VOLUME 23, ISSUE 48 | DECEMBER 8, 2023 |
THE MOST COMMON
QUESTION The question asked most of me is: How do you organize your day to accomplish what you do? I probably never answer it the same any two times. There isn't an A-B-C or step-by-step response to that. However, I will try to list how I get things done and see if you can find some
semblance of takeaway value in the middle of it all. - Deadlines come first. However, if they are big project deadlines, you must create little deadlines to break it up since it can't be accomplished in one sitting. A novel, for instance. I have a deadline for it, but to create 95,000 words I write 1000 per day. The FundsforWriters newsletter goes out every Friday. A freelance publication I write for likes 3-4
articles every six months. Another would like 304 every quarter. A lot of times just having deadlines prioritizes things.
- Paid gigs take priority over unpaid ones. Enough said. I write for free for one publication for personal reasons, but they don't always get their articles as early as the paid gigs do.
- Write daily. You can develop a calendar or habit or prioritize your writing assignments if you
don't know that you'll be reporting to work.
- Write ahead of yourself. Write 2000 words instead of the 1000. Send in two blog articles instead of one. Buy yourself down time if you expect to need it. If something unusual happens, then be prepared to pay for it with more writing to get back on track.
- Tell people you have writing to do. People do not realize the hours it takes to write for a living, so
when they ask for your time, and you don't have it to give, then say no. Pretty soon you'll be amazed at how much more they respect you as a writer if you appear to always be, you know, writing.
- Make room for research, marketing, and pitching, but you cannot let it consume your day to the point it eats into the writing. That legwork is still not writing.
- Ignore writers block. Show up and
write.
Tomorrow if you ask me this question I might have other pearls of wisdom, but I know what I know. . . that I chose to be a writer, therefore, I chose to show up to work and do the job. To do less is choosing not to be that writer. |
C. Hope Clark
Editor, FundsforWriters
Email Hope | Visit Website | Sign up for Newsletter
Newsletter: ISSN: 1533-1326
FFW
has proudly been on the Writer's Digest's 101 Best Websites for Writers list every year since 2000
Our subscriber list is NOT made available to others. Use information listed at your own risk. FundsforWriters gives no warranty to completeness, accuracy, or fitness of the markets, contests, and grants although research is done to the best of our ability. FundsforWriters finds open submission calls, contests, and markets from a wide variety of sources, including Erika Dreifus' Practicing Writer newsletter, Erica Verrillo's blog, Authors Publish, Poets & Writers, Duotrope, Winning Writers, Write Jobs Plus, LinkedIn Jobs, Emily Stoddard, and other newsletters and
online sites. Many announcements are submitted directly to FundsforWriters from active contests, journals, magazines, publishers, residencies, and grant providers. All must be paying opportunities. Contests must pay a minimum of $200 first place. Submit potential listings to [email protected]
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ONLY YOU CAN MAKE YOURSELF HAPPY
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I read a site called Letters of Note that posts common letters from famous and uncommon people, and this week they posted one from Norman Lear who recently died at 101. He wrote and produced fantastic material way ahead of his time, dealing with the social mores of society and making it comical with a serious message. All in the Family was one. Maude, The Jeffersons, Mary Hartman, then the movies like Fried Green Tomatoes. In the letter this website posted from him to a
fan's daughter, we see just how well he views the human condition. https://news.lettersofnote.com/p/only-lisa-can-make-lisa-happy Bottom line, be happy doing the thing you love. Only you can do you. And only you can know what it is you can do in order to make yourself happy. Not what others wish you would do. Not what you think will make others happy. Only the thing
that you adore doing that makes you more in love with yourself. This does not, however, mean becoming the best. It means doing your best. It means going through life enjoying the journey of doing what makes you a better you to yourself and everyone else. It means measuring your successes not against others but against yourself. Have you done better. When you don't, learn from it. Enjoy your life making success and making happiness for yourself. As he says, "Success is a question of
how you collect your minutes." As writers it isn't about the number of copies sold. It's about the small collection of successes getting to publication, or maybe no more than the number of successes in writing your dream story. Again, it's about being true to yourself and what makes you happy. But the biggest suggestion in this being true to yourself is this: Go through life trusting and not wary. At least in trusting more, even if you get stung, you got involved and
participated. In being wary, you easily miss out on so much. Write for you first. Publish for you first. Don't measure your success against or through the eyes of others. Only you can make yourself happy.
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Join Ignite Your Write's online community. In our live weekly meetings, you'll find small cohorts of supportive writers, along with time and inspiration to stoke your
creative fire. Whether you're an established or emerging writer, in Ignite's workshops you'll learn more about what makes your story tick. Using tested methods developed by Amherst Writers and Artists facilitators Anita Allen and Claire Sheridan, you'll find support, accountability, and the flexibility you need to take your project to the next level. Visit Ignite Your Write to learn about our offerings. While you're there, sign up for our email newsletter to get notified about upcoming workshops and early bird specials. - December 9, 2023 - Signing, The Coffee Shelf, 130 Amicks Ferry Rd, Chapin, SC - 8-12 AM
- 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 - December 23, 2023 - Signing Edisto Bookstore, Edisto Island, SC - 1-3 PM
- June 1-8, 2024 - The Gutsy Great Novelist Retreat, Bar Harbor, Maine - writer-in-residence - July 9, 2024 - South Congaree-Pine Ridge Branch Library, 200 Sunset Dr, West Columbia, SC 29172 - 5:30-7:00
PM
Email: [email protected] to schedule events, online or otherwise. There's starting to be life out
there! The main rule of writing is that if you do it with enough assurance and confidence, you’re allowed to do whatever you like.
~Neil Gaiman
Dear Hope,
I truly appreciate your newsletter and I have been reading it for years. I submitted by poetry manuscript, Questions in Jamaican Patois, to the 2022 New Women's Voices Chapbook Competition. I am so excited to let you know that my manuscript was published this month by Finishing Line Press (https://www.finishinglinepress.com/product/questions-in-jamaican-patois-by-yasmin-morais/) Thanks so much for all you do Hope! Yasmin Morais
Author of Questions in Jamaican Patois, and From Cane Field to the Sea
Yasmin's Pen
Poets of the Caribbean
<<If you have a success story you believe was prompted by FundsforWriters, please share with us! Send to [email protected] >>
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The Hows and Whys of Cowriting
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By Alex J. Coyne A byline doesn’t have to stay single forever. Cowriting happens when writers put their thoughts together for articles or stories. Here’s more about the hows and whys of cowriting with another person, and how to make it work on paper. Why Cowriting is Useful Cowriting means that writing
responsibilities are split, and it can take a lot of the pressure off a lone author. I’ve spent a lot of time writing alone, but have also worked with other talented ones
who have helped create some fantastic writing pieces. Simply, it helps. I’ve had days where I just can’t think, but the deadline stays the same -- and comes closer by the minute. That’s where I’ll tag in a cowriter and say, “Could you look this over and add your thoughts?” Mistakes are less likely, and a cowriter will always
have something useful to add (that you may have missed out on). The Pitch Writing for two means that you should include two names in the pitch phase. Each author has their own strengths, and thoughts to add. This can make a more powerful, detailed pitch to editors -- if cowriters can collaborate well enough to put ideas together. Agree on who leads in pitching emails, and check ideas with your other half first. It’s embarrassing when an idea gets approved by the editor, and your partner says, “Not a chance I’m writing that!” But it can happen without agreement on what you’ll write about. Keeping Track [Who Wrote What?] Cowriting can make it difficult to distinguish between one writer and the
other. We call it the Beatles-problem. Strawberry Fields gets credited to several authors, but it’s almost impossible to know which lines go with whom. Solutions we’ve used include: • Quotation marks,
• Specific headers or side panels,
• Font changes (for drafts and outlines) This way it’s
always clear, and each writer has accountability for their own contribution. Last-Minute Changes Rushed changes can be necessary before sending or publication. It can be a simple spelling mistake, but changes might also be more serious. For one feature, my cowriter said: “Use my words for this one, but don’t put my name on it.” The editor was okay with the change, but I had to make sure the team knew about this edit by Monday morning. Can you imagine the disaster if this change had missed deadline? Agree with your cowriter on how these last-minute changes will be handled. We’ve developed our own system, where there’s always a day (or two) to read something over before it goes live. Editing with Someone
Else All writers edit, but editing with another person is different -- and sometimes, an important voice of reason and logic. There’s a lot of back-and-forth between my cowriter and I during the process. Usually, we’ll both look over a draft when there’s a gap in our schedules (and leave comments in a document we can both access). Documents can be shared
through platforms like Dropbox, Google Drive, or Slack with ease: right click on
files or folders, and make the document ‘shareable’ with the correct user. Share Permissions is the setting you’re looking for. “I’d like to add...” or “remove this” are sentences you’ll both use a lot. One more industry tip: tools like Google Translate can be a help when a cowriter isn’t Afrikaans, for instance, but the article you’re both working on is. Where Credit is Due For a feature about Dalene Matthee (Taalgenoot Autumn issue 2023), my cowriter remained uncredited, but helped me to keep my notes and sanity together on a particularly chaotic day. Comparing Knysna-forest wood to courtroom buildings was part of her input. Sometimes, we’ll add
side-panels instead: ‘‘I Was Stalked’ for People
Magazine was a feature that required my cowriter Inger’s input along with source interviews. Copyright is shared where cowriting credit is given: respective parts, are copyrighted to the authors (but can still be transferred, like first-use rights, to publications). Partner’s Final Sign-Off In a
partnership, the final sign-off should be from both parties: are you both happy with the piece? Record the mutual agreement -- for every article. We use comments, or discuss as we go, but make sure that either of us can refer back to where we talked about what. A verbal agreement isn’t enough, and gets difficult to agree over. Set your terms on paper, deciding on how you’ll mark individual input, handle
cowriting disputes, and split royalties. Shared Writing Responsibility Cowriters and I always know exactly how responsibility will be split. This way, we continue to get along well! We both have busy schedules and separate writing, so we coordinate carefully. Schedule clashes could mean that one writer feels overwhelmed -- and cutting down the pressure
is a major advantage of working and writing with another person. I've done some cowriting in bridge too, like an interview with Oryah Meir about women in bridge with Erikas from Bridgescanner collaborating with me to make the feature easier to handle! Sometimes writing needs help. Shared writing responsibility can also, sometimes, mean ghostwriting but keep track of contributions, or you’ll have a lot of admin
figuring out who-did-what later. Bio: Alex J. Coyne is a gonzo journalist, writer, and proofreader. Sometimes, he is joined by his cowriters. His features have been published in a wide array of international publications, like People Magazine, The Citizen, Caribbean Compass, and Writers Write.
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LEFTY BLONDIE PRESS FIRST CHAPBOOK AWARD
https://www.leftyblondiepress.com/
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline January 1 - March 31, 2024. Lefty Blondie Press will print 250 carefully
edited, handbound, hand-cut, and hand-numbered chapbooks for the winner. The poet of the winning manuscript will receive: $250, 10 (ten) author copies, 40 percent off any additional author copies. LBP will promote finalists and the winning chapbook widely on the website, social media, and other outlets. Submit 18-24 pages of poetry. We welcome chapbook submissions from poets who are age 40 years and older, self-identify as a woman, are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, writing in English,
currently living in the U.S., and have not published a chapbook, collection, or full-length book in any genre. (Thanks Poets & Writers newsletter - www.pw.org) MINOTAUR BOOKS/ MYSTERY WRITERS OF AMERICA FIRST CRIME NOVEL
https://us.macmillan.com/minotaurbooks/submit-manuscript/
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline December 15, 2023. The Competition is open to any writer, regardless of nationality, aged 18 or older, who has never been the author of any Published Novel (in any genre). All Manuscripts submitted must be original works of book length (no less than 220 typewritten pages or approximately 60,000 words) written in the English
language. If a winner is selected, Minotaur Books will offer to enter into its standard form author’s agreement with the entrant for publication of the winning Manuscript. After execution of the standard form author’s agreement by both parties, the winner will receive an advance against future royalties of $10,000. ALICE FAY DI CASTAGNOLA AWARD
https://poetrysociety.org/awards/annual-awards/poetry-society-of-america-awards
$15 ENTRY FEE UNLESS MEMBER OF POETRY SOCIETY. Deadline December 31, 2023. For 10 pages of poetry from a manuscript-in-progress. First prize $1,000. GEORGE BOGIN MEMORIAL AWARD
https://poetrysociety.org/awards/annual-awards/poetry-society-of-america-awards
$15 ENTRY FEE. Free to members. Deadline December 31, 2023. For a selection of four or five poems that use language in an original way
to reflect the encounter of the ordinary and the extraordinary and to take a stand against oppression in any of its forms. First prize $500. LUCILLE MEDWICK MEMORIAL AWARD
https://poetrysociety.org/awards/annual-awards/poetry-society-of-america-awards
$10 ENTRY FEE. Free to members. Deadline December 31, 2023. For a single prose poem. Prize $500. LYRIC POETRY AWARD
https://poetrysociety.org/awards/annual-awards/poetry-society-of-america-awards
$10 ENTRY FEE. Free to members. Deadline December 31, 2023. For a single lyric poem on any subject. First prize $500. CECIL HEMLEY MEMORIAL
AWRD
https://poetrysociety.org/awards/annual-awards/poetry-society-of-america-awards
$10 ENTRY FEE. Free to members. Deadline December 31, 2023. For a single narrative poem. First prize $500. THE WRITER MAGAZINE/EMILY DICKINSON AWARD
https://poetrysociety.org/awards/annual-awards/poetry-society-of-america-awards
$10 ENTRY FEE. Free to members. Deadline December 31, 2023. First prize $250. For a short poem, no longer than 16
lines. TRIO HOUSE PRESS AWARD FOR FIRST OR SECOND BOOK OF POETRY
https://triohousepress.submittable.com/submit
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 15, 2024. The Trio Award for First or Second Book is only open
to poets with fewer than two books published. Poetry manuscripts must be 48-70 pages of poetry (excluding title page, table of contents, and all front matter), written in English by a poet residing within the U.S.; prose manuscripts must be 80,000 words or fewer. No submissions from those living outside of the United States. LOUISE BOGAN AWARD
https://triohousepress.submittable.com/submit
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 15, 2024. The Louise Bogan Award for Artistic Merit and Excellence is open to ALL poets, regardless of publication history. Poetry manuscripts must be 48-70 pages of poetry, written in English by a poet residing within the U.S.; prose manuscripts must be 80,000 words or fewer. No
submissions from those living outside of the United States. BEING JEWISH ON CAMPUS
https://www.hartman.org.il/jewish-on-campus-writing-challenge/
Deadline December 31,
2023. We are currently accepting submissions of 1500-2000 word essays written by Jewish college students that describe an aspect of Jewish life on your campus and then explore what it means to you and what it might mean for other Jews. We are looking for a variety of perspectives, and we want to hear from you, no matter what your Jewish background is, where you go to school, or what you’re studying! Open to students enrolled at 2- or 4-year colleges and universities in the United States and
Canada. Up to four writers will receive $500 and have the opportunity to work with editor Claire E. Sufrin to prepare their essays for publication in the Spring 2024 issue of Sources: A Journal of Jewish Ideas. (Thanks to Erika Dreifus/The Practicing Writer Newsletter) ENCORE AWARD
https://rsliterature.org/the-encore-award/
NO ENTRY FEE. An annual award of £10,000 for the best second novel. The Encore Award is open to second novels, published in the current calendar year. Only publishers or agents based in the UK or Republic or Ireland may enter works, which must be by writers who are citizens of the UK or Republic of Ireland. GRANTS / FELLOWSHIP / CROWDFUNDING BRIO LITERARY ARTS GRANTS
https://www.bronxarts.org/grants/bronx-recognizes-its-own/m/grants/bronx-recognizes-its-own/
Deadline
December 18, 2023. Bronx Recognizes Its Own (BRIO) provides direct support to individual Bronx artists who create works in literary, media, visual, and performing arts. BCA awards grants of up to $5,000 to Bronx artists each year, based on artistic merit. MISS SARAH FELLOWSHIP
https://www.trilliumartsnc.org/writing-fellowships-guidelines
Deadline January 9, 2024. The “Miss Sarah” Fellowship for Black Women Writers aims to provide Black women writers a restful environment conducive to reflection and writing. It also offers uninterrupted, independent time to plant the seed of an idea for a new writing project or
to develop or complete a project underway. Black women writers at any stage of their careers are invited to apply. For applicants outside of the United States, please note that travel expenses will only be covered within the United States. International airfare will be at the expense of the applicant.There is no application fee. The selected writer will receive a ten-day solo residency in July 2024 and can choose whether to stay at Trillium Arts’ rural “Firefly Creek” apartment in Mars Hills, NC
or at E. Patrick Johnson and Stephen Lewis’ “Montford Manor” residence near downtown Asheville, NC. Participants will receive a $1,000 stipend and transportation to and from Asheville, NC. Additional benefits will be custom tailored to the needs of the awardee. VERMONT ARTIST DEVELOPMENT GRANTS
https://www.vermontartscouncil.org/grants/find-a-grant/artists/artist-development/
Deadline January 30, 2024. Artist Development Grants support Vermont artists at all stages of their careers. Grants can fund activities that enhance the mastery of an artist’s craft or skills; or activities 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 applicant to accept a rare and important opportunity. Maximum grant award is $2,000. ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND
https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/dycp
Deadline December 14, 2023. Funding available to support individuals in the UK who are cultural and creative practitioners and want to take time to focus on their creative development. Amounts up to £12,000. BARABRA DEMING MEMORIAL FUND
https://demingfund.org/apply-pd-11.php
Support grants ($500 - $2000) to individual feminist women in the arts with primary residence in the US and Canada.
NARRATIVELY: LIFE IN THE AGE OF EXTREMES
https://www.narratively.com/p/call-for-pitches-life-in-the-age-of-extremes
Deadline December 29,
2023. This special series will fund big, ambitious reporting projects that shine a light on where the human race is heading now, and that help us peer into the future. We’re seeking stories about real people living through unique aspects of this “Age of Extremes.” A harrowing story of unlikely survival through climate catastrophe. Thanks to funding from the Narrative Storytelling Initiative at Arizona State University, rates for these articles will start at $2,000 per
story. BRIARPATCH
https://briarpatchmagazine.com/announcements/view/call-for-pitches-may-june-2024
Deadline January 2, 2024. We are looking for investigative
journalism, interviews, feature articles, narrative reporting, project profiles, comics and graphic texts, book reviews, and photo essays that are rooted in anti-colonial, anti-capitalist, feminist struggle. Pays $150 – Profiles, short essays, book reviews, and parting shots (generally 1,500 words or less); $250 – Feature stories (generally 1,500-2,000 words) and photo essays; and $350 – Research-based articles and investigative reporting (generally 2,000-2,500 words). (Thanks https://thewritersjob.beehiiv.com/) NORTH SAILS
https://www.northsails.com/en-us
Deadline January 8,
2024. Pitch Madalina Preda, Chief Sustainability Officer at [email protected]. Looking to commission articles for publication on northsails.com on topics connected to healthy oceans, marine conservation and regeneration, ocean exploration and adventure, and competition, performance and innovation inspired by the sea. Pays up to a dollar a word. Please
include a max 150 words pitch and published clips (if any). Use [Ocean Stories] as your subject line, followed by the title of the story. THE REVELATOR
https://therevelator.org/
The Revelator, a news and ideas initiative of the Center for
Biological Diversity, provides editorially independent reporting, analysis and stories at the intersection of politics, conservation, art, culture, endangered species, climate change, economics and the future of wild species, wild places and the planet. Payment starts at $300 and goes up to $500, with rates varying by complexity of the assignment. THE NATURIST
https://www.henaturist.net/contribute/
H&E Naturist magazine has an established editorial team and a series of regular contributors, but is always seeking fresh and invigorating naturist and naked-themed material for the only commercially distributed monthly naturist magazine in the world. All fees are by negotiation and agreed in writing in
advance. As a guideline, our standard fee is 10p per published word. Fees may depend on the quality and experience of the writer, and the longevity of their relationship with the magazine. HERA
https://www.herabooks.com/submissions/
We're looking for crime and thriller, romance, saga and general fiction of at least 80,000 words. Please note we are not publishing non fiction,
young adult or children’s fiction, poetry, science fiction and fantasy or short stories. Please send a one-page synopsis, the whole manuscript as a Word document and contact details to [email protected] VINSPIRE PUBLISHING
https://www.vinspirepublishing.com/opensubmissioncalls
Seeking unagented submissions for romances with mature heroes and heroines. We are looking for characters over the age of 45, preferably older, as we want to celebrate second chances at love (or even firsts in later years!). These are first and foremost romances. Secondary genres such as suspense and
inspirational will be considered. All submissions must adhere to family friendly policy. ALCOVE PRESS
https://alcovepress.com/contact-us/
Please send your query letter, along with the first two chapters of your manuscript pasted
in the body of your email, to [email protected]. Alcove Press is dedicated to publishing the stories and ideas that inspire, enlighten, and empower readers. From book club fiction and commercial novels to prescriptive and narrative nonfiction, our books embrace the joys, challenges, and diverse journeys that make up our human experience. BROTHER MOCKINGBIRD
https://www.brothermockingbird.net/submissions
Looking for Action/Adventure, Chick Lit, Commercial, Contemporary, Crime/Detective/Cozies, Historical, Horror, Humor/Satire, Literary, Multicultural, Mystery, Non-Fiction - select subjects (please inquire), Picture Books, Romance, Science Fiction, Suspense, Thriller, Upmarket, Western,
Women's Fiction, Young Adult. We do not publish anything that has been previously published. What we are NOT looking for: Erotica, Novellas, Southern Lit, Coming of Age, Middle Grade. 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 newsletter. ALL ads are related to writers and the
business of writing, screened by FundsforWriters to make sure the information is suitable for writers and their endeavors to improve their careers. While the mailing list is not sold to third parties, other parties do advertise in the newsletter, to include the occasional solo ad. You will not receive this newsletter without your permission. It's physically impossible since recipients must opt-in, giving us permission to send the newsletter. If at any time you no longer wish to receive the
newsletter, click the UNSUBSCRIBE link at the bottom of each newsletter. We want you to enjoy this newsletter at your pleasure, not be forced to read anything you do not wish to receive. Direct any complaints, suggestions, and accolades to Hope Clark at [email protected]. We are an anti-spam site. | |
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