VOLUME 23, ISSUE 32 | AUGUST 18, 2023
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Well, I'm almost back to normal. My feet are almost healed. My doc says he'll release me back to light exercise in another two weeks. HA. I've been in the gym for four weeks already. Messed up feet doesn't mean I cannot sit on a bench and lift a few weights. I'm no spring chicken, but I am fighting for all I am worth to stay mobile and able. The last thing I want to be is a burden on my children. On the contrary, I like them being proud of who I am and how hard I work at being healthy, at writing, at being a decent individual. So, how are y'all liking Craven County Line? From some of the mailings, readers are beginning to fall in love with Quinn. I love her to pieces! Leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads if you enjoyed the book. So, when is the next book coming out? The end of November. I just heard from my publisher this past week that edits are going swimmingly, so Edisto Bullet will be available for Christmas presents! That's book 10 in the Edisto Island Mysteries. That's insane, y'all. Once upon a time I thought I would only write Slade until the end. You never know when life will turn on a dime and send you in another
direction. Enjoy and thanks so much! |
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Recently, a reader asked me about pen names: <<In today's market, when is it advantageous to use a pen name? I want to keep future writing projects separate from my professional profile of my 'day job' career, especially in Google searches. It doesn't seem like that big a deal to use a pen name, and it's a time-honored tradition in publishing. However, the authentic representation of the author can be integral to book marketing these days. The author becomes a brand; the storyteller becomes part of the context of the story. For example, I cringe at the idea of creating a TikTok account under a pen name. Has an industry norm been established on this topic?>> There are no norms. If there were norms then
nobody would be original. You are right in that you risk jeopardizing a brand when you go by a pen name. Times have changed. You can't remain discreet or anonymous anymore. Social media will out you one way or another if you are trying to hide behind a pen name. Nora Roberts has her JD Robb pen name to differentiate her genres, not hide her identity. I used my middle name Hope instead of my first name Cynthia to differentiate between my old 9-to-5
career and my writing career. Both names were legal to use. A lot depends on how original and different the pen name is. My bank was not happy with me wanting to go by two names. I wound up changing my banking to my pen name since it involved my real middle name. I had to bring in a birth certificate to validate Hope was indeed my middle name, and they accepted that. They also explained to me that if the pen name became something entirely unique, if I
want to function under both names, they mandated a business account with both names indicated. Contracts will have to contain both names. You are not legal to enter agreements with any name other than one that is legal. But when it comes to platform and marketing, people these days want a face with a name. How much do you trust a social media invitation if there is no avatar or photo, and just a blank space?
You want to see who is behind that entity. If you want a hard wall between your real and pen name, then you'll find it complicated to juggle those balls. You'll have to work hard to keep them apart in spite of the faces on each name being the same. It doesn't take but a couple of mistakes or "otherwise known as" mentions from readers and the hidden identity is revealed. The mask is off. Your readers might feel betrayed. For copyright's sake, and to maintain tighter ownership, register under both names, but then, again, you let the public know both names. Frankly, it might be better to use your pen name under a legal entity like an LLC, Limited Liability Corporation. Maybe you have a too common name or too hard-to-spell name, prompting a pen name. That might be reason enough to weather the other complications. Remember, even JK Rowling was unable to keep her pen name of Robert Galbraith a secret. And everyone knows who JD Robb really is. |
Are you ready to write a book but have no idea where to begin? Do you find yourself procrastinating instead of moving your project forward? Join Ignite Your Write’s virtual community, where you’ll find small cohorts of writers supporting each other at every stage of the creative process. Whether you are an established or an emerging writer, through Ignite workshops you’ll learn more about
what makes your story tick and build a robust foundation for your work. Using tested methods developed by Amherst Writers and Artists facilitators Anita Allen and Claire Sheridan, you’ll find the peer support, accountability, and flexibility you need to take your project to the next level. Visit Ignite Your Write to learn about current offerings. Sign up for our email newsletter to get notified about upcoming workshops and early bird specials. - September 4, 2023 - Night Harbor Book Club, Night Harbor S/D Rec Center, Chapin, SC - 7-9 PM
- September 14, 2023 - Chapin Library, 129 Columbia, Ave, Chapin, SC - 1-3 PM - open to the public
- October 2, 2023 - Night Harbor Book Club, Night Harbor S/D Rec Center, Chapin, SC - 7-9 PM (Hope will be moderating this
night)
- October 5, 2023 - Richland County Cooper Library, 5317 N. Trenholm Rd, Columbia, SC - 6:30-9 PM - open to the public
- October 26, 2023 - Podcast - Everyone Has a Story: True Tales from Everyday Life - guest C. Hope Clark
- December 9, 2023 - Triangle Sisters in Crime Zoom - Gary W. Clark, Sr
talks about crime solving and Hope's books - 1:30-2:30 PM
- June 1-8, 2024 - The Gutsy Great Novelist
Retreat, Bar Harbor, Maine - writer-in-residence
Email: [email protected] to schedule events, online or otherwise. There's starting to be life out there! “Nothing is so wretched or foolish as to anticipate misfortunes. What madness is it to be expecting evil before it comes.” – Seneca
If you have a success story you believe was prompted
by FundsforWriters, please share with us! Send to [email protected]
Uncle Sam Is My Most Lucrative Technical Writing Client |
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By Juliane Bergmann It was never my dream to become a technical writer for government. However, government clients like the Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and Montana State University have taught me a valuable skillset and provided me with steady bread and butter for seven years, allowing time for personal writing projects. You don't need an advanced degree or decades of experience. I graduated simply with a BA in Communication Studies. Working in marketing and communications for companies with tech-enabled products and services (think devices that require software or electronics components), I learned how to write content to appeal to a niche technical audience. I mostly focused on military and medical
technology. These projects introduced me to TechLink, a DoD and VA partnership intermediary affiliated with my local university. Partnership intermediaries like TechLink help DoD and VA transfer their intellectual property to private companies that can then turn the ideas into tangible products. If your eyes are glazing over, grab a coffee. While it’s an acronym-heavy world, once you take advantage of these opportunities, you will never be a starving
writer! With the knowledge I acquired, I started my own business to enable myself to accept contracts providing these technical writing services to TechLink. Some of my tasks include writing: Marketing materials with a technical slant I write website and social media copy, email newsletters, fact sheets, and long-form guides for an audience of tech
startups and entrepreneurs. If you're interested in emerging technology and love explaining how stuff works, you could be a good fit. Technology briefs I review patents, extract relevant information, and translate the benefits into lay terms. Patents can be tricky to digest—imagine a cross between a legal contract and a medical textbook, sometimes illustrated with what appears to be a
four-year-old's hand-drawn doodle. However, I also get to learn about new inventions and emerging technology which makes me proud of American ingenuity. See this example of a tech brief about a thermal imaging system. Partnership success stories I interview entrepreneurs, inventors, and industry and military leaders, to learn about their technology, collaboration, and resulting commercial
success. Check out this example of a company licensing an Air Force patent to develop a life-saving software tool inspired by Amazon. Where do you start? You'll need specific government registrations, certificates, and insurance, and meet certain encryption and security standards. It can feel like an overwhelming amount of paperwork to start, but it's been well worth it for me. The Small
Business Administration (SBA) explains the basic requirements, and USA.gov offers a helpful guide on how to get started. Government contracting is one area of my business where the networking, patience, and effort required, have rewarded me with an outstanding return on investment. These are some ways I've gained government-affiliated clients: • Offer your services to
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) applicants and recipients. SBIR is a government program awarding grants to small companies for research and product development. For example, SBIR-funded research enabled the advancement of LASIK eye surgery and the Roomba vacuum. These startups or entrepreneurs often need help creating proposals, reports, and investor pitches. SBIR awardee data, including contact information, is publicly available on SBIR.gov. • Approach economic development organizations with your writing services. They're usually well-connected with industry clusters, government organizations, and universities. You can find listings for your state through the US. Economic Development Administration. • Consider becoming a subcontractor to another company that already holds government contracts. That means less hassle for
you because the general contractor must maintain all the government registrations and certifications. You can find a database of companies that received a contract (and its scope of work) on Sam.gov. The work pays exceptionally well and has kept me busy for years. Depending on specific services and project scope, I make $80 - $95/hr. Once I proved my skills, word spread. Multiple departments can use your
services under the same contract or amend the agreement to request additional services. Multi-year contracts are the norm, and renewing or amending the contract only takes a signature without jumping through all the initial hoops again. While it's true that government contracting requires a lot of patience and effort, for me, it has outperformed every other client in profitability and longevity. Bio:
Juliane Bergmann is a technical writer for Montana State University, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. As a book coach, ghostwriter, and editor, she's guided nine first-time authors through the ideation and creation of their non-fiction books spanning memoir, entrepreneurship, business development, psychedelics, healthcare, IT, immigration, coaching, and
leadership. Juliane's work has appeared in: Mamalode, The Writing Cooperative, CRY Magazine, A Parent Is Born, The Bozeman Daily Chronicle, and The Scarlett Letter. She was named a semi-finalist in the 2021 Medium Writing Challenge for her essay How To Become A More Selfish Parent. Juliane offers free writing resources at https://julianebergmann.ghost.io/
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OPRELLE MATTER 2023 POETRY CONTEST
https://oprelle.com/pages/2023-matter-poetry-contest-rules-and-regulations
$10 ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 29, 2023. First place $300 in cash winnings. Award Certificate, feature on Oprelle, and publication. Second place Award Certificate, feature on Oprelle, and publication. Third Award Certificate, feature on Oprelle, and publication. All poems that become finalists will be presented in the Matter XXIII anthology. Open to writers aged 14 and up with original poems. Both published and unpublished poetry are
accepted. AESTHETICA
https://aestheticamagazine.com/creative-writing-award/
ENTRY FEE £12 (GBP – pounds sterling) for one Poetry entry and £18 (GBP – pounds sterling) for one
Short Fiction entry. Deadline August 31, 2023. (Deadline extended to September 5 at the entry fees of £16 poetry and £22 Short Fiction. Aesthetica is looking for the best new writing talent. The £5,000 international literary prize is open to poetry and short fiction entries on any theme, celebrating innovation in content and form. This is an international competition and there is no age limit; we welcome work from entrants of all ages and nationalities. THE FORGE LITERARY MAGAZINE COMPETITION
https://forgelitmag.com/competition/
$5 ENTRY FEE. Submissions open September 1st each year with the submission window closing on September 14th or
when we reach our Submittable limit. Categories are flash fiction and flash nonfiction. In 2023, the first-place winners will be awarded $1,000.00 (writers who reside outside the United States must be able to receive payment via PayPal) and publication. Additional prizes might be offered at our discretion. Only one piece per writer per category (writers can submit one piece each to our fiction and nonfiction categories). WRITERS ONLINE MONTHLY CONTEST
https://www.writers-online.co.uk/writing-competitions/age/
£ 7.50 ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 15, 2023. This month we're asking you to write a story that involves some aspect of age.
Young age, middle age, old age - how will you convey them in your fiction, and how will it influence the story you choose to tell? Your story should be 1,500-1,700 words. The winner will receive £200 and publication in Writing Magazine, with £50 and publication in Competition Showcase for the runner-up. Entry is open to any writer. EARTH'S FINAL CHAPTER
CONTEST
https://www.endlessinkbooks.com/blogs/news/1st-details-efc-short-story-contest-2023
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 25, 2023. Word count 5,000-8,000. Open genre - EFC is a cross genre fiction, use any genre or mix thereof! First place- $700 (USD).
Three runners-up- $150 each (USD). The Earth’s Final Chapter series is made for fiction fans 17 and older, with a wide range of genres, characters, and settings, enough to entertain adult fiction fans of all ages. SOUTHWARD EDITOR'S POETRY AWARD
https://munsterlit.ie/southwordeditoraward/
€20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 30, 2023. Grand prize €1000 for the best entry of three poems. Open to writers from around the world. GRANTS / FELLOWSHIP / CROWDFUNDING HARVEST WRITERS RETREAT (MAINE)
https://www.mainewriters.org/harvest-writers-retreat
Deadline September 18,
2023. The 2023 Harvest Writers Retreat is a long weekend of workshops, seminars, readings, and writing at the stunning and historic Santosha, an inn and retreat center in a newly renovated Gilded Age estate in Kingfield, two hours from Portland and ninety minutes from Bangor. The Dibner Fellowship will cover the full cost of those chosen to attend the Harvest Writing Retreat. Every applicant must submit an application, statement of intent, and work sample. VERMONT ARTIST DEVELOPMENT GRANTS
https://www.vermontartscouncil.org/grants/find-a-grant/artists/artist-development/
Deadlines Sept. 26, 2023 and Jan. 30,
2024. Artist Development Grants support Vermont artists at all stages of their careers. Grants can fund activities that enhance mastery of an artist’s craft or skills or that increase the viability of an artist’s business. Funding may also support aspects of the creation of new work when the activity allows the grantee to accept a rare and important opportunity. RHODE ISLAND COMMUNITY ENGAGED PROJECT GRANTS
https://arts.ri.gov/grants/community-engaged-project-grants
Deadline October 1, 2023. RISCA Community Engaged Project Grants (CEPG) provide grants of up to $3,000 in support of arts and culture projects that directly
and actively engage Rhode Island residents. Projects must be artist instigated and organized, outside of institutional support and structures. Open to projects of all arts disciplines, from artists and creatives of all levels, these experiences should welcome non- or new- artists to engage in making, experiencing, or learning about art as an active participant. The project should directly benefit the public in Rhode Island and/or engage a specific Rhode Island community. A deep impact on a small
number of people is equally as valuable as an event that many people attend. Award Amount: $500 to $3,000. DRY TORTUGAS NATIONAL PARK RESIDENCIES
https://nationalparksartsfoundation.submittable.com/submit
Deadline September 29, 2023. Those chosen will spend a month alone in a house on Loggerhead Key, Florida with all sorts of tropical flora and fauna. Open to all artists, writers, musicians, or performance artists. Sponsored by the Key West Art and Historical Society. Artist stipend $4,000. Couples are allowed. PRINCETON ARTS FELLOWSHIPS
https://arts.princeton.edu/fellowships/princeton-arts-fellowship/
Deadline September 12, 2023. Princeton Arts Fellowships, funded in part by The Andrew W. Mellon
Foundation, David E. Kelley Society of Fellows in the Arts, and the Maurice R. Greenberg Scholarship Fund, will be awarded to artists whose achievements have been recognized as demonstrating extraordinary promise in any area of artistic practice and teaching. Applicants should be early career visual artists, filmmakers, poets, novelists, playwrights, designers, directors and performance artists—this list is not meant to be exhaustive—who would find it beneficial to spend two years teaching and
working in an artistically vibrant university community. JENTEL RESIDENCIES
https://jentelarts.org/
Deadline September 15, 2023. The Jentel Artist Residency Program offers dedicated
individuals a supportive environment in which to further their creative development. Here artists and writers experience unfettered time to allow for thoughtful reflection and meditation on the creative process in a setting that preserves the agricultural and historical integrity of the land. Location Banner, Wyoming. Any visual artist or writer over 25 currently residing in the United States or any U.S. citizen living abroad is eligible. Individuals currently enrolled in an academic institution
are ineligible to apply. NEBRASKA INDIVIDUAL ARTIST FELLOWSHIPS
https://www.artscouncil.nebraska.gov/apply/individual-artist-fellowship/
Deadline
November 15, 2023. The Individual Artist Fellowship program recognizes artists in Nebraska. Fellowship recipients are chosen by a professional panel according to the merit of their work. Funds must be used for the creation of new art, presentations, training, and/or research. The fellowship program rotates among three umbrella categories of artistic achievement: literature (fiction, non-fiction, poetry); filmmaking and performing arts (choreography, playwriting, composition,
interdisciplinary performance); and visual arts (painting/drawing, photography, ceramics, installation, mixed media, printmaking, glass, sculpture, textiles, video). Applicants may be awarded between $1,000 and $5,000. CLEVELAND REVIEW OF BOOKS
https://www.clereviewofbooks.com/pitches-submissions
Deadline October 1, 2023. We
publish reviews, essays, interviews, and excerpts. While we are especially committed to publishing writing on, about, and from Cleveland and Ohio, as well as the Rust Belt and greater Midwest, regional connection is by no means a requirement. Our conception of what criticism is and can be is purposefully expansive, generous, and open. We publish writers at all stages of their careers, regardless of publication history. Rates start at $250. NEW MUSIC BOX
https://newmusicusa.org/nmbx/how-to-pitch-newmusicbox/
NewMusicBox is currently seeking smart, original, short essays (< 1500 words) from members of the music community. NewMusicBox is deeply committed to
highlighting new music communities across the United States and encourages contributors to write about the vibrancy of their local scene. Pays up to $500 per article. THE THIRTYONE
https://www.thethirtyone.co/
A nod to the Proverbs passage, The ThirtyOne reflects the widespread interests of today’s women of faith. News and Reported Pieces. Cover Stories and Feature Profiles. Opinions and Editorials. Beauty. Fashion. Arts. Books. Entertainment. Food. Love and Relationships. Parenting and Family. Health and Wellness. Professional Development and Personal Growth. …all rooted in progressive theological principles. New content uploads every Thursday. Pitch Candice Marie Benbow,
Creator at [email protected]. This is a new publication. Pays roughly $400. Looking for stories of faith, growth and personal development. GLUG MAGAZINE
https://www.beer52.com/glug
Pitch Richard
Croasdale, Editor at [email protected] with a one-paragraph synopsis. Pays writers 23p per word. Seeks creative ideas around wine: drinking it, loving it, eating with it, travelling for it, making it. Glug is a new wine magazine from the team behind Ferment. WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST LEAVE
https://cursedmorsels.com/submission-calls/
Deadline August 31, 2023. An anthology of original horror short fiction. Stories that focus on all the possible reasons why people don’t just leave haunted places – including finances, family, legal
restrictions, health, etc. Stories about “ordinary” people and places (including apartments, workplaces, schools, military bases, hospitals, churches, etc.) as well as extraordinary situations. Limit 500 – 5,000 words. Payment ten cents/word and a copy. HEARTLINES
https://www.heartlines-spec.com/submission-guidelines/
Accepting submissions in December, May, and September. Looking for short fiction and poetry focused on long-term relationships: platonic, romantic, or familial. We don't want the blaze of new love or the obsession of a new friend. We want pieces that show that comfort that develops when people know each
other for years. Payment is $0.08 CAD per word for short fiction (1,000-3,500 words) and $60 CAD flat per poem. Since Heartlines Spec is primarily a Canadian magazine, we're looking to feature writers identifying as being from Canada/Turtle Island. This includes expats, refugees and displaced people living in Canada, new immigrants, and people who refuse/resist Canadian Identity. Stories - 1,000-3,500 words. Poetry: send up to five pieces per submission. No AI-generated
pieces. THE BLAIR PARTNERSHIP
https://www.theblairpartnership.com/literary-submissions/
If you would like one of our agents to
look at your story, please check that it fits in with the genre your chosen agent is looking for and then follow the instructions. Please do not submit any material that has been generated wholly or partially by AI. We’re a full-service agency for clients across fiction, nonfiction, children’s & YA as well as across entertainment, broadcast, speaking and more. PARK & FINE LITERARY AGENCY
https://parkfine.com/about-us/
Park & Fine Literary and Media is a literary agency designed to discover and support bestselling authors across categories and genres, who require a uniquely robust kind of representation. NORTHBANK TALENT
https://www.northbanktalent.com/about/
Northbank Talent Management is a talent and literary agency based in central London representing thought leaders, broadcasters, writers and content creators across all media
throughout the world. Our team has decades of collective experience in the publishing, broadcast, brand licensing and corporate speaking industries which makes for a powerful offering in full-service talent representation. HIGH LINE LITERARY AGENCY
https://www.highlineliterary.com/submissions
If you would like one of our agents to look at your story, please check that it fits in with the genre your chosen agent is looking for and then follow the instructions. Standing at the cross-section between art and commerce, the agents at High Line Literary Collective facilitate thriving, vibrant careers for writers, artists and creators. Located in the heart of
Manhattan. TRIANGLE HOUSE LITERARY
https://www.triangle.house/
Triangle House Literary is a boutique literary agency representing distinctive leading voices in contemporary fiction and
nonfiction. THE DEBORAH HARRIS AGENCY
https://www.thedeborahharrisagency.com/
The agency represents worldwide publishing and dramatic rights of Israeli, Palestinian and international authors,
writers of fiction and nonfiction, including high-profile personalities in the fields of science, business, politics and history. In addition, the agency acts as sub-agents for numerous publishers and agencies overseas for representation to Israeli publishing houses. THE BOOK GROUP
http://www.thebookgroup.com/submissionguidelines
When you’re ready to send us your submission, please email a query letter and 10 sample pages to [email protected]. Please include the name of the agent to whom you are submitting in the subject line of your query email. To learn more about what each agent at The Book Group is looking for, please visit the
“Staff” section of our website. You are welcome to submit to more than one agent at once at The Book Group; please let us know that you’ve submitted to multiple agents on our team in the body of your query letter. While we represent a broad range of fiction and nonfiction, we do not represent theatrical work, or screenplays. Please forward the newsletter in its entirety. To reprint any editorials, contact [email protected] for permission. Do not assume that acknowledgements listed in your publication is considered a valid right to publish out of ours.
C. Hope Clark
E-mail: [email protected]
140-A Amicks Ferry Road #4
Chapin, SC 29036
http://www.fundsforwriters.com Copyright 2000-2023, C. Hope Clark
ISSN: 1533-1326 **Note that FundsforWriters.com places paid advertising in this
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