FundsforWriters - December 21, 2018 - Too Many Things To Write About

Published: Fri, 12/21/18

Volume 18, Issue 51 | DECEMBER 21, 2018

Message from the Editor

I have the edits to the next Edisto book, and the publisher had this to say about the manuscript:

"You did such a great job with this book. The characters are wonderful. The unraveling of the story is interesting. I think this is the best of the books I've read of yours.

Callie's gotten to a new place. Slade is beginning to accept with grace while still pursuing her passion of investigation. This is truly Callie's book. but Slade and Wayne carry their own weight. They are solid but also add a wonderful touch of humor.

Really really good job. You rocked it."

So that's why I picked a picture of me with a big smile on my face. Now...it's all about Christmas and slipping away every spare moment to edit.

Did I say I adore edits? Absolutely adore them. Each changing word adds more flavor and substance. I cannot imagine someone editing their own book when there is so much more opportunity to infuse more dimension from fresh sets of eyes.

So think of me editing, and smiling, throughout the holiday season. Best wishes to you and yours!

C. Hope Clark
Editor, FundsforWriters
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EDITOR’S THOUGHTS

TOO MANY THINGS TO WRITE

“If neurotic is wanting two mutually exclusive things at once and the same time, then I’m neurotic as hell. I’ll be flying back and forth between one mutually exclusive thing and another for the rest of my days.” —Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar

A common complaint by writers, and one that often freezes them from any serious progress, is having too many story ideas and not being able to pick the best one. The end result is often to write none of them. The feeling of writing the wrong one inhibits them. The thought of spending months writing on a story that cannot sell is debilitating.

But writing anything is progressive. Even writing the wrong story, if there is such a thing. Putting words on paper, crafting plot, molding character, solving structure are all positive, advancing efforts in the evolution of a writer.

All that time stressing and not writing is wasting time you could spend writing. I have a partial novel on a flash drive. I doubt I'll ever complete it, because I've found other writing I love better. However, the weeks and weeks I spent writing those thirty thousand words taught me what I wanted and didn't want to write. It was an over-zealous project for me at that stage of my career, but the lessons were legion. I admire that unfinished piece as many stair steps toward what I ultimately published.

Ideas. . . we all have them. Some of us incessantly ponder them in their heads. Others of us just write lists of them. Others carry through and complete the stories. Most of those stories won't see the light of day, will be rejected, or will simply become dead ends. But those writers. . . the ones who go through the sweat of crafting those ideas into words, will have taken the biggest strides forward. Those are the ones who will one day strike gold by having one of the ideas be the right one. Only they will see reward, simply because they were willing to write through all the bad ideas in search of the one that works.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and here's to writing badly in order to find the good.

SUPER SPONSOR WORTH NOTING

Kaz Conference: Advanced Manuscript Boot Camp

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DATES: March 21 – 24, 2019 at the Southampton Inn, Southampton, NY. Faculty: Donna Kaz and Madge McKeithen.

Working on my manuscript with Madge McKeithen and a committed group of writers gave me insightful feedback that led me to gird its sense of place as I more deeply listened to what others saw when they read."- Sara Lissa Paulson, writer and translator

Submissions open through December 31, 2018. For more info and to submit, click here.

PREVIOUS FAVORITE POSTS:

HOPE'S APPEARANCES

January 7 - 7 PM, Night Harbor Book Club, Chapin, SC
March 28 - 6 PM, Friends of the Library, Florence, SC
April 1 - 6 PM, Batesburg, SC Library Book Club
April 2 - 6 PM, Saluda, SC Library Book Club
April 11-13 - Nebraska Writers Conf (attendee)
Week around Easter - Edisto Bookstore, Edisto Island, SC
August 24, 2019 - 9-4:30 PM - Sylva, NC - North Carolina Writers Conference
Fall - Greater Nebraska Writer's Conference

SUCCESS QUOTE

"Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm."

~Winston Churchill

SUccess Story

Hi Hope,

I want you to know that your newsletter has been so valuable to me. I was published in the national magazine New Mobility and recently was awarded Ohio Christian Writers Contest Fall 2018: Honorable Mention for my Children's Picture Book Sometimes. Both of these opportunities were in your newsletter, and I wouldn't have learned about them from any other source. Thanks for helping all the newbie writers out there!

Dr. Lynn M. Jorgenson
M.S.....Find a Cure!!!

Writer & Speaker
http://twitter.com/lynnjorgenson
http://www.authorlynn.com
lynn.jorgenson@hotmail.com

- - -
We love success stories from our readers! Send us a note how FundsforWriters has helped your writing so we can all share! Email to hope@chopeclark.com

Ghostwriting: A Lesser Known Career Path that Pays Big

By Tasneem Ali

Graduating with an engineering degree, I had no clue I would end up being a freelance writer. I chose to be one, as it best suited my life during the recession period back in 2009. Like many other writers who get stuck with low paying content mills like Elance (now Upwork), I started my career earning peanuts. That changed when I did research for a blog post in 2013 about how much ghostwriters earn.

That research taught me that I was highly undercharging at $1 per page. The first eBook I ever ghostwrote for a client was over 50 pages long and paid only $50. And that included Elance’s and PayPal’s fees, too!

Today, in 2018, I charge as much as $1-$2 per word. I charge more for creative work or fiction than for nonfiction. If the work requires extensive research, the rate runs higher.

This means ghostwriting a 10k words novella would easily earn me $10,000. Now, imagine what a full-length novel of 60,000 to 100,000 pays. Ghostwriting is a lucrative niche that many writers don’t know much about.

Why Ghostwrite?

The truth is: I have tried self-publishing. This requires time to market and sell your books. Ghostwriting is a lot easier, less stressful, involves less marketing, and pays well.

When I started my career as a freelance writer, I was trying to raise a family while still being a ‘good’ housewife. I needed, at this point in my life, to work from home. Ghostwriting seemed to fit my lifestyle perfectly.

How I Land Ghostwriting Gigs

Ghostwriting just fell into my lap, but logically it is a small leap from freelance writing. I was writing blogs and articles when one of my repeat clients asked if I’d be interested in ghostwriting ebooks. I ultimately wrote a large number of them for the same client. He was kind enough to spread the word to his peers which landed more work.

As the owner of a writing business now, I acquire most of my work through my Facebook page. It’s not that my clients are too lazy or inept to write their own work. They are just too busy with careers or family to create the work they wish to market, which is the norm in today’s world.

Networking helps me too. When I meet someone new and introduce myself as a ghostwriter, people are keen to share brilliant ideas or stories for their books and have me jot them down for them. So many people have a story, but not the skill nor time to bring them to fruition.

Is Ghostwriting for You?

If you are attached to your writing, probably ghostwriting isn’t a good fit for you. However, if you enjoy playing with others’ ideas and molding them into your own words, it might just be your niche.

Does Ghostwriting Pay Better than Traditional writing?

It sure does, but you don’t get rich overnight. There are some freelance ghostwriters claiming six figures a year. They do earn that amount, but they didn’t right away.

Build upon your portfolio and reputation first. Initially, ghostwriting will pay your bills; your ghostwriting money. I enjoyed my first holiday to the south of France and then in the States in 2015 and 2016 respectively. In 2017, my family went to Spain and Pakistan. For 2018, I’ve planned a special surprise as we will be celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary in December. All thanks to ghostwriting, I am enjoying a life that many just dream of.

Brief Bio: Tasneem Ali is a ghostwriter, copywriter, blogger, writing coach and author of the series 'The Most Handy Guide to Parenting'. She is also a small writing business owner at Ghostwriters' World (https://www.facebook.com/ghostwritersworld/). On her blog: https://ghostwritersworld.blogspot.com, she shares her thoughts and posts helpful tips for budding writers.

COmpetitions

FURIOUS FLOWER POETRY PRIZE
http://www.jmu.edu/furiousflower/
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline February 10, 2019. Winner $1,000. Honorable mention $500. Prizes must be awarded in person at a reading on April 17, 2019 at James Madison University. A $500 honorarium and accommodations provided. The prize is open to poets who have published no more than one collection of poetry (excluding self-published collections and chapbooks). Submissions should include a group of three unpublished poems, not to exceed six pages, and should somehow reflect the mission of Furious Flower Poetry Center. Furious Flower Poetry Center is committed to ensuring the visibility, inclusion and critical consideration of Black poets in American letters.

OXFORD DEBUT FICTION CONTEST
https://oxfordamerican.submittable.com/submit/126851/debut-fiction-in-summer-2019-issue-open-only-to-new-writers
$5 ENTRY FEE. Deadline January 15, 2019. The Oxford American welcomes submissions for a work of fiction from an emerging writer for our Summer 2019 issue. We are eager to feature a writer whose fiction has not yet been published in a print publication with a circulation over 5,000 copies. Stories under 10,000 words will be considered, and the selected writer will be paid $1,000. Our primary consideration is quality, though we would be especially pleased to include the work of an author with ties to the South and/or a story that furthers our mission of exploring the complexity and vitality of the South.

STORY QUARTERLY NONFICTION PRIZE
https://storyquarterly.submittable.com/submit
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline January 12, 2019. The winner will receive $1,000, and the winner, first runner-up and second runner-up will be published in StoryQuarterly Issue 52. Limit 6,250 words. We are looking for previously unpublished work.

STORY QUARTERLY FICTION PRIZE
https://storyquarterly.submittable.com/submit
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline February 17, 2019. The winner will receive $1,000, and the winner, first runner-up and second runner-up will be published in StoryQuarterly Issue 52. Limit 6,250 words. We are looking for previously unpublished work.

AUTUMN HOUSE RISING WRITER CONTEST
https://www.autumnhouse.org/submissions/rising-writers/
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline January 31, 2019. The Rising Writer Contest is for a first full-length book of poetry by an author 33 years old or younger. The winner will receive book publication, $500 advance against royalties, and a $500 travel/publicity grant to promote their book. All finalists will be considered for publication. Poetry submissions should be approximately 50-70 pages.

TUSCULUM REVIEW POETRY CHAPBOOK PRIZE
https://web.tusculum.edu/tusculumreview/contest/
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline April 1, 2019. The prize is $1,000 and publication in The Tusculum Review. Each chapbook manuscript entered should consist of 20-30 pages of poems in a standard 12-point font. No more than one poem may appear on a page. Entry fees include a one-year subscription to The Tusculum Review (an annual publication) and consideration for publication. We consider all works submitted for publication.

GLIMMER TRAIN FAMILY MATTERS CONTEST
https://glimmertrainpressinc.submittable.com/submit/123301/nov-dec-2018-family-matters-contest
$18 ENTRY FEE. Deadline January 2, 2019. We are looking for stories about families of all configurations. It's fine to draw heavily on real-life experiences, but the work must read like fiction and all stories accepted for publication will be presented as fiction. Most entries run from 500 to 5,000 words but any lengths up to 12,000 are welcome. Any story that has not appeared in a print publication is welcome. First place wins $2,500, publication in Glimmer Train Stories, and 10 copies. Second place wins $500 or, if accepted for publication, $700 and 10 copies. Third place wins $300 or, if accepted for publication, $700 and 10 copies.

ON TEACHING POEM PRIZE
https://poets.submittable.com/submit/123665/2019-on-teaching-poem-prize
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline January 1, 2019. The "On Teaching Poem Prize" is a $1,000 prize, given to honor the best unpublished poem written about K–12 teaching and/or teachers. The winning poem is published in the Academy of American Poets popular Poem-a-Day series during May and published on Poets.org. A finalist will also be chosen and awarded $500.

GRANTS / FELLOWSHIPS / CROWDFUNDING

INDIANA INDIVIDUAL ADVANCEMENT PROGRAM
https://calendar.in.gov/site/iac/event/arts-commission-now-accepting-individual-advancement-program-applications/
Deadline February 7, 2019. Artists with eligible projects in the disciplines of dance, literature, music, theatre, folk arts related to these traditional disciplines, and artists with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Artists with disabilities may apply either through the discipline directly or through the access category. Artists may request up to $2,000 in support for projects that will help advance their career and have public benefit.

PROJECT GRANTS FOR NEVADA ARTISTS
http://nvculture.org/nevadaartscouncil/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/11/FY20-GRANT-GUIDELINES-FINAL-11.30.18-PROJECT-GRANT-FOR-ARTISTS.pdf
Deadline April 26, 2019 and November 1, 2019. Awarded twice a year. Examples of eligible projects include art exhibitions, performances, readings, concerts, the creation of art, portfolio creation, marketing and promotional activities. Pays up to $1,500. Must be a Nevada resident for at least one year prior and must be a US citizen or legal resident. Not open to students.

MISSISSIPPI ARTIST ROSTER
https://arts.ms.gov/grants/grants-for-individuals/mississippi-artist-roster-application-process/
Opens January 15, 2019 for applications, ending March 1, 2019. The Mississippi Artist Roster program is a listing of professional Mississippi artists who have been reviewed and approved by a panel of experts and are available to do performances, workshops, and other presentations in a wide range of settings around the state. Schools, community arts groups, libraries and other organizations use the Roster to identify potential artists who can present at their venues. These groups can also apply to MAC’s Minigrant Program to receive partial funding for a Roster Artist performance or workshop.

NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS CREATIVE WRITING FELLOWSHIPS
https://www.arts.gov/grants/apply-grant/grants-individuals
Fellowships in fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction enable recipients to set aside time for writing, research, travel, and general career advancement. Non-matching grants are for $25,000.

NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS TRANSLATION PROJECTS GRANTS
https://www.arts.gov/grants/apply-grant/grants-individuals
Translation Projects enable recipients to translate work from other languages into English. Non-matching grants are for $12,500 or $25,000, depending upon the artistic excellence and merit of the project.

ECCLES CENTRE VISITING FELLOWSHIPS
https://www.bl.uk/eccles-centre/fellowships-and-awards/fellowships
Deadline January 4, 2019. These awards are offered to help support individuals wishing to visit London to use the British Library’s collections relating to North America (the USA, Canada and the greater Caribbean). We welcome not only applicants from academic backgrounds working on scholarly research, but also from creative practitioners working on artistic and cultural projects. It is expected that this award will support around a month’s work in the Library, either taken continuously, or as a number of smaller trips. The awards last for two years so the research trip(s) will need to take place between April 2019 and March 2021. (Thanks to ErikaDreifus.com)

HEMINGWAY-PFEIFFER WRITER-IN-RESIDENCE
http://hemingway.astate.edu/2018/12/03/applications-for-2019-writer-in-residence-now-being-accepted/
The Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum and Educational Center in Piggott, Arkansas, is pleased to announce its 2019 writer-in-residence position. The residency will be for the month of June 2019 and includes lodging at a beautiful loft apartment on the downtown square in Piggott over the City Market coffee shop. The writer-in-residence will also have the opportunity to work in the studio where Ernest Hemingway worked on A Farewell to Arms during an extended stay with his wife’s family in 1928. The residency includes a $1,000 stipend to help cover food and transportation.
(Thanks to ErikaDreifus.com)

SCHOLARSHIP AVAILABLE FOR GET AWAY TO WRITE - FLORIDA
http://www.stockton.edu/murphywriting
Deadline December 26, 2018. Murphy Writing of Stockton University is offering a $500 to first-time participants of Get Away to Write - Florida, February 10-15, 2019 in New Smyrna Beach, FL. Escape the cold to write in Florida this winter. Spend an inspiring week working on your memoir or poetry. Enjoy plentiful writing time, insightful feedback, homemade meals and time to relax.

FREELANCE MARKETS

WRITER'S DIGEST MAGAZINE
https://www.writersdigest.com/submission-guidelines
We consider completed manuscripts on spec, as well as original pitches. A query should include a thorough outline that introduces your article proposal and highlights each of the points you intend to make. Your query should discuss how the article will benefit our readers, why the topic is timely and why you’re the appropriate writer to discuss the topic. For manuscripts, we pay 30–50 cents per word, on acceptance, for first world rights for one-time print use and perpetual electronic use. Should we want to reprint anything we’ve purchased from you in anything other than electronic format, we’ll pay you 25% of the original purchase price per use.

FIREHOUSE MAGAZINE
https://www.firehouse.com/submissions
The editors at Firehouse are interested in reviewing articles related to a variety of topics—fire attack, leadership, wildland fire operations, hazmat response, apparatus, health and fitness, and more. Articles should be between 750 and 2,500 words. Accompanying photos are appreciated but not required. Articles should be written in a tone that is formal but not academic. Articles should not focus on any particular company or products. Articles should ideally be authored or co-authored by a member of the fire service community.

DOWN EAST
https://downeast.com/guidelines/
The magazine of Maine! Most of the stories and images in Down East are the products of our regular stable of experienced writers and photographers, but we are always interested in new ideas and perspectives as we continue our 60-year tradition of telling the stories of the place that means so much to us. Down East is an identity magazine for Mainers, the Maine diaspora, and anyone whose heart and soul are fed by our state and state of mind. Our mission is to showcase Maine’s landscapes, traditions, compelling personalities, and singular way of life, as well as to confront its complexities insightfully and without sentimentality. Payment varies, between $.60/word and $.75/word, depending on the complexity of the assignment and intended use in the magazine. We pay a flat $400 for My Maine essays.

BLOOM
http://www.magbloom.com/about-us/submission-guidelines/
Bloom Magazine is a culture and lifestyle magazine based in Bloomington, Indiana. Every issue includes articles on home & family, arts & entertainment, food & wine, health & fitness, fashion & shopping, and personal finance—plus all the interesting people, places, and events that make life in this part of south-central Indiana so worth celebrating. We rarely accept stories written “on spec.” If you would like to write for Bloom, please email your résumé and a few of your best published clips, as links or attachments, to carmen@magbloom.com.

GENEALOGY MAGAZINE
http://yourgenealogytoday.com/author_notes.htm
If you are thinking of proposing an article, e-mail the Editor with an initial query of the idea - you stand a good chance of getting a response regarding our interest. Keep initial queries short and to the point. We will ask from a more detailed proposal of up to one page in length (about 500 to 600 words). Your Genealogy Today pays for articles. The current rate is eight cents) per word, plus $7 for each photo, image, visual etc. submitted, and used by us in the final layout. US-based authors are paid in American funds; Canadian-based authors are paid in Canadian funds.

Publishers/agents

BLACK & WHITE PUBLISHING
http://blackandwhitepublishing.com/submissions
What we publish: commercial women’s fiction (chick lit, saga, romance), crime and psychological thriller, children’s fiction and Young Adult, celebrity memoirs, sport (UK and Ireland in particular), humour, gift and activity books food and drink. We do not accept: poetry, short stories, work written in languages other than English, drama.

POLIS BOOKS
http://www.polisbooks.com/submissions/
Polis Books is an independent publishing company actively seeking new and established authors for our growing list. We are currently acquiring in fiction: Mystery, Commercial literary fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Procedural, Traditional crime (i.e. 'cozies'), Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Supernatural, Romance, Commercial Women's Fiction, Young Adult. We are currently acquiring in nonfiction: Humor/Essays, Sports, Pop Culture. We are not currently acquiring: Children's Picture books/coloring books, Graphic novels, Standalone short stories or novellas, Poetry.

RIO NUEVO PUBLISHERS
https://rionuevo.com/about/
Our award-winning books focus on arts and crafts, children’s literature, cooking, history, gardening, memoir, Native America, nature, spirituality, and travel. Rio Nuevo Publishers is an independent regional press and family business owned by Ross Humphreys and Susan Lowell, located on the west bank of the Santa Cruz River in the historic heart of Tucson, Arizona.

THUNDERSTONE BOOKS
http://thunderstonebooks.com/submissions/
At ThunderStone Books, we aim to publish children’s books that have an educational aspect. We are not looking for curriculum for learning certain subjects, but rather stories that encourage learning for children, whether that be learning about a new language/culture or learning more about science and math in a fun, fictional format. We want to help children to gain a love for other languages and subjects so that they are curious about the world around them. We are currently accepting fiction and nonfiction submissions. In the area of language, our expertise lies in stories concerning Mandarin Chinese (language, culture, setting and/or mythology) but we are open to other languages as well. For submissions concerning other subjects, we are quite open to anything which creatively teaches and inspires, particularly in areas such as math or science. Fiction submissions that have an educational element are encouraged and welcome!

FREE SPIRIT PUBLISHING
https://www.freespirit.com/submission-guidelines/#
Our mission is to provide children and teens with the tools they need to overcome challenges and make a difference in the world. We publish high-quality nonfiction books and learning materials for children and teens, parents, educators, counselors, and others who live and work with young people.

ROARING FORTIES PRESS
https://roaringfortiespress.com/about-us/submissions/
Our books span a broad range of subjects and genres, but we are especially interested in these kinds of nonfiction projects: General nonfiction/investigative reporting, Biographies, Travel books with a twist, Books about music, Books about art, Small-format gift books.

CRESTON BOOKS
https://www.crestonbooks.co/submissions
Creston Books fills the void left behind by the major New York publishers who no longer put out a broad range of quality picture books. Children are the most critical audience of all. If you write down to them or preach a message, you'll lose them. Picture books look deceptively easy because they're short. They're not, because each word counts, just like in a poem.

WM. B. EERDMANS PUBLISHING COMPANY
https://www.eerdmans.com/Pages/Default.aspx?categoryId=3511&Title=EBYR-Guidelines
Eerdmans Books for Young Readers publishes picture books, middle reader and young adult fiction and nonfiction. We seek manuscripts that are honest, wise, and hopeful; but we also publish stories that simply delight us with their story line, characters, or good humor. Stories that celebrate diversity, stories of historical significance, and stories that relate to contemporary social issues are of special interest to us at this time. We currently publish 12 to 18 books a year.