Return to Archive
Volume 11, Issue 10
March 11, 2011
==================================================
FFW SMALL MARKETS
Writer's Digest's 101 Best Websites for Writers
2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
Editor: C. Hope Clark
Mailto: Hope@FundsforWriters.com
Web Site: www.fundsforwriters.com
FFW Small Markets is an opt-in letter here at your leisure.
FEEL FREE TO FORWARD THIS NEWSLETTER TO YOUR FRIENDS !!!!!
=====
Read FFW Small Markets online at:
http://www.fundsforwriters.com/smallmarkets.htm
Read archives at:
http://www.aweber.com/z/article/?ffwsmallmarkets
===================================================
EDITOR'S PIECE OF MIND
===================================================
TOO MUCH INFORMATION
You want to learn how to blog. So you Google "learning
to blog." Whoa! A thousand guides fill your screen.
Who do you trust to know what he is talking about? Who
isn't just trying to sell you a book, ebook or class?
But you are hell bent on creating this blog. You're
attempting to make a name for yourself as magazine
freelancer, a copywriter, a novelist, columnist or a
nonfiction expert. So you dive in and read...for hours.
Blogger, Wordpress or self-designed? This person says
forget Blogger. Another says it doesn't matter who the
host is as long as the content is powerful. Another
says only use a blog utilizing your name alone without
a Wordpress or Blogspot tag along.
Or maybe you're reaching the end of your fantasy novel.
Once upon a time, you simply queried an agent. Now you
consider indie publishers, self-publishing, vanity
publishing (yes, it's tempting to buy a turn-key job),
e-publishing, as well as traditional, big-boy-house
pitching.
It's easy to overdose on information.
I'm someone who hates Super Wal-marts and three-story malls.
I don't want a zillion choices. I don't enjoy hours of
shopping. I want my need fulfilled without losing sleep
over whether I missed yet another option in another store.
Sure, we can't rely on one article and make a life
altering decision based upon it. We have to compare to
learn the parameters of our options. But overdosing on
information can leave you muddled and confused, or in my
case angry and eager to just close my eyes and pick one.
Overdosing is a yen to educate yourself on all aspects of
a topic before moving forward. The problem is there is
no end to the information - or the opinions. I've known
writers who endeavored to read every how-to book on
writing fiction before completing a first draft - for
fear of finishing a book and discovering a method to
develop a character or twist a plot or turn a phrase.
What you will do is overdose yourself until you either
fear to move forward or poison yourself to hate your
project.
The best educator is experience and bumbling mistakes.
Two steps forward and one step back. Study up, work
at it, make mistakes, and study some more. Take your
time.
Don't think that because yet another guru has come
out with advice, that you have to take it to heart.
Be the master of your own education, instead of being
led around by the ring in your nose, subject to the
whims of the latest and greatest expert.
Let passion drive you, hunger educate you, and logic
steer you. It's a trip only you can drive. You decide
when and where you get off the interstate. If you keep
traveling toward one more exit over and over, eventually
you run out of gas.
Hope Clark
HOPE'S UPCOMING 2011 CONFERENCES
BLUE RIDGE WRITERS CONFERENCE (GEORGIA)
Apr 1-2, 2011
http://www.blueridgewritersconference.com/
MISSOURI WRITERS GUILD (ST LOUIS)
Apr 8-10, 2011
http://www.missouriwritersguild.org/
VILLAGES FOLK WRITERS CONFERENCE (IOWA)
Sept 23-25, 2011
http://www.villagesfolkschool.com/
=====
THE BLOG - http://www.hopeclark.blogspot.com
TWITTER- http://twitter.com/hopeclark
FACEBOOK- http://www.facebook.com/chopeclark
===================================================
WISE WORDS TO LIVE BY
===================================================
"The happiness of a man in this life does not consist
in the absence but in the mastery of his passions."
-- Alfred Lord Tennyson
===================================================
GRANTS/AWARDS/CONTESTS
===================================================
SCENE OF THE CRIME SHORT STORY MYSTERY CONTEST
http://www.sceneofthecrime.ca/festival/contest.html
---
NO ENTRY FEE
First Prize: $100
Second Prize: $50
Third Prize: $35
Contest open to Canadian citizens or those resident in
Canada and not previously published in the mystery or
crime fiction genre. Deadline June 1, 2011. Story must
be in English and must not exceed 3,500 words. Stories
must be original and unpublished. Stories must be fiction
and a mystery (crime, suspense, private eye, etc.). Send
$10 if you wish a judge's critique.
=====
NEW DELTA REVIEW CREATIVE NONFICTION CONTEST
http://ndrmag.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Creative-Nonfiction-Contest.pdf
---
ENTRY FEE $10
$150 and publication. Deadline March 15, 2011. We welcome
hybrid essays that risk making language do new things.
Personal essays are welcome, too. Use a slice of memoir,
but also use a dose of self-awareness. Autobiographical
moments which are digested and used to engage the reader,
not prove something to the reader, delight us. Up to 4,000
words.
=====
WHITTAKER PRIZE
http://www.helenwhittaker.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=8191
---
ENTRY FEE $30 or $50
The fourth annual Whittaker Prize writing competition consists
of nine rounds, each lasting two weeks. It opens on March 12,
2011 and submissions for the final round will be due on
July 16, 2011. The competition is open to anyone over the
age of 18 who writes fiction or poetry in English. There are
two categories: fiction and poetry. Writers may enter one
category or both categories. Anyone wishing to participate
in this competition must currently be a member of TWI or
register and be accepted as a member of the forum. $200 Cdn
for the winner of the fiction category PLUS $200 Cdn for the
winner of the poetry category. Winning entries from each round
(fiction and poetry) will be published in an ISBN numbered
anthology available for purchase before the end of 2011.
Authors who place first, second and third in each category
will receive a free copy of the anthology.
=====
WILY WRITERS CONTESTS
http://www.wilywriters.com/blog/?page_id=1234
---
SpecFicNZ Story Contest:
DEADLINE: March 31, 2011
First prize: US$75 & publication at Wily Writers
Second prize: US$50 & publication at Wily Writers
Non-themed. Any speculative fiction story is appropriate.
Only members of SpecFicNZ, a New Zealand organization for
speculative fiction writers, are eligible to submit for this
contest. Word count: 1,000 - 5,000
Masters of Horror Story Contest:
DEADLINE: May 31, 2011
First prize: US$75 & publication at Wily Writers.
Second prize: US$50 & publication at Wily Writers
Non-themed. Any speculative fiction story is appropriate.
Only members of the Masters of Horror Community, an
organization that encourages networking among speculative
fiction writers, are eligible to submit for this contest.
Word count: 1,000 - 5,000
=====
SEVEN HILLS PROSE LITERARY CONTESTS
http://sevenhillsreview.submishmash.com/Submit
---
$4-$17 ENTRY FEES.
Deadline: Aug. 31, 2011 (Firm).
$100 first place winners, $75 second, and $50 third plus
publication in the Seven Hills Review. Contest Categories:
this genre could include (but are not limited to) memoir,
food or travel writing, personal essays, new journalism,
biography, nonfiction stories, and nature writing. The
emphasis in creative nonfiction is on factually true yet
elegant literary expression.
maximum. (Note: We offer children's chapter book competition
in alternate years.)
Penumbra Poetry and Haiku Contest run at the same time as
the Seven Hills Prose Contest. Poetry $100, $75, $50;
Haiku $50, $35, $20. Top four winners in each category
are published in the Seven Hills Review and top three are
mailed a complimentary copy. Same deadline.
===================================================
JOBS/MARKETS
===================================================
WILY WRITERS PODCASTS
http://www.wilywriters.com/blog/?page_id=1234
---
The Wily Writers site publishes two short stories per
month in both audio and text formats. Themed issues:
April 30, 2011 Superheroes
May 31, 2011 Dystopian or Apocalyptic or Post-apoc
June 30, 2011 Space Western
July 31, 2011 Halloween Horror
August 31, 2011 Mythpunk
September 30, 2011 Lovecraftian Horror
October 31, 2011 Young Adult Post-Apocalyptic
Word count: 1,000 - 5,000. Minimum payment will be US$50
per short story. We pay via Paypal and/or check.
=====
CROSSED GENRES MAGAZINE
http://crossedgenres.com/submissions/
---
Payment: $10 ($25 for cover art), free E-Book, discounts.
Short Stories - 1,000-8,000 words (FIRM). Science Fiction
and/or Fantasy and/or Horror combined with the current genre.
We no longer accept simultaneous submissions. Articles 500-
3,000 words. Articles focused on Science Fiction, Fantasy,
and/or the current genre.
=====
VOICEWORKS
http://www.expressmedia.org.au/voiceworks/index.php/submissions/
---
We only accept previously unpublished work by writers
under 25. For fiction, we accept a maximum of two pieces,
which should be no more than 3,000 words each. For poetry,
we accept a maximum of three pieces, and no more than 100
lines in total. For nonfiction, we ask that you pitch your
piece before sending it to us. We pay $100 for each piece
we use. If your submission is unsuccessful, we will provide
you with detailed feedback. We have a small staff and a lot
of submissions, so please be patient. If you think something's
gone wrong or you haven't heard back from us after 3 months,
please get in touch. Due to our funding arrangements,
please note that we can only publish one international
submission per issue. Next deadline April 3, 2011.
=====
TRIANGULATION: LAST CONTACT
http://parsecink.org/staticpages/index.php/triangulation_11_guidelines
---
Triangulation is an annual 125-150+ page short fiction
anthology that publishes science fiction, fantasy, horror,
and any other speculative fiction that caught the editors'
fancy. Every year we have a theme: 2011's theme is "Last
Contact". We pay semi-pro rates and are available online
at places like Amazon.com. Under 5,000 words. We publish
both new and established writers; the level of experience
for the authors gracing our pages has ranged from "first
time in print" to "Hugo winner" and "Nebula winner". The
majority of our stories usually wind up being from American
authors, but we've had a number of international contributions;
we're happy to consider work from anywhere in the world, just
as long as it's written in English. We pay two cents per
word (USA funds, rounded to the nearest 100 words, US$10
minimum payment) on publication and one contributor's copy.
=====
DIRT RAG
http://www.dirtragmag.com/contribute
---
Dirt Rag is a non-glossy magazine written by and for real
people who ride their bikes offroad. Standard pay is ten
cents per word.
Features are more in-depth articles, usually running 1,000-
3,500 words. An example of a Feature is a "Places to Ride"
with maps and a 411 sidebar, or an interview with someone
really unique. Features often involve art.
Departments are the backbone of the magazine. Not every
department appears every issue. Consult a few issues of
the Dirt Rag and look at the Table of Contents "Departments"
to get a feel. It's most common that we need material for
Readings--short, 100-500 word, timely newsbriefs.
===================================================
ADVERTISING FOR WRITERS
===================================================
Award-winning author and graphic designer Gayle Martin
helps you get your book ready for publishing. Whether
you need editing, book design, media kits, or a complete
and honest evaluation of your manuscript, Gayle helps you
turn your idea into a book that you can be proud of.
Summer Workshop with Award-winning Playwright/TV Writer
Five days (Monday Aug-Friday Aug 19) near Woodstock, NY
focused on nuts-and-bolts technique for stage and screen
with Jeffrey Sweet - winner of the Writers Guild of America
Award, Emmy nominee, author of The Dramatist's Toolkit and
resident writer of Tony-winning Victory Gardens Theatre of
Chicago. Work on scenes, then hand them to resident actors to
test them in front of an audience. Look up Jeffrey Sweet
on Amazon.
Info: www.artisticnewdirections.org/retreats.html
Questions? Write: DGSweet@aol.com
http://www.fundsforwriters.com/adrates.htm
===================================================
CONTACT FUNDSFORWRITERS
===================================================
C. Hope Clark
Hope@FundsforWriters.com
http://www.fundsforwriters.com
Copyright 2000-2011, C. Hope Clark
The information is for use at your own risk. FundsforWriters
make no warranty as to accuracy or fitness for any purpose.
Use common sense and take normal precautions in how you use
any information.
-----------------------------