FundsforWriters - December 29, 2017

FundsforWriters - December 29, 2017 - Hush and Just Do It

Published: Fri, 12/29/17

Volume 17, Issue 52 | DECEMBER 29, 2017

Message from the Editor

If someone asked me to guesstimate how 2017 would take place, I'd have been so far off the mark it isn't funny. If 2017 taught me anything, it's that I can weather some mighty hard stuff.

Lessons I've learned:

1) I can write through most anything, from bad health to Alzheimer's parents.
2) People can be disappointing, but it's up to me how deeply I let them hurt.
3) People can be awesome coming to your aid (to include late night Messenger chats).
4) Life is short (i.e., Sue Grafton died yesterday, one of my favorite mystery authors -and my good online writing friend Glenn Walker)
5) Don't think your day can't get worse...it can.

But here I am, at the end of 2017, and I'm living, breathing, and still writing. I'm still loved and loving others. I've survived and gathered lessons and built a new perspective as to what I'm worth and how much is in my control. I'm stronger.

And you are, too, if you think about it. Life is a lesson. Happy New Year to you all!

- - -

As a reminder, Echoes of Edisto, book 3 in the Edisto Island Mysteries, is on sale for $1.99 on ALL platforms from through Dec 31. Then what's even cooler, is that book 4, Edisto Stranger, is on sale for $1.99 Jan 1-15, 2018!

C. Hope Clark
Editor, FundsforWriters
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TWITTER - http://twitter.com/hopeclark
AUTHOR SITE - http://www.chopeclark.com
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Happy Holidays from the Clark household.

As usual, Ms. Clark delivers a riveting ride, with her irrepressible characters set squarely in the driver’s seat. If it wasn’t so much fun to be re-united with Callie Jean Morgan and the rest of the Edisto gang I might have to scold Clark for keeping me up way past my bedtime. But lucky for her, this read is worth every lost wink."

- Rachel Gladstone, Dish Magazine

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

HUSH AND JUST DO IT

"You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do." ~Henry Ford

Recently, I had a young family member tell me that his grades were down because he hadn't adapted this special way of studying, and that next semester, he'd have better grades because of this new-found method of learning. In a nice but firm way, I told him that I didn't want to hear what he was going to do. I only wanted to see what he'd done once he accomplished it.

Social media abounds with promises and plans on how someone is going to create, be better, make great strides. In my experience, we lose the energy surrounding those goals by bragging to the world before the deal happens.

Derek Sivers, in a 2010 TED Talk, suggests we keep our goals to ourselves. https://www.ted.com/talks/derek_sivers_keep_your_goals_to_yourself

"Tests done since 1933 show that people who talk about their intentions are less likely to make them happen. Announcing your plans to others satisfies your self-identity just enough that you’re less motivated to do the hard work needed."

There's somewhat of a myth, a common suggestion, that if you tell people what you are going to do that it makes you more accountable. I've never seen that proven. Sure, we have our writers' groups and critique groups, but do they make you follow through? Not really. You are the only person who can make yourself follow through. And it's nobody else's fault that you don't.

A journalist with Forbes, Jamie Farrell, curiously wondered what would happen if she quit talking about herself and what she "planned" to do.

"For one day, I decided to stop talking and start doing. And here’s what I found: First, I found that I was lonely. I was so accustomed to my ego being stroked by the people I surrounded myself with online that I had forgotten what it was like to be alone. Someone once said you can only be happy when you’re alone if you like the person you’re alone with. I think today’s society has taken away from alone time. Even when we’re alone, we’re still communicating; be it on Twitter, Facebook, blogging, Google + or the next “big thing.” Second, I was productive. I wasn’t writing about “getting out of my comfort zone.” instead I was actually working to push myself out of my comfort zone. I found work to challenge myself and enveloped myself in it. . . Most importantly, I was doing. I wasn’t talking about what I WOULD do, or what I DID do. I just did."

And I'm not giving you permission to blame social media, either. What I'd love for you to do is talk less about the doing and just do more. On this, our last newsletter in 2017, in a year I did so much less than I have in over a decade, I am making 2018 about DOING. Not talking about doing, but following through. And I look forward to hearing from you when you have all those new announcements to make about what you DID.

Happy New Year!

PREVIOUS FAVORITE POSTS:

On sale $1.99 on all platforms January 1-15, 2018.

WORDS OF SUCCESS

"What the New Year brings to you will depend a great deal on what you bring to the New Year."

– Vern McLellan

SUccess Story

Dear Hope-

Thank you for all the wonderful information you provide in FundsforWriters. I wrote you over a year ago with a success story. I'm writing to share two more.

First, in December 2016, you listed information about the Writers & Books Gell Residency for writers with children. I applied and received news in the spring of 2017 that Writers & Books selected me as the recipient of the urban residency. I used my week in July to almost finish my essay collection due to my publisher in early September. This residency was truly a gift and occurred at the perfect time.

Second, in July 2016, you listed information about the North Carolina Arts Council fellowship in prose and poetry. I applied and received news this past August that I am a 2017 NC Arts Council Literature Fellow. What an immense honor and a huge affirmation of my writing. In addition to receiving the monetary award, because of this grant, I've also been able to participate in several readings across North Carolina. What a great opportunity to introduce more people to my work ahead of the release of my essay collection in 2018.

Thank you, Hope, for providing grant and residency information to your readers. I am grateful.

All best,

Patrice Gopo
To receive news regarding Patrice's forthcoming essay collection about race, identity, and belonging, please go to www.patricegopo.com/receive-updates.

eatured article

Hardcore Research for Journalists

By Alex J. Coyne

Some facts are harder to verify than others and some sources can seem impossible to track down, but they shouldn’t keep you from telling the story. Here’s a look at the best resources and tips for the gritty kind of research.

Specialized Search Engines

Specialized search engines find specific content. TinEye and PicSearch reverse-searches images to find the image’s source, online mentions and similar images. Google Book Search and Amazon A9 searches book texts for research and quotes. Pipl and ZabaSearch can help you track down a source online.

Searching News Archives

News archives are a rich resource for tracking leads, verifying facts and finding a story’s origin. Google Newspaper Archives, Free Newspaper Archives, British Newspaper Archives, Newspapers,Newspaper Archiveand The Library of Congresses Chronicling America are good ones. Query local publications and smaller prints, too.

Public Record Information

Public record information can give you background on a sketchy source or show you the facts behind the people you’re interviewing. Information considered public record in the USA include personal criminal records and marriage licenses but also information on companies. In some cases, you might have to write to your state under Freedom of Information laws to request it. And the federal government has its own set of FOIA laws under which they are obliged to provide information.

Asking an Expert

Sometimes, you have to ask an expert to verify fact. As a journalist, build up a list of on-call experts in every field, from lawyers to scientists. This is your “little black book of sources”. Connect with foundations and support groups – sometimes as easy to find as typing “the foundation for X” into a search bar. You can also make use of catalogues filled with experts for journalists like SourceBottle, Expert Sources, Expertise Finder, Expert Guide, ProfNet and Help a Reporter.

Checking Hard Facts

Many facts, especially technical, very old or obscure information can only be found in books – think, for example, of genealogical research. Amazon and Google Books can find the text to most of what’s out there; for textbooks, try MIT, Bookfinder and eBay.Don’t forget about libraries, either: Most will provide you with an online catalogue of works.

Fact-Checking Sites

Not entirely sure about a cited story or fact? Fact-checking websites can be a big help, providing you make use of (several) reputable ones and are able to cross-reference what you find. Duke Reporters’ Lab keeps a list of international fact-checkers. Also try AfricaCheck, FactCheck and The Washington Post.

Citing Sources

Note your list of sources at the end of your article, or on a separate page. Here’s a citation guide from the University of Pittsburgh linking you right to APA, MLA and Chicago style guidelines.

A Journalist’s Responsibility

As a journalist/writer, you have a responsibility to use several reliable sources. This means never fabricating a source, never twisting what the source has said, always verifying the source’s reliability with several others and to make really sure what you’re stating as fact isn’t fake (or even slightly shaky) news. Sometimes, sources might ask to speak off the record – of course, keep it that way.

About the Author: Alex J. Coyne is a journalist, author and language practitioner with hundreds of feature articles from his pen.

COmpetitions

THE FOUNTAIN ESSAY CONTEST
http://www.fountainmagazine.com/essaycontest
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline January 31, 2018. Theme: How to Face a Disaster. Contest open to all writers worldwide. Essay word count must be between 1,500 and 2,500. First Place - $1,000. Second Place - $500. Third Place - $300. Two Honorable Mentions - $150 each.

GUERNSEY INTERNATIONAL POETRY COMPETITION
https://www.guernseyliteraryfestival.com/index.php/2015-04-07-09-46-01/poems-on-the-move
£4 ENTRY FEE. Deadline February 15, 2018. Limit 14 lines per poem. The competition, which has a first prize of £1,000, gives you the chance to have your poems read by thousands, on the move, in the beautiful island of Guernsey. The winning poets will have the opportunity to see their work on the move, on Guernsey’s buses, and at the airport. Open to anyone.

THE GOLDEN BAOBAB PRIZE FOR EARLY CHAPTER BOOKS
http://www.goldenbaobab.org/prizes/gbp-for-early-chapter-books
Deadline March 31, 2018. The Golden Baobab Prize for Early Chapter Books is awarded to the best unpublished manuscript for an early chapter book targeting readers aged 9 to 11 years old. The prize package includes an award of $5,000 (USD), the opportunity to publish with and receive royalties from Golden Baobab’s top tier African and international publishing partners, the benefit of increased publicity that comes with being named a Golden Baobab Prize winner. Submissions should be between 7,000 and 10,000 words in length. Entry is open to citizens of an African country.

THE JAMES WHITE AWARD
http://www.jameswhiteaward.com/rules
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline April 27, 2018. The James White Award is a competition for original short stories of not more than 6,000 words by non-professional writers. This year’s prize is £200 plus publication in Interzone. This aim of the competition is to highlight new writers. It is open to writers of any age and nationality, but it is not open to professional authors.

GRANTS

ANTARCTIC ARTISTS AND WRITERS PROGRAM
https://www.nsf.gov/geo/opp/aawr.jsp
Deadline June 1, 2018. The Antarctic Artists & Writers Program provides opportunities for scholars in the humanities (painting, photography, writing, history, and other liberal arts) to work in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. These visitors will be able to make observations at U.S. Antarctic Program stations and research camps and in wilderness areas. The purpose is to enable serious writings and the arts that increase understanding of the Antarctic and help document America's antarctic heritage. The Antarctic Artists and Writers Program furnishes U.S. Antarctic Program operational support, and round-trip economy air tickets between the United States and the Southern Hemisphere, to artists and writers whose work requires them to be in the Antarctic to complete their proposed project. The Program does not provide any funding to participants, including for such items as salaries, materials, completion of the envisioned works, or any other purpose.

SHAKESPEARE AND COMPANY TUMBLEWEEDS - PARIS
https://shakespeareandcompany.com/35/history/38/about-tumbleweeds
George Whitman founded the bookstore in 1951 with the motto "be not inhospitable to strangers lest they be angels in disguise" and threw open the doors to all sorts of writers, artists, and intellectuals who sought refuge. In exchange, Tumbleweeds (as guests came to be called) were asked only to "read a book a day," help out in the shop for a couple of hours, and write a single-page autobiography for George's archives. Today, the bookshop has housed an estimated 30,000 Tumbleweeds, our shelves are crammed with autobiographies and stories of romances played out beneath the beams, and—most importantly—we have no intention of closing our doors. If you'd like to know more about becoming a Tumbleweed, please email news@shakespeareandcompany.com with “Tumbleweed” in the subject line.

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR WRITER ISLAND
https://artsmith.submittable.com/submit
The Doug & Ann Johnson Scholarship covers workshop fees and two night's lodging for one of two Writer Island workshops on Orcas Island in 2018. Two scholarships will be awarded. Submit a brief statement, 100 words or less, of how a workshop will benefit your writing practice at this time. Please bear in mind that this is not the place for hardship requests. Instead, talk to us in terms of craft and your current artistic explorations. Location Washington State.

ARTSMITH ARTIST RESIDENCY ON ORCAS ISLAND
http://orcasartsmith.org/residency.html
Each year Artsmith grants Artist Residency Fellowships of time and space in the San Juan Islands for artists, scholars, and writers to create new works. Up to five fellows at a time stay in individual rooms with private baths as guests of Artsmith and Kangaroo House B&B, and have access to the inn's amenities, including wireless Internet and our garden hot tub. The residency offers lodging at the historic Kangaroo House Bed & Breakfast to five interdisciplinary artists the week of January 2-9, 2018. Beginning in 2017, artists selected for the residency on Orcas Island receive a $50 honorarium to help offset travel costs. Applications for the 2019 residency will be accepted March 1 to May 31, 2018. Location Washington State.

FREELANCE MARKETS

UPWORTHY
http://www.upworthy.com/pitch-us
Upworthy reaches a massive audience with meaningful stories every day, and we're looking for original stories that support our mission of creating a better world. Our stories are generally short (usually less than 500 words), but we're open to unusual ideas that will resonate with millions of people, and we love to experiment. Most stories of this short length will be paid at a fair base rate with traffic and distribution bonuses, and all of that will be hashed out in your contract if we decide to work together. Per www.makealivingwriting.com, expect $200 plus bonuses based upon traffic.

READER'S DIGEST
https://www.rd.com/magazine/submissions/
We accept one-page queries that clearly detail the article idea–with special emphasis on the arc of the story, your interview access to the main characters, your access to special documents, etc. We look for dramatic narratives, articles about everyday heroes, crime dramas, adventure stories. Do include a separate page of your writing credits.

LIGHTSPEED
https://johnjosephadams.moksha.io/publication/lightspeed/guidelines
LIGHTSPEED will be open to submissions February 5 - February 19, 2018. Lightspeed seeks original science fiction and fantasy stories. All types of science fiction and fantasy are welcome. No subject should be considered off-limits, and we encourage writers to take chances with their fiction and push the envelope. See the open times for submissions. We are open to stories of 1,500-10,000 words. Stories of 5,000 words or less are preferred. Lightspeed pays eight cents per word for original fiction, or two cents per word for reprints.

THE BOOK SMUGGLERS
http://thebooksmugglers.com/2017/10/book-smugglers-publishing-open-call-short-stories-submissions-2018-awakenings.html
Deadline December 31, 2017. We’re looking for original English language short stories from all around the world. Our goal is to publish at least four pieces of short fiction–short stories (at least 1,500 words) or novelettes (up to 17,500 words)–unified by a central theme. Each short story will be accompanied by one original piece of artwork, commissioned especially for the work. The theme is "awakenings." We will be paying $0.08 per word up to $800.

JOBS

COPYWRITER - Wilmington, North Carolina
https://recruiting.ultipro.com/CAS1012CBINC/JobBoard/1a776b0c-cc01-44eb-aed8-4377f262cc22/
This position is responsible for developing and executing written communication concepts with consideration of target audience(s), objectives and goals. The copywriter must demonstrate an outstanding ability to tell an impactful and memorable story and also be experienced in public relations and social media.

WEBSITE & PUBLICATIONS EDITOR - State of Wisconsin
http://wisc.jobs/public/job_view.asp?annoid=93577&jobid=93091&org=145&class=12362
Job Announcement Code: 17-03123. Starting salary will be between $17.25-$28.46 an hour depending on qualifications plus benefits. Under general supervision of the agency’s Legislative Liaison and Public Information Officer, this position is responsible for the content development and maintenance of the agency Internet and Intranet, agency forms and templates, and facilitating the process of publishing agency publications in final copy for print and Web site distribution.

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT AND WRITER - Winter Garden, FL
https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Colonial-House-Press/jobs/Editorial-Assistant-Writer-881a7ebd18982c83
Colonial House Press is seeking a full-time editorial assistant for immediate employment. Colonial House Press is an independent publisher of educational material, and we’re proud to service two rapidly growing Internet magazines, one of which is an Inc. 5,000 company. We’re currently seeking a highly-motivated individual who’s eager to join our team and grow with our brands. Your main role will be to aid and boost our creative department through a variety of tasks, including content writing and research. No sales involved.

Publishers/agents

SPEAKING VOLUMES
http://www.speakingvolumes.us/products-submission-guidelines.asp
Speaking Volumes seeks manuscripts in most genres from veteran authors, to first time unpublished authors, award-winning scholars, poets and authors with an established following in their area of expertise. Our interests include Fiction, Nonfiction, Novels, Novellas, and collections of Short Stories in the following genres: Science Fiction, Mystery, Romance, Action Adventure, Horror, Young-Adult, Children's, Folklore, Poetry and Scholarly works. We seek manuscripts that are complete and have been copyedited, proofread, and fact-checked before submission to us. We also seek previous-published material whose rights have reverted back to the author. Speaking Volumes retains the sole discretion to decide whether a manuscript merits publication.

BLUE SWAN PUBLISHING
http://blueswanpublishing.com/submissions/
Actively seeking Inspirational and/or Sweet themed manuscripts, contemporary to Historical to cover our romance genre at Blue Swan Publishing. Think Hallmark Hall of Fame, Janette Oke, Little House on the Prairie, etc. We are looking for sweet, traditional romance with strong, irresistible characters. Romance at its best with endless possibilities of love, life, and happiness. We are also seeking Mysteries/suspense, Thrillers, Science Fiction, Fantasy genres that fall under that inspirational umbrella. Many of the End Time or Apocalypse books fall under the Science Fiction sub-genre. And finally, we are also seeking manuscripts in the Young Adult category of all genres. Blue Swan Publishing is a full service, royalty paying eBook Publisher, an imprint of Ten West Publishing.

BOUKOUTURE
http://www.bookouture.com/submission-guidelines/
We’re looking for entertaining, emotional stories for smart, modern women. Books that effortlessly transport readers to another world and keep them turning the pages. Genres we're interested in: Contemporary Romance, Paranormal, Romance, Historical Romance, Romantic Suspense, Romantic Comedy, Women’s Fiction, Chick Lit, New Adult, Young Adult, Erotica, Crime & Thriller, Commercial Literary, Fantasy, Dystopian, and Multi-cultural Fiction.

DESERT BREEZE PUBLISHING
http://www.desertbreezepublishing.com/submissions/
Desert Breeze Publishing is a publisher of romance fiction in a variety of sub-genres, as well as mainstream women's fiction either with or without romantic elements. We also publish both Christian romance and Christian women's fiction, and a variety of young adult and new adult fiction. In those books categorized as romance, romance should be the prevailing theme of your manuscript, not romantic elements. We are seeking manuscripts from novella length (between 25,000 and 35,000 words approximately) to super novel length (exceeding 100,000 words), with a preference for novels between 55,000 and 80,000 words. We are more than willing to accept queries on book series, and will consider a series concept when at least one book is completed, a second novel is at least partially complete, and the series has been thoroughly formulated. We are not seeking anything shorter than 25,000 words, with a strong preference for shorter manuscripts of at least 30,000 words.