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Volume 7, Issue 36 - September 9, 2007
====================================================== FFW SMALL MARKETS FundsforWriters - Ranked one of
Writer's Digest's 101 Best Websites for Writers
2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Editor: C. Hope Clark Mailto: Hope@FundsforWriters.com
FFW Small Markets is an opt-in letter here at your leisure.
Unsubscribe instructions are at the end of this letter.
FEEL FREE TO FORWARD THIS NEWSLETTER TO YOUR FRIENDS !!!!!
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IN THIS ISSUE
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1. Editor's Piece of
Mind
2. Wise Words to Live By
3. Article of the Week
4. Grants/Awards/Contests
5. Jobs/Markets
6. Ads and Opportunities
7. FundsforWriters Aids
8. Contact FundsforWriters
SUBSCRIBE: 94631-subscribe@zinester.com
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ARCHIVES: http://archives.zinester.com/94631 =======================================================
1. EDITOR'S PIECE OF MIND
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You can read FFW Small Markets online at:
http://www.fundsforwriters.com/smallmarkets.htm
===== SPONSOR
OF THE WEEK 2007 WOW WRITERS CONFERENCE Tampa Quorum Hotel - Tampa FL
September 14 & 15 "Working together to become better writers"
Appearing: Raleigh Pinskey, Tim Dorsey, Linnea Sinclair,
Heather H. Howard, Marilyn Merredith, John Strelecky,
Rita Milios, David Rosenberg, Rebecca Buckley,
Mundania Press, Ellora's Cave, Cerridwen Press
-and many more- www.wizardsofwords.org ===== AN OH WOW MOMENT... A friend sent me this phenomenal word of wisdom, probably something
that gets forwarded from email to email. Whether it's true or
not doesn't matter. The message, though, is a great one. So I
just had to share it with my favorite people. The following
is the philosophy of Charles Schultz, the creator
of the "Peanuts" comic strip. You don't have to actually answer
the questions. Just read straight through. You'll get the point. 1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America Contest.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners. How did you do?
The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday.
These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their
fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish.
Achievements are
forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners . Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one: 1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with Easier?
The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are
not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the
most awards. They are the ones that care . Sometimes we think we'd like to be published, famous and wealthy
from writing. Fact is, it's
better to have touched people than
achieved access to pedestals. I've never desired to be famous.
I feel sorry for those who fight that hassle. Happiness is the
best achievement, and the happiest people are usually doing for
others. And somewhere in that lesson is a long list of ideas for your
writing...or at least a long list of thank-you notes. Hope Clark
SIXTH ANNUAL FUNDSFORWRITERS ESSAY CONTEST - SPONSORED BY NABBW.COM
FundsforWriters and the National Association of Baby Boomer Women
announce the Annual FFW Essay Contest with the theme: Make Us Want
to Be You! In 750 words or less, either send us a remarkable
promotional plan for your writing project or tell us what you'd
do with your writing career
if you had a year to devote to your
passion. As always with a FFW contest, you choose whether to pay
a $5 entry fee or not. The first prize for the entry fee division
is $200. The first prize for the non-entry fee division is $50.
Deadline October 31, 2007. Winners announced December 1, 2007.
Visit our sponsor at www.nabbw.com. www.fundsforwriters.com/annualcontest.htm === THE BLOG, THE BLOG! http://www.hopeclark.blogspot.com People are raving about the new look...and the new opportunities
offered five days a week. ===== My monthly column at WOW-womenonwriting.com is LIVE... http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/13-Funds4Writers.html And guess who is the guest judge for their current contest? ===== THAT TIME OF YEAR FOR THE WRITER'S DIGEST CONTEST... Please nominate FundsforWriters.com for Writer’s Digest’s 101
Best Web Sites for Writers. Email writersdig@fwpubs.com with "101 Sites" in the subject line. If you've received anything positive from FundsforWriters,
let Writer's Digest know. =======================================================
2. WISE WORDS TO LIVE BY
======================================================= Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates
the
talented individual from the successful one is a lot of
hard work. ~Stephen King
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3. ARTICLE
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Beating the Dead-End Want Ad Blues
By Jan McDaniel I comb through scads of “Writers Wanted” listings every day,
hunting freelance opportunities. Responding to ads and sending
professional information into cyberspace is a reality of
today’s writing life, but I’m cautious and selective.
Basically, I want to know a real prospective employer or
publisher awaits on the other side of the computer screen.
To avoid wasting time and mailing information or work into a
black hole, I evaluate online
postings watching out for these
warning signs: •Spelling and grammatical errors. Some ads are riddled
with such comical blunders they merit their own segment on late-
night TV. “Book needs edidting;” “Must enjoy reading children;”
“Write reviews about the company itself.” Do you want an “editor”
incapable of writing a coherent sentence evaluating and revising
your work? An ad should look as professional as your resume. •Chummy, unprofessional tone. Copy should be businesslike
and well written--clear, concise, and specific. •No pay mentioned. This usually means the pay is either
nonexistent or too insignificant to appeal to writers. With the
exception of volunteer work for a favorite charity, I agree with
Stephen
King, “. . .the only bad writer is one who doesn’t get
paid.” •Ridiculously low pay. Life’s too short. Just because you
agree to write for cheap, you’re not off the hook for producing
high-quality copy on a deadline. Why ask for a job that’s going
to have you wondering what you were thinking when you accepted it? •Sweatshop ads. If an ad promises measly pay per article but
promises you can make $1,000 per month cranking out a zillion
articles, consider whether being chained to a computer 24/7 to
churn out someone else’s copy meshes with your personal goals.
Chances are you would be better off channeling that time, talent,
and energy into a creatively satisfying project even if it is a
financial long shot. •No
fee for submissions. They believe they should be charging you? •Place your bid. I don’t bother. •No specific qualifications detailed. “All are welcome” or
“Write about whatever you want” signals run the other way. Real
employers don’t waste their money paying people to do whatever,
they need a particular task performed. •Blind ads. A legitimate publisher will identify the company
name and ideally its geographic location and/or a Web site where
you can obtain additional information. I have on occasion sent
a resume in response to a blind ad, and these instances probably
account for the volume of spam in my email box. But, holy “I shot
an arrow into the air,” never submit completed work to a blind
email address. Would
you mail money without knowing where it was
going? If a call for submissions interests you but doesn’t
provide sufficient information, email and ask questions before
sending your information or your masterpiece. •Ads written in the first person. A company’s ad will usually
read something like “Best-Read Books is seeking. . .” rather
than “I need. . .” •Ads requiring you to send custom writing samples up front.
This one is iffy and sparks a whole other discussion. If the
publisher checks out to be legit, the work pays well, interests
you, and is a steady gig, you may decide to invest the time in
producing work you can’t market anywhere else. Sometimes you
can negotiate with the employer in advance on this. For example,
an editor who offers a token payment for a custom test or sample
shows good faith. Learning to spot junky ads and keep on scrolling along saves time
for what’s really important—writing! ---
Author and journalist Jan McDaniel has been freelancing longer
than she cares to admit. Her latest paranormal romance novel
Inseparable is due out soon from The Wild Rose Press. =======================================================
4. Grants/Awards/Contests
=======================================================
FARINGTON POETRY CONTEST
http://www.faringdon.org/nvpoetrycomp.htm
---
NO ENTRY FEE
Poems may be on any subject. Poems must not exceed
40 lines.
Deadline September 21, 2007. There will be a prize of ?25 for
the best poem. There will be a prize of ?25 for the poem
judged most popular by online poll. There will be a prize of
?25 for a poem chosen by Jim Horton.
===== THE PAGES QUARTERLY CONTEST
http://www.the-pages.blogspot.com
---
ENTRY FEE ?4
Web-based writing concern The Pages runs a quarterly short
story competition with a first prize of ?60, plus publication
in the competition anthology. The closing date for the next
competition is September 30, 2007. ===== ISOTOPE
http://isotope.usu.edu/web/contest.htm
---
$15 ENTRY FEE
Winners will receive publication and $300. All entrants
will receive a subscription to Isotope and will also be
considered for publication. No more than 20 pages of prose
(fiction or nonfiction), standard font, double-spaced, normal
margins. 1-5 poems, totaling not more than 10 pages, single-
spaced, no more than one poem per page. Deadline November
30, 2007. ===== BYLINE CONTESTS
http://www.bylinemag.com/contests.asp
---
SEASONAL POEM — Deadline Sept. 15, 2007. Poems on any subject
that have a definite relationship to any of the four seasons
(Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall). Think past obvious images (e.g.
falling leaves, Christmas trees, or chirping birds). Avoid
predictable language. Any style, but limit length to a single
page. Entry fee $3. Prizes: $35, $20, $10. JUVENILE SHORT STORY — Deadline Sept. 20, 2007. Fiction for
ages 5-8; 9-12; or 13-16. State targeted age group on ms;
2,000 words max. Entry fee $5. Prizes: $40, $30, $20. OCCASIONAL POEM — Deadline Sept. 29, 2007. Write a poem that
pays tribute to a holiday or an important event (birthday,
anniversary, graduation, etc.) Any style, and commemorating
any occasion, but limit length to a single page. Entry fee $3.
Prizes: $35, $20, $10. ===== BURNING THE MIDNIGHT OIL POETRY CONTEST
http://www.thewritehelper.com/id63.html
---
$5 ENTRY FEE
Deadline October
31, 2007. Prizes: 1st place - $100, 2nd
place - $50, 3rd place - $25. For free critique, include a
business sized, self-addressed envelope. Optional: For a
thorough line edit, include $2 per poem. ===== SCRIBBLE OPEN QUARTERLY COMPETITIONS
http://www.parkpublications.co.uk/writingcompetion.htm
---
ENTRY FEE ?3
Short stories on any subject. Max. 3,000 words. Cheques
payable to Park Publications. Free entry for annual subscribers.
Prizes of ?75, ?25, and ?15 for the best three stories in each
issue, as chosen by the readers. These competitions are ongoing:
no closing date. ===== THE SCRIBBLE ANNUAL THEMED COMPETITION
http://www.parkpublications.co.uk/writingcompetion.htm
---
ENTRY FEE ?4
2007 THEME: ‘THE RETURN’. Max Length: 3,000 words.
Prizes: ?100, ?50, ?25. FREE ENTRY for annual subscribers
to either of our magazines. Closing Date: November 1, 2007.
The winning story will appear in the winter 2007 issue of
Scribble. Short-listed entries may also be considered for
publication.
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5. Jobs/Markets
=======================================================
SEEK
http://www.standardpub.com/Quick_Links/Information%20Desk/periodicals.asp
---
Seek® is an illustrated weekly take-home or pass-along
paper designed to appeal to adults.
Seek® first appeared
in its present form in 1970, expanding a four-page Sunday
school lesson leaflet that was published for 95 years into
a new concept for personal spiritual enrichment. It can be
used in a Sunday morning Bible class, in a weekly small
group discussion, or as light inspirational reading for
individuals and the family. Articles—400 to 1,200 words in
length. We do not accept poetry. Usual rate of payment is
seven cents/ word for first rights and five cents/ word for
reprint rights.
===== THE LOOKOUT
http://207.97.248.10/pdfs/WritersGL_08.pdf
---
Provides Christian adults with true-to-the-Bible teaching,
Wants readers to understand and
respond to the world from a
biblically based viewpoint. Nondenominational. Has longer
features of up to 1,600 words and shorter columns of 500-
800 words. Pays 11 cents/word for unsolicited articles
and up to 17 cents/word for assigned articles. No poetry or
fiction. ===== ENCOUNTER
http://www.standardpub.com/Quick_Links/Information%20Desk/periodicals.asp
---
ENCOUNTER™ is an 8-page, full-color, weekly magazine for
teenagers to encourage their relationships with Jesus.
Fiction and nonfiction up to 1,100 words. First person
stories up to 400 words. Poetry and art from teens only.
Payment is on acceptance. ENCOUNTER pays eight cents/
word
for first rights on unsolicited manuscripts, 6? per word for
one-time or reprint rights, and $20 for poetry and art (from
teens only). Requires all authors to sign a contract if their
work is accepted. ===== ADVENTURES OF SWORD AND SORCERY
http://www.doublestarpress.com/guidelines.html
---
We are looking for Sword & Sorcery, High Fantasy, and Heroic
Fantasy fiction from 1,000 to 20,000 words. We want fiction
with an emphasis on action and adventure, but still cognizant
of the struggles within as they play against the struggles
without. As examples, think of the fiction of J.K. Rowling,
J.R.R. Tolkien, Robert Jordan, Fritz Leiber, and Katherine
Kurtz, but with modern sensibilities. Include sexual content
only as required by the story, but not excessive/porn. Pays
5 cents/word on publication for FNASR. ===== THE GREAT BEYOND
http://thegreatbeyond.libsyn.com/index.php?post_category=Guidelines
---
The Great Beyond is a Fantasy/Science Fiction podcast, and
since that is our genre those are the stories we're going to
buy. By the F/SF, we mean Fantasy and Science Fiction in the
sense of it mattering to the story. Stories that have been
previously published in text are gladly welcome, as well as
never before published anywhere stories, but remember that
if your story is good enough
for us to buy, then other
markets will probably think the same. The e-mail address to
send the story to is TheGreatBeyondPodcast@gmail.com
For each episode that the story appears in, the writer will
receive $25 dollars. Hence, if it's a 10,000-word story that
is serialized into two episodes, the writer will receive $50
for the work, and if it's an 18,000-word story serialized into
four episodes, then the writer will receive $100 for the story.
Payment will be received by the author within 60 days of
acceptance of the story. ===== SNIPLITS
http://www.sniplits.com/
---
Our goal is to make Sniplits the single best place to
find
wonderful, short tales for downloading to your MP3 player,
cellphone or whatever. We're accepting and reviewing
manuscripts now, and we welcome the work of new as well as
established authors. We're looking for stories between 50
and 10,000 words. $30 to $150 paid on publication. Royalty
potential.
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6. ADVERTISING FOR WRITERS
=======================================================
ANSWERS.COM CREATIVE WRITING CHALLENGE What do “gazpacho” and “horripilation” have in common? They're
both on the list of words to use in the latest Answers.com
Creative Writing Challenge. Now accepting original submissions for not one, but two Answers.com
Creative
Writing Challenges — one for participants over 18 years of
age and one for students in grades 6-12. Deadline: October 1. New
challenges posted throughout the year. No entry fee. Prizes include gift certificates and link love on
Answers.com. Need more information? Visit http://www.answers.com/main/writing_challenge.jsp. ===== ARE YOU LIVING AN "AUTHENTIC" LIFE? You'll discover who you really are when you start journaling
with the help of The Authentic Self: Journaling Your Joys,
Griefs and Everything in Between (ISBN 978-0-6151-5562-3;
paperback, 212 pages). Get your signed copy before September 30 at 20% off. Shipping
is free in the US. You even
get to choose a bonus gift! => http://TheAuthenticSelfBook.com <= ===== NORTHWEST OHIO WRITERS' CONFERENCE Looking for a friendly, affordable, easy-to-reach writers’
conference in the Great Lakes area? Register today for the Northwest Ohio Writers’ Conference!
Sat., Oct. 13, 2007, 9 to 5 at the Franciscan Center of Lourdes
College in Sylvania, OH (just west of Toledo… a comfortable
drive from Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Detroit, Ann Arbor,
and Fort Wayne…a short flight from Chicago). Featured speaker: mystery novelist Les Roberts.
Workshops by experienced writers and editors.
Casual critiques available in The Two-Minute Slush.
Full day: $99 Half
day: $49 Lunch: $10. Visit www.nwowc.com for more details or to register.
Sponsors: The Northwest Ohio Writers’ Forum and the
Department of Language and Literature at Lourdes College ===== WRITER MAMA SEPTEMBER GIVE-AWAY September 1-30, 2007 The Writer Mama, Christina Katz, is giving away a writing tool
a day through her blog, The Writer Mama Riffs, every day for
thirty days during the month of September. In addition to over
thirty prizes such as Writer's Digest 2008 Market books, she's
giving away ten signed copies of her book, Writer Mama, How to
Raise a Writing Career Alongside Your Kids and a one-hour
writing career phone consult. Moms and Dads who write are especially
encouraged to participate
in celebration of this hectic yet wonderful back-to-school time
of year. However, anyone who participates is eligible to win
daily prizes. For a complete list of giveaways:
http://thewritermama.wordpress.com/2007/08/28/wmbtsdg-giveaways-list/ For official rules and how to win:
http://thewritermama.wordpress.com/2007/08/29/writer-mama-back-to-school-giveaway-da-rules/ ===== 17th ANNUAL SOUTH CAROLINA WRITERS WORKSHOP CONFERENCE October 26 - 28, 2007
The Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort, Myrtle Beach, SC
70+ Workshops
- Critiques - Carrie McCray Literary Contest
9 Literary Agents - 9 Editors - Many Poets & Authors
Website: www.myscww.org email: conference@myscww.org
C. Hope Clark is a workshop presenter. She'd love to see you there.
Tell her you are a FundsforWriters reader, and she'll send you
the ebook of your choice. =======================================================
7. FUNDSFORWRITERS AIDS
======================================================= THE SHY WRITER, ISBN 1-59113-583-4, $14.95 paperback,
$6.95 ebook format, http://www.theshywriter.com TOTAL FUNDSFORWRITERS, one-year biweekly newsletter
subscription
$12. http://www.fundsforwriters.com/total.htm FUNDSFORWRITERS - the parent newsletter, no charge.
http://www.fundsforwriters.com/FFWnewsletters.htm FFW SMALL MARKETS - the small market version, no charge.
http://www.fundsforwriters.com/FFWnewsletters.htm WRITING KID - the children's version, no charge
http://www.fundsforwriters.com/FFWnewsletters.htm GRANTS FOR THE SERIOUS WRITER, $8.95 (Ebook)
SHORT & SWEET: MARKETS FOR FILLERS, $7.95 (Ebook)
LAUGHING MARKETS, $6.95 (Ebook)
GET PAID TO WRITE
BOOK REVIEWS, $7.95 (Ebook)
...AND MORE
http://www.fundsforwriters.com/ebooks.htm
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8. CONTACT FUNDSFORWRITERS
=======================================================
C. Hope Clark
Hope@FundsforWriters.com 140-A Amicks Ferry Road #4
Chapin, SC 29036 http://www.fundsforwriters.com
http://www.theshywriter.com Copyright 2000-2007, C. Hope Clark SUBSCRIBE: 94631-subscribe@zinester.com
UNSUBSCRIBE: 94631-unsubscribe@zinester.com
ARCHIVES: http://archives.zinester.com/94631 The information is for use at your own risk.
FundsforWriters make no warranty as to accuracy
or fitness for any purpose. Use common sense and take
normal precautions in how you use any information.
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