VOLUME 24, ISSUE 23 | MAY 31 2024 |
Will You Be Missed? There are many reasons we write. - One is to be remembered when we're gone.
- Another is to be
admired.
- Another is to release a special story into the world.
- Another is to earn a living.
The truth is, when a writer passes away, they are soon forgotten. I loved Sue Grafton, for instance, but I see her books on thrift store and used
bookstore shelves all the time now. Except for the signed copies, I too donated my unsigned copies to make room on my shelves for new names, new titles. We read an author's books. We enjoy them at the time. Today, however, there are so many others to choose from that we move on easily to other books. Our names as authors may come and go . . . unless we are continually putting material out
there such that we remain a current and more active name. Writing is work. Whether you are a freelancer or a novelist, to be a recognized name, you have to deliver a sufficient quantity of material to keep you relevant. So unless you want to write one great tome in your lifetime, like Harper Lee (To Kill a Mockingbird) or JD Salinger (Catcher in the Rye), you keep returning to the keyboard. It's important to decide why you write, however, such that you can decide how to write from this point forward.
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Are you tired of writing into the void, but not interested in joining a writing group? Looking for high quality feedback, but not ready for the sticker shock that accompanies developmental editing? What if there was another option? Check out Ignite Your Write's newly bundled coaching packages! Your writing will receive focused, one-on-one attention, and you'll
receive caring, detailed, written feedback, and the accountability that comes from working with a skilled coach on an established schedule. Get a jump on your summer writing goals and propel your project forward. Availability is limited to ensure deep consideration for every writer's words. Funds for Writers readers enjoy a 10% discount on services using code: Funds10.
THE ARTICLE THAT GOT THROUGH
For my entire writing life I have responded to every submission to FundsforWriters. Even the ones that wrote about jewelry, food, travel, politics, and war. I am inundated with them, especially from counties in
the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. Before someone flares up about FFW not being open minded about other countries, let me set the record straight. We cater to writers where English is the first language. Yes, people in other countries read the newsletter, and they often benefit. A lot of our postings are international. But that doesn't mean I have to learn about the markets, grants, contests, or languages specific to other areas outside our normal realm. I don't have the time to become international in all things FFW. I write what I know and cater to the grand majority of my readers. They just happen to be in mainly the US, UK and Canada. Others are welcome to join, but they must be interested in what we offer, not me change what I do to adjust. I don't care to branch out. There's been an incredible increase in submissions from other countries in the last year. And though they deny it, most of them use AI in order to attempt to master English. They swear otherwise, even insert the statement I require professing they haven't used AI. However, I get several articles repeatedly, and you can tell they took wording from our guidelines and inserted into an AI program, because they all
sound the same. Well, and I am incredibly ashamed about the fact one article got through. They snared me talking about having achieved a fellowship. There was just enough accurate information in it to capture my interest. I had it on standby as I wrote back to the writer. Again, the minimum was there. It got published in the newsletter. It will NOT, however, appear on the site, and has been deleted
from the FFW newsletter archive. It didn't lie to readers, but it wasn't wholly truthful, either. From this point forward, anyone who writes anything that slightly hints of AI won't even receive a response. I've struggled to respond to everyone from anywhere for 25 years. Now these frauds are filling up my inbox. When I respond to them, saying they appear to have used AI, they make all sorts of
excuses or get mad. But if you are trying to submit, and it is clearly not AI, meaning original work that is absolutely clear it is original work, you will receive a response from me. You are playing fair. You are trying. You deserve an acceptance or rejection email from me as to why. Others, however, will get crickets. FREE MASTERCLASS FOR WOMEN WRITING NONFICTION BOOKS Finish Your Nonfiction Book: 3 Shifts You Need to Make This
masterclass is for you if you're a woman writing nonfiction and you feel like: - You've been working on your book FOREVER and you don't know if, how, or when you'll ever finish.
- You don't know if continuing to work on your book project is even worth it anymore.
- No one cares about your story or will want to read it anyway, so why
bother?
- You can never find the time or energy to give dedicated and focused attention to your writing.
- You're stuck and you don't know what your book needs, so you may as well just shelve it for a while.
- You really could use some extra support for your writing and book project, but you don't know how or where to get it.
Hi there, I'm Janna Maron and I'm a book coach for women writing nonfiction. It's my joy and pleasure to hold space for women telling personal stories that they know will help others. Click here to sign up for this free masterclass to learn about my philosophy for establishing a holistic approach to getting a book done (including the successes of many of my clients). -May 29, 2024 - A Moveable Feast, presenter C. Hope Clark, Quigley's Pint & Plate, 257 Willbrook Blvd, Pawley's Island, SC - 11AM - 1PM - sign up here -June 1-8, 2024 - The Gutsy Great
Novelist Retreat, Bar Harbor, Maine - writer-in-residence -June 13, 2024 - Edisto Island Bookstore - Highway 174, Edisto Island, SC - 3-5 PM
-June 22, 2024 - Richland County Library, Ballentine, 1200 Dutch Fork Rd, Irmo, SC - 2:30-3:30 PM - July 9, 2024 - South Congaree-Pine Ridge Branch Library, 200 Sunset Dr, West Columbia, SC 29172 - 5:30-7:00 PM -October 5-12, 2024 - Edisto Bookstore, exact dates in that week TBD -November TBD, 2024 - Irmo Chapin Holiday Market, Chapin, SC - 8AM - 2PM -May 17, 2025 - Pelion Library Book Club206 Pine St, Pelion, SC, Saturday, 1-2PM
Email: [email protected] to schedule events, online or otherwise. “Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.” – George S. Patton
Hope - I subscribed to FundsforWriters long ago, immediately recognizing that this monthly bit of magic was valuable to me. I was delighted to discover that Hope Clark had a series of books about
Edisto Island where I am a regular visitor of that magical, marshy place. This discovery felt like a good sign, a warm welcome. Regularly reading the newsletter made me feel like I was part of a community. Still, I was full of doubts. Dare I call myself a writer? Could I really be among those who send their words out into the universe? I began doing writerly things. My writers' group published a book. I attended a few conferences. In fact, I met Hope at a writers' conference in Blue Ridge, Georgia. Her straightforward talk about writing and publishing felt like a balm. After retiring and doing gig work through Covid, much of it educational writing, I set a goal to make any amount of money
writing for myself in 2022. Inspired by the many links in this newsletter, I began submitting essays here and there, and glory be, they were occasionally accepted. I was compensated $75 for one, and shazam, I met my goal. Emboldened, I sent samples to local newspapers in hopes of becoming a columnist. One newspaper made an offer, then another made a better offer. As of August 2024, I will have
completed two years of writing weekly columns without missing a week. Word gets around. Soon, I was asked to be a regular contributor to a quarterly print magazine. They compensated well. Still I couldn't quit my part-time retirement job. In a twist almost too good to be true, a family who owns a horse
and cattle ranch appreciated my writing and asked me to write about the ranch on a regular basis, to keep the family chronicles. This enabled me to quit my part-time job, and for the first time in my life, make my living as a writer. I never dared to dream that my writing life would include a beautiful buttercream palomino as a workmate. While I can't specify an exact article in this newsletter that
got me to this point, reading it consistently for all these years, taking in bits and pieces as I could, and putting my feet into this writing world absolutely helped me get here. To anyone reading this who struggles with imposter syndrome, I venture to say that by the fact that you are reading this newsletter, you are legit. I highly recommend taking big leaps, calling yourself a writer, and
pushing your work out into the world. There are so many stories to tell. Mary Dansak, Auburn AL
https://marydansak.substack.com/
<<If you have a success story you believe was prompted by FundsforWriters, please share with us! Send to [email protected] >>
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Literary Magazines are Not the Barrier to Publication Many Writers Think
By Dawn Colclasure
Literary magazines have been around for hundreds of years and feature a writing style different from what we commonly read. Many writers may see this style as a
barrier and, therefore, never pitch these types of magazines. This writer is here to tell you there’s opportunity!
Is this writer the kind who graduated from a writing program with an MFA? No. Is this writer someone who has gotten published in literary magazines? Yes. Read on.
Before you take a leap into literary magazines,
remember that they are difficult to break into. Most maintain high standards and will automatically reject your work if it’s not there. Others only publish writers who have either an MFA or an MLA. Most of these types of publications also prioritize writers who have received a prestigious writing award or been awarded a fellowship.
If this isn’t you, then stay with me. In order to surpass the barrier to
getting published in a literary magazine, consider these tips:
Not all literary mags are the same While most of these publications publish a more academic style of writing, there are others which don’t. In fact, some of them, such as Longleaf Review (https://longleafreview.com/) and The Stinging Fly (https://stingingfly.org/), are open to new writers. Some of them even accept genre fiction. One editor of a literary magazine shared an invitation to submit spooky stories for her Halloween
issue. What matters is that the writing is good.
Read as many copies of these magazines as you can Study for an idea of what kind of writing they publish. Read several issues and pay attention to specific requests in their guidelines. I read several poems in one literary magazine before submitting, and one of them was accepted.
Familiarize yourself with what they publish. If they don’t have samples available online, look to Instagram or Twitter (X) to see if anything is shared there. Your library or bookstore might also have some copies. Then there’s always the option of buying a copy. After all, they cannot afford to pay if nobody buys.
Practice writing what they publish When one lit mag editor requested a specific type of poetry from me, I got busy studying how to write it. I practiced writing these poems, with several revisions. After receiving positive feedback from beta readers, I submitted my poetry with this style, and it was accepted. If you can’t write something similar to what these magazines publish, practice the style and try them later. If it’s your goal to publish in a literary journal but their writing style is intimidating,
just know that may achieve that caliber of writing over time. Have faith in yourself.
Consider critiques. Run your work by other writers who have been published in these magazines. Take a workshop on how to write for literary magazines. Some of these magazines will provide feedback, usually for a fee.
Some literary magazines
are regional and only publish work from writers in their area, while others accept work from writers everywhere. Some only want work from undergrads, while others accept work from writers of all ages. Make sure you submit the right material to the right magazine.
Getting published in a literary magazine takes time and patience. Expect many rejections but hang in there. With practice, research, and persistence,
your work will find a home. Where to find literary magazines:
https://www.pw.org/literary_magazines
https://www.newpages.com/guide-to-magazines/literary-magazines/
https://www.brechtdepoortere.com/rankings
https://www.erikakrousewriter.com/erika-krouses-ocd-ranking-of-483-literary-magazines-for-short-fiction BIO: Dawn Colclasure is a writer in Oregon. She is a freelance writer, book reviewer, columnist, and author and co-author of over four dozen books. Her forthcoming titles from PsychoToxin Press include the YA horror story collection, The Worst Thing You Ever Did, and the psychological horror
novella, All the Beautiful Things. She has work published in Skyline E-Magazine, HNDL Magazine, All My Relations, Halfway Down the Stairs and Front Porch Review, among others. https://dawnsbooks.com/ and https://www.dmcwriter.com/. Twitter @dawnwilson325 and @dawncolclasure.
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Solar Flare: $500 for Prose, Poetry, Art, or Graphic Novel Authors & Artists Eligible. A solar
flare is short-lived but contains enormous energy. Sunspot Lit is looking for the single short story, novel or novella excerpt, artwork, graphic novel, or poem that provides a noteworthy flare of creative energy. Literary or genre works accepted. First prize is $500 plus publication. Runners-up and finalists are offered publication. No restrictions on theme or category. Maximum of 500
words for short stories or nonfiction, 12 lines for poetry, and 8 pages for graphic novels, scripts, or screenplays. No size requirements for painting, photography, video stills or sculpture. Open: May 1 Close: May 31 Entry fee: $10 Sunspot asks for first rights only; all rights revert to the contributor after publication. Works, along with the creators’ bylines, are published in the next quarterly digital edition an average of two months after contest completion, as well as in the annual
print edition. Works should be unpublished except on a personal blog or website. Artists offered publication may display their pieces in galleries, festivals or shows throughout the publication contract period. Enter as many times as you like through Submittable or Duotrope, but only one piece per submission. Simultaneous submissions are accepted. Please withdraw your piece if it is published elsewhere before the winner is selected. NEW AMERICAN FICTION PRIZE
https://newamericanpress.com/category/contests/
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline June 15, 2024. Awarded each year to a full-length fiction manuscript, such as a
story collection, novel, novella(s), or something that blends forms, like a novel in verse. The winner receives $1,500 and a book contract, as well as 25 author's copies and promotional support. TOWSON UNIVERSITY PRIZE FOR LITERATURE
https://www.towson.edu/cla/departments/english/documents/towson_prize_for_literature_rev.pdf
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline June 15, 2024. Awarded annually for a single book or book-length manuscript of fiction, poetry, drama or imaginative non-fiction by a Maryland writer. The $1,000 prize is granted on the basis of literary and aesthetic excellence as determined by a panel of distinguished judges appointed by the
university. The work must have been published within the three years prior to the year of nomination or must be scheduled for publication within the year in which nominated. Self-published works will not be considered. TUSCULUM REVIEW NONFICTION PRIZE
https://ttr.tusculum.edu/contest/
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline June 15, 2024. Each manuscript should consist of a single essay in a standard 12-point font. Essays may be between 1,500 words (5 manuscript pages) and 17,000 words (55 pages: novelette-length). Entry fees include a one-year subscription to The Tusculum Review (an annual publication) and consideration for publication. A prize of $1,000, publication of the
essay in The Tusculum Review’s 20th Anniversary Issue (2024), and creation of a limited edition stand-alone chapbook with original art is awarded. GRIFFIN TRUST FOR EXCELLENCE IN POETRY
https://griffinpoetryprize.com/
NO ENTRY FEE.
Deadline June 21, 2024. The prize is worth C$130,000, making it the world’s largest international prize for a single book of poetry written in, or translated into English by a Canadian. The other shortlisted poets each receive $10,000. Additionally, a new $10,000 prize is awarded for a Canadian First Book of poetry, along with a six-week residency in Italy in partnership with the Civitella Ranieri Foundation to a Canadian Citizen, or permanent resident, for a first book written
in English. A Lifetime Recognition Award is awarded by the trustees in the sum of C$25,000.
GRANTS / FELLOWSHIP / CROWDFUNDING VERMONT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION SOCIAL COHESION GRANTS
https://vermontcf.org/our-impact/programs-and-funds/arts-and-social-cohesion/
Deadline June
11, 2024. The foundation invites applications for its Arts & Social Cohesion grant program, which will award grants in support of projects and events in the visual, performing, music, and literary arts that create opportunities for positive social interaction, engagement, and collaboration. Projects should strengthen belonging and community cohesion in ways that are likely to persist and grow. The program will award grants up to $10,000, with an average grant size of $7,500.
Eligible applicants must be nonprofit organizations, municipalities, or schools whose primary service area is in Vermont, including arts organizations, libraries, museums, community centers, senior centers, youth programs, therapeutic programs, cultural organizations, or other entities. ARTIST TRUST - WASHINGTON STATE
https://artisttrust.org/grants/grants-for-artist-projects/
Deadline June 21, 2024. Grants for Artist Projects (GAP) are unrestricted project-based grants of $1,500 awarded to 65 artists working in all disciplines across Washington State. Funding may be used for but not limited to artist fees, materials, equipment, space rental, travel for
research, documentation, professional development opportunities, marketing and promotion, support to continue a current project, support to start a new project, and many other needs related to your project. DIVERSE WRITERS GRANT
https://speculativeliterature.org/grants-3/slf-diverse-writers-and-diverse-worlds-grants/
Deadline July 31, 2024. The Diverse Writers grant is intended to support speculative fiction writers from underrepresented and underprivileged groups — such as writers of color, women, queer writers, disabled writers, etc. — whose marginalized identities may present additional obstacles in the writing and publishing
process. Award $500. The submitted project must be a book-length work of speculative fiction. ARTISTS 360 - ARKANSAS
https://www.maaa.org/artists-grants-fellowships/artists-360/
Deadline June 10,
2024. Artists 360 elevates the talented artists of Northwest Arkansas by providing grant funding and professional development opportunities to individual artists of all disciplines in the Arkansas counties of Benton, Carroll, Crawford, Sebastian, and Washington. By elevating local artists, Artists 360 brings value to the greater Northwest Arkansas region overall, creating a place where creativity and the arts can thrive. Artists 360 will make monetary awards in five categories to 31
Northwest Arkansas artists.
MOTHER JONES
https://www.motherjones.com/contribute/writer-guidelines/
Mother Jones is a nonprofit investigative news organization that delivers bold and original
multiplatform reporting on the urgent issues of our time, from democracy protection and climate change to extremism and beyond. Our rates are based on a writer’s experience, our experience with the writer, article type, and the difficulty of the reporting and editing required. For print, rates start at $1.75 per word. For online, rates start at $0.75 a word. We pay 1/3 of the fee upon submission of a first draft, and the rest as soon as possible after publication. THE JERSEY VINDICATOR
https://jerseyvindicator.org/
We are seeking investigative story pitches on NJ issues at The Jersey Vindicator. Email your story pitch to [email protected]. Rates depend on the story but generally $1 a word. We are also hiring our
first managing editor and fulltime reporter in the fall. Send us your resume if you are interested in working with us to strengthen democracy in NJ through accountability reporting that empowers citizens. (Thanks to WriteJobsPLUS+ on Patreon) CHICKEN SOUP: STORIES ABOUT DOGS
http://www.chickensoup.com
Deadline September 30, 2024. Dogs have always been considered companions and playmates that brighten our days and enrich our lives. What would we do without them? You will receive $250 and 10 free copies of your book. You will retain the copyright for your story and you will retain the right to resell it or self-publish it. All submissions need to be true — we do not publish fiction.
Stories should be no longer than 1,200 words. Please write in the first person about something that happened to you or someone close to you. WEST END PHOENIX
https://www.westendphoenix.com/contributors
West End Phoenix is
a local periodical community newspaper for Toronto’s West End whose readership stretches across the city and the country. Devoted to telling the stories of diverse, compelling and quickly evolving neighbourhoods, from the Humber River to Spadina and beyond. WEP also mails hundreds of copies across the country and around the world. Pays 50 cents/word CAD.
AM INK PUBLISHING
https://aminkpublishing.com/
Three imprints available. The AM Ink Line publishes mainstream biographies, non-fiction, novels, short story collections and children's fiction. Dark Ink,
their line of horror based books is the home to legendary horror movie star biographies, film based books, anthologies, short story collections, novels and more. Spooky Ink is our line of creepy and fun children's and Young Readers books. NOBROW
https://nobrow.net/about/
Nobrow is a small publisher headquartered in London, UK. Together with our children’s book imprint Flying Eye Books and our new literary list; Imprint 27, we publish around 35 new titles per year. HOHM PRESS
https://www.hohmpress.com/pages/submissions
We are interested in considering books in the following categories:
Teachings and texts from authentic spiritual and mystical traditions, such as Buddhism, Sufism, Hinduism, Taoism, 4th Way, etc; Transformational psychology; Translations of classic spiritual poetry; Biographies and
autobiographies of spiritual teachers; Autobiographies that center work with a spiritual teacher, teaching, or path. CHRONICLE BOOKS
https://www.chroniclebooks.com/pages/submissions
Adult Trade Books: Chronicle Books
publishes a wide range of nonfiction books on our adult trade list, in categories such as cooking, fine art, design, photography, pop culture, fashion, beauty, home décor, personal relationships, and more. We also publish innovative formats, such as interactive journals, decks, games, stationery, and much, much more. Children's Books: Interested in fiction and nonfiction books for children of all ages, as well as board books, decks, activity kits, and other unusual or novelty
formats. JOLLY FISH PRESS
https://jollyfishpress.com/submissions/
Jolly Fish Press is open to submissions during the following reading periods. February-March, June-July, and October-November. Seeking high-quality middle-grade
and YA fiction, especially books showcasing strong voices, unique stories, and diverse characters.
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 2000-2024, C. Hope Clark
ISSN: 1533-1326 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. All must be paying opportunities. Contests must pay a minimum of $200 first place. Submit potential listings to [email protected] **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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