SPONSOR OF THE WEEK

For me, being an editor means polishing the words of my client.

Changing what an author intends is never my intention. Because I am an author too, I strive to connect to my clients in a way that creates a relationship. If I know my author in a personal way, I can get into their head and understand what they hope to convey with their words. When author and editor are in-sync, the words flow from the page in a pleasing way, helping the reader to delve into and connect with the story.


Contact Sue A. Fairchild today for a free sample quote (up to 2,000 words). Or visit the website. 

 

STATE GRANTS

We haven't discussed grants for a while, and after reading Indiana's announcement about the number of grants they gave out, I deemed it time to stress the importance of knowing the grants offered in your state. From their latest press release: 

The Indiana Arts Commission (IAC) recently approved grant recommendations for 56 Hoosier artists for Fiscal Year 2020. The grants were among 431 grants, totaling more than $3 million, approved by the Commission at its June 14, 2019, Quarterly Business Meeting in Indianapolis.

Seventeen of the fifty-six awardees were in literature. Each received up to $2,000 for their career development. You can see the breakdown of numbers here as well as the specifics of each artist: https://www.in.gov/arts/files/IAC_FY20-IAP.pdf

I am sure that each of these felt they probably would not receive the grant. It's the writer's way, right? Someone else is always better? Look at this example of a winner:

Gabriela Garcia will travel to San Antonio, Texas, to attend the Association of Writers and Writing Program's conference, where she will gain editorial and industry perspective to aid in the revision and marketing of her novel. Upon return, she will host a reading of her work at a local bookstore. 

Can you see yourself in her shoes? Can't you do that? 

Check with your state's arts commission or council and educate yourself as to what is offered in your neck of the woods. You might be surprised. 

(To find your state's opportunities, go to https://www.arts.gov/partners/state-regional )







 

SUPER SPONSOR WORTH NOTING

HOPE'S APPEARANCES

 
NEXT CONFERENCE! As always, when I'm asked to present at a conference, I promote it graciously in the newsletter. Here's the next one, in Sylva, NC. A one-day fun time that I hope you'll attend. 






SUCCESS QUOTE

SUccess Story

If FundsforWriters has helped your writing efforts, please, let us know and we'll share with others! Email [email protected] 

 

Featured article

How to Ask for Content Work  

By Dan Brotzel

As the co-founder of one of the UK's oldest content agencies, I've received hundreds of emails from freelance writers looking for content work. Here are my tips for standing out from the crowd...

If you're looking to secure marketing content work, you need to be able to demonstrate that you can write to sell.

The covering email you send us with your CV – or your LinkedIn summary – tells me a great deal about whether you're likely to have that skill, because those few paras are your opportunity to sell yourself, explaining why we should give you work, what you have to offer that we need, and how you stand out from the crowd. Here are some handy dos and don'ts...

Pay attention to your style and language.

It sounds obvious, but you'd be amazed how many emails we get from people who get our name wrong, fail to spot a typo in the first line or begin their message with a 65-word sentence. None of this will do you any favors, alas.  

Don't write a lot.

f you've worked for 50 clients already, don't list them all. List the five most impressive ones. Summarize sectors and skills, don't provide a shopping list. I love a crisp email that's four or five lines long, with a couple of highlights, and a link to a CV or better still an online showcase of work.

Don't tell us all the jobs you've done before, or all the things you'd rather be doing instead.

Content agencies get that content work isn't always a writer's number one choice, but we'd rather not feel you were emailing us on sufferance...

Show your digital knowledge.

Little things like the way you handle links or format your email give us a good idea of your familiarity in writing for digital. Even non-work experience of a digital nature – say, for instance, you have a very active Instagram presence, or you run a successful hobby blog as a sideline – is very interesting for us to know.

Be pragmatic.

Even where it looks editorial in flavor, content work is at heart about getting marketing materials in front of target audiences and driving actions, such as sales or downloads. As a result, we like people with business experience, commercial acumen, and a practical, no-nonsense approach. We tend to be less well-disposed towards people who write that "language is in my blood" or "I want to work for you because I love playing with words."

Customize your approach.

"Dear sir or madam" is an unpromising start. Find a name to write to, and don't leave the impression that we are just one of 50 agencies you are writing to.

Don't forget to follow up.

Writers we think might have potential for us are asked to complete a test. It takes about 30 minutes and is a great way for us to assess your fit. If we offer the test, it's a sure sign that we think we might be able to give you work. Yet, I estimate that over 50 percent of people who are offered the test never bother to take it.

Showcase your sector knowledge.

Many people who write to us offer to provide content in the areas of film, culture, and travel. Well, sure. But what we need are people who aren't afraid to write content about (off the top of my head) electric car legislation or working with a private equity house or sustainable property development. You don't need to be a specialist in any of these areas, but you do need to be unafraid of them. And of course, if you have worked in any niche areas yourself it's an advantage – especially anything to do with the perennially content-heavy areas of finance and tech.

Final thought: Fake it till you make it.

Sometimes we get a message like this: "Hey, I don't know if you remember me, but we once met at a conference about two years ago and you said to send in my CV. I know you have a great team already, but I thought I'd share my details just in case something might ever come up..."

This sort of message has an apologetic, defeated air. Don't feel confident? Use your writing skills to pretend otherwise. No one likes a pushy person, but if you don't sound confident about your skills, how do you expect anyone else to believe in you?

BIO: Dan Brotzel (@brotzel_fiction) is director of UK content agency Sticky Content and co-author of a new comic novel, Kitten on a Fatberg (Unbound). As a reader of this newsletter, you can pre-order Kitten on a Fatberg for a 10% discount – quote KITTEN10

 

COmpetitions

JAN GARTON PRAIRIE HERITAGE BOOK AWARD
http://www.prairieheritage.org/jan_garton_prairie_heritage_book_award.cfm
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline July 31, 2019. Given to the best book of the year that illuminates the heritage of North America's mid-continental prairies, whether of the tall-grass, mid-grass, or short-grass regions. Authors' first books receive extra consideration. Books may be in any genre, and topics may include but are not limited to social or natural history; prairie culture of the past or in-the-making; and interactions between society and ecology. From its founding, Prairie Heritage Institute, Inc. has had a special focus on the African American settlements of the Flint Hills of Kansas; therefore, books exploring non-European prairie heritage are especially welcome. Also encouraged are books that confront the question of prairie ways of life-how denizens of the prairie, human and non-human, have lived or can live together without the destruction and exterminations that have characterized the past. Comes with a cash prize of $1,000 and a sponsored book-signing. Books published in 2018 are eligible for the 2019 book award. 



PEACEFUL DUMPLING ENVIRONMENTAL WRITING PRIZE
https://www.peacefuldumpling.com/peaceful-dumpling-environmental-writing-prize
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline July 31, 2019. Our inaugural Environmental Writing Prize is now open, to foster and celebrate writing that explores the most pressing issues of our times: climate change, environment, conservation, and animal rights. Prize is open to international entrants. Short story of up to 6,000 words. Creative nonfiction, essay, memoir, or investigative journalism piece of up to 6,000 words. You may enter one to five poems in a single PDF document. We will select one first-place winner who will be awarded $500 and publication on Peaceful Dumpling. Two runners-up will also be recognized and published on Peaceful Dumpling.



THE WRITER SUMMER FLASH CONTEST
https://writermag.submittable.com/submit/143449/2019-summer-flash-contest
ENTRY FEES VARY. Deadline August 15, 2019. Show us your very best work in any genre, fiction or nonfiction. The catch? We’ll only accept works that are 1,000 words or less. Grand prize: $1,000 and publication in our magazine. Word count: 1,000 words or less. Our second-place winner will receive $500 and publication on our website, writermag.com; our third-place winner will receive $250 and publication on writermag.com as well. 



OMNIDAWN CURRENT POETRY CONTEST
http://omnidawn.com/contest/poetry-contests.htm
$27 ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 19, 2019. This contest is open to all writers worldwide with no limitations on the amount of poetry a writer has published. We recommend submissions should be 40–120 pages of poetry, not including front and back matter. Winner receives $3,000 and publication. 



TEXAS OBSERVER SHORT STORY CONTEST
https://www.texasobserver.org/short-story/
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline July 29, 1029. Grand prize: $1,000 and publication in the Observer’s November|December 2019 issue. Contest is open to any participants regardless of location. No restrictions on genre or theme; Texas settings encouraged but not required. Stories must not exceed 2,500 words.



NAUGATUCK RIVER REVIEW CONTEST
https://naugatuckriverreview.com/contest/
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 1, 2019. First prize is $1,000 for one poem, second prize is $250 and third prize is $100. All winners, finalists and semi-finalists will be published in the winter/spring 2020 issue of NRR. Please submit no more than three unpublished NARRATIVE poems of no more than 50 lines per poem in ONE MSWord file. 



PHILIP LEVINE PRIZE FOR POETRY
https://levineprize.submittable.com/submit
$25-28 ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 30, 2019. The Philip Levine Prize for Poetry 2019 includes a cash award of $2,000; publication of the manuscript by Anhinga Press; 25 author’s copies of the published book; and a public reading at California State University, Fresno. Submit a previously unpublished, full-length poetry manuscript. You must include a table of contents. Manuscript should be 48-80 pages in length. 



STROUD BOOK FESTIVAL POETRY COMPETITION
https://stroudbookfestival.org.uk/poetry-competition/
£5 ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 22, 2019. Prizes: first £500, second £250, third: £100. Poetry maximum length: 40 lines. Open to international entries. Prizes awarded at Stroud Book Festival: November 6-10, 2019. 



BARNHILL PRIZE CONTEST
https://longridgereview.com/barnhill-prize-for-creative-nonfiction/submission-guidelines/
$10 ENTRY FEE. Deadline July 31, 2019. The competition is open to writers in English, whether published or unpublished. Previous winners of this award are not eligible to win again. Writers must be residents of North America. Essays should be double-spaced and no more than 3,500 words in length. The award recognizes outstanding creative nonfiction that reflects our mission. Our mission is to present the finest essays on the mysteries of childhood experience, the wonder of adult reflection, and how the two connect over a lifespan. The author of the winning essay receives a cash award of $250. 



JULIA PETERKIN AWARD FOR FLASH
https://south85.submittable.com/submit
$12 ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 15, 2019. Previously unpublished fiction of 850 words or less is eligible for this contest. We are especially interested in stories that demonstrate a strong voice and a sense of place, but we consider all quality writing. We will select one winner to receive a cash prize of $500, and four runners up will recognized but receive no prize. Winners will be benamed in October. All winning entries will be published in the Fall / Winter issue of South 85 Journal, which will be released December 15.



UNCLASSIFIABLES CONTEST
http://artsandletters.gcsu.edu/unclassifiables-contest/
$8 ENTRY FEE. Deadline July 31, 2019. This contest is for unclassifiable works: works that blur, bend, blend, erase, or obliterate genre and other labels. Works of up to 5000 words considered. The winner will receive $500. 



ROSSETTI BROADSIDE PRIZE
https://americanliteraryreview.com/rossetti-broadside-prize/
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 1, 2019. Entries should consist of under 100 words of prose. No more than 30 lines of poetry. Winner receives $350 and 15 copies of the broadside.



PRESS 53 FLASH FICTION CONTEST
https://press53.submittable.com/submit/143662/flash-fiction-contest-jul-sep-2019
$7 ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 30, 2019. First Prize: $353 (a prime number) and publication. Second Prize: $151 (a prime number) and publication. Third Prize: $53 (a prime number dear to us) and publication. Submit one unpublished story that is no more than 751 words. 



2019 1/2 K PRIZE
https://indianareview.org/prizes/1-2-k-prize-2/
$20 ENTRY FEE (INCLUDES SUBSCRIPTION). Deadline August 15, 2019. Remember to send up to three pieces. Any genre for this contest! Each piece should be 500 words or fewer and in a single word document. Prize $1,000 and publication. 
 

GRANTS / FELLOWSHIPS / CROWDFUNDING

NEW ORLEANS WRITERS RESIDENCY
https://www.neworleanswritersresidency.org/application/
The application fee is $25. Deadline September 30, 2019. Our January 2020 residency will run from January 12, 2020 through February 8, 2020. We will respond to applications by December 7, 2019. Six writers will be chosen from the pool of applicants, who will receive: Airfare paid for up to $350 (we welcome international applicants, but be aware that if your ticket costs more than $350, you’ll need to pay the difference). Four weeks free lodging in our cozy three-person shared rooms. A weekly stipend of $200. A welcome dinner on the first night of the residency. Continental breakfast served Monday through Saturday from 9 am to 11 am. Laundry done every weekend, if you need it. A weekly excursion to interact with different groups of local writers. Weekly one-on-one meetings with the director.



AWESOME FOUNDATION GRANTS
https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en
Have a crazy brilliant idea that needs funding? We award $1,000 grants every month. It couldn't be simpler! Your idea is yours alone. We don't want a stake in it. We just want to help you make it happen!



LANESBORO ARTIST RESIDENCY
https://lanesboroarts.org/artist-residency-program/
Deadline July 31, 2019. NOTE: Deadline is at Noon Central Time. Awards two to three residencies per year to emerging artists with projects that activate the people and places of Lanesboro while instigating positive change. The program’s place-based and community-engaged focus is geared toward emerging artists that are driven to explore ways in which their work can be applied to the community and how Lanesboro’s rural community can inform their work. Lanesboro Arts is a multi-disciplinary arts organization in the small town of Lanesboro, Minnesota – population of 754 – that serves diverse audiences through year-round programming in its galleries, at the St. Mane Theatre, and in public spaces throughout the community.



DELAWARE ARTIST FELLOWSHIPS
https://arts.delaware.gov/grants-for-artists/
Deadline August 1, 2019. Individual Artist Fellowships are awarded on a competitive basis for quality as demonstrated by creativity and skill in an art form. Applications are accepted in 18 artistic disciplines in the fields of choreography, folk art, jazz, literature, media arts, music, and visual arts. Applicants select between Emerging or Established categories. The Masters Fellowship is available in select disciplines on a three-year rotating basis to artists who meet specific criteria. Out-of-state professionals evaluate the applications in an anonymous process. Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation assists with the administration of the program. Awards are $3,000 for Emerging; $6,000 for Established; and $10,000 for Masters. 



HEINZ ENDOWMENT SMALL ARTS INITIATIVE
http://www.heinz.org/strategic-areas/creativity/small-arts-initiative
Deadline August 1, 2019. Through the initiative, grants of up to $20,000 will be awarded to help Pittsburgh-area organizations or collectives of artists/organizations carry out well-defined artistic opportunities or address meaningful challenges. To be eligible, applicants must be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or be part of a collaboration and have a fiscal sponsor with such status. 

 

FREELANCE MARKETS

FUNNY TIMES
https://funnytimes.com/about/submissions/
Our print publication pokes fun at politics, news, relationships, food, technology, pets, work, death, environmental issues, business, religion (yes, even religion) and the human condition in general. Not much is off limits, so do your best to make us laugh. Plus, we’re advertising free, so whatever we like, we use. Stories — the funniest you have ever written — should be about 500-700 words. Don’t send us things that aren’t funny. We won’t publish them. Pays $60. 



VIRGINIA QUARTERLY REVIEW
https://www.vqronline.org/about-vqr/submissions
Deadline July 31, 2019. Short fiction, poetry and nonfiction (literary, art, and cultural criticism; reportage; historical and political analysis; and travel essays). Word limit 2,000–8,000 words for short fiction, 3,500 – 9,000 for nonfiction and poetry of any length. Poetry pays $200 per poem, up to four poems; for a suite of five or more poems, usually $1,000. Short fiction usually pays $1,000 and above. Other prose usually pays $1,000 and above, at approximately 25 cents per word (more for investigative reporting). Book reviews pay $500. Online content: usually $100 – $200 depending upon genre and length. 



HERMINE
http://hermineannual.com/submit.htm
Hermine is a print-only journal of short stories, published annually and distributed by mail. Hermine pays contributors eight cents (CAD) per word.



AUTHOR MAGAZINE
https://www.authormagazine.org/about-us
This online magazine is dedicated to writing and publishing and the creative process in general. Every month you will find audio and video interviews with best-selling and exciting first-time authors. We also feature articles by new and established writers. Focusing less on craft and more on heart, these essays deal with the daily struggles and inspirations of writing. We are looking for two types of articles. First are how-to articles.  These can range from how to write more believable villains or how to research prehistoric man to how to give a good pitch at a writer’s conference. These articles should be between 600 and 1,000 words. The second type of article is about the emotional, inspirational side of writing. This could be anything from what first motivated you to write to how you’ve dealt with rejection or success. We are always looking for interesting success stories as well.  These articles should be about 750 to 1,000 words.  



CRAFT YOUR CONTENT
https://www.craftyourcontent.com/write-for-us/
Writing for Craft Your Content is a great way to gain experience and reach over 10K new readers per month. Our work has been featured in The New York Times, Forbes, and The Huffington Post, among others, and our clients have gone on to publish top-charting books and viral blog posts themselves. We pay $75-150 per article, depending on the length/topic/quality.



BE A FREELANCE BLOGGER
http://beafreelanceblogger.com/guest-blogging-guidelines/
Expects a concise, detailed pitch that summarizes your whole post, point by point, a story focused on freelance blogging or a highly relevant side topic, a well-written blog post that’s long enough to give a useful level of detail — probably at least 1,000 words, and a clear, attention-grabbing post title. If you’d like a chance to get paid $100 for your guest post, hold on to your outline and submit it during Pitchfest. The writer of the winning pitch gets $100 via PayPal on publication of their guest post, and runners-up get smaller prizes such as $50 on publication, group mentoring tickets, or ebooks.

 

Publishers/agents

 
DAW
https://www.penguin.com/publishers/daw/
DAW accepts unsolicited submissions of science fiction and fantasy novels. We cannot consider short stories, short story collections, novellas, or poetry. The average length of the novels we publish varies but is almost never fewer than 80,000 words. A literary agent is not required for submission. We will not consider manuscripts that are currently on submission to another publisher unless prior arrangements have been made with a literary agent. It may require three months or more for our editors to review a manuscript.



TURNER PUBLISHING
https://www.turnerpublishing.com/about-us
Turner has a broad array of titles in fiction and nonfiction, including business, young adult, history, romance, mystery, cookbooks, health and wellness, animals, design, and more. Turner continues to expand their titles by acquiring innovative content from existing and debut authors worldwide. Turner books are currently being sold in over 55 countries and continuing to grow. Turner publishes books in a wide range of categories and formats—fiction and nonfiction.



BAEN BOOKS
https://www.baen.com/faq
Baen Books has been bringing readers pulse-pounding, thought-provoking adventures straight from the heart of science fiction and fantasy for decades. We publish books in hardcover, paperback, and electronic form, and are one of the few traditional publishers that maintains its own ebooks webstore (with at least four new titles added every month). We are also perhaps the only book publisher to make our electronic advanced readers copies (eARCs) available for sale to devoted fans before a book’s official release date. We also sell ebooks from other publishers. We sell more than 2,000 books from over 500 authors published by 24 different companies.

 

SPONSORS

www.fundsforwriters.com/advertising 

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 2000-2019, C. Hope Clark
ISSN: 1533-1326

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