SPONSOR OF THE WEEK

Get the cure for your creative troubles -- the existential funk, the inconsistent writing, the creative doldrums -- with the FREE booklet Writing Without Tears.

Writing Without Tears helps you create favorable circumstances for your creativity and make writing a practice that gives you more writing and better writing --- and also a deeper and more fulfilling life! Each section highlights common challenges experienced by writers, then gives you precise solutions so you can spend less time struggling and more time writing.

In three simple steps, Professor Marya Summers guides you on the path to writing contentedly, creatively, and consistently. Get your FREE copy.
 

WHEN YOU WANT TO BE A FREELANCE WRITER

So, you have it in your head you want to be a freelance writer. You probably don't find it fair that you have no experience. How are you supposed to get started?

First of all, ditch the word "fair." I am not a fan of the word. Fairness is more of a perception than a reality. What is fair to you is not to someone else and vice versa, so let's just toss that concept out the window.  

Next, what type of freelancer do you want to be? Magazines? Commercial copy for corporate entities? Website copy? Blogs? Resumes? Any of the above?

1) Go to where the calls for submissions are. LinkedIn, Upwork, and NewPages are just a few. 

2) Study online how to pitch professionally. VERY professionally. I often turn down submissions to FundsforWriters for broken grammar, text-ish writing, and thrown together queries (i.e., I want to write for you. See attached.)

3) Build a portfolio online, whether on a free blog, Tumblr, or an upscale website. The point is to show your stuff sharply online for the prospective employer to look you up and answer all questions.

4) Gather testimonials for anyone you earn the privilege to write for. Use them.

5) Maintain relationships with those you've written for. You'll need them when you are hungry. 

All this is assuming you know how to write. It is totally on you to master the craft. 

Freelancing is about good ideas presented creatively and professionally, delivered with good timing. It has nothing to do with what's fair. Good luck!






PREVIOUS FAVORITE POSTS:

• One Road to Royalties
• The Case for Beta Readers
• Platform - It's About Making Friends
• Track Your Time and Boost Your Bottom Line
• Negotiating for Writers
• Writing Nonfiction for Children
• Would You Write Daily If You Got Paid for It?
• How to Write (Almost) a Million Words a Year

SUPER SPONSOR WORTH NOTING

THE 28th ANNUAL MISSOURI REVIEW JEFFREY E. SMITH EDITORS' PRIZE

$5000 prize and publication to winners in fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. Open for submissions now. Deadline: October 1. 

https://www.missourireview.com/contests/jeffrey-e-smith-editors-prize/



 

HOPE'S APPEARANCES

 

SUCCESS QUOTE

SUccess Story

(NOTE: If you've had a success thanks to FundsforWriters, let us know! Email hope@chopeclark.com) 
 

Featured article

Writing for the Health Markets

By John Riddle

In case you had not noticed, America is getting older. And while that might cause alarm for some people, for freelance writers, it is time to dance a jig. Why? Because with the so-called "graying of America," the opportunity to write for health markets has "exploded and reached an all-time high." And it will continue to grow and grow and grow.

Here are five tips to keep in mind when writing for the health markets:

Find the latest health and fitness news. Think like an editor, who is always trying to think like a reader. What is happening in the world of health and fitness, and why is it newsworthy? Find a timely topic in the health world, and you are one step closer to landing an assignment. There are thousands of websites that are devoted to health and fitness information. A good place to start is the Federal Government's own site, the National Institutes of Health. Visit them at http://www.nih.gov and you'll find every health topic and late breaking bulletin there is. 

Target your audience. Know the audience of the magazine, newsletter or website, and your job as a health writer will be a lot easier. For example, does this publication like to include a lot of statistics and facts, or is it looking for more of the "human side" of the story? Read back issues, study the writer's guidelines, and you'll do fine.

Know where to find statistics and facts. As a freelance health writer, you need to know how to research the basic health facts and statistics. Compile a list of reference books, directories (including online sources) and other health materials. A good place to start is a local university or college library. Or better yet, check with your local hospital; many times, they will have a health library that is open to the public. You won't find a better source of reference materials anywhere.

Know where to get good quotes from doctors. If you have not yet visited www.profnet.com, then take a few moments and do so. It has the world's largest group of "experts" in every field, and they are just waiting to answer your questions. Need a quote from a dentist? Go to ProfNet; need a quote from a heart surgeon? Go to Profnet.

Don't write like a doctor. Unless you are a doctor, that is. But even if you are a doctor, remember that you are writing for a general consumer market (unless you are writing for a medical journal!). Don't use 18 letter words when shorter ones will work just as well. Read other general consumer health materials as a guide.

Here are a few health markets that are actively seeking new articles:

Health Central - Find them online at https://www.healthcentral.com/ I recently sold two articles to them at $150 for 500 words.

Everyday Health - Find them online at https://www.everydayhealth.com/ Last year I wrote four articles for them at $350 for 600 words.

When searching for new markets to sell health articles, don't forget to check out health and medical associations.  You can find lots of links right here: http://www.meditec.com/resourcestools/professional-associations-list/ Many associations use freelance writers on a regular basis.  A few years ago the American Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) hired me to update a Medicare manual.  Although the work was a little boring, it did pay nearly $6,000.  

BIO - John Riddle is the author of 34 books, including a few health and medical titles, and has worked as a ghostwriter for numerous physicians.  His byline has appeared in major publications all across the U.S., and he has written articles for over 50 health sites. Since 1996 John has been working out of his home office in Delaware as a full-time freelance writer, author and ghostwriter.
 

COmpetitions

WUNDOR POETRY CONTEST
https://wundoreditions.submittable.com/submit/124513/wundor-poetry-contest-2018
£5 ENTRY FEE. Deadline November 30, 2018. There is no specific theme for our 2018 poetry contest, other than that we are looking to be surprised. The prize is £500. The winner and two runners-up will have their poems published on the Wundor website. Their work will be strongly considered for publication in print, too. The prize is open to anybody writing in English, aged 16 or over.



DISQUIET LITERARY PRIZES
http://disquietinternational.org/the-program/contests-scholarships/the-disquiet-prize/
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline January 10, 2019. Disquiet is now accepting contest submissions for The Disquiet Literary Prize for writing in any genre. The top winners in each genre will be published: the fiction winner on Granta.com, the nonfiction winner in Ninthletter.com, and the poetry winner in The Common. The grand prize winner will receive a full scholarship including tuition, lodging, and a $1,000 travel stipend to Lisbon in 2019. Runners-up and other outstanding entrants will receive financial aid. Fiction and nonfiction limit 25 pages. Poetry limit six poems and ten pages. 



RICHARD WILBUR POETRY AWARD
https://uecreativewriting.submittable.com/submit
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline December 1, 2018. The competition welcomes submissions of unpublished, original poetry collections (public domain or permission-secured translations may comprise up to one-third of the manuscript). This biennial competition (even-numbered years) is open to all American poets — those with or without previous book-length publication. Pays $1,000 and publication. The winning manuscripts will be published by the University of Evansville Press in 2019 and 2020. 



THE BALTIC WRITING RESIDENCY POETRY CHAPBOOK CONTEST
https://balticwritingresidency.submittable.com/submit
$23 ENTRY FEE. Deadline February 15, 2019. Pays $760 plus publication and 25 author copies. Send 20 – 32 manuscript pages of poetry (no more than one poem per page). It's fine if individual works have been published elsewhere, but the manuscript can't have been published as a whole before. (translations are admissible). The manuscript need not be thematically coherent or narratively related. Co-authored manuscripts are fine. 



MARY C. MOHR AWARDS
https://www.usi.edu/sir/awards-contests/mohr-award
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 1, 2018. Southern Indiana Review annually awards three prizes of $2,000 each and publication for a poem, a work of creative nonfiction, and a work of short fiction. All entries are considered for publication. Submit up to ten pages of poetry or 30 pages of prose. 



AMERICAN LITERARY REVIEW AWARDS
http://www.americanliteraryreview.com/contest-guidelines.html
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 1, 2018. Three prizes of $1,000 each and publication in the Spring online issue of the American Literary Review will be given for a poem, a short story, and an essay. Short fiction limited to 8,000 words. Creative nonfiction limited to 6,500 words. Poetry limit three poems. 



NILSEN LITERARY PRIZE FOR A FIRST NOVEL
http://www.semopress.com/events/nilsen-prize/
$30 ENTRY FEE. Deadline November 1, 2018. Award: $2,000 and publication by Southeast Missouri State University Press. Submissions must be previously unpublished novels, novellas, or collections of closely linked short stories. Manuscripts that have been self-published or published online will not be accepted.



RHINO FOUNDER'S PRIZE
https://submissions.rhinopoetry.org/
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 31, 2018. The winner will receive $500, publication in the next issue, will be featured on our website, and nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Two runners up will receive $50, publication in the next issue, and will be featured on our website. We occasionally nominate a runner-up for a Pushcart Prize. All contest submissions are considered for publication, and the Editor's Prize. Poetry three to five poems. Occasionally we award a Translation Prize. Flash fiction 500 words or less. Founders' Prize up to five poems.



PRESS 53 AWARD FOR SHORT FICTION
https://www.press53.com/award-for-short-fiction
$30 ENTRY FEE. Deadline December 31, 2018. The Press 53 Award for Short Fiction is awarded annually to an outstanding, unpublished short story collection. This contest is open to any writer, regardless of his or her publication history, provided the manuscript is written in English and the author is a resident of the United States or one of its territories. The winner of this contest will receive publication by Press 53 under a standard publishing contract, a $1,000 cash advance, and 50 copies of the book; all prizes will be awarded upon publication.



INTO THE VOID FICTION PRIZE
https://intothevoidmagazine.com/into-the-void-fiction-prize/
ENTRY FEE $12 Canadian. Deadline November 1, 2018. First Place: $1,000 and publication on the website and in a print issue of Into the Void. Second Place: $100 and publication on the website and in a print issue of Into the Void. Third Place: $100 and publication on the website. Stories must be a maximum of 5,000 words. This contest is open to writers based anywhere in the world.
 

GRANTS / FELLOWSHIPS / CROWDFUNDING

UNITED ARTS COUNCIL - RALEIGH, NC
https://www.unitedarts.org/grants/regional-artist-project-grants
Opens January 2019 for applications. The Professional Development Grant for Artists (also known as the Regional Artist Project Grant) provides up to $1,500 in financial support to committed, gifted individual artists and small, unincorporated groups of collaborating artists. With assistance from the North Carolina Arts Council, this grant is designed to support projects that will advance the applicant’s career in demonstrable ways. Career development opportunities may arise at different stages of a career; therefore, the grant is open to emerging and established artists in dance, drama, film/media, literary/playwriting, music and visual art. 



ICELAND WRITERS RETREAT
http://www.icelandwritersretreat.com/not-publish-iceland-writers-retreat-alumni-award-applications-now-accepted-2-2/
Deadline October 31, 2018. The Iceland Writers Retreat is an event comprised of a series of small-group writing workshops and cultural tours designed to introduce participants to Iceland’s rich literary heritage. The winning candidate(s) must demonstrate that s/he does not have the financial means to attend the conference without this award. Candidates do not need to be professional writers but should be serious about the craft and interested in developing their skills and contacts. Entrants can apply for either full or partial funding. Conference is April 3-7, 2019. 



COMMUNITY OF WRITERS SQUAW VALLEY, CA FINANCIAL AID
https://communityofwriters.org/workshops/financial-aid-scholarships/
A limited amount of financial aid is available each year for both the Poetry Workshop and Writers Workshops. Much of the financial aid is granted in the form of tuition waivers and scholarships, which are funded by donations from our past participants, staff and friends. Any scholarship funds awarded generally reduce the cost of tuition for the attendee. All financial aid, including scholarships, is granted on the basis of merit+need.  

 

FREELANCE MARKETS

UPSTREET
https://upstreet-mag.org/guidelines/
Fiction and nonfiction pieces must be 5,000 words or less. The next issue of upstreet will appear in early July. Payment, upon publication, will be between $50 and $250 for short stories or essays. Each author will also receive one complimentary copy and may purchase more copies at a reduced rate. (Thanks https://www.erikadreifus.com)



BACKPACKING FREELANCE WRITER
https://www.virtualvocations.com/job/telecommute-backpacking-freelance-writer-and-gear-tester-455581.html
A website needs applicants for an opening for a Telecommute Backpacking Freelance Writer and Gear Tester. Core Responsibilities of this position include: Testing backpacking gear by taking it with you on your backpacking trips Writing articles and reviews of the gear based on your testing Taking photos of the gear and your testing processes to include in your articles. Required Skills: three plus years backpacking experience Freelance writing experience Must be the type of backpacker who goes on lots of backpacking trips. 



ZIZZLE
http://zizzlelit.com/submit/
Deadline December 31, 2018. At Zizzle we look for stories that will surprise, move, and amuse both young and mature imaginative minds. We like fiction that dives deep into meaning and resists banality. We believe the moral, if any, of a great story should evolve naturally from within and not be imposed from without. We embrace new perspectives to the nuanced joys and tensions in children’s daily lives and imaginations. We seek flash fiction that not only appeals to children as young as age ten (grade five), but to grown-ups as well. Length: 500 to 1,200 words. We pay a flat rate of US $100 for each accepted flash fiction piece. 



FOOD WRITER MIAMI NEW TIMES
https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/freelance-writer-at-miami-new-times-863611489
The successful candidate will write at least a story per week about the restaurant/food scene in Miami-Dade County. He or she should have significant experience writing professionally, a college degree, and be able to hit deadlines. To apply, please read our food coverage at miaminewtimes.com, then submit résumé and at least five clips.



SIERRA
https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/editorial-guidelines
Sierra is the storytelling arm of the Sierra Club, the United States’ oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental group. We are a national print and digital magazine publishing award-winning journalism and cutting-edge photography, art, and video dedicated to protecting the natural world. We welcome ideas from professionals with a demonstrated ability to write smart, fun, incisive, and well-researched stories for a diverse and politically informed national readership. Successful pitches will reflect an understanding of the Sierra Club’s motto— “Explore, enjoy, and protect the planet”—as well as knowledge of recent issues and topics. 



WINEMAKER
https://winemakermag.com/writers-guidelines
WineMaker is for anyone who is interested in making wine, from those starting out with kits to more advanced winemakers who use fresh fruit. We seek articles that are straightforward and factual, not full of esoteric theories or complex calculations. Our readers tend to be intelligent, upscale and literate. Whether intended for the beginner, the intermediate, or the expert home winemaker, any article that appears in WineMaker should contain accurate information, useful tips and shortcuts, balanced evaluations and an inviting approach. Our pay scale ranges from $75 to $300 depending on the length and complexity of the article as well as the experience of the writer. We buy all rights, and payment is made upon publication of the article.



PLY
https://plymagazine.com/contribute/write-for-ply/
We want to support our amazing and diverse spinning community (spinners, fiber producers, indie fiber artists, writers, designers, and others who love fiber as much as we do), gather and share the information we all need and want, and also reflect the community in a real way. Each issue has a theme and everything in the issue relates to that theme. The mood board will explain the theme, give you some ideas of what we’re looking for, show you the color palette, and tell you the proposal due date and when you’ll hear a yes or no. 



COMMUNICATION ARTS
https://www.commarts.com/write-us
Communication Arts is actively seeking creative industry thought leaders who can contribute well-written opinion columns or reported pieces that cover emerging trends, ethical issues and what it takes to thrive in the fields of typography, photography, illustration, advertising and design for print, digital and interactive media. Communication Arts pays all writers a highly competitive rate or flat fee, which is negotiated upon assignment.


 

Publishers/agents

CYLE YOUNG LITERARY AGENT
http://cyleyoung.com/submissions/
Represents YA, middle grade, and chapter books, genre fiction, especially romance, love stories, and speculative (sci-fi and fantasy), easy readers, picture books and board books, nonfiction (parenting, leadership, ministry, and self-help), and movie and screen plays. 



URBAN FARMHOUSE PRESS
http://www.urbanfarmhousepress.com/submissions.html
We are looking for book-length manuscripts. Crossroads Poetry Series: minimum 50-60 pages of poetry, single-spaced, and one poem per page. Fiction: minimum 150 pages of prose, 12 pt font, double-spaced. Novellas: 60-145 pages of prose, 12 pt font, double-spaced. Cities of the Straits Chapbook Series: 20-40 pages of poetry or fiction. 12 pt font, double-spaced. Submissions open from April to August annually. All manuscripts chosen for publication will receive a book contract and eight percent royalties on all print copies sold. Submissions welcome from US, Canada, UK, and Australia. 



UNBOUND
https://unbound.com/
Unbound is a crowdfunding publisher that gives people the tools, support, and freedom to bring their ideas to life. Over 179,879 people from every corner of the globe have supported an Unbound project and helped make that idea a reality. To date, we’ve published 247 books that only exist thanks to the Unbound community. Many of these have been bestsellers and received critical acclaim, and all have come from passionate people with a story to share.



BROWER LITERARY AND MANAGEMENT
http://browerliterary.com/
We are a full-scale literary and management agency that is invested in authors for the life of their careers – starting with an idea and seeing it through to publication and beyond. Our Subrights Management division is geared towards self-published authors who want experienced professionals to manage their subrights (audio, foreign, print and other subsidiary rights).



TRIADA US AGENCY
http://www.triadaus.com/
We are always open to strong fiction and all nonfiction projects. Check the agents page and submission guidelines to find the right Triada agent for your project.



BOOKENDS LITERARY
http://bookendsliterary.com/submissions-2/
BookEnds represents fiction and nonfiction for an adult audience. In fiction our agents specialize in romance, mystery, suspense, thrillers, science fiction and fantasy, women’s fiction, historical fiction, literary fiction and upmarket fiction. We are also seeking nonfiction in the areas of memoirs, history, food, current affairs, business and career, parenting, pop culture, and general nonfiction. BookEnds Jr. represents fiction and nonfiction for the young adult, middle grade and picture book markets. In fiction we are looking for contemporaries, romance, science fiction and fantasy, historical fiction, graphic novels, horror, thrillers, and mystery. In nonfiction we are seeking narrative nonfiction and memoirs. BookEnds does not represent short fiction, poetry, screenplays, or techno-thrillers.



JANE ROTROSEN AGENCY
https://www.janerotrosen.com/submission-guidelines.html
Jane Rotrosen Agency is best known for representing writers of commercial fiction: thrillers, mystery, suspense, women’s fiction, romance, historical novels, mainstream fiction, young adult, etc. We also work with authors of memoirs, narrative and prescriptive nonfiction.



AEVITAS CREATIVE MANAGEMENT
http://aevitascreative.com/literary-representation/
Aevitas Creative Management is a full-service literary agency representing authors of the highest quality books in the areas of literary, commercial, and inspirational fiction; memoir; biography; history; arts and culture; fashion/design; children’s/middle grade/young adult; business/politics; health; food/cookbooks; religion/spirituality; parenting/general psychology; science/technology; humor/pop culture; narrative and prescriptive nonfiction.



PARK LITERARY MANAGEMENT
http://www.parkliterary.com/get-in-touch/
For adult fiction submissions, please include a query letter and approximately the first 25 pages of your work. For YA & children's fiction submissions, please include a query letter and the first chapter or approximately the first ten pages of your work. For nonfiction submissions, please send a query letter, proposal, and sample chapter(s). We do not review poetry or screenplays. Please specify the first and last name of the agent to whom you are submitting, as well as the category and genre of your submission.



PUBSLUSH
https://www.pubslush.com/
At Pub Slush we connect aspiring writers both new and established with publishers who can help bring your content into the light.



 

SPONSORS

Members--$50 / Nonmembers--$55 / Students--$25 with valid ID

*SPECIAL* E-Prime Ticket $100

• 1 conference ticket
• Special door prize entry at conference
• Name/Company Listed in registration package and on social media.

*NOTE! Online registration closes October 10. 
Limited Number of Scholarships Available

Speakers

Michael Bracken: Decision-Tree Story Creation
L Diane Wolfe: Market Your Books Like a Professional
Gina Ardito: Ten-Hut! Fall in for Basic Boot Camp!
Jerica Guillory:  The Key to Publication, Inspiration, & Motivation
John M Floyd: Writing & Selling Short Stories

More information here...





 

Last call!
Deadline: September 30.

The 16th annual Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest welcomes both published and unpublished work. Winning Writers will award $1,500 to the best poem in any style, and $1,500 to the best poem that rhymes or has a traditional style. 10 Honorable Mention entries will receive $100 each. The top 12 poems will be published online. The top two winners will also receive one-year gift certificates from our co-sponsor, Duotrope (a $50 value). $12 entry fee per poem. Submit here.

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

**Note that FundsforWriters.com places paid advertising in this newsletter, ALL ads being related to writers and the business of writing, screened by FundsforWriters to make sure the information is suitable for writers and their endeavors to improve their careers. But the mailing list is not sold to third parties. You will not receive this newsletter without your permission. It's physically impossible since recipients must opt-in, giving us permission to send the newsletter. If at any time you no longer with to receive the newsletter, click the UNSUBSCRIBE link at the bottom of each newsletter. We want you to enjoy this newsletter at your pleasure, not be forced to read anything you do not wish to receive. The website is not advertised using unsolicited messages by Aweber, affiliates or other third parties. Direct any complaints, suggestions, and accolades to Hope Clark at hope@fundsforwriters.com. We are an anti-spam site.