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EDITOR'S THOUGHTS

WHEN NOBODY IS WATCHING

You know the song. The one with the lyric, "Dance like nobody's watching." You get the meaning. Let yourself be the real you. 

You know how you are in the car, alone, when the perfect song you sang to in high school comes on the radio. You belt it out, maybe even attempting harmony.

But when we post our writing online, we do so with the idea that someone is waiting to judge. Suddenly we become more homogenized with the others hanging out there, like ourselves, who are weighing what to say so that the audience likes us. We debate with ourselves on how to write something that will garner applause so that we fit in better. 

We don't want to run the risk of being too different. We often dumb ourselves down, when the crying shame is that there is a uniquely different person behind that screen, behind that pen, behind that keyboard.

The world is crying for sincerity. 
The world thirsts for people who are themselves. 

That's not saying everyone should be their weirdest self. Just that they ought to be true to themselves, and that includes in writing. 

We too often want to know what's selling, what's remarkable, what's garnering the most likes before we put our own words down, when in fact we ought to do the opposite.

Somebody wrote the first vampire story. Somebody wrote the first sci-fi tale. Somebody dared take fairy tales and turn them into epics of wild creatures on human quests. Write like nobody will ever read it. Dare to bare on the page. Edit, for sure, but get the real you down first and see what remarkable material has been locked away in your brain for far too long. 

92653581 © creativecommonsstockphotos | Dreamstime.com
 

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Featured article

Memoirs and Creative Nonfiction – Do They Sell Better than Fiction?

By Emily-Jane Hills Orford

 “You should write about your experiences growing up in a haunted house.” Those were my sister’s words. “You experienced the paranormal more than the rest of us.” She never believed I’d seen the ghost, yet, she saw the value in the story.

While I pondered her words, I continued writing my other creative nonfiction – stories about my grandmother (“Personal Notes” Moose Hide Books: 2008), my mother (F-Stop: A Life in Pictures Baico Publishing: 2011), close family friends (The Whistling Bishop Baico Publishing: 2008) and I helped Dad with his memoir. In between, I wrote fiction, but my heart lay in nonfiction, specifically that which you could take reality and tell it in story form, emulating novel fiction, and the ghost story kept churning in my mind.

The wise words of my editor, “Memoir sell better than fiction,” coupled with my sister’s urging, resulted in the resurfacing of my childhood memories and the ghost that haunted my nights. The result? Mrs. Murray’s Ghost (Tell-Tale Publishing: 2018) and three other books in The Piccadilly Street Series (book five is in the works). 

Not all of what I wrote in The Piccadilly Street Series was memoir, at least not in the traditional sense that it was true and factual. Some of the fantasy elements of the stories are of my dreams and nightmares as a child. They wove together and captured the attention of readers of all ages, even though the stories were originally written for the middle grade reader.

My spark in creative nonfiction (also referred to as narrative nonfiction) had me revisiting the books I’d read over the years, the creative nonfiction stories that spoke from the heart and captured my attention. The top two were stories about the authors’ grandmothers: Jeannette Walls Half Broke Horses (Simon and Schuster: 2009), which was attributed as a 2009 New York Times notable book, and Dianna M. Raab’s Regina’s Closet (Beaufort Books: 2007). Both books received considerable attention and good sales.

Writing memoirs as creative nonfiction, if done well, can be lucrative. People crave true stories told in the storytelling format. Publishers are on the lookout for these both in book format and as short stories. Here are a couple of book publishers to consider:

Algonquin Books, publisher of the well received book, Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. 

Persea Books, publisher of Beirut Fragments by Jean Said Makdisi. 

Don’t forget the local publications that are always on the lookout for a well crafted, true story. Stick to the ones that pay. The bonus is they allow a short author promo blurb, a byline, a place where you can briefly and succinctly promote your writing. C. Hope Clark has written several creative nonfiction stories for SC Wildlife Magazine, paying anywhere from 50 to 75 cents/word. 

Keep an eye on the big tabloids. Every so often they open submissions to freelance creative nonfiction stories. Payment can range anywhere from $50 per story to $0.25 per word. For example, if you’re into gaming and puzzles and have a creative nonfiction story to share on this theme, check out the New York Times Solver Stories which pay $200 per story. 

My trusty editor convinced me to write more creative nonfiction in lieu of fiction. Was he right? I wondered. I received positive accolades for both my fiction and my creative nonfiction, but I was beginning to realize that my creative nonfiction and memoirs sold better and faster. By the time The Whistling Bishop was out of print (ten years after its publication), the sales income had been in the hundreds (that’s my royalty dollar amount), which, of course, amounts to book sales in the thousands.

I continue to write fiction, but my creative nonfiction stories do attract the most attention – and, yes, the most sales.

BIO - Emily-Jane Hills Orford is a published food writer, gardening blogger, novelist and writer of creative nonfiction books and stories. She has received numerous awards for her writing. Her passion for Scottish history shines through in her recent novels, Queen Mary’s Daughter (2018: Clean Reads Publishing) and King Henry’s Choice (2019: Clean Reads Publishing), as well as her middle grade fantasy novels in The Piccadilly Street Series (Tell-Tale Publishing 2018-2020).

http://emilyjanebooks.ca 
https://www.facebook.com/realpeoplestories
https://www.twitter.com/ejhomusic
https://ca.linkedin.com/in/emily-jane-hills-orford-434a4a39 

 

COmpetitions

LIGHTSCATTER PRESS PRIZE
https://www.lightscatterpress.org/submit
$30 ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 16, 2022. Prize: $1,000, twenty-five author copies, and publication of a book length manuscript. Multimodal publication. Lightscatter Press seeks the work of emerging writers (defined as having published no more than one full-length book of poems), across a spectrum of voices, experiences, and identities, whose writing diffracts as it meets the world, finding life and light in multiple mediums. Submit a manuscript of not fewer than 48  pages of poetry (we suggest an upper limit of around 64 pages), including a list of acknowledgments.

SUNSPOT - INCEPTION 2022
https://sunspotlit.submittable.com/submit/229987/inception-2022-250-for-best-opening
ENTRY FEE $8.50. Deadline September 30, 2022. For Sunspot Lit’s Inception contest, send your best opening. There are no restrictions on theme, category, or the length of the piece or collection from which the excerpt comes. Word limit is 250 for prose, 25 words for poetry. Graphic novel and comic book entries should be the first page (unlimited number of panels on that page) with a maximum of 250 words (cut the number of panels in order to meet the word count, if needed). Visual art entries should be the first in a series, the first in a gallery lineup, the first in a themed collection, etc. Entries are limited to one image. Prize: $250 cash plus publication for the winner. Publication will be offered to runners-up and finalists.

THE FORGE FLASH FICTION CONTEST
https://forgelitmag.com/competition/
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 14, 2022. The Forge holds flash fiction and flash nonfiction competitions annually. We strongly believe in removing barriers to submission so, as with everything we do, there will be no entry fee. The first-place winners will be awarded $500 (writers who reside outside the United States must be able to receive payment via Paypal) and publication. Send one piece up to 1,000 words. 

RUSSELL FREEDMAN AWARD FOR NONFICTION FOR A BETTER WORLD
https://www.scbwi.org/scbwi-impact-and-legacy-fund-russell-freedman-award-submission/
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 15, 2022. The winner will receive a prize of $2500 plus $1000 to purchase copies of the winning book for distribution to schools and libraries, recognition in all SCBWI publications, and a virtual forum to give a speech before the entire children’s book community. Any nonfiction book published for children or young adults, released between January 1 and December 31, 2022, is eligible. If both an author and illustrator are listed on the book cover, the prize will be split between them. You do not have to be a member of SCBWI to submit. However, your book must be published by a publisher on the SCBWI PAL list. The winner will be announced on December 1, 2022.

WILLIE MORRIS AWARDS FOR SOUTHERN WRITING
https://www.williemorrisawards.org/
Deadline September 30, 2022. Each year, the Willie Morris Awards for Southern Writing honor some of the best literature telling rich, original stories about the U.S. South marked by a strain of honest optimism. The award-winning works reflect a belief that things can be better, that the South—a region marked by systemic racism and economic extraction—can still be a place of opportunity and hope. Categories of poetry, fiction and nonfiction. Fiction and nonfiction winners receive a cash prize of $12,000. The winner of the poetry category receives $3,000. Winners also receive an expenses-paid trip to Oxford, Miss., where we celebrate the winning writers as part of the Oxford Conference for the Book. 

 

GRANTS / FELLOWSHIPS / CROWDFUNDING

 

RACC ARTS3C GRANT PROGRAM
https://racc.org/grants/arts3c/
Deadline September 28, 2022. The RACC Arts3C Grant Program is for the Creation, Cultivation & Community in the Portland metropolitan tri-county region. Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas County applicants who are creating and sharing arts and culture programming in all disciplines are welcome to apply for support. Funds are available to support artistic output, such as projects, programming, or presentations, or internal capacity, such as operations, personal or professional development, or business investment. You will clearly explain what you need grant funding to support and then make the case for how it will impact both you and the community. Only one application can be submitted at a time. Applicants will select their request level ($1,000, $2,000, $3,000, $4,000 or $5,000) and the application questions will increase with the requested amount.

HEDGEBROOK
https://www.hedgebrook.org/writers-in-residence
Deadline September 12, 2022. Hedgebrook’s Writer-in-Residence Program supports writers from all over the world for fully-funded residencies of two to four weeks (travel is not included and is the responsibility of the writer to arrange and pay for). Up to 6 writers can be in residence at a time, each housed in their own handcrafted cottage. They spend their days in solitude – writing, reading, taking walks in the woods on the property or on nearby Double Bluff beach. In the evenings, “The Gathering” is a social time for residents to connect and share over their freshly prepared meals.

NORTH CAROLINA ARTIST SUPPORT GRANTS
https://www.ncarts.org/opportunities/grants/grants-artists/artist-support-grants
https://www.ncarts.org/opportunities/grants/grants-artists/artist-support-grants#applicationInfo
Artist Support Grants is a program funded by the N.C. Arts Council to provide the opportunity for regional consortia of local arts councils to award project grants to artists in their regions. These grants support professional artists in any discipline and at any stage in their careers to pursue projects that further their artistic and professional development. Contact the granting local arts council for details. Statewide, most grants are between $500 and $2,000. 

NEVADA TEACHING ARTIST ROSTER
https://www.nvartscouncil.org/rosters/teaching-artists/
Deadline September 30, 2022. The Nevada Arts Council is currently accepting applications for inclusion on the teaching artist roster. Individual teaching artists, arts & culture groups, and non-profit arts organizations interested in promoting arts-based learning experiences are encouraged to apply to be included on the roster. Teaching artists interested in being a part of the roster may submit an application through the arts council’s online management system Submittable. 

ARIZONA ARTISTS TO WORK GRANT PROGRAM
https://www.phoenix.gov/arts/grants-program/artiststowork
Deadline September 12, 2022. The Artists to Work Grant Program supports the creation and presentation of original, new or in-process artistic work by practicing Phoenix artists. Awarded artists will be required to complete a public presentation inside city of Phoenix boundaries that primarily benefits Phoenix residents. Unlike other opportunities offered by the Office of Arts and Culture, for this grant, an application will be made in two steps. Those interested will first fill out a letter of interest, which will be reviewed by a panel. From there, 45 applications will be invited to the second step of the application process where they will respond to additional questions and supply support materials, which will then also be reviewed and scored. Amount Awarded: $7,500. Number of Awards: 18. Residency Eligibility: Phoenix, Arizona only. 

RAFFLE - NC MOUNTAINS 5-NIGHT GETAWAY
https://go.rallyup.com/cackalackycabin/Campaign/Details
Deadline September 30, 2022. Perfect for a writers' retreat or a family & friends getaway is this 5-night stay at the comfy Cackalacky Cabin, located in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Beech Mountain, North Carolina. Rental offered for dates up to October 1, 2023. 

ARTIST SUPPORT GRANTS - CHARLOTTE AREA
https://artsandscience.org/artist-support-grants/
Artist Support Grants fund professional development and artist development for emerging and established artists to enhance their skills and abilities to create work or to improve their business operations and capacity to bring their work to new audiences. ASC is accepting applications from creatives living in Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Cleveland, Gaston, Lincoln and Rowan counties. The Artist Support Grants will support projects occurring between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023 but all funds should be expended by June 30, 2023. Artists may request up to $3,000. Applications selected for funding will receive the full award for which they are eligible.

CULTURE BLOCK FUNDING CALLS - MECKLENBURG COUNTY, NC
https://artsandscience.org/culture-blocks-creative-individuals/
This funding call is for programming happening: October 15, 2022 – December 31, 2022. Monthly programming taking place October 15, 2022 – June 30, 2023. Applicants will be notified of approval or declination on or around September 30, 2022. There will be additional opportunities to apply for funding in the Winter and Spring. Culture Blocks, a community partnership funded by Mecklenburg County, supports cultural experiences that are planned with resident involvement and take place at libraries, recreation centers, parks, and relevant community spaces. Creative individuals and organizations with a primary mission of arts, science, and/or history are invited to apply for Culture Blocks funding to present programs in specific geographic areas. 

THE WORKING CLASS WRITERS GRANT
https://speculativeliterature.org/grants-3/the-slf-working-class-grant/
Deadline September 31, 2022. The Working Class Writers Grant has been awarded annually to speculative fiction writers who are working class, blue-collar, financially disadvantaged, or homeless, who have been historically underrepresented in speculative fiction due to financial barriers which make it hard to access the writing world. Such lack of access might include an inability to purchase a computer, books, and tuition, or to attend conventions or workshops. Often, these writers, many of whom work more than one job, have less time to write. The SLF seeks to bring more of these marginalized voices into speculative fiction. Award: $1,000. 

  

FREELANCE MARKETS / JOBS

Have you been thinking about freelancing but don’t know where to start? Here’s the first step to strike out on your own.

My friend Dana Miranda at Healthy Rich is hosting a live, virtual class on Fri., Sep. 30, to show you how to make the transition to freelancing and design the life that’s just right for you.

BONUS: Register for the class before Sep. 30, and you’ll also get free access to Dana’s course “Land Your First Freelance Gig” AND be able to give free access to both courses to another aspiring freelancer!

= = = 


NARRATIVELY
https://narratively.submittable.com/submit
Deadline September 15, 2022. Series about TURNING FAILURE ON ITS HEAD, i.e., times when failure in one area turned out to be positive in another, or when failure taught you an important lesson that helped shape you. The stories Narratively publishes (personal and reported) are immersive and cinematic. They take readers inside another world, another life, through vivid scenes, colorful details, and compelling narrative arcs. We only publish nonfiction, and we pay for all stories. Rates start at $1,000, and most Narratively stories are between 3,000-6,000 words. Send pitches directly to [email protected] and include a headline, what the story is about, what kind of scenes will be in the story, clips of your work, etc.

PARK BUGLE
https://www.parkbugle.org/about-the-bugle/
The Park Bugle is a monthly nonprofit community newspaper serving St. Anthony Park, Lauderdale, Falcon Heights and Como Park. The Bugle reports and analyzes community news and promotes the exchange of ideas and opinions in these communities. The Bugle strives to promote freedom of expression, enhance the quality of life in the readership communities and encourage community participation. Pays 20 to 25 cents per word. 

ROVER
https://www.rover.com/about-us/
Welcome to the world’s largest network of 5-star pet sitters and dog walkers. The Rover app and website connect dog and cat parents with loving pet sitters and dog walkers in neighborhoods across the US, Canada, the UK, and Europe. We empower our community of trusted pet sitters and dog walkers to run their own pet care businesses on Rover with the tools and security of a global company to back them. Do you understand the joy and pressure of choosing a pet name? Great at intro copy that gets people to believe you have the ultimate list? I'm looking for writers who can help me update 8-10 pet names. Rate $150 per article of ~400 words. Apply with related clips, if interested. Also seeking a writer who is interested in writing for the team long-term as well. Direct Message Christal Yuen, Editorial Manager, on Twitter at https://twitter.com/dearskye

NEW SCIENTIST
https://www.newscientist.com/freelancers/
Pitch Alexandra Thompson, Assistant News Editor, at [email protected]. Interested in any long, short, pre-prints, exclusives, embargoed research in the health, biomedical, and psychology space. Length depends on the piece. Embargoed research pieces tend to be 300/400 words. More in-depth pieces that require more context can go 700+ words. Pays an estimated 51p per word. New Scientist is a weekly science and technology magazine. 

EARTH ISLAND JOURNAL 
https://www.earthisland.org/journal/index.php/page/writers-photographers-guidelines
We cover the entire spectrum of environmental issues, including, wildlife and lands conservation; innovations in science and technology; public policy and the politics of environmental protection; climate and energy; animal rights; public health; environmental justice and cultural survival; and environmentally related film, music, and books. We pay writers 25 cents/word for print stories. You can expect to earn about $750-$1000 for an in-depth feature story (about 4,000 words). Pitch Brian Calvert, Associate Editor, at [email protected]

CHICKEN SOUP FUNNY FEEL GOOD STORIES
http://www.chickensoup.com
We are looking for stories and poems about something that happened to you in your life — in your relationship with a partner or spouse, a parent or child, a family member or friend, at work or at home — that made you and the people around you laugh out loud. Pays $200 and ten copies for 1,200 words. 

YOUTH TODAY
https://youthtoday.org/pitch-guidelines-for-journalists-and-photojournalists/
To freelance writers, we pay up to $1 per word, though we mostly pay $800 for 800- to 1,200-word densely reported articles that we assign to a diversity of experienced and emerging journalists, including ones with disabilities or other lived experience in the areas we cover. For the occasional Q&A with newsmakers and other less densely reported assignments, we pay $500. We contract professional photojournalists at a standard day rate of $350. Our reported solutions-focused and other news coverage topics include juvenile justice; disability rights; COVID-19; foster care; adoption; migration; climate change and environment; LGBTQ+/gender; employment and the economy; technology; after school, summer school and other out-of-school time programs; social, economic and other safety net programs; health, including mental and behavioral; substance use disorders; gun violence; homelessness; youth development; resilience; and trauma.

Publishers/agents

WELBECK PUBLISHING GROUP
https://www.welbeckpublishing.com/submissions
Our narrative non-fiction publishes books in the most popular areas within smart thinking, self-help, pop science and psychology, soft business, mainstream history and military, true crime, memoir and biography, sport and pop culture. Our illustrated non-fiction is world-renowned and encompasses sport, entertainment, history, fashion and lifestyle, and puzzles and humour. Welbeck Fiction is dedicated to publishing exceptional popular fiction across all genres. Welbeck Children’s is divided into four distinct imprints. Please check each to see where your manuscript fits. Orange Hippo, our gift list, features innovative, quirky books and non-book products that reflect style, popular culture and current trends, while our lifestyle list, OH Editions, publishes carefully curated, gorgeous books, including interiors, food and drink, craft and ‘now age’ titles. We are happy to consider material from potential new authors and agents. All submissions should be sent by email to: [email protected]. 
 

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C. Hope Clark
E-mail: [email protected]
140-A Amicks Ferry Road #4
Chapin, SC 29036
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ISSN: 1533-1326

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