SPONSOR OF THE WEEK

44 Key Questions about Your Story 

Hi, I’m Alex, and I run a blog to boost your fiction writing skills (www.ridethepen.com). I put together a short, free manual so you can check your story yourself with 44 simple questions.

This list is the quickest and easiest way to self-assess your story, plus it’s free:

-    No need to pay for consultation or bug people for feedback; just answer these questions honestly
-    Do it right away with a neatly arranged checklist
-    Always helpful: Use the list on all your future stories, till you grow daisies
-    Feel confident that you have a good story at hand – or that you need a revision
-    Know exactly what you need to change (if anything)

You can download the checklist instantly by clicking here. Have a good day!

MAKING DREADED APPEARANCES

If I've learned anything in my 20 years of writing, it's that you have to come out of your hole and make appearances in order to be recognized as a writer. Book signings, speaking engagements, teaching classes, book club discussions. I know. The average writer feels a climbing cold thread of dread in their core at the chance of an appearance. 

Regardless what you might think (Hope has this nailed. She isn't afraid of appearances. She's been doing it a long time.) appearances fill me with dread. What I have also learned, however, is that once I'm in front of people, assuming I have done my homework and have my act together, the dread slowly oozes away. By the time I reach the end of the event, I'm on this euphoric high from the adrenaline kicking in. . . proud of myself for following through with it all. Then I go home and crash, completely spent from putting myself through the process.

Trust me, I'm not perfect. I've talked myself out of appearances thanks to this dread, too. I go through this argument with myself each and every time. 

Do I want to drive that far?
Will I make money or lose money, and does it matter?
Do I have to bring someone with me to sell my books while I'm meeting folks?
Is the event well organized?
Who will I see there, and will they appreciate me?
Do I want to put myself through all this?

Most of the questions are legit when entertaining any business arrangement, and that's what these appearances are. So, I play mental games with myself. I tell myself that the world is not coming to an end, regardless how badly I do. If I do stutter or stumble, I tell myself I'll never have to meet these people face-to-face ever again. I periodically ask myself, "Are you okay right here in this moment?" And on the rare occasion things aren't going well, I line up the things I'll do once it's over, like have a drink, go out for a fine dinner, or fall into the bed and read a book. 

But you know what usually happens? It turns into a party. I wind up laughing and having conversation with interesting people. Start thinking about appearances as a party opportunity. I promise you're less afraid of parties than speaking. Let's turn this introversion and dread behavior on its ear.

"Being introverted isn't a secret club where only the flawed are allowed access. You can be yourself and do well with people. You can be successful."  ~C. Hope Clark, The Shy Writer Reborn




 

SUPER SPONSOR WORTH NOTING

PREVIOUS FAVORITE POSTS:

• School Visits: A Librarian's Perspective
• Transition to Full-time Freelance Writing Just Took a Little Bit of Math
• Make Time to Be Solitary
• Cashing in on Local Copywriting Gigs
• Ghostwriting: A Lesser Known Career Path That Pays Big
• Too Many Things to Write About
• Five Tips to Promote Yourself as a Newbie Freelance Writer
• Beyond the Writer's Market: Seven Ways to Find New Magazines
• House Sitting Puts Ink in the Travel Writer's Pen
• Multiple Submissions of Freelance Material
• Tips for Winning Writing Contests

HOPE'S APPEARANCES

 

SUCCESS QUOTE

SUccess Story

Hope - 

In Writing Magazine, February 2019, a site you mentioned, I found advice that applied well to my story, "The Kitchen Door". . . Be true to your characters. You're their advocate in the world.  I just received notice that this short story won first place in a theme-based competition, "Food."  Thank you again Hope, for helping me take writing seriously--it has helped so much to believe I could be like others you've inspired!

Mary Ellen Chatwin  
 

Featured article

Make a Living as a Life Story Writer

By Amy Butler

A business card left at a coffee shop that garners a $50,000+ writing gig. Same card, different coffee shop, that results in a feature story in a local publication. 

No, it's not the card that's magic, but the profession it advertises: life story writer. Those were only two of the many strokes of good luck I've had since I started my career as a life story and family history writer nearly ten years ago. The genre, also known as personal history, serves a population of mostly older adults eager to preserve their stories without having to do the writing themselves. The books are intended for family and friends, not the wider public, so there's no need for queries, book proposals, agents, or publishers—just a client willing to invest the time and money to record their cherished memories. 

Here's how it works: I sit down with a client for a series of interviews in which we talk about their growing-up years, their parents and siblings and relatives, their first loves, their war experiences, their careers, their challenges and joys, their reflections on what it all means—in other words, anything they feel moved to talk about. In between interviews, I'm at my desk, shaping our transcripts into a compelling narrative that will, if I'm doing my job right, give future generations a glimpse of family members they may or may not have ever met. 

This kind of writing does more than reveal the character of the narrator; it also brings to life long-ago eras. Think about it: The fifty years or so that separates the generation of grandparents from their grandchildren means that they will each spend the bulk of their life in two vastly different worlds—even if they live in the same town. It's the difference between a horse-drawn plow and an air-conditioned combine, between a one-room schoolhouse and a middle school with a thousand kids, between an outhouse and a heated toilet seat. The world is changing fast; people who hire me want their descendants to know what the world used to look like. 

Why has it been so easy to find clients and publicity? Two reasons. The first is a swell in interest in life stories. With genealogy the second most searched topic on the internet (I'll leave you to imagine the first), with DNA kits topping the list of holiday gifts and shows like "Who Do You Think You Are?" topping the charts, it's clear that people are curious about their roots. And because we're storytelling creatures, it's only natural that the focus should swing from data—birthdates, death dates, cemetery plot numbers—to what we really love: the stories that bring it all to life. 

And the second reason I've been able to make a living as a life story writer? Supply and demand. There may be loads of clients wanting to hire someone to write their story, but there aren't loads of writers to do so. I'm guessing that's because most writers have never heard of this niche. What a shame. Not only is it a way to earn your keep by writing, but it allows you to connect with people on a level we seldom reach with any but our closest friends. All while helping to create something your clients will love. 

BIO: Amy Woods Butler of Kansas City, Missouri has helped dozens of clients write their life story books through her company, The Story Scribe. She also produces The Life Story Coach Podcast, a show that helps aspiring and experienced life story professionals grow their skills and their business. http://thelifestorycoach.com/

 

COmpetitions

WATERSTON DESERT WRITING PRIZE
https://www.waterstondesertwritingprize.org/submit
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline April 1, 2019. The Prize annually honors literary nonfiction that illustrates artistic excellence, sensitivity to place, and desert literacy - with the desert as both subject and setting. Emerging, mid-career and established nonfiction writers are invited to apply. Prize is $2,500, a reading and reception at the High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon, and a four-week residency at PLAYA at Summer Lake, Oregon. While you are welcome to submit any nonfiction sample, the Prize only considers literary nonfiction proposals about deserts for the award. It is recommended that you submit work that is part of your intended final project or closely represents it in content and style. Limit ten double-spaced pages. 



INSTITUTE FOR WRITERS MYSTERY FIRST PAGES CONTEST
https://instituteforwriters.lpages.co/ifw-mystery-first-pages-contest/
$19 ENTRY FEE. Deadline January 31, 2019. First prize = $650. Second prize = $350. Third prize = $100. Fourth prize = $100. Fifth prize = $100. Limit 500 words from the opening of a mystery. Every writer who enters will be invited to the online workshop for free where the winning entries are critiqued. (Non-entrants pay $7.)



THE KENYON REVIEW SHORT FICTION CONTEST
https://www.kenyonreview.org/contests/short-fiction/
$24 ENTRY FEE. Deadline January 31, 2019. The contest is open to all writers who have not yet published a book of fiction. Submissions must be 1,200 words or fewer. The winning story will be published in the January/February 2020 issue of Kenyon Review, and the winning writer will receive a scholarship to attend the magazine’s June or July 2019 Writers Workshop.



AMERICAN SHORT(ER) FICTION PRIZE
http://americanshortfiction.org/
$17 ENTRY FEE. Deadline February 1, 2019. The prize recognizes extraordinary short fiction under 1,000 words. The first-place winner will receive a $1,000 prize and publication, and the second-place winner will receive $250 and publication.



BETHLEHEM WRITERS SHORT STORY AWARD
https://sites.google.com/site/bethlehemwritersroundtable/short-story-contest 
$10 ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 31, 2019. Limit 2,000 words. First prize: $200 and consideration for inclusion in the upcoming BWG anthology, tentatively titled Fur, Feathers, and Scales: Sweet, Funny, and Strange Animal Tales. Second prize: $100 and publication in the Bethlehem Writers Roundtable. Third prize: $50 and publication in the Bethlehem Writers Roundtable. Honorable Mentions: Stories may be selected for Honorable Mention and offered publication in the Bethlehem Writers Roundtable. 


IRENE ADLER PRIZE FOR WOMEN WRITERS
http://www.lucasaykroyd.com/scholarships
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline April 30, 2019. Pays a $1,000 scholarship to a woman pursuing a degree in journalism, creative writing, or literature at a recognized post-secondary institution in the U.S. or Canada, based on an essay competition. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or Canadian citizens. Submit a 500-word essay in English on one of the three topics (but with an original title). 



THE WELL REVIEW POETRY PRIZE
http://www.thewellreview.com/the-well-review-poetry-prize-2019
€8 ENTRY FEE. Deadline January 29, 2019. This is an inaugural contest. The winning entries will be published in Issue Three of The Well Review. First prize €1,000. Second prize €500. Third prize €250. Poems must not have been previously published, either online or in print. There is no restriction on style, theme or length. 



GINOSKO FLASH FICTION CONTEST
https://ginosko.submittable.com/submit/
$5 ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 1, 2019. Winner earns $500 and publication online and in print. Submit up to two pieces, 800 words maximum each piece. 



IRON HORSE REVIEW SHORT STORY CONTEST
https://www.ironhorsereview.com/submit
$18 ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 1, 2019. Prose writers should send one manuscript (17 pages or less); poets should send three to five poems. Each year, we publish one issue as a chapbook. The genre rotates: prose collections in odd years; poetry collections in even years. Prose collections should be 40-56 pages, double-spaced; poetry collections should be 28-36 pages, one poem per page. Entry fee includes a year's subscription. Winner receives $1,000 and 15 copies.



NEXT GENERATION INDIE BOOK AWARDS
https://indiebookawards.com/enter/guidelines
$75 ENTRY FEE. Deadline February 15, 2019. The 2019 Next Generation Indie Book Awards is open to all indie book authors and publishers including independent publishers (small, medium or otherwise), university presses, self-published authors, e-book authors, seasoned authors and even first time authors in the U.S., Canada or internationally who have a book written in English and published in 2017, 2018 or 2019 or with a 2017, 2018 or 2019 copyright date. 

$1,500 Cash Prize and trophy awarded to the best Fiction Book
$1,500 Cash Prize and trophy awarded to the best Nonfiction Book
$750 Cash Prize and trophy awarded to the second best Fiction Book
$750 Cash Prize and trophy awarded to the second best Nonfiction Book
$500 Cash Prize and trophy awarded to the third best Fiction Book
$500 Cash Prize and trophy awarded to the third best Nonfiction Book
$100 Cash Prize and a Gold Medal awarded to the winner of each of the 70 categories
Finalist Medals will be awarded to up to five finalists in each of the 70 categories
 

GRANTS / FELLOWSHIPS / CROWDFUNDING

ELIZABETH KOSTOVA FOUNDATION SEMINARS
http://ekf.bg/sozopol/page/44
Deadline February 25, 2019. Will take place between June 13-17, 2019, in the ancient town of Sozopol, Bulgaria. Fiction writers from Bulgaria and fiction writers from English-speaking countries, including but not limited to Australia, Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States, are invited to apply. Fiction works in the genres of the novel and the short story are accepted for submission. A total number of ten applicants will be selected for participation and funding. Five applicants writing in English, and five applicants writing in Bulgarian language, will be admitted to the seminar as participants and appointed fellows of the program. The Elizabeth Kostova Foundation will cover their room, board, and in-country transportation. The five English-language fellows traveling to Bulgaria will be reimbursed with 50% of their international travel expenses.



CREATIVE WORK FUND FOR ARTIST COLLABORATIONS
https://creativeworkfund.org/grant-guidelines
Deadline March 1, 2019. The Creative Work Fund, a program of the Walter and Elise Haas Fund, celebrates the role of artists as problem-solvers and the making of art as a profound contribution to intellectual inquiry and the strengthening of communities. To that end, the fund awards grants to artists and nonprofit organizations for the creation of art through collaboration. Artists are encouraged to collaborate with nonprofit organizations of all kinds. In October 2019, the fund will award approximately $620,000 to nonprofit organizations and collaborating visual or traditional artists, with individual grants ranging from $15,000 to $45,000. Projects are expected to be completed within two or three years. The principal collaborating artists must live in Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, or Sonoma county in California and have lived there for at least two years. Collaborating organizations also must be based in one of the 11 counties.



RASMUSON GRANTS IN ALASKA
https://www.rasmuson.org/grants/individual-artist-awards/project-awards-and-fellowships/
Deadline March 1, 2019. Project Awards and Fellowships are designed to provide individual artists living and working in Alaska the resources to concentrate and reflect on their work, to immerse themselves in a creative endeavor, and to experiment, explore, and develop their artistry more fully. Project Awards: Awards of $7,500 for emerging, mid-career, and mature artists in all disciplines for specific, short-term projects that have a clear benefit to the artist and the development of his/her work. Fellowships: $18,000 awards for mid-career or mature artists to focus their energy and attention for a one-year period on developing their creative work.



MARYLAND HUMANITIES MINI GRANTS
https://www.mdhumanities.org/grants/grant-programs/
Deadlines March 1, July 1, and November 1, 2019. Mini Grants Program invites nonprofit organizations and schools to apply for funding in support of public humanities projects, documentary film, and civic education initiatives. Awards up to $1,200 that can easily involve writers and authors. 



LIGHTHOUSE WORKS ARTIST FELLOWSHIPS
https://www.thelighthouseworks.com/fellowship-program/
Deadline February 15, 2019. Fellowships are six weeks in length and occur year-round. Fellows are provided with housing, food, studio space, a $250 travel allowance, and a stipend of $1,500 to help defray the costs of shipping materials, the purchase of art supplies, and other expenses incurred in making artwork in a remote location. While fellows' primary obligation is to the solitary pursuit of their creative projects, every artist is expected to participate in a single studio tour, reading, or performance for the public at the conclusion of their fellowship. In addition, fellows have the chance (though they are not required) to teach workshops, mentor students, or invite them for studio visits. Location Fishers Island, New York.



JACK KEROUAC WRITER IN RESIDENCE PROJECT
https://www.aerogrammestudio.com/2019/01/10/jack-kerouac-writer-in-residence-project-2019/
Deadline March 10, 2019. The Kerouac Project takes place in the cottage where Jack Kerouac wrote his novel Dharma Bums. Accommodation, utilities and a food stipend of US$1,000 are included but writers must cover any travel costs. Four residencies a year are granted to writers of any age, living anywhere. Each residency consists of a three-month stay in Orlando, Florida. Applications are accepted in five categories: poetry, play, screenplay, fiction/short story, and nonfiction. Each application must include a writing sample of up to ten pages. 



ELIZA SO FELLOWSHIP
https://discover.submittable.com/blog/announcing-the-2019-eliza-so-fellowship/
Deadline April 5, 2019. Submittable is delighted to announce its third annual Eliza So Fellowship. In 2019, Submittable will offer two month-long residencies in Missoula, Montana, affording time and solitude to writers finishing a book-length project. The 2019 fellowships will include private room and board in Missoula, along with a $500 food stipend and $400 toward travel. Two residencies (one in August and one in September), awarded in the following categories: Immigrant Writers and Native American Writers. 

 

FREELANCE MARKETS

IRON HORSE REVIEW
https://www.ironhorsereview.com/submit
We pay $100 for stories and essays, $50 for poems and flash prose. We pay $250 for Craft Talk essays as well as Trifecta winners. Chapbook winners are paid $1,000. We do not pay for every manuscript run as part of the IHLR NewsFlash, but we promote them heavily on social media. At the end of the year, we will award $200 to the best NewsFlash piece published that year.



ALFRED HITCHCOCK MYSTERY MAGAZINE
https://www.alfredhitchcockmysterymagazine.com/contact-us/writers-guidelines/
We are interested in nearly every kind of mystery: stories of detection of the classic kind, police procedurals, private eye tales, suspense, courtroom dramas, stories of espionage, and so on. We ask only that the story be about a crime (or the threat or fear of one). We sometimes accept ghost stories or supernatural tales, but those also should involve a crime. Our rates for original stories are from five to eight cents a word, sometimes higher for established authors. AHMM does not accept stories previously published in the United States.



UNEARTH WOMEN
https://www.unearthwomen.com/writers-guidelines/
Stories needed: Feminist City Guides; profiles of inspiring women for our Women to Watch series; feature stories exploring underreported stories impacting women around the world for our Unearthed section; women’s travel tips, travel trends, and travel stories for Women’s Travel; and food and drink stories and profiles of women in the food industry for Brave New Eats. Payment for stories varies on whether the article is for digital or print, the word count, the writer’s experience, and whether original photography is provided. Payment ranges anywhere from $75 USD to $150 USD for digital and $200 USD to $400 USD for print.



SOUTHWEST
https://www.southwestmag.com/contact-us/
Southwest: The Magazine’s mission is to be at the heart of the Southwest Airlines brand, upholding their tradition with impassioned storytelling about real places and real people. Our award-winning editorial dives into business, travel, and lifestyle topics, artfully blending quick hit content with long-form features. Word limit 3,500 words. Prefers personal narrative essays, profiles, and trend stories. Loves happy endings. Note the editorial calendar. 



ARMY MAGAZINE
https://www.ausa.org/army-magazine-writers-guidelines
Features are typically 1,000 to 1,500 words long. Shorter articles such as sidebars to features or photo essays are 250 to 500 words. Book reviews and guest columns (such as articles for "Front & Center") are preferably 750 to 1,000 words long. We do not accept unsolicited book reviews. If you are interested in book reviewing, write us regarding your areas of interest and expertise. The Association of the United States Army is a nonprofit educational and professional development association serving America’s Total Army, our Soldiers, Army civilians, and their families; our industry partners, and supporters of a strong national defense. AUSA provides a voice for the Army, supports the Soldier, and honors those who have served in order to advance the security of the nation.



THE LIST MAGAZINES
https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=6dfa70e94745abde
Looking for freelance writers to write content for print magazine and online blog, The List Magazines, out of Fort Bend County. As a freelance write, you have the flexibility to work remotely and set your own hours and schedule. Looking for writers to write on topics of beauty, financial, infrastructure, parenting, travel and more. Content must be related to Houston or Fort Bend County, Texas.

 

Publishers/agents

ROGERS, COLERIDGE AND WHITE LITERARY AGENCY
https://www.rcwlitagency.com/
Rogers, Coleridge & White represents a diverse range of bestselling and prize-winning authors from across the world and has an unrivaled reputation for discovering and nurturing new writers. Submissions should include a covering letter telling us about yourself and the background to the book. In the case of fiction, they should consist of the first three chapters or approximately the first 50 pages of the work to a natural break, and a brief synopsis. Nonfiction submissions should take the form of a proposal up to 20 pages in length explaining what the work is about and why you are best placed to write it. Reads submissions from around the world but is not taking children's books from the United States right now due to the volume they are reading. 



HARDMAN AND SWAINSON
http://www.hardmanswainson.com/submissions/
We welcome submissions and are actively seeking to represent both established and new talent. We accept submissions of literary fiction, women’s fiction, historical fiction, crime and thriller, horror, YA, middle grade, memoir, narrative nonfiction including popular science and history, other quality nonfiction. We are very selective in taking on new authors so don’t be disappointed if your work isn’t for us. Please don’t send us poetry, plays / screenplays / scripts, or very young children’s / picture books. We are interested in international fiction, but US authors may be better served by an agent in the US in the first instance unless there is a compelling reason to have a UK agent.



TANENBAUM INTERNATIONAL LITERARY AGENCY
http://tanenbauminternational.com/
We are always looking for new authors and artists to represent. For nonfiction, we are currently accepting submissions in the areas of current affairs, cultural criticism, and narrative journalism, as well as some memoirs. For fiction submissions, we are looking for literary fiction, upmarket fiction, and young adult fiction that is off the beaten track.



BATH LITERARY AGENCY
http://bathliteraryagency.com/
Bath Literary Agency offers representation and career management to children’s authors and illustrators of fiction and nonfiction. 



UNION LITERARY
https://www.unionliterary.com/about/
Union Literary is a full-service boutique agency specializing in literary fiction, popular fiction, narrative nonfiction, memoir, social history, business and general big idea books, popular science, cookbooks and food writing. We excel at project development, hands-on editing and placing our projects with domestic and foreign publishers, film and television companies.



MARGRET MCBRIDE LITERARY AGENCY
http://www.mcbrideliterary.com/
The Margret McBride Literary Agency has been in business for over 30 years and has successfully placed over 300 books with mainstream publishers. Margret is interested in a wide range of commercial fiction and nonfiction, especially historical fiction, medical suspense, legal thrillers, and stories featuring strong female protagonists. She is not interested in sci-fi or fantasy. Her nonfiction interests include biographies and memoirs, travel, history, psychology, health, self-improvement and business, especially entrepreneurship, management, and finance. She also has a weakness for business parables. Faye is interested in in both commercial and niche fiction and nonfiction. Fiction interests include YA, speculative fiction, commercial fantasy, women’s fiction, historical fiction, sci-fi, paranormal, unconventional westerns, and anything with unique, well-drawn characters and a dark or offbeat sense of humor. Her nonfiction interests include pop-culture, music, history, health, inspirational (but not spiritual), and extremely well-written narrative nonfiction.



ANDREW NURNBERG LITERARY AGENCY
http://andrewnurnberg.com/about/
Represents authors from around the world in the fields of literary and commercial fiction and general nonfiction, as well as children’s authors. Several have received major prizes, ranging from the International Prize for Arabic Fiction to the French Goncourt. Also represents leading UK and US agent and publisher clients for the sale of translation rights via our offices in the UK and overseas.

 

SPONSORS

​​

If your publishing success is just as important to you as your writing success, then instead of going to yet another writing conference, don't you think it's time you attend a publishing conference?

If the business you build with your book to create multiple streams of income is just as important to you as book sales and royalties, then instead of going to another one of those "fun" conferences designed to give readers an experience with authors, don't you think it's time you attend a conference that can teach you how to make money as a writer and author outside of book sales and royalties?

Are you ready to learn how to operate your literary business in thriving excellence and not mediocre struggle and lack? If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then we'll see you in Vegas at the "Act Like an Author, Think Like a Business" 2019 Conference at Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino.

Visit www.pathtopublishing.com/conference to register.

www.fundsforwriters.com/advertising 

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.