FundsforWriters - September 18, 2015 - Remember the Simple Life?

Published: Fri, 09/18/15

FundsForWriters: Tips and Tools for serious writers to advance their careers!
  Volume 15, Issue 37, September 18, 2015  
 
     
       
  Message from the Editor

Almost everyone, at some time or another, has wanted a treehouse. I never had one but loved the idea of sneaking away to my own private space to read. So I designed this one and had it built for my family to enjoy. Now that the mosquitoes are gone, and the weather is oh-so-comfortable, I foresee some evenings up here. Maybe a night. Nah, I'm not too old.


Hope Clark
Editor, FundsforWriters
Email Hope | Visit Website
Newsletter: ISSN: 1533-1326
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SPONSOR OF THE WEEK
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Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest - Last Call!

13th year. $4,000 in prizes will be awarded, including $1,500 for a poem in any style and $1,500 for a poem that rhymes or has a traditional style. Both published and unpublished work accepted. All entries that win cash prizes will be published on WinningWriters.com and announced in the Winning Writers Newsletter, with over 50,000 subscribers. Entry fee is $10 per poem. Each poem may have up to 250 lines. Deadline: September 30. See guidelines, past winners, and enter at www.winningwriters.com/tompoetry

 
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EDITOR'S THOUGHTS
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REMEMBER THE SIMPLE DAYS?
 
Reach back in your memories, and remember how you read books. As a chid, as a teen, as a young adult, then now. Which book, when you see the title again, springs a memory back to life, reminding you how intensely you fell into that story and didn't want to climb out?

I built a tree house for my grandson's second birthday. Yeah, I know it's a little over-the-top nuts, but I designed it and had it built so it's a place he'll retreat to long into college. Right now it's all about climbing the stairs and peering at the tree limbs and over at the chickens. In a few years, it'll be about Swiss Family Robinson, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, or something along the line of Maximum Ride.

I'm running power to it in the future so that, yes, he can drag his laptop up there and maybe even spend the night, maybe bring his friends along. While I have a selfish motive, that of having him around more, I did it because what kid hasn't wished for a tree house?

On Facebook, I showed pictures of the house (see one at the top of this newsletter - cool, huh?), and was dumbfounded at the 200+ responses from adults. Men and women who recalled their tree houses, or pined over never having one. So I asked them why there's such an attraction to tree houses?

Privacy, a place to read, a place to write, a place to feel closer to nature.

If we reach back again in those reading memories mentioned earlier, that's what we wanted from the time we could read Dick and Jane books. It's an escape into our deep, true selves, gifting ourselves with permission to reach far.

That is what a book is supposed to do. Sometimes, in our frenzy to learn how to publish, or our yearning to make money, we forget that feeling we're supposed to be offering to readers.

Maybe we need to climb up into a tree house to remember.

-Hope Clark

 

P.S. TOTAL FundsforWriters is the extended version of this newsletter, with 70 markets, contests, grants, etc. and still at the ten-year-old cost of $15 for 26 issues. A great way to find opportunities to make money, without the hours of searching. Some subscribers have been around since TOTAL's origin a decade ago...they swear by it that much.  NOTE: TOTAL will be going up in price November 1. Now might be the time to get in at the prize that's been around for a decade! Click here to consider TOTAL.

Click here to see all of Hope's books.

 



SILVER FALCHION AWARDS

Palmetto Poison and Murder on Edisto are entered in the Silver Falchion Awards affiliated with the glorious Killer Nashville Mystery Conference. One of the awards is the Reader's Choice, and I'd be honored if you'd consider voting for either or both of these books. You'll find one under Cozy/Traditional Mystery and the other under Private Detective/Procedural Mystery. Bless you if you do! (And bless you if you don't.) http://www.killernashville.com/vote-for-the-silver-falchion-readers-choice-award/




SOCIAL MEDIA

For the most up-to-date information about Hope, contests, writing industry information and giveaways, keep up with Hope on Twitter and Facebook. Things get more interesting in real time!



 
 
 
 
  Upcoming Book Signings and Classes! 
  
  Oct 7 - Bouchercon, Raleigh, NC, James Scott Bell class (as attendee), 1-5 PM
  Oct 9 - Lexington, SC Book Club - ON EDISTO BEACH!
  Oct 10 - Release of Edisto Jinx, Edisto Beach, SC, Edisto Bookstore, 4-6 PM
  Oct 17 - Class on Dialogue - Greenwood Arts Center (Room 102), Greenwood, SC - Open to public with small entrance fee - 10 AM to Noon
  Oct 29-Nov 1 - Killer Nashville Con, Nashville, TN
  Nov 7 - Local Authors Presentation - Cayce-West Columbia Library, SC, 2-5 PM -
   Open to public

  Check out all of Hope's books

 
 
 

WORDS OF SUCCESS
 
"I write to give myself strength. I write to be the characters that I am not. I write to explore all the things I'm afraid of."

~Joss Whedon



 
       
       
 
EDISTO JINX

Is it a flesh and blood killer -
or restless spirits?
 
According to Sophie, the resident yoga mistress and psychic, beautiful Edisto Beach becomes a hotbed of troublemaking spirits every August. But when a visitor dies mysteriously during a beach house party, former big-city detective Callie Morgan and Edisto Beach police chief Mike Seabrook hunt for motives and suspects among the living. With tourists filling the beaches and local business owners anxious to squelch rumors of a murderer on the loose, Callie will need all the help she can get - especially once the killer's attention turns toward her.

COMING OCTOBER 1st!
 
Purchase any of Hope's books and receive a one-year subscription to TOTAL FFW free. Send receipt to [email protected].

 
 
  COMING OCTOBER 1
  Learn more and order
 
       
     


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SUCCESS STORY
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Hi Hope,

I'm not sure how long I've been a TOTAL FFW subscriber, but I know it's been at least since 2010. In the fall of that year, TFFW mentioned a special Chicken Soup for the Soul submission call for Christmas stories with a tight deadline.

I remembered a dog story I wrote in 2007 but never found a home for. I'd always considered it a dog story, but it was about two dogs causing havoc in a department store after visiting Santa, so it could be considered a Christmas story. I thought it was a long shot, but I edited it again and sent it in. Chicken Soup accepted it and paid me more than any of the other markets who rejected my earlier versions would have. (Yes, sometimes rejections can be good if you keep submitting!) Not only that, the submission call turned out to be for two special hardback collections - the first time I'd been published in hardback.

Now I've been published in seven Chicken Soup books--a success story that started with you. ??

Write on,
Janet Hartman
www.JanetHartmanWrites.com

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FEATURED ARTICLE
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Book Awards Open to Self-Published Books

By Bernadette Geyer

Book awards have made great strides in broadening eligibility rules to allow authors to submit self-published books. When I first began collecting information about awards for published books, many of them only accepted submissions and nominations from publishers themselves. This has changed. The following is a list of some of the many book awards that are open to self-published authors. Some of the awards are limited to authors writing in specific genres, while others have a regional focus.

North Street Book Prize
http://winningwriters.com/our-contests
Winning Writers recently announced it is sponsoring the North Street Book Prize, aimed at recognizing outstanding self-published books. Categories for this first year are Mainstream/Literary Fiction, Genre Fiction, and Creative Nonfiction. The cost is $50.00 per entry, and the winner in each category will receive $1,500 plus a variety of marketing services. Two honorable mentions in each category will receive $250. All contestants receive a selection of helpful guides for publishing and promotion.

The Foreword Reviews INDIEFAB Book of the Year Awards
https://indiefab.forewordreviews.com
Accepts self-published books in more than 60 categories/genres, including Fantasy, Humor, Travel, Juvenile Fiction, Picture Books, and True Crime. The early-bird entry fee is $79, plus two copies of the book, for each category in which the book is entered. The top three winners in each category receive publicity and can order stickers to put on their books. Monetary awards are given to one best “fiction” and one best “nonfiction” book.  

The Eric Hoffer Award for Independent Books
http://www.hofferaward.com
Offers awards in several writing categories, including Poetry, General Fiction, E-book Fiction, and E-book Nonfiction, as well as categories by press type, such as Micro or Self-Published. Each book requires a fee of $55 per category for which it is to be considered. There is a $2,000 grand prize, as well as the Montaigne Medal, da Vinci Eye, and First Horizon Award, in addition to the category honors.  

Debut-litzer Prizes
http://latenightlibrary.org
The literary non-profit organization Late-Night Library sponsors the Debut-litzer Prizes for a first work of fiction or poetry. Submissions are accepted from authors or publishers, and self-published works are eligible, provided the work is the “first” in the genre by the writer. The cost to enter is two copies of the book, along with a $25.00 application fee. Winners in each category receive a cash award of $1,000 and a featured appearance on the Late Night Conversation podcast.  

Thorpe Menn Literary Excellence Award
http://kansascity-mo.aauw.net/events/thorpe-menn-literary-award/
Presented by the American Association of University Women-Kansas City Branch and the Kansas City Public Library – which is open to writers who reside in the greater Kansas City area. Award categories are Fiction, Nonfiction, Children’s Books, and Poetry. The cost to enter is two copies of the nominated printed book or a digital copy of an E-book. The winner receives a $500.00 check, certificate of recognition, and listing on the library’s website.

American Book Awards
http://www.beforecolumbusfoundation.com/american-book-awards/
The Before Columbus Foundation sponsors the American Book Awards, which has no restrictions on self-published books. It is open to anyone, and there are no categories; awardees are selected solely based on literary excellence. The cost to enter is two copies of the book. While there is no monetary prize, award winners are formally recognized at a ceremony, and are given publicity through the Before Columbus Foundation website.

Other awards include the Minnesota Book Awards (http://thefriends.org/events/mnba/nominations-applications/book-award-nomination/), the Brockman-Campbell Book Award (http://www.ncpoetrysociety.org/bcaward/), the Lambda Literary Awards (http://www.lambdaliterary.org/award-guidelines/), and the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award (http://www.hurstonwright.org). Although these do not have restrictions on self-published books, other eligibility requirements may apply.

Please refer to award websites for complete and updated information, as well as details on entry deadlines.

 
BIO:  Bernadette Geyer is a freelance writer and editor living in Berlin, Germany. She is the author of the poetry collection The Scabbard of Her Throat. Her nonfiction has appeared in Funds for Writers, GoNOMAD, Freelance Writer’s Report, and elsewhere, and her poems have been published in 2015 Poet’s Market, Oxford American, Poet Lore, and elsewhere. Geyer teaches creative writing workshops online through The Writer’s Center and WOW! Women on Writing. You can find out more about her freelance editorial services and workshops through her web site at http://www.bernadettegeyer.com.

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COMPETITIONS
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SANDY CUMMINS NATIONAL PRIZE FOR POETRY
https://philadelphiastories.submittable.com/submit/26170
$12 ENTRY FEE.
Deadline November 15, 2015. All entrants will receive a complimentary one-year membership to Philadelphia Stories. Poets currently residing in the United States are eligible. We will accept up to five pages of poetry. You may submit one 5-page poem, five 1-page poems, or any other combination within the five-page restriction. No more than one poem per page. The first-place winning poet will receive a $1,000 cash award for an individual poem, an invitation to an awards event in Philadelphia and publication in the Spring issue.
Three runners up will receive $100 cash awards for individual poems as well as publication in our Spring issue. The winning poet and runners up are invited to submit chapbooks to be considered for publication by PS Books.



DZANC SHORT STORY COLLECTION PRIZE
https://dzancbooks.submittable.com/submit/24727
$25 ENTRY FEE.
Dzanc is currently holding its fifth annual contest for all authors wishing to submit a short story collection to Dzanc Books. The winning author will be published by Dzanc in late 2016, and will receive a $1,000 advance. Entry to the Dzanc Short Story Collection Contest requires a $25 reading fee and the submission of a full manuscript. The contest deadline is September 25, 2015.



DZANC NON-FICTION PRIZE
http://www.dzancbooks.org/dzanc-prizes
$25 ENTRY FEE.
Second annual Non-Fiction Award. All authors with a non-fiction manuscript are eligible. Subjects may include but are not limited to memoir, political, historical, biographical, and will be vetted by our Dzanc Books editors. Deadline December 31, 2015. All entrants will receive a copy of the ebook of the winner when it is published as well as a complimentary copy of one of a trio of Dzanc's titles — we will email you the choices upon your entering. The winning manuscript will be selected by February 2016 and the title will be published in 2017. It will go through our full editing process and the author will receive a $1,000 advance.



ONE CITY ONE SYMPONY: FREEDOM CONTEST
http://cincinnatisymphony.org/onecity
NO ENTRY FEE.
In celebration of the 150th anniversary of the 13th amendment and the legacy of Dr. Maya Angelou, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is holding a poetry contest. The original poem submissions will be responses to the question, “What does freedom mean to you?” Grades 9-12: Grand prize $2,500, 1st place $1,000, 2nd place $500. Adults 18+: Grand prize $2,500, 1st place $1,000, 2nd place $500. Deadline October 1, 2015.

 
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GRANTS
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LAKE CLARK NATIONAL PARK - ALASKA
http://www.chulitnalodge.com
Chulitna Lodge is 180 miles west of Anchorage, Alaska. The property is an inholding on hundreds of square miles of national park, so there are no roads leading in or out. The only access is by plane. Deadline November 27, 2015. Full scholarships include room and board plus flight from anywhere in the continental U.S. and commuter flight from Anchorage to Port Alsworth and require a minimum of six-week commitment between June 1 and September 30. Partial scholarships include room and board, but not transportation. Work study options are also available. All scholarship and work study artists are expected to participate in meal preparation, and clean up, and/or gardening.



BUNNELL STREET ARTS CENTER
http://www.bunnellarts.org/
Bunnell Street Arts Center is a multidisciplinary arts center located in a landmark building in Old Town, Homer, Alaska, overlooking Kachemak Bay and the Kenai Mountains. Bunnell's mission is to nurture and present innovative, exceptional art in all media for diverse audiences. $1,000 stipend plus up to $1,000 round-trip coach travel to Homer. Lodging provided in a private room with a shared kitchen and living area above the arts center.



AMERICAN ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY FELLOWSHIPS FOR CREATIVE AND PERFORMING ARTISTS AND WRITERS
http://www.americanantiquarian.org/artistfellowship.htm
NO APPLICATION FEE
Deadline October 5, 2015. The American Antiquarian Society (AAS), a national research library and learned society of American history and culture, is calling for applications for visiting fellowships for historical research by creative and performing artists, writers, film makers, journalists, and other persons whose goals are to produce imaginative, non-formulaic works dealing with pre-twentieth-century American history. Successful applicants are those whose work is for the general public rather than for academic or educational audiences. Stipends of $1,850 for fellows residing off-campus; fellows who reside on campus in scholars' housing will have the room fee deducted from the $1,850 stipend. Room fees range from $500 to $700 per month.



WRITERS OMI AT LEDIG HOUSE
http://www.artomi.org/program.php?Writers-OMI-4
Deadline October 20, 2015 (received). We welcome published writers and translators of every type of literature. International, cultural and creative exchange is a foundation of our mission, and a wide distribution of national background is an important part of our selection process. Guests may select a residency of one week to two months; about ten at a time gather to live and work in a rural setting overlooking the Catskill Mountains. Ledig House provides all meals, and each night a local chef prepares dinner.
 
 
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FREELANCE MARKETS
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VQR
http://www.vqronline.org/about-vqr/submissions
VQR strives to publish the best writing we can find. While we have a long history of publishing accomplished and award-winning authors, we also seek and support emerging writers. Poetry: All types and length. Short fiction length is from 2,000–8,000 words. We are generally not interested in genre fiction (such as romance, science fiction, or fantasy). Nonfiction length is 3,500–9,000 words. We publish literary, art, and cultural criticism; reportage; historical and political analysis; and travel essays. We publish few author interviews or memoirs. In general, we are looking for nonfiction that looks out on the world, rather than within the self. We pay $200 per poem, up to four poems; for a suite of five or more poems, we usually pay $1,000; for poems longer than 50 lines, the payment is usually higher. For prose, we generally pay approximately 25 cents/word, depending on length. For investigative reporting, we pay at a higher rate, sometimes including pre-approved travel expenses. Book reviews are generally 2,000-2,400 words and are paid at a flat rate of $500.



ONE STORY
http://www.one-story.com/?page=submit
One Story is seeking literary fiction. Because of our format, we can only accept stories between 3,000 and 8,000 words. They can be any style and on any subject as long as they are good. One Story is offering $500 and 25 contributors copies for First Serial North American rights.



FLIGHT JOURNAL
http://www.flightjournal.com/contributors-guidelines/
Flight Journal presents aviation-oriented material, for the most part with a historical overtone, but also with some modern “history in the making” reporting. Many articles have an “I was there” or “from the cockpit” human-interest emphasis, typically in a manner that is not being done in other magazines. Average article length is 2,500–3,000 words and pays $600 and up.



PROFIT
http://www.profitguide.com/contact-us
Published six times per year, PROFIT is Canada’s Guide to Business Success. With a circulation of 84,632 and a total readership of 184,000—90% of which are Canada’s top-level executives—PROFIT is Canada’s most-read and best-targeted publication for entrepreneurs and small business executives. We’d love to hear from you if you have a story idea for PROFIT or would like to be a source for our award-winning coverage of entrepreneurial business, management practices and business trends and opportunities. Query with clips. Length 800-2,000 words and pays from $500 to $2,000. Columns of 700 words pay $150 to $600. Very open to freelancers with good ideas and knowledge of business. Note the Canadian focus.
 

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JOBS
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CONTENT WRITER
Location Boston, MA
https://www.linkedin.com/jobs2/view/84960188?trk=jserp_seo_page
At Brafton, our Content Writers conduct research, write and edit high-quality editorial content for clients in a wide variety of industries including: Travel, Health, Education, Lifestyle, Legal, Finance, Technology, Business, and Marketing. Forms of editorial content include but are not limited to: white papers, news articles, newsletters, product descriptions, landing pages, how-to guides, case studies, social posts, blogs, marketing collateral, press releases, etc. In this role, employees are expected to immerse themselves in their clients’ industries, while staying up-to-date on the latest content marketing best practices. This is a great opportunity for writers who want to take their writing to the next level while being part of a fast-paced growing agency environment.



BEAUTY EDITOR/REPORTER
Location New York, NY
https://www.journalismjobs.com/job-listings/1624158
The Mass Market Beauty Editor covers the market consisting of big box retailers and chains ranging from drugstores up though Ulta. The territory also includes the salon business. The bulk of the job is in covering mass beauty manufacturers such as L'Oreal, Revlon and Procter&Gamble, as well as writing about indie brands. Will report on the people, products and trends that are driving the mass, independent and online beauty markets. Write daily news posts for WWD.com and feature stories for WWD the Weekly. A very important duty is developing trend stories for the weekly WWD publication.


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AGENTS / PUBLISHERS
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AGATE PUBLISHING
http://www.agatepublishing.com/about/agate/
Agate is considering submissions in the general areas of food, cooking, and nutrition-related nonfiction, for its Surrey imprint; business-interest nonfiction, for its B2 imprint; fiction and nonfiction by African-American writers, for its Bolden imprint; and books on Midwestern topics or by Midwestern authors, for its Midway imprint.



BOULDER PUBLICATIONS
http://boulderpublications.ca/about-us
Boulder Publications is an independent Canadian book publishing company headquartered in Newfoundland & Labrador, with an office in Nova Scotia. Considers a wide array of subjects to include children's, adult fiction, cooking, history, nature, photography, plays and self-help.



FARCOUNTRY PRESS
http://www.farcountrypress.com/contact/submitproposal.php
Publishes: Photography (states, cities, geographical regions, national parks, wildlife),  Popular history, Children’s educational (nature, history), Guidebooks, Cookbooks. Farcountry Press does not publish fiction or poetry.



FITZHENRY & WHITESIDE
http://www.fitzhenry.ca/fitzhenry-submissions
Fitzhenry & Whiteside encourages new talent and Canadian authors and illustrators. Please remember that the adult trade department considers non-fiction and poetry. We do not consider fiction. Fitzhenry & Whiteside Children’s Publishing Division is currently seeking manuscripts for the following:

Primary picture book text (approx. 500 to 800 words) for children ages 3 to 5.
Middle Grade fiction text (approx. 25,000 to 35,000 words) for children ages 8 to 12.
Young Adult fiction text (approx. 40,000 to 50,000 words) for children 12 and up.
Non-fiction texts for juvenile picture books 5 and up - school curriculum related.
Non-fiction texts for older readers 8 and up - school curriculum related.
Non-Fiction manuscripts for Young Adult Readers 12 and up.


 
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SPONSORS
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NOTE TO POTENTIAL SPONSORS:
FundsforWriters advertising rates will be rising come November 1, 2015. Any ads purchased before that time, regardless of when you wish them published, will be honored at the old, lower rate. www.fundsforwriters.com/advertising
 
 




 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Mediabistro is a bastion of creative professional development for people at any level of learning. We offer classes across all disciplines, from Novel Writing to Marketing, to Public Relations and Social Media.

For a limited time, we are offering new students 10% off any course! Visit our online course catalog to find the course that is right for you and register today.






 














NOTE: 30 percent off for FundsforWriters readers for a short time. Click here.

Grammarly sucked me in and owned me after only ten minutes of using it on my latest manuscript, Edisto Jinx. Though my grammar skills are solid, Grammarly pointed me toward flow issues, awkward wording, repeated wording, and yes, the occasional grammar oversight. I caught myself changing sentences and enjoying the second set of eyes. Grammarly is truly one of the simplest and most useful editing tools I've ever experienced.  ~C. Hope Clark, award-winning mystery author, www.chopeclark.com, and editor of FundsforWriters.com


 






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Fine print
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Please forward the newsletter in its entirety. To reprint any editorials, contact [email protected] for permission. Please do not assume that acknowledgements listed in your publication is considered a valid right to publish.

C. Hope Clark
E-mail: [email protected]
140-A Amicks Ferry Road #4 Chapin, SC 29036
Copyright 2000-2015, C. Hope Clark
ISSN: 1533-1326

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