SPONSOR OF THE WEEK

THE AUTHOR NEWSLETTER

Most authors do not have a newsletter, yet it's been proven that newsletters are the most solid way of connecting and maintaining a following. Just 100 steady readers for your monthly mailing keeps you more attention than all your social media put together. Look up any successful author, and you'll find a newsletter in their toolbox. 

Campaign Monitor recently offered FundsforWriters a blog post on how to write a newsletter. It's cute, easy to read, but it's accurate and full of meaty material on how to keep your newsletter alive and well. 

1) Consistency - Be clear on what your newsletter is about. Be steady and reliable in its delivery. 
2) Length - Make it easy to read and fulfilling enough to open, but not an epistle. 
3) Have a clear call-to-action - Somewhere in that newsletter, there should be motivation for the reader to click on something.
4) Images - Enough said. 
5) Product Updates - After all, why have the newsletter if not about the products?
6) Milestones - What have you accomplished since the last newsletter? Or since you started?
7) FAQs - Go ahead and answer questions you think your readers might have. Appear smart and able to read their minds
8) Thank you - You cannot thank your readership enough. 

I know, I know. It's one more thing on your list. But these are your people. The ones who want to keep up with you. The ones who might tire of finding you on Facebook, or who might forget to check Twitter. They are your captured audience, by choice, for goodness sake. Honor them. 

Again, go to the blog post on the FFW blog and scroll down to read the 25 content ideas for your email newsletter. With this list, you'll never run out of things to tell your fans. And they'll remember and appreciate you all the more.







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TOTAL FundsforWriters - biweekly containing 65+ grants, contests, markets, publishers, agents, and jobs for the serious and the wannabe writer. See a free sample here. $18.75 for 26 biweekly issues - chocked full of opportunity. Read more here and consider the investment in your writing career. 



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• Enter to Win a Pass to the Nonfiction Writers Association Conference
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• Making Six Figures as an Indie Author
• The Worth of Naysayers
• Publishing and Crowdfunding with Publishizer
• Tracking Your Goals for Success
• How I Funded My Mission, Wrote My Book, and Made Bulk Book Sales with Grants
• How Do I Find Money to Write a Book?

 

If you haven't sampled Slade's investigative prowess yet, now's the time!And Newberry Sin is available for pre-order at all fine online locations. 




WORDS OF SUCCESS

"You get ideas from daydreaming. You get ideas from being bored. You get ideas all the time. The only difference between writers and other people is we notice when we're doing it." 

-Neil Gaiman
 

SUccess Story

If FundsforWriters has prodded, aided, suggested, or provided an idea that helped you advance in your writing, please let us know. We want to share your success with the others! Email it to hope@chopeclark.com 

 

Featured article

Writing Faster

By Sarah Gates

The faster you write, the more work you produce and the more time you spend on marketing, pitching ideas, and chasing down opportunities. Imagine if you could double your writing speed. What more could you achieve?

With my publisher, writing two books a year instead of one is a difference of about $5,000 per year. And once you have a large backlist, your profit grows even faster.

Or if you’re a freelancer, what if you had time to send twice as many pitches and finish twice as many jobs? Not only would you increase your income, your byline would be all the more impressive, and with that much practice, your success-to-pitches rate would be higher than ever. 

Regardless what you write, it's in your best interest to write faster—without compromising on quality. So, how do you start?

1. Plot or outline

In a move that seems counter-intuitive, taking time to plan before you write can actually speed up the process. Avoid writer's block by figuring out what comes next, without significant revision or editing. Focusing on structure first can mean improving on what you would’ve written otherwise. It’s easier to see flaws and holes from the outset and keep yourself on track without getting carried away by a tangent. If you’re writing books, 2k to 10k: How to Write Faster, Write Better, and Write More of What You Love by Rachel Aaron is a great example of how an author boosted her daily word count through plotting. 

I think I’m a pretty fast writer. I wrote my most recent novel, Love Elimination, over five months (while I was also working the day job and studying). But an author friend of mine writes about 10,000 words a day and publishes two to four books per month. She writes full-time, making a living and supporting her family from self-publishing. Now that is the dream.

2. Writing sprints

By not procrastinating or multitasking you’ll write faster in a shorter amount of time. You don’t need to write all day. Perfect the writing sprint. If you haven’t heard of the Pomodoro Technique, this process can help you set time to do nothing but write, take a set break, and try again. You can use TomatoTimer to help keep you on track. 
A 40-minute writing sprint in the morning has me pumping out 2,000 words that would otherwise take me over three hours, with the checking of emails and wandering off to get food every time I got stuck or distracted. Then I have two hours and twenty minutes to pitch article ideas, work on my marketing and social media, or catch up on invoices. 

3. Learn to type faster and cut corners

Don’t let your typing slow you down! Your brain can be swirling with ideas, your structure all worked out, your timer set, yet you could be slowly tapping your keyboard, losing all that momentum . . . and maybe even ideas. Learn to touch type as fast as your thought processes. There are plenty of classes—in person and online—to help you learn. And if your technique is already there, make improving your typing speed with sites like Word Games (just don't get sucked into the other games). 

There you go. Three solid lessons on how to write faster and improve your efficiently, and ultimately improve your success. 

Bio: Sarah Gates is an Australian-based writer. She is a freelance writer and the author of Love Elimination (Harlequin Australia). Sarah wrote her first novel at the age of 16. She teaches writing workshops at high schools, libraries and state writers centres. 

Email: contact@sarahgates.com.au
Website: www.sarahgates.com.au
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SarahGatesAuthor
Instagram: www.instagram.com/SarahGatesAuthor


    

COmpetitions

BATH CHILDREN’S NOVEL AWARD
https://bathnovelaward.co.uk/childrens-novel-award/
£25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline 2 December 2018. Opens in 5 June 2018. The Bath Children’s Novel Award is a competition open to writers of any nationality who have yet to sign a traditional publishing deal for a novel. Submit a novel extract (up to the first 5,000 words) and synopsis (one page). Novels can be in any genre written for middle grade or young adult readers. Picture books are not eligible. The winner will receive £2,500. One longlisted writer will receive a place, worth £1,800, on Cornerstones Literary Consultancy’s online professional editing course. There is no cash alternative to this prize. Shortlisted writers will also be offered the opportunity to be introduced to an individually tailored list of literary agents by email or other means.



FISCHER PRIZE IN POETRY
http://talkinggourds.weebly.com/fischer-prize.html
$9 ENTRY FEE. Deadline May 1, 2018. Open to all poets living in the US and its territories. The current prize award is $1,000 for the winning poem plus a $500 travel reimbursement stipend for attending the awards ceremony. In addition, there are five finalist awards of $200 each with $100 travel reimbursement stipend. And this year, thanks to a generous donation from the Cantor Family, we will be initiating a $500 Cantor Award for the winning poem in the Fischer Prize contest from a Colorado poet. Three letter-size pages max per poem, with 12 pt. font size minimum. 



GLIMMER TRAIN OPEN FICTION CONTEST
https://glimmertrainpressinc.submittable.com/submit/109640/march-april-2018-fiction-open
$21 ENTRY FEE. Deadline April 30, 2018. Open to all subjects, all themes, and all writers! Most entries run from 3000 to 6000 words, but we invite stories from 3000 to 20,000 words. First place wins $3,000, publication in Glimmer Train Stories, and 10 copies. Second place wins $1,000 and, if accepted for publication, 10 copies. Third place wins $600 or, if accepted for publication, $700 and 10 copies.






ETC's 10-MINUTE PLAY FEST - POSTMARK DEADLINE EXTENDED TO MAY 31st 
http://www.etcmemphistheater.com/the-2018-play-fest-info.html
Theme: "GAYDAR"    8-10 VIGNETTES will be produced.
 
Two to four characters. No children's shows or musicals.10 pages (10 minutes) maximum. Will be staged in strict "black box" style with modest technical support. No previously published or previously performed material. 
 
1st prize $300 - plus a trophy
2nd prize $200 - plus a medal
3rd prize $100 - plus a medal
 
Entry fee: $10-- check or money order payable to ETC.
 
Please send two copies of the script with no identifying information along with a cover sheet that includes: Title, Playwright's name, address and contact information.
 
MAIL TO:
Caroline Sposto, Contest Coordinator
232 South Highland Street
Suite 1008
Memphis, TN 38111

 

GRANTS

THE AWESOME FOUNDATION
http://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/about_us
The Awesome Foundation is a global community advancing the interest of awesome in the universe, $1,000 at a time. Each fully autonomous chapter supports awesome projects through micro-grants, usually given out monthly. These micro-grants, $1,000 or the local equivalent, come out of pockets of the chapter's "trustees" and are given on a no-strings-attached basis to people and groups working on awesome projects. You'll find all the chapters at http://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters 



CHICAGO INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS PROGRAM
https://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dca/culgrants/programs/individual-artist.html
To be eligible to apply for funding from the Individual Artists Program, applicants must meet each of the following criteria. Be a professional artist in one of the following disciplines: Visual Arts, Media Arts and Film, Music, Dance, Theater, Performance Art, Interdisciplinary, Literary Arts, Architecture, Photography, Design (includes Fashion, Industrial, and Costume), or Curatorial Arts. Be at least 18 years old. Be a United States citizen or a holder of permanent alien status. Be a resident of the city of Chicago, Illinois. Usually opens in October with a deadline in late November or early December. 



HOUSTON INDIVIDUAL ARTIST GRANT
http://houstonartsalliance.com/grants/individuals/
Deadline June 30, 2018. The Individual Artist Grant (IAG) supports the development and presentation of new artistic works to help advance our city's reputation as a cultural destination and vibrant creative hub. Applications for these grants are reviewed by external, impartial peer review panels composed of artists, arts professionals and community volunteers selected for their expertise and objectivity. Awards are not unrestricted grants; projects or events must result in the creation or completion of new works and be presented in a publicly accessible location. 



ARTS WRITERS GRANTS
https://www.artswriters.org/
Deadline May 21, 2018. The Arts Writers grant supports both emerging and established writers who are writing about contemporary visual art. Ranging from $15,000 to $50,000 in four categories—articles, blogs, books and short-form writing—these grants support projects addressing both general and specialized art audiences, from scholarly studies to self-published blogs. We also support art writing that engages criticism through interdisciplinary methods or experiments with literary styles. As long as a writer meets the eligibility and publishing requirements, they can apply.

 

FREELANCE MARKETS

ONE STORY
https://www.one-story.com/index.php?page=submit
One Story is seeking literary fiction. Because of our format, we can only accept stories between 3,000 and 8,000 words. They can be any style and on any subject as long as they are good. We are looking for stories that leave readers feeling satisfied and are strong enough to stand alone. One Story pays $500 and 25 contributors copies for First Serial North American rights. All rights will revert to the author following publication.



COSMIC ROOTS AND ELDRITCH SHORES
https://cosmicrootsandeldritchshores.com/submissions/
They are open for submissions four times a year. Next open period is June 21-28, 2018. Pays six cents/word for new fiction. Two cents/word for reprints. Two to six cents/word for nonfiction. Accepts flash fiction of 1,000 words and up. Prefers shorter pieces. Seeks original work in scifi, fantasy, myth, legend, fairy tales, and eldritch, in written, podcast, video, and/or graphic story form. Accepts submissions from international writers. Avoid vampires, werewolves, monsters, robots with feelings, horror, gore, explicit language or excessive violence. 



CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL
http://www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/possible-book-topics
Pays $200 for up to 1,200 words and ten copies of the book the piece is published in. Open for the following themes: Grandparents (deadline August 31, 2018), Life Lessons from My Cat (deadline October 31, 2018), Life Lessons from My Dog (deadline November 30, 2018), More Messages From Heaven (deadline September 30, 2018), Stories about Angels (deadline September 30, 2018), Stories about Miracles (deadline September 30, 2018), Stories about My Mom (deadline September 30, 2018), The Golden Years - Life After 60 (deadline June 30, 2018). 



THIRD FLATIRON PUBLISHING
http://www.thirdflatiron.com/liveSite/pages/thirdflatiron
Third Flatiron Publishing is based in Boulder, Colorado, and Ayr, Scotland. We are looking for submissions to our (approximately) quarterly themed anthologies. Our focus is on science fiction and fantasy and anthropological fiction. We want tightly plotted tales in out-of-the-ordinary scenarios. Light horror is acceptable, provided it fits the theme. Please send us short stories that revolve around age-old questions and have something illuminating to tell us as human beings. Fantastical situations and creatures, exciting dialog, irony, mild horror, and wry humor are all welcome. Stories should be between 1,500 and 3,000 words. Inquire if longer. Pending themes: 1) Galileo's Theme Park, deadline April 15, 2018; 2) Terra! Tara! Terror!, deadline July 15, 2018.  

 

JOBS

WRITER-AT-LARGE - San Francisco, CA
https://jobs.lever.co/medium/a3ad953e-efe7-4613-9a66-3e8419c79c91
At Medium, words matter. In fact, we’re working to build the best place on the internet for words: a place where today’s smartest thinkers, experts, and storytellers can share big, interesting ideas; a place where ideas are judged on the value they provide to readers, not the fleeting attention they can attract for advertisers. We’re looking for an experienced writer and wordsmith to help us tell the story of Medium to the world — from our brand, to our product, to our writers, to our stories. In this role, our writer-at-large will help craft the voice of Medium. They’ll be responsible for the content and strategy around our blog, editorial newsletters, and marketing content. 



CONTRIBUTING WRITER - Spanish Fork, UT
https://www.indeed.com/cmp/ACH-Fulfillment/jobs/Contributing-Writer-67384e17163b6d01
Responsible for researching and writing for publications spanning various topics within the essential oil and natural health industry. Bachelor’s degree is required. Strong background in writing and biology or botany preferred. Proficient with Microsoft Office, particularly Word. Adobe Creative Cloud Suite experience preferred.



FREELANCE CONTENT WRITER - West Palm Beach, FL
https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=8594838173115f15
Responsible for brainstorming, creating, and transforming ideas into words for ads, publications, and brochures. Write words and text for website, blogs, social media, commercials (tv, radio), press releases and collateral materials. Previous experience as a copywriter is required with proven successes. Ability to work on tight deadlines and balance multiple projects during same given time frame is a must. Experience working with advertising agencies is preferred.



CONTENT WRITER - Remote
https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=9cf3ca56af54fcca
LawLytics is seeking a contract writer to create compelling content for attorney websites and blogs. The position involves writing many in-depth, original articles and blog posts for a variety of different legal practice areas. As a content writer, you will get to know the practices, preference and writing style of a small number of lawyers and law firms.
 

Publishers/agents

MARY EVANS INC LITERARY AGENCY
http://www.maryevansinc.com/
Please see the separate agents' listing for information about our agents and their contact information, but please do not submit to more than one agent at Mary Evans Inc. Mary Evans is particularly interested in progressive politics, alternative medicine, science and technology for the lay reader, social commentary, American history and culture. Julia Kardon is interested primarily in literary and upmarket fiction, narrative nonfiction, journalism, and history. Tom Mackay is passionate about nonfiction that uses sport as a platform to explore other issues and playful literary fiction. Leslie Meredith is interested in new voices in memoir; in science, psychology, health, nature, and animals; and in spirituality and mind-body-spirit practices.



SERENDIPITY LITERARY AGENCY
http://www.serendipitylit.com/agents
See each agent's listing for what they prefer. Christina Morgan is primarily interested in literary fiction, crime fiction, and narrative non-fiction in the categories of pop culture, sports, current events and memoir. Allison Janice aims to work with a range of nonfiction clients on the topics of cooking, nutrition, health and wellness, self-help, memoir, humor, psychology, history, and science, particularly in the areas of body-positivity, veganism, and environmentalism. She is also open to fiction in the area of romance and mystery, as well as the odd women’s fiction title. Jocquelle Caiby is currently looking to acquire her own projects with the goal of championing creativity and diversity, and building fresh, new voices into commercial and literary powerhouses. 



MCINTOSH AND OTIS LITERARY AGENCY
http://mcintoshandotis.com/submissions/
Submit to one agent at a time, and each agent his their own preferences. ELizabeth Rubinstein's primary interests include literary fiction, women's fiction, historical fiction, romance, mystery/suspense, and memoir, along with narrative non-fiction, history and current affairs. Christa Heschke is especially interested in YA: contemporary, thriller/mystery, fantasy and horror. She looks for a compelling voice and a strong hook that will set a YA novel apart in the flooded market. She is open to all types of middle grade and especially enjoys adventure, mystery, and magical realism. Adam Muhlig’s current interests include popular culture, natural history, travel and adventure, and sports. 



SPITZER LITERARY AGENCY
http://www.spitzeragency.com/about-1/
Philip Spitzer specializes in general fiction and literary crime fiction, as well as nonfiction subjects of politics, sports, and works of sociological interest. Lukas Ortiz loves eccentric novels with an edge and original stories. In non-fiction, Lukas is interested in cultural studies, sociology, business, history, politics, current affairs, sports, and memoir. He looks for driven narratives and sharp storytelling, with themes that transcend their primary audience. Also, he is actively seeking to work with more Latino and Latin American authors for the U.S. market. While our client list is full at this time, queries may be sent via email to kim.lombardini@spitzeragency.com. Please include your proposal and first chapter in the body of the email. 


 

SPONSORS

The 8^th Annual Nonfiction Writers’ Conference
May 2-4, 2018
Featuring Opening Speaker: Gretchen Rubin

We are thrilled that our opening session for NFWC 2018 features New York Times bestselling author Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project, Better Than Before, and The Four Tendencies.

Gretchen will share her perspectives on Happiness, Habits and Productivity for Authors. She will also explain what it was like to find out that her book was on the New York Times bestseller list, how that has impacted her career, and what is was like to get the call that Oprah wanted to interview her for Super Soul Sunday! As an attorney, writer, and podcast host, Gretchen has much to share with our nonfiction writer community. Learn more about Gretchen Rubin.

The Nonfiction Writers Conference is VIRTUAL
Attend from Anywhere!

Since 2010, the Nonfiction Writers’ Conference has taken the concept of the traditional in-person writers’ conference and turned it into a one-of-a-kind ONLINE experience. Featuring 15 speakers over three days, all sessions are conducted via teleseminar, which means attendees from around the globe participate via phone or Skype–NO TRAVEL REQUIRED!

Local phone numbers available across the US, Canada, UK, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

Sessions run May 2nd, 3rd and 4th from 9am PDT / 12pm EDT through 3pm PDT / 6pm EDT each day. 

Read more...and sign up....here.

Use FUNDSFORWRITERS35 and get 35% off the cost of the event. 

GET WEBSITES THAT ROCK, BOOK COVERS THAT SIZZLE

Shaila Abdullah has designed websites, book designs, marketing materials, and email campaigns for over 60 authors, writers and speakers. Being an award-winning author herself, she understands the industry, and will provide you with designs that reflect your unique style, genre, and personality. 

MENTION THIS AD AND GET 10% OFF (NEW CLIENTS ONLY)
EXISTING CLIENTS EARN 8% REFERRAL FEE FOR SENDING IN NEW CLIENTS 

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Services for authors: http://myhouseofdesign.com/services-for-authors/

A few testimonials from happy clients:

"Superb work, excellent customer service. Just marvelous overall.” —C. Hope Clark, author, founder of FundsforWriters, http://www.fundsforwriters.com

"The site captures my spirit and passion, and it honors my dream since childhood." —Lyn Fairchild Hawks, author, http://lynhawks.com/

"Shaila is a terrific designer, highly professional and extremely creative and delivers amazing results. Her sense of humor and positive spirit has made the whole process of developing and launching my web site a pleasure. –James Hutchison, playwright, http://jameshutchison.ca/

"When I first saw Shaila’s work, I was struck by the fact that her designs are not only beautiful but also perfectly reflect the personality of the business it represents. Her suggestions, insight, and artistic talent made the final product much better than what I’d envisioned on my own.” —Jacqueline Adams, writer, http://jacqueline-adams.com/

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FINE PRINT

Please forward the newsletter in its entirety. To reprint any editorials, contact hope@fundsforwriters.com for permission. Please do not assume that acknowledgements listed in your publication is considered a valid right to publish.

C. Hope Clark
E-mail: hope@fundsforwriters.com
140-A Amicks Ferry Road #4
Chapin, SC 29036
http://www.fundsforwriters.com

Copyright 2000-2018, C. Hope Clark
ISSN: 1533-1326

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