SPONSOR OF THE WEEK

I’ve been writing all my life and self-publishing  for more than a decade. With Masters Degrees in both Professional Writing and Education, I’m well suited to nurture your project.

Testimonials:

• Carla King: Sheri’s editorial eagle eye identified typos and other small errors other beta readers didn’t find. She also called attention to concepts that needed further clarification and marked difficult-to-read sentences. Thank you Sheri! Self-Publishing Boot Camp for Authors, 4^th Edition
• Suzanne Blaney: I give my special thanks to Sheri [Editor and Designer] for editing the rough manuscript and creating what I consider a fine book. Impressionism: Inspiration and Evolution, Runner-up, Photography/Art category, San Francisco Book Festival 2019
• Betty Fulcomer: You have made this a non-threatening experience. Thank you. My Friend Doc is a Veterinarian.

Visit my website for more information or email [email protected] directly.

SLOW AND STEADY

Someone just wrote to me asking how to get promotion for an essay collection by first-time authors. She's worked so darn hard on this book, and she's written to me several times during the process. I gave her, in essence, this advice. 

1) Quit touting it as a book of first-time authors. It's a book. It's about fill-in-the-blank. Testimonials say this and that. The book's purpose is fill-in-the-blank, and it fulfills it beautifully.

2) You do not get people to promote you... you proactively promote it. You are seen, heard, read everywhere you can possibly put your name and title out there, along with the purpose and reason this book is a necessity... and for whom. You speak, teach, appear, sign, write blog posts. One by one, each effort spreads the word a little bit further.

She commented on a solo promotional mailing that WinningWriters.com did for me on the release of Edisto Tidings. Said she couldn't dream of something like that. Sure she can. But I also explained that, while I'm not a household word, I didn't garner my following overnight. 

Today, especially in my home state, people hear of C. Hope Clark. That did NOT happen quickly. I've been fighting promotion, often with setbacks, for years. I've tried buying ads. I've written 50 blog posts for a blog tour. I've financed a nine-state, 26 event tour out of pocket. And I've freelanced, spoken, and taught at conferences in hopes that one more person would remember my name. 

This job has a long tail. In marketing arenas, that means you promote long and steady, not splash with a huge release and ad campaign. This business no longer functions that way. Promote daily, sometimes small, sometimes big, but steadily. When you quit doing so, your audience moves on and forgets you. 

Until you are Stephen King or John Grisham, promotion is like brushing your teeth. You are always a writer, always working on the next project, always marketing the last project, and promising readers a never-ending supply of material. Slow. And. Steady. That's what builds your name. 





 

SUPER SPONSOR WORTH NOTING

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The zombies aren’t just a throwaway gimmick either. They help you learn through analogies and good old-fashioned silliness.

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HOPE'S APPEARANCES

 
SUCCESS QUOTE

SUccess Story

Dear Hope,

I look forward to your newsletters and have learned so much from you over the years. I would like to let you know that I self-published my debut novel, DAEIOS: 140 FEET DOWN, a dystopian thriller with overtones of The Handmaid's Tale, on November 9, 2019. I launched the book online and at a book signing in my hometown of Casper, Wyoming. It was so much fun and was a huge success - the bookstore owner said authors usually sell about six books, and I sold 40! The following weekend I held a book signing in Sheridan, Wyoming, where I grew up, and although the bookstore owner said that 20-25 book sales would be a stellar book signing, I sold 42 books! I learned to promote my books in part from your newsletters, and I admire you for how hard you work to promote your books while giving back to the writing community. I hope to follow your lead.

Sincerely,
Colleen Eccles Penor
Casper, Wyoming

 

Featured article

Review Copies, Freebies, and Author Copies: Q&A

By Dan Brotzel

Think the author of a new book is entitled to unlimited copies? Think again. Here we look at author copies, review copies, and giving away freebies. 
 
What is a review copy? 

Often known as ARCs (advance review copies), review copies are a promotional version of the book for the trade and media. They will not always have the final cover and will be marked as "not for resale." There may be a few things missing, such as index and pagination, and some editing often needs to be done.

What are they for? 

They’re sent out months in advance to publications, influencers, wholesalers, and sales reps in the hopes of generating reviews and publicity. It’s always understood that the ARC is not the final version of the book.

Does the author get any review copies?

Not necessarily, as they are mostly for the publisher to share with their network. Hope’s publisher gives her no print ARCs but does provide ebook ARCs via NetGalley. The publisher of my short story collection typically sends out ten print ARCs to authors, with the possibility of more if needed.

What’s the difference between an ARC and an author copy?

Author copies are simply the agreed number of copies of the final book that will be provided free to the author. For the avoidance of disagreement, this number is almost always stipulated in the contract, together with an agreed discount at which the author can buy further copies. Hope gets 15 author copies free of charge, for example, and can buy more for 50 percent off.

Alex Woolf is an author of over 100 titles, many of them nonfiction for children and YA, who has worked with several publishers. "In my markets, you’re not normally sent advance review copies," he says. "I generally receive six copies of any first edition and two of any subsequent editions – but it depends on the contract."

What’s the best way to use your free copies? 

Though tempting to hand these out to family and friends, you will only have a limited supply. It's better business to send them where they will work hardest for you. "All my free copies go to reviewers," says Hope. 

People you are close to will often offer to buy a copy – don’t feel you have to contradict them! As Hope says, "My friends and family know how hard I work at this profession, and those who read my work always purchase my books to assist in sales numbers. I think a lot has to do with how you project yourself as a professional."

What about getting more copies?

Authors often invest in more copies of their books at the discounted rate to use for promotional purposes. "I usually invest in the purchase of 100 copies of each new release, and probably half are distributed to reviewers," says Hope. "The others are sold at personal events like book clubs and libraries."

Alex says, "I often buy extra copies of my books for when I go into schools, so I can sell signed copies after my talk. I buy these at author discount, which is generally 50 percent. With one publisher, I’ll get a load of books sent to me, and I pay only for the books I’ve sold, so I’m not out of pocket."

So, what are the key takeaways?

= Don’t be sentimental about giving away free books. Give them to those with a chance of helping you promote/sell more books.  

= Don’t be afraid to ask for more ARCs, especially where you can show you have good homes for them. There’ll be no use once the book is published.  

= Negotiating is about giving and getting. If you can’t get the full advance you want, try for more author copies or a better author discount instead.

= Bookselling is a long haul, so consider investing in a bulk discount, so you always have copies on hand to give to useful new contacts.  

BIO: Dan Brotzel (@brotzel_fiction) is author of a collection of short stories, Hotel du Jack, and co-author of a new comic novel, Kitten on a Fatberg (Unbound). To pre-order Kitten on a Fatberg for a ten percent discount, quote KITTEN10. 

 

COmpetitions

POEMS FOR PEACE AND CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION
https://wickpoetrycenter.submittable.com/submit/145883/call-for-poems-for-peace-and-conflict-transformation
Deadline December 15, 2019. The Wick Poetry Center is now accepting poetry submissions as part of the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the May 4 shootings. The poems should resonate with the themes of peace, conflict transformation, and student advocacy. We are accepting submissions in three categories: youth (K-12), adult student, or adult non-student. Submit just one poem no more than 100 lines long. One winner from each category will receive $500 and a possibility to read their poems at Kent State during the May 4 Music and Poetry Event on April 21. Two poets will receive honorable mention prizes for $250 and a possibility to read their poems at Kent State during the April 21 event. All winners will have their poems set to a musical composition by students in the Kent State University School of Music.



LILITH MAGAZINE ANNUAL FICTION CONTEST
https://www.lilith.org/about/writing-for-lilith/
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline December 31, 2019. Lilith Magazine—Independent, Jewish & frankly feminist—seeks quality short fiction, 3,000 words or under, for our Annual Fiction Contest. First prize $250 and publication. We like to work with both feminist and Jewish content.



OUEN PRESS SHORT STORY CONTEST
http://www.ouenpress.com/23.html
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline December 31, 2019. First prize £300. Two Runners up £100 each. Highly Commended entries recognised. The short story must be a work of fiction involving a 'Gift' of any type (a present, a capability) at any time (past, present-day, future), or in any place (this world or another) within its theme. The length of the submission should be no less than 4,000 words and no more than 10,000 words excluding the title and word count.



DRINKING GOURD CHAPBOOK POETRY PRIZE
https://poetry.northwestern.edu/2020-drinking-gourd-chapbook-contest/
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline December 31, 2019. Winner receives $350 prize money, publication by Northwestern University Press in Fall 2020, 15 copies of the book, and a featured reading at The Poetry Foundation. Poets of color who have not previously published a book-length volume of poetry are eligible. Winner must be available for a reading in Chicago in January of 2021.


 

 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

THE STUDIOS AT MASS MOCA
https://www.assetsforartists.org/financial-aid
Deadline January 8, 2020. This residency season, the Studios at MASS MoCA is offering a record number of artist fellowships for fully-funded residency stays of two to five weeks. Each fellowship is unique and has its own set of eligibility guidelines. The full-price residency fee for the Studios at MASS MoCA is $650/week, but many participants are offered both merit- and need-based financial aid. Location North Adams, Massachusetts. 



SESAME STREET WRITERS’ ROOM
https://sesamewritersroom.org/
Deadline January 10, 2020. The Sesame Workshop will select up to eight emerging writers who will each receive hands-on writing experience guided by Sesame Street veterans and other media industry leaders. The selected fellows will participate in an eight-week program (one three-hour class per week) in New York City and up to two participants will have the opportunity to receive creative development deals and further mentorship. To be eligible to apply writers must be from an underrepresented racial background (defined for this purpose as Asian, Pacific Islander, Black, Hispanic, Native American, Middle Eastern, or multiracial), be aged over 21 and be a United States citizen or permanent resident. Applicants must also NOT have extensive media writing experience, such as having written more than six episodes for a network or cable scripted/narrative series. There is no application fee.



MARBLE HOUSE PROJECT
https://www.vermontartscouncil.org/explore-vermont-arts/arts-resources/classified-ads/1785
Deadline December 9, 2019. Marble House Project is a multi-disciplinary artist residency program that fosters collaboration and the exchange of ideas by providing an environment for artists across disciplines to live and work side by side. Our residency program is uniquely curated to bring together a diverse group of artists to facilitate exchange of different expertise, histories, techniques and perspectives. With a focus on conservation of natural resources, integration of small-scale organic food production and the arts, residents sustain their growth by cultivating and participating in the surrounding grounds, working on their artistic vision and forging partnerships within the community. Location Vermont.



BRONX RECOGNIZES ITS OWN
https://www.bronxarts.org/grants/bronx-recognizes-its-own/
Deadline December 16, 2019. Bronx Recognizes Its Own (BRIO) provides direct support to individual Bronx artists who create works in the literary, media, visual, and performing arts. BCA awards grants of $5,000 to Bronx artists each year, based solely on artistic excellence.







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

Crack open your fierce, original voice at one of the year's most intensive writing retreats at the renowned and secluded Present Moment seaside eco-retreat! Buoyed by stunning natural beauty & the pulsing rhythm of Pacific waves, you'll dive deep below the surface of "the usual" to supercharge your writing practice & surprise yourself on the page.  

Three spots left for writers of all levels & genres. This retreat offers profound creative catalyst along with unconventional & incredibly effective tools of the 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. Writing workshops and feedback on your work-in-progress by award-winning author and teacher Jeannine Ouellette.

Retreat includes ground transportation, room & board with all fresh gourmet meals, daily writing workshops with facilitated craft discussions & readings, expertly guided yoga & meditation, optional eco-adventures, individualized support & more. Inquire soon! Space is limited; payment plans available. Join us!

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. 



CHICKEN SOUP: STORIES ABOUT CHRISTMAS
https://www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/possible-book-topics
Deadline January 30, 2020. We are now collecting stories for our HOLIDAY 2020 book and we are looking for stories about the entire December holiday season, including Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanzaa, Boxing Day, and New Year’s festivities, too. We want to hear about your holiday memories and traditions. Limit 1,200 words. Pays $200 and ten copies. 



CHICKEN SOUP: STORIES ABOUT SELF-CARE AND ME TIME
https://www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/possible-book-topics
Deadline December 31, 2019. Self-care is what we all neglect most. And we’re waking up to its importance. We care for children and partners and parents and friends. We care for pets and homes and volunteer organizations. But, in order to take care of others you must first take care of yourself. And that is not being selfish. Taking care of yourself is not just about your physical health but includes your emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing, too. Limit 1,200 words. Pays $200 and ten copies. 



CHICKEN SOUP: STORIES ABOUT CATS
https://www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/possible-book-topics
Deadline January 15, 2020. Our cat titles are so very popular, and you have so many great stories to share with us, that we do a new cat title every 18 months or so. Here is another chance for you to share a story or two about the member of your family who just happens to walk on four feet! Limit 1,200 words. Pays $200 and ten copies. 



CHICKEN SOUP: STORIES ABOUT DOGS
https://www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/possible-book-topics
Deadline January 15, 2020. Our dog titles are so very popular, and you have so many great stories to share with us, that we do a new dog title every 18 months or so. Here is another chance for you to share a story or two about the member of your family who just happens to walk on four feet! Limit 1,200 words. Pays $200 and ten copies. 



CAST OF WONDERS
http://www.castofwonders.org/submissions/
Cast of Wonders is a young adult short fiction market, open to stories up to 6,000 words in length. We’re dedicated to publishing fiction that reflects the entire spectrum of the human experience. We aim for a 12-17 age range: that means sophisticated, non-condescending stories with wide appeal, and without gratuitous or explicit sex, violence or pervasive obscene language. Think Harry Potter or The Hunger Games. We pay eight cents/word for original fiction of any length (yes, including flash!). For reprints, we offer a $100 flat rate for Short Fiction and a $20 flat rate for Flash Fiction. 



FROZEN WAVELETS
https://earthianhivemind.net/frozen-wavelets/
Frozen Wavelets is an e-zine of speculative flash fiction and poetry, offspring of The Earthian Hivemind. This means that some of the accepted pieces will appear on the dedicated section of this blog, before being included in one of the e-zine issues (published quarterly). Original flash fiction of 750 words or less. We pay pro-rate for fiction (US eight cents/ word) and US one dollar/ line per poetry. We pay on acceptance.



SHENANDOAH
https://shenandoahliterary.org/submissions/
Deadline December 15, 2019. We pay our contributors at the rate of $100 per poem, $100 per 1,000 words of prose up to $500, and $50 per page of comics up to $500. Shenandoah aims to showcase a wide variety of voices and perspectives in terms of gender identity, race, ethnicity, class, age, ability, nationality, regionality, sexuality, and educational background. Poetry should contain up to five pieces and not more than ten pages total. Only reading poetry at present. 

 

Publishers/agents

 
CINCO PUNTOS PRESS
http://www.cincopuntos.com/submissions.sstg
Because Cinco Puntos Press focuses on the U.S. / Mexico border region, the Southwest and Mexico, however, we've found that many writers assume that their work will be a good fit if it likewise focuses on this area. But that isn't always true. We like to range out, just like everybody else, explore different possibilities, experiment. It will help if you are familiar with what Cinco Puntos Press has already published, have even maybe bought some of our books. Not currently looking for poetry or children's picture books.



SFK PRESS
https://sfkpress.com/submissions/
SFK Press seeks book-length fiction by fearless authors. Our mission is to tell a million tales of y’all means ALL, with a Southern accent. While SFK Press provides full-scale editorial, design, and marketing services at no cost to the author, we want to know that our authors will help us sell their books and fulfill our mission to tell a million tales of y’all means all.



AUNT LUTE PRESS
https://www.auntlute.com/submissions
We seek manuscripts, both fiction and nonfiction, by women from a variety of cultures, ethnic backgrounds and subcultures; women who are self-aware and who, in the face of all contradictory evidence, are still hopeful that the world can reserve a place of respect for each woman in it. We seek work that explores the specificities of the worlds from which we come and examines the intersections of the borders that we all inhabit. Currently, we only accept poetry if it is submitted as part of a larger body of work or an edited anthology. We generally do not consider, given our particular readership, works about therapy or self-help.



SECOND STORY PRESS
https://secondstorypress.ca/submissions
We are a Canadian feminist press publishing books of special interest to women. Our list is a mix of fiction, nonfiction, and books for young readers and adults. We look for manuscripts dealing with the many diverse and varied aspects of the lives of girls and women, as well as social justice, diversity, and children's empowerment.



TIMBER PRESS
https://www.workman.com/work-with-us/author-submissions#timber
Timber Press is devoted to sharing the wonders of the natural world by publishing books from experts in the fields of gardening, horticulture, and natural history. Our list includes gardening how-to, garden design, popular science, nature, garden literature, and both regional and national field guides. We consider new book ideas from authors and agents.



STOREY PUBLISHING
https://www.workman.com/work-with-us/author-submissions
The books we select to carry out this mission include nonfiction titles for adults and children on gardening, home reference, crafts, cooking, beer & wine, nature, raising animals, horses, building, farming, homesteading, and mind/body/spirit. We are always pleased to review new proposals on these topics directly from authors and from agents. (Note: no fiction, poetry, or children’s picture books, please.)



VERSIFY
https://versifybooks.tumblr.com/about
This Houghton Mifflin Harcourt imprint reflects Alexander’s vision that accessible and powerful prose and poetry—in picture books, novels, and nonfiction—can celebrate the lives and reflect the possibilities of all children. Seeking new authors and artists as well as established writers and illustrators, Versify publishes books that explore the beauty, hurdles, and hopefulness of life … books that will engage, entertain, and empower young people to imagine and create a better world.

 

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.