SPONSOR OF THE WEEK

BECOME RELEVANT

The world is full of fake. Fake news is the most obvious, but we receive fake phone calls about our Social Security numbers being canceled, fake advertising about almost any product or service, and fake promises of lower prices until we read the fine print. Any phone call offering a special deal on absolutely everything from vacations to prescriptions is suspect. Wild salmon might be from a farm, and organic might be anything but. 

The ease in which the average person can accomplish things these days leads to a flurry of fraud and cheap. However, the simplicity in which we can accomplish so much does NOT remove the need for reputation. As a matter of fact, reputation is becoming a rare commodity, and when people find it, they practically worship it. However, sometimes it takes major effort to prove to people that we are reliable, honest, and genuine, because lesser quality is the norm. Just look at how difficult it is to avoid the cheap products on Amazon. 

However, we need trust. The public is hungry for it. We need to try to represent it in whatever manner of writing we pursue, and the brand we represent.

Note this recent quote from Seth Godin, successful American author and former dot com business executive: 

<<The race for cheap, unearned attention is a race that can’t be won. As soon as someone gains the lead, someone else will lower their standards and take a shortcut to get even more. The players have already surrendered their self-esteem, so it’s simply an escalating hijack of trust. And so we have dark patterns, once-respected media outlets with shameless headlines and an entire industry based on clickbait, come-ons, and trickery.>>

That's why you might consider fighting to rise to the top. Offer quality writing, quality publishing, and quality reader respect. Be reliable, consistent, and appreciative. Quality over quantity. Charge what you believe your writing is worth and stand by it. You know. . . be real. . . the old-fashioned way. Become relevant, which has the potential of making you more memorable.

We have partnered with the Nonfiction Authors Association to bring you a special discount off the fall Nonfiction Writers Conference, happening November 7-8, 2019. This event is completely virtual—all sessions conducted via webinar—no travel is required!

Attendees can also register for the popular Ask-a-Pro sessions, free 15-minute consultations with literary agents, marketing and publishing pros, and other industry experts. A private Facebook group is also available for attendees to gather and exchange ideas.

If you’re ready to accelerate your author career, this is a must-attend event!

SUPER SPONSOR WORTH NOTING

Learn HTML and CSS by Punching Zombies

Yup, you read that right. John Rhea believes that laughing and learning go together like zombies and the apocalypse. When you’re up against a dry, technical, boring subject like computer coding, a little humor can be the difference between mastering the material and curing your insomnia.

With so much written work appearing online, a little HTML and CSS knowledge can help writers of all stripes stand out from the crowd and, John hopes, help humanity win the apocalypse.

The zombies aren’t just a throwaway gimmick either. John put them there to help you learn through analogies and good old-fashioned silliness.

Best of all, you can get John’s writer-targeted quick start guide titled Punching Zombies: An HTML & CSS QuickStart Guide for Writers, Designers, and Beginners for the low price of an email subscription. Get your copy today and start fighting for a zombie free world.

What are you waiting for? Lets Punch Some Zombies!

P.S. After you sign up stay tuned for a special boxed set deal only available to subscribers.



 

HOPE'S APPEARANCES

 
SUCCESS QUOTE

SUccess Story

Aloha Hope,

I love your newsletters! You introduce us to many publishers, contests and freelance opportunities. Your newsletter mentioned Preservation Foundation, Inc, a nonprofit online publisher by Richard Loller. They publish extraordinary stories of ordinary people. As a member, I stepped up to the plate and offered to assist them with editing if needed. Richard asked if I'd be interested in helping with their annual "Writing Contests" as a Contest Judge. Yes, absolutely. As a ten-year member of Toastmasters International, I gained experience as Contest Judge for speech contests. 

It was fun, educational, and a great experience. They appreciated my efforts. It's a wonderful feeling to help an organization, gaining experience and reading inspiring stories. As a Contest Judge for two years in a row, Preservation Foundation, Inc helped me add experience to my resume. Thank you Hope for including them in your newsletter.

Florie Barry
Quiet Writing - Inspiring Energy, LLC

 

Featured article

Blogging 101 

By Amanda Zieba

I've been writing for my author website blog for the last three and a half years. Throughout the course of my 120+ posts I've written over 80,000 words (equivalent to the length of a novel!). I've learned a few things along the way. Today I want to share them with you.

Benefits of Blogging

If you are trying to play the role of an expert in gardening, quilting, financial advice, or any other topic of interest, sharing what you know on a blog is one great way to establish your credible authority. 

Posting new content on your site in the form of a blog will draw people back to see what's new. It also makes for fresh content to post on your social media platforms.

A blog is also a good place to post affiliate program links and therefore add a passive revenue stream to your site.

The material you produce can be turned into a book. Once published this product can also be a source of income. 

Writing for your blog will require research and will keep you current in your particular field, further advancing your expert status.

By hosting others on your blog or posting on another person's website, you are networking and exposing your work to new audiences you might not otherwise reach on your own. 

Ready to dive in? Hold on, read these tips first.  

Tips

Train people to know when to look for your message by posting consistently. I post on my blog every Wednesday at 5:00 am. (Don't worry, I schedule these posts so I don't have to be up at the crack of dawn!)

Have a bank of blog posts built up before you start, so that you can continue to be consistent, even when life gets crazy.

Create a subscription service to your blog via Mailchimp or your website host, so people do not need to go searching for it. You can sign up for my blog here.  

Simply stated, make your blog pretty. I use Canva.

People have short attention spans. Most blog posts should be 500-1,000 words. 

Try to give your reader at least one solid take away from each post. 

Double and triple check! I always check my post the night before it goes live and inevitably catch a few typos and reword a sentence or two. I also look to see that all my images have loaded properly.

Now that you are invested in writing on a blog and know how to get it done, it's time to write. 

Blogging Topics

Share a piece of information you would have liked to know when you first got started in your field? Example: Well Written

Share a useful resource (book, podcast, class, magazine, etc.) Example: Podcasts for Writers

Give a conference or event recap. Example: 10 Take-Aways from UntitledTown 2019

Share your personal perspective on a current issue/relevant topic in your field. Example: Different Roads Sometimes Lead to the Same Castle

Review a  product, books, training course, etc. Example: Girl, Stop Apologizing: A Book Review from an Authorprenuer

Walk people through a process, example or scenario. Example: Viewing Realistic Fiction With a New Lens

Give a behind the scenes sneak peek of your work. Example: Fun Facts

Share some inspiration in the form or a lesson, story or quotes. Example: Sometimes All You Need is a Little Inspiration

Present a solution to a common problem in your field. Example: Writing Sprints

Make a list of thematic tips, recipes, workouts, books, films, etc. Example: 10 Ways to Blog About Your Book

Author Bio: Amanda Zieba is a self-proclaimed word nerd and has been so her whole life. In her opinion back to school supply shopping should be a national holiday because she certainly finds fresh notebooks and new pens a reason to celebrate. After a dozen years in public education, she now teaches writing part-time at the college level, writes educational materials for a cultural connectivity company and most of all enjoys making up stories for the enjoyment of readers of all ages. She is the author of eight books, with more on the way. She has visited schools and book clubs and lead writing workshops and retreats in four states across the Midwest. You can learn more about Amanda and connect with her at www.amandazieba.com.   


 

COmpetitions

PEN TO PUBLISH CONTEST
https://www.amazon.in/b?ie=UTF8&node=13819037031
Write and publish original and previously unpublished story, poem or novel in English, Hindi and Tamil in any genre and get a chance to win exciting prizes. In order to be eligible, books must be published on KDP between September 15, 2019 and December 14, 2019. This book should be your original work and must have never been published previously (either in physical or digital format). Translations are not eligible. Your eBook needs to be enrolled in KDP Select during contest duration, i.e., from the time of publishing till winners are declared. You can use any of the KDP Select benefits to promote your book while it is enrolled in KDP Select. Long-form writing - for each language separately: Winner - INR 5,00,000, First runner-up – INR 1,00,000, Second runner-up – INR 50,000. Short-form writing - for each language separately: Winner - INR 50,000, First runner-up – INR 25,000, Second runner-up – INR 10,000. 



HALLOWEEN 500-WORD HORROR STORY CONTEST
https://www.everywritersresource.com/500-halloween-horror-50-word-story-contest-2019/
ENTRY FEE OPTIONAL. Deadline October 25, 2019. We will be giving out a $500 reward for the best 50-word horror story. Story must be scary. Story must be 50 words. Story must be original and your own. Story may not be published elsewhere. 



RUMINATE VANDERMEY NONFICTION PRIZE
https://ruminatemagazine.submittable.com/submit/8442/vandermey-nonfiction-prize
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 30, 201. Submit an essay or short memoir of 5,500 words or less. Winner receives $1,500 and publication in Ruminate. The runner-up will receive $300 and publication in Ruminate.



CARVE MAGAZINE PROSE AND POETRY CONTEST
https://www.carvezine.com/prose-poetry-contest
$17 ENTRY FEE. Deadline November 15, 2019. Seeks the best fiction, nonfiction, and poetry from writers all over the world. Prizes: $1000 each for one winner in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. 10,000 maximum word count for fiction and nonfiction; 2,000 maximum for poetry. We accept entries from anywhere in the world, but the work must be in English. No genre works (romance, horror, sci-fi, etc.); literary prose and poetry only. 



PALETTE PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED POEM PRIZE
https://palettepoetry.submittable.com/submit/146453/the-2019-previously-published-poem-prize
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 15, 2019. Send us your favorite previously published poems! First Place: $2,500 + Publication. Second Place: $300 + Publication. Third Place: $200 + Publication. There is no page requirement, but submission must be no more than three poems. The poems must have been previously published online or in print to be eligible. The poems must not have won any previous awards of $500 or more.



BOULEVARD SHORT FICTION CONTEST FOR EMERGING WRITERS
https://boulevardmagazine.org/short-fiction-contest/
$16 ENTRY FEE. Deadline December 31, 2019. Awards $1,500 and publication in Boulevard to the winning story by a writer who has not yet published a book of fiction, poetry, or creative nonfiction with a nationally distributed press. Submit works up to 8,000 words.


 

GRANTS / FELLOWSHIPS / CROWDFUNDING

FRONTIER NEW VOICES FELLOW
https://frontier.submittable.com/submit/135580/the-2020-frontier-new-voices-fellowship
Deadline October 31, 2019. Twice a year, we will award a poet with the Frontier Fellowship: $500 grant meant to be used toward covering industry submission costs, multiple publications (original poetry and prose) in Frontier, participation in our editorial community, and introductions to agents and presses. We customize our fellowships to meet the needs of our chosen fellow: hours per month, number of publications, and publication involvement will vary based on our fellow's availability.



DEBORAH ROGERS FOUNDATION AWARDS
https://www.deborahrogersfoundation.org/writers-award
Deadline October 31, 2019. An award of £10,000 will be presented to a first-time prose writer whose submission demonstrates literary talent and who would benefit from financial support to complete their work. Submissions should take the form of 20-25,000 thousand words of a work in progress, fiction or nonfiction, which is not under option or contract. Applicants may not be under contract to any publisher for any work or title in any language. Applications are only open to writers who have not previously published or self-published a full-length book of prose (with the exception of a collection of poetry). Entrants must write in the English language and reside within the British Commonwealth and Eire. The winner receives a cheque for £10,000 and each runner-up receives £1,000.



SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR THE WINTER POETRY & PROSE GETAWAY
http://www.stockton.edu/wintergetaway 
Deadline November 15, 2019. Five scholarships are being offered for first-time participants of the 26th Annual WINTER POETRY & PROSE GETAWAY, January 17-20, 2020 in the Atlantic City, NJ area. Recipients may choose from workshops in novel writing, free-writing, memoir, fiction, nonfiction, and poetry as well as special advanced sessions with Pulitzer Prize winner Yusef Komunyakaa and Guggenheim fellow Denise Duhamel. In addition, the conference offers a literary bookstore, open mics, tutorials, sunrise yoga, dancing at the Getaway Disco and writerly camaraderie. 



NYSCA / NYFA ARTIST FELLOWSHIPS
https://current.nyfa.org/post/187921181048/apply-now-2020-nyscanyfa-artist-fellowship
Deadline January 22, 2020. Now accepting applications for 2020 NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowships in Craft/Sculpture, Digital/Electronic Arts, Nonfiction Literature, Poetry, and Printmaking/Drawing/Book Arts. These $7,000 unrestricted cash awards are made to artists who are living and working in New York State and are intended to fund an artist's vision or voice regardless of their level of artistic development.



WRITING BETWEEN THE VINES WRITING RETREATS
https://www.writingbetweenthevines.org/faq
Writers may apply for retreats by submitting the online application form. Writing Between the Vines is open to applicants in all genres including fiction, non-fiction, screenwriting, memoir, and poetry. The program also encourages applications from wine, food, and travel writers working on book-length manuscripts. There is no housing fee. Retreat stays are provided free of charge. All costs for meals, transportation, and other personal needs are the responsibility of the retreat recipient. Retreats are intended for the writer only. No pets, spouses, or non-writing friends are allowed to attend. Depending on the location, some retreats may be set up as co-residencies and allow for two or more writers to apply as co-residents. Locations in California, Oregon, and Canada.



SCREENCRAFT SCREENWRITING FELLOWSHIP
https://screencraft.org/fellowship/
$49 ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 31, 2019. The chosen Fellowship recipients will receive ongoing professional support and a special trip to Los Angeles for meetings, mentorship and personal introductions to key entertainment studio executives, producers, literary managers and agents. To apply, simply submit your feature film script or original television script, along with an optional cover letter that expresses your vision and background as an emerging writer.

 

FREELANCE MARKETS

HIDDEN COMPASS
http://hiddencompass.net/contributors-guidelines/
Hidden Compass is an online, quarterly travel magazine that encourages the deep exploration of a destination through powerful storytelling. We believe that some of the most fascinating stories are the ones that bridge the gap between travel and other disciplines (e.g., science, history, and art). Feature stories and feature photo-essays: $300. Stories and photo essays in other departments: $200. 



CRACKED
http://www.cracked.com/write-for-cracked/
If you want to get paid to write the list-style feature articles that Cracked.com is famous for (like 26 Sexy Halloween Costumes That Shouldn't Exist, 6 Books Everyone (Including Your English Teacher) Got Wrong), The Actual Answers To 6 Famously Unsolved Movie/TV Mysteries, 6 Sad Facts About Beloved Characters, Proven By Fans, etc.) you simply need to sign up for our writers' forum.



LIISBETH
https://www.liisbeth.com/contributors/guidelines/
LiisBeth welcomes queries from professional and emerging feminist writers anywhere along the gender continuum. We look for journalistic, edgy, positive, well-informed articles that offer readers a feminist’s perspective on entrepreneurship and innovation happenings, including policy and politics. Yes. We pay. On average $100-$2,000 per piece depending on the type of work, the original research involved, and length (typically 500-2,000 words).



YOGA INTERNATIONAL
https://yogainternational.com/article/view/write-or-teach-for-yoga-international
Aim word count to under 1,000 words. If your article is selected for publication by Yoga International, you will receive a minimum payment of $50 USD. We pay more ($150–200 USD) for feature articles (articles that headline our bi-weekly eblasts). Feature articles are chosen based on topic, universal appeal, depth, and writing quality.



BLOOM MAGAZINE
http://www.magbloom.com/about-us/submission-guidelines/
Bloom Magazine is a culture and lifestyle magazine based in Bloomington, Indiana. Every issue includes articles on home & family, arts & entertainment, food & wine, health & fitness, fashion & shopping, and personal finance—plus all the interesting people, places, and events that make life in this part of south-central Indiana so worth celebrating. We rarely accept stories written “on spec.” If you would like to write for Bloom, please email your résumé and a few of your best-published clips, as links or attachments, to [email protected].



SCHOOL ARTS
https://www.davisart.com/Promotions/SchoolArts/Writers-Guidelines.aspx
SchoolArts wants you to share your successful lessons, areas of concern, and approaches to teaching art. Limit 800 words. Pays up to $100 per article, free one-year print, and digital subscription, up to six free copies of the issue in which your article was published, and two years of access to Davis Digital (Sign up for a free test drive at DavisArtSpace.com).



SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY WRITERS OF AMERICA BLOG
http://www.sfwa.org/sfwa-publications/sfwa-blog-guidelines/
The SFWA Blog is open to nonfiction submissions that might be of interest to new and/or established writers of science fiction and fantasy. Length 500-1,000 words. Pay six cents per word.



ATLAS OBSCURA
https://docs.google.com/document/d/148yIs0J9bsmN3guV9arbundXjvZAL_OLUk4BywX9tm4/edit
If you are pitching us a write-up of a place that you have visited or heard about, it is probably most suited to be an entry in the Places database. These are crowd-sourced submissions that go through an editorial process before being published. For the Stories section, we are seeking original journalism. Stories that will surprise us and article ideas that would never have occurred to us but that we won’t be able to stop thinking and talking about. We pay for stories, at rates competitive with other online-only publications.



POLYGON
https://www.polygon.com/pages/write-a-feature-article-for-polygon
We’re looking for stories that show what’s happening behind the scenes in the video game industry and its related culture. We like stories that reveal how specific aspects of the industry work and put a focus on people rather than products. We like rare interviews with important and fascinating people. We like stories that reveal substantial new information about their given topics. We’re generally looking for stories that range from 1,000 to 5,000 words. Pays up to 25 cents/word.



FRONTIER POETRY
https://www.frontierpoetry.com/submit/
Submissions for our New Voices poetry category are open year-round to any new and emerging poet who has not published more than one full-length collection of poetry. New Voices are published online only and will feature a number of poems from new authors each month. We are thrilled to offer significant payment to our partner poets: $50 per poem, up to $150. We are proud to be paying for published pieces but will be highly selective in our choices for publication.



CENTRAL COAST FARM & RANCH
http://www.farmbureauvc.com/new/assets/pdf-forms/CCF&R-contributor-guide.pdf
Central Coast Farm & Ranch is a quarterly magazine circulated in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. It is distributed as a benefit of membership in the Santa Barbara and Ventura County Farm Bureaus, and its primary audience is members of the Central Coast agricultural community. But it also contains stories and photographs that appeal to supporters of local food, fans of local restaurants that feature local food, and members of the general public interested in learning about the past, present, and future of the region’s signature industry. Each issue includes several features on topics specific to Central Coast agriculture, as well as departments devoted to local history, edible gardening, agritourism destinations, and industry news briefs. Length varies 1,000-1,500 words for a cover story or feature, 500-700 words for departments, and 300 or fewer words for news briefs. Pay ranges from 50 cents to $1 a word for features, depending on placement and other factors, and is a flat $350 for departments. Pay rate for feature photographs is $75-$150 per assignment, with a bonus of $300 for cover art.




The Fall Nonfiction Writers Conference returns November 7-8, 2019, featuring Barbara Winter, author of “Making a Living without a Job” – Grab your seat! A completely virtual conference from the comfort of your home. 

 

Publishers/agents

BLACK INK 
http://www.higherheartentertainment.com  
Black Ink Books stories are roadmaps that unlock emotionality and create an indelible impact in the minds of the reader. Black Ink is devoted to high quality trade books giving authors more leverage in the marketplace and creative participation over their projects. Seeking Fiction – passionate about fiction: stellar novels of urgency and intensity with unique and beautiful voices; commercial fiction; mysteries, suspense, thrillers; manuscripts that keep me up at night; make me feel something; change the world through the triumph of the human spirit. Seeking Creative Nonfiction – passionate about memoirs with historic shadow and light. What history, family, economy, culture, race, and outsider story inform and empower humanity because you lived to tell it? Seeking Young Writers Narratives – passionate about supporting young writers/storytellers.  We invite talented young writers with a desire to become writers/authors (ages 10 – 17). Send us your two-page synopsis of your story for consideration. 
Email: [email protected]  


 
WAXMAN LITERARY AGENCY
https://www.waxmanliteraryagency.com/about
The Waxman Literary Agency is a development-oriented firm, specializing in representing nonfiction and fiction authors with powerful stories. Our strength lies in our ability to match authors with ideas and to connect them with the best possible publisher for their book. 



SERENDIPITY LITERARY AGENCY
http://www.serendipitylit.com/about
Serendipity has established a diverse base of award-winning clients in adult and young adult fiction, nonfiction, and children’s literature. We work tirelessly to help our clients build successful careers. Our mission is one of long-term development and the cultivation of lasting relationships with new and established authors and illustrators.



APOKEDAK LITERARY AGENCY
http://sally-apokedak.com/submission-guidelines-2/what-im-looking-for/
I’m looking for author/illustrators for picture books. Not really looking for authors only right now. I’m looking for quirky, fun, characters and delightful language, with lines that roll and rhymes that rock. Conflict and growth for characters always helps. I also love boy-centric middle-grade books. I love boys who love science, boys who go on adventures, and boy geniuses. I love fantasy and sci-fi, any genre, really, if the voice is strong. I like girls, too, but like them more if they are on adventures rather than dreaming about boys or fighting with mean girls. Fantasy is my favorite in YA books, and if there’s romance I love it even more. I like fairy tales. I love mysteries and don’t see many of those for young adults. Books with characters who are spiritual, and books set in worlds with established religions always strike me as being deeper and more realistic than books with no religion. We are more than physical beings, after all. I am not a huge fan of issue books, preachy stories, gay lit, or sexual content. I read novels for fun, not to grow. If the fun story makes me grow, that’s a plus, but I’m not looking for overt lessons in regard to how to be saved from sin, love gay people, or recycle my garbage and save the world. Supernatural books, with angels, demons, or any mix thereof, will probably not catch my fancy. Location Georgia, USA.



KNIGHT AGENCY
https://knightagency.net/submissions/
Multiple agents, each seeking something unique and different. If the agent you queried feels your project would be better suited for one of her or his colleagues, she or he will share it. Therefore, a pass from one TKA agent is a pass from the entire team. The agents of The Knight Agency are currently looking for material in a wide spectrum of genres. However, we are NOT currently accepting screenplays. Make sure to specify the correct genre for your book, and don't query agents for categories they aren't seeking. Location Georgia, USA.



LIZA DAWSON ASSOCIATES
https://www.lizadawsonassociates.com/
Our five agents are supported by a strong team that sells audio, foreign, licensing and television and film rights. We have offices in New York City and Los Angeles and have subagents all over the world. We represent big commercial fiction and literary fiction. In nonfiction, we want to make the world a better place and are drawn to narratives that explore life’s complexities. We represent books for (almost) all ages. 

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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