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EDITOR'S THOUGHTS

IF YOU ARE NEW . . . 

I'm still working on a large freelance project and interviewing writers for data on what they make as freelance writers. (Participate in the survey, if you are interested, before we shut it down. ) In the mix, I run across newbies, who are still struggling to break into the freelance market. 

Invariably, they grapple with the dilemma of how to come across in their pitch letters. How do they pitch without experience? How do they say they are novices? How do they show their worth when they don't have proof?

My reply is, don't mention the lack of experience, don't give a hint of age or freshness in the profession, and don't mention the lack of clips/examples. The best way to nail a freelance gig is to do the following:

1) Pitch an incredible idea.
2) Prove you know the idea matches the readership involved.
3) Post something about you that is memorable. 
4) Promise the turnaround time for the piece, also showing that you are pitching the correct word count for the correct project (column, feature, blog post, etc.). 

Think about what part of you, your life, your experience, your work experience, or your education fits the profile needed to sell a piece or a gig. 

For instance, once I was approached by a landscaper. He saw my new home and lack of plants and saw opportunity. He was condescending and talked to me like I had not a clue in my head about a yard. After he finished his spiel, I told him I had a degree in agronomy and understood his profession more than he knew. He was embarrassed, and I suggested we start over. After he left, I went inside, pulled out my trusty Writer's Market, and pitched "Know Your Customer Before Selling" to a landscape magazine. I sold it in 30 minutes. 

However, that magazine wouldn't have heard of my mysteries or FundsforWriters, and at that time I only had clips with writing magazines. So I just mentioned I had a degree in agronomy (soil and plant science). That was all I needed. 

I've sold articles based upon being a mother of a kid in college, having managed an HR department, and being a grandmother. You pick the part of your life and resume to fit the gig, and you leave out the parts that do not fit. I tout the ability to take anyone, listen to their life, and name a half dozen potential markets for them . . . without them having a clip. 

And if you think about it hard enough, you can, too. 

SUPER SPONSOR 

You wrote a book and now you're asking yourself, "Now what?" 

Self-publishing could be your answer, and Joylynn M. Ross and the Path To Publishing experts and industry professionals, aka Literary Companions, can be your publishing team to help you with the process. Most people learn about the self-publishing process and the business of publishing when it's too late; when they've already wasted time and money. We can help eliminate the stress and frustration of deciding if self-publishing is for you. We'll help you avoid author burnout trying to do all the work yourself. Let us shorten your learning curve and equip you to be able to navigate the literary industry with ease. The self-publishing process is a lot easier when you have someone chauffeuring you along your journey who has been where you're trying to go. Our free self-publishing introductory course allows you to test drive one of the paths to publishing that just might get you to your final destination of publishing success. Try our free course today, and start publishing like a pro.

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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

Aim for HI SPECS to Create the Best Query Ever!   

By Andrea J. Johnson
 
Got a great novel, but can't seem to sell your book?
 
The problem may stem from a weak query. We can all agree that a query is a one-page letter that introduces you to an agent, editor, or publisher and entices them to read your novel. But what elements make that query a knockout? I'd argue it's as simple as getting highly specific, or rather aiming for HI SPECS—header, introduction, summary, promotion, explanation, conclusion, and signature—the seven basic elements of every great query.
 
Header
 
Place the words "Query" and the agent's name in the email subject line—if you can add the title, word count, and genre all the better, e.g. "QUERY for J. Doe – Cinderella, Fantasy 85K."  Of course, if the agent has explicit guidelines, follow them to the letter. Remember to submit to their professional email, not the personal one you found on Twitter, unless they specify otherwise.
 
Introduction
 
Greet the agent by name, check spelling, and double check that you're using the proper pronouns. Introduce yourself and state the reason for your correspondence. If you have a personal connection, use that as your opener. Examples: "I'm Andrea Johnson, a student of Sharon Short's, who you represent for several cozies. She said that you're seeking new clients..." or "Dear Mr. Doe, I started following you on Twitter over the summer and understand that you seek historical romances..."
 
Summary
 
The meat of a good query is the short summary or pitch that hooks the reader and captures the story's essence. Showcase the novel's genre as well as your personal writing style. Introduce the main characters, and define what makes the book unique. Unlike a true synopsis, you don't reveal the end, but highlight the key conflict and leave the agent wanting more. Limit to three paragraphs.
 
Promotion
 
Explain where the book best fits in the market and how you plan to reach that audience. Provide some comparable titles, but temper expectations by avoiding classics or bestsellers. Discuss how you are qualified to write the book. Do you have a specific degree or an award-winning blog on the subject? Has the manuscript been entered in any prestigious contests? If you don't have a long resume, explain why you wrote the book, but don't give your life story. And don’t say you’re new and inexperienced.
 
Explanation
 
Talk about why you want to work with that agent or why they'd be the best fit for your work. This is a crucial step in gaining the agent's respect and showing your professionalism. Do your research into who the agents are, what they do, how much they've accomplished, and what they are capable of in terms of their track record with other authors in your genre. Example: "I believe we'd make a great team because, like all of your recently acquired clients, I write both romance and romantic suspense."
 
Conclusion
 
Conclude with contact information—full name (pen name and professional), address, phone, and email. Thank the agent for their time then wait for their response on whether to send a full manuscript. Never give the agent an ultimatum in this respect.
 
Signature
 
A truly powerful signature line provides much more than your name. Insert your social media, author website link, a small jpeg with the cover of your latest book, a tagline for series, or a famous quote that captures your personal philosophy. Think of the closer as another opportunity for the receiver to associate something fun, positive, or memorable with your name.
 
HI SPECS are something you can apply to every query letter to impress your way to success.
  
Bio:
Andrea J. Johnson is a columnist for LitReactor, the online literary magazine dedicated to genre fiction and discussions on the writing craft. Moreover, Andrea works as the Acquisitions Editor for the RIZE Imprint at Running Wild Press. She is the author of Poetic Justice, the first in the Victoria Justice Court Reporter Mystery series from Polis Books. Learn more about Andrea at ajthenovelist.com or on Twitter @ajthenovelist.

 

COmpetitions

PAGE ONE PRIZE for novelists
https://gutsygreatnovelist.com/page-one-prize/
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline July 7, 2021. Submit the opening page of your unpublished novel-in-progress. 1st prize $1,000; 2nd prize $500; 3rd prize $250. Submission are open internationally to any writer writing in English. Winners and honorable mentions will be announced Aug 2, 2021.





SPOKANE PRIZE FOR SHORT FICTION
http://willowspringsbooks.org/submit/
$27.50 ENTRY FEE. Deadline June 15, 2021. The winner receives $2,000 plus publication. Open to United States authors, regardless of publication history. Manuscripts should be no less than 98 pages (with no maximum page count) and include at least three short stories. 



NOWHERE TRAVEL WRITING PRIZE
https://nowherepublishing.submittable.com/submit/178524/spring-2021-travel-writing-prize
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline June 30, 2021. We are looking for novice and veteran writers of any stripe to send us stories that possess a powerful sense of people, place and time. Entries may be fiction, nonfiction, poetry or essay, but please indicate which genre at the top of your manuscript. Stories should run between 800 and 5,000 words. Poetry may be any length, and several poems, themed together, may be submitted as one entry. The winner will receive US$1,000, with publication in Nowhere granted under First North American Serial Rights (FNASR). Up to ten finalists also will be published. 



F. SCOTT FITZGERALD SHORT STORY CONTEST
https://www.fscottfestival.org/shortstory
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline June 31, 2021. Open to residents of Maryland, Virginia, and Washington DC. All stories must be fewer than 4,000 words and unpublished. First prize is $500 and an invitation to speak briefly about the story as part of the 25th annual F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Festival in October 2021. Two runner-up prizes of $100 each will be awarded at the festival.



THE WAKING FLASH PROSE PRIZE
https://ruminatemagazine.submittable.com/submit/193311/the-waking-flash-prose-prize-fiction
$6.30 ENTRY FEE. Deadline July 2, 2021. Word limit: 1,000 words (per piece). You may send up to TWO flash pieces in the same genre per entry. Awards $500 cash prize and publication to the winner. All entries will also be considered for publication in The Waking.



BELLEVUE LITERARY REVIEW PRIZE
https://bellevueliteraryreview.submittable.com/submit/54967/contest-submission-fiction
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline July 15, 2021. First prize is $1,000 (in each genre) and publication in the Spring 2022 issue of BLR. Honorable mention winners will receive $250 and publication in the Spring 2022 issue of BLR. Our word max is 5,000, though most of our published stories tend to be in the range of 2,000-4,000 words. We have only occasionally published flash fiction. While we are always interested in creative explorations in style, we do lean toward classic short stories.  



FRANCINE RINGOLD AWARD FOR NEW WRITERS
https://nimrodjournal.submittable.com/submit
Two $500 prizes will be awarded in each of the fiction and poetry categories, and the winning manuscripts will appear in the spring issue of Nimrod. Winners will have the chance to work with the Nimrod board of editors to refine and edit their manuscripts before publication. Open only to writers whose work has not appeared or is not scheduled to appear in more than two publications in the genre in which they are submitting. (Self-published works, works with a distribution of fewer than 100 copies, and journalistic articles are not considered toward the count of two publications.) Poetry: Up to five pages of poetry (one long poem or several short poems). Fiction: 5,000 words maximum (one short story or a self-contained excerpt from a novel). 



CRAZYSHORTS!
https://crazyhorse.cofc.edu/crazyshorts/
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline July 31, 2021. Submit one to three shorts of up to 500 words each. Entry fee includes subscription. First prize $1,000 and publication. Three runners-up will be selected. 



BOOKS LIKE US FIRST NOVEL CONTEST
https://about.simonandschuster.biz/news/books-like-us-first-novel-contest/
NO ENTRY FEE. To facilitate accessibility to underrepresented writers and celebrate the diversity of readers across the United States. Accepting books June 1 through June 15, 2021. At the end of the submission period, the editorial, marketing, and publicity team at Gallery Books, will review all submissions for originality, relevance to today’s publishing climate, and writing quality. In December 2021, the author of the selected novel will be awarded the opportunity to enter into a $50,000 book deal with Gallery Books.
 

GRANTS / FELLOWSHIPS / CROWDFUNDING

PUERTO RICO WRITER FELLOWSHIPS
https://flamboyanfoundation.org/es/letras-boricuas/
Deadline June 20, 2021. This is an initiative aimed at supporting exemplary emerging and established Puerto Rican writers of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and children’s literature, both in Puerto Rico and from across the diaspora in the United States. Created to help nurture the continuation of Puerto Rico’s rich and often underresourced literary lineage, the fellowship will provide 30 writers with an unrestricted grant of $25,000 each. The first cohort of 15 writers will be announced in November 2021. 



ROYAL LITERARY FUND - GRANTS - UK
https://www.rlf.org.uk/helping-writers/
From illness to bereavement, from credit card debt to work drying up, we all go through hard times. Especially now. If you are a commercially published writer struggling with financial difficulties, we could help. Established in 1790, we’ve helped some of the best-known names in the business during times of hardship, among them novelists, poets, playwrights, screenwriters and translators. To be eligible, you need to have had two works published (or scripts/ plays performed) commercially. Whether it’s money or personal problems that are preventing you from writing, our panel will review your case in confidence to see if we can offer financial support.



ROYAL LITERARY FUND - FELLOWSHIPS - UK
https://www.rlf.org.uk/helping-writers/fellowships/
Royal Literary Fund Fellowships offer professional writers the opportunity to work for two days a week in a university helping students to develop their writing skills. Fellowships run for 36 weeks during the academic year (generally from around mid-September to mid-May). The Fellow receives a fee under contract from the RLF. For entry in autumn 2022 this will be £15,000 (36 weeks).



HIPPOCAMP SCHOLARSHIPS
https://hippocamp21.hippocampusmagazine.com/about/scholarships
Hippocampus Magazine, along with a few generous partners, is offering four awards — a total of six full scholarships — to HippoCamp: A Conference for Creative Nonfiction Writers. Four categories.

Friends of Hippocampus Scholarship - to support writers of any gender, race, age, or identity who require financial assistance to complete their journey to HippoCamp 2021. Two awards available: full registration, pre-conference workshop of your choice, and a $150 travel stipend. One runner up will receive a partial scholarship by way of a $250 discount on their conference registration.

Writers of Color Scholarship - to support writers of color who require financial assistance to complete their journey to HippoCamp 2021. Two awards available: full registration, pre-conference workshop of your choice, and a $150 travel stipend. One runner up will receive a partial scholarship by way of a $250 discount on their conference registration.

Hungry Dream Scholarship - to support a writer of any gender, race, age, or identity with a “hungry dream” that HippoCamp 2021 will help them to achieve. This scholarship will be awarded based on financial need and a concrete writing-related aspiration the recipient. One award: full registration + a seat in Creative Writer’s Survival Handbook pre-conference workshop.

Jean Snow Memorial Scholarship - to support a writer of color who is planning to attend HippoCamp 2021 as a first-time writing conference attendee. One award: full registration + a seat in Creative Writer’s Survival Handbook pre-conference workshop.

 

FREELANCE MARKETS / JOBS

ECONOMIC HARDSHIP REPORTING PROJECT
https://economichardship.org/submissions/
EHRP is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that produces compelling journalism to raise awareness about income inequality and economic unfairness in America. We help conceptualize articles, films and other kinds of reporting, edit early drafts and, if necessary, place the stories in media outlets. Many of our contributors are low-income journalists. We commission op-eds, personal essays, investigative reports, rich narrative features, podcasts, nonfiction cartoons, photo essays and documentaries about the United States. We are offering assignments to independent journalists for stories on the intersection of the coronavirus and financial suffering in America, with an emphasis on writers and photographers who are themselves experiencing significant economic hardship caused by the pandemic. We generally pay reporters roughly a dollar a word or a $300-$500 day-rate for photojournalists. Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis, and are subject to approval and available funds. To apply for this grant, please send us a brief note of fewer than 350 words in English or Spanish, explaining your financial situation. We prefer grant applicants to provide us with a letter of commitment from a large media outlet. If that proves difficult, we can potentially help find a co-publisher. The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Nation, and The Guardian, as well as many other media outlets, have co-published stories by EHRP contributors. We are looking to commission narrative-driven first-person essays. Our grants pay roughly $1/word. Pitch me: [email protected]. We are interested in essays tackling economic inequality in the U.S. across a range of topics including but not limited to religion, immigration, education, parenting/families, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, health, maternal health, disability, housing, aging, work, etc.



END TIMES
https://gramercylabs.com/en
End Times media is currently accepting pitches for all of our sites. Learn more about each site online. Gramercy Labs companies focus on disrupting media and e-commerce industries, with the unique potential to dominate their markets. Rates 2,000+ words: $250; 1,000-2,000 words: $150; 600-950 words: $100. To pitch fill out this form: https://form.asana.com/?k=GSdSo8G7rJnvBebBFs0cZw&d=1199881371875541  



JERSEY'S BEST
https://www.jerseysbest.com/
Jersey's Best is looking for writers! All regions of New Jersey. We are searching for freelance talent to join our network of writers across the state. Entertainment Writers: A diverse range of topics, from comedy and culture to food, family and more. General Features: Profiles of inspiration and intrigue, stories that enlighten and entertain, all with the end goal to showcase the greatness found in the Garden State. Email [email protected]. We have two fee structures: One for magazine stories and one for online-only stories. For the magazine, it's 50 cents per word and for online, it's:
500 words: $135
600 words: $145
750 words: $210
1,000 words: $265
1,250 words: $325
1,500 words: $380



WORKS IN PROGRESS
https://worksinprogress.co
Though we usually reach out to writers based on their past work, we're also looking for new authors for our next issues. Currently we pay $300 per article (ranging in length between 1,000 and 3,000 words), but that may increase in the future. Want to write for us? Send us a pitch at [email protected] . Works in Progress is an online magazine dedicated to sharing novel ideas and stories of progress, and features original writing from some of the most interesting thinkers in the world.



THE OPEN NOTEBOOK
https://www.theopennotebook.com/submissions-guidelines/
The Open Notebook is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides tools and resources to help science, environmental, and health journalists at all experience levels sharpen their skills. We do this through story-behind-the-story interviews, reported features on craft, annotations, profiles, an advice column, a database of successful news and feature pitches, and more. Send a brief (no more than 500 words) query letter describing your idea, what makes it right for The Open Notebook, and how you plan to approach the story. We currently pay the following rates: $750 for interviews (assigned at 1,500-2,000 words), and $1,100 for reported features (assigned at 1,500-2,000 words).



DISCOVER
https://www.discovermagazine.com/pitch-guide
We want stories that enlighten, inform and get readers excited about science; we capture science that’s relevant to them. Our stories are grounded in research but are driven by strong narratives, high reader interest, and a conversational tone. Our audience is broad: Science should be for everyone. Most columns are 1,200 words (variation from that word count will be decided by your editor). See individual column descriptions for the appropriate editor to pitch. Features are 1,800-3,000 words. Discover also seeks pitches for our website, DiscoverMagazine.com, especially short feature stories (600-1,000 words) that have a new angle on current events or are evergreen and remain relevant for readers over a longer period of time. 



THE REVELATOR
https://therevelator.org/freelancing-revelator/
The Revelator, the independent environmental news and ideas site published by the Center for Biological Diversity, welcomes pitches from experienced freelance journalists. Our readers tend to be both educated about environmental issues and personally or professionally involved in them, so our stories speak to that experienced, well-versed audience. Reported stories with multiple sources and photographs ($500). Stories with unique documents, data, or analysis ($400-$500). Trend and “big question” stories ($300-$400). Context stories, pulling threads together from previous reporting to show the deeper meaning of something in the news ($300-$400). 



NEW SCIENTIST
https://www.newscientist.com/freelancers/
The majority of the news section of New Scientist magazine is written by staffers, but we are always on the lookout for exciting freelance pieces. On the other hand, features are mostly written by freelancers. In general, we are looking for science and technology stories from around the world that will intrigue, entertain, and inform the widest possible audience, be they physicists, biologists or people with no science background at all. A typical weekly issue of New Scientist will contain three feature articles ranging in length from two to six pages, with four pages being the most common length.



MEDICAL NEWS TODAY
https://boards.greenhouse.io/freelanceathl/jobs/2935923?gh_src=0fa46d661us
We're seeking freelance writers to create research-backed content that educates, inspires, and — most importantly — connects with people who want to improve their health and well-being. All assignments will require the writers to closely follow our detailed style and sourcing guidelines and to focus on empathetic and inclusive language. Experience with medical content is desirable. Articles typically range from 800 to 1,200 words. Rates start from $135 per article and vary depending on the complexity of the assignment. We will initially work on a trial basis and then discuss regular contributions. If you're interested, please submit your resume/CV and two to three relevant writing samples, highlighting any certification or personal experience with health content. 



THE FACE
https://theface.com/
The Face is in the market for long read pitches for the next print issue of THE FACE. Email [email protected]. Pays about 28 cents/word. 



GREEN QUEEN
https://greenqueenmagazine.com/
We will be documenting the very latest scientific research and understanding surrounding this group of remarkable herbs, as well as topics including legislation and legislative changes, plus cannabis culture and farming, and the economic and sociological impacts of the industry. Health and wellness are a particular focus for us, with part of our role being to provide a means whereby both patients and health care professionals alike can connect and share information about cannabis medication. Green Queen is passionate about the benefits that cannabis can bring and believes that this miraculous plant offers solutions to many of the global issues that are confronting us today, whether environmental, economic or personal. Pays $110-170 per piece. Questions / submissions: [email protected]



CHICKEN SOUP: GRIEVING, LOSS, AND RECOVERY
http://www.chickensoup.com
Deadline August 31, 2021. We all grieve in our own ways and on our own schedule. There is no right or wrong way to grieve. If you have been through the process, perhaps you can help one of our readers who needs to hear how you did it. We want this collection of emotional and inspirational stories and poems to provide comfort, guidance, support, and peace to those who have lost someone close to them. Submit up to 1,200 words in first person. Payment is $200 and ten copies. 



WIRED
https://www.wired.co.uk/article/contributor-guidelines
WIRED is not just a gadget magazine. In print and online we tell stories about how the world is changing, for better or worse, and try to explain why this change is happening. From Facebook’s impact on democracy to the urgency of the climate crisis, our reporting is focussed both on what these complex changes to our world mean and how they affect each and every one of us. We’re looking for vivid, tightly written stories packed with first-hand reporting and expert insight – not rewrites of press releases or tedious cold takes. Oh, and we also write about gadgets. Make sure you pitch it to the right section and in the right way. In print, our sections are Start, Work Smarter, Gear, and Features. Online, we have dedicated section editors covering science, culture, gear, business and security.
 

 

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.




PAPER LITERARY AGENCY
https://www.paperliterary.com/
We champion writers - from the first edits to the best deal, to finding readers, and beyond. We believe in the power of words, of stories to transform the world. Seeks debut fiction and nonfiction authors with stories that resonate in the US and UK. (Website under construction. This is a brand-new agency.)



AZANTIAN LITERARY AGENCY
http://azantianlitagency.com/index.html
Azantian Literary is committed to guiding the careers of both new and established voices in fiction and nonfiction, particularly those who have been historically underrepresented. Whether a heart-warming contemporary, a moving true story, or a grand epic fantasy, we look for the universal truths in our stories that connect us all.



CONTEXT LITERARY
https://www.contextlit.com/submissions
Tamar is looking for Middle-grade and young adult fiction and non-fiction of all types; adult commercial fiction (political espionage is not a good fit); adult narrative nonfiction. If that sounds like your manuscript, please send a short description, short bio, and five to ten pages of text pasted into the body of the email. No attachments. Email [email protected]. Jessica is always on the lookout for new writers, she is most excited about finding YA, MG, upmarket genre fiction (especially women’s fiction, psychological thrillers, and SF/F that gives us insight into both fictional worlds and this one) and—on the nonfiction side—psychology, self-help, cookbooks, narrative nonfiction, and works that speak to life in the twenty-first century. She especially likes highbrow sentences with lowbrow content, beautiful descriptions of scary situations, smart and nerdy protagonists, underrepresented characters in positions of power, and justified acts of bravery. If that sounds like your manuscript, please send a short description, short bio, and 5-10 pages of text pasted into the body of the email. No attachments. Email [email protected]

 

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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 2000-2021, C. Hope Clark
ISSN: 1533-1326

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