FundsforWriters - December 30, 2011

Published: Fri, 12/30/11

 
Volume 11, Issue 53
December 30, 2011


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


FUNDS FOR WRITERS


Chosen for Writer's Digest Magazine

101 Best Websites for Writers
2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005,
2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


My son and I posing over his melting snowman cookies,
a big hit at our house this holiday season.
 
Editor: C. Hope Clark
Mailto: [email protected]
Website: http://www.fundsforwriters.com
Newsletter: ISSN: 1533-1326

Our subscriber list is NOT made available to others. Use

information listed at your own risk. FundsforWriters gives
no warranty to completeness, accuracy, or fitness of the
markets, contests and grants although research is done to
the best of our ability.




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EDITOR'S THOUGHTS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Read newsletter online at:
http://www.fundsforwriters.com/FFW.htm
Read past issues at: http://www.aweber.com/z/article/?fundsforwriters


=====


THREE LANES TO SUCCESS


"I like to say there are three things that are required for

success as a writer: talent, luck, discipline. ... [Discipline]
is the one that you have to focus on controlling, and you just
have to hope and trust in the other two."

--Michael Chabon, Pulitzer prize winning author


Imagine you're traveling down this highway with three lanes

on it. Talent is on your left, discipline in the middle, and
luck on your right. You need all three lanes to succeed.

The vehicle under your control isn't fine, sleek, or even fast.

It's a rag-tag contraption you've pieced together over the years.
Some parts are tighter then others. Some are better designed.
A few leave a bit to be desired. But this machine travels. It
moves forward, taking you to what you hope is a nice destination.

Your best bet is to stick to the middle lane. You see, your

vehicle is wobbly. It veers at times, not always pointed
straight nor traveling consistently at a reasonable speed.
So fighting to stay in the center lane improves your chances
of arrival.

The center lane is where you have the most control. Diligence

is in your grasp. Luck and talent, not so much. Diligence also
impacts the other two.

Sticking to the straight and narrow by exercising diligence in

your writing path manages direction, improves odds, grooms
talent. Waiting for luck to happen might veer you off road
one way. Waiting for talent to make your publishing success
take hold might veer you too far the other way.

Just decide to do this writing thing. Seriously. A mediocre

writer with a strong work ethic and a stubborn drive travels
a lot further in this industry than a genius who hates to
submit or market.

On that note . . . Happy New Year. May your travels in

2012 keep you on that center line and steadily finding
your way.



Hope




THE BLOG -
http://www.hopeclark.blogspot.com
TWITTER - http://twitter.com/hopeclark
FACEBOOK - http://www.facebook.com/chopeclark

ABOUT.ME - http://about.me/hopeclark


=====




~~~~~~****~~~~~~


WORDS OF SUCCESS


"The elevator to success is out of order. You'll have to

use the stairs . . . one step at a time."

~ Joe Girard ~



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SUCCESS OF THE WEEK
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Hope -


Love reading the success stories on Funds for Writers and

am so happy to have one to contribute. A few months back,
the site had information about residencies at the Brush Creek
Arts Foundation in Wyoming. I applied and I GOT IT! This will
allow me two precious, uninterrupted weeks to finish rewriting
a novel. I'd never have known about the opportunity had it not
been for your blog and newsletters. Thanks so much,

Gwen Florio

Missoula, Mont.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ARTICLE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Feast, not famine: Re-evaluating your day job

by Laura Roberts


"Don't quit your day job" is usually meant as an insult, directed at

writers who are too inexperienced to take the leap into freelancing.
But what if this tired phrase were actually the key to new
opportunity?

Since graduating from university with a Creative Writing degree in

2007, I've tested my pen with a wide variety of assignments. From
writing a regular column to copywriting to freelancing for many
different print and online media outlets, I've tried it all. For me,
the writing business is most interesting when I have the chance to try
something new.

Of course, freelancing is also a risky business that most writers

describe as "feast or famine." So, to supplement my freelancing income
I will occasionally take day jobs -- part-time work that pays a modest
salary and keeps me, my artist husband and our lazy cat out of the
poorhouse. The work is rarely writing-related, but it affords me a
cash cushion that enables me to concentrate on my writing without
worrying about mounting bills. I keep on writing in my "spare" time
(as my employer sees it), but continue to work towards my freelancing
goals on my own time.

Recently I took a day job at a culinary school, to further emphasize

the "feast" end of the cycle. (Occasional perks include sampling
students' creations, straight from the test kitchens, which is always
delicious!) The school was transitioning from being small,
locally-owned operation to becoming a nationally-recognized college
with a second campus in Boulder, Colorado. I wondered if there might
be any opportunity to add a bit of writing to my administrative
duties, following the launch of the school's new website. As it turned
out, my employer was looking for someone to write weekly blogs for the
site, with a concentration on themes of fresh food and the Austin
chefs who create it. Sweet!

Since my employer had already seen my CV and knew I wrote for a living

in my "off" hours, they asked to see a few of my writing samples. I
showed them entries from my local "cheap eats" blog, Shoestring
Austin, which features restaurant and product reviews, recipes and
interviews with other foodies to get the inside scoop on all things
food-related for folks on a budget. After speaking with the head
office, and convincing them I was ready and willing do the job, I was
hired as their Austin blogger.

At present, I've got a lot of leeway in what I can write about.

Anything local is great, and when I can work in a school-related
angle, I do. I recently wrote a story about a graduate of the school
who's using Indie-Go-Go to raise money for starting her own macaroon
truck, as well as an article about why I love poutine (a
French-Canadian fast-food favorite), and where to find its closest
approximation in Austin. The gig is a mix between food blogging and
marketing, and it's great fun to keep up with local food news and talk
to alumni who will one day become successful chefs.

In short: I took the sage advice of those who say "Don't quit your day

job" quite literally. Instead of leaving my job to focus on my
writing, I sniffed out the opportunities that were right under my
nose. Sometimes the sweet smell of success really is stewing right in
your own kitchen.

--


Bio: Laura Roberts currently blogs for the Auguste Escoffier School of

Culinary Arts (http://www.escoffier.edu) in Austin, Texas. She is also
the editor of the cheap-eats blog Shoestring Austin
(http://shoestringaustin.com), and the literary rebellion Black Heart
Magazine (http://blackheartmagazine.com), and is currently working on
her first novel, entitled Naked Montreal.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

COMPETITIONS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


K. MARGARET GROSSMAN FICTION AWARDS

http://www.literal-latte.com/contests/#fiction_awards

---
$10 ENTRY FEE
First Prize $1,000. Second Prize $300. Third Prize $200.
Send unpublished stories, 8,000 words maximum. All subjects
and styles welcome. Deadline January 15, 2012.

=====


2012 AMAZON BREAKTHROUGH NOVEL AWARD

http://www.amazon.com/abna

---
NO ENTRY FEE
For General Fiction and Young Adult Fiction. Entries accepted
beginning January 23, 2012. Awards: One grand prize each category
- a publishing contract with Penguin, which includes a $15,000
advance. Deadline: February 5, 2012.

=====


THE WINDSOR FRINGE KENNETH BRANAGH AWARD FOR NEW DRAMA WRITING 2012

http://www.windsorfringe.co.uk/

---
ENTRY FEE £5
Amateur playwrights are invited to submit unpublished one-act
plays for the NINTH Drama Writing Award. Three winning scripts
will be selected for performances during three Drama Nights at
the Windsor Fringe Festival in October and the winner of the
£500 prize will be announced on the last night (judged purely
on the writing). Submissions must be received by the 5th of
March 2012. Only amateur playwrights are eligible; only one
script per author will be accepted.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GRANTS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


THE ELLEN MELOY FUND FOR DESERT WRITERS

http://kalamu.posterous.com/pub-ellen-meloy-fund-for-desert-writers

---
The Ellen Meloy Fund for Desert Writers grants one $2,000 award
in the spring of each year. Only literary or creative nonfiction
proposals will be considered. No fiction or poetry proposals
will be reviewed. The Fund supports writing that combines an
engaging individual voice, literary sensibility, imagination
and intellectual rigor to bring new perspectives and deeper
meaning to the body of desert literature. All applications will
be reviewed through a peer-panel process. Deadline January 15, 2012.

=====


CONSTANCE SALTONSTALL FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS

http://www.saltonstall.org/

---
Artists and writers who live in New York State (including NYC)
are invited to apply for month-long summer residencies.
Applications must be postmarked by Saturday, January 14, 2012.
Categories are poetry and creative nonfiction. A $500 stipend
is provided to help defray travel costs. The stunning 200-acre
colony is located just a few miles outside of downtown Ithaca
in the heart of the beautiful Finger Lakes Region. Also...

During the winter months we open the colony to local artists

and former residents who are looking for a work space or
respite from the distractions of daily living. The five
apartments/studios are available for use for the modest fee
of $20 a day. Former Saltonstall Residents may come back for
an extended stay of up to 30 days.

=====


MACDOWELL COLONY

http://www.macdowellcolony.org/apply-appguidelines.html

---
Deadline January 15, 2012 for residencies during June through
September. Deadline April 15, 2012 for residencies during
October through January 31, 2013. The MacDowell Colony provides
time, space, and an inspiring environment to artists of
exceptional talent. A MacDowell Fellowship, or residency,
consists of exclusive use of a studio, accommodations, and
three prepared meals a day for up to eight weeks. There are
no residency fees. MacDowell Fellows are selected by our
admissions panels, which are comprised of a revolving group
of distinguished professionals in each artistic discipline
who serve anonymously for three years.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FREELANCE MARKETS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


BREATHE

http://www.readbreathe.com/contributors-guidelines/

---
We're looking for content that's both informative and
entertaining for active women who value a healthy lifestyle.
A "healthy lifestyle" encompasses everything from how we
treat our minds and bodies (nutrition, fitness, health,
beauty) to how we treat our planet (green living, social
responsibility, eco-friendly products and practices). Our
print edition is available throughout the Mid-Atlantic and
Southeast, and we aim to keep our content relevant to these
regions, through both sources and subject matter. This can
mean national and universal stories with a regional spin
as well as region-specific stories. Our features vary in
length from 800-2,500 words, and relate in some way to each
issue's theme. We publish profiles, guides, non-fiction
personal essays, and more in-depth stories about issues
relevant to our readers' interests. We do not accept fiction
or poetry. In addition to features, we have department pages
in every issue: Fitness, Nutrition, Green Living, Breathe In
(the latest in beauty, gear and style), Family and Breathe
Out (outdoor adventure). Department pages generally run 500
words.

=====


SCOUTING

http://www.scoutingmagazine.org/about/contributors/writers.html

---
Many of our best article ideas come from volunteer and
professional Scouters, but most stories are written by staff
members or professional writers. We seldom publish
unsolicited manuscripts (the exception being inspirational
accounts or successful program ideas by individual Scouters).
We rely heavily on regional writers to cover an event or
activity in a particular part of the country. A query with
a synopsis or outline of a proposed story is essential.
We buy short features of 500 to 700 words; some longer
features, up to 1,200 words, usually the result of a definite
assignment to a professional writer. We do not buy fiction
or poetry. We pay on acceptance. We purchase first rights
unless otherwise specified (purchase does not necessarily
guarantee publication). Photos, if of acceptable quality,
are usually included in payment for certain assignments.
Payment rates depend on the professional quality of an
article. Payment is from $300 to $500 for a short feature,
$650 to $800 for a major article, and more for quality
articles by frequent contributors.

=====


COUNTRY

http://www.country-magazine.com/guidelines.asp

---
Country is for people who "live in or long for the country."
Our content reflects the rural lifestyle with relaxed,
conversational writing and top-quality photography. We showcase
the benefits and pleasures of country life, the beauty of rural
America and folks with interesting tales to tell. All freelance
material is considered on a speculative basis unless a specific
assignment is made. We pay, upon publication, $250 for any
story that runs a full page or more. The only exceptions are
"God's Country," an 8- to 10-page text-and-photo feature, for
which we pay a flat rate of $2,000, and poetry, which appears
only in Country EXTRA; we pay $50 for each published poem.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

JOBS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


REPORTER

Location Juneau, AK
http://www.journalismnext.com/jobdetails.cfm?jid=7375

---
The Associated Press seeks a reporter for a 14-week temporary
position covering state government and spot news in Juneau,
Alaska. After orientation to AP operations, this reporter
would work primarily from the Statehouse on original stories
for state and national audiences. We are seeking a journalist
who excels at accountability journalism, has a track record of
aggressive and successful source building, is adept at using
documents and public records to break news, and who can set
the agenda by working sources and writing about news and issues
before other outlets.

=====


TEMPORARY REPORTER

Location Oklahoma City, OK
http://www.journalismnext.com/jobdetails.cfm?jid=7376

---
Reporting to the Arkansas Oklahoma news editor, this temporary
reporter in the Oklahoma City bureau is part of the team
responsible for the AP's coverage of general news in Oklahoma
for state, national and international wires through accurate,
aggressive and thorough reporting, with an emphasis on law
enforcement and the courts.

=====


TEMPORARY REPORTER

Location Jefferson City, MO
http://www.journalismnext.com/jobdetails.cfm?jid=7377

---
Reporting to the Missouri Kansas news editor, this temporary
reporter in the Jefferson City, Mo., bureau is part of the
team responsible for the AP's coverage of state government
and politics. This reporter must be able to work inside and
outside of the statehouse, reporting across Missouri to provide
comprehensive and competitive coverage of the workings of state
government and politics in the state.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PUBLISHERS/AGENTS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


BEACON PRESS

http://www.beacon.org/

---
Our current publishing program emphasizes religion, history,
current affairs, political science, gay/lesbian/gender studies,
education, African-American studies, women's studies, child and
family issues and nature and the environment.

=====


THE GREENHOUSE LITERARY AGENCY

http://www.greenhouseliterary.com/

---
Greenhouse exclusively represents and manages the careers of
authors writing fiction for children, from young chapter-book
series through middle grade novels to sophisticated teen fiction.

=====


ASHLEY GRAYSON LITERARY AGENCY

http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/CGrayson/

---
The Ashley Grayson Literary Agency is a full service literary
agency for authors of both fiction and non-fiction books.
Does not handle screenplays, television projects or stage plays.
Both of the principals, Ashley Grayson and Carolyn Grayson are
members of the AAR. Represents literary and commercial fiction,
as well as non-fiction for adults (self-help, parenting, pop
culture, mind/body/spirit, true crime, business, science).
Also represents fiction for younger readers (chapter books
through YA). Seeking more mysteries and thrillers.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SPONSORS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 
 
 
Last Call for Entries: Poets & Writers!
 
Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest. Write a poem,
30 lines or fewer on any subject or write a short story,
5 pages maximum length on any theme, single or double
 
line spacing, neatly hand printed or typed.
 
Writing First Prize: $500, 2nd: $125; 3rd: $100
 
Poetry First Prize: $250, 2nd: $125; 3rd: $50.
 
Entry fees: $5 per poem, $10 per story.
Postmark deadline: December 31, 2011.
Visit http://www.dreamquestone.com for details and enter!



=====



 
AWARD-WINNING WRITER, PUBLISHER
WILL EDIT YOUR NOVEL, MEMOIR, POETRY


Have your writing edited by an award-winning, professional
writer, editor, and publisher, one who knows how to help
you prepare your writing for publication.  Richard Krawiec
has published novels, biographies, text books, plays, and
a story and poetry collection.  He won the 2009 Excellence
in Teaching Award from UNC Chapel Hill. His essays, feature
articles, and reviews have appeared in major newspapers and
magazines across the US. The NY Times, LA Times, Publishers
Weekly have reviewed his work. Awards include National
Endowment for the Arts and NC Arts Council grants, as well
as nominations for the National Book Award, Best American
Short Stories, and Pushcart Prize. He is founder of Jacar Press.

Contact [email protected] , www.rkeditor.com
 
=====
 

WHY ADVERTISE IN FUNDSFORWRITERS?
 
For my first advertising for my fledgling business I needed to
make strategic choices within a very limited budget. I chose
to advertise in two places: the Funds for Writers (FFW)
newsletter and a major writer's magazine (circulation of 100,000).
FFW far outperformed the magazine! From my first FFW ad I got an
immediate and enormous spike in traffic to my web site and within
24-hours had more than 100 people sign up on my website. And that
was just the first ad! Over the course of the six-week ad campaign
I saw a noticeable spike in traffic after each ad hit people's
inboxes and in total garnered at least 500 new sign-ups.
If you're thinking about advertising in FFW, do it!
Joan Dempsey, Founder & President
http://www.literaryliving.com 
 

=====
 

ANOTHER FANTASTIC REASON TO ADVERTISE IN FUNDSFORWRITERS

Chalet Publishers, LLC, ran an ad ONE TIME in announcing we
were currently accepting submissions. It had been exactly 24
hours since the newsletter and the ad were distributed. Queries,
chapters, entire manuscripts --- the influx has just now slowed
down. We received way over forty responses to our ad, and they
are still pouring in.  (BTW, this is a very good problem!). Just
wanted to let you know we think you and your newsletter rock!
It's just amazing and lets us know just how loyal your fans are.

Joyce Norman,
Chalet Publishers, LLC
http://www.chaletpublishers.com
 

=====
 
WORLDWIDE FREELANCE WRITER
We're in the business of writing. For 10 years we've been
helping freelance writers to find paying markets. Please
browse our free database of 750 markets or join Markets
Plus and have 2500 markets at your fingertips.
http://www.WorldwideFreelance.com

=====


http://www.fundsforwriters.com/adrates.htm
 


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BUSINESS STUFF

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


C. Hope Clark

E-mail: [email protected]

140-A Amicks Ferry Road #4

Chapin, SC 29036

http://www.fundsforwriters.com


Copyright 2000-2011, C. Hope Clark

ISSN: 1533-1326


-----------------------------