Subscribe by email:

Volume 12, Issue 4
January 27, 2012


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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

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Editor: C. Hope Clark 
Mailto: Hope@fundsforwriters.com 
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 

=====

WRITING FOR WRITERS

It's daring to write for writers. We don't often think so,
because we are amongst our own. We understand each other.
On the other hand, however, I think we are throwing ourselves
to the wolves when we do. After all, to write for writers, 
shouldn't we profess to have a degree of expertise and
history at the craft before claiming we have answers? When
we write about the one time we published or the rejection
letter that opened our eyes or how to overcome writer's block
when we have no publishing credentials, we tend to embarrass
ourselves and show our ignorance. Of course those stories
don't make the big magazines, but they find their way to
many online locales.

Maybe I'm being brash, but it never ceases to amaze me at
how new writers think they can start writing by submitting
to writing magazines when, in actuality, they should be
reading and digesting them instead. It's like a teacher
fresh out of college, before she spends two months in the 
classroom, writing for Teacher's World. Who does she think
she is?

There are exceptions, however. When you claim expert status
you can write for a writer's magazine. If you are an editor,
or as I broke into Writer's Digest, a grant expert, or a
teacher. You might not be a writer, but you're thick in 
the writing world. Or maybe there's an essay section that
asks for personal experiences so that everyone struggling
can learn without making the same mistakes. 

But if you are writing an article, with the idea that you'll
publish it in a writing publication, stop and think. Look at
the readership. Are you in the right stage of your career to
be advising others? Again, I'm not chastising. I'm trying to
keep you from making an error.

Bylines in writing magazines give us more credibility
as writers. To feel like one of the fold. To be more of a
professional. To feel worthy. Go ahead and write that piece, 
but before you submit it, stop and ask yourself if you'd be
willing to get up before a writers' crowd at a conference
and preach what you just wrote. Are you that solid in your
material that you can stand unabashedly before a roomful
of experience and teach those ideas?

Just doing a reality check here. I want you to publish. I want
you to speak. I want you to gain credibility. But I don't want
you to leap too soon. For whatever stage you are in your writing
life, here are a few markets for your writing articles. Good luck!

Writer's Digest
http://www.writersdigest.com/submission-guidelines 

The Writer Magazine
http://www.writermag.com/en/The%20Magazine/Submission%20Guidelines/2003/06/Submission%20guidelines%20for%20The%20Writer.aspx 

Canadian Writer's Journal
http://www.cwj.ca/03-00-cwj-guid.htm 

New Letters
http://www.newletters.org/submissions.asp 

The Writer's Chronicle
http://www.awpwriter.org/magazine/guidelines.htm 

Poetry Magazine
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/submissions 

Writers' Journal
http://www.writersjournal.com/Writer%27sGuidelines.htm 

Writing That Works
http://www.writingthatworks.com/guidelines.htm 





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 

=====

THE 2012 BYLINES DESK CALENDAR IS BACK!

The 2012 Bylines Desk Calendar contains pieces from 53 writers 
in 25 states, plus Ireland and the UK. If you've never seen a 
Bylines Calendar, you're in for a treat. Each week contains a 
short nonfiction piece from writers just like you. Even Hope has 
a piece in this edition! This spiral bound week-to-week calendar 
conveniently lies flat on your desk, for easy use. It's the 
perfect size for . . . your desk, and since it's all about 
writers, it's entertaining and educational as well as practical. 

www.fundsforwriters.com/Bylines.htm 



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

WORDS OF SUCCESS 


Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know 
to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.

~Steve Jobs

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

Hope:

I'm delighted to be on your subscription list. I responded to 
an ad for Cool Well Press in an earlier newsletter from you. 
This publisher accepted my World War II novel, Alexandra's Secret, 
and the book will be published in March. Thank you for providing 
such an excellent market! 

Cordially,
Annie Laura Smith


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ARTICLE
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EXPLORE THE BUSINESS OF GRANT PROPOSAL WRITING

By Gail R. Shapiro

Many professional writers are asked to help charities write 
proposals for grants. How do you get started as a professional 
proposal writer?

Most of us began by volunteering to raise funds for a non-
profit organization with which we already were involved. 
Others started by answering an ad for a grant writer. (Note: 
this term often is used incorrectly. The one who writes the 
proposal is a "grant proposal writer," the one who gives the 
money writes the grant). Many times, little or no compensation 
is offered by small or start-up non-profit organizations 
asking for proposal writing help. You obviously can choose 
to volunteer your time, either to get more experience in 
learning how to write proposals, or because you love the 
mission of the organization. 

But for those who dream of becoming a paid professional in 
the field, it's important to understand that grant proposal 
writing is not simply creative writing. It takes training, 
as well as technical knowledge, both in non-profit management 
as well as in the "business" of your client's organization. 
It can also require knowledge of the funders in your particular 
geographic area, as well as each one's specific focus and 
priorities.

Most grant proposal writers are hired by non-profits, schools, 
and agencies. Many others are free-lance consultants working 
for a regular group of clients or taking occasional assignments. 
Beware of offers to pay you a percentage of monies raised! 
Working on a percentage basis (or small fee plus percentage) 
not only is not advantageous either to the client or the writer, 
but it also violates the Code of Ethics of the Association of 
Fundraising Professionals (www.afpnet.org), to which many of 
us belong. It is unlikely that a professional who cares about 
advancing philanthropy and donor-based fundraising would work 
on a commission basis. In addition to being unethical, it 
devalues your time and skills.

Most proposal writers charge by the project or by the hour, as 
it is difficult to tell ahead of time how long it will take to 
prepare a proposal, particularly if one has not worked before 
with a particular client. Much depends on what the client 
already has prepared, how cooperative they are about getting 
information to the writer in a timely way, whether this proposal 
is a top priority for them, and so on.

Before you accept even a volunteer position as a proposal writer, 
be sure that the program or project for which the client is 
requesting funds is fully developed, has a feasible budget, and 
a good evaluation component. Developing this material is the 
duty of the program staff who will be implementing the project 
or program. Missing any one of these components means that, in 
addition to being a proposal writer, you will be expected to 
serve as: program developer, evaluation specialist, and maybe 
even budget developer.

An experienced proposal writer normally has some knowledge of 
all these components and skills. If you are called upon to do 
more than write the proposal itself, make sure you are properly 
compensated. If you don't have experience in these areas, then 
volunteering with a NPO may be a good place to start one's 
career. Keep copies of all proposals you write, even those that 
are not successful. You can learn as much from failures as from 
successes. 

Always be mindful of your client's confidentiality and proprietary 
information - grants are competitive, and the agency most likely 
will not want their work shared with others.

While the field is competitive, there is always room for good 
people in any profession. If you are not directly involved in 
providing vital services to a specific population to help them 
improve or change their lives, or in making your community more 
livable or beautiful, or in protecting our environment, then 
obtaining money for those who do this work is a great contribution 
to make to the world. We wish you well in your endeavors.

Carla C. Cataldo and Gail R. Shapiro
Excerpt adapted from:
Get That Grant, The Quick-Start Guide to Successful Proposals

BIO
Gail R. Shapiro, Ed.M, and Carla C. Cataldo, M.P.P., offer 
consulting services to non-profit organizations. Together 
they have 55 years of experience writing successful proposals 
in education, health, human services, transportation, the arts, 
and other fields. They have taught hundreds of students 
nationwide how to write polished, winning grant proposals. 


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
COMPETITIONS
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100 WORDS OR FEWER WRITING CONTEST--FICTION
http://www.100wordsorfewerwritingcontest.com 
---
$15 ENTRY FEE
A checkmark evaluation is $10, a critique $40.

BONUSES: Three entries will earn you a free checkmark evaluation; 
four entries, a free critique. See the website for examples of 
winning stories, checkmark evaluations, and critiques.

CATEGORIES: "Eating" and "Uncommon Character." Your story must 
relate to one category or the other, but the connection to the 
category can be loose. The deadline is February 18, 2012.

PRIZES: Two First Prizes of $400--one for each category; two 
Second Prizes of $50 each.

Our Final Judge is Erica Bauermeister, best selling author of 
The School of Essential Ingredients and the more recent Joy 
for Beginners. 

Please pay attention to specifications on the 'WHAT WE WANT..." 
page, and also the winning story at the end of that page. The 
writer initially responded to information about our contest 
in Hope's FundsforWriters.

Our deadline is not far off. Let's see what you can do!

=====

MEMOIRS INK
http://www.memoirsink.com/writingcontestguidelines/ 
---
$15 ENTRY FEE
Deadline February 15, 2012. First prize $1,000, second $500,
third $250. Limit 1,500 words. Memoirs Ink is looking for 
original, well-written personal essays, memoirs, or stories 
that are based on autobiographical experiences. The narrative 
must be in first person, other than that, the contest is open 
to any type, genre or style of story. Stories can be funny or 
sad, serious, artsy or fragmented. We are interested in 
pushing the boundaries of memoir and also in just regular 
memoir that doesn't try too hard--so long as it moves us. 
This contest is open to any writer, any age, writing in 
English--that means Canadians, Brits, Australians, Ugandans 
and anywhere else.

=====

SOUTH CAROLINA FIRST NOVEL PRIZE
http://www.southcarolinaarts.com/firstnovel/ 
---
$35 ENTRY FEE
The South Carolina Arts Commission, Hub City Press and their 
literary partners announce a call for submissions for the 
biennial South Carolina First Novel Prize. The application 
deadline is March 19, 2012. The winning author will receive 
a book contract with Hub City Press, an award-winning 
independent press in Spartanburg, S.C. Upon successful 
execution of the contract with Hub City, the winner will 
receive a $500 advance against royalties. Hub City will publish 
at least 1,500 paperback copies of the book.


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GRANTS
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BARBARA DEMING MEMORIAL FUND
Susan Pliner, Executive Director
Money for Women/Barbara Deming 
Memorial Fund, Inc.
P.O. Box 309, Wilton, NH 03086 
---
The Money for Women/Barbara Deming Memorial Fund awards grants 
of up to $1,500 to poets, fiction and nonfiction writers, visual 
artists -- as well as for a mixed-genre category (illustration 
and text) -- who are feminist women. Application fee is $20. 
Two application deadlines each year: December 31 (art and fiction) 
and June 30 (nonfiction and poetry). Fund does not maintain email, 
phone, or website. To request application materials, write above
address and include SASE.

=====

CREATIVE CAPITAL OPENING UP TO APPLICATIONS
http://creative-capital.org/apply 
---
On February 1, 2012, Creative Capital will begin accepting 
online Letters of Inquiry for grants in Emerging Fields, 
Literature and Performing Arts. To be eligible to apply, an 
artist must be a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident, 
at least 25 years old, a working artist with at least five 
years of professional experience, and not a full-time student. 
Selected grantees receive up to $50,000 in direct support and 
a suite of services valued at more than $40,000. The Inquiry 
Form will be open until March 1, 2012.

=====

THE STARR CENTER FELLOWSHIPS
http://starrcenter.washcoll.edu/fellows/index.php 
---
Through its fellowship programs, the Starr Center supports 
innovative and interdisciplinary approaches to the American 
past - especially by fostering the art of written history. 
Visiting fellows find a place where they can retreat from daily 
responsibilities and focus on their writing projects - but also 
one where they are stimulated by interactions with students, 
faculty, and distinguished visitors. Location Charlestown, MD.

The Center's Patrick Henry Visiting Fellowship supports 
outstanding writing on American history and culture by both 
scholars and nonacademic authors; it offers a $45,000 stipend 
for the academic year, plus living arrangements and other benefits. 
Deadline for the 2012-13 Fellowship is February 15, 2012.

The Hodson Trust-John Carter Brown Fellowship is open to 
applicants from a wide range of disciplines who are pursuing 
projects on the literature, history, culture, or art of the 
Americas before 1830. The award supports two months of research 
and two months of writing. The stipend is $5,000 per month for 
a total of $20,000, plus housing and university privileges. 
The deadline for the 2012-13 Fellowship is March 15, 2012.

The Center also offers other short- and longer-term fellowships 
in Chestertown, as well as special student research fellowships 
for Washington College undergraduates.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FREELANCE MARKETS
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COLORADO EXPLORER
http://www.coloradoexplorer.com/submissions 
---
Colorado Explorer Magazine is monthly magazine that promotes 
travel and outdoor activities around the state of Colorado. 
We publish photographs, and travel and adventure stories about 
places, people, and things to do around Colorado. Colorado has 
some of the most majestic scenery in the world and people want 
to see photographs and read the accounts of others in these 
areas. The maximum word length and fees paid for each feature 
article is $0.15 a word. A feature article should be between 
800 and 1,400 words. The maximum word length and fees paid for 
department articles are $0.10 a word. The department articles 
should be between 600 and 1,000 words. (from website - has been
known to pay more per other references)

=====

COLUMBUS PARENT
http://www.columbusparent.com/content/pages/submissions.html 
---
No longer accepting unsolicited material. However, if you are
a writer in central Ohio who is interested in being considered 
for assignments, please submit your resume and three writing 
samples which reflect our magazine's writing style and content.
Articles run around 700 words and columns 300 words. Pays
up to 20 cents/word. Publication and website provides info
on raising children in the Columbus area. Topics include
education, health, child development, entertainment, and
recreation.

=====

CONNECTICUT MAGAZINE
http://www.connecticutmag.com/Connecticut-Magazine/Contact-Us/ 
---
Connecticut Magazine is a general interest, service and 
issue-oriented magazine that covers all aspects of life in 
the state--arts, politics, travel, people, business, health, 
environment and newsworthy issues. No fiction or poetry.
Deadline is two months prior to publication date. Pays 20%
kill fee. Pays $750 and up for features of 2,500+ words. 
Short fillers up to 300 words pay up to $200. Departments
of 500 to 1,800 words pay up to $700.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
JOBS
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SENIOR COPYWRITER
Location Ft Lauderdale, FL
http://jobs.zadv.com/epostings/submit.cfm?company_id=15765 
---
Aid in the planning, development and implementation of retail 
copy for print and broadcast advertising, including talent and 
audio direction, as well as a teacher to junior level copywriters.

=====

EDITOR/WRITER
Location Los Angeles, CA
http://www.hercjobs.org/c/job.cfm?site_id=793&jb=9248670 
---
The Editor/Writer is responsible for writing and editing letters, 
documents and other marketing vehicles for the Graduate School. 
Identifies and determines topics or subjects for various 
projects. Employer University of Southern California. 

=====

STAFF WRITER
Location Lewistown, MT
http://www.journalismjobs.com/Job_Listing.cfm?JobID=1315210 
---
The Lewistown News-Argus has an immediate opening for a 
full-time staff writer. The News-Argus is a twice-weekly 
newspaper based in Lewistown, Montana, a community of 6,000 
located in the center of Montana. The successful candidate 
should possess strong writing and reporting skills, and work 
well under deadline in a fast-paced environment. Newspaper 
experience is preferred, but not required. Photography skills 
are also a plus. 


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PUBLISHERS/AGENTS
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JAMES FITZGERALD AGENCY
http://www.jfitzagency.com/submission-guidelines/ 
---
As an agency, we primarily represent books that reflect the 
popular culture of today being in the forms of fiction, 
non-fiction, graphic and packaged books. No poetry or
screenplays. Submit a book proposal package as defined
on the website.

=====

JANIS VALLELY LITERARY AGENCY
http://janisvallely.com/ 
---
Janis Vallely is an owner and agent at Flaming Star Literary 
Enterprises, a literary agency specializing in upscale 
commercial nonfiction. She represents authors and writers 
in the realm of diet, health and popular psychology, as well 
as memoir and narrative nonfiction.

=====

FLETCHER AND COMPANY
http://www.fletcherandco.com/fletcher_submission.html 
---
Fletcher & Co. is a full-service literary management and 
production company dedicated to writers of upmarket non-
fiction as well as commercial and literary fiction.


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


When Your Pen Won't Budge, Read The Morning Nudge!
www.morningnudge.com 






WRITING AWAY RETREATS:

An all-inclusive destination vacation for you and your muse. 
Join staff from major publishing houses like Penguin, Harper Collins 
and Random House, NYC Literary Agents & award winning authors. 

Meals, beautiful scenery and 10k MS consults in one place. 
Retreats held in May, September and October 2012.

This will be one week that will change your writing career forever. 

Payment Plans Offered. 
Discounts for students, military and hardship cases provided.

Sign up now. Spaces limited. 

www.writingawayretreats.info 

"This was the best week of my life." ~B. Pedas (Colorado, USA) 








HOW TO USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO MAKE YOUR OWN LUCK

Course offering from writer Alexis Grant

Want to accomplish big things in 2012? Hoping to make this 
the year you finally figure out how to use social media to 
grow your blog or reach other writing goals?

If you've joined Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook but aren't 
sure how to make them work for you, check out my exciting 
new online course, Make Your Own Luck. 

I'm capping this course at 30 participants, so sign up now 
if you want a spot!

Alexis Grant
Writer, social media strategist and a Problogger Blogger to Watch in 2012
http://alexisgrant.com/make-your-own-luck





The James River Writing Company 

EDITING and MORE
Help for the Written Word

Want your book manuscript prepped for submission?
Your e-zine article proofed? Your newsletter edited?

Before you put your best work out there for all the world
to see, trust it to a seasoned proofreader and editor.

With more than 20 years of experience to offer, I can
provide the polishing that will make your work the
very best it can be! Questions? Phone me at 757.604.5590
or send an email inquiry to cathy@jamesriverwriting.com 

Expert assistance, reasonable rates. - Cathy Swormstedt

On the Web at www.jamesriverwriting.com 






Good Oak Press helps authors get their books published. 
Our services include cover design, typesetting, ebook 
formatting and publishing, and POD printing and publishing. 

Please visit our website at www.GoodOakPress.com to learn more 
about how we can help you achieve your dream of being published.

www.GoodOakPress.com 





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 rkwriter@gmail.com , 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  



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


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BUSINESS STUFF
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


C. Hope Clark
E-mail: hope@fundsforwriters.com 

140-A Amicks Ferry Road #4
Chapin, SC 29036

http://www.fundsforwriters.com 

Copyright 2000-2011, C. Hope Clark
ISSN: 1533-1326


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