TOP SPONSOR 

Submissions are now open for the DISQUIET Literary Prize! Fiction, nonfiction, and poetry winners will be published; one grand prize winner will recieve tuition, lodging, and travel stipend to attend Disquiet summer literary program in Lisbon.

$500 cash prize for genre winners.
Reading fee: $15.
Deadline: January 24, 2022.

https://disquietinternational.org/the-program/contests-scholarships/the-disquiet-prize/

 

EDITOR'S THOUGHTS

THERE'S ROOM FOR YOU

A market can get glutted with providers, especially authors, a complaint that's been around for over a decade. However, there's always room for the exceptional author. 

The exceptional author is exceptional in their pursuit of being exceptional. They dissect grammar, voraciously read and analyze the gifted writer, and aim for the best story. They do not settle. They die attempting to be better, even if they've already sold ten million copies. They hold real passion, the kind of passion a lot of people claim but do not fully understand.

If you feel stunted in your growth as an author, try to define what ceiling have you hit. Look through the glass and try to identify what those people on the other side are doing that you are not? What do you not understand that you could learn? What writing are you attempting but have not achieved yet, and why?

There are geniuses out there, for sure. But they have to project that genius in the proper direction to be successful with it. Then there are those who swear they'll sweat blood as long and hard as they have to in order to be the best at what they do or want to do. Natural talent is nice, but it does not open many doors without motivation behind it.

Consistency and an overwhelming drive of persistence pushes you ahead and make people notice you and what you do. And if you show up every day, write every day, work hard to write today's words better than yesterday's words, and do so on and on and on, you are in essence making room for yourself at the table of the successful. It's an investment. And it's never compromise. 
 

222388489 © National Library Ireland | Dreamstime.com


PS. 
Last week I shared with you the loss of Michanne Reese, my copyeditor/proofreader, who suddenly passed away. She was a friend as well as a FFW staffer. Well, I forwarded the dozens of condolences to her husband Larry Reese, to let him know how wonderful y'all were. His response:

Hope, thank you for sharing all these with me. This whole thing is still very overwhelming.  Please let your readers know I appreciate their kind words and prayers.  ~Larry Reese

SUPER SPONSOR 

HOPE'S APPEARANCES

 
SUCCESS QUOTE

SUccess Story

Hi Hope, 

I signed up to FundsforWriters at least 15 years ago (if not more) when I was a wannabe writer. Your weekly emails soon became a tether tying me to a dream that seemed unreachable yet indispensable. Then, after a two-year battle with leukemia, I finally took the plunge because I didn't want to waste any more precious time. I started a blog, returned to my first love of screenwriting, tested the waters of short fiction, and landed two quarterfinalist spots in major contests. 

This year, I dove deeper into the writing life. When my day job needed to cut heads and offered a voluntary leave with encashment, I took it and enrolled in a content marketing course as a first step to a freelance writing career.

I finished the course in August but was hesitant about looking for work since I was about to leave for a two-week vacation. Then FFW arrived in my inbox the day before I left, with an interesting opportunity in your markets and jobs section: a marketing agency looking for a freelance writer. I applied, then left for vacation, and completely forgot about it. Flying Cat Marketing reached out to me in September and, after a successful paid trial article, I'm now a regular contributor. 

My first paying job as a writer. All thanks to you. 

Thank you for helping me keep that dream alive, for all of your invaluable information and motivation through the years. If I'm a writer today, it's partly thanks to you. 

Until my next success story, 
Michelle Grace Maiellaro
https://writer.me/michelle-grace-maiellaro/
https://theresilientwoman.today/

 - - - 

If you have a success story you believe was prompted by FundsforWriters, please share with us! Send to [email protected] 


 

Featured article

Sharpen Your Business Skills as a Freelance Writer

By Bhuvana Rajaram  

As writers it is not enough to write well. It is just as important to sharpen your business and communication skills in preparation to conduct confident, intelligent, and unemotional conversations with potential clients. Especially when they counter you and disagree.  

As a Communications Specialist in a corporate role, I was supremely confident of my writing/editing skills but failed miserably when dealing with people. I was either scared stiff or defensive during critical feedback of my work. This is when I learned from my mentor boss how important it is to build my emotional intelligence, my personal brand, and make every interaction count. 

The transformation from a creative artist to a professional writing service provider did not happen overnight, but instead only after innumerable takes and tribulations. I developed the subtle art of being a professional while still being the creative writer in my heart. 

Pay attention to them. 

Get to know them through their digital footprint and bring up any relevant point in conversation. This will make them notice you as someone who has taken the time to prepare. 

After a few rounds of interviews for a large project, I was meeting with the global head of an organization who had just 15 minutes for me. I had to make an impact. While I was able to hold a decent conversation, when I was signing off, I congratulated him for an Innovator award he had received a day ago. I had looked it up before the meeting. He was delighted, and we spoke for 45 minutes more. 

Be Non-Judgmental. 

Jot down notes during the discussion, keeping an open mind. Once you become judgmental, you risk missing key points of the meeting. I recall a client stopping midway during a meeting to ask what I was writing down. I froze for a minute thinking I had offended her, but went on to read the notes. She was thrilled to hear the exact words she had uttered, and she viewed me favorably from then on. 

Be Professional. 

Politely asking questions and disagreeing agreeably make a huge impact. In disagreement, state your situation and say why you must defer or dismiss, bringing out the reasons. Leave out emotion. This will tell them that they are dealing with smart writing talent. With trepidation I remember disagreeing with the Asia Head of a large multinational corporation on turnaround time for a project. But I quickly demonstrated the process of editing a paragraph live and showed him what it entails.  He relaxed the timelines. 

Be Vulnerable. 

As you are wrapping up the interview be candid in saying what a difference this project would make for you, not just commercially but also from a learning and experience perspective. Make them feel good about playing a pivotal part in your writing career. I honestly admitted during a client conversation how tired I was of the usual editing gigs, and what a mind-blowing experience it would be to write an ad copy for saving wildlife. The client empathized, and we ended up having a long-standing relationship. 

Be Valuable. 

If the conversation has unearthed some content challenges for the client, offer to help without bringing up money.  Recently, I edited a LinkedIn profile for a client without charging, and it opened many doors for me. 

Be Flexible. 

Make them feel comfortable working with you. Shed your ego and be thankful for their time and opportunity. Since people decide emotionally on many decisions, entertain them in this regard, but as a whole maintain that professional aura. They are hiring a writer who can perform and with whom they get along with, not a friend. Juggle that balance, and you'll land more freelance gigs. 




BIO: Bhuvana Rajaram is a blend of corporate professional and creative writer penning content for B2B audiences while being a lifestyle blogger. She has her own Content and Communications boutique outfit: Beautiful Times. http://beautifultimes.in/





 

COmpetitions

CRAFT FLASH FICTION CONTEST
https://www.craftliterary.com/craft-flash-fiction-contest/
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 31, 2021. Robert Lopez will select three winning stories. Each winning writer will be awarded $1,000. CRAFT submissions are open to all writers. International submissions are always welcome. We review literary fiction but are open to a variety of genres and styles. 



THE WRITER FALL SHORT STORY CONTEST
https://writermag.submittable.com/submit/206993/2021-fall-short-story-contest
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline December 15, 2021. Grand prize: $1,000 and publication in our magazine. Other prizes: Second prize: $500 and publication on writermag.com; third prize: $250 and publication on writermag.com. Limit 2,000 words. 



CLASH OF THE QUERY LETTERS CONTEST
https://darlingaxe.com/pages/query-letter-clash
$5 CAD ENTRY FEE. Deadline January 31, 2022. Our judge, Michelle Barker, will be asking herself one question: does this query letter convince me that I'm in the hands of an adept novelist with a unique and engaging story to tell? Limit 500 words. First place: $700 CAD. Second place: $200 CAD. Third place: $100 CAD. All three finalists will be published on the Chopping Blog and receive complimentary access to a Darling Axe self-paced course.



2022 MINOTAUR BOOKS/MYSTERY WRITERS OF AMERICA FIRST CRIME NOVEL COMPETITION
https://us.macmillan.com/minotaurbooks/writing-competitions/
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline December 17, 2021. The Competition is open to any writer, regardless of nationality, aged 18 or older, who has never been the author of any Published Novel (in any genre.) Murder or another serious crime or crimes is at the heart of the story. If a winner is selected, Minotaur Books will offer to enter into its standard form author’s agreement with the entrant for publication of the winning Manuscript. After execution of the standard form author’s agreement by both parties, the winner will receive an advance against future royalties of $10,000. On the condition that the selected winner accepts and executes the publishing contract proposed by Minotaur Books, the winner will then be recognized at the Edgar Awards Banquet in New York City in April 2022. All Manuscripts submitted must be original works of book length (no less than approximately 65,000 words) written in the English language.



MINOTAUR BOOKS / MALICE DOMESTIC COMPETITION
https://us.macmillan.com/minotaurbooks/writing-competitions/
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline November 30, 2021. The Competition is open to any writer, regardless of nationality, aged 18 or older, who has never been the author of any Published Mystery Novel (including self-published works and ebooks). All Manuscripts submitted must be original works of book length (no less than approximately 65,000 words) written in the English language. Murder or another serious crime or crimes is at the heart of the story. If a winner is selected, Minotaur Books will offer to enter into its standard form author’s agreement with the entrant for publication of the winning Manuscript. After execution of the standard form author’s agreement by both parties, the winner will receive an advance against future royalties of $10,000. On the condition that the selected winner accepts and executes the publishing contract proposed by Minotaur Books, the winner will then be recognized at the Malice Domestic Convention in Bethesda, Maryland in May 2022.



THE TONY HILLERMAN PRIZE FOR BEST FIRST MYSTERY SET IN THE SOUTHWEST
https://us.macmillan.com/minotaurbooks/tonyhillermanprize/
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline January 1, 2022. To be eligible to enter the Contest, each potential entrant must not be the author of a published mystery novel and must not be a party to any agreement with a publisher pursuant to which a mystery novel written by the entrant may be published. To enter the Contest, entrants must submit a manuscript of a fictional work written in English and must be book length (approximately 60,000 words or 220 pages). Murder or another serious crime or crimes must be at the heart of the story and the story should focus on the solving of the crime(s) rather than the details of such crime(s). The story’s primary setting must be one or more of the following states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and/or Utah. The Grand Prize consists of an offer to have the manuscript published under the imprint Minotaur Books. The terms of the Publishing Offer will be as set forth in Sponsor’s standard form author agreement and will include an advance against future royalties (if any) in the amount of $10,000. 

 

GRANTS / FELLOWSHIPS / CROWDFUNDING

 

MASSACHUSETTS FESTIVAL GRANTS
https://massculturalcouncil.org/blog/1500-grants-available-for-fall-winter-festivals/
Grants offered of $1,500 in FY22 to provide deeper support so festivals can hire local talent and create innovative programming. The Fall/Winter Festivals Program grant round will support festivals that take place between September 1, 2021 and February 28, 2022. Applications are due November 3, 2021. Spring/Summer Festivals can apply starting January 10, 2022.



BRONX NEW WORK GRANTS
https://www.bronxarts.org/uploads/2022%20New%20Work%20Guidelines.pdf
Deadline November 15, 2021. Bronx Council on the Arts welcomes applications for its New Work program, which invites individual Bronx-based artists to apply for a commissioning grant in the amount of $2,500 for the creation of a new work in a community setting. The program supports disciplines including dance, film/video/media, folk arts, interdisciplinary arts, literary arts, multidisciplinary projects, music, opera, theater, and visual arts/crafts. 



UNCHARTED MAGAZINE HORROR/THRILLER SHORT STORY AWARD
https://uncharted.submittable.com/submit
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 31, 2021. Winner of this prize receives $3,000 and publication, while the second and third place winners will receive publication and $300 and $200, respectively along with publication. Short Stories only—5,000 word count maximum. All entries will also be considered for publication in Uncharted Magazine. 


  

FREELANCE MARKETS / JOBS

STYLIST MAGAZINE
https://www.stylist.co.uk/
The Stylist Group is a leading digital publisher and media platform with pioneering brands Stylist and Emerald Street. Within an inspiring, fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment we create original magazines and digital brands for the Stylist Women - our successful, sophisticated, dynamic and urban audience. Got an uplifting fitness story or challenge you're doing? Found specific technique you want to share? Pays £150 per piece. Submit pitches to Miranda Larbi, Fitness Editor at [email protected]



NEWSLINE INSTITUTE - SEVERAL PUBLICATIONS
https://newlinesinstitute.org/submissions/
The Newlines Institute for Strategy and Policy publishes work that combines geopolitical insight with subject-matter expertise. Our work dips into the strategic context of macro-level factors such as geography, populations, economics, military power, history, and culture. All our content must demonstrate analytical empathy and is geared toward advancing the cause of human security and stabilization and development on our planet. That said, we do not publish “op-ed” pieces, polemical content, or activist/advocacy work. There are several publications. If you are interested in publishing with us, please email our Content Manager, at [email protected] with a short paragraph that outlines your argument as per the aforementioned criteria, a short bio of yourself and links to previous articles you’ve published. We will get back to you within two business days. The pay range is $600 for a 1,200-1,600-word Net Assessment, $800 for a 2,500-3,000-word Terrain Analysis all the way to $3,000 for a much longer policy report.

1) NET ASSESSMENT - As the flagship publication of the Newlines Institute, the Net Assessment is published when issues of geopolitical significance for U.S. foreign policy arise. While it responds to a current issue, the Net Assessment is neither a report nor an op-ed. Rather, it is a policy essay that captures analysis, forecast, and policy implications in 1,200-1,600 words. 

2) TERRAIN ANALYSIS - The Terrain Analysis is a graphics-heavy, 2,500- to 3,000-word report that offers a deeper dive into issues of critical geopolitical importance. 

3) POLICY REPORT - Newlines Policy Reports are not just detailed reports on various topics of interest. We work hard to produce these reports that provide policy planners and decision makers advice to solve policy problems. In these 4,000-word documents, the bulk of the text is devoted to analysis-driven policy solutions that are distilled from forecasts of what would occur without intervention.

4) INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING - Here is where we come across information which is not yet publicly available but is of critical strategic importance. Our Intelligence Briefing is the vehicle through which we bring this hitherto unknown information to the attention of our audiences. 



NO DEPRESSION
https://www.nodepression.com/
Deadline November 24, 2021. Send pitches to Hilary Saunders, Managing Editor at [email protected]. The theme is called "General Admission" and will be a celebration of the places, spaces, festivals, venues, studios, houses, streets, communities, etc. that make Roots Music happen. Ideally IRL, not virtual. Each issue of No Depression comprises 100+ pages of ad- free, long-form, multi-sourced reporting on roots music (alt/country, folk, bluegrass, blues, singer-songwriters, music of the people, your people, etc.). No Depression is published by the 501(c)(3) FreshGrass Foundation and the rate is 20 cents per word.



FUTURISM
https://futurism.com/contact
Rates range from $200 for something quite simple to around $700 for an incredible idea. Average would be around $400 or $500. Send pitches to Jon Christian, Managing Editor at [email protected]. We’re Futurism.com, the publishing arm of Futurism, a media company based out of New York City, and partnered with Singularity University. Our mission? To bring you the world, the news, products, and narratives of tomorrow, today.



SLATE - SCIENCE
http://www.slate.com
Mostly science stories, being most interested in opinion pieces/weird arguments, personal essays, and stories about misconceptions around health. No single study stories, please. Send pitches to Shannon Palus at [email protected]. Rates are $200-$400.



UNCHARTED
https://uncharted.submittable.com/submit
Publishing crime, mystery, science fiction, fantasy, horror, and thriller short stories. We pay our authors $200 for original fiction! We pay by check or PayPal, according to the author's preference. Submitted stories should be between 1,000-5,000 words. 



BBC WORKLIFE
https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20200417-bbc-worklife-author-brief
Rate $600 for 1,200 words. Pitch Meredith Turits, Editor at [email protected]. Worklife is a BBC.com features site about the way we work, live and think in a rapidly shifting world, where the boundaries between the professional and the personal are increasingly blurrier. BBC Worklife’s mission is to inform, inspire and empower readers to live a more fulfilling life personally, within their relationships and in their workplaces. 



HYPOCRITE READER
http://hypocritereader.com/contribute
Deadline November 15, 2021. The Hypocrite Reader is a biannual magazine of reportage, criticism, history, sociology, theory, creative fiction, creative non-fiction, translations, manifestos, analysis, popular science, synthesis, verse, comics, wedding announcements, and Viking-themed erotica. Just because something doesn’t fit into any of those categories doesn’t mean we won’t publish it. Each issue is built around a theme. The next issue theme is WHERE YOU STAY! We're exploring housing, migration, belonging, diaspora, and more. Pays $115 per piece. 



THE CONTENT STRATEGIST
https://contently.com/2020/03/18/how-to-pitch-the-content-strategist/
We cover all things content marketing, which is broad by design. Our audience consists of marketers trying to be more creative and think more strategically. Possible topics include content strategy, SEO, storytelling, video, social media, marketing ROI, and more. Many of our clients come from four industries: financial services, B2B tech, healthcare, and travel and hospitality. Pays flat rate of $500-1,000 per story. Sometimes more for big features. We occasionally publish  “quick-hitters” on new industry research, which are less than 600 words and pay $350.

 

Publishers/agents

AUNT LUTE BOOKS
https://www.auntlute.com/about-us
Aunt Lute Books is an intersectional, feminist press dedicated to publishing literature by those who have been traditionally underrepresented in or excluded by the literary canon. Core to Aunt Lute’s mission is the belief that the written word is critical to understanding and relating to each other as humans.Through the sharing of stories, we strengthen ties across cultures and experiences, and at the same time honor the hurt, loss, and harm incurred through structural power imbalances, prejudiced and gendered systems, and ancestral trauma. We uplift these voices in order to build a more just future.



BEDAZZLED INK
http://binkbooks.bedazzledink.com/about-us/
Bedazzled Ink is dedicated to literary fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books that celebrate the unique and under-represented voices of women and books about women that appeal to all readers.



BLF PRESS
https://www.blfpress.com/
BLF Press is an independent Black feminist press dedicated to amplifying the work of Black women and women of color. We strive to create a space for forward thinking, creative women of exceptional talent.  We embrace difference, and envision BLF Press as an outlet for the expression of various types of writing that exemplify the experiences of Black women and women of color in the United States. 



CHICORY BLUE PRESS
http://www.chicorybluepress.com/
Chicory Blue Press is a small, feminist, literary press, now focusing on the strong voices of women over seventy.



CLOVER VALLEY PRESS
https://www.clovervalleypress.com/cvp_about.html
Clover Valley Press, LLC publishes quality manuscripts written by women. Genres may include fiction, poetry, or nonfiction.



WEISER BOOKS
https://redwheelweiser.com/p.php?id=7
Weiser Books has a long history as one of America’s preeminent publishers of esoteric or occult teachings from traditions all around the world and throughout time. New consciousness, metaphysics, magick/magic, astrology, tarot, Wicca, pan-pagan — we publish books to live by for readers on many different spiritual paths.



DISINFORMATION BOOKS
https://redwheelweiser.com/category.php?id=138
Look at the world in a different way, reveal a truth that corporations or government are trying to hide, examine history and science and religion with an open mind, call the Emperor on his outfit. Collect oddities and lists and put them together in interesting ways. Look at where we’ve been and where we might be going without benefit of a political or religious label. That’s a Disinformation Book.



HAMPTON ROADS PUBLISHING
https://redwheelweiser.com/p.php?id=35
Though we are not necessarily limited in scope, we are most interested in manuscripts on the following subjects: body/mind/spirit non-fiction, alternative health and healing, self-help with a spiritual bent, received wisdom, and religion and meditation from traditions east and west.



CAREER PRESS
https://redwheelweiser.com/category.php?id=153
We have helped millions of job seekers, businesspeople, and consumers of all ages with the practical, helpful information they need in the areas of business, careers, HR & Work Place Issues, management, marketing/sales, negotiation, small business/entrepreneurship, motivation/self-help, and interpersonal skills.



DEMETER PRESS
http://demeterpress.org/
Demeter is an independent feminist press committed to publishing peer-reviewed scholarly work, fiction, poetry, and creative non-fiction on mothering, reproduction, sexuality and family.



DOTTIR PRESS
https://www.dottirpress.com/submissions
Dottir Press takes a feminist approach to publishing and artistic production, working to fill the absences in both our history and present culture through storytelling in all forms and for all ages. Dottir is, broadly speaking, a feminist press, seeking to promote stories that challenge white supremacist, patriarchal, heteronormative, and cisnormative ideals. As a writer, you needn’t identify as a woman to submit, but your work should intersect with feminism in some way. Children's books, novels, and nonfiction accepted.



LINEN PRESS
https://www.linen-press.com/
Linen Press is a small, independent publisher run by women, for women. We are now the only indie women’s press in the UK. Our policy is to encourage and promote women writers and to give voice to a wide range of perspectives and themes that are relevant to women. We display and rejoice in the differences in female creative voices. We publish books that are diverse, challenging, and surprising. The collective background of our writers is a multi-coloured patchwork of cultures, countries, ages and writing styles.



BELLA BOOKS
https://www.bellabooks.com/about-us/
Bella Books publishes fiction for and about women-loving-women. From romance to mystery and science-fiction, to erotica and thrillers, Bella Books embraces and celebrates the worldwide community of our lesbian, queer, non-binary readers and authors of all ages, cultures and colors.
 

SPONSORS

FINE PRINT

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
http://www.fundsforwriters.com

Copyright 2000-2021, C. Hope Clark
ISSN: 1533-1326

**Note that FundsforWriters.com places paid advertising in this newsletter, ALL ads being related to writers and the business of writing, screened by FundsforWriters to make sure the information is suitable for writers and their endeavors to improve their careers. But the mailing list is not sold to third parties. You will not receive this newsletter without your permission. It's physically impossible since recipients must opt-in, giving us permission to send the newsletter. If at any time you no longer with to receive the newsletter, click the UNSUBSCRIBE link at the bottom of each newsletter. We want you to enjoy this newsletter at your pleasure, not be forced to read anything you do not wish to receive. The website is not advertised using unsolicited messages by Aweber, affiliates or other third parties. Direct any complaints, suggestions, and accolades to Hope Clark at [email protected]. We are an anti-spam site.