FundsforWriters - August 10, 2018 - Agents Wanting Marketing Plans for Fiction

Published: Fri, 08/10/18

Volume 18, Issue 32 | AUGUST 10, 2018

Message from the Editor

I sit down annually and consider my past year's accomplishments and future plans. For the last two years, both have been seriously skewed for me with the addition of two parents with Alzheimer's.

Appearances have fallen. Income, too. Less freelancing. More internalization of how to deal with marrying my newfound obligations with my love for writing.

Which has allowed me (or rather, forced me) to think about what's important and what isn't. Which means simplification.

I'm a huge fan of simplification and deeming what's most important, enjoyable, worth spending precious hours of my life doing. I read fewer newsletters and blogs. I watch less television. I breathe fresh air and enjoy the green outdoors for empowerment as well as peace. I write stories. I enjoy my family.

It's amazing how when you're sitting around a hospital room for days on end, watching the lives of so many ill, mangled, and lost souls around you, that you learn what's most precious.

Take the time now, while your time is your own, and isolate yourself long enough each day to understand what gives you worth and what isn't worth doing for the long run. You might just carve out enough time to write a really good book.

C. Hope Clark
Editor, FundsforWriters
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From Amazon reviewers:

I always like the mystery and crime story behind Slade but with this one, the interpersonal relationships just shine and demand attention that they deserve and humanize the characters on a whole new level. I don't just want another crime story, I now want more of the characters.
- - -

Strong, well rounded characters are a hallmark of Hope Clark’s books, and this one is no exception.

- - -

A must-have for fans of high voltage action, mystery and just the right amount of romantic tension. Hope this series continues.

- - -

Wow, wow, wow. Stellar addition to the Carolina Slade series! Once again the author exceeds herself in writing this 4th book of the series.

SPONSOR OF THE WEEK

"Undeniably addictive, this is a book you won’t want to put down. Replete with well-drawn characters, this is a read that won’t disappoint as Clark’s penchant for rapid-fire prose grabs you by the scruff of the neck and refuses to let go." –Rachel, Gladstone, Dish Magazine

Featured this week as a must-read 99 cent special on Kindle Nation Daily, BookGorilla, EReader News Today, Book Cave, Book Adrenaline, eReaderIQ, and Fussy Librarian.

Available wherever books are sold. Available as an autographed gift at www.chopeclark.com

(Available on Amazon here )

EDitor’s THOUGHTS

AGENTS WANTING MARKETING PLANS FOR FICTION

I feel so wise at having just spoken on this topic at the Mississippi Writers Guild, forecasting the message in what has been confirmed in a recent post by Jane Friedman who cited literary agent Carly Watters. I learned about it via literary agent Janet Reid who took issue with the concept.

http://jetreidliterary.blogspot.com/2018/08/wait-what.html

But let's back up.

In my keynote to the conference, a keynote titled "Platform from the Heart," I spoke about creating friends rather than statistics when it came to readers and sales. The message was positively received.

However, I also defined platform in various ways, emphasizing that agents and publishers say they only want a platform in advance for nonfiction, when I knew better. I've spoken to too many in the industry, seen them say one thing in public and do another in the privacy of their own offices. When it comes to fiction, agents and publishers want a marketing plan or strong feel for a writer's following.

Everything in publishing is fast becoming about who you know and what you're worth in terms of sales. It is not just about the quality of work, as we are so sweetly told by too many people who aren't facing reality or cannot stand to speak the truth for fear of the backlash.

Whether you are traditional or indie published, it's about reach, connection, and sales. Indies can act noble about how they more directly serve readers, and they might be one step closer than traditional authors, but still. . . it's about who they can touch. And if they can partner with other authors or "know" someone at a conference, or "sell" via top-notch venues, well, then they are seeking platform just like the traditionals.

While you do need a good book, in the end it becomes about sales.

What we have is the traditional publishing industry spinning circles trying to adjust to the new normal. Old school professionals trying to predict which author is more advantageous to have than another. . . with quality of writing being only one factor instead of the main factor. Well. . . they just became that which they hate. . . thinking like an indie.

NOTE: Last week we listed Pascale Duguay's article with the wrong title. You can read "Track Your Time and Boost Your Bottom Line" online at https://fundsforwriters.com/track-your-time-and-boost-your-bottom-line/ And please leave her a comment!

PREVIOUS FAVORITE POSTS:

HOPE'S 2018 APPEARANCES
(Times in Eastern)

October 1 - 3-5 PM- Edisto Bookstore, Edisto, SC (also celebrating my birthday!)
October 27 - all day - Fall Arts Festival, The Coffee Shelf, Chapin, South Carolina
December 18 - 1 PM Eastern, Dialogue! Blogtalkradio.com

NOTE: I've been asked by a few about the Philadelphia BookBaby Conference. Unfortunately, I will not be attending that event.

WORDS OF SUCCESS

"Rarely have I seen a situation where doing less than the other guy is a good strategy."

—Jimmy Spithill

SPONSOR EXTRAORDINAIRE

According to Sophie the psychic, beautiful Edisto Beach becomes a hotbed of trouble-making spirits every August. But when a visitor dies mysteriously during a beach house party, former big-city detective Callie Morgan and Edisto Beach police chief Mike Seabrook hunt for motives and suspects among the living. With tourists filling the beaches and local business owners anxious to squelch rumors of a murderer on the loose, Callie will need all the help she can get—especially once the killer’s attention turns toward her.

The trailer for Edisto Jinx, book 2 in the Edisto Island Mysteries. http://chopeclark.com/edisto-island/

SUccess Story

If you've found success via FFW newsletters, tell me! Email hope@chopeclark.com with a brief description so we can all share!

Featured article

The Case for Beta Readers

By Paul Kilpatrick

More authors are beta-ing their books than ever before. But many writers are asking the question, "Why should I use beta readers?" This question is usually followed by either "I write well enough not to need it," or, "It seems like a lot of work just to hear from regular readers."

To answer those questions, I'd like to share some examples of how authors are utilizing betas as a key component of their authorial career.

Market Feedback

When you run a beta read, you receive the story feedback you need to help you spot problems and polish your story to fit your target market. Authors who have a beta-ready manuscript, give clear instructions, and engage with their readers, end up getting great feedback that they can incorporate into their edits, branding, and career development. It's the same idea as the test-screenings that are common in Hollywood, getting reactions from readers before you publish gives you a better chance of producing a bestseller.

Building Your Brand

Beta readers in your target audience know what that audience wants and likes. Learning what your beta readers do and don't enjoy in your work gives you valuable insight into how to promote your books, target your ads, and develop your brand in a way that best speaks to your potential fans.

Building Community

A key part of building a fan base is making your readers feel like they are part of a community beyond themselves. The process of inviting a group of your most dedicated fans to give early feedback on a book ties them to you, but more importantly ties them to each other and lets them know their love of your work is something they share with other people.

Building Buzz

Thousands of books are published a month. Hundreds of reviews are written. Dozens of launch ads flash before readers' eyes. The thing that reliably cuts through all that noise is personal recommendation. People talk about projects they helped with. Your beta readers are a part of your launch story, and they will share that story, building excitement for and awareness of your book.

Selling Copies

Smart authors not only develop strong groups of beta readers who make substantive comments on their book and help them produce better work, they thank them in their books. Those readers are often the first people in line when those books go on sale. They want to see what they helped create. Many leave reviews, especially if you encourage it. Who doesn't want an eager audience who has already read the book bumping your numbers on launch day and leaving honest reviews?

My partner Andrew and I built BetaBooks, the first reader management software for professional authors. Since our launch in summer 2016, we have helped more than one thousand authors beta their books. BetaBooks lets authors privately share their book with their trusted readers, track their progress, collect feedback, and collate and sort that feedback for easy editorial passes. This saves authors time, making what used to be an organizational headache easy and fun.

If you are looking for a better way to organize your betas, visit BetaBooks.co to try out our free demo tier and use the coupon code "hopeclark" to get 10 percent off when you upgrade to one of our paid plans.

If you have any questions or want to tell us about your betas, get in touch at hello@betabooks.co

COmpetitions

NEW LETTERS PUBLICATION AWARD IN FICTION
http://newletters.org/writers-wanted/writing-contests
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 28, 2018. Limit 8,000 words. Stories must concern this year’s topic of CHILDREN in some way, whether implicitly or explicitly through title, setting, plot, theme, conflict, or the minds of the characters. Entrants receive a one-year subscription to New Letters. The winner will be published in New Letters and receive a $750 prize.

JULIA DARLING MEMORIAL POETRY PRIZE
http://www.kallistogaiapress.org/kallisto-gaia-press/announcing-two-new-summer-writing-contests/
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 20, 2018. A prize of $750 and publication in The Ocotillo Review Winter 2019 will be awarded for a poem of up to 65 lines. Submit up to three poems of no more than 65 lines each with entry fee.

JULIA PETERKIN AWARD FOR FLASH FICTION
https://south85.submittable.com/submit/118884/julia-peterkin-award-for-flash-fiction-500-prize
$12 ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 15, 2018. Previously unpublished fiction of 850 words or less are eligible for this contest. We are especially interested in stories that demonstrate a strong voice and/or a sense of place, but we consider all quality writing. One prize of $500. Four runners up will be recognized. All winning entries will be published in the Fall / Winter issue of South 85 Journal, which will be released December 15.

SONGS OF ERETZ POETRY CONTEST
http://www.songsoferetz.com/p/songs-of-eretz.html
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 15, 2018. First place $1,000. Second $200. Third $100. Readers Choice $200. Our goal is to raise enough funds to exceed covering the operating expenses of holding the contest and publishing Songs of Eretz Poetry Review, so that contributors to the Review may continue to receive honoraria for their work. Submit five poems per entry fee.

BRETT ELIZABETH JENKINS POETRY PRIZE
https://tinderboxpoetryjournal.submittable.com/submit/42393/2018-brett-elizabeth-jenkins-poetry-prize
$12 ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 22, 2018. Submit up to three poems (five pages maximum). All work submitted to this contest will be considered for publication in the Winter Solstice issue, which will be published on December 21. There are no limitations in form or content; they are interested in everything from traditional forms to free verse to lyric essay to flash fiction. One winner will receive $750 and one runner-up will receive $500.

SANDY RUN NOVELLA AWARD
https://hiddenriverartssubmissions.submittable.com/submit
$22 ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 15, 2018. Hidden River announces the inaugural Sandy Run Award for an unpublished novella. The winning manuscript will be published by Hidden River Press, an imprint of Hidden River Publishing, and will receive $1,000. This competition is open to international submissions for all writers in English. All submissions must be between 17,500 and 40,000 words.

PRESERVATION FOUNDATION CONTEST FOR UNPUBLISHED WRITERS
http://www.storyhouse.org/contest2018.html
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 31, 2018. First prize in each category will be $200. Runners-up will receive $100. Finalists will receive $50. Winners, runners-up, and finalists in each category will receive certificates of recognition suitable for framing. Stories must be between 1,000 and 10,000 words in length. Stories from any country are fine, although they must be written in English. Categories are biography, general nonfiction, travel nonfiction, and nonfiction animal stories. A writer may enter up to three stories in each contest.

CULTURAL WEEKLY'S JACK GRAPES POETRY PRIZE
https://culturalweekly.submittable.com/submit
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 31, 2018. Three winners will receive $200 each plus publication. Finalists will receive $50 plus publication. Submit up to three poems.

ETCHINGS PRESS WHIRLING PRIZE
https://blogs.uindy.edu/etchings/whirling-prize/
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 1, 2018. Theme Disability. Etchings Press, a student-run publisher at University of Indianapolis, awards The Whirling Prize each fall to two books that demonstrate an excellent and compelling response to a theme that students at the university select. Each winner will receive $500 and 25 copies of a letterpress broadside designed and produced by students of UIndy’s Hullabaloo Press, and each winner will be invited to participate in an episode of a literary podcast with the student judges, which will air winter 2019. Books can be any genre (or mixed genre), including poetry, memoir, creative nonfiction, short stories, or novels.

GRANTS / FELLOWSHIPS / CROWDFUNDING

THE MARGINS FELLOWSHIP
https://aaww.org/apply-the-margins-fellowship-2019/
Deadline September 12, 2018. Four emerging Asian American writers of fiction, poetry, or creative nonfiction based in New York City aged 30 and under will receive $5,000, residency time at the Millay Colony for the Arts, mentorship, access to the AAWW writing space, and publication opportunities in our online magazine, The Margins. The Margins is the Asian American Writers’ Workshop’s online magazine of arts and ideas featuring new fiction and poetry, literary and cultural criticism, and interviews with writers and artists. Writers from Asian diasporic, West Asian, Arab, and North and East African communities as well as Muslim writers of color more broadly are eligible. Fellowship applicants may not be enrolled in any academic, conservatory, college, or degree granting training program during the fellowship term.

PUBLIC SPACE FELLOWSHIPS
https://apublicspace.org/news/detail/the_2018_public_space_fellowships
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 15, 2018. Writers who have not yet contracted to publish a book are invited to apply. Three fellowships will be awarded, which will include: six months of editorial support from A Public Space editors to prepare a piece for publication in the magazine; a $1,000 honorarium; the opportunity to meet with members of the publishing community, including agents, editors, and published writers; the opportunity to participate in a public reading and conversation in New York City with A Public Space editors and contributors.

REPRESENTATION MATTERS MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
https://repmatters.org/
Rolling deadline. Connecting self-identified people of color who are interested in publishing and literature with publishing professionals who can help their mentees learn about, and get a foothold in, the industry. Applicants should submit a one-page essay to RMMProgram@gmail.com explaining why they are interested in becoming an editor at a book publishing company and what holes they see in the marketplace that relate to their personal experiences. Please specify area of interest (i.e. a preference for either children’s books or adult, fiction or nonfiction, and any particular genres of interest). Applicants should also include a resume that reflects any editorial experience they may have (paid or volunteer).

SUSTAINABLE ARTS FOUNDATION
https://apply.sustainableartsfoundation.org/
Deadline August 31, 2018. This year, we will make awards of $5,000 each to 20 artists and writers. Additionally, we will name 10 award finalists. Our awards offer unrestricted cash, and recipients can use the funds as they see fit. Our program is an award program that rewards excellence in a creative field (note that this is different from a grant program, in which the application is focused on a proposal for new work). Our selection process is focused almost entirely on the strength of the submitted portfolio. Artists and writers with at least one child under the age of 18 and a strong portfolio of polished work are welcome to apply.

BROOKLYN POETS FELLOWSHIPS
http://brooklynpoets.org/workshops/fellowships/
Deadline August 26, 2018. Each workshop season, we award fellowships to promising students in need to take one of our workshops for free. We also award fellowship finalists with a deep discount on registration. Applicants must not be currently enrolled in a graduate writing program or have previously published (or had accepted for publication) a chapbook or full-length collection of poems. Additionally, applicants who hold a graduate writing degree will be considered separately for only one fellowship award per season. All applicants are limited to one fellowship lifetime.

RESIDENCIES FOR WRITERS WITH SPINAL CORD INJURY
https://artistcommunities.submittable.com/submit
Deadline August 20, 2018. The Creative Access Residencies consortium, coordinated by Vermont Studio Center and the Alliance of Artists Communities, offers artists with spinal cord injury the opportunity to dedicate time to their creative practice at one of four host organizations: PLAYA (Summer Lake, OR), Ragdale Foundation (Lake Forest, IL), Santa Fe Art Institute (Santa Fe, NM), and Vermont Studio Center (Johnson, VT). These two- to eight-week residency fellowships are open only to artists and writers with SCI living in the US and Canada.

DELAWARE STATE OF THE ARTS ON NEWS RADIO 1450 WILM
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DESOTA-Podcast
Do you have an upcoming event, festival, or exhibit you'd like to promote? Do you want to share what's happening in the arts, education, or community development through the arts? Do you have a story to tell that reveals the power of the arts in people's lives? We'd love to hear from you and share your story with the broader community. Delaware State of the Arts provides a comfortable, conversational format for you to share what's happening in the arts.

ECKERD COLLEGE WRITERS' CONFERENCE SCHOLARSHIPS
https://www.writersinparadise.com/application/
Located on the beautiful waterfront campus of Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida, this writers’ conference features professional writers at the top of their form spending quality time with motivated and talented participants seeking an intimate, unhurried climate for learning…in paradise. While admission is selective, the admissions committee accepts writers with early potential, as well as those with strong backgrounds in writing. Application materials are required from all participants. Acceptance is based on a writing sample and a statement detailing your writing background. All fellowships are awarded based on the strength of the writing sample and statement of intent, and with some consideration of published work in nationally-recognized magazines and journals. The Sterling Watson MFA Fellowships are awarded to applicants who are currently enrolled in or have recently (within the past five years) graduated from an MFA program. The McCartt, Carlson, and Standiford Fellowships are open to all applicants.

FREELANCE MARKETS

EDITORIAL FELLOWSHIPS - NEW YORK / WASHINGTON DC
https://www.atlanticmedia.com/careers/
Atlantic Media is a nationally-recognized, award-winning, and digital-first media enterprise whose publications — The Atlantic, National Journal and Government Executive — are among the most influential media outlets in America. This Program is a structured, year-long, paid fellowship for top-tier talent committed to careers in media in business or editorial functions. The Fellowship will begin in January 2019 and will run through December 2019. All Fellowship opportunities will be located in Washington, D.C. or New York, NY.

SESAME STUDIOS
http://sesamestudios.com/
The makers of Sesame Street are looking for submissions for their all-new YouTube channel. Sesame Studios features the same educational goodness as Sesame Street, but completely different. We are looking for fresh creative talent to dazzle and delight preschoolers.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING
https://ecscscliving.app.box.com/s/7r7im55t25q9oq34guom
South Carolina Living is a lifestyle magazine published 11 times a year for the member-owners of South Carolina’s not-for-profit electric cooperatives. Our features alternate between pocketbook energy issues and travel/lifestyle/general-interest topics. We’re looking for a mix of “great read” features and solid service journalism. Length:1,500 to 3,000 words. Rate: $450. Our readers love one-page mini-profiles, too. Unless you have a special “in” with a celebrity, we prefer you pitch interesting, everyday people. The text is short, so your profile needs a clear, easily summarized hook. Length:350 words. Rate: $200. Good writers can also have a lot of fun with these one- to two-page stories on interesting places to visit in South Carolina. Length: 500-750 words. Rate: $300.

NEBRASKALAND MAGAZINE
http://magazine.outdoornebraska.gov/guidelines-writers-photographers/
NEBRASKAland Magazine is published ten times a year by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. The magazine welcomes freelance submissions and pays $.15 per word of edited text. NEBRASKAland welcomes high-quality articles with a Nebraska slant.

MASK
http://www.maskmagazine.com/docs/writers
Although Mask Magazine is updated frequently, sometimes many times per day, each issue has a theme which unfolds over the course of each month. While we're willing to experiment with article formats (with exceptions documented in the DOs and DON'Ts section of the website), there are certain approaches we would especially like: how-to guides or tutorials, personal essays about an adventure or tribulation that you learned from, documentation of a singular event you participated in or witnessed, studies of movements or phenomena from history, art, music, the internet, or social life relevant to the theme, stories on uncommon intersections on the theme, investigative reports on current events, trends, or "subcultures." Maskmag.com is an online repository of youth and internet culture packed with interviews, editorials, news, and style in the age of unrest. Pays $50 to $200.

4POINTCONSULTING NEEDS WRITERS - REMOTE POSITIONS
http://www.4pointconsulting.com/job-openings/
Marketing Writer
Retail Writer
Finance Writer
Finance Editor
Sales Writer
4 Point Consulting is helping Fit Small Business add to their rapidly growing team once again! Marc Waring Ventures, the company behind the small business resource website FitSmallBusiness.com, is seeking a full time Finance Writer to join our editorial team. Founded in 2013, FitSmallBusiness.com is read by over 1.5 million small business owners and managers each month. We are a fast-growing NYC-based startup, with headquarters across the street from Grand Central.

POND LEHOCKY STERN GIORDANO, LLP
https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=482464e51394c2e9
We are a law firm looking for dedicated and passionate freelance writers to produce high-quality and high-impact content focusing on workers’ compensation, Social Security disability, employment, and long-term disability law. Location Philadelphia, PA.

FREELANCE WRITER - FOX NETWORK
https://www.mediabistro.com/jobs/description/377304/freelance-writer/
We are looking for a talented Freelance Writer to join our New York Bureau. You are a storyteller. You use creative, compelling and conversational copy to pull viewers in. You know the difference between an attention-grabbing headline and burying the lead. You like to dig into details, find the most interesting part about a story and make it resonate with viewers across the country. Location New York.

Publishers/agents

ENTANGLED TEEN
http://www.entangledteen.com/submissions/
Entangled Teen (simultaneous print and e-distribution) and Entangled digiTeen (digital first distribution), our young adult imprints, publish the swoon-worthy young adult romances readers crave. Whether they’re dark and angsty or fun and sassy, contemporary, fantastical, or futuristic, Teen and digiTeen have exactly what teen (and teen at heart!) readers want. We are seeking fresh voices with interesting twists on popular genres.

KRAKEN PRESS
https://kraken.submittable.com/submit
We accept unsolicited novels, novellas and short story collections, up to 120,000 words. Collections are generally a really hard sell for us, so query first. We are interested in seeing manuscripts in the genres of horror, dark fantasy and weird fiction. More importantly, we’re interested in fresh writing. We’re not likely to publish anything with vampires, werewolves or zombies. We do not publish sci-fi that doesn't have a horror bend.

OCEANVIEW PUBLISHING
http://oceanviewpub.com/submissions/
Oceanview Publishing is accepting manuscripts of adult fiction with a primary interest in the mystery/thriller genre. Submissions will be accepted only if they meet one of the following criteria: an author represented via a literary agent; an author who has previously been published by a traditional publishing house (not self-published or published by a vanity press); an author specifically invited by an Oceanview representative or an Oceanview author. Oceanview representatives often attend mystery and thriller conferences; please refer to Events on our website.

SEVERN HOUSE
http://severnhouse.com/about-us/
Severn House is a vibrant independent publishing house, which produces a broad range of titles, from Crime & Mystery, Thrillers and Romance, to Sagas, General and Historical fiction. Query first. Unsolicited manuscripts not accepted.

AGATE PUBLISHING
https://www.agatepublishing.com/
Agate B2 publishes titles on business and economics, with a particular focus on management, and leadership. Agate Bolden publishes intelligent, accessible, and thought-provoking fiction and nonfiction by African American writers. Agate Digital publishes ebooks in ways designed to reach readers much more rapidly than printed books—and at far more attractive prices—straight to their preferred digital reading platforms. Agate Midway is devoted to Midwestern topics and authors, with a focus on Chicago. Our titles cover food, beverage, music, sports, art, culture, photography, history, and politics across Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Iowa.

ROSARIUM PUBLISHING
http://rosariumpublishing.com/#about
Rosarium Publishing is a fledgling publisher specializing in speculative fiction, comics, and a touch of crime fiction—all with a multicultural flair.

SHADOW MOUNTAIN
http://shadowmountain.com/
A U.S.-based publisher of children’s fantasy, children’s picture books, inspiration, fiction, history, and business titles. As an imprint of Deseret Book, Shadow Mountain publishes and promotes a variety of books, all of which reflect the values espoused by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.