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FREE MASTERCLASS FOR WOMEN WRITING NONFICTION

• Finish Your Nonfiction Book: 3 Shifts Women Need to Make
• Finish Your Nonfiction Book in 2021: 3 Shifts You Need to Make
• Ensure you have the right foundation to support accomplishing this milestone goal. 

During this live masterclass you will learn:  

• How to set manageable, realistic, achievable writing goals for yourself.

• Why you need to protect your schedule and probably don't need as much time to write as you think.

• My philosophy for establishing a holistic approach to getting a book done (hint: it doesn't include hours-long writing sessions or plowing through to get pages written).

Save your spot here.

EDITOR'S THOUGHTS

DESIGNING, NOT RESIGNING YOUR FATE

People often resign themselves to their fate. Fate is powerful. It happens to you, around you, in spite of you and your best intentions. You can sit still and yet, fate happens.

Going against what feels like fate takes tremendous courage, frankly, because you are challenging the status quo. You are standing up to the universe's momentum while looking at yourself in the mirror, and admidst all that is happening to you, you analyze the question, “Is this what I really want?” Most people, however, don't get further than that.

Writing is an incredibly uphill journey. There is a reason that a small number of people hike the 2190-mile Appalachian Trail from beginning to end. It might take them a few years, devoting most holidays and weekends to the task, but those few folks go against the odds and decide, "Yes, this is what I want to do. I don't want to have reached the end of my days and look back, regretting that I did not do it." 

You can write or not write. 
You can finish a novel or not.
You can enter writing contests or not.
You can pitch to agents or not.
You can self-publish or not. 

Many people cringe at making those decisions. They blame life, family, job, anything and everything other than themselves when they are the ONLY obstacle. 

You have so much in your life. You are the one who juggles it all. Blaming fate for the results is your choice, too.

SUPER SPONSOR 

Founded by top-selling designer Leanne Edwards, Pixel Chick Cover Art was created with the aim of providing authors consistent quality and diverse designed premade eBook covers.


 

HOPE'S APPEARANCES

 SUCCESS QUOTE

SUccess Story

Dear Hope, 

This is a triple thank you centered around the fact I just received Honorable Mention for my poem, Dragonflies After the Flood. 

I read about the Oprelle Masters contest in your newsletter and considered entering. It seemed free...until I went deeper on the website and saw the forty-dollar fee! Wow! I decided not to enter.

However, you came to the rescue for your readers. You pointed out to the contest folk that the original info implied free until one read deep into guidelines. They recognized the misunderstanding and waived the fee for your subscribers, and so I entered.

Time passed. I heard nothing. Not concerned. After all, rejection is a way of life for writers. But then, last week, I read the story of one of my fellow subscribers having taken third place in this contest. She thanked you in a success story like this one. At the bottom of her piece, however, you noted that another subscriber, me, had been named as one of two honorable mentions! I checked the website...there it was!

I wrote to Oprelle. Today I received a response telling me that they were sorry I had not been previously notified. They had added me to the list in an afterthought since they said they simply could not get my poem out of their minds. Another wow moment. No prizes per se, but my poem will be given a place in their anthology.

I would never have known about the contest, the fee removal, or my achievement if it hadn't been for you, Hope! Thanks again for this and for all you do. I think I've been a subscriber since the 1990s.

Always a pleasure. 
Warmly, 
Joan Leotta

[email protected] 
Languid Lusciousness with Lemon, Finishing Line Press
Morning by Morning, and Dancing Under the Moon, Origami Poems
Gifts of Nature, free poetry chapbook

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








 

Featured article

Multiply Your Income with Reprint Sales

By Jessica McCann 

It can be hard to imagine earning a living as a freelance writer when the majority of magazines and websites pay pennies per word. As a result, many freelancers only query top-dollar markets, hoping to beat the odds and land an assignment for $1 per word or more. A major drawback to that strategy (in addition to pinning your career success to a long shot) is that big-league markets typically buy all rights. Even if you're lucky enough to land an assignment, your income ends when you turn in that article. Then you're back to the drawing board. 

An alternative approach – one I found to be more lucrative in my 20-plus years as a full-time freelancer – is to sell partial rights to multiple markets. If you can master the art of repurposing your research, interviews, and articles, you can often double or triple your income per word. 

Here's an example from my career vault. A local college contacted me to interview an alumnus of its international business master's degree. During the interview, I learned he specialized in underwater photography and had traveled the world on assignment for National Geographic, Smithsonian, and other clients. His work was fascinating and his photos phenomenal. 

After I completed the two-page profile for his graduate school alma mater, I pitched the same piece to the alumni magazine editor where he'd earned his undergraduate degree. That editor was thrilled to purchase a nearly print-ready piece. Another query went to an amateur photographer magazine in which I pitched a story on the nuances of shooting underwater and a sidebar list of this professional's favorite cameras and lighting equipment. That resulted in assignment – and paycheck – number three. All from one interview. 

Each of these magazines had specific and unique readership, so the editors didn't mind purchasing second or reprint rights. They also appreciated receiving copy that had already been vetted for quality and required only minor edits. 

This formula works for all types of articles and subject matter. The key is to brainstorm in advance and plan for perhaps a longer interview than is necessary for the initial story assignment. I knew the alumni magazine was most interested in the human-interest success story, not the details of high-tech photography equipment. Yet, I took an extra ten minutes to gather that information, hoping to use it in a trade magazine piece. 

The same formula works in reverse. If I had gotten the writing assignment from the photography magazine first, I still would have asked personal history questions about where he grew up, went to school, and so on. Had I been even more industrious, the ocean photographer piece could have been pitched to a dozen other editors at in-flight magazines, regional media, career websites, and more. 

Editors typically pay less for reprints than for original articles, and that's OK. You already have the research, query letter, and article draft. Reworking those items requires minimal time. Any income you generate as a result of repurposing is gravy. Just make sure to let the editor know what rights are for sale. It helps to maintain a simple spreadsheet to track your queries and rights sold. 

When you're planning to repurpose and pitch multiple markets, be sure to mention that to your interview subjects. You may need to follow up via phone or email with another question or two specific to a new angle you hadn't originally considered. They'll appreciate the advance notice. I've also found people to be flattered by my interest in them, and they sometimes even suggest different angles and publications I could pitch. 

BIO – Jessica McCann has earned a living as a freelance writer and editor for 30 years. She's an award-winning novelist and creative nonfiction author. Sign up for her free email newsletter and monthly giveaway for readers and writers at https://jessicamccann.com/monthly-e-news-and-give-away/.










 

COmpetitions

ANN PETRY AWARD
https://redhen.org/ann-petry-award/
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline July 30, 2021. The Ann Petry Award is for a work of previously unpublished prose, either a novel or a collection of short stories or novellas, with a minimum of 150 pages, by a black writer. Winner receives $3,000, book publication by Red Hen Press. The opening chapter or story of the awarded manuscript will be published in the Peauxdunque Review and receive a four-week residency at The Community Library’s Ernest and Mary Hemingway House in Ketchum, Idaho. 



QUILL QUEER PROSE AWARD
https://redhenpress.submittable.com/submit/
$10 ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 31, 2021. The Quill Prose Award is for a work of previously unpublished prose with a minimum of 150 pages by a queer (LGBTQIA+) writer. Award is $1,000 and publication of award-winning manuscript by Red Hen Press.



RED HEN PRESS FICTION AWARD
https://redhenpress.submittable.com/submit/
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 1, 2021. The Red Hen Press Fiction Award is for a previously unpublished fresh and original work of fiction, either a novel or short story collection, with a minimum of 150 pages. The awarded manuscript is selected through an annual submission process which is open to all authors. The prize includes $1,000 and publication of award-winning manuscript by Red Hen Press.



BENJAMIN SALTMAN POETRY AWARD
https://redhenpress.submittable.com/submit/
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline November 1, 2021. This award is for a previously unpublished original collection of poetry. Award is $3,000 and publication of the award-winning manuscript by Red Hen Press. Submit minimum of 48 pages, with a maximum of 96 pages. 



ARABLIT STORY PRIZE
https://arablit.submittable.com/submit/190775/2021-arablit-story-prize#_=_
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 1, 2021. The ArabLit Story Prize is an award for the best short stories, in any genre, newly translated from Arabic into English. Translators must have secured rights to the work, and translations must have been previously unpublished. The story in translation, must be rendered as 4,000 words or fewer in English. The prize is $500 to the winner, split between author and translator (except in cases where the work is in the public domain). Shortlisted stories will have the opportunity to be published in the ArabLit Quarterly as well as a future anthology.



POLAR EXPRESSIONS PUBLISHING CONTEST
http://polarexpressions.ca/SummerContests.html
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline July 31, 2021. Each summer they hold two contests, which are open to Canadian residents and citizens of all ages. There is a separate division for young writers. Prizes for 16 and over (poetry and short story): first prize $500, second prize $250, third prize $100, and ten honourable mentions for each genre. Young writers division (15 and under - poetry and short story): first prize $200, second prize $100, third prize $50, and ten honourable mentions for each genre. 



LANDFALL ESSAY COMPETITION
https://www.otago.ac.nz/press/landfall/awards/otago065482.html
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline July 31, 2021. The purpose of the competition remains as it was at the outset: to encourage New Zealand writers to think aloud about New Zealand culture and to revive and sustain the tradition of vivid, contentious and creative essay writing in this country. Limit 4,000 words. Winner receives $3,000 and a subscription. Writers will be New Zealand citizens or New Zealand permanent residents. Landfall reserves the right to publish the winning entry, and other shortlisted entries, at the editor's discretion.



THE NEW VOICES AWARD
https://www.leeandlow.com/writers-illustrators/new-voices-award
Deadline July 31, 2021. The New Voices Award is given annually by children's book publisher Lee & Low Books for a children’s picture book manuscript by a writer of color or Indigenous/Native writer. The contest is open to writers of color and Indigenous/Native writers who are residents of the United States and at least 18 years old at the time of entry and who have not previously had a children’s picture book traditionally published. Only unagented manuscripts will be considered. Manuscripts should address the needs of children of color and Native nations by providing stories with which they can identify and relate, and which promote a greater understanding of one another. May be fiction, nonfiction, or poetry for children ages 5 to 12. Limit 1,500 words. 



BIOPAGE STORYTELLING WRITING CONTEST
https://www.biopage.com/contest
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline July 31, 2021. Biopage is hosting a writing contest to remind people the benefits of writing. Each story (or one chapter of your story) is limited to 5,000 characters or roughly 1,000 words. You as a writer should write down your experience of quarantine life. Tell your stories in words and pictures: pantry inventories, window views, workout routines, neighbors helping neighbors, homeschooling activities... Or more dramatic: fighting the virus yourself, sick family member at home or hospital, treating patients as a healthcare provider, dealing with the pain of losing a friend... But you may share your story with other subjects, not limited to the pandemic. You can write about good life experiences, or bad, embarrassing, frightening ones. Pick your best story to patriciate in our storytelling writing contest. You can win $300, and five runners-up can win $100 each. The winners will be determined by the quality of the writing, presentation of the article with pictures, personal introduction with biography, and the votes by other users’ likes and comments. The contest is open to anyone from everywhere, every country, every corner of the world.



RESOURCE CENTER FOR WOMEN & MINISTRY IN THE SOUTH PRIZES
https://rcwms.submittable.com/submit
Deadline July 31, 2021. All women, including trans women, 18 years of age or older, may submit up to two nonfiction essays, 1,200 words or less. Essays should focus on the theme of identity and belonging. Oppressive systems and structures seek to prevent us from living into the complexities of our identities and lived experiences. How do you know when you are showing up as your full self and experiencing true belonging? Prizes are $300 for first place, $200 second, and $100 third. The winning essay will be published in the RCWMS newsletter, South of the Garden, in September or December 2021.
 

GRANTS / FELLOWSHIPS / CROWDFUNDING

VERMONT ARTIST DEVELOPMENT GRANTS
https://www.vermontartscouncil.org/grants/artists/artist-development
Deadline September 8, 2021. Artist Development Grants support artists at all stages of their careers. Grants can fund activities that enhance mastery of an artist’s craft or skills or that increase the viability of an artist's business. Funding may also support aspects of the creation of new work when the activity allows the grantee to accept a rare and important opportunity. Maximum grant amount is $2,000.



LOUISIANA PROJECT GRANTS PROGRAM
https://www.crt.state.la.us/Assets/OCD/arts/FY20-21/FY22%20Louisiana%20Project%20Grants%20Guidelines-1.pdf
Deadline August 31, 2021. Louisiana Project Grants are administered jointly by the Louisiana Division of the Arts (LDOA) and nine regional arts councils across the state. This program provides a system for funding arts projects in all nine regions of the state by giving artists, nonprofit arts organizations, nonprofit organizations, public and private schools, and local government agencies in each region the opportunity to develop arts projects that meet their local needs. The purpose of the program is to cultivate innovative arts projects that have a lasting impact within each region of our state. Grants are $2,500 to $7,500. 



GEORGIA VIBRANT COMMUNITY ARTIST LIST
https://gaarts.org/what-we-do/grants/vibrant-communities-grant/
To help applicant communities identify qualified artists, GCA will offer the Vibrant Communities Artist List, a supplement to the Vibrant Communities Grant guidelines, which lists Georgia artists and arts organizations who offer programs that could be funded by the grant. Specific guidelines to apply for inclusion on the Vibrant Communities Artist List can be found on GCA's website under the FY22 section of the Vibrant Communities Grant web page. The application should be submitted through GCA's online application system. The deadline to apply is July 27, 2021, at 11:45 p.m. Ideally, programs on the list will be available to travel to all areas of the state, cost under $7,500, and have minimal technical requirements. The Artist List application asks artists to identify if their programs are available live and indoors, live and outdoors, live and online, recorded and online, or by other means. Direct questions to Katie Domurat, Grants and Programs Manager, at [email protected] or 404-962-4015.



SPECULATIVE LITERATURE FOUNDATION DIVERSE WRITERS GRANTS
https://speculativeliterature.org/grants/slf-diverse-writers-and-diverse-worlds-grants/
Deadline July 31, 2021. The $500 Diverse Writers grant is intended to support writers of speculative fiction who are from underrepresented and underprivileged groups, such as writers of color, women, queer writers, disabled writers, etc. — those whose marginalized identities may present additional obstacles in the writing/publishing process. The $500 Diverse Worlds grant is intended for work that best presents a diverse world, regardless of the writer’s background. Writers may apply for either or both grants. The grants are designed to foster new, in-progress work (rather than recognizing already published work). This grant, as with all SLF grants, is intended to help writers working with speculative literature. 

 

FREELANCE MARKETS / JOBS

VEGETARIAN TIMES
https://www.vegetariantimes.com
Brittany Martin, Editor at Vegetarian Times, seeks vegetarian stories. Pitch her at [email protected] . Pays $250 to $500 per piece. 



TIME
https://time.com
Peter Allen Clark, Editor at Time, seeks pitches for the tech/business section online and in the magazine. Medium length stories preferred in the 800-1,000 words range. Over the next few months will also be focusing on supply chains, travel/hospitality through the COVID reopening, and the Olympics. Also interested in pitches on real estate, retail, and other trade businesses. Very open to ideas. Starting rates of $500 for an approved pitch for a US-based writer.



SHADOWPROOF
https://shadowproof.com/about/freelance-submissions/
Journalists and writers are encouraged to pitch original news stories and analyses to Shadowproof. We seek fact-based reporting that involves original source materials and the perspectives of impacted people. Currently looking for original reporting and analysis on policing, incarceration, and abolition and liberation movements. Rates range from $600 to $1,200 for stories between 1,500 and 2,000 words. Pitch [email protected]



BETTER HOMES & GARDEN
https://www.bhg.com/
Email Senior Food Edisto Emily Teel at [email protected] . They are expanding their stable of food writers. Email an introduction and PDFs or links to your work. Rates can range from $200 to $1,200. 



WHAT'S NEXT MAGAZINE
https://whatsnextmagazine.com/contact
After years of movement towards changing our criminal justice system, what are people doing right now? This website investigates that with two stories a month from writers all over the country. At this time, we are currently able to pay ten cents per word. We are looking for stories about 1,000-1,500 words in length. We welcome new and emerging writers and those who haven’t written a solutions journalism story before. 

 

Publishers/agents

BITTER LEMON PRESS
https://www.bitterlemonpress.com/
Bitter Lemon Books are gripping crime fiction stories that expose the darker side of foreign places. They explore what lies just beneath the surface of the bustling life of countries such as Argentina, Cuba, Mexico, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, India, Iraq, New Zealand, Australia, and the USA.



BLACK OPAL BOOKS
https://blackopalbooks.com/about-black-opal-books/
A boutique small press, dedicated to producing quality books for readers and helping both experienced and debut authors find a home for those stories that just have to be told. We are committed to producing well-written, properly-edited books and to providing both experienced and debut authors an outlet for their works they might not otherwise have. We do not do vanity publishing. We publish in both ebook and paperback formats and are committed to returning more of the profits to our authors. Currently, we handle all genres of romance, as well as women’s fiction, chick lit, historicals, mysteries, thrillers, YA, and limited nonfiction.



BOLD STROKES BOOKS
https://www.boldstrokesbooks.com/submissions
As an LGBTQ+ publisher, Bold Strokes Books strives to ensure that our list of authors represents the cultures, backgrounds, and viewpoints of our world. We believe everyone should have access to write and read stories that reflect their lived experience. In line with these beliefs, Bold Strokes Books is committed to expanding and further diversifying our authorship. Please note that we do not publish poetry. Romance, Crime/Suspense, Speculative Fic, Mystery, Intrigue/Thriller: 45,000–120,000 words. Contemporary, Historical, Saga, General: 75,000–100,000 words. Young Adult fiction: 45,000–75,000 words. Erotic fiction: 50,000–80,000 words. Novellas (all genres) 15,000–30,000 words. Nonfiction: Query first. 



BRASH BOOKS
http://www.brash-books.com/
We publish the best crime novels in existence. A brash claim? You bet it is. But our award-winning, critically acclaimed authors prove it with each and every one of their amazing books. We’ve got it all: psychological thrillers, murder mysteries, international espionage, and police procedurals from established masters of the craft – as well as premiere books from new voices who are sure to become crime fiction stars.



AMBLE PRESS
https://www.bywaterbooks.com/amble_press_submissions/
Amble Press will publish fiction and narrative nonfiction by queer writers, with a primary, though not exclusive, focus on queer writers of color. Amble Press is actively seeking submissions in these popular subgenres: Contemporary General Fiction, Crime Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers, Historical Fiction, Action/Adventure, Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Cli-Fi/Spec Fiction/Steampunk, Graphic Novels, Young Adult/New Adult, Romance, Narrative nonfiction, and Memoirs/Biographies. Through Amble Press, we are specifically focusing on underrepresented writers whose journeys deserve affirmation, celebration, and a seat at the literary table. In particular, we’re looking for previously unpublished full-length manuscripts (between 45,000 and 100,000 words) and graphic novels between 48 and 100 pages.



BYWATER BOOKS
https://www.bywaterbooks.com/manuscript-submission-form/
The Bywater Books mission is to publish well-written commercial literature targeted to lesbian readers. And our focus is on the following fiction and nonfiction categories: Romance, Mystery, Action/Thriller, Science-fiction/Fantasy, General Fiction, Cross-genre, Memoir, Essay, and Autobiography/Biography. We do not publish poetry or erotica.

 

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

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