TOP SPONSOR 

EDITOR'S THOUGHTS

IF ONLY SOMEONE ELSE COULD MARKET MY WORK

Other than wishing they had more time to write (and stalling doing so until after this and after that), the most common with I hear from writers is "I wish I could just write and someone else do the marketing." Then most of the time there's a caveat of, "And they need to be at a reasonable price."

The last part is highly laughable. Someone good at marketing and making money for people is not going to be cheap. After all, that's their prowess . . . making money. Why should they cut corners on their own profession because you cannot afford them? Why should they charge less when they can find writers who can pay more?

The bottom line of successful book marketing consists of three options:

1) Learn how to market yourself well. Take the time to study marketing, which means taking time away from your writing.

-or-

2) Hire someone interested in marketing who maybe hasn't "arrived" yet at being a pro at it. Allow them a strong learning curve by experimenting on your work.
 
-or-

3) Spend the dollars needed to hire someone professional.

Wasting time wishing for something you cannot have is taking time away from your writing. Let's make 2022 about making good efficient decisions in bettering your writing and your sales. Move forward has been my motto since I was a teen. Regretting what you don't have, wishing for breaks, hoping for miracles are for those not willing to quietly break a sweat and be successful through hard work.

A lesson of love for 2022. Happy New Year!

SUPER SPONSOR 

HOPE'S APPEARANCES

 
SUCCESS QUOTE

SUccess Story

Hi Hope,

I just opened this week's FFW and wanted to share my experience with you and your readers
on Editor's Thoughts about "Feedback."

I can unequivocally say that your weekly newsletter about writing style and craft is spot on! I have been 
a freelance writer and FFW subscriber since 2009.  I just indy-published my first nonfiction book, 
NPE* A STORY GUIDE FOR UNEXPECTED DNA DISCOVERIES with BookLocker.com (the publishing 
arm of Writers Weekly who often is in your newsletters).

When I started the book, I believed my story was a memoir, but through editing, refining, and rewriting, I
realized it was much more. It is the first and only handbook for people who take a consumer DNA test
and find out their 'Dad' is not their biological father. When this shocker happened to me, I couldn't
find any support four years ago. So through my journaling, research, and work in the NPE community, I 
created what I would have wanted to share with others, their families, and genealogists. 

This week the BookLife Prize 2021 Critic's Report (div. of Publishers Weekly)sent me the following review:

"... this book is wonderfully written - a balanced blend of storytelling, advice, and resources. Hay
writes honestly and with deep emotion... Countless readers will be assisted in their life journey of
self-discovery by reading Hay's lovely book."

Hope, I've gotten freelance jobs from your FFW, won a contest, and now have published a book because
I was open to FFW and its contributors' "feedback." Many heartfelt thanks.

Leeanne R. Hay, author
NPE* A STORY GUIDE FOR UNEXPECTED DNA DISCOVERIES
Available on Amazon and https://www.leeannerhay.com/
Twitter: @LeeanneRH

https://mariaramoschertok.com/

 - - - 



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

Featured article

Paying It Forward

By Ann Dallman

It's a familiar feeling for the writer. Once he or she has finished a manuscript, essay or book of poems there is a sigh of relief and a feeling of satisfaction for a job well done. The writer puts the work aside for a bit, then takes it out again and starts the editing process.

Changes, additions, revisions—constant polishing until it is "perfect." The writer is now ready to release their work into the world. Their baby, their treasured piece, goes into the hands of a select few beta readers. A warm feeling ensues until the comments start to come in.

"I liked it but I'd change this part."

"Did you know you repeated yourself?"

"That sounds dated. I'd change it to this."

"Overall, it's a good story but I think it could be better."

I've had these reactions to my work. And after many decades of writing I've concluded that my primary emotion should be one of gratefulness. Gratitude that someone took the time to read my work and had the courage to make suggestions for improvement. They saw the flaws, the holes and the areas to be fixed and were willing to speak up and to tell me about them.

Today I learned of the death of a friend, an editor I worked for during my newsroom days. She was the one who gave the okay to my feature story ideas. She approved the time needed to track down sources, conduct the pertinent interviews and, finally, the time to write the story. She would then go into editor mode. Sometimes she'd rubber stamp the story as written. Other times she would give constructive criticism meaning I'd need to do more revising, changing, polishing, etc.

What I remember most is that she offered encouragement, enthusiasm and humor to myself and my coworkers who were struggling to put out a daily newspaper in a small town. As we wrote through our four daily deadlines she was the captain of our ship who steered us into port. We might not have always agreed with her but disagreements were put aside because she was the editor, we were the writers. And, in the end, we experienced a collective gratitude.

Gratitude.

I have gratitude for the many suggestions that have come my way as I struggle writing my second Middle Grade novel. I have gratitude for the readers and writers who encourage me along this path. I have gratitude for having time to write, time to research and then time to write and rewrite over and over.

Gratitude.

And I will try to pay it forward. I have offered extensive ideas and critiques for a fellow writer's teachers' curriculum. I've written blurbs for other writers' books and posted reviews on amazon and goodreads. I've offered guidance, notes and suggestions to those just entering the writing field.

We are a community of writers. I complained to my son yesterday about the hours involved and how those hours don't always seem to be productive.

"Well, you chose this profession," my son said, and he was right.

Part of choosing to work as a writer includes extending a helping hand to others in our profession. Gratitude for a profession which nurtures us and allows us to nurture others. Gratitude to those who have paved the way and gratitude to those who continue to do so.

This was true before the pandemic and remains true today.

Bio:
Ann has lifelong roots in Michigan's UP. Her first Middle Grade novel, Cady and the Bear Necklace, was published by Henschel HAUS Books of Milwaukee. She started out as a newspaper reporter/photographer and returned to journalism after retiring from teaching. She loves delving into "the story behind the story" whether it be of persons, places or things. She continues to freelance for several publications while writing about 13-year-old Cady, and the challenges she faces—and overcomes—while solving mysteries.

Cady and the Bear Necklace has won the following awards:
*The Historical Society of Michigan State History Award 2020 (Books: Children & Youth)
*Midwest Book Award Winner
*Next Generation Indie Book Award Finalist
*New Mexico-Arizona Book Award Winner (Multicultural)
*Readers' Favorite 5-Star Review

 

COmpetitions

WOW! WOMEN ON WRITING WINTER 2022 FLASH FICTION CONTEST
https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php
$10 ENTRY FEE. (OPTIONAL CRITIQUE $10.) Deadline February 28, 2022. Guest Judge: Literary Agent Hannah Andrade with Bradford Literary Agency. Seeking short fiction of any genre between 250 and 750 words. The mission of this contest is to inspire creativity, communication, and well-rewarded recognition to contestants. Open internationally. Limit 300 entries. 

First Place: $400, publication, interview, and $25 Amazon Gift Certificate
Second Place: $300, publication, interview, and $25 Amazon Gift Certificate
Third Place: $200, publication, interview and $25 Amazon Gift Certificate
Seven Runners-Up receive $25 Amazon Gift Cards, publication and interview
Ten Honorable mentions receive $20 Amazon Gift Card
Top ten stories are published in the WOW! Women On Writing e-zine, and contestants are interviewed on WOW's blog, The Muffin.



WILD ATLANTIC FLASH FICTION AND CREATIVE NONFICTION AWARDS
https://www.irelandwritingretreat.com/wawa
10 EURO ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 31, 2022. We feel the theme of ‘Time’ with all its dimensions and connotations will appeal to you as it spans so many genres – sci-fi, crime, romance, horror, humour, thriller, mystery, whatever tickles you and your Muse’s fancy. Limit 500 words. The winners will receive 500 euro in cash or a free participation valued at 1,200 euro including all excursions, by land and sea, food and drinks tastings, concerts and dance performances, and all writing workshops and author talks – at one of our retreats of your choice next year.



HINDSIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE CONTEST
https://hindsightjournal2020.com/
Deadline January 18, 2022. First Place Prize: $600. Second Place Prize: $400. Send us your creative nonfiction writing about Climate Change! How has it affected you? People you know? If it's about Climate Change, we want to read it!



SNARL POETRY AND PROSE CONTESTS
https://snarl.submittable.com/submit
Deadline February 1, 2022. Our aim is to select finalists for each contest by early April and announce the winners in early May. The winner of each contest will receive $300 and publication in Snarl Issue #4: Fall 2022! All entries to the contest will be considered for publication. Limit three unpublished poems and essays or stories of 8,000 words or less. 

 

GRANTS / FELLOWSHIPS / CROWDFUNDING

 

SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY CREATIVE WRITING FELLOWSHIPS
https://apply.interfolio.com/100017
Deadline February 9, 2022. The English Department at Southern Methodist University is happy to announce the inaugural Hughes Fellowships in Creative Writing for the 2022–2023 academic year. SMU will award two fellowships, one in poetry and one in prose (fiction or creative nonfiction). Each fellowship will provide two years of support. Fellows will be expected to make significant progress on a major project, to teach one course in creative writing per semester, and to engage in the intellectual and creative life of the department and the larger Dallas literary community. This engagement will include one major presentation per year: a public reading of the fellow’s own work in the first year and, in the second year, a conversation with an established writer about their creative practice. Fellows should also be available to mentor undergraduates on an informal basis. Annual compensation is $50,000 with full benefits. 



MASSACHUSETTS ARTIST FELLOWSHIPS
https://massculturalcouncil.org/artists-art/artist-fellowships/application-process/
The Fellowships are direct grants to artists to recognize exceptional creative work. We consider individual artists to be an essential part of our vital communities, and we hope the awards will foster the creation of new art in the Commonwealth. Artist Fellowships are $15,000, and Finalist awards are $5,000. Complete the online application for Drawing & Printmaking, Fiction/Creative Nonfiction, and Painting by 11:59pm (ET) on January 24, 2022. The deadline for poetry has pased. 



TENNESSEE INDIVIDUAL FELLOWSHIPS
https://tnartscommission.org/grants/individual/
Deadline January 24, 2022. Fellowships provide those individuals who by education, experience, or natural talent engage in a particular art form or discipline, and live and work in Tennessee. To qualify, an artist must be financially compensated for his or her work, and this compensation must be a significant source of support for their livelihood. Amounts $5,000.



BETHANY ARTS POETRY RESIDENCY
https://bethanyarts.submittable.com/submit/208959/bac-april-2022-poetry-residency
Deadline January 7, 2022. For the Poetry Residency we encourage applications from individual poets as well as poet/artist pairs. Poet/Artist pairs must consist of one poet and another artist in any medium. Poet/Artist pairs must apply jointly and include a proposal for a collaborative project while in residency and CVs for both members of the team. Bethany Arts Community designs its residencies to allow artists an opportunity to enjoy an environment where artists from different disciplines can work near each other, creating opportunities for cross-pollination. Residents will find both solitude and community with a small cohort of other poets and artists sharing the residency. The Poetry Residency is for six days. While we cannot accommodate family members, the program is designed with the intention to make it more accessible to those whose family or work commitments make longer residencies difficult to attend. The Poetry Residency includes room, board and $150 stipend on April 4 to April 9. 
 
  

FREELANCE MARKETS / JOBS

BELLONA MAGAZINE
https://bellonamag.com
Deadline February 1, 2022. If you are interested in submitting to this upcoming issue, please reach out with a three- to four- sentence pitch to [email protected]. The second issue of Bellona is organized under the rubric of 'Empire'. We invite submissions that address the various ways in which the economic, political and historical apparatuses of the colonial, imperial and neo-imperial eras continue to shape the locations and forms of cultural production today. Minimum rate is currently $150.



THE ORG
https://theorg.com/insights
Stories about people and teams at the world’s most innovative organizations. If you have analysis, opinions or reported pieces you'd like to write about The Way We Work Now, you can pitch them to [email protected] (Maya Kosoff). Rate varies depending on the piece, but between 50 cents to a dollar a word.



FLAMETREE PRESS - TWO ANTHOLOGIES
https://blog.flametreepublishing.com/fantasy-gothic/weird-horror-short-stories-call-for-submissions-0-0-0
Deadline January 9, 2022. The Compelling Science Fiction Short Stories collection is looking for new tales which are on the more plausible end of the SF spectrum. Time can be stretched, other worlds discovered, aliens can be present and quantum realms can be explored, but preferably all with a strong spine of internal self-consistency and dose of real-world science. The Christmas Gothic Short Stories collection (with thanks to author Marina Favila for the suggestion) is a seasonal celebration of the dark and moody, the ghastly, the ghostly and the magical Christmas short story. Limit 2,000-4,000 words. Pays eight cents per word for unpublished works and six cents per word for reprints. 



THE REINVENTED DETECTIVE ANTHOLOGY
https://www.arcmanorbooks.com/thereinventedanthology
Deadline January 15, 2022. As we move forward into the age of information, what happens to our ideas of detection and crime? How do you handle it when your smart car blackmails you or you need to murder the downloaded personality of your enemy? What acts to enforce society's norms and catch those violating them in the future? Will our definitions of crime — or punishment — change, and what new forms of either might appear? For 1,500 to 5,000 words pays eight cents per word. 



ADI MAGAZINE
https://adimagazine.com/open-call-political-fictions/
Deadline January 15, 2022. We’re looking for short stories that examine lives impacted by policy and politics. This should be interpreted expansively and imaginatively. We’re not interested in the drearily righteous; we want stories that unearth new worlds, that plumb interior lives alongside external conflicts, that satirize and fantasize, that disturb, beguile, challenge, surprise, ignite. For full-length stories, 2,500 words or more, payment is $500. For flash fiction, under 1,000 words, payment is $200.

 

Publishers/agents

BLAKE FRIEDMAN LITERARY AGENCY
http://blakefriedmann.co.uk/submissions
We are always on the lookout for exciting new work and welcome submissions from both published and debut authors, across many genres, and from any background. The Blake Friedmann Literary Agency is a leading literary agency, with an office based in London but with international reach — both in the authors we represent and through the publishers and producers we sell to around the globe. 



BLUE RIDGE LITERARY AGENCY
http://blueridgeagency.com/submissionnew.html
Wish list (see the individual agent to know who to pitch for each genre):
Amish Romance, Romantic Comedies, Inspirational Romances, Inspirational Romantic Suspense, Sweet Romances, Western Romances, Romantic Suspense/Mystery, Contemporary Romance, Regency Romance, New Adult Romance, YA Romance, Cozy Mysteries, Mysteries, Historical Mysteries, Suspense, Action/Adventure/Thriller, Legal Thrillers, YA Fantasy, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Science Fiction, Picture Books (700 words or less), Middle Grade, Cookbooks, Graphic Novels, True Crime.
 

SPONSORS

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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

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