TOP SPONSOR 

It’s time to register for the nationally renowned Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop.

The Oct. 20-22 gathering will feature celebrated comedians and authors, including “Cathy” cartoonist Cathy Guisewite, “Saturday Night Live” legend Laraine Newman, New York Times’ bestselling authors W. Bruce Cameron and Adriana Trigiani, screenwriter Cathryn Michon, improviser and comedian Dion Flynn, and award-winning author Katrina Kittle.

Your registration includes all meals, keynote talks, choice of dozens of workshops, and a complimentary virtual package of the keynotes and Pitchapalooza.

At the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop, you’ll laugh, learn and network with a supportive writing community.

Discover more and register here.
 

EDITOR'S THOUGHTS

EMBRACING UNCERTAINTY

Storyteller and mythologist Martin Shaw is as much a philosopher as anyone I've read. He's Irish and steeped in that history of storytelling, which if you've read such stories, know they are quite rich in lesson. 

In a recent post of his in Emergence Magazine, he spoke of embracing mystery, which could be interpreted in embracing uncertainty as well. It also spoke of embracing who we are, in all its uncomfortable uncertainty.  So studying mystery turned into a study of ourselves.

"Accept the challenge of uncertainty. As a matter of personal style. It’s the right thing to do. We get older, we find life is riven with weirdness. We should be weird too."

Like water seeks its level, most of the world seeks a level life. As you can read in abundance on social media, most folks fight change, seek blame, and strike out at life not being the "normal" they wish. The real goal should be embracing who we are and what we wish to become, not make others fit our mold. 

"Stay honest to the shape you came here to embody. Refuse to be a hologram or engage in acts of ventriloquism."

Writers, especially, seek originality. But all too often we see success and start emulating what others fought hard to become from scratch. Therefore, our originality goes out the window. If you have a project in mind, own it. If you have the type of writer etched in your head, own it. 

"When you are trying to be honest in your loves, your dealings, your fundamental ground, you begin to become authentically yourself."

Many have not come to grips with who they are. Authenticity and comfort in your skin is charismatic for others. That is a hefty part of finding success.

"Such honesty will also introduce both limit and consequence into your life. It creates a code, a kind of gallantry."

When you can define who you are and what you want to be, when you create parameters in what you're willing to do and sacrifice, when you accept what writing means to you in a big-picture way, you become so much stronger.

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Featured article

Defining Niches in Freelance Work

By C. Hope Clark

When I started freelancing, I was a pure writing whore. I'd write anything for anyone for almost any price. It's what most writers do. Their brain says get paid to write with little thought given to branding the career. 

Defining your specialty, choosing your niche(s), at first blush feels like setting limitations on potential work. What if there isn't enough work in the niche(s) you like? What if you don't feel like enough of an expert in the niche(s)? What if you go all out in one niche only to learn there's more work in another?

When you start a business, you have to define yourself. 

My son opened a strength training gym. I joined. I love it. The members, however, are slow coming in. But those coming in are sticking around. Why? Because they like the focus. They like that someone catered to what they love . . . functional strength training. They found their niche. He provided a niche. The union is usually longer-lasting in these situations.

Your goal is to land consistent paying work, repetitive customers, and establish a name for yourself. That's harder to do when you do everything. 

Those needing freelance writers prefer to connect with writers who understand their needs. Finding each other is the biggest obstacle. Lucky for you, the online writer, you have keywords, SEO, Indeed, LinkedIn, Upwork, and more that assist you in finding the markets that fit you. 

But which niche(s)?

You can create your own niche, particularly if you are an expert in that world. Or you can look at the top niches in freelance writing and see if you can shoehorn yourself into those arenas via a combination of current knowledge, research, and hard work. In fewer words, you become the expert you wish to be.

Start off by mining your life. List top six-ten areas you enjoy or are proficient in. For me, that would be:

Writing / Mysteries
Agriculture / Gardening / Nature
Chickens
Nutrition / Diet
Dogs / Dachshunds
Parenting / Grandparenting
Newsletters / Email Marketing

And that's off the top of my head. If I were freelancing most of the time, I'd narrow that down to one or two and stick with them. These days, my freelancing falls into writing / mysteries.

For instance, I have a column in the local magazine centered around WORDS. I interviewed a 90-year-old who wrote his memoir. I emphasized the importance of words in making a good first impression. I explained the many ways to record family history and get it published. I covered the area book clubs. I also write a monthly blog for Writer's Digest around . . . freelancing. FundsforWriters is about writing for a living. I believe my niche is solid.

But maybe you don't quite have your preferences defined and wish to see what niches are open or most available. When you research the most popular niches, you find the following:

Travel
Tech
Healthcare / Mental Illness (to include addictions and recovery)
Education
Finance
Food
Beauty
DIY (do-it-yourself)
Parenting
Pets
Human Resources
Logistics / Supply Chain

The best part about niche writing is the competition is less. Most of the other writers are shot-gunning their work everywhere, hoping for anything. You be the smart one who knows what they are doing and in what direction they are heading. Then set up your website and social media to emphasize exactly who you are so that your expertise pops up more readily in a search engine. 

People don't know who you are or what you do until you clearly define it.

BIO:
C. Hope Clark is a freelancer, editor to FundsforWriters.com, and award-winning mystery novelist. www.fundsforwriters.com / www.chopeclark.com 
 

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COmpetitions

TROUBADOUR INTERNATIONAL POETRY PRIZE
http://www.coffeehousepoetry.org/prizes
£5 ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 26, 2022. First prize £2,000. Second prize £1,000. Third prize £500. Plus 20 commendeds. Poems may be submitted from any country and must be in English, must each be no longer than 45 lines, must show title and poem only, must not show poet’s name, must be the original work of the entrant (no translations) and must not have been previously published. 

LEE & LOW NEW VOICES AWARD
https://www.leeandlow.com/writers-illustrators/new-voices-award
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 15, 2022. The contest is open to writers of color and Indigenous/Native writers who are residents of the United States and at least 18 years old at the time of entry, and who have not previously had a children’s picture book traditionally published. Only unagented manuscripts will be considered. Submissions may be FICTION, NONFICTION, or POETRY for children ages 5 to 12. Only stories with human protagonists will be considered. Manuscripts should be no more than 1,500 words in length and include the author's full name. The Award winner receives a cash prize of $2,000 and our standard publication contract, including our basic advance and royalties for a first-time author. An Honor Award winner will receive a cash prize of $1,000.

GRAYSON BOOKS POETRY CONTEST
http://www.graysonbooks.com/contest.html
$26 ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 26, 2022. Submit 50-90 page poetry book manuscript with title page and table of contents. No personal  identification on manuscript. The winner will be awarded a $1,000 prize, publication, and 10 copies. The runner-up may also be offered publication.

JULIA DARLING MEMORIAL POETRY PRIZE
https://kallistogaiapress.submittable.com/submit/224002/2022-julia-darling-memorial-poetry-prize
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 21, 2022. Submit one to three poems in a single document per entry. Begin each poem on a separate page. Limit poems to 65 lines including title and spaces. Entries should not exceed 10 pages. We welcome the expression of diverse voices, diverse cultures - including poems partly or entirely in Spanish. Please include an English translation. 

CLASSICAL POETS HAIKU COMPETITION
https://classicalpoets.org/2022/06/29/haiku-competition-2022/#/
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 15, 2022. Anyone in the world, of any age or background, may participate. Prize is $100. Each competitor may submit up to three haiku of traditional form: three lines per poem with five syllables in the first line, seven syllables in the second, and five in the third. 

PALETTE CHAPBOOK PRIZE
https://www.palettepoetry.com/current-contest/
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 21, 2022. Poetry chapbook manuscripts of all styles are welcome—we have no theme or aesthetic preference. Prize $2,000 and publication, made available digitally in late Summer/Fall 2023. Author also receives 50 complimentary physical copies and additional royalties on physical copies sold. 

REBECCA SWIFT FOUNDATION WOMEN POETS' PRIZE
https://www.rebeccaswiftfoundation.org/women-poets-prize/
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 12, 2022. The Women Poets’ Prize is a biennial award given to three UK-based women poets who demonstrate great ability and potential. It consists of a cash prize of £1,000 and 18 months of creative, professional and pastoral support. Three poems, across no longer than four pages of text, OR one video OR one audio file of up to 3 minutes in length containing no more than three poems. 

JULIA PETERKIN LITERARY AWARDS IN FLASH FICTION AND POETRY
https://south85.submittable.com/submit
$12 ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 15, 2022. South 85 Journal seeks submissions of unpublished flash fiction of 850 words or fewer and previously unpublished poems of 50 lines or fewer.  We are especially interested in stories and poems that demonstrate a strong voice and/or a sense of place, but consider all quality writing. The winning selection in each category will be awarded $500 and publication in the December issue of South 85 Journal. Contest finalists will also be selected and published alongside the winning selections.  Submissions are read blind by an outside judge. 


 

GRANTS / FELLOWSHIPS / CROWDFUNDING

 

MANHATTAN ARTS GRANTS
https://lmcc.net/resources/manhattan-arts-grants/
Deadline September 13, 2022. With support from the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, New York State Council on the Arts and the Howard Gilman Foundation, LMCC’s Creative Engagement and Creative Learning programs provide technical support to applicants and awards of up to $10,000 to enable hundreds of arts projects in all disciplines, serving communities from Inwood to The Battery.

DELAWARE DIVISION OF THE ARTS
https://delawarescene.com/cfa/artist-opportunity-grants-2022-12-31
Deadline December 31, 2022. Artist Opportunity Grants are awarded on a competitive basis to support unique professional and artistic development and presentation opportunities for artists. Examples include: materials to complete work for a specific show or program; the cost to rent a facility for a performance; study with a master for a specified period of time. Evaluation criteria include: anticipated impact on the artist’s work or career; financial feasibility and need; marketing plans; and uniqueness of the opportunity.

UCROSS FOUNDATION RESIDENCIES
https://www.ucrossfoundation.org/residency-program.html
Deadline September 1, 2022. Residencies vary in length from two weeks to six weeks. At any one time, there are up to 10 individuals in residence comprising a mix of visual artists, writers, composers, choreographers, interdisciplinary artists, performance artists, and teams of collaborators. Lunch and dinners are prepared Monday to Friday by a professional chef, and ample provisions are on hand for breakfasts and weekends. Location Clearmont, WY. 

MARYLAND STATE ARTS COUNCIL PANELIST
https://marylandarts.smartsimple.com/s_Login.jsp
Deadline August 15, 2022. MSAC relies on a diverse array of experts from across the state of Maryland to do the important work of evaluating grant applications. We invite participation through program-specific public calls for panelists. We select panelists with a focus on diversity of experiences, diversity of location, and expertise in varying artistic disciplines. Panelists must be Maryland residents. Receive compensation for the training and each review. You can apply for a PAAM grant and serve as a panelist. Questions? Contact Public Art Program Director Liesel Fenner at [email protected] for assistance.

CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG CULTURAL VISION GRANTS
https://artsandscience.org/
Deadline August 29, 2022. ASC invites Mecklenburg County-based nonprofits and creative individuals to apply for the Cultural Vision Grant program, which directly responds to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg community's interest in arts, science, history and heritage programming that builds strong communities and demonstrates innovative, relevant and transformative cultural expression. Grants of up to $10,000 will be awarded. Grantees will be required to provide matching dollars toward the project expenses. ASC is accepting applications from creatives living in Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Cleveland, Gaston, Lincoln and Rowan counties.

THE CANADIAN WOMEN ARTISTS' AWARD FOR NY ARTISTS
https://www.nyfa.org/awards-grants/canadian-women-artists-award/
Deadline August 30, 2022. The Canadian Women Artists’ Award is a $5,000 cash grant open to Canadian women artists ages 25-40 in New York State. The Canadian Women Artists’ Award (CWAA) is supported by funding granted to NYFA by the Canadian Women’s Club (CWC) of New York as a way to continue its philanthropic work when it disbanded. The CWAA is an unrestricted cash grant and can be used in any manner the recipient deems necessary to further their artistic goals. In 2022, CWC and NYFA will be awarding three (3) $5,000 awards, one in each of the following categories: Visual Arts, Media and Design, and Literary Arts. 

  

FREELANCE MARKETS / JOBS

STYLIST
https://www.stylist.co.uk/life/writer-journalist-freelance-career-women-stories-how-to-pitch-an-article/217237
For Stylist magazine, we generally commission features anything from one week to three months in advance of publication, and freelancers should consider pitching for the main features section, rather than the regulars, which tend to be compiled in-house. On Stylist.co.uk, we look for both long-lead and very punchy, timely commissions. It could be a feature hooked off breaking news which needs to be turned around within the hour, or a lengthy long read with plenty of expert comments and in-depth research behind it. Seeks smart, original, newsworthy journalism, covering women’s lifestyle, feminism, current affairs, social trends, culture, health, careers, relationships, dating, sex and tech. Pays £150. (Thanks wow-womenonwriting.com)

NEXT CITY
https://nextcity.org/pitch
Next City publishes articles reported and written by journalists, and op-eds written by academics and practitioners in the fields we cover: urban policy, planning, housing, economic development, transportation, tech, environmental sustainability, arts and culture, and design. We center equity in every sector we cover. Next City firmly believes that nothing we do in cities matters if we do not make life more equitable for everyone. We welcome well-considered pitches from journalists around the world for our shorter “daily” pieces (800 to 1,200 words) and our weekly features (around 3,000 words). Op-eds should be topical and relevant to Next City’s mission of inspiring equitable change in cities, and speak to ideas and policies that can effect such change. Maximum length is 1,200 words. Pitch Aysha Khan, Senior Editor at [email protected]. Especially seeking more environmental and science journalists of color. Rate: ~$400/800-1,200 words. 

THE FINANCIAL DIET
https://thefinancialdiet.com/
This is the place where (hopefully) you will start talking about money for the first time in a way that doesn’t feel scary, judgmental, or boring as hell. We have thousands of articles that you should read about everything from investing on a budget to what foods are really worth the organic price tag. Pitch Holly Trantham, Creative Director at [email protected]. Especially seeking story pitches for The Financial Diet to use in their animated Making It Work series on YouTube — email your personal money win stories, or money and culture hot takes. Pays $250 for an 800-1,000 word essay, no research. 

NEW YORK TIMES - WELL
https://www.nytimes.com/section/well
Pitch Eric Vance, Staff Editor at [email protected]. Well desk is launching a new series, called "Why Not Try." The idea is to find interesting seasonal or evergreen fitness stories that either introduce a new way to work out or take a new look at an old idea. Pays $1/word and up. 

US GHOST ADVENTURES
https://usghostadventures.com/
https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?cmp=US-Ghost-Adventures&t=Writer&jk=6b64f2413e4195f8
US Ghost Adventures offers entertaining, historic, and authentic ghost tours of the United States’ most haunted cities. They seek skilled and creative Writers to research and create compelling tour scripts about the city and spooky locations in the area. Ideal candidates have experience in writing content for the travel industry and enjoy researching and writing about local history and culture. Pays $400 per completed tour script. This includes written content, tour route, synopsis, introduction and conclusion, photos, and other applicable logistics.

SCUBA DIVING
https://www.scubadiving.com/how-to-pitch-scuba-diving-magazine
Submit a brief summary of your idea to [email protected] with the phrase [DIGITAL PITCH] or [PRINT PITCH] in the subject line. If you have not written for the publication before, include links to relevant clips. Availability of strong images is a must for any print pitch. It’s not necessary for you to be a photographer to have a successful pitch, but you must be aware of magazine-quality imagery on your subject and able and willing to help us connect to it. They've increased their digital rate from 25 cents per word to 30 cents per word. Pitch Alexandra Gillespie, Digital Editor at [email protected]. Many categories and columns to choose from. 

BOTH/AND: A NEW LIMITED ESSAY SERIES
https://electricliterature.submittable.com/submit%2F230412%2Fboth-and-a-new-limited-essay-series-centering-the-voices-of-trans-and-gnc-writer
Deadline August 31, 2022. Electric Literature is seeking pitches for Both/And, a new limited essay series focused on personal narrative from trans and gender non-conforming writers of color. Pays $500 per essay. Pitches should be no more than two to three paragraphs in length. 

HELL GATE
https://hellgatenyc.com/how-to-pitch
We are interested in essays, photography, reported stories, and features. To pitch us, you can send us an email at [email protected]. Important: Be sure to put "PITCH" in the subject line. Our rates are roughly the following: $200+ for an essay/blog post (~700 words), $250+ for a photo assignment, $300+ for a reported story, and $400+ for a longer (1,200+ words) feature. Keep your pitch brief, ideally under 500 words. Hell Gate is a subscriber-funded, worker-owned news outlet about New York City, named for the city's sturdiest (and handsomest) bridge over its most treacherous currents.

OREGON HUMANITIES
http://oregonhumanities.org/rll/contributor-guidelines/
Oregon Humanities publishes essays, photographs, films, audio recordings, data visualizations and infographics, and other media that explore the thoughts, perspectives, and experiences of Oregonians. We exclusively publish work by Oregon-based creators. We pay on acceptance, after the satisfactory completion of required revisions. Payment ranges from $200 to $300 for shorter online pieces and $500 to $1000 for personal essays and features; payment varies depending on the length and complexity of the piece.
 

Publishers/agents

MADELEINE MILBURN LITERARY AGENCY
https://www.madeleinemilburn.co.uk/about-us/
The MM Agency is a dedicated and passionate literary agency with a global outlook, specialising in launching debut writers, international rights and book to screen adaptations. We collaborate with authors across all adult fiction genres, and also handle children’s books, young adult and cross-over fiction. In non-fiction, we represent experts and writers of history, arts and culture, politics, economics, philosophy, psychology, nature and science, as well as illustrated projects, cookery and food writing, narrative non-fiction and memoir.



DARLEY ANDERSON LITERARY< TV, AND FILM AGENCY
https://www.darleyanderson.com/about-us
Our lists include: thrillers, mysteries, psychological suspense, crime, horror, fantasy, accessible literary, romantic comedy, chick-lit, women in jeopardy, sagas and historical.



RED HEN PRESS
https://redhenpress.submittable.com/submit
Red Hen Press is an independent, nonprofit press that publishes about twenty books of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry every year. We’re looking for novels, memoir, creative nonfiction, hybrid works, and story, essay, and poetry collections of exceptional literary merit that demonstrate a high level of mastery.

 

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 2000-2022, C. Hope Clark
ISSN: 1533-1326

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