SPONSOR OF THE WEEK

I DON'T NORMALLY READ YOUR KIND OF BOOK

This happens at every appearance I make. Someone hears me speak or hold a conversation, then they buy my book, saying, "I don't normally read fiction, but after hearing you talk, I believe I'd like to try one of your books." We then talk about which one to start with, and a sale is made. Hopefully a fan is made as well.

I already know you don't want to appear in public. Most writers don't. Frankly, I'd rather be home in my cutoff sweats and t-shirt with no makeup typing away on a new chapter. I'd rather not put my dogs in a kennel to drive a state away or pack up boxes of books. . . pondering on whether to bring 30 or 130 copies. 
​​​​​​​
But once I am there, I own it. I love someone coming up and saying, "I love your books." or "I've followed you for years." But it doesn't stop there. I ask if they write, or what they read, or where they are from, or what they do for a living. How often do they come to Edisto Beach (I do a lot of signings down there) or come to South Carolina.

Because asking about your readers makes them love you more. Why? Because it shows that you care more about the reader than simply making a sale. People love for others to care about them. 

You should care about your readers. These people have offered up to you hours of their finite life, which is a phenomenal gift. A certain number of heartbeats and breaths they'll never get back, all because you were chosen to be a permanent part of their life. . . of their memories. 

Y'all, that's what you ought to be thinking when someone picks up your book. So, when they say they've chosen your book, especially if it's a genre they don't normally read, then feel honored and thank them from the bottom of your heart in return.




 

SUPER SPONSOR WORTH NOTING

Kate Meadows Writing & Editing

Connecting people through story and expression

I am a published writer and proven editor who helps people tell stories. I work with individuals, small business owners, writers’ groups and corporate employees, offering:

• comprehensive editing
• proofreading
• manuscript critiques
• submission advice
• resources for writers’ groups
• web content

My work has appeared in Writer’s Digest, Chicken Soup for the Soul, River Teeth, USAA Magazine and numerous trade publications. I earned an MFA in Professional Writing in 2010 and have since published two books. How can I help you bring your project, book, idea or brand into the world? Don’t be shy. Contact me today for your free 30-minute consult!

[email protected]
www.katemeadows.com





 

HOPE'S APPEARANCES

 


SUCCESS QUOTE

SUccess Story

If FundsforWriters has aided your writing life, please let us know so we can share it here. Who knows? You might be a mentor or catalyst for someone coming up behind you in their own career. Email your success story to [email protected] 

 

Featured article

Get with the Program!

By Mary Potter Kenyon

It wasn't long after Coupon Crazy: The Science, the Savings, and the Stories Behind America's Extreme Obsession was published that I realized how much I hated sitting behind a table, attempting to catch the eye of a hurried passerby. When I confided my dilemma to a well-established author of more than 100 books, he replied he never did book-signings anymore for the same reason, always offering to do a reading or workshop instead.

I'd already been conducting couponing workshops at community colleges as a strategy to establish myself as an expert in couponing and build up my platform, so the idea of doing the same thing in lieu of traditional book-signings appealed to me. I've since developed presentations around each of my six subsequent books, including a "Legacy of the Magic Pencil" presentation for a creativity book that won't be released until next year.

Based on nine years of experience conducting programs, as well as my previous work as a librarian and current position as a program coordinator at a spirituality center, I now encourage all authors to consider developing presentations around the main topic or theme of their writing. Some advice on getting started: 

Target your potential audience.  

This is easy to do at libraries, with a built-in audience of potential readers. As a librarian, I was a strong supporter of local writers, bringing in several a year. Heather Gudenkauf regaled audiences with the fascinating story of her trajectory to the New York Times bestseller list dating back even before her first book was released. When she first began speaking about writing, she'd bring along a stack of paper revisions that stood as tall as her, an effective means of demonstrating just how much editing goes into the craft and revision of a book. A friend who writes Christian historical fiction developed PowerPoint presentations around each of the historical periods she's written about. Iowa nonfiction author Linda McCann not only does presentations on each of her carefully researched topics related to Iowa history, she invariably collects stories for her next book from the senior citizens who attend the programs. Her publisher appreciates all the hand selling she does at the more than 150 libraries and senior centers she visits each year. This fall, she'll expand her speaking venues with a program on POW camps at the spirituality center where I work. 

Make sure your presentation is of value to the audience. 

Never let your presentation become a sales pitch. Remember the Three E's: educate, entertain, and engage. If you write westerns, consider wearing a cowboy hat when you do presentations about the Wild West. If you're a romance writer, dress like your heroine and perform a short monologue skit based on your latest book. Engage the audience by opening with a fun ice-breaker activity. If your program is educational in nature, include audience participation with trivia questions related to the topic, writing exercises, or by breaking into small groups for discussion. Design a presentation that is so entertaining people will flock to the sale table to talk to you and buy your books afterward. Never underestimate word-of-mouth referrals. Librarians and program directors are constantly sharing the names of good speakers. 

Set a reasonable fee for your programs. 

Because you should charge. The majority of libraries and centers like the one where I'm employed have a budget allotted for speakers and programs. Even the small-town library where I served as director budgeted for programming, paying a yoga instructor $100 for a two-hour workshop or a magician $150 for a one-hour magic show. Why not pay an author for their program? Authors need to value themselves and their time as much as any other occupation. Because trust me, everyone wants a free speaker, but you don't want to devalue you or your work.

Write up a program proposal. 

A short proposal will concisely describe what your program entails, the length, requirements for equipment such as a projector and screen, your author bio with your qualifications, and the cost. You want to make it as easy as possible for the person in charge of programming to say yes. Good speakers with interesting programs are hard to come by, and you want to be one of them. 

BIO - Mary Potter Kenyon graduated from the University of Northern Iowa and is a certified grief counselor. She works as a program coordinator at the Shalom Spirituality Center in Dubuque, Iowa. She is widely published in magazines, newspapers, and anthologies, including eight Chicken Soup books. Mary is the author of seven books, including the award-winning Refined by Fire: A Journey of Grief and Grace, and a book on creativity to be released by Familius Publishing in 2020. Learn more about Mary at www.marypotterkenyon.com

 

COmpetitions

PRISM PACIFIC SPIRIT POETRY PRIZE
http://prismmagazine.ca/2019/08/01/the-pacific-spirit-poetry-prize-is-now-open/
$35-40 ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 15, 2019. The grand prize is $1,500, the runner-up gets $600, and the second runner-up gets $400. All winners are considered for publication in PRISM. PRISM international offers free entries for self-identifying Indigenous writers for all our contests. We also have a number of free entries to offer to low-income writers, and we encourage writers for whom the contest entry fee is prohibitive to contact us at [email protected] to arrange contest entry. Up to three poems per entry (100 lines max per poem). Awards $1,500 grand prize, $600 runner-up, $400 second runner-up. 



DISQUIET LITERARY PRIZE
http://disquietinternational.org/the-program/contests-scholarships/
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline January 3, 2020. For writing in any genre, by a writer who has not yet published more than one book. Results are expected in early March. Three winners will be published in Granta.com (fiction), NinthLetter.com (nonfiction) or The Common (poetry). One grand prize winner will receive a full scholarship, accommodations, and travel stipend to attend the tenth annual DISQUIET International Literary Program in Lisbon taking place June 21 – July 3, 2020. Runners-up and other outstanding entrants may also be considered for financial aid. As part of your DISQUIET Literary Prize contest submission, you may also wish to be considered for one, or both, of our new scholarships. 



RALEIGH REVIEW FLASH FICTION CONTEST
https://www.raleighreview.org/fall-flash-fiction-contest.html
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 31, 2019. First Prize includes $500 USD and publication in the Spring 2020 issue. Finalists will receive our standard $15 payment along with publication. All Finalists will receive a two-year subscription to Raleigh Review. All entrants will receive the Spring 2020 issue of Raleigh Review. Submit up to two unpublished works of flash per entry. Flash works should be no longer than 1,000 words each; combine both stories in one file.



NYCMIDNIGHT 250-WORD MICROFICTION CHALLENGE
http://www.nycmidnight.com/Competitions/MFC/250/Challenge.htm
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 3, 2019. The 250-word Microfiction Challenge is a competition that challenges writers around the world to create very short stories (250 words max.) based on genre, action, and word assignments in 24 hours. In the First Round (October 4-5, 2019), writers are placed randomly in heats and are assigned a genre, action, and word assignment. Writers have 24 hours to craft an original 250-word story (maximum) in their assigned genre, with the assigned action taking place, and incorporating the assigned word. The judges choose a top 10 in each heat to advance to the Second Round (November 22-23, 2019) where writers receive new assignments and again have 24 hours to craft original stories. Judges select the top five writers in each heat from the Second Round to advance to the Final Round of the competition taking place January 10-11, 2020 where writers will receive their final assignment of the competition. Feedback from the judges is provided for every submission, and there are thousands in cash and prizes for the winners.



WOW! WOMEN ON WRITING Q1 2019 CREATIVE NONFICTION ESSAY CONTEST
https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php#EssayContest
$12 ENTRY FEE. Critique for additional $13. Deadline October 31, 2019. Seeking creative nonfiction essays on any topic (200-1,000 words) and in any style - from personal essay to lyric essay to hybrid and more! The mission of this contest is to reward bravery in real-life storytelling and create an understanding of our world through thoughtful, engaging narratives. Reprints are okay; simultaneous submissions okay. Open internationally. Limit: 300 entries. 

First Place: $500, publication, interview, and gift card good for one item from CreateWriteNow's Store.
Second Place: $300, publication, interview, and gift card good for one item from CreateWriteNow's Store.
Third Place: $200, publication, interview, and gift card good for one item from CreateWriteNow's Store.
Seven Runners Up receive $25 Amazon Gift Cards, publication, interview, and one item from CreateWriteNow's Store.
Ten Honorable mentions receive a gift card good for one item from CreateWriteNow's Store.



WOW! WOMEN ON WRITING FALL 2019 FLASH FICTION CONTEST
https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php
$10 ENTRY FEE. Critique for additional $10. Deadline November 30, 2019. Guest Judge: Literary Agent Cari Lamba with the Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency. Seeking short fiction of any genre between 250 and 750 words. The mission of this contest is to inspire creativity, communication, and well-rewarded recognition to contestants. Open internationally. Limit: 300 entries.

First Place: $400, publication, interview, and $25 Amazon Gift Certificate.
Second Place: $300, publication, interview, and $25 Amazon Gift Certificate.
Third Place: $200, publication, interview and $25 Amazon Gift Certificate.
Seven Runners Up receive $25 Amazon Gift Cards, publication and interview.
Ten Honorable mentions receive $20 Amazon Gift Card.
Top ten stories are published in the WOW! Women On Writing e-zine, and contestants are interviewed on WOW's blog, The Muffin.



OPEN COUNTRY PRESS POETRY CHAPBOOK CONTEST
https://opencountrypress.org/#/lessons/ZF3TIEurto6MtmQOtDfOBgNnTXxWg8EA
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 30, 2019. Open to any poet writing in English. Please submit a chapbook of original poems (20-30 pages). Submissions will be read blind. The final five manuscripts will be forwarded to the 2019 contest judge, Amy Ratto Parks. Open Country is looking for fresh, artfully constructed chapbooks. The winner will receive $500 and ten author copies.

 

GRANTS / FELLOWSHIPS / CROWDFUNDING

A PUBLIC SPACE FELLOWSHIPS
https://apublicspace.org/news/detail/the-2020-a-public-space-fellowships
Deadline October 15, 2019. The aim of these fellowships is to seek out and support writers who embrace risk in their work and their own singular vision. Writers who have not yet contracted to publish a book are invited to apply. Three fellowships will be awarded, which will include: six months of editorial support from A Public Space editors to prepare a piece for publication in the magazine; a $1,000 honorarium; the opportunity to meet with members of the publishing community, including agents, editors, and published writers; and the opportunity to participate in a public reading and conversation in New York City with A Public Space editors and contributors. (thanks https://www.erikadreifus.com) 



MISSISSIPPI WRITERS' WEEKEND RETREAT SCHOLARSHIPS
https://www.thehomesteadcenter.org/events-rss/writers-weekend-onsite-retreat
The Homestead Education Center received a grant from the Mississippi Arts Commission to encourage persons of color to publish. We have a limited number of half-price scholarships for minority authors. Please select Partial Scholarship if you are a minority writer who wants to publish a book that increases the number of minority characters seen in books or articles. (Scroll all the way down.)

 

FREELANCE MARKETS

ADVENTURE TRAVEL MAGAZINE
http://www.adventuretravelmagazine.co.uk/index.php/about-us/contributor-guide
Adventure Travel core destination features cover active outdoor travel and in particular trekking and mountaineering. Articles on train journeys, wine tasting or dancing with elephants in Antarctica all have their place, but it isn’t in Adventure Travel. Our definition of trekking is quite broad and ranges from day hikes in the UK right up to serious multi-day or multi-week wilderness expeditions in the Arctic. We’re just as interested in classic ‘must do’ routes like the Inca Trail or Kilimanjaro as in more obscure expeditions. Though it has to be said, a fresh angle and new perspective is even more critical on these routes. We also run inspirational pieces on mountaineering generally, but not always, drawing the line at trekking peaks. Something like Aconcagua, a high, serious undertaking, involving genuine risk, serious determination, and great fitness, but not a highly technical climb. That said, we do publish the occasional extreme feature.



THE NEW HAVEN REVIEW
http://www.newhavenreview.com/submissions/
We like to see submissions from writers who can claim some connection to Greater New Haven, no matter how spurious, though it's not mandatory. We also like to see book reviews that are better than the book reviews you usually see out there, for whatever reason. But that said, we mostly publish essays, fiction (of any genre), poetry, and occasionally photojournalism. You might be able to convince us to publish something other than any of these things, if we think it's really, really good. So write to us and tell us what you've got. We pay at least $500 for prose pieces, fiction or nonfiction. We pay at least $25 per poem and are often amenable to publishing more than one of an author's poems.



EATER
http://www.eater.com/pages/about
The latest food and restaurant news across the world. Even has a local spin-off of 23 different cities for a more local flavor. Very upscale and urban. Pays ten cents/word and up. 



AGNI
http://www.bu.edu/agni/submit.html
All submissions are considered for both the print and online magazines. The print magazine appears twice yearly, in spring and fall. The website grows biweekly with postings of new online-only fiction, poetry, essays, reviews, and interviews. We buy first worldwide serial rights and pay $10 per printed (or printed-out) page for accepted prose, and $20 per page for accepted poetry, up to a maximum of $150. We also give a year’s subscription to AGNI.



HERIZONS
http://www.herizons.ca/contribute
The purpose of Herizons is to empower women; to inspire hope and foster a state of wellness that enriches women's lives; to build awareness of issues as they affect women; to foster a spirit of cooperation; to promote the strength, wisdom and creativity of women; to broaden the boundaries of feminism to include building coalitions and support among other marginalized peoples; to foster peace and ecological awareness and to expand the influence of feminist principles in the world. Herizons is a non-profit organization based in Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada. Payment is made in Canadian funds upon publication. Articles in Herizons are licensed for first time North American rights @ .25 cents per word with an additional three cents per word for non-exclusive subsidiary rights, including the right to transfer articles to CD ROM for educational/academic libraries and secure on-line database services.



SOUTH CAROLINA WILDLIFE
http://www.scwildlife.com/writersphotographers.html
SCW considers all types of articles dealing with conservation of our wildlife and natural resources, outdoor activities (hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, etc.), natural and scenic areas, the state's heritage as related to the outdoors, natural history of particular game and nongame species, and subjects on a national level of interest to outdoor-oriented readers anywhere (such as famous outdoorsmen of the past who affected our outdoor lifestyle, or environmental issues). We also are looking for well-done outdoor articles with a humorous angle. We generally do not purchase nostalgic or first-person accounts unless they are exceptionally well crafted and would appeal to a cross-section of our readership. Pays 20 cents/word.



NEW SCIENTIST
https://www.newscientist.com/in209-guide-for-freelancers/
The majority of the news section of New Scientist magazine is written by staffers, but we are always on the lookout for exciting freelance pieces. On the other hand, features are mostly written by freelancers. In general, we are looking for science and technology stories from around the world that will intrigue, entertain and inform the widest possible audience, be they physicists, biologists or people with no science background at all. We cover fascinating bits of pure science with no possible application as well as high-impact stories such as weapons technology and the psychology of terrorism. Besides reporting the latest research, we also try to find interesting scientific or technological angles on major news events.



LONGREADS
https://longreads.com/submissions/
Longreads is currently accepting pitches for original stories (1,500 words or more) and blog posts (500 to 1,000 words). We pay competitive rates. In the past, we’ve produced in-depth interviews, deeply researched nonfiction narratives examining a specific moment or person in history, thoughtful reporting about a public interest issue, and personal essays investigating a universal human experience. You can also find inspiration from our annual “Best of Longreads” series, which features our favorite stories from a variety of publishers and genres. We want to hear about story ideas that excite you, that make you reconsider a previously long-held belief, or inspire you to spend long hours at the library to explore.



HAKAI MAGAZINE
https://www.hakaimagazine.com/submission-guidelines
Hakai Magazine explores science and society in coastal ecosystems. Our editorially independent, web publication examines the ties between the ocean, land, and human societies through long- and short-form journalism, illustration, photography, and video. Fees vary depending on the length and complexity of a story and on the experience of the storyteller. Payment in Canadian dollars is made upon acceptance of the final draft.



DISCOVER MAGAZINE
http://discovermagazine.com/magazine/contact/editorial-contact-form
Discover magazine is a popular science magazine made available to the general public in doctor's offices, schools, and libraries. It has a large home-subscriber base as well. The subject matter covers exciting breakthroughs and research in medicine, technology, and science, written in language an educated layman can comprehend. The magazine's breadth of science topics also includes paleontology, space travel, and physics along with many other science-related topics. According to the editors' written instructions, if you have a science-related story you wish to write for Discover magazine, you must first send them a query or pitch.



CREATIVE LOAFING CHARLOTTE
http://clclt.com/charlotte/FreelancingforCreativeLoafingCharlotte/Page
Creative Loafing Charlotte is always looking for that next great story. We’re a small staff, you see, and much of our print and online editions are supplemented by freelance writers who can craft an interesting read, whether that be in the form of a profile, investigative piece, polemical essay or a well-reported story about a local institution. We also publish reviews of movies, theater, the visual arts, music, books, video games, and dance. Reviews range between 500 words and 1,000 words in length. The pay scale for freelance work varies widely, but we generally start off at ten cents a word in print. All freelance pieces are accepted on spec.



CHICKEN SOUP STORIES ABOUT SELF-CARE AND ME TIME
http://www.chickensoup.com
Deadline December 31, 2019. We are looking for your stories about how you neglected your self-care and then how you realized its importance, and so you now engage in it. Limit 1,200 words. Pays $200 and ten copies. 



CHICKEN SOUP STORIES ABOUT LAUGHTER
http://www.chickensoup.com
Deadline October 31, 2019. We are looking for stories about something that happened to you in your life — in your relationship with a partner or spouse, a parent or child, a family member or friend, at work or at home — that made you and the people around you laugh out loud. Limit 1,200 words. Pays $200 and ten copies. 

 

Publishers/agents

NORDLYSET LITERARY AGENCY
https://nordlysetagency.com/about/
We also represent individual authors seeking publication. We are seeking quality literary and women’s fiction and nonfiction including popular science and history by experts in their fields writing for a wide audience, current affairs, memoir, psychology, and self-help. We will help you to find the right publisher for your work and navigate every stage of the publishing process with you.



ENCLAVE PUBLISHING
https://www.enclavepublishing.com/about/
Enclave is the premier publisher of Christian speculative fiction. Whether it’s Christian science fiction you love, or fantasy, time travel, steampunk, alternate history, spiritual warfare, superhero, or technothriller—if it’s speculative and it comes from the Christian worldview, Enclave is the place to go. Enclave strives to get Christian speculative fiction directly into the hands of the fans who love and devour great stories.



ATMOSPHERE PRESS
https://atmospherepress.submittable.com/submit/148637/fall-full-length-book-submissions
Atmosphere Press, an author-friendly collaborative press, is open for full-length books in any conceivable genre: we've done everything from novels to poetry collections to children's books to business advice to self-help to sci-fi, and we're always looking to deepen our offerings in these categories and find even more to explore. Wow us with something great!



PALOOKA PRESS
http://palookamag.com/submit
We're open to many voices, forms, and styles. Please send your best unpublished chapbooks, fiction, poetry, nonfiction, artwork, photography, and graphic narratives. Palooka is an international literary magazine of unique fiction, poetry, nonfiction, artwork, photography, and graphic narratives. We've featured writers, artists, and photographers from United States, Canada, Australia, India, United Kingdom, China, Pakistan, Spain, France, Ireland, South Korea, Israel, Finland, Italy, and Austria.

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

**Note that FundsforWriters.com places paid advertising in this newsletter, ALL ads being 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. But the mailing list is not sold to third parties. 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 with 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. The website is not advertised using unsolicited messages by Aweber, affiliates or other third parties. Direct any complaints, suggestions, and accolades to Hope Clark at [email protected]. We are an anti-spam site.