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If you'd like to know why you haven't started, finished, or published your book yet, here's your chance to find out. Take this free, no-strings-attached, one-minute quiz to discover where you are in the writing process. Then you'll know what's keeping you from finishing the book of your dreams and what to do about it. The answer just may surprise you! 

https://www.champion-studios.com/capture/need-help-writing-your-book.html

WRITING WHAT YOU KNOW

We hear that phrase all the time. Some say it is the basis of good writing, especially for new writers. Others claim it's false, that writers should be able to write anything, or they are at their best when having to dig down and research. 

But there's more to writing "what you know" than to reference the education, history, experience, hobbies, and profession of a writer's life.

I recently ran across this quote from Virginia Woolf in an essay in The New Yorker. 

"Let us record the atoms as they fall upon the mind in the order in which they fall, let us trace the pattern, however disconnected and incoherent in appearance, which each sight or incident scores upon the consciousness. Let us not take it for granted that life exists more fully in what is commonly thought big than in what is commonly thought small."  ~Virginia Woolf

Writing what you know isn't necessarily from a macro viewpoint. In other words, not necessarily from a big picture or factual knowledge aspect. 

Writing what you know could be defined as how well you picture life. In other words, you don't necessarily see a boat on the water. You see the spray leaving drops on the Bimini top. Instead of a lady holding roses, you see the wilted petal on the one rose pushed to the back. 

Some say you have to be of a certain age to capture such details. You have grown beyond thinking of self or the judgment of others, that there is no more proving of self but instead recording what life is drawing for your eye. Regardless, realize that writing what you know might be more a matter of writing what you see.

SUPER SPONSOR 

You’re working hard for success. 

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Most people learn the business side of their passion by failing—a lot. It can cost you time, money, stress, and lead to total burnout. Learning how to run your business isn't complicated. You just need to know where to start.

Our team of professional freelancers created a guide to teach you the ins and outs of managing your freelance business. Our free mini course on Freelance Management will help you analyze your finances, reach new clients, plan for growth, and more. 

Running your business doesn’t have to mean running yourself ragged. Try our free course today, and start running your business like a pro.

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HOPE'S APPEARANCES

SUCCESS QUOTE

SUccess Story

Dear Hope,

A short story I wrote recently won first prize in a competition and will be published in the Ocotillo Review early next year. I did not spot the competition in FundsforWriters so won't claim it as a 'success story' here, but I have seen other contests by the same press, Kallisto Gaia, mentioned by you in previous years. It's been a pleasure doing business with them; I hope you'll feature future contests of theirs.

All the best,

Leslie Carlin

- - - 



If you have a success story you believe was prompted by FundsforWriters, please share with us! Send to [email protected] 



 

Featured article

Want to Make Money Writing? Try Social Media Management

By Cole Smith

When old friends ask me what I do now, I laugh. No one’s more surprised than me! I fell into social media management by accident. 

Back when I promoted my books online, I noticed opportunities. Then a local cafe owner and I started kicking around ideas one afternoon, and it happened—she hired me for a monthly fee to manage her social media.

But the opportunity shouldn’t have been so surprising. As writers we already have many of the skills required to transition into online marketing. For example, we already know how to write beginnings, middles, and endings. Social media copy has the same structure.

We know how to write with an authentic voice and to keep it consistent. The truth is, a social media account is like a character. Have you ever read a post and thought that it sounded out of character for the person you’re following? That’s called unauthentic. 

As writers—especially in fiction—we already juggle different voices and characters. The posts that I write for my Mediterranean restaurant client are sunny and vibrant with mouth-watering photos. But the content I post for my supplement store client is punchy, informative, and often highlights the benefits of one product against another. Mind you, I use my skills as a researcher to craft these posts. (Anyone can tell I’m no powerlifter!) Writing has set us up to learn a little bit about a lot of different topics.

In fact, love of learning is a requirement. Many are intimidated because they think they don’t know enough about techy stuff to manage social media accounts for clients. But guess what? Social media changes so much that everyone is learning as they go. The minute I get comfortable, there’s an algorithm change. I’ve taught myself to remain curious; if I try something that doesn’t work, at least I’ve learned.

Look for opportunities around you. 

Once you start scouting for opportunity, you’ll discover that most businesses seek help. The trick is to charge a rate that’s fair to you and affordable for them. Decide how much time you’ll devote to the client each week and break it down into an hourly rate. As you gain more experience, you can increase your rates.

Sharpen your skills. 

There’s a ton of free social media tips on YouTube, and countless online courses. Your clients aren’t hiring you because they can’t learn social media; they’re hiring you because they’d rather pay someone else to keep up with it. So absorb podcasts while you do laundry, watch tutorials instead of tv shows, and build the confidence you need to approach prospects. Remember, your competitive edge is curiosity and a willingness to learn.

Be clear about expectations. 

Find out what a client’s goals are. Do they want to raise awareness about a new location? Launch a new or revised product? Maybe they’d like to survey their audience. The objective isn’t always to gain followers; many times you can generate more revenue for a client by encouraging existing followers to make a purchase. Sometimes all it takes is reminding them of how much they love the client. (Like posting a great photo and luscious description of a fresh gyro—yum!)

Personally, I also like to include a walkaway option in the contract. After an agreed-upon time (say, three months), if either the client or I feel that the working relationship isn’t, um, working, we can shake hands and walk away. Like I said, social media is ever-changing. Sometimes three months is all it takes to get the job done. And it’s definitely enough time to discover an incompatibility. Refer those clients to someone else and let them go.

If you’re looking for a way to make money with your writing, a way you can work anywhere with WiFi, consider social media management. You’ll get to work with clients who align with your values, and use your skills to help connect customers with products and services they’ll love. It’s a win-win-win.

BIO: Cole Smith is a writer and consultant in West Virginia. She's the author of the cozy mystery, Waiting for Jacob; the young adult novel, Ursula Spark and the Fourth Frankenstein; and the planner, Writers Write: A Workbook to Keep You Fierce, Focused, and Moving Forward. She shares writing tips and free resources at
www.colesmithwrites.com

I like this site for tutorial articles and podcasts: www.socialmediaexaminer.com
 
Traits and skills that will come in handy: https://buffer.com/resources/social-media-manager-job-description/
 
Tools to schedule posts: https://later.com/  and https://hootsuite.com/ 
 
How to plan your posts: https://blog.hootsuite.com/how-to-create-a-social-media-content-calendar/

 

COmpetitions

FLASH VILLAIN CONTEST
https://themolotovcocktail.com/flash-villain-contest
$8 ENTRY FEE. Deadline February 15, 2021. All submissions must absolutely be under 1,000 words, and we tend to look more kindly on 750 or fewer. We like literary-adjacent approaches, but we also dig full-on genre and pulpy takes as well. The sweet spot is often somewhere in the middle. The top three entries will win cash money (USD). $300 for Flash Villain winner, $200 for second place, $100 for third place. We also give mad respect to 4th-10th place, publishing them in our Flash Villain mega-issue and in a future print anthology, with contributor copy included.



WRITERS' UNION OF CANADA SHORT PROSE CONTEST
https://www.writersunion.ca/short-prose-competition
$29 ENTRY FEE. Deadline February 12, 2021. A $2,500 prize is awarded to a Canadian writer for the best piece of unpublished prose of up to 2,500 words in the English language. The Union submits the winning entry and those of the eleven other finalists to three Canadian magazines for consideration. In addition, the winning and finalist entries receive feedback on their submissions.  



FRACTURED LIT GHOST, FABLE, AND FRACTURES FAIRY TALE PRIZE
https://fracturedlit.com/current-prize
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline February 15, 2021. We're excited to offer the winner of this prize $3,000 and publication, while the second and third place winners will receive publication and $300 and $200, respectively. All entries will be considered for publication. Fractured Lit is looking for stories of ghosts, fables, allegory, and fractured fairy tales in 1,000 words or less. Using these genre themes please remember that we're searching for flash that investigates the mysteries of being human, the sorrow, and the joy of connecting to the diverse population around us.



EXETER WRITERS SHORT STORY COMPETITION
https://www.exeterwriters.org.uk/p/short-story-competition-2021.html
£7 ENTRY FEE. Deadline February 28, 2021. Prizes of £700, £250, £100, and £100 for best Devon entry. Word limit 3,000 words. 



HOWARD FRANK MOSHER SHORT FICTION PRIZE
https://hungermtn.submittable.com/submit
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 1, 2021. Please enter one original, unpublished story under 8,000 words. One first-place winner receives $1,000 and online publication, and one runner-up receives $100 and online publication. 



RUTH STONE POETRY PRIZE
https://hungermtn.submittable.com/submit
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 1, 2021. Please submit up to three poems in one entry (all three poems in one Word document or PDF). One first-place winner receives $1,000 and online publication, and one runner-up receives $100 and online publication. 



KATHERINE PETERSON PRIZE FOR YOUNG ADULT CHILDRENS LITERATURE
https://hungermtn.submittable.com/submit
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 1, 2021. Please enter an original, unpublished piece under 8,000 words. Your entry may be a short story or a book/novel excerpt, but if it's an excerpt it should stand alone. Please let us know if this piece is intended for Young Adult, Middle Grade, or younger audiences. We do accept (but we don’t require) illustrations along with picture book manuscripts. One first-place winner receives $1,000 and online publication, and one runner-up receives $100 and online publication. 



NICK BLATCHFORD OCCASIONAL VERSE CONTEST
https://tnq.ca/nick-blatchford-contest/
ENTRY FEE: $40 for up to three poems (includes a one-year Canadian subscription or renewal to The New Quarterly). Deadline February 28, 2021. This contest is for poems written in response to an existing occasion, personal or public, or poems that make an occasion of something ordinary or by virtue of the poet's attention. We are interested in light verse and in verse more sober, in the whole spectrum of tones and occasions. A $1,000 top prize will be awarded for one work of occasional verse (no word limit). An additional $1,000 will be distributed as the judges fancy. All entries will be considered for publication in The New Quarterly ($ 50/poem paid upon publication). We publish a selection of poems from one longlist alongside the winners, some of which have been selected for other honours, e.g. publication in Best Canadian Poetry in English.



BUMBLEBEE FLASH FICTION CONTEST
https://pulpliterature.com/contests/the-bumblebee-flash-fiction-contest/
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline February 15, 2021. Accepts short fiction up to 750 words. Send us your short, sweet, and sassy fiction for a chance to win $300 and publication in Pulp Literature. Get an editorial critique for only $20 more. Total entries limited to 300.



DEREK WALCOTT PRIZE FOR POETRY
https://www.arrowsmithpress.com/walcott
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline February 15, 2021. Prize for poetry to be awarded to a published full-length book of poems by a living poet who is not a US citizen (green card holders welcome) published in the previous calendar year. The book must be in English or in English translation, and may have been published anywhere in the world. The prize includes a $1,000 cash award, along with a reading at the Boston Playwrights' Theatre in Boston, the publication of a limited-edition broadside by Arrowsmith Press, and a week-long residency at Derek Walcott’s home in either St. Lucia or in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, during the annual Walcott Festival. Publishers are invited to enter books published between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2020. 



HIPPOCRATES PRIZE FOR POETRY AND MEDICINE
http://www.hippocrates-poetry.org/the-hippocrates-prize/2021-hippocrates-prize/index.html
£7 ENTRY FEE. Deadline February 14, 2021. The Open category is for entries from anywhere in the world. The Health Professional category is for health professionals (health service staff or students, clinicians or academics) from anywhere in the world. The Hippocrates Prize for Poetry and Medicine is an annual international award for an unpublished poem on a medical subject. Poems must be no more than 50 lines in length and not have previously been published in any form. They must be by a living poet, written in English. Awards £1,000 in each category. 



THE WRITER ESSAY CONTEST
https://www.writermag.com/contests/
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 10, 2021. Submit your very best essay in 2,000 words or less. Any theme, subject, or genre is fair game, as long as it is nonfiction and falls under 2,000 words. Enter today for a chance to win the grand prize: $1,000 and publication in our magazine!
 

GRANTS / FELLOWSHIPS / CROWDFUNDING

CANADA COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS
https://canadacouncil.ca/funding/grants/explore-and-create/research-and-creation
The Research and Creation component of Explore and Create supports the initial stages of the creative process. Canadian artists, artistic groups and arts organizations can apply to develop and make creative works. Grants provide support for creative research, creation and project development. 



NEW HAMPSHIRE CENTER FOR THE ARTS
https://centerfortheartsnh.org/emergency-relief-fund
The CFA Artists Emergency Relief Fund is a fund of last resort available to CFA members. Individuals are eligible to apply for these funds who can demonstrate their status as: A professional artist who has suffered a disaster which significantly interrupts or prevents them from making or performing their art form and earning a living, and for whom said disaster creates an emergency situation and need for immediate relief funds. The artist must be a permanent resident of the United States. Recipients of the CFA Relief funds are asked to “Pay it Back” or Pay it Forward” by performing or volunteering at a CFA event in the future. Awards up to $500. NOTE: This is in the CENTER FOR THE ARTS-LAKE SUNAPEE REGION.



OLDER WRITERS GRANT
https://speculativeliterature.org/grants/slf-older-writers-grant/
Open for submissions May 1, 2021 – May 31, 2021. The SLF $1,000 Older Writers Grant is awarded annually, since 2004, to a writer who is 50 years of age or older at the time of grant application, and is intended to assist such writers who are just starting to work at a professional level. We are currently offering a $1,000 grant annually, to be used as each writer determines will best assist his or her work. This grant will be awarded by a committee of SLF staff members on the basis of merit.



LUMINARTS FELLOWSHIPS
https://luminarts.org/#services
Deadline March 15, 2021. The Luminarts Fellowship includes programs in Visual Arts, Creative Writing, Classical Music, and Jazz. In order to be eligible to apply for the Fellowship Program, applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 30, live or reside within 150 miles of the Chicago Loop, and be currently enrolled in, or graduated from, a degree program, conservatory, or other professional artist development program.

Luminarts also offers extensive opportunities for Luminarts Fellows through Fellow Project Grants to support special residency opportunities, lectures, workshops, mentorship, and facilitated conversations that provide valuable insights into building a successful career in the arts and strengthening our community of participating artists.

Luminarts Fellows are eligible to apply for Fellow Project Grants; available only to Luminarts Fellows to support career development opportunities, such as residencies, master classes, exhibition and performance expenses, material costs, publishing projects, professional travel, and more.



MASSACHUSETTS ARTIST FELLOWSHIPS
https://massculturalcouncil.org/artists-art/artist-fellowships/application-process/
We are proud to support Massachusetts artists with Artist Fellowships. The Fellowships are direct grants to artists to recognize exceptional original work. We consider the work of individual artists to be an essential part of our vital communities, and we hope the awards will foster the creation of new art in the Commonwealth. Artist Fellowships are $15,000, and Finalist awards are $1,500. Mass Cultural Council is accepting applications for the 2021 Artist Fellowships in the following six categories: Crafts, Film & Video, Dramatic Writing, Music Composition, Photography, Sculpture/Installation/New Genres. 



WRITING FOR JUSTICE FELLOWSHIP
https://pen.org/writing-justice-application/
Deadline February 15, 2021. PEN America’s Writing for Justice Fellowship commissions writers—emerging or established—to create written works of lasting merit that illuminate critical issues related to mass incarceration and catalyze public debate. The Fellowship aims to harness the power of writers and writing in bearing witness to the societal consequences of mass incarceration by capturing and sharing the stories of incarcerated individuals, their families, communities, and the wider impact of the criminal justice system. 

 

FREELANCE MARKETS / JOBS

MILITARY OFFICER MAGAZINE
https://www.moaa.org/content/publications-and-media/military-officer-magazine/military-officer-magazine-editorial-information/
Topics: Current military/political affairs; recent military history, especially Vietnam and Korea; personal financial planning; health and fitness; military family issues; retirement lifestyles; travel; and general interest. No fiction, poetry, or fillers. Original material only; no reprints. Features, between 1,000 and 2,000 words. Pays 80 cents/word. 



KHOREO
https://www.khoreomag.com/submissions/
khōréō is a quarterly publication of stories, essays, and art: fantasy, scifi, horror, and any genre in between or around it, as long as there’s a speculative element. We’re especially interested in writing and art that explore some aspect of migration, whether explicitly (themes of immigration, colonialism, etc.), metaphorically, or with a sly nod and a wink. Accepting submissions in the months of January, April, July, and October. We are looking for short fiction under 5,000 words. Because we are a new journal, we have a stricter budget and therefore prefer stories under 3,500 words and pays eight cents/word. We are also looking for original personal or critical and analytical essays that examine speculative fiction, especially from a perspective of migration. We will also consider reprints, but request that this be noted in your cover letter. We are looking for essays up to 5,000 words and pay $100. 



ZOOSCAPE
https://zooscape-zine.com/guidelines/
We pay eight cents per word up to 1,000 words and a flat rate of $80 for longer stories. Pays $20 for reprints. Limit 10,000 words. All stories must be furry. That means an anthropomorphic animal figure should be significantly featured in your story — it could be anthropomorphic in body or only intelligence. We’ll consider any type of furry fiction from secret life of animals to fox in Starbucks. We love science-fiction with animal-like aliens and fantasy with talking dragons, unicorns, or witch familiars.



DEEP MAGIC
https://deepmagic.co/submissions/
Deep Magic is a quarterly electronic magazine that publishes clean short fiction in the fantasy and science fiction genres. Our issues are also filled with author interviews, art features, book reviews and tips for writers. Most of our non-fiction pieces are invitation only to industry professionals and Deep Magic staff, but if you have a fantastic piece, please send it our way. For first world-wide rights, we pay $.08 per word for the first 7,499 words, with payment capped at $599.92 for stories longer than 7,499 words. For re-printed stories that are not currently available elsewhere on the internet for free, we pay $.02 per word for the first 10,000 words, with payment capped at $200 for stories longer than 10,000 words. We use PayPal for our authors.

 

Publishers/agents

HERA
https://www.herabooks.com/submissions/
We're looking for crime and thriller, romance, saga and general fiction. Please note we are not publishing nonfiction, young adult or children’s fiction, poetry, science fiction and fantasy or short stories. Please send a one-page synopsis, the whole manuscript as a Word document and contact details to [email protected] We promise to read every single submission we receive and respond to each one. We aim to get back as soon as possible, ideally within 12 weeks.



MILLS & BOON
https://www.millsandboon.co.uk/pages/submission-process
At Mills & Boon we have a romance for every reader. If you're interested in writing for us, please consult each of the series guidelines. 

M&B Modern - Modern romance stories are all about passion and escape – glamorous international settings, captivating women, and the seductive, tempting men who want them. Limit 50,000 words. 

M&B True Love - Mills & Boon True Love stories are all about real, relatable women and strong, deeply desirable men experiencing the intensity, anticipation, and sheer rush of falling in love. Get swept away by these emotional, glamorous, and uplifting romances! Limit 50,000 words. 

M&B Medical - Intense, uplifting and relatable romances set in the medical world. Experience the rollercoaster of emotions, ambitions, and desires of today's medical professionals. Limit 50,000 words. 

M&B Historical - Richly textured, emotionally intense novels set across a wide range of historical periods - ancient civilizations up to and including the Second World War. Limit 70,000 - 75,000 words. 

M&B Desire - These stories are passionate, dramatic, and intense—a window into the world of the American elite, where the yearning of powerful men and dynamic women heightens as the drama unfolds! Limit 50,000 words. 
M&B Special Edition - Special Edition features contemporary, real-life characters, and situations—men and women who are relatable, with friends, family, and careers, as they experience the twists and turns on the journey to true love. Limit 60,000 words. 
 

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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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