SPONSOR OF THE WEEK

WERGLE FLOMP HUMOR POETRY CONTEST. 18th year, sponsored by Winning Writers and Duotrope. Submit one humor poem online. No fee to enter. We welcome both published and unpublished work. Top prize of $1,000, second prize of $250. Ten Honorable Mentions will receive $100 each. The top 12 poems will be published online. Deadline April 1. Final judge: Jendi Reiter, assisted by Lauren Singer Ledoux. Winning Writers is one of the "101 Best Websites for Writers" (Writer's Digest). Submit here.
 

HOLDING YOUR CHIN UP

I will not lie to you. . . making a living as a writer is incredibly difficult. I might go so far as to say if you skip days of writing or marketing, you backslide, and there are a zillion other authors willing to step on, over, and around you to make their own dollar and not think twice about it.

The recent Author's Guild's report on how little authors make (try six grand a year) drew out lots of hand-wringing, crying, and gnashing of teeth across the profession. A lot of finger pointing took place, mostly at Amazon, which I find incredibly funny since Amazon put a lot of writers INTO the business. 

To be honest, my income has dropped in half over recent years. All my writing friends are earning less, both authors and freelancers. Small presses are going under. Authors are actually afraid to attempt traditional publishing, regardless of how well they distribute a book because earning eight percent commission on a $16 book is $1.28. That's assuming the book doesn't go on sale (who buys a full-price book anymore?), and that you have no agent (who'll take 15 percent of your $1.28). And that's the simple math and the as positive a viewpoint as you can paint.

But then I read Facebook sites where self-publishing authors are spending thousands on editing, covers, and all those ads for free and 99 cent books, and barely breaking even. They are afraid to jump into the business full-time (can you blame them?), however, temptation tugs awful hard when they listen to the lessons from the handful of authors who are making decent money. 

Even the successful making money now will have to change their methods within, say, a year or less, because this business shifts like sand in a windstorm.

You have to love to write. It has to be something you'd do regardless of sales. It's a hunger. It's not about tropes and trends; it's about what burns inside you that needs to show up on paper. It's about storytelling. 

I read a post on Facebook recently where an attorney was trying to make a living at this, fussing about how if she couldn't make more money "than this" that she would have to go back to the nine-to-five. Frankly, I'm dumbfounded she thought she'd make more than she would as an attorney!

I'll be the first to tell you that if you are a writer for the money and some sense of stability, then get into freelancing and copywriting. . . and tackle the jobs there. Own such a business. That's where you'll find the income. 

But if you want the warmth and satisfaction of a book in your hands, be sure you're writing for the right reason. And don't let all the hoopla out there about lessons, classes, how-to books, and get-rich marketing schemes, persuade you to write any less than your absolute best. Those people telling you how easy they did it are trying to sell you lessons instead of writing more books. What does that tell you?

When you die, do you want to be remembered for how much you made or what you wrote? If you can master both, hoorah. But don't let the lull in income bring your writing to a halt. 




 

SUPER SPONSOR WORTH NOTING

WIN $500 & a PUBLISHING CONTRACT with SKYROCKET PRESS!

​Skyrocket Press wants YOUR novel or non-fiction book! Submit your first ten pages and a synopsis. If your book is selected as a finalist, it will move to round two where you will be asked to submit your complete novel. One winner will receive $500 and publication. Honorable mentions may also be offered a publishing contract. Submission fee is just $15! Deadline is February 15th.

​For complete details on how to enter, visit our SUBMISSIONS page.

PREVIOUS FAVORITE POSTS:

• Making a Living as a Life Story Writer
• School Visits: A Librarian's Perspective
• Transition to Full-time Freelance Writing Just Took a Little Bit of Math
• Make Time to Be Solitary
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• 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

HOPE'S APPEARANCES

 

SUCCESS QUOTE

SUccess Story

Dear Hope,

I've been reading FFW since 2001. Your editorials, listings, and articles have inspired me to expand my writing many times. I still haven't hit your magic "keep 13 submissions in play" target but I'm not giving up! You've been kind enough to publish a few articles of mine, too. 

I first encountered the idea of a writing platform in FFW. I started my Wordfoolery blog (in 2009) about unusual English words to build mine, and I love writing it. The blog resulted in my first nonfiction book "How To Get Your Name In The Dictionary" - a history of the scientists, soldiers, chefs, fashionistas, and villains who gave their names as eponyms to English.

Thank you for all your support and inspiration over all these years,
Grace Tierney

"How To Get Your Name In the Dictionary" 
www.wordfoolery.wordpress.com
grace@gracetierney.com
@Wordfoolery
 

Featured article

Optioning Your Screenplay to a Producer

By Mark Heidelberger

Congratulations! Not only did you finish writing your 120-page cinematic opus, but you have a motion picture producer interested in bringing it to the silver screen. You’re ready to sell. Ready to see your name on the back of a director’s chair. Ready to chow down on craft service while Jake Gyllenhaal and Rachel McAdams deliver your prose… But wait, not so fast. What’s this agreement the producer’s handed you? An option? He’s not buying it? What does this mean? Well, let’s break it down…

What is an option exactly?

An option agreement is an industry-standard document that interested producers give writers when they’re not quite ready to buy the script, but don’t want anyone else to buy it either. Maybe they don’t have enough money yet, aren’t sure they can get it made or don’t know what the budget will be (and the budget often determines the writer’s fee). An option simply gives the producer the exclusive right to purchase the material at any time during the term of the agreement. Here’s a sample option for reference: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kpiuHbB6zUJhm1FDUq__4OrB6LeaJ25QnJvF2fM_Vrw/edit?usp=sharing

What do I need to have in place before optioning my script?

First, make sure the script has been registered with the Library of Congress’ Copyright Office. This is crucial for your protection and necessary for the producer to prove chain of title to the eventual studio or distributor that picks up the film. Information on copyright registration can be found here: https://www.copyright.gov/registration/performing-arts/index.html. For added protection, you can also register it with the WGA. Lastly, if the story is based on a real-life person, make sure you’ve acquired their life rights.

How long should the option term be?

Options can last however long you and the producer deem appropriate. Just remember that no one else can buy the script while that producer holds the option, so it may depend on your level of trust or how badly you want to work with him. One or two years is a fairly standard initial term, and it’s not unusual to have a one-year extended term triggered by the payment of an additional fee and written notice from the producer of his intention to renew.

How much money should I ask for?

Again, there’s no right or wrong answer here. Options can be as low as one dollar or as high as $10,000. As long as there’s consideration – something of value going from you to the producer and vice versa – the option is valid. The size of the fee will likely be based on the stature of the producer and how big the expected purchase price will be, but for a typical indie, $500 to $1,000 is common for the initial term. You might also negotiate a percentage (say 5-10%) of the expected purchase price. However, remember that the initial option fee is usually applied against the purchase price; so, if the producer pays a $2,000 option fee and the final purchase price is $20,000, he only owes another $18,000 to buy the script outright.

What other elements should be part of the option?

You certainly want the producer to lay out terms for exercising the option, including the purchase price, your writer’s credit, the notification procedure and exactly what rights he’s acquiring (just the film rights or also sequels, television, and other ancillaries). The compensation details are perhaps the most crucial though and should reference bonuses, backend participation and, if appropriate, fees for sequels, spin-offs and remakes. If the final purchase price can’t be determined yet because the budget is still undecided, ask for a percentage of the budget with a floor (i.e., 2% of the budget with a minimum of $20,000). 

What are those short-form documents at the end?

The short form option and short form assignment are standard addendum to any option. The short form option, which states the deal between the parties in the simplest terms, is recorded with the copyright office by the producer so that outside parties know the material has been optioned. The short form assignment, also recorded with the copyright office, lets all parties know that the producer is the new owner of your material upon his exercising of the option. Proof that these documents have been recorded is also necessary for verifying the chain of title. 

BIO: Mark Heidelberger co-founded Beverly Hills-based Treasure Entertainment in 2000, serving as a film executive, producer and literary manager until 2011 before going freelance. He has produced music videos for artists Janelle Monae, Snoop Dogg, Nicki Minaj and John Michael Montgomery as well as commercials for Lamborghini, Con Air, and Cox Media, to name a few. Film and TV credits include Harsh Times; Comfort; Ninja Apocalypse; It's Not You, It's Me; Pray for Rain; The Basement; and Hallmark Channel's You've Got a Friend. Often times, he also performs ghostwriting services on screenplays in addition to his producing duties. He is a member of the Producers Guild of America. He holds a BA in Film Studies from UCSB and an MFA in Producing from UCLA's School of Theater, Film, and Television.

COmpetitions

WOW! WINTER FLASH FICTION CONTEST
http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php
$10 ENTRY FEE. Deadline February 28, 2019. The honorable guest judge this season is Literary Agent Kari Sutherland with Bradford Literary Agency. Seeking short fiction of any genre between 250 - 750 words. First Place: $400, publication, interview, and $25 Amazon Gift Certificate. Second Place: $300, publication, interview, and $25 Amazon Gift Certificate. Third Place: $200, publication, interview and $25 Amazon Gift Certificate; seven Runners Up receive $25 Amazon Gift Cards, publication and interview; and ten Honorable Mentions. Top ten stories are published in the WOW! Women On Writing ezine, and contestants are interviewed on WOW's blog, The Muffin. Reprints okay. 



EDNA STAEBLER ESSAY CONTEST
https://tnq.ca/edna-staebler-contest/
$40 ENTRY FEE (CANADIAN). Deadline March 28, 2019. One $1,000 top prize will be awarded for one personal essay (no word limit). We are interested in essays in which the writer’s personal engagement with the subject provides the frame or through-line. Must be Canadian. All entries will be considered for publication in The New Quarterly ($250 paid upon publication).



STELLA KUPFERBERG MEMORIAL SHORT STORY PRIZE
https://www.writingclasses.com/contest/stella-kupferberg-memorial-short-story-prize-2019
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 1, 2019. The Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize is a writing competition sponsored by the stage and radio series Selected Shorts. This long-running series at Symphony Space in New York City celebrates the art of the short story by having stars of stage and screen read aloud the works of established and emerging writers. Selected Shorts is recorded for Public Radio and heard nationally. The winning writer will receive $1,000 and a free 10-week course with Gotham Writers. Limit 750 words. Any theme. 



PETER HINCHCLIFFE FICTION AWARD
https://tnq.ca/peter-hinchcliffe-award/
$40 ENTRY FEE (CANADIAN). Deadline May 28, 2019. One top prize including $1,000 and a one-year Duotrope Gift Certificate (a US $50 value) will be awarded for one work of short fiction (no word limit). Entrants must be Canadian (citizen or resident). Entrants must not have published either a first novel or short story collection. All entries will be considered for publication in The New Quarterly ($250 paid upon publication).



THE OXFORD AMERICAN JEFF BASKIN FELLOWSHIP
https://oxfordamerican.submittable.com/submit
$30 ENTRY FEE. Deadline April 8, 2019. To support the writing of a debut book of creative nonfiction. Recipient will receive a $10,000 living stipend, housing, and an editorial apprenticeship with the Oxford American toward a nine-month residency in Central Arkansas. 



TO HULL AND BACK SHORT STORY CONTEST
http://www.christopherfielden.com/short-story-competition/
£11 ENTRY FEE. Deadline April 30, 2019. Christopher Fielden’s Annual Short Story Competition “To Hull And Back” is a humorous writing contest. First Prize: £1,000. Second Prize: £500. Third Prize: £250. Three Highly Commended: £50. Fourteen Shortlisted: £25. All winners and shortlisted entries will be published in the To Hull And Back Short Story Anthology. This will be available as a professionally published, printed book and as a Kindle download. If you’re published in the book, a writer’s profile will appear alongside your story and on the website. 



PURPLE DRAGONFLY AWARDS
https://www.dragonflybookawards.com/purple-dragonfly/
$60 ENTRY FEE. Deadline May 1, 2019. (NOTE: Early bird deadline of March 1, 2019.) Not only do we want to recognize and honor accomplished authors in the field of children's literature, but we also want to highlight up-and-coming, newly published authors, and younger published writers. Divided into 55 distinct subject categories ranging from books on the environment and cooking to sports and family issues, and even marketing collateral that complements a book, the Purple Dragonfly Book Awards are geared toward stories that appeal to children of all ages. The grand prize winner will receive a $500 cash prize, a certificate commemorating their accomplishment, 100 Grand Prize seals, and additional promotion. All first-place book contest winners of all categories will be put into a drawing for a $100 prize. In addition, each first-place winner in each category receives a certificate commemorating their accomplishment, 25 award seals, and additional promotion. 



CLOUDBANK 
http://cloudbankbooks.com/contest-rules/
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline February 28, 2019. Submit up to five poems or one piece of flash up to 500 words. First prize $200.



WRITER MAGAZINE ESSAY CONTEST
https://www.writermag.com/contests/
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 1, 2019. Grand prize is $1,000, though every essay we receive will be considered for paid publication in our magazine. Limit 2,000 words. Any topic is fair game, so long as it pertains to some aspect of writing. 



ZÓCALO PUBLIC SQUARE EIGHTH ANNUAL POETRY PRIZE
http://www.zocalopublicsquare.org/2019/01/03/zocalo-public-square-is-accepting-entries-for-its-eighth-annual-poetry-prize/inquiries/prizes/
Deadline February 4, 2019. The winning poet in 2019, as judged by the Zócalo staff, will receive $500 and a published interview. The poetry prize competition is hosted in conjunction with our book prize, awarded to the nonfiction book that most enhances our understanding of community. Poems must be original and previously unpublished work by U.S. poets. 



WHITE OAK KITCHEN AND COCKTAILS' PRIZE IN SOUTHERN POETRY 
http://whiteoakkitchen.com/poetry/
NO FEE. Deadline February 7, 2019. The winning poem on “Wisdom” will receive a $1,500 prize and the poem will be featured on our Valentine’s Day menu. The contest is open to all poets who currently reside in and have had residency in one of the following states for a minimum of 12 consecutive months: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia. Open to the unpublished or those who have published no more than one poetry book. Limit 40 lines. Limit one submission. NOTE: All poems submitted will become the property of White Oak Kitchen & Cocktails and can be published without further approval of the author. 
 

GRANTS / FELLOWSHIPS / CROWDFUNDING

ARIZONA ARTIST OPPORTUNITY GRANT
https://azarts.gov/grant/artist-opportunity-grant/
Applications are due the 15th of every month between February and May 2019. Artists may request between $500 and $2,000 in funding. The number of grants awarded is dependent upon the amount of funds available. No match is required. Must be an Arizona resident.



LUMINARTS CREATIVE WRITING FELLOWSHIP
https://luminarts.submittable.com/submit
Deadline February 8, 2019. Two Luminarts Fellowships for excellence in creative writing. Must be between ages of 18 and 30. Must be currently enrolled in, or have completed, a degree program, conservatory, or other professional artist development program. Must live within 150 miles of the Chicago Loop. You may submit one (1) piece of writing in either prose or poetry, fiction or nonfiction. The piece should be no more than two (2) pages in length. (Thanks ErikaDreifus.com)



THE HORNED DORSET COLONY
http://www.horneddorsetcolony.org/
Deadline February 22, 2019. Emerging and professional artists working in the fields of writing, literary translation, musical composition, architectural design, visual arts and interdisciplinary arts are eligible to apply for a four-week residency in the rural town of Leonardsville, located in central New York State. No application fee. Upon acceptance, a non-refundable $500 deposit will be required of all residents, regardless of financial support.



I-PARK FOUNDATION
http://www.i-park.org/
Deadlines February 28, 2019 and April 30, 2019. I-Park is located in rural East Haddam, Connecticut (U.S.). The program is open to those working in the following creative disciplines: visual arts, music composition/sound art, architecture, landscape/garden/ecological design, creative writing and moving image. Self-directed residencies will be offered from June through November 2019. All residency sessions in 2019 are four weeks in duration. Except for a $35 application fee, to help defray the cost of the six selection panels, the General Residency Program is offered free of charge. 



HINGE ARTS AT THE KIRKBRIDE
https://springboardforthearts.org/jobs-opportunities/hinge-residency/
Deadline March 1, 2019. Hinge Arts at the Kirkbride is a community development and artist residency program in Fergus Falls which activates cultural programming at or related to the historic Fergus Falls State Hospital, or the “Kirkbride Building.” We have three residency tracks: Career Development, for artists who want to work on their own self-driven projects during their time in Fergus Falls; Homecoming, for artists who spent all or a portion of their youth in the nine-county region of West Central Minnesota but now live elsewhere, who want to engage and collaborate with their home community; and Alumni, for artists who have previously participated in Hinge Arts that would like to build on connections or ideas from a previous residency. Location Fergus Falls, Minnesota. 



MINERAL SCHOOL RESIDENCIES
http://mineral-school.org/residency/apply-and-faq/
Deadline February 15, 2019. During 2019, we will offer residency to a total of 20 creative people — 14-16 writers and four to six visual artists. We’ll host four two-week residency periods for a total of 12 writers/artists and one special one-week residency period for four parent artists in September. We provide accepted applicants with space and time to create new work without the interruptions of normal life and with the bonus of healthy meals prepared by culinary volunteers, with menus designed to accommodate residents’ food challenges and including as much local and organic food as we can reasonably source. Each resident lives in an 800-square foot former classroom that offers peekaboo views of Mineral Lake and Mt. Rainier, and that will double as a writing studio, with desk and chair, lighting, bookcase, etc. Location Mineral, Washington. 

 

FREELANCE MARKETS

MONEY PANTRY
https://moneypantry.com/contribute/
We’re looking for anyone with unusual and interesting, yet practical, ideas for earning and saving more money. Aim for no less than 700 words. Generally, we like longer articles in 1,000 to 2,000 words range. However, we understand there are stories that can be told in fewer words. Generally, we pay between $30 to $150 per post.



SFWA BLOG
https://www.sfwa.org/sfwa-publications/sfwa-blog-guidelines/
The SFWA Blog is open to nonfiction submissions that might be of interest to new and/or established writers of science fiction and fantasy. Length 500-1,000 words. Pay is six cents per word. 



WEARETEACHERS
https://www.weareteachers.com/write-for-weareteachers/
WeAreTeachers welcomes submissions on a wide range of topics pertaining to education and teacher life. We also accept submissions for our sister site, School Leaders Now. If we publish your submission, you will receive a $100 honorarium. Prefers 500-700 words. 



WRITE NAKED
https://writenaked.net/guest-blog-writers/
Posts must be 450-650 words. Write Naked guest contributors receive $75 per post. Must pitch about writing during the time period indicated on website. Reading times open and close depending upon activity.



CHICKEN SOUP: RUNNING FOR GOOD
https://www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/possible-book-topics
Deadline February 15, 2019. We are looking for true stories or poems of 1,200 words or less, about all aspects of running and walking and stories about running, walking and steps to raise awareness of and funds for a cause. Stories can be funny and quirky, or they can be serious and heartwarming. Pays $200 and ten copies of the book. 



ALTERNATIVES JOURNAL
https://www.alternativesjournal.ca/contribute
Canada's environmental voice. We aim to publish the most engaging, thought-provoking and insightful environmental stories in the country. We invite proposals for investigative features, shorter reports and notes, interviews and profiles, resource guides, research findings, cultural commentary and compelling photography, illustration and graphics. We have a limited budget of about ten cents per word. 

 

Publishers/agents

UNSOLICITED PRESS
http://www.unsolicitedpress.com/guidelines.html
We are open for submissions. We are actively seeking essay collections, poetry, solid novels, memoirs, and nonfiction (literary criticism, history, cooking, health, science, and long-form journalism). With regards to nonfiction, we aren't looking for your everyday nonfiction book...we want there to be an edge to it, so don't come at us with a book proposal you came up with for Random House. Science fiction and fantasy will ONLY be considered IF you are an author with an established audience. This is a nice way of saying that we need to see proof that there are people willing to buy your book. Experimental literature is always welcome. Poetry that isn't stuffy or scholarly is preferred. But hey, what the hell does that even mean? We take at least four to six months to respond.



BRADDOCK AVENUE BOOKS
http://www.braddockavenuebooks.com/submit
Braddock Avenue Books is an independent literary publisher looking for works that speak to the difficulties and rewards of being human. We prefer fiction in a realistic mode and favor serious long-form essays that engage with contemporary circumstances in a style aimed at an educated, but not necessarily academic, audience. Interested in novels, short story collections, and nonfiction. 



SCOUT PRESS
http://scoutpressbooks.com/
Scout Press is a new literary imprint dedicated to being on the lookout for modern storytellers. A scout is always on the front line — the first to see what is on the horizon; what is coming next. We publish ambitious, conversation-starting novelists who are pushing the boundaries of contemporary fiction while also creating books that will stand the test of time.



TORREY HOUSE PRESS
https://www.torreyhouse.org/submissions
Torrey House Press publishes eight to ten books per year of literary novels, full-length short story collections, essay collections, creative nonfiction including literary journalism, and the occasional anthology and memoir. We are interested in well-crafted work with environmental, natural history, or natural landscape themes, and writing which explores the value of well-managed public lands and the transformative power of wilderness. THP does not currently accept submissions for poetry or books for children.



BEAR STAR PRESS
http://www.bearstarpress.com/
Bear Star is committed to publishing the best writing it can attract from the Mountain and Pacific time zones, as well as Alaska and Hawaii. 



SWITCHGRASS BOOKS
https://www.switchgrass.niu.edu/switchgrass/
Switchgrass Books, an imprint of Northern Illinois University Press, is committed to enhancing the cultural landscape of the Midwest by offering a forum for publishing dynamic, original voices of literary fiction. With its roots in the rich soil of the Midwest, Switchgrass will be the premier publisher for authors and readers of books grounded in the region.
 

SPONSORS

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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.

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FINE PRINT

Please forward the newsletter in its entirety. To reprint any editorials, contact hope@fundsforwriters.com for permission. Please do not assume that acknowledgements listed in your publication is considered a valid right to publish.

C. Hope Clark
E-mail: hope@fundsforwriters.com
140-A Amicks Ferry Road #4
Chapin, SC 29036
http://www.fundsforwriters.com

Copyright 2000-2018, C. Hope Clark
ISSN: 1533-1326

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