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SIMPLIFYING LIFE

I don't know about you, but in my attempt to keep up with publishing changes, my stress level often rises. My email box posts roughly 200 emails daily, the majority of them telling me how to best edit, publish, market, and partner with influencers. How to work Amazon. . . how to hate Amazon. How print sales are falling. . . how they are rising. How bookstores are struggling. . . how they are surging back.

I see so many writers scrambling to the next shiny thing trying to grasp the latest advice, tool, or concept. Of course books, courses, podcasts, and conferences are going to instill in you the right path to take for each venture. 

I recently watched a TED talk about how emotions can change the shape of your heart. Emotions can also mean stress if you listen to the speaker (or read the text online). Your heart takes a beating with stress and can literally show the signs in the shape it changes to and from. 

I'm a serious advocate of simplifying life. There a few indie authors I watch from afar, on one hand admiring their persistence and drive. . . on the other hand grateful I'm not them. To avoid the feeling that I'm failing, not doing enough, or falling short, I will only read half of what they send out so that they don't stress me out. 

You pick and choose what you want in life, and if you aren't doing what the six-figure authors are doing, that doesn't label you as a slacker. 

The point is to remember why you started writing in the first place. Do you have to work hard? Sure you do. But your life becomes so much sweeter if you are working hard at what you love. Don't let that purpose evade you in the fast-flowing current of the business. 

I want you to be happy. 

SUPER SPONSOR WORTH NOTING

Start Strong & Stay Curious in 2020

Whether it's a blank page or a brand new year, our beginnings are a space where curiosity can lead the way. The more generous we are with our curiosity, the more rewarding the beginning becomes. 

You're invited to Twenty, a 20-day writing journey to seed your curiosity and kickstart the year with a strong writing practice. Entirely online and open to writers of all experience levels. Just $20 for 20 days of writing prompts... plus a live kickoff session and monthly guidance to connect with your writing life as the year unfolds. Let's make this a deeply creative and wonderfully curious new year! 

Twenty is led by Emily Stoddard, an affiliate of the Amherst Writers & Artists Method and founder of Voice & Vessel. Learn more and register now.

HOPE'S APPEARANCES

 
SUCCESS QUOTE

SUccess Story

Dear Hope, 

I wanted to let you know that My Georgia which appeared in the newsletter a few weeks back, has accepted my piece, Channeling Scarlet O’Hara, On Our Forty-Third Anniversary. It shares our anniversary weekend, spent in a lovely mansion-turned-bed-and breakfast, fashioned after the Gone with the Wind, mansion, not far from our home in Georgia. Due to its romantic tone, it is proposed for publication, February 2020. Thanks for all you do for writers.

Carol Gee, M.A. 
Author, Blogger, Columnist, Freelance Writer, Speaker
www.facebook.com/A-Feast-Of-WordsLLC-159469507826087/
 

If FundsforWriters has aided you in your writing success, share it with us!
Email [email protected] . We'd like to tell the world right here!
 

Featured article

Top Tips for Writing the Copy for Your Author Website 

By Dan Brotzel

When you’re putting together the words for your own website, you have decades of personal knowledge of how people read online. 

We know that people read slower on screen than on page, and quickly become distracted or impatient if content isn’t clear or looks like too much effort. Readers look hard at signposting elements such as titles and captions and links and only read body copy if it feels really necessary. 

Use these tips to help you to create a more intuitive and engaging experience for your readers.

Break your copy into scannable chunks

Online readers hate big slabs of text, which they interpret as too much like hard work. Break your copy up with subheadings, short paragraphs, and bullet points. Cut and cut again. Highlight key phrases in bold, and organize copy into scannable formats such as listicles (articles in list form) and Q&As. 

Make each page about one thing

Because you can’t predict what order people will read your words, each content element should be a self-contained module of meaning. So, if you have a page where you talk about speaking engagements, don’t use it start retelling the plots of all your stories if you’ve got that info elsewhere already (as you should). Just add a link instead and allow people to make their own journey through your content.

Think in keywords

When you write a link or a headline, remember that Google can’t understand puns or jokes or cryptic references. For example, "nonfiction books" is a lot easier for Google to understand (and also for online readers and people using screen readers) than "A new kind of storytelling alchemy." 

Use words like "you" and "get"

Great digital copywriting always puts the user first; content that is too self-focused will quickly put people off. Words like "you," "your," and "get" force you as the writer to keep thinking about why someone might be on your site and what they hope to get out of your content. 

Be specific and unambiguous

When titles, labels, links and other signposts are vague or abstract, they become almost invisible to the reader. A title like "Information center" will not be clear at a glance what it means. Retitling it "Articles and posts" will grab lots more attention. 

Front-load with the bit your reader cares about

Eye-tracking research shows that the reader will look hard at the first two words of content elements such as headings, news items, FAQs, and bulleted lists. So, implant the bit the reader is likely to care about into the first two words – write "Get 10% off my next murder mystery!" rather than "My new murder mystery is out in June – and here’s how you can get 10% off!"

Avoid semi-colons and brackets 

Use classic journalistic punctuation: stops, commas, dashes, question marks, ellipses. Avoid semi-colons and brackets, which tend to slow writing down and are often a sign your syntax is getting too complex.

Write crisp, clear sentences 

Remember your site is primarily a promotional and marketing tool, not a showcase for your writerly "voice." Remember people online tend to read in a functional, impatient way, so if the basic informational and navigation elements of your content are written in too literary or creative a style, they could easily miss important details – such as where to order your books. Go for a crisp, clear, conversational style, and avoid lots of subordinate clauses and other cleverness. 

BIO - Dan Brotzel (@brotzel_fiction) is a director of digital 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

JANE UNDERWOOD POETRY CONTEST
https://www.writingsalons.com/awards-resources/jane-underwood-poetry-prize/
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline December 1, 2019. Contestants may submit one entry of up to three poems. Poems must be sent in a single file. Each of the three poems may not exceed 80 lines in length. First prize $250, publication at The Writing Salon's website, and an invitation to do a featured reading at The Writing Salon.



CENTER FOR BOOK ARTS POETRY CHAPBOOK CONTEST
https://centerforbookarts.submittable.com/submit
$30 ENTRY FEE. Deadline December 15, 2019. The selected manuscript will be determined in May 2020 and will be awarded with publication of a beautifully designed, letterpress-printed, limited-edition chapbook printed and bound by artists at the Center for Book Arts. The edition is limited to 100 signed and numbered copies, 10 of which are reserved for the author and the remainder of which will be offered for sale through the Center. The selected poet will also receive a cash award of $500 and a $500 honorarium for a reading, to be held at the Center in the fall of 2019, as well as an exclusive opportunity for a week-long stay at the Millay Colony for the Arts in Austerlitz, New York as one of their Winter Shakers. Please submit a collection or sequence of original poems or a single long poem not to exceed 450 lines or 21 pages (no translations are accepted). 



EAST RIDING FESTIVAL OF BOOKS POETRY PRIZE
https://festivalofwords.co.uk/poetry-comp/
£3 ENTRY FEE. Deadline November 30, 2019. The East Riding Festival of Words 2019 poetry competition is now open for entries. This year's theme is "My Mind, My Thoughts." Larkin prize: £500. Second prize: £200. Third Prize: £100. There is a children's competition as well. Your poem should be no more than 45 lines, on one side of A4 paper. There are three categories: adults, primary school-aged children (4 years to 10 years), and secondary school-aged children (11 years to 16 years). Open to all but must be in English.



SENTINEL LITERARY QUARTERLY POETRY CONTEST
https://sentinelquarterly.com/competitions/poetry/index.htm
£5 ENTRY FEE. Deadline November 30, 2019. This competition is for original, previously unpublished poems in the English language, on any subject, in any style up to 50 lines long. Poems posted on members-only non-public groups for review/critique as part of the creative process are not deemed to have been previously published. Poets of all ages, gender, or nationality living in any part of the world are eligible to enter. Prizes: £250 (first), £100 (second), £50 (third), £30 x 3 (High Commendation), £15 x 3 (Commendation).



THE CAFE WRITERS OPEN POETRY COMPETITION
http://www.cafewriters.co.uk/home/poetry-competition/
£4 ENTRY FEE. Deadline December 1, 2019. Maximum of 40 lines (excluding title and stanza breaks) on one side of A4. The Prize is open to anyone other than Café Writers’ committee members. First prize £1,000. Second prize £800. Third prize £200. Five commended prizes of £50. 



WoLF POETRY COMPETITION
https://www.writeoutloud.net/competitions/wolf20
£4 ENTRY FEE, Deadline December 31, 2019. Open to poets across the globe. The theme for this year's competition is vision. First place: £400. Second place: £150. Third place: three prizes of £25. The prize-giving will take place as part of the WoLF festival over the weekend of January 31 - February 2, 2020. Winning and shortlisted poets will be invited to read their entry at this event. Poems must be in English and no more than 40 lines long.



PROLE LAUREATE POETRY COMPETITION
http://www.prolebooks.co.uk/poetry%20competition.html
£3 ENTRY FEE. Deadline January 31, 2020. We are, as ever, open regarding length, style, and content. We are looking for poetry that epitomizes the editorial values of Prole: to make writing engaging, accessible, challenging and entertaining. Winner receives £200 and publication in Prole, issue 30. Two runners up receive £50 each and publication in Prole 30. All three will be published on the website.



THE KENT AND SUSSEX OPEN POETRY COMPETITION
https://kentandsussexpoetry.com/the-kent-sussex-poetry-society-open-competition/
£5 ENTRY FEE. Deadline January 31, 2020. First prize: £1,000. Second prize: £300. Third prize: £100. Four £50 honorable mentions. The competition is open to anyone aged 16 and over. Poems should be in English, unpublished, not accepted for publication, and must be your original work. Poems may be on any subject and in any form or style. They must be typed and not longer than 40 lines.



TEIGNMOUTH POETRY COMPETITION
http://www.poetryteignmouth.com/competition-2020.html
£4.50 ENTRY FEE. Deadline January 31, 2020. The 2020 Competition is open to all poets, UK and international. The Local competition covers postcodes TQ12, TQ14, and EX7. Prizes: first £500, second £250, third £100. Local Competition (Postcodes TQ12, TQ14, EX7 only) Prizes: first £100, second £50, third £25.



WARE POETS OPEN POETRY COMPETITION
http://www.poetrypf.co.uk/comps/ware20.pdf
Deadline April 30, 2020. Prizes: first £600, second £300, third £150, plus The Ware Sonnet Prize of £150 for the best sonnet submitted. The competition is open to anyone aged 16 or over. Poems must be your own original work and may be on any subject. They must be typed or neatly handwritten on A4 paper, and no longer than 50 lines. 



REFLEX FICTION FLASH FICTION COMPETITION
https://www.reflexfiction.com/flash-fiction-submissions-entry-form/
£7 ENTRY FEE. Deadline November 30, 2019. Prizes: £1,000, £500, £250 (approx. $1,210, $605, $300). Eleven long-listed stories will be eligible for publication in the third year print anthology to be published in June 2020. Entrants must be 16 years or over on the closing date. Entries must be in English. Entries must be fiction but can be on any subject and written in any style or form. We do not recommend poems and stories written for children. Entries must be at least 180 words but no more than 360 words. 


 

 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 

GRANTS / FELLOWSHIPS / CROWDFUNDING

SOUTH CAROLINA ARTS PROJECT SUPPORT (APS) GRANTS
https://www.southcarolinaarts.com/grant/aps/
Rolling deadline with six weeks' notice before the project. Purpose is to support arts projects and programs which promote artistic excellence, community arts development, career advancement, and professional development. The applicant must be a practicing artist in dance, music, opera, musical theatre, theatre, visual arts, design arts, crafts, photography, media arts, and literature; a legal resident of the US and SC with a permanent residence in the state for at least one year prior to the application date and throughout the grant period. Grants up to $1,000.



SOUTH CAROLINA ARTISTS' VENTURES INITIATIVE (AVI) GRANTS
https://www.southcarolinaarts.com/grant/avi/
Deadline January 15, 2020. South Carolina artists (individuals and collaboratives) may use AVI funding to help launch a new arts-based business venture (or significantly alter an existing venture) that will operate in an ongoing manner or to help execute a temporary venture (a one-time project or single purchase), that will provide career satisfaction and sustainability. A one-time project/single purchase may be awarded up to $3,500. An ongoing business venture may be awarded up to $5,000. Must be a professional caliber working artist or group of artists working in collaboration; and be a legal resident of the U.S. and S.C. with a permanent residence in the state for at least one year prior to the application and throughout the grant period. 



ALABAMA PROJECTS AND RESIDENCIES FOR INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS
http://www.arts.state.al.us/grants/grant_individual.aspx
An arts project or school residency by an individual artist may be funded through an organization or school, which acts as fiscal agent and administers the grant. Successful applications will show considerable planning and collaboration between the artist and the supporting organization and school. For school residencies, both the artist and the supporting organization are encouraged to seek counsel from the Arts in Education Program Manager prior to submitting the application.



2020 KRESGE ARTIST FELLOWSHIP
http://www.kresgeartsindetroit.org/apply
Deadline January 16, 2020. Two categories this year: Live Arts and Film & Music. Live Arts category focuses on live performing arts including Dance, Choreography, Theatre Directing, Playwriting, Performance Art, and Interdisciplinary Work. Film & Music category focuses on Film Directing, Screenwriting, Animation, Music Composition, Music Performance, Sound Art, and Interdisciplinary Work. Kresge Artist Fellowships are $25,000 awards plus professional development support, and the creation of a short, documentary-style film highlighting the artist’s work. Artists of all career stages are invited to apply. Must be a current legal resident of Macomb, Oakland, or Wayne County in Michigan. 



CHANGE, INC.
No website.
Emergency grants for artists in all disciplines needing help with rent, medical expenses, utility bills, fire damage, etc. Grants up to $1,000. Call the number below for complete instructions (via a clear, concise message) on how to apply for the grant. Change, Inc. P.O. Box 1818 Captiva, FL 33957  Phone: (212) 473-3742. 

The Rhythmic Heart: Equinox in Ixtapa Retreat for Writing & Yoga, March 21-28 

Early-Bird Pricing through November 30!

Crack open your fierce, original voice in a seaside paradise at renowned Present Moment eco-retreat! Buoyed by stunning natural beauty & the pulsing rhythm of Pacific waves, you'll tap deep below the surface to supercharge your writing practice & surprise yourself on the page. Five spots left for writers of all levels & genres. This retreat offers profound creative catalyst along with potent, unconventional & incredibly effective tools of writing craft to bring your words alive in brand new ways. The ocean's edge is a potent threshold between one thing & another, and equinox embodies deep tension between dark and light. We'll channel that visceral energy into our writing, uncovering exciting new undercurrents and fragments in our stories. Workshops and individual writing support by award-winning author and teacher Jeannine Ouellette. Retreat includes ground transportation, room & board with all fresh gourmet meals, daily writing workshops with guided craft discussions & readings, expertly guided yoga & meditation, eco-adventure, individualized feedback & more. Inquire soon! Space is very limited. We would love to write with you!

For all retreat details:  http://elephantrockretreats.com/equinox-in-ixtapa-writing-retreat

Contact: Jeannine Ouellette – [email protected] or  612-801-2566

FREELANCE MARKETS

CHICKEN SOUP: LISTEN TO YOUR DREAMS
http://www.chickensoup.com
Deadline February 28, 2020. We want to know about your dreams. What have you learned from your dreams? Did you listen? Did any of your dreams come true? Did a dream strengthen your faith or help you change the direction your life was headed in? Did some miraculous insight serve as a warning about something that was going to happen? Please do not submit stories about realizing your dreams, as in aspirations or hopes. We are talking about dreams while you are asleep! Pays $200 and ten copies for up to 1,200 words. 



ASIA TIMES
http://www.atimes.com/write-for-us/
Asia Times welcomes unsolicited news articles, analysis pieces, and op-eds. For paid content, we are seeking original reporting and analysis, but will also consider commentary from time to time. We will also consider packages or series of stories addressing a common theme or topic. If you seek compensation, please indicate this clearly in your pitch, and whether the article has been published elsewhere, and if so, in what language and in which publication. Any payment must be agreed by the newsroom in advance. With a clean aesthetic and unique functionality, Asia Times stands apart as the only all-digital, pan-Asian site aimed specifically at English-speaking users. It is widely read not only in Asia but also in Europe and in North America, where nearly half of its readership is based, regarding it as the must-read on Asian politics and finance.



THREE PENNY REVIEW
http://www.threepennyreview.com/submissions.html
They only read January 1 to June 30. At present, The Threepenny Review is paying $400 per story or article, $200 per poem or Table Talk piece. This payment buys first serial rights in our print and digital editions, and the copyright then reverts to the author immediately upon publication. As a rule, critical articles should be about 1,200 to 2,500 words, Table Talk items 1,000 words or less, stories and memoirs 4,000 words or less, and poetry 100 lines or less.



THE SUN
https://www.thesunmagazine.org/submit
We publish personal essays, fiction, and poetry. Personal stories that touch on political and cultural issues are welcome. Personal Essays $300 to $2,000. Fiction $300 to $2,000. Poetry $100 to $250. 



POETRY
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/submit
We consider original poetry written in the English language as well as translations of poetry into English. We cannot consider anything that has been previously published or accepted for publication, anywhere, in any form. Payment is made on publication at the rate of $10 per line (with a minimum payment of $300), and $150 per page of prose, for first serial rights. All rights will revert to the author upon publication. Authors will also receive two contributor copies of the issue in which their work appears.



GRAIN MAGAZINE
http://www.grainmagazine.ca/submissionguidelines
Published four times per year, Grain Magazine is an internationally acclaimed literary journal that publishes engaging, surprising, eclectic, and challenging writing and art by Canadian and international writers and artists. Grain has an eight-month submissions period which runs from September 15th to May 15th. Poetry: Individual poems, sequences, or suites up to a maximum of six pages. Fiction: To a maximum of 3,500 words. Literary Nonfiction: To a maximum of 3,500 words. All contributors, regardless of genre, are paid $50 per page to a maximum of $250, plus two copies of the issue in which their work appears.

 

Publishers/agents

 
EQUINOX BOOKS
https://equinoxbooks.com/
We’re a small, independent book publisher, and we’re open to submissions. We’ll be looking for quality fiction: from fantasy to mystery to romance, with a little of everything in between. Prospective authors can visit our Author Portal. NOTE: They are new, so cannot vouch for their reputation as of yet.



CAROL MANN AGENCY
https://www.carolmannagency.com/carol-mann-agency
The Carol Mann Agency was established in 1977 and has long been home to highly regarded writers of fiction and nonfiction. We are a boutique agency that prides itself on giving individual attention to all our clients and regularly placing projects with leading publishers both in the United States and overseas. Our broad range of tastes, our experience guiding authors and their manuscripts through the publication process, and our industry relationships make us one of New York’s top literary agencies. NOTE: Query the specific agent that suits your genre. 



AEVITAS CREATIVE MANAGEMENT
http://aevitascreative.com/about/
Aevitas Creative Management is a full-service literary agency, home to more than 20 agents in six cities (New York, Boston, Washington DC, Los Angeles, Seattle, London), representing scores of award-winning authors, thinkers, and public figures. Please note that we do not represent original screenplays or screenwriters. Please use the drop-down menu below to select an agent you’d like to query, then follow the instructions on the pop-up submission form. Please do not submit to more than one agent simultaneously. 



FRIEDRICH AGENCY
http://www.friedrichagency.com/about-alternate-2
Even when we aren’t actively seeking a category, sometimes the combination of our personal interests and the perfect moment means that we’ll step outside our specialty and take on something wildly different. That said, the following genres are almost never pursued at the submission stage: picture books (anything for an audience younger than middle grade), screenplays, cookbooks, self-help/advice books, poetry, romance/erotica, novelty books (such as joke books, parodies, etc.). NOTE: Query the specific agent that suits your genre. 



JANKLOW & NESBIT ASSOCIATES
https://www.janklowandnesbit.com/submissions
For fiction submissions, send an informative cover letter, a brief synopsis and the first ten pages. If you are sending an email submission, please include the sample pages in the body of the email below your query. For nonfiction submissions, send an informative cover letter, a full outline, and the first ten pages of the manuscript. If you are sending an email submission, please include the sample pages in the body of the email below your query. For picture book submissions, send an informative cover letter, full outline, and include a picture book dummy and at least one full-color sample. If you are sending an email submission, please attach a picture book dummy as a PDF and the full-color samples as JPEGs or PDFs.



GREENHOUSE LITERARY
https://www.greenhouseliterary.com/submissions/
We specialize in writing for children and teens: picture book author/illustrators with texts of less than 1,000 words; high-concept/character-led chapter-book series; middle grade novels; graphic novels for a young readership; young-adult novels; select nonfiction proposals. Additionally, we are now opening to very select women’s fiction.

 

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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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