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TOP SPONSOR
EDITOR’S THOUGHTS
WHEN IT ISN'T FUN
Each time to ascend to a higher rung on the ladder of personal evolution, we must go through a period of discomfort, of initiation. I have never found an exception.
- Dan Millman, author of Way of the Peaceful Warrior and 16 other books of inspiration
During this Time of COVID-19, we have learned to make do with less. While some are chomping at the bit to get back into the world and renew their busy-ness, there are just as many who've learned to maintain their simpler way of life.
This isolation was discomforting for many. We learned to practically forage for our needs. So we adapted. We studied the pantry and got creative with what we had. We took online classes, and we wrote more words. But we did so with worry in our minds.
Throughout all of this quarantine, we grew concerned. Some of us took stock of what we had and who we were. We might have even decided that the path we were on wasn't the one we wanted after all. Some businesses have taken off. Some businesses were created. But none of this happened without us experiencing change and loss.
When I posted on Facebook, asking what talents people had developed during this isolation, many people were prompt to respond. After a period of studying four walls, missing other people, and mourning loss, they chose to toss the negative and seek the positive. They put band-aids on their bruises, got up, and tried something different.
When life isn't fun, you do damage control, analyze the wounds, and decide where to go and what to do differently. This isn't time to fuss. This is time to grasp opportunity. This is the time to morph into something you never would have if not for the virus.
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HOPE'S APPEARANCES
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All appearances have been cancelled
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Any book clubs can get in touch regarding
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Milton Berle
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Featured article
Top Tips for Projecting a Professional Video Presence
By Dan Brotzel
Virtual meetings are becoming the new normal for job interviews, writing groups, workshops, author talks, readings, press calls and more. Finding a way to be as professional and effective on screen as you are in real life is a bit of a learning curve. Here are a few pointers...
Video Platform
There are lots of platforms to try now, many with features like screen share for free - here's a useful overview. If you're using someone's else platform always do a dry run, to check you've downloaded the software OK, and sound and connection work. Watch out for sessions
that are time-limited, as with Zoom. (Remember that poor sound will be far more frustrating for your audience than poor visuals.) If possible, have a back-up plan too – another password or login that people can use, or another platform to try.
Wardrobe
Avoid jangly earrings and bright make-up. Avoid bright colours, stripes, logos and other distracting clothes and accessories. Wear a smart-casual outfit in a darker shade, something that you feel comfortable in. Tuck the tail of your jacket under your rear to keep it looking tight-fitting and to stop it riding up as you speak. More tips on how to
presentable here and here.
Posture
Prop your laptop at eye level so you're not all chins and nostrils. Sit still, avoid moving about, and have your knees shoulder-width apart to give you a firm base. If this is all quite new, you could video yourself talking beforehand to see if anything in your tone or gestures (too many 'ums' or fidgety hands, for example) need addressing. We all need to learn to lose our fear of the camera!
Delivery
Avoid eating dairy beforehand – it can clog up your throat. Make 'eye contact' with the camera often as you speak, remember to smile, and slow your pace down – your voice may be distorted a little as it travels electronically. Speak naturally, referring to bullet points rather than reading things out word for word. A few vocal and breath warm-ups can really help. People will forgive the odd glitch or random child in the background so long as your material is inspiring or informative. (And they can hear and understand you!)
Room Setup
Go for a plain, uncluttered background that is not too distracting but has some depth - you don't want to be right up against a wall. Bookcases can work so long as they're not too messy or have odd covers that draw too much attention.
Light and Sound
Use your preview to check your lighting doesn't leave your face in shadow and there's no houseplant growing out of your head! Set up in the quietest room in your home, where you are least likely to be disturbed. Prime other people in your home to keep the noise down. You can use a simple ring light to cut out backlight, or use settings in Zoom and other platforms to optimise your appearance and backdrop. A headset – ideally in an unobtrusive style – is more reliable and
clearer than speakers – far less likely to create feedback.
Content
According to InterCall, 65 percent of attendees are doing other work on a video call, so you need to work hard to keep people's attention. Schedule shorter interactions than you might in person – for a talk, typically, 20-25 minutes followed by a Q&A. Encouraging people to comment or asking questions as you go can keep people attentive.
Screen-sharing slides and videos can enliven your talk but don't hide behind your props – sometimes it can just as powerful simply seeing someone talk. As you gain confidence, you could include more advanced features such as votes and polls too.
BIO - Dan Brotzel is author of Hotel du Jack (Sandstone) and Kitten on a Fatberg (Unbound)
COmpetitions
BLUE LYNX PRIZE
https://lynxhousepress.submittable.com/submit
$28 ENTRY FEE. Deadline June 1, 2020. The annual Blue Lynx Prize for Poetry awards $2,000 plus publication for a full-length poetry collection. The Prize is awarded for an unpublished, full-length volume of poems by a U.S. author, which includes foreign nationals living and writing in the U.S. and U.S. citizens living abroad.
CAMBRIDGE PRIZE FOR SHORT STORIES
https://theshortstory.co.uk/competitions/short-story-competition/
£9 ENTRY FEE. Deadline June 15, 2020. Prizes: £1,000, £300, £200, and all remaining shortlisted will be awarded £50. Short Stories must be in English and must not exceed 2,500 words in length, excluding title. There is no minimum word count.
SEAN O'FAOLAIN INTERNATIONAL SHORT STORY COMPETITION
http://www.munsterlit.ie/SOF%20Page.html
€18 ENTRY FEE. Deadline July 31, 2020. The competition is open to original, unpublished and unbroadcast short stories in the English language of 3,000 words or fewer. The story can be on any subject, in any style, by a writer of any nationality, living anywhere in the world. First Prize €2,000, residency (one week) at Anam Cara Retreat, accommodation at the Cork International Short Story Festival, and publication in Southword. Second Prize €500 and publication in Southword.
Four runners-Up receive €250 and publication in Southword.
SAPPHO PRIZE FOR POETRY
https://www.palettepoetry.com/current-contest/
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline June 14, 2020. This contest only accepts submissions from poets who identify as women or non-binary. The winning poet will be awarded $3,000 and publication on Palette Poetry. Second and third place will win $300 and $200 respectively, as well as publication. Submissions are open internationally to any poet writing in English. There is no page requirement, but submission must be no more than three poems.
CATHY SMITH BOWERS CHAPBOOK CONTEST
https://www.mainstreetrag.com/contests/cathy-smith-bowers-chapbook/
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline June 15, 2020. Submit 28-40 pages of poetry (page count does not include title pages, table of contents or notes). First prize $1,000 and 50 copies of the published book. Sponsored by Main Street Rag.
MARGUERITE McGLINN PRIZE FOR FICTION
https://philadelphiastories.org/fiction-contest/
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline June 15, 2020. This is an annual national short fiction contest that features a first-place $2,500 award and invitation to an awards dinner on the campus of Rosemont College; a second-place cash prize of $750; and a third-place cash prize of $500. The winner stories will be published in the print issue of Fall of Philadelphia Stories. Submit previously unpublished works of fiction up to 8,000 words. Limited to authors in the United States.
SPOKANE PRIZE FOR SHORT FICTION
http://willowspringsbooks.org/submit/
$27.50 ENTRY FEE. Deadline June 15, 2020. Willow Springs Books invites submissions for the 2020 Spokane Prize for Short Fiction. The winner receives $2,000 plus publication. Limited to writers in the United States. Manuscripts should be no less than 98 pages (with no maximum page count) and include at least three short stories.
MAY SARTON NEW HAMPSHIRE POETRY PRIZE
http://www.bauhanpublishing.com/may-sarton-prize/
$30 ENTRY FEE. Deadline June 30, 2020. The May Sarton New Hampshire Poetry Prize is awarded for a book-length collection of poetry. The book must be previously unpublished as a whole. We welcome submissions from around the world. The poetry within the collection can be on any topic and in any poetic form. Prize is $1,000, publication, 100 author copies, and distribution.
GRANTS / FELLOWSHIPS / CROWDFUNDING
FELLOWSHIP FOR CHILDREN'S LITERATURE
https://www.writerscolony.org/fellowships
Deadline July 6, 2020. The Writers' Colony at Dairy Hollow is offering a fellowship to help a writer of children's or young adult (YA) literature. A two-week, all expenses paid residency will allow the recipient to focus entirely on their work. Candidates should be working on a picture book or chapter book that provides inspiration and hope for those struggling with the hardships and challenges that life often metes out.
ARTIST GRANTS FOR FRANKLIN, HAMPSHIRE & HAMPDEN COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE
https://assetsforartists.submittable.com/submit/166020/valleycreates-working-capital-grant
Deadline June 5, 2020. The ValleyCreates Rapid Response Artist Working Capital Grant Program is a fast-tracked financial wellness and sustainability initiative for artists who currently live or have studio space in Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampton Counties, Massachusetts. This program pairs a $1,000 artist mini-grant with the option for one-on-one coaching and online financial and business resiliency webinars specifically focused on navigating a post-COVID cultural sector.
PRAIRIE RONDE RESIDENCIES
http://prairierondeartistresidency.com/artist-application/
Deadline June 15, 2020. The Prairie Ronde Artist Residency is located in historic Vicksburg, Michigan, near Kalamazoo. The artist residency program supports visual artists, writers, video/filmmakers, and musicians with a $2,000 stipend for a residency of between four and seven weeks, a $500 travel grant, and private use of a car. Fall residencies will be held September 15 through December 15, 2020.
UK - FREELANCE WRITER GRANTS
https://medium.com/@SianMeades/the-freelance-writing-jobs-fund-a64bc8feecac
Deadline May 24, 2020. Due to two incredibly generous anonymous donors this week, there are now ten grants of £100 each available for freelance writers who have been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic. Each recipient will also receive an hour-long mentoring session with me (over phone or Zoom), to take place in June or July. You must be based in the UK. The majority of your income must come from freelance writing.
FREELANCE MARKETS / JOBS
FREELANCE COPYEDITORS
https://us.macmillan.com/torforge/about/faq/
Tom Doherty Associates, LLC hires a limited number of freelance copyeditors and proofreaders. To apply, please mail a resume to Managing Editor, Tom Doherty Associates, LLC, and 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271.
WRITER-EDITOR
https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/568221700
Deadline May 29, 2020. Location Washington, DC. Pays $48,670 to $77,396 per year.
The position is located in the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), Office of Communications and Congressional Relations (CCR). The selectee will be a legislative and public affairs correspondent responsible for AOC communications that affect the public, internal information, external communication and congressional interests.
WRITER-EDITOR
https://jobs.cdc.gov/job/-/-/250/16171155
Deadline June 12, 2020. Locations Anchorage, Alaska, Los Angeles, California, San Diego, California, San Francisco, California, Denver, Colorado, Fort Collins, Colorado, Miami, Florida, Atlanta, Georgia, Honolulu, Hawaii, Chicago, Illinois, New Orleans, Louisiana, Boston, Massachusetts, Hyattsville, Maryland, Detroit, Michigan, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Durham, North Carolina, Newark, New Jersey, Cincinnati, Ohio, Bruceton, Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, San Juan, Dallas, Texas, El
Paso, Texas, Fort Worth, Texas, Houston, Texas, Spokane, Washington, Morgantown, West Virginia. Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As a Writer-Editor, you will: Write or edit technical materials, such as reports of research findings; scientific or technical articles; correspondence in technical areas; etc. Produce material by gathering and verifying facts, writing, or editing correspondence, reports, and other written material, and presenting information that is clear and
meaningful to the intended audience. Serve as an editorial and communications advisor to program management and other staff. Consult directly with lawyers and authors about writing and revising manuscripts and provides guidance on effective expository writing. Write and/or edit general or technical materials. Analyze the subject matter and audience in order to present the material clearly and accurately. Pays $55,204 to $118,603 per year depending upon experience.
WRITER-EDITOR FOR KNOWLEDGE AND ADVOCACY PRODUCTS
https://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_job.cfm?cur_job_id=91657
Deadline May 25, 2020. Location remote. Provide strategic advice on digital communication (including data visualization and how data use interacts with data design) as well as social campaign strategies. Support positioning of GSSU as a Centre of Excellence within UNDP and with external clients, through innovative storytelling. Develop and review standard operating procedures for the Customer Relationship and Quality Assurance Team. Writing/editing of knowledge management Wiki papers and
advocacy products targeting internal and external clients. Develop global protocols, guidelines, processes, and principles for relationship management and support.
FREELANCE WRITERS FOR B2B PODCASTING AGENCY
https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=333c71e5ac2d8347
Founded by a chiropractor turned serial entrepreneur and former White House writer and speechwriter, Rise25 works with top notch B2B businesses around the globe, including one of the nation’s largest ticket sellers, consulting firms, law firms, and more. www.Rise25.com/about. This position is location independent and self-paced. Ideally, we are looking for someone who can devote at least 20 or more hours per week (or we can build up to that), but if you have fewer hours available at
least initially, that is OK. Apply here - https://rise25.typeform.com/to/QTxodC
Publishers/agents
KANE MILLER
http://www.friends.kanemiller.com/about-contact-purchase.html
Kane Miller Books specializes in award-winning children's books from around the world. Our books bring the children of the world closer to each other, sharing stories and ideas, while exploring cultural differences and similarities.
TOR/FORGE
https://us.macmillan.com/torforge/about/faq/#how-do-i-submit-writing-to-tom-doherty-associates-llc
Submit the first three chapters or up to 10,000 words. Submit as follows:
==Science fiction and fantasy: Acquisitions Editor, Science Fiction and Fantasy
==Fiction of all other types including but not limited to general fiction, historical fiction, horror, mystery, paranormal, suspense/thriller, urban fantasy, and women’s fiction: Acquisitions Editor, Fiction
==Children’s and Young Adult: Acquisitions Editor, Children’s and Young Adult Division Note: We publish books for the chapter book, middle grade, and young adult audiences. We do not publish picture books.
QUARTO PUBLISHING
https://www.quartoknows.com/Corporate/Submission-Guidelines/
Quarto creates a wide variety of books and products, with a mission to inspire life's experiences. Produced in many formats for adults, children, and the whole family, our products are visually appealing, information-rich and stimulating. Each of our imprints has its own editorial focus and fits into a category. To ensure that your book proposal winds up in the right hands, please take a moment to review each category to determine where your book best fits. Categories/imprints include
Quarto Cooks, Quarto Drives, Quarto Gifts, Quarto Explores, Quarto Homes, Quarto Kids, Quarto Lives, Quarto Plays, Quarto Thinks.
BANCROFT PRESS
https://bancroftpress.com/submissions/
We publish trade fiction and nonfiction. Bancroft Press publishes titles we’re passionate about. That’s it. And we’ve stuck around for 20 years on this principle: Publish What You Love.
CHELSEA GREEN
https://www.chelseagreen.com/about/submission-guidelines/
Chelsea Green specializes in books that promote the “politics and practice of sustainable living.” We specialize in books on Organic gardening and market farming, Sustainable agriculture and permaculture, Local and global agricultural movements and healthy food supplies, Natural building, Animal husbandry and draft power, Alternative economic models with a focus on sustainability and social justice, Renewable energy sources, and energy conservation, Cookbooks with unique
approaches to cuisine, Food politics and other narrative approaches to sustainable food, Fermentation, cheesemaking, baking, and other how-to approaches to food production, Natural science and place-based environmental narratives, Natural health and herbal healing, Simple living, Radical politics and activism, Environmental journalism, and Cutting-edge science interpreted for lay readers (under our Sciencewriters imprint).
MCFARLAND BOOKS
https://mcfarlandbooks.com/becoming-an-author/
McFarland is a leading independent publisher of academic and general interest nonfiction books. McFarland is known for covering topics of popular appeal in a serious and scholarly fashion, and for going to great lengths to manufacture our books to the highest standards and library specifications. We publish more than 350 new print books each year, with nearly all having a simultaneous ebook edition. McFarland welcomes proposals for nonfiction manuscripts on a wide range of subjects, not
limited to the following: popular culture and performing arts (especially film, television, dance, gaming), military history (especially Vietnam War combat memoirs, World War II and Civil War), international studies, health topics, sports (especially baseball, boxing, American football), automotive (and planes and trains), literary studies (including both classic and genre fiction, mystery, SF, fantasy, horror), medieval studies, mythology, folklore, and women’s and gender studies.
Multi-contributor manuscripts and edited collections of essays are welcome.
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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 2000-2020, C. Hope Clark
ISSN: 1533-1326
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