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• 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).

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EDITOR'S THOUGHTS

DOES YOUR WRITING HAVE TO CHANGE THE WORLD?

If you've written for several years, you've seen the missives on how to write, what to write, and who to write for, and have likely seen how these missives change like clothing styles. Right now, national and international issues are huge. 

Not that I'm downplaying national and international issues. 

But in 2020 and 2021, people wondered how to write about COVID, plagues, or dystopia. Old books, backlist books, and failed books were brought back out and dusted off, republished, covers redesigned, and promoted. People debated on social media about when it was proper and polite to write about current times without being rude or causing trigger reactions for people. Journalism tried to cover every imaginable story possible to ride that crest of news. 

Politics got nastier still (like that was possible). Gender issues came to the forefront. Police issues exploded. A lot of folks came out in the writing community pointing fingers at other writers to take stands, use their words, protest on their personal platforms, and champion causes. 

But what if you're not that kind of writer?

What if those are not the stories in your head?

What if you write for escapism, to avoid the controversy of the day?

Every writer back to the beginning of words lived through issues of their time, but they didn't necessarily take up a torch and write about them, much less demand their readers take certain stands. I'm sure advocates of one side or another, one cause or another, will challenge me for not being strong, not being responsible, and maybe being anti-whatever their cause is, but I might not like writing about some of those controversial issues. And that is perfectly fine. I do not have to.

Because my parents endured Alzheimer's does not mean I have to write about it. Because I was born in a place, reared by a certain kind of parent, grew up in an odd environment, earned a specific degree, worshiped a precise way, or voted in one direction or another does not mean I write about the experience, much less tell others my way is right. 

Maybe it's just about wanting to write a good story, whatever it is, regardless of the times. The writer has to enjoy the writing first for the reader to feel it. 

Take care of yourself first.

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Featured article

UX Writing: a Unique Career Path for Wordsmiths with Empathy

By Jenny Williams 

Think of the last time you used an app on your phone. What words did you notice? Were there buttons like "sign in" or "check out"? Have you ever gotten a notification that made you smile? 

In many cases, the words in the apps you use every day are written by, well, writers. This niche role, usually called UX writer, content designer, or product copywriter, can be found in companies ranging from boutique wellness apps to giant tech firms. And the job market is growing.

I started working as a UX writer over four years ago as a way to support myself while I wrote novels. But I quickly fell in love with UX writing on its own merits. Read on to see if this exciting career is for you.

What do UX writers do?

UX stands for user experience. UX writers are responsible for the words people encounter as they go through the experience of using an app, website, or service. Those words might appear in buttons, menu items, notifications, or tooltips. Some UX writers specialize as conversation designers, which means they write the things that voice assistants like Siri or Cortana say. 

Since UX writers often only have a few words to communicate important ideas, we have to make sure they're the right words. This means collaborating with other team members (designers, researchers, product managers, and engineers) to understand how our users think and feel, what their expectations are, and how they might interpret different terms. It also means going through numerous iterations (a fancy UX word for "drafts") to get to a place we can all agree on.

How much do UX writers make?

According to Glassdoor, the national average salary for a full-time UX writer in the United States is $85,277. UX writers at large tech companies can make significantly more. You can also get short-term UX writing contracts that last anywhere from a few months to a few years. I spent six months as a contract UX writer at Google before I was hired as a full-time employee. 

What are the qualities of good UX writing?

We often think of good creative writing as stylistically unique and poetic, and embodying our voice as an author. Good UX writing, on the other hand, is short, simple, and written to align with a brand's voice. I like to say that the best UX writing is invisible - it's such a seamless part of the experience that it disappears altogether. 

However, UX writing also has a lot in common with storytelling. As a novelist, I try to anticipate how my reader is thinking and feeling with each page, so I can either meet or subvert her expectations. I have to empathize with my characters so I can create people who feel genuine and complex, with all the beauty and messiness of real humans. 

UX writing requires a similar kind of empathy. If a user is frustrated, showing them a snarky error message is only going to make them feel worse. On the other hand, if they're having a wave of self-doubt, a reassuring phrase could be just the thing that helps them finish the task.

How do I become a UX writer?

You don't need to have a design background or work in tech. You just have to get some experience under your belt (even as a volunteer), and then turn your work into a portfolio that will get you noticed. To learn more, try UX Writing Hub's free intro course or some of the classes at UX Writers Collective. 

I've found UX writing to be an incredibly rewarding career, and I hope I've inspired a few of you to consider it, too. Tech needs more deep thinkers and careful communicators. I can't think of anyone better than writers and storytellers to help shape our collective future.

BIO: Jenny Williams is an award-winning writer with a keen interest in how words shape our world. She has worked for the last four years as a UX writer at Google and Microsoft, where she currently writes at the intersection of AI and ethics. She also teaches content strategy and UX at the University of Washington. Her debut novel of literary fiction, The Atlas of Forgotten Places, was published by Macmillan and described by Ghanaian author Kwei Quartey as "nothing short of astonishing." Find her online at www.jennydwilliams.com.


 

COmpetitions

FLASH 500 FLASH FICTION COMPETITION
https://flash500.com/flash-fiction/
£5 ENTRY FEE. Deadlines September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2021. Limit 500 words. First prize £300. Second prize £200. Third prize £100. The competition is international and welcomes non-UK entrants.



FLASH 500 SHORT STORIES COMPETITION
https://flash500.com/short-stories/
£7 ENTRY FEE. Deadline February 28, 2022. We are looking for stories ranging between 1,000 and 3,000 words, with strong characters, a well-crafted plot and realistic dialogue (where used). Make us laugh, make us cry, but most of all, make us feel! First prize £500. Second prize £200. Third prize £100. 



"BIGGER THAN ME" POETRY CONTEST
https://oprelle.com/pages/bigger-than-me-poetry-contest-rules-and-regulations
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 1, 2021. First prize $200 and publication. Second prize $100 and publication. Third place $50 and publication. Up to 60 Contestants who reach the Finalist stage of the contest will be published in the “Bigger Than Me” Anthology. No royalties paid to contributors of anthologies. Your poem can be simple and uplifting, or complicated and metaphorical; any style works, if you follow the rules and write between 1 and 20 lines. 



TERRAIN CONTEST
https://www.terrain.org/submit/contest-guidelines/
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 6, 2021. A prize of $1,000 plus publication for the first-place winner will be awarded in each genre. Finalists in each genre will also receive publication and a $100 prize. Accepts poetry (three to five poems), fiction (up to 5,000 words), and nonfiction (up to 5,000 words). We will consider all nonfiction, but are most interested in creative nonfiction, including personal essays, lyric essays, memoirs, literary journalism, and other literary forms.



VIVIAN SHIPLEY POETRY AWARD
https://www.ctpoetry.net/index.html
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 30, 2021. First place $1,000. Second place $100. Third place $50. Submit up to three previously unpublished poems, in one document, no more than one poem per page; 80-line limit. 



PERITO PRIZE
https://weareperito.com/perito-prize
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 30, 2021. We think there are so many great stories out there to celebrate the diverse world we live in. We want to hear them and share them so both our writers and readers start to try and think, analyse, and design for inclusive environments in absolutely everything we do. The Perito Prize of £500 will be awarded to outstanding new short fiction of between 1,000 and up to 2,000 words. The cash prize goes to the first place but there will be special mentions and the option for various fun interviews, readings, with or without musical accompaniment, on the Perito website for second and third places. The finalists and a selection of the best stories from the year will also be published in that year’s Perito Prize Anthology which will be available to buy with all profits going to a selected charity which will change year by year.

 

GRANTS / FELLOWSHIPS / CROWDFUNDING

- - - 

DAVEY FOUNDATION SHORT FILM GRANTS
https://filmfreeway.com/DaveyGrants
Deadline August 31, 2021. The Davey Foundation’s Short Film Grants Program will award two $5,000 cash grants and two gear grants, accompanied by $2,500 cash each, to help emerging filmmakers take their short film script through production and to screens around the world. One Utah grant (narrative and documentary film submissions accepted) will be awarded for $2,500 and use of a gear package. Scripts should not exceed 16 pages.



NATIONAL PARKS ARTS FOUNDATION
https://www.nationalparksartsfoundation.org/apply
Any artist working in any medium, digital or analog, including writing of any type, and performance art of any type is accepted. Any site-specific work involving reversible changes to the landscape is usually not permitted. All of NPAF’s Call for Entry opportunities accept submissions from national and international artists, writers, and performance artists. The stipend may be used in any way the artist chooses but is paid after the residency. 



PITTSBURGH CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT GRANTS
https://www.heinz.org/strategic-areas/creativity/creative-development-awards
Deadline September 22, 2021. Professional artists in any discipline/media and at any career stage may apply directly for grants of up to $20,000 to further artistic and career goals. An applicant must be a professional artist, have a significant body of original works of art, at least 21 years of age, and an eligible southwestern Pennsylvania county resident. Public presentation of a completed artwork is not required; however, grant funds must advance the applicant’s artistic growth and career in demonstrable ways.



AMY LOWELL POETRY TRAVELLING SCHOLARSHIP
http://www.amylowell.org/applicationInstruct.html
Deadline October 15, 2021. An annual scholarship to support travel abroad for gifted American-born poets. One top award of $62,500. 



FISCHER POETRY PRIZE
https://www.tellurideinstitute.org/fischer-prize/
$10 ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 31, 2021. A national poetry contest open to English language writers of all ages living in the U.S. (whether a citizen or not) and to U.S. citizens living overseas. What started as a county $100 award for local poets, moved to a statewide focus, then a regional Southwestern target audience, followed by a Western U.S. scan and has now widened its scope – making the awards available to poets in the entire country. The current prize award is $1,000 for the winning poem and five $200 finalist awards. Thanks to a generous donation from the Cantor Family, we initiated a $500 Cantor Award for the winning poem in the Fischer Prize contest from a Colorado poet. In this way, we honor the Fischers with a national prize, and the Cantors with a state prize.



THE CONISTON PRIZE
https://www.radarpoetry.com/contest
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 1, 2021. The Coniston Prize is an annual award that recognizes an exceptional group of poems by a woman writing in English. This year, the winner will receive $2,000 and their work will be featured in Radar's contest issue in October 2021. Finalists will also be awarded publication. Submit three to five previously unpublished poems in a single document through our submissions manager.



JUNIPER PRIZE FOR POETRY
https://www.umasspress.com/juniper-prizes/juniper-prize-for-poetry/
$30 ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 30, 2021. The Juniper Prize for Poetry is awarded annually to two original manuscripts of poems: one first book prize for a previously unpublished author and one prize for a previously published author. The University of Massachusetts Press publishes the winning manuscripts and the authors receive a $1,000 award upon publication. The competition is open to all writers in English, whether or not they are U.S. residents. Manuscript files must be between 50 and 70 pages. 



EBAY UP & RUNNING GRANTS
https://ebay.helloalice.com/
Deadline September 3, 2021. Eligible small business sellers can apply to the eBay Up & Running Grants program. Fifty recipients will each receive a grant package of $10,000, including cash, coaching through eBay Seller School, and more. Apply today by sharing how you would invest the grant to grow your business online. The Up & Running Grants are open to existing eBay sellers with active listings in the past 6 months who have an “above standard” or “top rated” performance level, and new eBay business sellers who have joined the platform between October 1, 2020 and July 31, 2021.   
 

  

FREELANCE MARKETS / JOBS

INDIVIDUAL NEEDS GRANT WRITER FOR EBAY UP & RUNNING GRANTS
https://www.ebay.com/usr/itstillglitters
https://www.facebook.com/itstillglitters
Ebay seller Kimberly Say Michalski is willing to pay $150 for grant writing help to someone with the business acumen and understanding of grants to assist her in applying for the Ebay Up & Running Grant. There are five narrative questions on the grant application that she needs help with in writing. Altogether the word limit is 1,350 words. Her email is [email protected]. The details of the grant can be found at https://ebay.helloalice.com/ . Deadline for filing the grant is September 3, 2021. 


 
INKCAP JOURNAL
https://www.inkcapjournal.co.uk/pitch/
Inkcap Journal is a publication about nature and conservation in Britain. We publish longform journalism about the natural world, in the form of a twice-weekly newsletter. Subscribers receive an original article on Wednesday and an in-depth digest of the week's environmental news on Friday. Inkcap Journal publishes a small number of stories from journalists and writers. We are interested in reported features, interviews and essays. Pitches should reflect Inkcap’s focus on the environment in Britain: England, Wales and Scotland. We generally pay between £100-300 per story, depending on its complexity and the level of reporting involved.



GREENPEACE
https://www.greenpeace.org.uk/pitching-guidelines/
Greenpeace UK is inviting article pitches from freelance writers and journalists, and we offer competitive rates for contributors. We’re looking for writers who can tell environmental stories with flair and conviction; to help people see familiar things in a whole new way and reimagine what it means to be an environmentalist. We’re open to a range of formats, from features to personal essays, profiles, case studies or even quizzes. Our base rate is £350 for a standard article (800-1,200 words; one to two interviews). We welcome international stories, but if you can find a UK angle, all the better.



GOODRX
https://jobs.lever.co/goodrx/26077db8-06f3-464f-9e9c-63ea6dc40d20
GoodRx is seeking freelance writers to contribute content across several health and well-being areas in conjunction with our Editorial team. We’re looking for writers passionate about objective research, crafting content that brings health topics to life through engaging storytelling, and helping readers understand their health and healthcare options. You will use your journalism and research expertise to write short and longform articles that are insightful, empowering, and grounded in scientific evidence. Most articles are about 800 to 1,200 words, with pay set at $500 per piece. The number and kind of pieces may vary according to your availability, expertise, and interest. We will initially work on a trial basis and then discuss regular contributions.



BUSTLE
https://www.bustle.com/
Query [email protected]. Seeks articles on dating trends, relationship service stories, hot takes on TV romances, Q&As and profiles of sexy people. Pays $300 and up. 



ONEVILLAGE
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSesCXgWY0arn1NrmT-yMMboEq075eHHpaEEj-Ou_rYClgtJnA/viewform
We're learning from the experience of every cancer patient, supporter and survivor to recommended educational resources, coaching tools and specialty products to make your life easier. Pays freelancers $150/article to write on cancer-specific topics. Looking for content (750-1,100 words) that is cancer-specific in the following categories: bladder, colorectal, endometrial, lung, skin, prostate, thyroid, brain cancer, and lymphoma. We're also looking for content addressing the headlines/topics on the submission form. Website: https://www.onevillage.io/



SYLVIA
http://www.sylviamagazine.com/submissions/
Deadline August 26, 2021. An online literary magazine. Poetry and stories for every season. We are currently open to submissions. Up to three poems of up to 40 lines each. Up to two prose pieces of up to 1,500 words each – stories or narrative nonfiction. We pay £1.75 per line for poetry (not including titles or line breaks) and £0.25 per word for prose. 

 

Publishers/agents

PERSEPHONE BOOKS - UK
https://persephonebooks.co.uk/
Persephone Books reprints neglected fiction and nonfiction by mid-twentieth century (mostly) women writers. All of our .books are intelligent, thought-provoking and beautifully written and are chosen to appeal to busy people wanting titles that are neither too literary nor too commercial. We publish novels, short stories, diaries, memoirs and cookery books; each has an elegant grey jacket, a ‘fabric’ endpaper with matching bookmark, and a preface. 



CARINA PRESS
https://www.carinapress.com/shop/pages/write-for-us.html
Mystery: 70,000 words and up. Paranormal romance: 50,000 words and up. Historical romance: 50,000 words and up. Romantic suspense: 50,000 words and up. Science fiction: 50,000 words and up. Fantasy: 50,000 words and up. Carina Press is Harlequin’s digital-first adult fiction single-title imprint, publishing first in digital, with releases in audio and print as well. If the book of your heart fits into a niche that has very little shelf space in a traditional bookstore, Carina Press is eager to read and potentially publish your story.



BRADFORD LITERARY AGENCY
https://bradfordlit.com/
Please check the About page for information on each agent and the genres they desire. Bradford Literary Agency is a boutique agency which offers a full range of representation services to authors who are both published and pre-published. Our mission at Bradford Literary Agency is to form true partnerships with our clients and build long-term relationships that extend from writing the first draft through the length of the author’s career.



STERLING LORD LITERISTIC
https://www.sll.com/our-team
One of the most dynamic independent agencies in New York, Sterling Lord Literistic, Inc. combines a long tradition of literary excellence with a diverse and successful client list unparalleled in the industry. Take a look at the individual agents to determine which agent is seeking which genre. 



NEW LEAF LITERARY AND MEDIA
http://www.newleafliterary.com/
We are a passionate agency with a relentless focus on building our clients’ careers. Our approach is big picture, offering a one-stop shop built without silos and access to a variety of services including international sales, film and television, and branding resources for all clients. Established in 2012 from a boutique literary agency New Leaf has since morphed into a one-stop shop for writers and artists, with over 70 books on the New York Times bestseller lists and nine films and TV shows produced. 



TINY FOX PRESS
https://tinyfoxpress.com/submissions/
You can see our general tastes in the books we publish, but we are really, really, REALLY looking for the following with series potential: Fantasy — Norse Mythology, Gaslamp, Humorous; Scifi — Steam Punk, Space Opera, Post Apoc, Humorous; and YA — Something fun, adventurous and with plenty of magic. Tiny Fox Press first and foremost is in search of engaging stories needing a great home. 
 

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E-mail: [email protected]
140-A Amicks Ferry Road #4
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