TOP SPONSOR 

EDITOR'S THOUGHTS

THE MISTAKES I SEE

I love receiving questions from readers. They arrive via Messenger, email, Facebook, even the occasional text. Sometimes by snail mail. All too often, however, the questions come to me prematurely, meaning the cart gets positioned well ahead of the horse. 

For instance:

1) "I have this story idea that's so remarkable. How do I sell it once it's written?" 

Do not even think about publishing if your book is still in idea form. Just don't. Your energy needs to be completely committed in telling the story and learning how to do that well. What new authors do not understand is that it's not the story itself that necessarily sells, but instead the voice that tells it. 

2) "I'm almost done with this book. How should I publish?"

Many established authors feel that the first book written is not the one that merits publication, yet few fledgling authors are willing to leave the first one behind, or worse, throw it away. However, in many cases, that's exactly what needs doing. While self-publishing is a grand tool, it is also a mighty temptation to prematurely publish. 

When you are almost done with the first draft, then go back a dozen times and rewrite that story. Then once you feel it's almost perfect, and I mean perfect, hire an editor. As a minimum, gather a crew of beta readers who can scrutinize a book well. But my suggestion is to put the manuscript on a shelf and write another book so you can see how well you've grown and if you've found a voice yet.

3) "I need a grant to self-publish my book. Any suggestions?"

Often the dollars someone needs tells me a lot here. When they ask for five figures, I know they are going with some turn-key company that promises the moon and rarely gets more than ten feet off the ground. Never decide how you will publish until you've researched the business thoroughly. 

I know, I know. You don't like that part of things. But why in the world would you spend months or years writing a book, then shortchange it by shortcutting how it greets the world? How will you know if you are best suited for traditional, indie, or hybrid publishing if you do not understand the intricacies of them all? 

Back to the grant . . . you may not need a grant if you choose traditional. But even more importantly, I know of no outright grant to pay for publishing. There are grants for writing, for retreats, for fellowships, but not for publishing. And boy, do a lot of writers get testy when I bring that up. 

4) "I have a disability/I am older/I am unemployed. How do I get a grant to write?"

Writing grants cater to the writing first. Leading with any sort of shortcoming does not help. Grants are not about those who have no money. They are more often for those with a solid mission to achieve a goal . . . a goal that matches that of the grant provider. Leading with why you do not have money is the easiest way to kill your chances of finding a grant.

So, first and foremost, the most common mistake I see writers making is putting publishing and money before the importance of writing a good story. Until you master that part of the process, the other just doesn't matter. (And. . . it costs nothing to write a book.)

SUPER SPONSOR 

You’re working hard for success. 

We’ll help you be ready for when you find it. 

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.

Click Here

HOPE'S APPEARANCES

SUCCESS QUOTE

SUccess Story

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

 

Featured article

And the Winner Is...


By Thonie Hevron

Entering contests is a no-brainer for me. I can directly attribute my entry into the realm of traditional publishing (albeit a small press) to winning a contest. Many authors could say the same.

In 2012, I entered my unpublished manuscript, working title Probable Cause, in the Public Safety Writers Contest (PSWA). I won third place in the unpublished novel category. Re-named, By Force or Fear, I self-published it on Smashwords as an ebook, hoping to work up to a print version. Meanwhile, I mapped out the second book of the Nick and Meredith Mysteries (I'm a compulsive plotter).

After months of writing, querying, submitting, and all-around frustration, I entered my novel in a contest at Oak Tree Publishing (OTP). Oak Tree had recently published an anthology for the PSWA. I was stunned when I won. First prize was publication of the winning book. I'd entered my second mystery, Intent to Hold, which had just won second place in unpublished novel category in the PSWA's 2014 Writers' Contest. My new publisher also agreed to publish the first novel.

Why Enter Contests?

They can provide a publishing contract or the cash to enable your dream indie publishing. (We all know editors don't edit our work for free, and the graphic artist who designs your cover needs to eat.)

Contests can help with goal setting, both short-term and long-term. C. Hope Clark didn't submit to agents and publishers until she won or placed in several contests, using competitions as a barometer to determine when her work was ready for pitches.

Sometimes contest judges offer critiques that can help with structure, story arc, or even provide a quotable blurb for marketing. Those critiques would cost you hundreds of dollars in other realms.

Contests also introduce you to folks in the business. A judge in one contest might be the editor at a publishing house. Because you didn't win doesn't mean you cannot pitch them, reminding them you learned of them via the contest.

Winning often means promotion, too. They may splash your name, title, and accomplishments goodness-knows-where, increasing your platform.

How to Find Contests

Start with a Google search. I use "mystery contests" to search within my genre.

Look to your writers' clubs for submissions. The California Writers Club branch I belong to, Redwood Writers, publishes anthologies each year. Look at local, state and national clubs.  

Genre searches are helpful. In my mystery world, the biggies are the Leftys (Left Coast Crime), the Edgars (Mystery Writers of America), Agatha Award (Malice Domestic Conference). You can find more listed at http://stopyourekillingme.com/Awards/. 

Contests aren't just for books, either. You can find contests for first chapters, first pages, last pages, opening lines, and so on. 

Look at the rules and follow them to the letter. Some contests are international while others are regional. Some require adherence to a theme. Some have age, gender, sexual, and ethnicity requirements. Some disallow students while others prefer them. 

Be professional. Having been a judge in the past, I culled the rule-breakers first, finding it simple to pass on a manuscript that was single-spaced instead of double-spaced or had the author name on the page (contests usually use blind submissions).

Contests count. Winning or placing gives the author standing and bulks up a resume, adding credibility publishers and readers seek. An award win is a terrific marketing tactic to have. Imagine "Winner of the Agatha Award" on your book cover.

For me, a contest win is a wonderful confidence booster. Winning motivates me to work harder for the next entry, and therefore, pumps my goal setting. Having a first draft by May 1st, the usual deadline for PSWA's contest, is a typical goal. This year, I'll enter Felony Murder Rule, my fourth book in the published category.

BIO: Thonie Hevron is a law enforcement veteran and author of four award-winning thrillers/police procedurals. She lives with her husband in historic Petaluma, California and is active in local, state, and national literary clubs such as California Writers Club (Redwood Chapter), Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers and the Public Safety Writers Association. For fun she likes to travel and ride horses.  www.thoniehevron.com.

 

COmpetitions

SINNERS AND SAINTS FICTION CONTEST
https://tennesseewilliamsfestival.submittable.com/submit
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 2, 2021. The winner will be selected from this year’s submissions of original, unpublished short stories between 3,000 and 7,000 words with LGBT content on the broad theme of “Saints and Sinners.” One grand prize of $500 and two second-place prizes of $100 will be awarded. In addition, the top stories will be published in an anthology. There will also be a book release party and reading held during the 19th annual Saints and Sinners Literary Conference in New Orleans in 2022. The annual fiction contest is open to authors at all stages of their careers, from all over the globe, with stories in all genres.



SINNERS AND SAINTS POETRY CONTEST
https://tennesseewilliamsfestival.submittable.com/submit
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 16, 2021. One grand prize of $500 and two second-place prizes of $100 will be awarded. A list of the top ten finalists will be posted on our website and in our e-newsletter. Finalists will be published in the Saints and Sinners Poetry Chapbook to be distributed at a special reading at the 2022 Festival. The contest is open to all LGBTQ+ writers. Authors who have published in other genres are eligible. Please submit original, unpublished work that has not won other prizes or contests. Submit two to four original, unpublished poems of any style based on our theme of RAIN, written in English, with a combined length of up to 400 lines.



TENNESSEE WILLIAMS FICTION CONTEST
https://tennesseewilliamsfestival.submittable.com/submit
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 2, 2021. Grand Prize $1,500, domestic airfare (up to $500) and French Quarter accommodations to attend the Festival in New Orleans, VIP All-Access Festival pass for the next Festival ($600 value), public reading at a literary panel at the next Festival, publication in Louisiana Literature. The top finalists will receive a panel pass ($100 value) to the Festival. Their names will be published on our website, newsletter, and our social media pages. This contest is open only to emerging writers who have not yet published a book of fiction. Published books include any book with an ISBN, including self-published. Those who have published books in other genres besides fiction remain eligible. A submission is one original short story, written in English, up to 7,000 words.



TENNESSEE WILLIAMS ONE-ACT PLAY CONTEST
https://tennesseewilliamsfestival.submittable.com/submit
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 2, 2021. Grand Prize $1,500, professional Staged Reading at the next Festival, VIP All-Access Festival pass ($600 value) for the next Festival, and publication in Bayou Magazine. The top finalists will receive a panel pass ($100 value) to the Festival. Their names will be published on our website, newsletter, and our social media pages. This contest is for emerging or previously unpublished playwrights. Published books include any book with an ISBN, including self-published. Plays should run no more than one hour in length (one-act or approximately 60 pages.)



TENNESSEE WILLIAMS POETRY CONTEST
https://tennesseewilliamsfestival.submittable.com/submit
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 16, 2021. Grand Prize $1,000, VIP All-Access Pass ($600 value) for the next Festival, publication in Antenna::Signals print magazine, and public reading at the next Festival. The top finalists will receive a panel pass ($100 value) to the Festival. Their names will be published on our website, newsletter, and our social media pages. This contest is open only to emerging writers who have not yet published a book of poetry. Published books include self-published books, chapter books, or any book with an ISBN. Submit a collection of two to four original, unpublished poems of any style or theme, written in English, with a combined length of up to 400 lines.



TENNESSEE WILLIAMS VERY SHORT FICTION CONTEST
https://tennesseewilliamsfestival.submittable.com/submit
$10 ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 16, 2021. Grand Prize $500, VIP Pass to the Festival ($600 Value), public reading at the next Festival, and publication in New Orleans Review Archive Features. The top finalists will receive a panel pass ($100 value) to the Festival. They will also have their names published on our website, newsletter, and our social media pages. This contest is open only to emerging writers who have not yet published a book of short fiction. Published books include any book with an ISBN, including self-published.



CRAFT FIRST CHAPTERS CONTEST
https://www.craftliterary.com/first-chapters-contest/
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline June 30, 2021. Contest entries are open to all fiction writers; CRAFT is a market for adult literary fiction. International submissions are welcome. Excerpts of book-length fiction only. Submit the first chapter or chapters of your unpublished novels/novellas, completed or in progress. Please do not submit short stories or nonfiction. Please submit work in English only with 5,000 words maximum. Winner: $2,000 award and a full manuscript critique of the novel or novella, up to 100K words, by The Artful Editor. Runners-up: $500 and $300 award respectively for the second and third place finalists. Agent query workshop for the winner and runners-up by Beth Marshea of Ladderbird Literary Agency—Beth will offer feedback on the first 5,000 words of the project, the summary, and a query letter.


 

GRANTS / FELLOWSHIPS / CROWDFUNDING

CENTER FOR FICTION EMERGING WRITER FELLOWSHIPS - NEW YORK CITY
https://centerforfiction.org/grants-awards/nyc-emerging-writers-fellowship/apply-to-the-nyc-emerging-writer-fellowship/
$10 APPLICATION FEE. Deadline May 30, 2021. Please submit a fiction writing sample, not to exceed 7,500 words. If you write primarily “flash fiction” or “short shorts” (1,000 words or less) you are permitted to submit multiple stories as long as the total word count does not exceed the previously stated limit. Applicants must be current residents of one of the five boroughs, and must remain in New York City for the entire year of the fellowship. Students in degree-granting programs are not eligible to apply. During the one-year Fellowship period, grantees receive: a grant of $5,000, the opportunity to have their manuscript revised and critiqued by an experienced editor, access to write in our Writers Studio, the opportunity to meet with editors, authors, and agents who represent new writers at monthly dinners, two public readings as part of our annual program of events.



INTERCHANGE GRANTS
https://interchangeartistgrant.art/apply/
Deadline July 5, 2021. Interchange is designed to strengthen communities and individual artists within our region by supporting artist-led projects focused on social impact. Interchange grants will be awarded to sixteen artists with an active socially-engaged creative practice in the Mid-America Arts Alliance region through: $20,000 in direct project support; professional development retreats with Interchange grantees; mentoring. Must be a resident in the Mid-America Arts Alliance region (Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas).



STUDIOS AT MASS MOCA
https://massmoca.org/assets-for-artists-3/
Deadline July 8. 2021. Join the 700+ artists who have enjoyed an artist residency of up to eight weeks on MASS MoCA's historic mill campus in the Berkshire Mountains. Run by Assets for Artists (the artist-development arm of MASS MoCA), residencies will be scheduled from January - April, 2022, for the Winter/Spring season. Through our residency program, The Studios at MASS MoCA, we give visiting artists from around the world the time and space for their own creative development, be it in project execution, reflection, or to simply try something new. We are thrilled to begin offering General Merit-Based Fellowships in 2022. These fellowships are open to any artist in any discipline and provides a fully-funded residency stay at the Studios! 



CHIPPEWA VALLEY WRITERS GUILD FREE WORKSHOPS
http://www.cvwritersguild.org/events
https://volumeone.org/articles/2021/05/09/276372-write-on-chippewa-valley-writers-guild-presents
The Chippewa Valley Writers Guild, along with the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library and the John and Betsy Kell Family Fund in partnership with the Eau Claire Community Foundation, have slated a virtual summer writer’s retreat with seven sources of inspiration you can’t miss! This series of 45-minute craft talks will cover a range of genres and topics, from nonfiction reportage, historical fiction, poetry, the lyric essay, children’s literature, and more. If you want to write about the challenges of rural life or finish that novel you started 17 years ago – or you would love to share those family secrets in a memoir with a layer of grace – boy, does CVWG have the tools for you! 



GRANTS FOR WISCONSIN CREATIVES
https://nostudiosartistgrant.com/apply
Nō Studios is excited to partner with gener8tor to distribute $100,000 as grants to Wisconsin creatives. Grants will be awarded quarterly to different creative disciplines ranging from visual artists, musicians, performance artists, filmmakers, writers, and more. All creatives are encouraged to apply for funding up to $10,000. All applications will be reviewed by a jury of creative professionals from outside Wisconsin. Film - Applications for film must be received by November 1, 2021. Grant awardees will be selected by December 15, 2022. Other Creative Professionals (Theater/Dance/Performance/Spoken Word/Fashion) - Applications must be received by February 1, 2022. Grant awardees will be selected by March 15, 2022.



UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON DIVISION OF THE ARTS
https://artsdivision.wisc.edu/2021/03/22/iart-announcement/
Deadline September 13, 2021. Interdisciplinary Artist-in-Residence Teaching (IART) program provides students with extended learning experiences with a working artist and increases diversity of teaching staff on campus. It also strengthens programmatic ties among individual departments, programs, and other campus and community arts entities. While in residence, artists present workshops and public events, participate in community outreach, and teach an interdisciplinary course culminating in a final presentation of student work from a wide range of majors. The residencies will move from semester-long to almost a full-year starting in the summer of 2022, with the future IART artist teaching and living in the Madison region in the spring of 2023. Leading up to teaching their course, the artist will connect with campus and community, including hosting workshops for students and public events. 



KILLER NASHVILLE SCHOLARSHIPS
https://killernashville.com/killer-nashville-scholarships/
Deadline July 5, 2021. Scholarship amounts vary depending upon need and the scholarship is awarded up to the full out-of-pocket costs to attend Killer Nashville. Funds will be awarded to authors who demonstrate need in an essay format. Write an essay that illustrates your financial need and why you want to attend the Killer Nashville International Writers’ Conference. Entries should be a minimum of 500 words. 


 

FREELANCE MARKETS / JOBS

ASIMOV'S SCIENCE FICTION
https://www.asimovs.com/contact-us/writers-guidelines/
Asimov’s Science Fiction magazine is an established market for science fiction stories. Asimov’s pays eight to ten cents per word for short stories up to 7,500 words, and eight cents for each word over 7,500. We seldom buy stories shorter than 1,000 words or longer than 20,000 words, and we don’t serialize novels. We pay a dollar a line for poetry, which should not exceed 40 lines. We buy First English Language serial rights plus certain non-exclusive rights explained in our contract. We do not publish reprints, and we do not accept “simultaneous submissions.” 



BAFFLING MAGAZINE
https://www.bafflingmag.com/submissions
Baffling Magazine currently publishes two flash stories a month on our Patreon. Subsequently, each quarter of published work will be shared for free online on our website. We will publish additional work each month as our Patreon grows and will share those guidelines as we get closer to each milestone. The compensation level for original stories accepted to Baffling Magazine is eight cents per word. Stories will be published first on our Patreon, then made available in our quarterly issues, and finally in an annual print anthology. Submissions re-open June 1-15, 2021. Limit 1,200 words. We would especially love to see more stories under 500 words.  



DIABOLICAL PLOTS
https://www.diabolicalplots.com/guidelines/
Genres: science fiction, fantasy, horror (everything must have speculative element, even horror). Word count 3,500 words or less. Pays ten cents per word. Site unclear about whether open for submissions. Appears they open and close dates. Pitch them. 



COMPELLING SCIENCE FICTION
http://compellingsciencefiction.com/guidelines.html
At Compelling Science Fiction, we have two main goals: to find, publish, and promote the best science fiction stories, and to support and encourage the authors who write them. We currently pay eight cents/word for accepted stories. 



THE DARK
https://www.thedarkmagazine.com/submission-guidelines/
The Dark is an online magazine published monthly. We are seeking fiction 2,000–6,000 words. Genre of horror and dark fantasy. We pay six cents/word for original fiction up to 6,000 words on publication for first world rights.



DEEP MAGIC
https://deepmagic.co/submissions/
The ezine of clean fantasy and science fiction. Currently closed to submissions, but you have to sign up for their newsletter to learn when they open. If you write SciFi, you should do so. For first worldwide rights, we pay eight cents 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 twn cents 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. Total word limit 40,000 words. 



UNCHARTED MAGAZINE
https://uncharted.submittable.com/submit
Uncharted Magazine publishes Science Fiction/Fantasy, Crime/Mystery, Horror/Thriller short stories from fiction writers of any background or experience. We want stories that richly imagine the future of technology and science, which explore our world through a speculative lens. We want stories of fantasy that make us hunger for new worlds, new biomes, new places we can explore through thrilling sensual details and human empathy. We pay our authors $200 for original fiction! We pay by check or PayPal, according to the author's preference. Submitted stories should be between 1,000-5,000 words. All fiction categories are open year-round and we do not charge any submission fees. 



THE DEADLANDS
https://thedeadlands.com/guidelines/
The Deadlands exists in liminal spaces between life, death, and elsewhere. We are looking for speculative fiction that concerns itself with death–but also everything death may involve. The Deadlands accepts stories up to 5000 words. Stories should be original and unpublished (this includes your blog, your website, your newsletter, your Patreon). The sweet spot for length is probably around 3,000 to 4,000 words. One story submission per author. Please do not submit reprints and originals at the same time. The Deadlands will consider reprints, up to 5,000 words, one cent per word. The Deadlands pays ten cents word for original fiction.



AMAZING STORIES
https://submission.amazingstoriesmag.com/guidelines/
Amazing Stories is looking for short stories that are fresh and new. We want to be surprised. We want to be delighted. We want your stories to be amazing. It’s not enough to be technically proficient and have a sort of, somewhat semi-original idea; we want to be dazzled by your original style and substance. Length 1,000 to 10,000 words. Pays eight cents per word. Payment is upon publication.



SEATTLE HISTORIES
https://frontporch.seattle.gov/2021/04/15/seeking-story-submissions-for-seattle-histories/
Seattle Department of Neighborhoods is looking to commission writers, artists, photographers, or other creatives to participate in a new storytelling project called Seattle Histories. Each participant will receive a $600 stipend upon delivery of the work. The deadline for work submissions will vary. Please submit the following to [email protected] by May 17, 2021. Brief pitch (max 300 words) that loosely describes what you plan to do. Short paragraph (up to 300 words) about how you are connected to the community or place you are focused on. Link to or attached sample of your work.
 

 

Publishers/agents

Plan Your Books
The Way You Think

Outline faster, plot smarter, and turbocharge your productivity today with the #1 visual book planning software for writers.




LEVINE QUERIDO
https://www.levinequerido.com/submissions/
The books we are in search of will be characterized by great storytelling, undeniably powerful and beautiful artwork, and a fearless commitment to telling deep truths. We look for authentic emotion and ideas or perspectives we haven't seen before, and we greatly enjoy working with debut authors and illustrators. Because of the overwhelming number of manuscripts we anticipate receiving each week, we do not accept unsolicited novel-length manuscripts outright. However, we do look at Picture Books: Query letter + the full text; Novels: Query letter + the first two chapters + synopsis; and Illustration: Three sample illustrations and links to online portfolios.



PELICAN PUBLISHING
https://pelicanpub.com/viewer.php?region=92
We publish an average of 30 new titles a year, related to identifiable regions around the United States (especially the South). Specialties are popular history, biography, culture (food and drink), cookbooks, architecture books, and children’s books. 



PENNY CANDY BOOKS
https://www.pennycandybooks.com/submit
Penny Candy Books is an independent children’s book publishing company based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Greensboro, North Carolina. We have a twofold mission: to create conversations and to publish children's literature that reflects the diverse realities of the world we live in, both at home and abroad. This means seeking out books by and about people and subjects that speak to and from a broad range of human experience. 



GILL BOOKS
https://www.gillbooks.ie/write-for-us
Gill Books welcomes unsolicited proposals from first time and experienced authors alike. Please note that we only accept proposals for works of nonfiction and children’s; we do not publish adult fiction, poetry, short stories or plays. In general, we focus on books of Irish interest.


 

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 2000-2020, 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.