SPONSOR OF THE WEEK

ARE YOU CREATIVE?

Per Steve Jobs: 
Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That’s because they were able to connect experiences they’ve had and synthesize new things.

Writers question their creativity. They think it ought to be magic, something that travels down and strikes them out of the ether, when in actuality, creativity isn't so esoteric. While we think it just happens, in reality, it is the culmination of our experiences, our education, and our willingness to let loose of the manacles of rules. 

The more freedom you allow yourself, the greater your chance of creativity. What does that mean?

1) You avoid copying someone else.
2) You dare to be stupid, ridiculous, just down-right liberated from the norm.
3) You forget about embarrassment.
4) You think 100 percent about the creation instead of how well your creative genius can be marketed.

Now, nothing says you cannot be creative in marketing/promotion as well. Again, you don't rely heavily on the how-to books, the classes, or the podcasts that tell thousands of people "the secret" of marketing. Sorry, but it quits being a secret and quits being quite so phenomenally effective when everyone is doing it. The only reason I might glance at those "secrets" is to figure out how to avoid what they did and forge an entirely different direction.

For instance, selling books for free isn't as financially successful as before. I equate the freebie ebook gimmick to the writing about vampires trend that came and went. And if you are writing to any sort of fad, keep in mind that it too shall wane.

Allow yourself to be weird, odd, and abnormal. We admire the people who do take the road less traveled and then find success. So why do we then try to be them, following their steps, copying their lessons, shadowing each move they make? Why...when we ought to be creating our own path?

Creativity takes boldness. Shortcuts are simply flashes in a pan and quickly forgotten.







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WORDS OF SUCCESS

"Writing is like sex. First you do it for love, then you do it for your friends, and then you do it for money."

-Virginia Woolf
 

SPONSOR EXTRAORDINAIRE

SUccess Story

If FundsforWriters has aided your writing journey, let us know so we can share with the others. Thanks!

Email hope@chopeclark.com 

 

Featured article

Travel Writing 101

By C.M. Saunders

A lot of freelance writers dream of breaking into travel journalism. Who doesn’t want to see the world and get paid for the privilege? Most of us fall into one of two camps. We either think travel journalism is easy and anyone can do it, or we think it’s an impossible dream. The truth lies somewhere in the middle.

In addition to numerous specialist travel magazines and websites worldwide, the vast majority of which use freelancers to provide content, most national newspapers and lifestyle publications also have travel sections. All told, this is a lot of markets you could be writing for. Think of an angle, with one eye on current trends, obviously based around a specific destination (the more off the beaten track the better – there are only so many articles about Paris or New York City a publication needs) and pitch away until you get a commission. Bear in mind editors will generally be more receptive to fully-formed ideas that adhere to their contributor’s guidelines and fit their existing format. Then, you can start planning. Write up a detailed itinerary listing everything from how you plan to get there and where you are going to stay, to activities and airport transfers. Always check local events listings and try to maximize your time by getting multiple features out of a trip. 

Now the hard work begins. Use your newly-acquired commission as leverage to approach tour operators, airlines, car hire companies, hotels, local amenities, businesses and tourist attractions which could theoretically slot into your schedule. Explain that you would be happy to namecheck them in your article in exchange for a free ticket, a room for a night, or even a meal, depending on what service the business provides. Be warned, the potential provider will likely want to see details of the publication you are writing for (circulation, readership, demographic, etc.), proof of commission (a short-headed letter from a commissioning editor will suffice) and will need you to explain how their service or product will be integrated into your feature. In short, they will want to know if working with you will be worth their investment. This step requires a lot of legwork, but in a perfect world, you should be able to subsidize your trip, if not pay for the whole thing. Unless you are a staffer, in the current climate very few publications are prepared to pay contributor’s expenses, but it never hurts to ask.            
      
In the digital age, most freelance travel writers have a large social media presence and a blog. Some also have YouTube channels. Maintaining a blog and building a following takes time. But the old adage ‘Sell it and they will come’ bears fruit. If you provide a worthwhile product and promote it well, readers will find you. How do you provide a worthwhile product? Make your posts valuable, practical, and ensure each has a jewel, some hidden or little-known fact or nugget of knowledge. Aim to fill a niche, such as traveling on a budget or being a solo traveler. Remember, your blog is your showcase. When it has gained some traction, arm yourself with the vital stats such as your total followers and site hits (screenshots are more impressive) and go about the subsequent steps as you would if you’d won a commission from a national publication. There are a few free platforms you can use for blogging. I recommend WordPress or Wix.

https://wordpress.com
https://www.wix.com/

Alternatively, try contacting various agencies such as international tourist boards and other official bodies. Introduce yourself and ask about any promotional press trips. This is something countries do to boost international tourism. Then you can pitch editors according to what’s available. Play your cards right, and you could be writing your next assignment from a beach hut in Madagascar.

BIO: C.M. Saunders is a freelance journalist and editor. His fiction and nonfiction has appeared in over 60 magazines, ezines and anthologies worldwide, including Loaded, Record Collector, Fantastic Horror, Trigger Warning, Gore, Liquid Imagination, and the Literary Hatchet. His books have been both traditionally and independently published, the most recent being Apartment 14F: An Oriental Ghost Story (Uncut) and Human Waste, both of which are available now on Deviant Dolls Publications. He is represented by Media Bitch Literary Agency.

COmpetitions

WINCHESTER POETRY PRIZE
http://www.winchesterpoetryfestival.org/prize
£5 ENTRY FEE. Deadline July 31, 2018. First Prize: £1,000. Second Prize: £500. Third Prize: £250. Best poem by a poet living in Hampshire will receive a special prize. The competition is open to anyone aged 16 or over. Poem can be any form or style. Limit 40 lines. 



LIVING SPRINGS PUBLISHERS BABY BOOMER EDITION 
http://livingspringspublishers.com/index.php/contests/
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline June 15, 2018. The Baby Boomers Plus edition is open to anyone who was born 1964 or earlier. The deadline for submissions is June 15, 2018. The word count for this contest is 700 – 4,000 words. There is no prompt; stories may be about any topic. We will have a minimum of 15 finalists. For each contest the story from the finalists will be included in a book published by Living Springs Publishers LLP. In addition, first, second and third place finalists receive cash prizes of $500, $200 and $100 respectively.



THE HOPPER POETRY PRIZE
http://www.hoppermag.org/contests/
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline July 1, 2018. This contest is open to poets with an identified interest in the natural world and whose work explores issues tied to our ever-changing environment. The winning poetry manuscript will be published by Green Writers Press as a collection in 2019. The winning poet will also receive $500 in prize money.



RILLA ASKEW SHORT FICTION PRIZE
https://balkanpress.submittable.com/submit/45012/the-rilla-askew-short-fiction-prize-2018
$8 ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 31, 2018. The winner will receive a $500 cash prize as well as publication in Conclave: A Journal of Character. Limit 5,000 words. 

 

GRANTS / FELLOWSHIPS / CROWDFUNDING

FUNDLY (Crowdfunding)
http://fundly.com/how-it-works
Fundraising originally designed for charitable projects, but Fundly also can be used for creative projects. Very mobile and Facebook friendly with integral tools to broadcast on more than the website itself. 



ROCKETHUB (Crowdfunding)
https://www.rockethub.com/
Connect with other entrepreneurs, learn of events to attend to make your crowdfunding better, read the blog for tips, advertise to a targeted audience, and use the funding platform to raise capital. Whether your project is up and running or just beginning, ELEQUITY Funding™ can help you get the funds you need to ensure your success. RocketHub has partnered with Bankroll Ventures to create the ELEQUITY Funding™ platform for you, which maximizes your ability to raise capital for your business venture.



PLUMFUND (Crowdfunding)
https://www.plumfund.com/
Only has credit card processing fees. No admin fees. Designed by real people who began in the wedding registry business and understood crowd gifting. A Plumfund crowdfunding site can help you raise money to kickstart a new business, fund a creative project, or support any initiative. Bands, writers, visual artists, and entrepreneurs can use Plumfund to fund their visions.



PATREON (Crowdfunding)
https://www.patreon.com/
Patreon allow you to get paid by running a membership business for your fans. They subscribe to receive unique material/stories from you, that you share nowhere else. 

 

FREELANCE MARKETS

BLOG PAWS
http://blogpaws.com/collaborate/write-for-us/
BlogPaws is a Social Media Company focused on teaching pet enthusiasts, pet bloggers and all pet parents how to use social media effectively and responsibly. Your post should consist of 350 – 550 words. Pays $75 per post. Posts must naturally fit with the type of content that appears on the BlogPaws blog. We strongly encourage you to familiarize yourself with the content we publish prior to pitching. 



REPTILES
http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Submit-A-Picture-or-Story-to-Reptile-Magazine/Writers-Guidelines/
REPTILES is a bimonthly magazine that caters to reptile and amphibian hobbyists at all levels of experience, from beginner to veteran. Query via email. Once invited to submit an article based on the query, the article is submitted on spec. Though rates may sometimes vary, $300 is the usual payment for a 2,000 to 2,500-word article with photos. Payment is made in U.S. dollars no later than 90 days upon publication.



PIEDMONT LIFESTYLE MAGAZINES
http://piedmontlifestyle.com/contact/
The Piedmont Publishing Group publishes the three community-oriented, full-color monthly magazines Warrenton Lifestyle, Haymarket Lifestyle, and Gainesville Lifestyle in Virginia's Piedmont Region. We're always on the hunt for talented writers and photographers to support our staff as freelancers or contributing writers/photographers. If you are interested in consistently working for our publication, please email a cover letter specifying what types of articles you are interested in writing or photographing (people, food, events, history, etc.) and include a few writing and/or photography samples as well as a resume. 



NAUTILUS
http://nautil.us/about
We are here to tell you about science and its endless connections to our lives. Each month we choose a single topic. And each Thursday we publish a new chapter on that topic online. Each issue combines the sciences, culture and philosophy into a single story told by the world’s leading thinkers and writers. We follow the story wherever it leads us. Read our essays, investigative reports, and blogs. Fiction, too. Take in our games, videos, and graphic stories. Stop in for a minute, or an hour. Nautilus lets science spill over its usual borders. We are science, connected.

 

Publishers/agents

NEPHILIM PRESS
http://nephilimpress.com/
We are a trade publication that specializes in the rare and unique subject areas of the occult and arcane, that many major publishing companies consider too controversial to print. Currently we are accepting submissions for the following Occult subjects: Thelema, Enochian Magick, Necromancy, Egyptian Magick, Chaos Magick, Ceremonial Magick, Witchcraft, Black Magic, Golden Dawn, Satanism, Goetic Magick, Demonology, Freemasonry Sumerian Magick, Left Hand Path, Babylonian Magick, Arabic Magick, Kabbalah, Herbalism, Divination, Palo Mayombe, Voodoo, Hekka, African Witchcraft, and Everything else. We are especially interested in finding little known foreign works of folk magic, both new and old, and introducing them to our readers.



SEVERED PRESS
http://www.severedpress.com/submissions/
Severed Press is open for submissions, and we want to hear from talented writers of horror and science fiction looking to have their work published. We give full consideration to any submission that offers a well-presented story while adhering to our guidelines.



BARRICADE BOOKS
http://www.barricadebooks.com/index.php/about/single/submission_guidelines/
We publish very little fiction. And we do not publish poetry or children's books. We look for quality nonfiction manuscripts--preferably that lean toward the controversial. We are a publicity-driven publisher and look for books with authors who are committed to promoting themselves and their titles.



EDGE
http://www.edgewebsite.com/authors.html
We are currently seeking high-quality novel-length science fiction and fantasy submissions of all types. We are not interested in erotica, strictly religious fiction, short stories (other than submission for a specific anthology), dark/gruesome fantasy, or poetry. Manuscripts should be written in good taste and be aimed at a well-read, mature audience. We only accept submissions of novels between 75,000 and 100,000 words. We work with new and established authors.

 

SPONSORS

Crack Open Your Fierce, Original Voice This Summer

To Write Something New, Think Something New

Four spots remain for Elephant Rock's Sixth Annual Summer Solstice Retreat, June 17-22! Held on a beautiful secluded island at historic Stout's Lodge at the height of summer, this unique workshop is led by the award-winning writer Jeannine Ouellette. Inventive approaches and techniques steer you away from repetitive thinking in order to break new ground in your work, or simply find a way to begin. You'll love the island soundtrack of lapping waves and birdsong. But this extraordinary week is about more than just the deep peace or the innovative writing workshops and daily yoga and meditation. It's the journey back to your own fierce, original voice and the ability to break through and create. And laugh, a lot!

As one writer said, "I am still searching for words ... because what happened at Stout's was so huge." 

All levels and genres welcome. Tuition includes 5 nights' lodging and all meals, daily writing, yoga, & meditation, kayaks and outdoor activities, evening readings, craft talks, bonfires, and music, Solstice Eve celebration, and more. Inquire soon. This retreat sells out.

For all retreat details, visit Elephant Rock Retreats at: http://elephantrockretreats.com/upcoming-retreats/
Contact: Jeannine Ouellette – elephantrockretreats@gmail.com or call 612-801-2566

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 

E-mail Shaila: info@myhouseofdesign.com 
View portfolio: http://myhouseofdesign.com/author-portfolio/
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/

Other websites:
http://bapsisidhwa.com/
http://wagnerjulia.com/
http://lisakwinkler.com/
http://kbhyde.com/
http://meredithwargo.com/



 

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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