TOP SPONSOR 

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

DISCOUNTING THE WORD "NO"

What really matters is what you do with what you have. ~ H. G. Wells

As a writer, you will hear the word no. Or at least some of its cousins, like, "not interested," "cannot use this at this time," or "this is not for us." That's expected. Here is where writers have a crossroad decision to make. 

My advice is this: Do NOT let a single, solitary excuse fall out of your mouth.

NO is part of this game, people. And the more NOs you receive, the more defined a direction you can make. NOs are just as good as YESses. 

FundsforWriters receives articles queries daily. Most are rejected. Most are rejected for the following reasons:

1) Word count is wrong.
2) Topic isn't anywhere on the FFW radar.
3) No bio, no website, no link to the writer.
4) Plagiarism. (Yes, it's common. Yes, I check.)
5) No takeaway value for the reader (it's more about the writer and their feelings).

But one rejection that most submitters don't see coming is when they emphasize the negative of writing. 

"How to cope with rejection."
"How to get past the negativity of nasty agents and editors."
"How to cope with writer's block."

Just like we refuse to post anything on writer's block, we don't emphasize or dissect refusal, or the word no. It's part of the journey, and frankly, getting any response, even no, is a good thing with the right mindset. We do not want writers to see themselves as victims. We refuse to give NO the air it needs to breathe.

Our mission is to point writers toward the word YES, which is more than an acceptance by a publisher or editor. 

1) Yes, I can learn from this rejection.
2) Yes, I see the different direction I need to take.
3) Yes, I can cross this market off my list as not fitting my style.
4) Yes, I know better now how to keep going.

When you dwell on NO, you rob YES. And all the publishers, editors, agents, and so on out in the world who are looking for writers, do not give a darn about how many times you've heard the word NO or fell into writer's block. They only want someone able and willing to write well for them. 

So why in the world would you waste one second to dwell on NO?

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.

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HOPE'S APPEARANCES

 SUCCESS QUOTE

SUccess Story

Dear Hope,

For the second time in two years, I owe a major thank you to you and your website. This week, my full-length stage play, In The Secret City, was published by Smith Scripts in the UK, an opportunity I learned about from FundsforWriters. Last month, Regal House Publishing released my first novel, Angels Unaware, another opportunity I found at FundsforWriters. Thanks so much. The experience has been life changing!

Lisa DeAngelis


















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






 

Featured article

How to Produce a Kick-ass Book Trailer for under $20

By Lilianne Milgrom

A whopping 72 percent of people prefer video over text when learning about a product or service. Video captures a higher degree of attention and more engagement than other forms of content, so it’s no surprise that book trailers are the hot new marketing tool for authors.
  
Here are the top reasons publishers are investing in book trailers:

1.    To create intrigue and initial buzz,
2.    To provide a tool for fans to post on social media or even embed in their own blogs,
3.    To generate ancillary content and promotion on eRetailer sites,
4.    To introduce prospective readers to the book in a non-traditional way.

As a debut indie author, I could barely keep up with social media posts, guest blog posts, Amazon ad campaigns, press releases, and podcast interviews, not to mention squeezing time in for future projects. A quick search confirmed my suspicions that hiring a professional to make a book trailer was prohibitively expensive. So, I shelved the idea of creating a book trailer for my historical fiction L’Origine: The Secret Life of the World’s Most Erotic Masterpiece. Besides, books are all about the written word, right? Wrong.



I began to notice that more and more book tours, award applications, and other competitive submission forums were including a line item for book trailer links. I became convinced that a book trailer would help my book stand out from the madding crowd. It was time to take the plunge. 

CREATIVE PREPARATION

Trailers are about a minute long (the visual equivalents of the elevator pitch), so it’s essential to brainstorm the elements of your story that will hook the viewer.  

Once I had a fairly good idea of the content I wanted to see in my trailer, I sketched out a rudimentary storyboard–a few rough scenes of the trailer that were playing in my head (I’m an artist by profession, but stick figures work just fine). You can choose a mix of author interviews, still images, short videos, or even a reading. The storyboard provides a visual roadmap for your trailer.

With literally no budget, I had to be creative about actors, costumes, lighting and backdrops. I roped my adult son into playing the 19th-century protagonist, and I even had made a cameo appearance myself! For my son’s costume, I bought a wig for $9.99 and spent $10 at Goodwill on clothing that I adapted into passable 19th-century fashion. I rigged up a mini studio set at home with standing lamps and a simple backdrop where I shot simple video clips and took photos. You can find additional visuals on royalty-free sites such as Pexels, Pixabay, or Dreamstime. 

TECHNICAL PRODUCTION

The most cost-effective way for me to actually produce the video was to download the free iMovie app onto my phone, because the app offers free movie trailer templates that work just as well for book trailers. I watched a few instructional videos on how insert my video snippets, text, and images into the template, and two days later I had a professional trailer that I could upload onto YouTube, Vimeo, or my own indie book site. The downside of iMovie’s templates is that they cannot be customized as far as music, length, graphics and scene layouts. You have to be flexible and select the one that best fits your book. You can simplify the whole process even further by producing a video slide show using software such as Animoto or Biteable, both of which have their own extensive library of royalty-free images and music.

I believe that my trailer helped me land two prestigious author events at the American Library in Paris and Alliance Française in Washington DC. I was also just informed that L’Origine received the 2020 Indie B.R.A.G. Medallion Award and guess what I was asked to submit? You guessed it–a link to my book trailer.

BIO: Paris-born Lilianne Milgrom is an internationally acclaimed artist and author residing in Washington, DC. Her studio practice incorporates painting, ceramics and mixed media, and her artworks can be found in private and institutional collections around the world. Her debut novel L'Origine: The Secret Life of the World’s Most Erotic Masterpiece was awarded the following honors:

- Winner of Publisher's Weekly US Selfies Book Award for Adult Fiction 
  (Announced at the American Library Association Convention 2021)
- First Place IndieReader Discovery Awards for best adult fiction
- Forword Reviews Silver Medal for Historical Fiction
- IndieBRAG Medallion winner







 

COmpetitions

CHILDREN OF STEEL SHORT STORY CONTEST
https://www.facebook.com/groups/451677966136430/about
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline November 1, 2021. One prize of $1,000 to the winner. Theme — FICTION regarding life in Steel Mill Towns. Eligible are all who were born and raised in or who lived in a steel mill town. The story need not be about steel mills or working in them, but steel mills should be mentioned at least in passing. Word count 7,500 to 9,500 words. Open to US residents aged 21 or older. 



GRAYSON BOOKS POETRY PRIZE
http://graysonbooks.com/contest.html
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 16, 2021. Limited to 50-90 pages of poetry. Winner receives $1,000, publication, and ten copies. 



NOSTALGIA PRESS HEART POETRY AWARD
https://nostalgiapress.com/heart-poetry-award-500/
$10 ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 31, 2021. Submit up to three poems with one entry. Entrants receive winter 2021 issue of HEART. Seeking unpublished, prose poetry. 



ON THE PREMISES
https://onthepremises.com/
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 3, 2021. Stories published in On The Premises are winning entries in short story contests launched every June and December. Each contest challenges writers to produce a great story based on a broad premise that we supply. Winning stories are published in individual magazine issues each April and October. We also hold “mini-contests” four times a year, in April, May, October, and November. Winning mini-contest entries are published on our website’s mini-contest pages. In the short story contests, first prize is $250, second prize $200, third prize $150, and honorable mention $75. The mini contests pay $35, $25, and $15. The current contest is themed MONSTERS. For this contest, write a creative, compelling, well-crafted story between 1,000 and 5,000 words long in which someone or something is considered to be a monster… and maybe that’s accurate! Maybe you’re writing a straightforward horror story. Or maybe the “monster” label is terrible and undeserved. Or is the truth somewhere in between? That’s entirely up to you.



DREAM QUEST POETRY AND WRITING CONTEST SUMMER 2021
https://www.dreamquestone.com/
$5-$10 ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 22, 2021. Prose limited to five pages. Poetry limited to 30 lines. No themes. Prose prizes are $500, $250 and $100. Poetry prizes are $250, $125, and $50. 



SMOKELONG QUARTERLY COMEDY PRIZE FOR FLASH
https://www.smokelong.com/comedy-prize-2021-opens-aug-1/
$7 ENTRY FEE. Deadline November 15, 2021. This fall we are hosting our first annual prize for comedy in flash! We want to feel your razor-sharp wit, share your sideways view of the world, hear your irresistibly bizarre voice. We want to laugh out loud and snort our coffee through our noses. Word limit 782 words (not including the title, no minimum length requirement). Open to anyone 18 years of age or older in the world. Open to fiction, nonfiction, and anything in between. No poetry please. Open to works previously unpublished as well as those previously published as long as the author has retained copyright. Prize fund is at least $1,600. Each of the (at least) four narratives selected to win The SmokeLong Comedy Prize will receive $400 and publication in our December issue 2021. 



WILD ATLANTIC WRITING AWARDS (WAWA)
https://www.irelandwritingretreat.com/wawa
10 EURO ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 30, 2021. We welcome whatever stories you decide to send to us on any theme as long as it is within our customary 500-word limit, either flash fiction or creative nonfiction, with 500 euro in prize money to the winner in each category. And to add a little spice to the mix and help focus your mind, one teeny-weeny challenge is that the title of your story MUST be three words only, no more, no less.



STORIES OUT OF SCHOOL FLASH FICTION CONTEST
https://www.pandemic-edition.academyforteachers.org/stories-out-of-school-contest/
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 1, 2021. This annual contest was created to inspire great stories about teachers and the rich and crazy world of schools. Our partner this year is A Public Space. Any adult (whether a teacher or not) can submit. The story’s protagonist, or its narrator, must be a K-12 teacher. Stories must be between 6 and 749 words and previously unpublished. You must be over 18. Only one submission per writer. Submissions must be sent in as a PDF. Sentimentality is discouraged and education jargon is forbidden. The winning story comes with a $1,000 prize and publication in the print edition of A Public Space.



WRITER'S DIGEST SELF-PUBLISHED EBOOK AWARDS
https://www.writersdigest.com/writers-digest-competitions/self-published-ebook-awards
$99 ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 16, 2021. Honors the best self-published ebook(s) in eight of the most popular categories. Overall winner receives $5,000, interview in Writer's Digest, and a paid trip to the Writer's Digest Annual Conference. The first prize winner in each category will receive $1,000. Numerous honorable mentions and finalists. The competition is open to self-published authors of English-language ebooks which were published (or revised and republished) electronically between 2016 and 2021. Authors who have published in print via a traditional publisher but retained their ebook rights and self-published or subvented publication via independent publishers who publish fewer than twelve ebooks/year are also eligible. 



WRITER'S DIGEST POETRY AWARDS
https://www.writersdigest.com/writers-digest-competitions/poetry-awards
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 1, 2021. Enter any poem 32 lines or less for your chance to win $1,000 in cash. First place receives $1,000 and publication. Second place receives $250 and publication. Third place receives $100 and publication. Additional fourth through tenth place winners.



SEVEN HILLS LITERARY CONTEST & PENUMBRA POETRY & HAIKU CONTEST
https://www.twaonline.org/events/2021-seven-hills-literary-contest-penumbra-poetry-haiku-contest
$20-30 ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 31, 2021. Contest categories: ten-minute play, flash fiction, short story, adult novel excerpt, young adult novel excerpt, nonfiction, personal essay, poetry, and Haiku. Cash prizes for all prose categories are $300 for first place winners, $75 for second, and $50 for third. Prizes for Poetry: $200 first-place winner, $75 second, and $50 third. Prizes for Haiku: $100 first place, $50 second, and $40 for third. All winning entries (first, second, and third place in each category) are published in the Seven Hills Review. First-place winners in each category also receive one complimentary copy of the Seven Hills Review.



INDIANA REVIEW 2021 1/2K PRIZE
https://indianareview.org/prizes/1-2-k-prize-2/
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 15, 2021. Remember to send up to three pieces. Any genre for this contest! Each piece should be 500 words or fewer and in a single document (.doc, .docx. or .pdf). Entry fee also buys you a subscription. We’re offering free submissions for 30 Black or Indigenous writers! Winner receives $1,000 and publication. 

 

GRANTS / FELLOWSHIPS / CROWDFUNDING

ILLINOIS INDIVIDUAL ARTIST GRANTS
https://arts.illinois.gov/Individual%20Artist%20Support
There is no hard deadline date for this program. Applications will be accepted until funds are fully committed or by May 15, 2022, for activities occurring through August 31, 2022. Typically, grant funds for this program are expended by January. The IAS program encompasses two different tracks. Each track has specific limitations and requirements. Review each track’s guidelines thoroughly to determine which best suits your goals. Artists may apply to only one track each fiscal year. Artist Project Track (IAS/AP) supports individual artists in the production and presentation of an artistic project. Applicants may request a maximum of 75 percent of the total cash expenses of the project up to $4,000. The minimum request is $500. Applicants must secure a cash match to cover the remaining costs. Professional Development Track (IAC/PD) supports professional development opportunities related to an individual artist's career. Applicants can request grant amounts between $500 and $1,500 with no cash match required. Applicants must secure funds to cover any remaining costs exceeding $1,500.



ILLINOIS ARTS COUNCIL ARTIST RESIDENCY GRANT
https://arts.illinois.gov/starts-program-short-term-artists-residencies
There is no hard deadline date for this program. Applications will be accepted until funds are fully committed or by May 15, 2022, for activities occurring through August 31, 2022. The StARTS Program provides support of up to $4,500 to eligible Illinois not-for-profit organizations, schools, and school districts for short-term residencies focused on hands-on learning experiences conducted by Illinois artists, companies, or ensembles.



ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE: DEMOCRACY - Location Boston
https://urbanoproject.org/cfa-fy22-democracy
Deadline August 10, 2021. We’re seeking Artists-in-Residence (AiRs) for Fall 2021 (September-December), Winter 2022 (January-March), and Spring 2022 (April-June). Ability to commit to four to six hours per week; 40-60 hours over ten weeks. Artists-in-Residence will receive a $5,000 stipend to complete the residency’s contracted responsibilities. Responsibilities of the residency include: 
 
Lead a Youth Artist Project (YAP) or Community Art Project (CAP): a ten-week program for either Boston Public School teen artists (ages 14-19) or a specific community based in Boston. Develop a curriculum, lead virtual/in-person sessions (dependent on session type and artist’s location), and mentor participants. The project culminates in a celebratory event in a format of your choice.

Develop a solo project (new or in progress). Present it and your practice through an engaging program of your choice: a community event, conversation, pop-up installation in public or virtual space, etc.

 

FREELANCE MARKETS / JOBS

COMEDY BRAND STORE
https://comedybrandstore.com/were-hiring
Right now, we are looking for Comedy Writers and Graphic Designers! Looking for talented comedic writers to help provide our corporate and individual clients with quality comedy content. Rates really depend on the engagement. We anticipate our lowest level engagement being at least a $500 engagement for the content creator. We welcome diversity and all backgrounds of course and would love to have a variety of comedic perspectives.



FODORS
https://www.fodors.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Fodors-Pitching-Guidelines-2021.pdf
Consider current affairs, social justice, lifestyle topics, pop culture, politics, subcultures of the world,
hoaxes and criminals, environment and ecology, influencers and celebrities, health and wellness, science
and tech, or any other fascinating facet of the universe that's worthy of investigation as travel-adjacent,
place-based stories. Pitch beyond traditional travel stories—we like to take chances and experiment. We love buzzy, zeitgeist-y, newsworthy stories told with a bold voice. We love personality-driven narratives, reported pieces, and first-person storytelling. We are especially invested in diversifying the voices we publish and amplifying stories from and by minority writers. Submissions to [email protected]. Rates between $200 and $400. 



CNET FINANCE
https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/
As tech extends to personal finance, CNET's experts share news, advice and recommendations for making the best financial decisions. Stories needed to include news, reviews, guides, and how-tos. Choose assignments and also receive direct assignments from editors. A portfolio sampling of published personal finance content is required. Rates range from $350 to $1,750. Email Sharon Profis ([email protected]) and Priscilla Chalke ([email protected]).



DISSENTER WEEKLY
https://thedissenter.org/write-for-the-dissenter/
The Dissenter Newsletter covers and documents the stories of whistleblowers in corporations and government and the obstacles they face. They particularly seek environmental whistleblower, workplace whistleblower, and police/prison whistleblower stories. Also stories on policy issues not on particular whistleblowers but on whistleblower protections (or the lack thereof). Pays $250 to $700. Email pitches to [email protected]. Use PITCH in the subject line.



THE SEATTLE TIMES
https://www.seattletimes.com/help/
Seeks travel and outdoors stories from Pacific Northwest writers, preferably around Seattle. Pays $250 for 900 words and $350 for 1,200 words or more. Submit specifically to [email protected] , Trevor Lenzmeier, Features Desk Editor. 



ROLLING STONE
https://www.rollingstone.com/pro/news/how-to-pitch-music-business-1042890/
Reach out with ambitious story ideas, newsy scoops, and tips about the inner workings of entertainment businesses. We publish deep investigations, special projects, data-driven analysis, print magazine features, and visual storytelling alongside daily reporting. We welcome pitches from freelance journalists. We’re most interested in reported stories that hit on a timely, urgent topic. Since we are already a well-staffed newsroom, we tend to be selective with accepting contributor stories. We’re much more interested in enterprising feature ideas and investigations than in pitches for profiles, event coverage, or major breaking news. Rates range from 25 cents/word to $1/word.



SHENANDOAH
https://shenandoahliterary.org/submissions/
Open for fiction. Please submit either a single short story under 8,000 words, or flash fiction stories under 1,000 words each (you may include up to three pieces of flash in a single submission). In lieu of a typical cover letter, please include an optional brief set of cultural expectations or writer’s notes (traditions, audiences, goals, etc.) that inform your submission. Pays $100 per 1,000 words with a ceiling of $500.

 

Publishers/agents

DUCKWORTH BOOKS
https://www.duckworthbooks.co.uk/submissions-guidelines/
Our current areas of focus are memoir and biography, popular science, psychology, history and historical fiction. 



DARK HORSE
https://www.darkhorse.com/Company/Submissions
Dark Horse accepts two types of unsolicited submissions - Art Samples or Story/Series Proposals from writer-artists or writer and artist teams. All unsolicited story/series proposals must have a full creative team on board. Writer-only proposals will not be reviewed.



DOWN THE SHORE PUBLISHING
http://www.down-the-shore.com/
Down The Shore is an independent publisher specializing in beach and coastal subjects, New Jersey, and the Jersey Shore. Established in 1984, we publish regional history, literary anthologies, pictorial books, historical videos, notecards, and acclaimed Jersey Shore calendars.



DOWN EAST BOOKS
https://rowman.com/Page/DownEastBooks
Down East Books feature books that reflect the diversity of Maine and New England. From books on gardening, travel, cooking, history, and even children’s books. 



DSP PUBLICATIONS
https://www.dsppublications.com/contact-us
DSP Publications is a boutique imprint producing quality fiction that pushes the envelope to present immersive, unique, and unforgettable reading experiences. We choose stories that beg to be told, tales that depart from mainstream concepts to create fantastic and compelling journeys of the mind worth your time and effort. Our books reach into a wide range of reader-favorite genres, including fantasy, historical, horror, mystery, paranormal, science fiction, and spiritual fiction.

 

SPONSORS

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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