FundsforWriters - March 23, 2018 - Where Lies Your Greatest Opportunity?

Published: Fri, 03/23/18

Volume 18, Issue 12 | MARCH 23, 2018

Message from the Editor

I get another photo credit for a book cover!

My publisher uses original art and photography to design covers, and with all the landmarks in Newberry, I asked if she wanted me to take any pictures. Well, I didn't hear from her until, gulp, she needed them! So I grabbed my Nikon, leaped in the car in the gym clothes I had on, no makeup, and ran 40 minutes up the road to Newberry at 5PM, praying there was enough sun left in the day to take decent pics.

And she wound up using the very first picture I took of a lovely old house in downtown Newberry. Of course the cover designer used her talents to do other things with it, but still, I'm thrilled.

Let me know what you think about it!

The book isn't out until April 25, so we still have to be patient. In the meantime, I'm creating guest blog posts for around 20 blogs. The goal is to have all of them come out between April 23 and May 10 to launch Newberry Sin.

Guest blogging for a book release has turned into a tradition for me, and I adore doing them. If you have a blog, and would appreciate a guest post from me (of course I have to mention the new book in it someplace), email me at hope@chopeclark.com There's still time to squeeze you in!

(Any blogs except those with strong political bents. Thanks.)

And if you are in the South Carolina Midlands in April, May, or June, please consider coming to:

April 18 - Pelion, SC Library - 3PM - signing
May 1 - Newberry Friends of the Library Luncheon - Lutheran Church of the Redeemer - Boundary Street - Noon
May 8 - Chapin Chamber of Commerce recognition of Newberry Sin - The Coffee Shelf - Chapin, SC - 5PM
May 19 - The Coffee Shelf - book signing - 1PM
June 11 - Chapin, SC Library - book signing - 6PM

C. Hope Clark
Editor, FundsforWriters
Email Hope | Visit Website | Sign up for Newsletter
Newsletter: ISSN: 1533-1326
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TWITTER - http://twitter.com/hopeclark
AUTHOR SITE - http://www.chopeclark.com
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GOODREADS - http://www.goodreads.com/hopeclark
BOOKBUB - https://www.bookbub.com/authors/c-hope-clark

The cover to Newberry Sin! Release April 25, 2018. Read the other Carolina Slade books to bring yourself up to speed!

"Hope Clark has created another fascinating heroine in former Boston PD detective Callie Morgan. Her books are fast-paced mysteries set against the backdrop of a tiny South Carolina island where murder never happens—or so the locals would like to believe. I'm happy to recommend it." - Kathryn R. Wall, author, the Bay Tanner mysteries

"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

SPONSOR OF THE WEEK

Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest - Last Call! (no fee)
17th annual free contest sponsored by Winning Writers. $2,250 in cash prizes, including a top prize of $1,000. Submit one humor poem online by April 1. Your poem may have up to 250 lines. No fee to enter. Both published and unpublished work accepted. All entries that win cash prizes will be published on WinningWriters.com. Final judge: Jendi Reiter. Winning Writers is one of "101 Best Websites for Writers" (Writer's Digest). See guidelines, past winners, and enter online via Submittable at winningwriters.com/wergle

EDitor’s THOUGHTS

WHERE LIES YOUR GREATEST OPPORTUNITY

I'm about to tell you something that will make you balk.

Your greatest opportunity as an author and entrepreneur most likely lies in performing, writing, and promoting contrary to everyone else.

In other words, to be unique, you have to be so different you stand out and draw attention to yourself. Not just your book, but you.

Now . . . how uncomfortable does THAT make you feel?

Peter Thiel, a creator of PayPal and a tech investor, stated in his book Zero to One about being uber successful: "Brilliant thinking is rare, but courage is in even shorter supply than genius.”

https://www.holstee.com/blogs/reflections/zero-to-one

Being contrary might be where your greatest opportunity lies. By contrary, that doesn't mean being adversarial. It's about daring to be something others have dodged, not thought of, or were afraid to do. That you might even be nervous about doing.

If you just want to sell a few books, you don't have to face being so different. However, if you crave success, you must think outside the box. Heck, even outside the room the box is in!

In other words, you don’t compete with others. You make them compete with you.

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HOPE'S 2018 APPEARANCES
(Times in Eastern)

April 18 - 3PM, Pelion, SC Library, 206 Pine Street
May 1 - Noon, Newberry, SC, Friends of the Library Luncheon, celebrating release of Newberry Sin ($20 admission)
May 8 - 6PM, Chapin, SC, The Coffee Shelf celebrating release of Newberry Sin (coffee and goodies)
May 19 - 1PM, Chapin, SC, The Coffee Shelf
June TBD - Edisto Bookstore, Edisto, SC
June 11 - 6PM, Chapin, SC Library booksigning
June 24 - 7PM, WritersChatroom.com
July 27-29 - Mississippi Writers Guild Conference
October (1st week) - Edisto Bookstore, Edisto, SC
November 2-4 - BookBaby Indie Conference, Philadelphia, PA

WORDS OF SUCCESS

“You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”

- Maya Angelou

SUccess Story

NOTE FROM HOPE: You all know how I love to see crowdfunding success. Here's the perfect example of someone who used it intelligently yet simply, and reached her goal. I love her perks, to include a live tea party! Go, Suzanne!

Dear Hope,

I needed visibility for the piece of American history that my mystery series highlights as well as for the series itself. I'd applied for but hadn't received several grants and fellowships. In your newsletter, you'd listed crowdfunding several times as a source of visibility for authors.

Thank you for continuing to mention it. After months of preparation and kicking self-doubts to the curb, I launched a crowdfunding campaign at the beginning of this month, offering pre-orders on Killer Debt, the fourth book of the Michael Stoddard American Revolution Mystery series, which will be officially released 9 May. By the halfway point, we are more than 100% funded! Huzzah!

No doubt about it, crowdfunding is a boatload of work. However there are several things you can do during preparation to set your campaign up better for success like get your cover done professionally in advance, setting a reasonable target, and talk to potential backers ahead of time.

My campaign is still live and welcoming supporters. I hope it helps demonstrate to authors who are on the fence about crowdfunding as well as coax some to contribute! My campaign is live through the end of March at https://igg.me/at/KillerDebt.

Best regards,
Suzanne Adair
Patrick D. Smith Literature Award winner
Killer Debt, Michael Stoddard American Revolution mystery #4, now available for pre-order: https://igg.me/at/KillerDebt.
Blog and web site: http://www.SuzanneAdair.net/
Quarterly e-news: https://www.subscribepage.com/f8d4y7

The Ins & Outs of Corporate Ghostwriting

By Alex J. Coyne

While I’m known as a journalist, writer and editor, I’ve also done a lot of corporate ghostwriting behind the scenes. It’s a potentially lucrative market for writers who don’t mind skipping the by-line. Here’s how to track down your clients.

Defining Corporate Ghostwriting

“Corporate ghostwriting” can include website content (blog posts or static pages), press releases, articles for print, advertorials and even inter-office letters. You are hired to turn source material – gathered through interviews, researched or sent by your client – into a shining end-product.

Finding Clients through Referrals

The key is contacts. Most of my corporate jobs were referrals – from previous clients, referrals or people I’d previously interviewed who needed something written. Build a library of writing clips and get to know your editors; sometimes sources will also pass on a good lead – but you have to ask, or nobody will know you’re looking.

Job Boards

When not referrals, clients are often hiding on job boards, message boards, forums, and newsletters. MediaBistro, All Indie Writers, ProBlogger, Freelance Writing, Writers’ Job Board, Craigslist, Indeed and Journalism Jobs are some up-to-date ones that I’ve met clients on. Other times, cold pitch a company by contacting them with some writing clips and, “Hi! I’ve noticed your site could use some content,” or “Hi! I write the same material you seem to use in your publications and websites. Would love to chat.”

Corporate Language

Publications have style guidelines, and every company has their own style and tone. Research your company and interviewee (especially when you have to copy their voice as the by-line) by looking over the company website, reading past interviews, and going through material like press releases. The client will tell you what the piece aims to get across, and it’s your job to find the words to do it.

Draft to Publication

Always send a draft for approval to your client once you are done writing it. Be prepared to edit and discuss changes. Then, make sure they sign off happily on the final draft before anything goes off for publication – say, a press release to a media house. Corporate ghostwriting sometimes needs to happen quickly.

Corporate Schedules

Corporate clients are often extremely busy. Learn to keep interviews and appointments short. Always schedule ahead of time and never miss an appointment – but also be willing to reschedule if they have a last-minute schedule change.

Your Own Image

Yes, people care about your image even when you are ghostwriting – clients will check out your website and other works. If you write erotic elf-fiction, keep it separate from the “corporate” side of your site. Don’t slam clients – or anyone who might be their shareholders – on social media. (Yes, this means sometimes you have to Google it.) Reputation is everything.

Confidentiality as a Ghost

Ghostwriting occasionally involves sensitive information – things not yet available to the public, or information from the caverns of the corporate offices. Keep it confidential and remember that you’re the ghost in ghostwriting. Ask clients for referrals, but keep secrets secret and don’t tell everyone, “I wrote that!”

BIO: Alex J. Coyne is an internationally known author, freelance journalist and language practitioner who has written for publications including People Magazine, The Dollar Stretcher, Great Bridge Links and CollegeHumor.

COmpetitions

PEN PARENTIS FELLOWSHIP COMPETITION
http://www.penparentis.org/fellowships/guidelines/
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline April 17, 2018. This Fellowship is intended to incentivize writers to produce new works of quality fiction at the very busiest point in their parenting journey. Submissions call for a new, never-published fiction story, any genre, on any subject of up to 950 words. In addition to a full year of promotion and the publication of the winning story by Brain, Child Magazine, a $1,000 prize will be presented to the new Pen Parentis Writing Fellow at a public reading of the winning work at our September Salon Season Opener in Manhattan. Entrants must be the parent of at least one child under 10 years of age, but there are no style or genre limitations on the works of fiction submitted for consideration. Entrants can be at any level of their literary careers.

THE GHOST STORY SUPERNATURAL FICTION AWARD
http://www.theghoststory.com/tgs-fiction-award
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline April 30, 2018. Ghost stories are welcome, of course—but your submission may involve any paranormal or supernatural theme. What we’re looking for is fine writing, fresh perspectives, and maybe a few surprises in the field of supernatural fiction. Story length should run between 1,500 and 10,000 words. Twice each year TGS will award $1,000 and publication to the winner of this short story competition. A second writer will receive an Honorable Mention that includes publication and a $250 cash award, and a third writer will win Second Honorable Mention, which comes with publication and a $100 cash award. Winning stories and Honorable Mentions will be published on The Ghost Story website on Midsummer’s Eve and October 31. In addition, winning and Honorable Mention stories will be included in the paperbound anthology, 21st Century Ghost Stories—Volume II, which is scheduled for publication by Wyrd Harvest Press (Durham, U.K.) in 2021.

WILLIAM FAULKNER - WILLIAM WISDOM CREATIVE WRITING COMPETITION
https://wordsandmusic.org/william-faulkner-wisdom-competition/competition-guidelines/
ENTRY FEE $10-$45. Deadline May 1, 2018. Entries are accepted now in eight categories (see below): Novel, Novella, book-length Narrative Non-Fiction, Novel-in-Progress, Short Story, Essay, Poetry, and Short Story by a High School Student. Overall goals of the competition are to seek out new, talented writers and assist them in finding literary agents and, ultimately, publishers for their work.

Novel / Book-length Fiction - Limit 100,000 words. Prize $7,500.
Nonfiction Book Prize - Limit 75,000 words. Prize $2,000.
Novella - Limit 25,000 words. Prize $1,500.
Short Story - Limit 10,000 words. Prize $1,500.
Novel-In-Progress - Limit 7,500 words. Prize $1,500.
Essay - Limit 2,500 words. Prize $1,000.
Poetry - Limit 750 words in one poem. Prize $1,000.
Short Story by a High School Student - Limit 2,500 words. Prize $750.

DEL SOL PRESS 2018 FIRST NOVEL COMPETITION
http://www.delsolpress.org/DSP-NovelCompetition.htm
$30 ENTRY FEE. Deadline May 15, 2018. The 2018 competition invites submissions of literary and upmarket fiction, general fiction, serious women's fiction, SFF with a literary edge or fiction with a catalytic speculative element, e.g., "Time Traveler's Wife," as well as mystery, crime, or suspense fiction. The competition is open to all authors writing in English regardless of nationality or residence, and is available to published and unpublished authors alike. Finalist manuscripts will also be considered for publication. The winner receives a $1,500 honorarium and book publication by Del Sol Press. Second and third place winners receive free tuition to the Algonkian New York Pitch Conference where they can pitch their novels to editors in the commercial publishing business.

GRANTS

HYPATIA-IN-THE-WOODS RESIDENCIES
http://hypatiainthewoods.org/
Deadline May 15, 2018 for residencies in January, February, and March 2019. Hypatia-in-the-Woods and the residence, Holly House, is located on 3.5 acres of a Pacific Northwest cedar and fir forest. Only a few miles outside the small town of Shelton, WA, and near the Olympic National Forest. Women in the arts, academe, and entrepreneurship may apply for a residency of from one to three weeks. The stay is free. Residents are responsible for the cost of transport to Holly House, food, and other expenses of the trip.

THE GREAT RIVER WRITERS' RETREAT
http://www.mwcqc.org/contests/writers-retreat/
Deadline June 1, 2018. Open to residents of Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin writing in any genre. The winning writer will stay at the Benet Retreat House in Rock Island, Illinois and receive three meals a day, a travel stipend, and an invitation to give a reading in the Quad Cities on Saturday, September 8, 2018.

WOODCOCK FUND - CANADA
http://www.writerstrust.com/Programs/Financial-Grant/Woodcock-Fund/Program-Guidelines.aspx
The Woodcock Fund is a quick-access emergency resource that aids established Canadian writers who face an unforeseen financial crisis. Help is given to writers in many different situations providing them momentary relief, a period of financial stability, and the opportunity to complete their current writing projects. Applicants should be aware that the program is designed to assist writers facing an imminent crisis that can be alleviated with a grant that typically ranges between $2,000 and $10,000. The program is not intended to be a means of support for writers challenged to earn an income. A crisis of some nature is necessary to be considered.

AUSTRALIA ARTS COUNCIL GRANTS
http://www.australiacouncil.gov.au/funding/

CAREER DEVELOPMENT GRANTS - If you are an individual artist, arts worker or group of artists, this grant can provide support to further develop your skills or improve your capacity to build an enduring career. Grants are available from $5,000 to $25,000. The Australia Council offers three grant rounds each year for this category.

ARTS PROJECTS FOR INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS - Funds $10,000 - $50,000. Our arts projects program funds a range of activities that deliver benefits to the arts sector and wider public, including national and international audiences.
The Australia Council offers three grant rounds each year for this category.

FELLOWSHIPS - Funds $80,000. The Australia Council offers one grant round each year for Fellowships. In 2018, Fellowships will close on Tuesday 5 June.

BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY WRITER-IN-RESIDENCE
http://www.writer-in-residence.org
Deadline April 5, 2018. The Associates of the Boston Public Library is now accepting applications for their 2018-2019 Writer-in Residence program. The program is a fellowship with a $20,000 stipend and use of an office at the Boston Public Library. We are looking for emerging children's and young adult writers. He or she must work a minimum of 19 hours per week at the BPL during the nine-month residency (September through May). Projects eligible for this program are fiction, non-fiction, a script, graphic novels, or poetry, intended for children or young adults. To be eligible, the applicant must be U.S. citizen, and cannot have any prior professional book publications.

FREELANCE MARKETS

HERSTORIES PROJECT
http://www.herstoriesproject.com/herstories-voices/
The HerStories Project publishes first-person essays about what it’s like to be a Gen-X woman at midlife. It also considers opinion pieces and informational articles or features. Although we are interested in essays about how any facet of your life at midlife — work, kids, marriage, care taking, and all the rest — affects your particular experience, we are not a parenting publication, per se. In other words, we are less interested in essays about how to parent or how to raise good children and more interested in you. Suggested word count: 750-2,000 words. Pay: $80 for a personal essay or opinion piece. (Pay is negotiated for feature articles.) (Thanks www.erikedreifus.com)

NORTHERN VIRGINA
https://www.northernvirginiamag.com/writers-guidelines/
First and foremost, we seek profile stories (1,500-1,800 words) with interviews of the region’s most prominent or notable figures in the region. Other types of stories we seek are: Getaways – exploring rarely chartered regional ground; Medical – highlighting the work and/or advancements of regional hospitals and physicians; Fashion/Style – spotlighting the region’s designers & trends in fashion and home décor; Education – pertinent topics and trends in higher learning and within the Northern Virginia public and private school sectors; Arts – news and discoveries in fine and performing arts within the region, must NOT be events-related content; and Business – analysis and news on business trends, closures and openings in the region, as well as business-owner spotlights. Feature stories (2,000-2,500 words) most likely to get our attention will present new information on topics making headlines or a story yet to be published anywhere else in the Metro D.C. area. Freelance contributors may receive anywhere from $50 to $1,000 for a story, depending on length, research, newsworthiness and complexity.

YANKEE
https://newengland.com/press-contact/submission-guidelines-writers-photographers/
Yankee Magazine covers the six New England states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Our Feature articles, as well as the departments of Home, Food, and Travel, reflect what is happening currently in the region. Yankee welcomes freelance submissions in the areas of home, travel, food, and non-fiction editorial. We are not currently accepting poetry, fiction, or cartoons.

BOSTON GLOBE MAGAZINE
http://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/aboutthemagazine
The best places for new writers to start with the magazine are the Perspective column, an opinionated 800-word essay on a timely local news topic, and Connections, a 650-word first-person essay on relationships of any kind (romantic as well as those between friends, siblings, and parents and children). The following are not open to freelance submissions: Your Week Ahead, On the Block, Cooking, Miss Conduct, and Dinner With Cupid.

JOBS

FULL-TIME EDITOR - Remote
https://www.mediabistro.com/jobs/description/369257/full-time-editor-work-just-4-days-a-week-/
Newser keeps it short: all you need to know about the day's biggest and most fascinating stories, told in just 250 words. Newser's editors hand-pick the best stories from hundreds of sources and summarize them into sharply written, easy-to-digest news briefs. And we're looking to add to our team. What we need: An editor who know his/her way around news; who has an ear for concise, punchy writing; who is obsessive about clean copy; and who is comfortable working from home. This position is unique in that it is full time, with benefits, at just 32 hours a week. Applicants must be available to work these four shifts: 12-8pm ET Wed-Fri and 10am-6pm ET Saturday. Prior professional news writing/editing experience is a MUST.

WRITER - Shanghai City, China
https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/532775057/
Create, develop and write all forms of live entertainment for Shanghai Disney Resort and other Walt Disney Company Departments. This may include but not limited to treatments, scripts, speeches, concepts, characterizations and even some technical and manual work.

STAFF WRITER - Remote position
https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=c8554e1e5335713e
You must have the ability to write about complex topics in a neutral, clear, and concise manner. You must have a drive and desire for innovation and flexibility and have the ability to identify and solve problems proactively. Adapting to changing tasks and tools is key. You must be comfortable with data entry, rote work, work tracking, and the use of a database and spreadsheets. To succeed in this position, you will demonstrate excellent writing, organizational skills, proofreading ability, and familiarity with the use of style guides. Ballotpedia has its own style guide that is based on the AP Stylebook. You will also excel in the identification of big picture
trends and have experience working in breaking news, including a keen eye for developing stories and judgment in deciding what stories will become newsworthy. Qualifications: Knowledge of the United States political system and elections; experience as a professional writer and/or editor; experience with data entry work, databases, or spreadsheets is preferred. The Staff Writer will work remotely from their home location. All Ballotpedia staff work remotely.

STAFF WRITER - Part-time, remote position
https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=2a7c8ed1f9070e89
MudTribe is an online magazine focusing on all things adventure and outdoors. This includes anything from extreme and power sports, hiking and camping, to learning about the best gear and wilderness survival tactics. Opportunities are endless. Here at MudTribe, we believe the outdoors are a place to run WILD and FREE, get dirty, and live it up. Staff Writers for MudTribe will be adventure-loving, experienced storytellers that will help communicate the empowering, extreme, adventure-filled nature of the outdoors. We need writers capable of creating short, powerful content that connects, inspires, and engages people. Your words will be the voice of MudTribe, and our voice is unique. Business writers would not be a good fit - we are looking for writers with FIRE and FLAVOR! Write five 700-1,000 word articles a week for $70 an article.

Publishers/agents

ALBERT WHITMAN & COMPANY
https://www.albertwhitman.com/submission-guidelines-for-unrepresented-authors/
Albert Whitman & Company currently has an open submissions policy for unrepresented authors (authors without agents). We will read and review un-agented manuscripts and proposals for picture books, middle-grade fiction, and young adult novels.

CAPSTONE PUBLISHING
http://www.capstonepub.com/library/service/submissions/
Capstone is keenly interested in meeting authors and illustrators. Most of our titles are conceptually developed in-house and written and illustrated by freelance writers and artists. However, we are interested in receiving authors' manuscripts and writing samples, and reviewing artists' portfolios. Capstone Press publishes nonfiction for beginning, struggling and reluctant readers, grades preK-9. Compass Point Books publishes award-winning nonfiction, grades 5-12. Heinemann-Raintree publishes the best in curriculum-driven nonfiction for grades preK-9. Picture Window Books publishes fiction and nonfiction easy readers, picture books and chapter books, grades preK-4. Stone Arch Books publishes safe, contemporary, compelling fiction that inspires independent reading, grades K-9. Reluctant readers transform into enthusiasts through an exciting array of topics and genres in a format that kids love.

CRESTON BOOKS
https://www.crestonbooks.co/submissions
Creston Books is author/illustrator driven, with talented, award-winning creators given more editorial freedom and control than in a typical New York house. We work hard to promote every book we print, not just the few we think will sell the best. Fully a third of their list is by first-time children's authors, so this is your chance!

HACHAI PUBLISHING
http://hachai.com/newsite2012/guidlines/
Hachai Publishing welcomes unsolicited manuscripts. Children’s books for the very young (two to four years) and slightly older children (three to six) are our specialty. Seeking stories about the traditional Jewish experience in modern times or long ago. Also traditional Jewish observance such as Holidays and year-round mitzvos such as mezuzah, tzitzis, honoring parents etc. Positive character traits (middos) such as honesty, charity, respect, sharing etc. We are also interested in historical fiction adventure novels for beginning readers (ages seven to ten) that highlight devotion to faith and the relevance of Torah in making important choices. Please, no animal stories, romance, violence, preachy sermonizing, or elements that violate Jewish Law. We do not produce games, textbooks, workbooks, or books for adults.