SPONSOR OF THE WEEK

WOMEN READING ALOUD , founded seventeen years ago by award-winning writer, Julie Maloney, is an international organization dedicated to the support of women writers.

PANTSER OR PLOTTER

“I’m very much a writer who lets the story develop. I have no idea how the book is going to end. . .I don’t know what my characters are capable of until I spend a hundred pages with them.” David Baldacci, told to The Daily Beast

I listened to a freelance editor teach an audience once about pantsers versus plotters. When dealing with a newer author, she can tell the difference in the manuscript. The pantsers tend to write long, while the plotters write lighter. I had to think about that, and after a moment realized I've preached something parallel for ages. 

Plotters (or those who outline in depth before writing the story) have mapped out the story. In my experience, outlining robs the energy from the storytelling. The author may think they've told their story thoroughly in the "retelling" they are doing in the manuscript, but because they are in essence retelling, the repetition often makes the author feel like they've already told it. The brain is a weird and tricky organ. 

But that is my opinion. 

Pantsers (or those who make up the story as they write the manuscript) are mapping as they go, so they fear leaving anything out. They often write longer, not having used the outlining process to cull ideas that possibly should be discarded. 

Again, my opinion. 

There is no right or wrong here, but you should give each a fighting chance. I've tried to outline and didn't get past chapter three before I changed the story and discarded chunks of the outline. By the midpoint, I'd tossed the outline altogether. Currently, I jot down two to three pages of thoughts in blocks of copy. Usually narrative about how the character should proceed, think, and change. Then I write however many chapters that turns into. Repeat.

And there are others who pen 50 pages of outline. 

To each his own, I say. But don't discard one without trying it. You never know what creative genius may evolve from having to formulate thoughts from a different angle. You have to experiment before you decide what's right.

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

The Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest is open to anyone who loves expressing innermost thoughts and feelings into the beautiful literary art of poetry and/or writing a story that's worth telling everyone! And welcome to all, having the ability to dream... Write a poem or short story for a chance to win cash prizes totaling $1275.00. All works must be original.

Guidelines:

Write a poem, 30 lines or fewer on any subject, style, or form, typed or neatly hand printed. And/or write a short story, 5 pages maximum length, on any subject or theme; fiction, nonfiction or creative nonfiction (including essay compositions, diary, journal entries, and screenwriting). Also, all entries must be either typed or neatly hand printed.

Multiple and simultaneous poetry and short story entries are accepted.

Postmark deadline: December 28, 2019. All contest winners will be published on February 29, 2020

Prizes:

Writing First Prize is $500. Second Prize: $250. Third Prize: $100.
Poetry First Prize is $250. Second Prize: $125. Third Prize: $50.

Entry fees: $10 per story, $5 per poem.

To send entries: Include title(s) with your story(ies) or poem(s), along with your name, address, phone#, email, brief biographical info. (Tell us a little about yourself), on the cover sheet. Add a self-addressed stamped envelope for entry confirmation. Fees payable to: "DREAMQUESTONE.COM"

Mail to:

Dream Quest One
Poetry & Writing Contest
P.O. Box 3141
Chicago, IL 60654

Visit https://www.dreamquestone.com for details on how to enter!

HOPE'S APPEARANCES

 
SUCCESS QUOTE

SUccess Story

Hi, Hope,

I just wanted to say thank you. Because we ran an ad in FundsforWriters, we (the attorney I work for and I) received 22 applications for the content writer position, and we hired three! We'll probably never be out of blog posts again! 

So, thank you! 
Rachel Carrington

 

Featured article

Writing for University Publications

By Erica Naone

Universities produce tremendous amounts of written material—magazines, newsletters, websites. These publications rarely post guidelines for interested freelancers, but some investigation can pay off.

First, dive into the institution's website. Links for "alumni" and "alumni relations" will lead to alumni magazines. To find the institution's regularly updated news site, try "university news" or "public affairs." Search for "development" and "donor relations" to identify publications aimed at philanthropists. Visit the specific web pages for the institution's most highly ranked programs to see if they maintain their own publications.

Look for a masthead in sample copies or on the website. The university's staff directory often provides contact information for editors you find. 

Some universities hire contract writers for special projects such as time-limited fundraising campaigns. Go to the university's careers page and search for "writer," "public relations," "marketing" or "content." This will yield both on-site jobs and contract positions, if available. 

No matter which type of university publication you are pitching, here are a few things to keep in mind: 

Start with your home institution

An institution will likely prioritize assigning work to its own alumni. If you have an alma mater, start there. When pitching be sure to mention your degree and any other involvement you have with the institution.

Understand the mission

Universities produce publications with specific goals and audiences in mind. A donor relations magazine editor wants to recognize the impact of donors' philanthropy and inspire them to give more. A university news office may be more interested in demonstrating the significance of faculty and student research. Before sending a pitch, understand the purpose of the publication.

Get your foot in the door

Editors will sometimes offer extra help in response to a positive interaction, even if they have to reject a pitch. Having worked on staff for university publications with extremely limited freelance budgets, I have seen firsthand how editors will reach out to freelancers who impressed them when they do have budget available, or will pass names to other departments who need writers.

Understand the process

A publication might need to be approved by department heads, fundraisers or other administrators. Get a sense upfront of the publication's timeline and how much editing you're expected to handle. If the publication doesn't have a process for checking facts and quotes with sources, negotiate deadlines so you have time for a final check yourself. It's especially important for alumni and donors you quote to be happy with the final version of your article.

Negotiate clearly

University budgets vary from one institution to another, one department to another or one fiscal year to another. Negotiate clearly about what you're being paid and don't make assumptions. If you can identify the institution's fiscal year, it can sometimes work well to pitch or check for contract positions toward the end of it, when some departments have extra funds that need to be used. Public institutions usually align fiscal years with the state budgetary process, and private institutions may reveal their fiscal year through annual reports.

I received my first assignments for a higher education publication after pitching my alma mater's alumni magazine an article about the anniversary of the institution's decision to admit women. The editor helped reshape the concept to align with her mission and focus on the institution's first female alumni. After this, she regularly contacted me to request alumni profiles when she had budget available.

It may take some work to find a university publication open to your pitches, but the effort can lead to lasting relationships with editors and repeat assignments. 

Bio: Erica Naone's articles have appeared in The College, the alumni magazine of St. John's College, and MIT Technology Review, a hybrid publication that serves as both an alumni magazine and a technology magazine for general audiences. She is an alumni communications specialist for the Office of Development and Alumni Relations at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, where she writes for Shafer Court Connections, Scarab, VCU News, VCU Alumni news and the monthly alumni e-newsletter. Her personal website is ericanaone.wordpress.com.

 

COmpetitions

 CALL FOR ENTRIES!
 THE DREAM QUEST ONE POETRY & WRITING CONTEST

 https://www.dreamquestone.com 

 Entry fees: $5 per poem/$10 per story. 
 Postmark deadline: DECEMBER 28, 2019.

Open to anyone who loves expressing innermost thoughts and feelings into the beautiful literary art of poetry and/or writing a story that is worth telling everyone. 

Guidelines: (1) Write a poem, thirty lines or fewer on any subject, form or style. And/or (2) Write a short story, five pages maximum length, single or double line spacing, on any subject or theme, fiction, nonfiction or creative nonfiction. Multiple and simultaneous poetry and short story entries are accepted. 

Prizes: Writing First Prize is $500; Second $250; Third $100. Poetry First Prize $250; Second $125; Third $50.   

How to enter, visit: https://www.dreamquestone.com 

AFTERMATH SHORT STORY CONTEST
https://www.aftermathmag.org/short-story-contest.html
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 31, 2019. First prize $1,000. Second prize $300. Third prize $100. Anyone anywhere can enter. Theme: The End of Our World 2.0. The whole point of this magazine is to raise awareness of the harm that we are doing to our planet and the dire consequences this will have. Preferred word count between 1,500 and 5,000 words. We buy non-exclusive, one-time rights for online publication during a period of six months, with an option to repeat this for the same payment of US$25. As a special courtesy to any talented Dutch writers, we offer them the possibility of submitting their stories in Dutch. If they end up in the short-list, we shall have them translated, free of charge. 



KRAEMER INTERGENERATIONAL SHORT STORY CONTEST
https://www.bridgestogether.org/igstories/
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 31, 2019. Participants can tell their stories about people in skipped, non-adjacent relationships in four ways: The written word (i.e. story, poem, memoir); Video (i.e. story, song, dance); Visual art (i.e. quilt, painting, pottery); Audio clip. Written submissions must be 500 words or less. Video and audio submissions must be three minutes or less. Grand prize $500. Four runners-up receive $250. 



LAS VEGAS LITTLE THEATRE ANNUAL NEW WORKS COMPETITION
https://www.lvlt.org/newworks
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline December 31, 2019. All plays must be full length (90 minutes or more). No musicals, please. Plays must have no more than eight actors. Ideally looking for subject matter that will appeal to an age range of 18 – 30. First prize production of the play in the Fischer Black Box in May plus $150. Second prize $75. Third prize $50. 



THE STORY FOUNDATION PRIZE
https://www.storymagazine.org/news/story-foundation-prize/
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline December 15, 2019. We are proud to announce our inaugural prize for a single short story. The winner will receive $1,500 and publication in our summer 2020 issue. Submit one short story of up to 10,000 words. Each entrant receives a one-year subscription (three issues) to Story. Please, double-space your manuscript. Entries must be previously unpublished. All entries will be considered for publication at our regular rate. Winners will be announced in March 2020.



SPORT LITERATE CONTEST
http://sportliterate.org/2017/09/anything-baseball-poetry-contest/
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 31, 2019. To celebrate our upcoming 25th anniversary (in 2020), we'll award two prizes of $250 to a poet and an essayist. Poets can send up to three poems. Writers should enter one essay at a time. Though we prefer original, unpublished work, previously published work is acceptable. There’s no “word count” per se on the essays. Use your best judgment and try to engage the reader before page 3. All entries will be considered for standard publication. Sport Literate is a literary journal focusing on “honest reflections on life’s leisurely diversions.”



THE W.S. PORTER PRIZE
https://www.regalhousepublishing.com/the-w-s-porter-prize/
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline November 1, 2019. The W.S. Porter Prize is awarded to recognize a masterfully written short story collection, while also honoring William Sydney Porter, a native-born son of North Carolina and an accomplished short story writer who wrote under the pseudonym O. Henry. Winner receives $500 and publication. The winning manuscript will be published in 2021 in paperback and ebook editions.



 

GRANTS / FELLOWSHIPS / CROWDFUNDING

LITERATURE WORKS ANNUAL FUND - UK
https://literatureworks.org.uk/annual-fund/
The Annual Fund has two funding deadlines a year, the next deadline is November 29, 2019. To apply you should read the guidelines carefully and fill in the application form. Since 2013 our Annual Fund has funded 62 projects for organisations and individuals. We have funded literature activity in Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Somerset, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Bristol, Bournemouth, and Hampshire. The Annual Fund widens access to literature and creative writing, particularly among people in our region who would otherwise miss out. We provide grants of up to £500 to organisations, which can help increase access to literature in local communities. Activities we have funded include small and start-up literature festivals, book projects for children and young adults, theatre writing events, cultural reading activities for vulnerable older people and their careers, community engagement projects and talking newspapers.



ARTS COUNCIL OF ENGLAND GRANTS FOR THE ARTS - UK
https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/funding/applying-grants-arts
Rolling deadline. Grants range £1,000 to £100,000. National Lottery Project Grants is a rolling programme with no deadlines. Decisions on applications for £15,000 or less take six weeks. Decisions on applications of over £15,000 take 12 weeks. Open to individuals, organisations, museums and libraries.



BA/LEVERHULME SMALL RESEARCH GRANTS
https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/funding/ba-leverhulme-small-research-grants
Deadline November 6, 2019. The BA/Leverhulme Small Research Grants are available to support primary research in the humanities and social sciences. These awards, up to £10,000 in value and tenable for up to 24 months, are provided to cover the cost of the expenses arising from a defined research project.



LITERARY CONSULTANCY - UK
https://literaryconsultancy.co.uk/
The Literary Consultancy (TLC) was set up in 1996 as the first editorial consultancy of its kind, offering professional feedback to writers at all levels through our core manuscript assessment service. Alongside our assessment service, we also offer a popular mentoring programme, Chapter and Verse, with both online and face-to-face options available, and a range of literary events, all carefully designed to offer additional support and inspiration to writers. 



CREATIVE SCOTLAND
https://www.creativescotland.com/
The fund is open to individual artists, creative practitioners, organisations, groups and networks in the arts, screen and creative industries in Scotland. You can apply for any amount between £1k and £100k – and up to £150k with prior permission. Most of the money in the budget for the Open Project Fund comes from the National Lottery. Open Project Funding doesn’t have any deadlines and you can apply at any time throughout the year. If you are looking for less than £15k you must apply at least eight weeks before the start of your project. If applying for more than this, you must apply at least 12 weeks before you plan to start.



THE SOCIETY OF AUTHORS GRANTS FOR WORKS IN PROGRESS - UK
https://www.societyofauthors.org/Grants/Grants-for-works-in-progress
The Authors’ Foundation and K Blundell Trust award grants twice yearly to writers whose book project is for a commercial UK publisher. These grants assist writers with research costs or by buying them time to write, helping them to bring exciting new work into the world. We support writers from a range of genres and styles and at all stages of their literary careers. In September 2019 we awarded nearly £185,000 to over 70 authors. 



THE SOCIETY OF AUTHORS CONTINGENCY FUNDS - UK
https://www.societyofauthors.org/Grants/contingency-funds
You don’t need to be freezing in a garret to get help from us. The SoA gives grants for contingencies that can help professional writers who need a boost. The grants are managed in confidence and were endowed by other writers who know that a writer’s life has its ups and downs. Specific grants are available for poets and women journalists. Please note that we are unable to offer grants for publication costs/those who are in difficulty because they have contributed towards publication costs; student tuition fees; or a specific writing project. 



KUNSTLERHAUS LAUENBURG FELLOWSHIPS
https://www.transartists.org/air/kunstlerhaus_lauenburg_am_elbe.2880.html
Deadline October 31, 2019. Every fellow receives a monthly grant for the duration of their stay. It is also possible to raise further additional funds for material and project-related publications with the professional help of the Künstlerhaus. The Künstlerhaus Lauenburg/Elbe announces for the Federal State of Schleswig-Holstein five fellowships in the following artistic categories for 2020: three fellowships for fine art whereby one fellowship is focused on new media and film - duration five months; one fellowship for literature - duration three months; one fellowship for composition - duration 2.5 months. Location Elbe, Germany. 



BIBLIOTHEK ANDREAS ZUST
https://www.transartists.org/air/bibliothek-andreas-zust
Deadlines October 31, 2019 and May 31, 2020. Twice annually—respectively, during one month in April and November, the Bibliothek Andreas Züst is offering three studio residency stipends under the new Atelierstipendium program. The length of stay is a total of four weeks. Application for the Studio Residency Stipend is open to national and international individual persons or working teams (max. four persons). The program is intended for cultural workers across disciplines in the fields of visual arts, literature, new media, music, theatre, design, architecture, film, photography, and art-related disciplines. Location Switzerland. 



GEORGIA TEACHING ARTISTS REGISTRY SEEKING PEOPLE
http://gaarts.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/2019-2020-Teaching-Artists-Registry-Application-Guidelines.pdf
Deadline October 25, 2019. Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA) is currently accepting applications for the Georgia Teaching Artists Registry. The agency is seeking to expand the number of artists on the registry to serve more schools and organizations, as well as to include greater artistic and cultural diversity and geographic reach throughout the state. Qualified teaching artists must be a resident of Georgia, must have a combination of training in their artistic field and experience in educational settings, and must be able to pass a background check.






 

FREELANCE MARKETS

ALASKA PARENT
http://www.alaskaparent.com/write_for_us.html
Alaska Parent magazine is looking for freelance writers who demonstrate a fresh, engaging writing style and a keen sense of the topics that matter to local parents. As Alaska’s exclusive, all-in-one parenting resource, our readers include parents with children ages newborn through teens, as well as expectant moms. Features are 800 to 1,200 words. Original articles can command $40 to $200. Authors willing to localize their reprints with interviews with local parents and experts can expect more.



HOWLROUND
http://howlround.com/participate
We're looking for writers who are deeply invested in and committed to the theatre field. You could be a current student or a seasoned professional, but if you're actively involved in theatre and/or performance, we'll be thrilled to hear from you. We do not publish personal attacks, promotional material, or material that has been previously published. We pay an honorarium to each author based on the length of the published piece. Knowing that many people do not have enough free time to volunteer their perspectives and experience to benefit the overall theatre community, we fundraise to compensate you for the time it entails to make this essay contribution to the commons. Pays $50 for 750-1,000 words; $100 for 1,000-1,500 words; $150 for 1,500-2,000 words.



NATURE FUTURES
http://blogs.nature.com/futureconditional/2015/04/19/how-to-write-for-nature-futures/
Nature Futures is a venue for very short stories or ‘vignettes’ of between 850 and 950 words. The subject is typically near-future, hard SF, although this can be interpreted liberally. If accepted, you will receive a (non-negotiable) fee of £85 or US$130.



THE PARTIALLY EXAMINED LIFE
https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/write-for-us/
The Partially Examined Life will pay exceptional writers for essays related to philosophy, culture, and ideas. We’d love to see queries from writers who can contribute:
=> Philosophy-related essays, personal essays, and interviews. See The Stone for great examples of this sort of content: http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/category/the-stone/
=> Book reviews of philosophical texts.
=> Review essays about any genre and medium, including thoughtful takes on literature and film. These need not explicitly be about philosophy and philosophers.
=> Thoughtful pieces related to politics and culture, especially pieces that analyze current issues by way of political philosophy, social thought, moral philosophy, moral psychology, and psychoanalysis.
=> Pieces related to the intersection of philosophy and popular culture (as in the Popular Culture and Philosophy series).
=> Anything else you think you can persuade us is suitable to our site - pitch away.



SMITHSONIAN.COM
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/contact/article-submit-website/
Smithsonian.com accepts unsolicited proposals from established freelance writers. This form has been developed to give you the most direct and timely access to our editors. It also allows you to provide all the basic information we need to make an initial determination about your proposal. Due to the volume of submissions, we cannot guarantee a response to all inquiries, but if we are interested in pursuing a story, we will contact you. The travel section consists of inspiration, journey guides, news, how-to’s, and essays.



WORLD HUM
http://www.worldhum.com/info/submissions/
World Hum is dedicated to publishing travel stories, videos and slideshows of the highest quality. We post several types of features:
=> Travel Stories are first-person travel narratives.
=> Speaker’s Corner essays feature rants or raves about any travel-related subject.
=> Travel Interviews are interviews with travelers, writers, artists—anyone with something interesting to say about travel.
=> Lists explore a wide range of travel-related topics.
=> Audio slideshows explore travel through photographs, sound and narration.



PACIFIC STANDARD
https://psmag.com/page/write-us
We are a great home for writers who can tell deeply reported, gripping tales about issues in the public interest while plumbing the intellectual, theoretical, and empirical context that surrounds them. Every story we tell has a strong connection to one of our four core subject areas: economic, educational, environmental, and social justice. Our writers should want to make readers think about how society works—and about how it could be working better.



YANKEE
https://newengland.com/press-contact/submission-guidelines-writers-photographers/
Yankee Magazine covers the six New England states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Our Feature articles, as well as the departments of Home, Food, and Travel, reflect what is happening currently in the region. Yankee welcomes freelance submissions in the areas of home, travel, food, and non-fiction editorial. We are not currently accepting poetry, fiction, or cartoons.




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

PICADILLY PRESS
https://www.piccadillypress.co.uk/about/
We are Piccadilly Press, publishing well-written stories for 5-12-year-olds. We are looking for fun, family-orientated fiction. Send your full manuscript along with a full synopsis to [email protected]. We prefer Word and PDF files if possible and please note that we can only accept electronic submissions. We read everything we’re sent, but due to the high volume of submissions we receive, we are only able to get back to writers we are interested in pursuing. 



CANTERBURY HOUSE PUBLISHING
https://www.canterburyhousepublishing.com/
Canterbury House Publishing, Ltd. (CHP), publishes wholesome quality fiction and memoir of an inspirational nature and of the romantic suspense and mystery genres with an emphasis on colorful Southern U.S. regional settings. We publish authors who are passionate about their stories and their craft, as well as, active and collaborative in the marketing and promotion of their books.



ENO PUBLISHERS
http://www.enopublishers.org/about
Eno Publishers is a nonprofit publisher dedicated to producing high-quality books in all formats about the culture and history of the Carolinas and the South. From the arts and the region’s imaginative cuisine to its much-storied and complicated past to the environment and the way we live in it, the South is fertile ground for publishing. Eno looks forward to publishing several books each year that explore exciting and creative aspects of life in this region.

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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