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Writer's Digest is pleased to present an exclusive virtual conference for novel writers! On January 22-23, our Novel Writing Virtual Conference will provide expert insights from SIX award-winning and best-selling authors on the finer points of how to write a novel. Spend the weekend learning techniques for honing your craft skills, refining your characters, exploring the future of publishing, and getting the tools you need to advance your career as a writer from six different published authors*, then (if you choose) pitch your novel via query letter to a literary agent. The agent will provide you with a personalized critique of your query – and maybe ask to see more.

 

• 10 Ways to Ruin Your Characters by Jeff Somers
  Writers often struggle with creating characters who feel real on the page. But there are a few fundamental missteps that doom your characters—avoiding these mistakes won’t guarantee a bestseller, but will guarantee you’ll have interesting, well-developed characters. (Sun., 3:00 p.m. ET)
• Crafting a Page Turner by Hallie Ephron
  In this session, Hallie will explore the elements that go into crafting a novel that readers can't put down. (Sun., 1:00 p.m. ET)
• How to Lay the Groundwork for Writing a Series From the First Book by C. Hope Clark
  In this session, writers will learn how to lay the foundation in their first book to set up a novel series. (Sat., 3:00 p.m. ET)
• Writing App Speed Dating by Michael La Ronn
  In this session, prolific author M.L. Ronn will cover the top features of the hottest writing apps on the market and help you choose the best fit for your writer personality. (Sat., 1:00 p.m. ET)
• The Realities of Editing With a Publisher by Nathan Makaryk
  In this session, author Nathan Makaryk breaks down all the various stages of editing that take place with the editor, talks about the editing process, and tells his stories of that journey and how it differed from his expectations going in. (Sun., 5:00 p.m. ET)
• How to Use Point of View and Voice to Shape Compelling Stories by Jennifer Givhan
  In this session, we will investigate how to captivate readers through one crucial element of voice: point of view. (Sat., 11:00 a.m. ET)

Experience the education, camaraderie, and opportunities provided by a live writing conference without ever having to leave your home! Learn more and sign up....here. 

EDITOR'S THOUGHTS

PLANNING FOR WHEN YOU'RE GONE

Earlier this year I lost another family member. At the funeral, I caught myself giving more attention to the impact this person had on other people, and how it's not about how they died but how they lived. Yeah, maybe trite and cliché, but the shift from mourning to celebration mattered to me. To pine too much over the loss is to deny them recognition for what they donated in life. 

As writers, we hope to have donated something to be remembered.

That revelation took me home to tweak my own plans for when I'm gone. While losing someone is a burden on whomever is left behind to take care of affairs, methods can be used to lighten the load. I already have a will, and my intellectual property is mentioned in it, but I refined my plans. Hopefully, these ideas can help you. 

1) Make sure someone is in charge you trust, and while you are still around, hold conversations with them so there is no doubt what you'd like to happen. 

2) Plan for your intellectual property specifically, on its own. Who owns the rights afterwards? Do you wish them to perpetuate sales of your work or shut it all down? Who reaps the reward from sales? (Hint: the fewer people the better.)

3) If you use an attorney to create your will, make sure they understand intellectual property. Most attorneys do not. For the most part, they get a short class in law school then never deal with it again.

4) Create a power-of-attorney to manage your affairs while you are still around, assuming you might struggle keeping up with things as you age. Make it someone you absolutely trust.

5) Create a password list. Mine is three pages long covering everything from managing my websites and newsletter to Amazon. From Netflix to my retirement plan. From banking to affiliate connections. Update this on a regular basis. Keep it in a very safe place that only you and one other are aware of. Update it often.

6) Write a book of instructions and guidance about what you want. This one will take some time, but after all, you are supposed to be a writer. Not that this book needs to be 70,000 words and two-hundred pages, but it needs to be comprehensive. It should cover topics like:

    -Where the original documents are for everything
    -Basic facts - SSN, birth certificates, email account access, basic passwords, phone access
    -A general discussion on what should take place and who is in charge
    -Finances, banking (to include places like PayPal, Venmo and Zelle), outstanding bills
    -Who to contact ONLINE. Yes, online contacts are important, and that's not just creditors. 
    -How to notify publisher, affiliates, Amazon, anyone related to books and rights to writing
    -How to access writing-related information, to include locations/descriptions of flash drives
    -Life insurance, medical insurance, retirement funds
    -How to file subsequent income taxes
    -The difference between beneficiaries and heirs and which apply to what (HINT: make as many people beneficiaries as possible)
    -Funeral preferences
    -Small extra things like shredding papers, getting a copy of a credit report to close accounts, pets
    -Attach a list of assets, liabilities, passwords

I want my Facebook, Twitter, and newsletter folks to hear the news immediately. I was incredibly hurt when I lost online friends whose family didn't notify anyone online for weeks. My heart went through the floor, and I would go outside and cry at not having the opportunity to send a card timely, send flowers, or even attend the service. We are highly connected these days. 

While this is probably more than you care to know, I wanted to offer to you what I've learned after handling several deaths, funerals, and estates. Sometimes even a little bit of planning makes a huge difference in how your loved ones remember you.

4255252 © Marcin Okupniak | Dreamstime.com

11241178 © Easyshutter | Dreamstime.com

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Featured article

Taking Virtual Events from Sucky to Success

By Eric Jay Toll

After enduring 21 Covid months cringing through virtual events, the experience boils down into a secret sauce for going pro when going on camera. Shifting a virtual event from the level of suck to success is a skill every author needs since virtual connections increase opportunities for professional exposure and more book sales. Seven easy (and cheap) tips can shift you from novice to pro.

Camera Positioning: Eye-to-Eye

Position the camera just like real-life communications at eye level. Looking people directly in the eye is the most personal connection in life. The camera is the viewer’s eyeballs. A laptop camera on the desk shows your nostrils; a camera set on top of a monitor is a recipe for neck strain. Set the laptop on books or platform with the camera perpendicular to the keyboard and even with the eye. Put the camera in front of the monitor at eye level.

Look in the Camera Lens

It’s tempting to look at the screen when participating in a virtual event. When answering a question in real life, look at the questioner. In a virtual event, the question comes from the speaker on the other side of the lens, not the monitor. It’s okay to look at the screen while someone else is speaking, but when responding, look in the camera, the viewer’s “proxy eye.”

Sound Quality Counts

External camera built-in microphones are the minimum in terms of cam quality. Laptop microphones trend toward nineties flip-top cell phone sound. A quality external microphone is not that expensive. Mounted on a gooseneck, it can remain out of camera view and confidently project your voice.

Go Pro for the Background

Ensure the backdrop to the event presents a desirable image. The late Sue Grafton had a website photo of the workspace where she penned her Kinsey Millhone novels. It was one of the most-visited pages on her website. Show where the work gets done. Instead of setting the camera on your desk looking back at the room, put the camera so the backdrop is the workspace. Just be careful that no personal information is visible. If such a move isn’t possible, find a place that makes a comfortable and realistic backdrop. Do not use the “background effects” feature. Hand gestures and even your face can disappear from view.

Drink from Cups or Glasses

Even though plastic or insulated water bottles may be your norm, switch to a glass or coffee cup. It’s not very expensive for Costco, CVS, and others to make a custom version with an imprinted book cover. Being casual is fine if it’s projected with finesse.

Dress for Success

Dress as if doing a live event at Changing Hands in Phoenix, Tattered Cover in Denver or any neighborhood bookstore. It’s a personal decision, but looking successful and professional is essential even when being casual.

No Ums or Ahs

Presentation counts. Use notes, rehearse, be ready to go live. An “um” or “ah” is a verbal pause to help form a response. Other techniques accomplish that role. Repeat the question in your own words—while looking in the camera. Repetition gives a moment for thought and allows rephrasing to match the message you want as an answer. Political press secretaries are masters of this technique. Watch C.J. Craig in old “West Wing” episodes. Restating the question also aligns all viewers toward the planned answer.

Leave the audience feeling they’re watching a professional, and they’ll more readily purchase what they perceive to be a well-crafted book.

BIO: Eric Jay Toll is a journalist, photographer and travel writer based in Phoenix, Arizona. With his chocolate lab, Chaco, at his side, he writes and photographs outdoor adventures, road trips, camping and hikes, and travel in the American West and Canada. His work has appeared in USA Today, Golf, National Parks Traveler, Chron, Traveling Mom/Traveling Dad, the Business Journals, and other travel and business publications. He posts daily on Facebook of trips “On The Toll Road.” His website is EricJayToll.com. [email protected].
 

3685853 © Dmitry Ersler | Dreamstime.com
 

COmpetitions

THE CHESHIRE NOVEL PRIZE
https://cheshirenovelprize.com/entry-rules
£25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline April 1, 2022. The Cheshire Novel Prize is open to unrepresented authors over the age of 18 at the time of entry. Please submit the first 5,000 words of your novel and a one-page synopsis. Longlisted authors will be invited to submit an additional 50,000 words of their novel by midnight, May 8, 2022. All shortlisted entrants will be invited to submit their full novel by midnight on June 15, 2022. The overall competition winner will be announced on August 1, 2022 and awarded £1500. One highly commended writer will be announced and win £500. Each month, throughout January - March 2022, The Cheshire Novel Prize will hold a monthly lucky dip draw. Names will be chosen at random and one winning writer each month will win a free manuscript assessment worth £895. The Cheshire Novel Prize is open to unpublished or self-published unagented novelists only.



LORIAN HEMINGWAY SHORT STORY COMPETITION
https://shortstorycompetition.com/
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline February 1, 2022. The first-place winner will receive $1,500 and publication of his or her winning story on our competition website. The second – and third-place winners will receive $500 each. Honorable mentions will also be awarded to entrants whose work demonstrates promise. Stories must be original unpublished fiction, typed and double-spaced, and may not exceed 3,500 words in length. There are no theme or genre restrictions. The literary competition is open to all U.S. and international writers whose fiction has not appeared in a nationally distributed publication with a circulation of 5,000 or more. 



RED HEN PRESS WOMEN'S PROSE PRIZE
https://redhen.org/awards/womens-prose-prize/
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline February 28, 2022. The Women’s Prose Prize is for previously unpublished, original work of prose. Novels, short story collections, memoirs, essay collections, and all other forms of prose writing are eligible for consideration. Submit 25,000-word minimum (approximately 150 pages, double spaced, Times New Roman 12pt font) to 80,000-word maximum. One award of $1,000 and book publication by Red Hen Press.



SNOWBOUND CHAPBOOK AWARD
https://www.tupelopress.org/snowbound-chapbook-award/
Deadline February 28, 2022. Submit a previously unpublished, chapbook-length poetry manuscript with a table of contents. There is no mandatory page count. Chapbook manuscripts should number between 20 and 36 pages, but no manuscript will be rejected simply because it’s a little bit shorter or longer. The Snowbound Chapbook Award includes a cash award of $1,000 in addition to publication by Tupelo Press, 25 copies of the winning title, a book launch, and national distribution with energetic publicity and promotion. Manuscripts are judged anonymously and all finalists will be considered for publication. The Snowbound Chapbook Award is open to anyone writing in the English language, whether living in the United States or abroad. 



MAUREEN EGEN WRITERS EXCHANGE AWARD
https://www.pw.org/writing_contests/maureen_egen_writers_exchange_award
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 1, 2022. Two prizes of $500 each are awarded annually to a poet and a fiction writer from a select state. Each winner will also receive a monthlong residency at the Jentel Artist Residency Program in Wyoming and will meet with writers, editors, publishers, and agents virtually or in person in New York City, as public health guidelines allow. The 2022 contest is open to residents of Nebraska. Poets and fiction writers who have published no more than one full-length book in the genre in which they are applying are eligible. By e-mail only, submit seven to ten pages of poetry or up to 25 pages of fiction. 



NAOMI LONG MADGETT POETRY AWARD
http://www.broadsidelotuspress.org/
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 1, 2022. This competition is open to African American poets only. The poems in the manuscript should total approximately 60-90 pages, exclusive of a table of contents or other optional introductory material. Begin each poem, single-spaced, on a new page. The award winner will receive $500 in cash and publication of the manuscript by Broadside Lotus Press within the first three months of 2023, as well as free copies and discounts.

 

GRANTS / FELLOWSHIPS / CROWDFUNDING

 

SUSTAINABLE ARTS FOUNDATION
https://apply.sustainableartsfoundation.org/
Deadline February 23, 2022. Through the program, unrestricted cash grants of $5,000 will be awarded to up to twenty artists and writers with children under the age of 18. Awards are based on demonstrated excellence within the discipline, and the foundation recommends that artists or writers who are beginning their creative careers not apply to this program. Writers may apply in one of the following categories: creative nonfiction; early and middle grade readers; fiction; graphic novel/graphic memoir; illustrated children's books; illustrated children's books (text only); long form journalism; playwriting; poetry; and young adult fiction. The foundation does not accept portfolios of academic writing, blog posts, cookbooks, film/video/tv, motivational writing, music/composition, newspaper articles, performing arts, plays/screenplays, reviews (of art exhibitions, films, books, etc.), self-help books, or travel or other kinds of guidebooks.



NEW ENGLAND FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS THEATRE, CREATION, AND TOURING GRANTS
https://www.nefa.org/grants/find-grant/national-theater-project-creation-touring-grant
Deadline February 28, 2022. NEFA welcomes applications for its National Theater Project Creation & Touring Grant program, which provides funds for the creation and U.S. touring of artist-led, ensemble and devised theater projects. Through the program, theater artists apply to receive support for both the development and U.S. touring [virtual or in-person] of artist-led, ensemble, and devised theater projects. Grants ranging from $80,000 to $130,000 will support the development of the project, costs and incentives needed to establish a plan for touring, and subsidies for presentation of the work. The National Theater Project will consider projects submitted by U.S.-based theater ensembles and individual theater artists with identified collaborators.



AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN GRANTS - NEVADA
https://www.nvartscouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/FY22-GUIDELINES-ARP-GRANT-IND-FINAL.pdf
Deadline June 30, 2022. The American Rescue Plan Grant for Individual Artists supports the production and/or presentation of artistic projects across all disciplines. Examples of eligible projects include art exhibitions, performances, readings, concerts, recordings, the creation of art, and portfolio creation. To offer flexibility to artists and expedite funding, this grant is awarded on a first come, first-served basis. Applications that meet all eligibility and project requirements are awarded in the order in which they are received while funds remain available. Grants are $1,000 each. Grant funds are limited, so early submission is encouraged. Open to individual, Nevada residents, 21 years or older, who are nonstudents.



GOTHAM WRITERS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SCHOLARSHIP
https://v2.writingclasses.com/scholarships/professional-development-scholarship-2021
Deadline February 15, 2022. The Gotham Professional Development Scholarship is open to people of color who have an interest in improving their writing skills in the professional world, whatever the profession. Each scholarship includes: One Six-week Business Writing class, Intensives for Grammar 1 and 2, and One Six-hour Business Writing or Grammar Mentorship.



MISSISSIPPI ARTS COMMISSION
https://arts.ms.gov/grants/grants-for-individuals/artist-fellowships/
Deadline March 8, 2022. MAC’s Artist Fellowship program is focused on honoring Mississippi artists who demonstrate the ability to create exemplary work in their chosen field. The agency awards fellowships of up to $5,000 in several categories each year. Professional artists living and working in Mississippi are eligible to apply.



ALABAMA STATE COUNCIL ON THE ARTS
https://arts.alabama.gov/PDF/Guidelines/ASCA_GrantGuidelines_FY2023.pdf
Deadline March 1, 2022. Fellowships recognize Alabama’s artists and arts educators and provide support for the creative growth of an individual’s career. These $5,000 grants are awarded based on evaluation of work samples from the past five years that are submitted with the application. Applicants are required to have been a resident of Alabama for two years and remain a resident of the state for the duration of the fiscal year for which they are a grantee.

  

FREELANCE MARKETS / JOBS

COSMOPOLITAN
https://www.cosmopolitan.com/
Looking for personal essays, reported pieces, and cultural criticism for the opinion section. Rates $250-$350 and can scale up depending on the scope and requirements of each piece. Ideal word count typically ranges 600-900 words. Send an email to [email protected]. In the subject line, write PITCH: [A Possible Headline For Your Piece]. Write two to three lines about you and your writing and include links to your portfolio and/or writing clips, your most recent and your best. Make the following as clear and compelling as possible: 1. Your main opinion 2. The specific grounds for your reasoning, how you plan to make your case (gimme the receipts!)? 3. Why now and why Cosmo? Include the projected word count and a feasible deadline. Several pitches in one email is fine as long as they each have the info above. And if you've already written the piece, feel free to include it.



TYPE INVESTIGATIONS
https://www.typeinvestigations.org/about/how-to-pitch/
Type Investigations is a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to transforming the field of independent investigative journalism. We are currently seeking pitches for investigative projects for 2022. We cover the most urgent stories within a wide range of topic areas, including racial and economic justice, climate and environmental health, and civil and human rights. Our work is focused on systems, policies, and powerful entities, and we are committed to elevating stories from the communities most affected by wrongdoing. Written features generally run between 4,000 and 6,000 words — though we do publish articles that are shorter and longer. Typical budgets range from $3,000 to $6,000 (including travel and other reporting expenses, as well as the reporting fee) and are based on the submission of a detailed reporting plan. We pay a portion of the fee upfront.



DIGITAL SPY
https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a33955343/how-to-pitch-freelance-writers/
If you're a journalist with an exclusive you'd like to pitch, or you know something that you think Digital Spy readers would like to know too, drop our News Editor Catherine Earp a line at [email protected]. We want anything that moves the conversation forward for engaged fans of contemporary TV, movies and soaps. A Digital Spy feature must: Offer the general reader brand-new information about something they already care about (eg an interview, fascinating bit of trivia, a theory, an explainer, the answer to a burning question prompted by a movie/show), OR promise to make the reader think differently about something they already care about (e.g., a hot take on a new release).



AETLA
https://aetlamagazine.com/submissions/
Please email your proposal to [email protected]  Thank you for your interest in contributing to ætla. We welcome pitches for web stories, notes from (our digital mini zine), and ætla magazine. Please note: we only consider pitches for ætla at certain times. The current submission period closes on February 22, 2022. We are looking for content that probes the relationship between humans and nature, unearthing stories that explore how to be a modern human in a wild world. Through written and visual storytelling, we share adventures, ideas and people who are immersed in enjoying the planet while also protecting it. We publish articles of varying lengths, but most commonly around 800–2,000 words, or between 6 and 12 images. 



THE NEW VOICE
https://www.journalism.co.uk/media-jobs/freelance-editor/s75/a885565/
Deadline March 1,. 2022. We are a new, weekly online magazine based in London and set to launch in January 2022. We are interested in hearing from talented writers who share our unique view of the world and who want to contribute to a publication that seeks to uncover big stories in small details. Whether you are an experienced journalist or just at the beginning of your career, we welcome pitches on topics that cover politics, literature, society and culture. Rather than pure news reporting, we are interested in longer, essayistic pieces that probe our age from an unusual, interesting angle, asking such questions as how the Covid-19 pandemic has shaped the political views of Generation Z, the psychology of anti-vaxxers and conspiracy-theorists, what Chinese action movies can tells us about the geo-strategic intentions of the CCP leadership, how Oxbridge student politics shapes the way British politicians speak and act, or why so much of our current politics is purely performative. We are equally interested in book, films and series reviews. Most of our pieces are between 1,000 and 3,000 words long. We pay between £100 and £300 per submission.



BOOKFOX
https://thejohnfox.com/write-for-bookfox/
Bookfox seeks freelance writers to help fiction authors. You will write blog posts with advice about the writing life or craft of writing.Payment is $200 – $400 per post, depending on length and research. Posts range from 2,000 words to 4,000 words.

 

Publishers/agents

DIVERSION BOOKS
https://diversionbooks.com/publishing-faqs/
Currently, we publish books in the following nonfiction categories: Business, Sports, History, True Crime, Pop Culture, and platform-based general interest titles.



FOREVER YOURS
https://www.read-forever.com/landing-page/forever-yours-submission-guidelines/
Fantastic writers who tell a story we can’t put down, characters that captivate us, and if you can make us blush, laugh out loud, or shed a tear—even better. We’re interested in all styles of romance, particularly contemporary, diverse reads, romantic suspense, cowboys, historicals, and paranormal. We’re not looking for any YA, fantasy, mystery, general fiction, or nonfiction. Word count: Novels should be between 50,000-100,000 words. Novellas should be 25,000-50,000 words.



LEGACY LIT
https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/news/hachette-book-group-announces-legacy-lit-an-exciting-new-imprint-celebrating-social-justice-and-bipoc-voices/
Legacy Lit, the first imprint dedicated to books for and by people of color at Hachette Book Group. Legacy Lit will publish narrative nonfiction, memoir, investigative, women’s interest, current events, social justice, cultural and empowerment titles, along with select fiction offerings. The imprint will launch its first titles in January 2022.



GIBBS SMITH
https://www.gibbs-smith.com/submissions
Our main emphasis is on interior design, architecture, children's, and cookbooks. Additionally, we accept submissions in the following subjects: arts and crafts, western humor with general appeal, general humor, and gift books. We accept submissions for children's activity books, board books, and picture books. 



HYDRA PUBLISHING
http://wordpress.hydrapublications.com/submissions/
Hydra is actively seeking LitRPG of any type! If you have a LitRPG submission, please include your sub-genre in the subject line of your email to get access to immediate consideration. Subtypes include VR, no logout, sci-fi, fantasy, thriller, dungeon core, harem, crunchy, light, moba, portal fantasy, town builder, and LitFPS, among others. Lit RPG is literary role playing game, a literary genre combining the conventions of computer RPGs with science-fiction and fantasy novels.



CARINA PRESS
https://blog.harlequin.com/submit-to-carina-press/
Carina Press is Harlequin’s digital-first adult fiction imprint; all our titles publish first in digital, with select releases in audio and print as well. Since its inception as the first digital imprint within a traditional publishing house, Carina Press has been an industry leader, publishing a broad range of romance. Romance genres we acquire: Contemporary, Erotic, Paranormal & Urban Fantasy, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Romantic Suspense, Historical. 

 

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