

BIO: Jacquie McTaggart of Independence, Iowa, is the author of two books: From the Teacher’s Desk and If They Don’t Learn the Way You Teach...Teach the Way They Learn. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Better Homes and Gardens, Parenting, American Educator, Reading Today, Teacher, The Catholic Teacher, Funds for Writers, Writer’s Digest, Writer’s Weekly, ByLine, This Active Life, Grand, and in numerous metropolitan parenting publications.

COmpetitions

2018 TEN-MINUTE PLAY FEST
http://www.etcmemphistheater.com/the-2018-play-fest-info.html
$10 ENTRY FEE. Deadline April 1, 2018. Theme: GAYDAR. Every script must have two to four characters. No children's shows or musicals. Ten pages (ten minutes) maximum. Will be staged in strict "black box" style with modest technical support. First prize $300 plus a trophy. Second prize $200 plus a medal. Third prize $100 plus a medal.

FOURTH RIVER FOLIO CONTEST
https://4thriver.submittable.com/submit/67198/the-fourth-river-folio-contest
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline December 15, 2017. The winning entry will be published as a 20-25-page feature in our fall, 2018 online issue. The author will also receive a cash prize of $500, and a subscription to The Fourth River’s print edition. For all our submissions, themed or otherwise, we especially welcome work by writers who are part of marginalized groups: immigrant and indigenous writers; writers of color; women, non-binary, LGBQA and trans writers; writers with disabilities both visible and invisible. No racist, misogynistic, homophobic or otherwise gratuitously hateful work will be considered.

CAFE WRITERS OPEN POETRY COMPETITION
http://cafewriters.co.uk/home/poetry-competition/
£4 ENTRY FEE. Deadline November 30, 2017. First prize £1,000. Second prize £300. Third prize £200. Six Commended Prizes of £50. Funniest Poem £100. The Norfolk Prize £100 awarded to the best poem from a permanent Norfolk resident not winning another prize. Maximum of 40 lines (excluding title) on one side of A4.

LEX LEAD
http://www.lex-lead.org/Scholarships.php
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline November 30, 2017. Lex:lead is a group of international lawyers and friends who support economic development focusing on the world's least developed countries. We offer an annual essay competition on topics of law and development to the world's least developed countries. In this way we transfer one-time US$500 awards to students addressing our fundamental question: What can law do to reduce poverty and foster economic growth? Candidates must have citizenship in an eligible country and be a law student enrolled in studies in an eligible country at the time of award. Up to ten awards will be granted in February 2018.

GRANTS

WRITING BETWEEN THE VINES
https://www.writingbetweenthevines.org/
Deadline November 11, 2017. Writing Between the Vines offers writers a space to work, a place to create - surrounded by the beauty and majesty of vineyards in locations around the world. Funded through application fees and in partnership with wineries, Writing Between the Vines provides writers the time to focus on works in progress or cultivate new ideas in residencies of up to one week in length at no charge. Vineyard retreats for writers in all genres including fiction, non-fiction, screenwriting, and poetry.

SOUTH CAORLINA FAST TRACK LITERARY GRANTS
http://schumanities.org/grants/howtoapply/
Fast Track Literary Grants are intended to support new or existing public literary programs such as (but not limited to) writers series, festivals, conferences, workshops, or writer’s residencies at schools. Awards are $3,000 or less. Deadlines December 4, 2017, March 5, 2018, June 4, 2018, September 4, 2018.

CHICAGO MINI-GRANTS FOR ARTISTS IN THE LITERARY, PERFORMING, AND VISUAL ARTS
http://www.chicagoartistsresource.org/calls-for-artists/grants-individual-artists-creative-endeavors-literary-performing-and-visual-arts
Grants averaging $250 to individual artists to support creative endeavors in the literary, performing, and visual arts. Funds are intended to be used for expenses such as art supplies, recording studio time, exhibits, performances, project related expenses, etc.

CHILDREN'S LITERATURE ASSOCIATION DIVERSITY RESEARCH GRANT
http://www.childlitassn.org/diversity-research-grant
A grant to support research related to children’s and young adult cultural artifacts (including media, culture, and texts) about populations that have been traditionally underrepresented or marginalized culturally and/or historically. Awards will range from $500 to $1000, depending upon the winning proposal’s projected budgetary considerations. Each grant will be awarded with the expectation that the undertaking will lead to publication and make a significant contribution to the field of children's literature scholarship or criticism. Within two years of receiving the grant, the recipient will be asked to submit a paper proposal based upon the project for presentation at a ChLA annual conference. Funds may be used for, but are not restricted to, research-related expenses such as travel to special collections, subvention funds, or purchasing materials and supplies. The awards may not be used for obtaining advanced degrees, for researching or writing a thesis or dissertation, for textbook writing, or for pedagogical projects. Winners must be members of the Children's Literature Association before they receive any funds.

FREELANCE MARKETS

THE HORSE NETWORK
https://horsenetwork.com/contribute/
We are currently prioritizing submissions relating to: horse health, interviews, profiles and human interest stories. Write from the heart! The horse world is a diverse and bottomless well of information. If you care about an issue, chances are someone else does, too. We’ve found that 500-750 words is a sweet spot for posts. In addition to regular article fees, contributing authors have the chance to earn social share bonuses for their stories. If we publish your post and it gets shared more than 1,000 times on social media, we’ll also pay you $100.

CHICKEN SOUP: THE EMPOWERED WOMAN
http://www.chickensoup.com
Deadline January 10, 2018. Whether you are single or married, working or retired, widowed or divorced, working or stay-at-home, you are in-charge of your life and the decisions you make. A woman doesn't have to lose her femininity or become a bully to be empowered. A woman doesn't have to be single, divorced or widowed to be looked upon as independent. Married women and women in relationships are independent too. We are looking for your true stories on how you are running your life, how you became empowered and achieved independence. You will receive a check for $200 and 10 free copies of your book.

COMPELLING SCIENCE FICTION
http://compellingsciencefiction.com/guidelines.html
Deadline December 1, 2017. At Compelling Science Fiction, we have two main goals: to find, publish, and promote the best science fiction stories, and to support and encourage the authors who write them. We currently pay 6 cents/word for accepted stories. Length 1,000 to 10,000 words.

ECONTENT
http://www.econtentmag.com/About_Us
By covering the latest tools, strategies, and thought-leaders in the digital content ecosystem, EContent magazine and EContentmag.com keep professionals ahead of the curve in order to maximize their investment in digital content strategies while building sustainable, profitable business models. Pay around $200.

JOBS

AWESOME BLOGGER FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Locations Nashville, TN, Portland, OR, Minneapolis, MN, Boston, MA, and Denver, CO.
https://jobs.smartrecruiters.com/TritonCreative/743999659384332--awesome-blogger-for-women-s-health-and-wellness
Are you a prolific writer, experienced in women’s health and wellness, who likes to research and learn about different topics? We are a growing web design agency seeking a talented writer to join us on a freelance basis. Our client is a health and nutrition coach. Your main task will be to write for her blog and create social media posts to promote the articles. We might also ask you to write e-books, case studies, and new pages on her website. NOTE: Do a search on this site for Triton Creative and you'll find all the positions like this.

WRITER AT LARGE
Location Flexible.
https://www.simplyhired.com/job/McwJFWNao-feS2DAjDYrb3NK5yUH--6B2hmGxWFkMJ_hEydRjbOKmw
Every year, The New York Times recommends 52 Places to Go, one place to dream about exploring each week. The list is an ambitious forecast of which beaches will remain unspoiled, which starchitect-designed museums will live up to their renderings and which culinary treasures are worth hopping a flight to eat. This year, we want at least one ambitious traveler to turn our wish list into an itinerary. We are seeking a writer who will go to every destination on our list and tell us the story of each place and the story of life on the road.

FREELANCE BLOGGER
https://www.simplyhired.com/job/gSDo9R5fm9Q9M01yfvGrwCTikt4aFnt-UPotUzuorDTO4TW8o3REAw
Multiple locations.
Cardwell Beach, the world's best new marketing company, is looking for freelance bloggers to join our team. Initially this will be a freelance position though would ideally grow into full time as the business continues to grow and take over (as we have done with other hires). This position is offsite. NOTE: When you go to this job, in the search at the top of the page, search for "Freelance Blog Writer Cardwell Beach" to learn of the many locations.

Publishers/agents

THISTLEDOWN PRESS
https://www.thistledownpress.com/html/writers/submission_guidelines/index.cfm
Seeks works of fiction (novels and short story collections). We do not publish romance, science fiction, horror, westerns, or fiction in verse. Submission and reading dates are August 1 through November 30. Seeks collections of poetry (single-author collections only). We do not publish cowboy poetry, inspirational poetry, or poetry for children. Submission and reading dates are December 1 through February 28. Seeking books for teen readers (YA novels). We are looking for full-length fiction in this genre. We do not publish picture books or poetry collections for teens. Submission and reading dates are October 1 through January 1. Also seeks works of literary nonfiction (single-author collections only). We focus on writing that explores natural history where human connections and relationships to nature are dominant. We do not publish works written for academic audiences or scientific communities. Submission and reading dates are January 1 through April 30. We do not publish middle years (ages 8-12) nor children's manuscripts.

CASTELAINE PRESS
https://www.castelane.com/WrongTree-Press-Submissions-s/2061.htm
We are looking for Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance novellas of 20,000 to 25,000 words. Preference will be given to novellas that can be extended into a series of three or more books. We like stories that stand alone within the 25,000 narrative but have an over-arcing subplot that extends over several books.

SPENCER HILL PRESS
https://www.spencerhillpress.com/contact-us/submission-guidelines/
Spencer Hill Press focuses on fiction, particularly YA and Romance. We do accept Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, and Middle-Grade submissions. We are particularly interested in books that are series. We do not accept manuscripts that are not complete.

HALLMARK CHANNEL
http://www.hallmarkchannel.com/hallmark-publishing/write-for-us
We’re looking for wholesome or “sweet” romance novels and cozy mystery novels of around 65,000 – 85,000 words in length. We love romances and mysteries that also celebrate friendship, family, and/or community ties. All stories must have happy endings. For romance, we’re mostly looking for light contemporary stories set in the United States. We’d especially love to see Christmas, small town, and seasonal themes (winter, Valentine’s Day, spring, June brides, beach reads, fall), and we want to hear about your series ideas. We’re interested in romantic suspense. We’ll consider historical romance set in North America or the U.K. While we aren’t looking for heavy redemption arcs, religious elements in a story are fine. We aren’t interested in paranormal romance in general, but we’re open to time travel or a little bit of magic. For mystery, we’re mostly seeking contemporary stories set in the United States. We’d love to see ideas for series. We aren’t looking for young adult, other fiction genres, or nonfiction at this time.