Volume 7, Issue 38  -       September 23, 2007

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FFW SMALL MARKETS

undsforWriters - 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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EDITOR'S PIECE OF MIND
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You can read FFW Small Markets online at:
http://www.fundsforwriters.com/smallmarkets.htm

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WHIRLWINDS

I chuckle at one of my sons and his resistance to change.
He abhors it - practically pouts about it. Yet this week
was pure torture for me. Not only did three agents reject
me in one day, not only did my Shy Writer cover get screwed
up (temporarily), but the newsletters started acting up
with the old hosting service.

I crawled into bed for three hours!

But when I came out, I decided change was needed across
the board. I hammered out a new chapter for my novel, I
sent a new picture to the publisher for Shy Writer, and
I found a new hosting service I hope will work out.

NOTE - BIG CHANGE!

FundsforWriters will be changing newsletter hosting services.
When this happens, you will be sent a confirmation letter
from the new host, asking you to click a link to make sure
you still want to receive the wonderful FFW Small Markets
newsletter.

We are going to make it easy for you. If you click that link,
and say you want to continue with FFW Small Markets, we'll
automatically send you two free gifts. You'll receive:

Quick as a Flash - Writing Flash Fiction - a $7.95 value

-AND-

50% off a TOTAL FFW subscription - $12 reduced to $6.

The ebook will be automatic and instant. The email will
have a Paypal link to TOTAL FundsforWriters at the $6 price.
Watch for your email in the upcoming couple of weeks.

Use the $6 coupon to resubscribe to TOTAL, give it to a
friend or sign up anew. Change is hard, and this is our
way of adapting - our way of putting sugar in the medicine
to make it go down easier.

Thanks for supporting FundsforWriters, friend.

    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

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THE BLOG, THE BLOG!

http://www.hopeclark.blogspot.com

People are raving about the new look...and the new opportunities
offered four-five days a week.

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WISE WORDS TO LIVE BY
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Life is constantly providing us with new funds, new
resources, even when we are reduced to immobility. In
life's ledger there is no such thing as frozen assets.

Henry Miller (1891-1980)
Writer

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ARTICLE
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TELEPHONE CONVERSATIONS - THE PHONE DOESN'T BITE

By C. Hope Clark

I would rather talk to someone eye to eye than speak on
the phone. An answering machine helps, and caller ID tells
me who is on the phone before I pick it up. One of my ID
machines even has a loud voice so I do not have to get up
from my seat to read the caller ID screen. And if someone
else is home, I will not answer the phone at all. 
 
So when I have a telephone interview, I have to force myself
to participate. In person I have the luxury of seeing eyes
and sensing feedback, but on the phone I fight my feelings
of negativity. Here are a few pointers I have learned over
the years that could aid you in your own struggle with
"telephone-itis".

• Have a mirror handy. If you could see the scowl on
your face, you’d be appalled or tickled, but either way,
seeing your reflection is instant correction. Smile at
yourself and your voice will change. They are connected.
You cannot look at yourself and frown without laughing or
changing expressions.

• Primp. No, they can’t see you, but before an interview
I comb my hair and put on lipstick. How you feel is how you
talk, and personal sprucing perks you up. I even put on shoes,
an extra effort for me since I work fulltime at home and
adore bare feet.

• Dress comfortably. You want a telephone conversation
to flow, and pulling at tight elastic or itchy fabric does
little to aid the effort.

• Use a mobile phone. Moving releases energy. Ever
notice speakers on stage walking, pacing, waving arms, and
making gestures? Part of that is getting rid of pent up
nervousness. I walk circles around the island in my kitchen as
I talk, wave and emphasize points. Losing that energy relaxes
your mind so you can think and talk more freely.

• Cut the noise. Make sure the kids are gone, the
television is off and the dogs are outside. Distractions
kill your confidence. I schedule interviews when I am home
alone. I even prefer online guest chats when the family is
gone. Taped telephone interviews reveal all kinds of background
noise. Even pay attention to the acoustics. High ceilings and
tile floors are prone to echo.

• Write out your questions, answers or key points.
Phone chats require the same preparation as in-person chats.
Have a pen handy.

• Build momentum. Business phone conversations can seem
painful. One way to break the ice before jumping into a necessary
call is to chat with a friend first. Get into the spirit of
conversing on the phone by speaking to a familiar voice, then
hang up and immediately dial the business call. Allow the
momentum to flow from one call to the other.

• Remember the water. Make it wine if you want to, since
nobody can see. Keep the whistle wet when chatting on the phone.
Have the drink ready beforehand.

• Find the right person. Ever spilled your story only to
learn the other person could not help you? Do not blow your
momentum. Make sure you have connected with the proper person
before starting your spiel.

• Speak firmly. They cannot see you, so play a role.
Pretend you are famous and confident. I literally thrust my
voice, giving it a push from behind, making it louder and easy
to understand.

• Dole out compliments. People like positive. A simple
“You have a pleasant telephone voice” sets a congenial
atmosphere. Make sure you sound sincere. Mary Kay Ash built
an incredible empire founded upon encouragement. “No matter
how busy you are, you must take time to make the other person
feel important.”

• Voice mail. Leave a positive but brief message with
clear contact information when you reach voice mail instead
of a human being. And follow-up. Do not assume they will
call back. After three voice mails, give it up. Your energy
is better channeled elsewhere.

BIO
C. Hope Clark has these and many more hints on self-promotion
in The Shy Writer, 2nd Edition coming out in October 2007.
www.theshywriter.com

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Grants/Awards/Contests
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COUNTRYSIDE TALES WINTER POETRY COMPETITION
http://www.parkpublications.co.uk/writingcompetion.htm
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ENTRY FEE: ?3
Theme: The Countryside in Winter. Deadline November 15, 2007.
Free entry for annual subscribers to either of our magazines.
PRIZES: ?50, ?25, ?15. The three winning entries will appear
in the winter issue of Countryside Tales – published during
December. Short-listed entries may also be considered for
publication.

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SHELTERING PINES PRESS THIRD ANNUAL CHAPBOOK COMPETITION
http://www.shelteringpinespress.com/chapbookcontest3.html
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$10 ENTRY FEE
First Prize: $100 and fifty copies of chapbook. Deadline
October 15, 2007.

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MIMI HEITZMANN WRITERS SHORT FICTION CONTEST
http://www.gcwriters.org/heitzmann_contest.htm
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$10 ENTRY FEE
Deadline:  October 1, 2007. Maximum word count: 2,500 words.
Genre: Fiction (mystery, romance, humor, etc.)  Must have a
strong heroine.

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WHIM'S PLACE FLASH FICTION CONTEST
http://www.whimsplace.com/contest/contest.asp
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$5 ENTRY FEE
Quarterly. Current deadline September 30, 2007. Stories must
be 500 words or less. Any theme.

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WOW-WOMEN ON WRITING CONTEST
http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php
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$5 ENRRY FEE
WOW! Women On Writing is proud to partner with skirt! books to
bring you a whole new sizzling contest. Word count maximum: 1,200
minimum: 800. Describe a time in your life when you overheard a
conversation, or found a lucky item on the ground (coin, jewelry,
other), or discovered something that wasn’t intended for your
eyes (mail, letter, photos, or other). Write about this “chance”
event and describe what it brought to you: good or bad luck,
serendipity, a missed opportunity, or karma. Nonfiction essay only.
Deadline November 30, 2007.

FIRST PLACE:
$200 cash prize
skirt! books Goodie Bag
Entry published on WOW! Women On Writing
Entry published either in skirt! magazine and/or http://www.skirtmag.com
$50 Gift Certificate to the WOW! Boutique
Interview on the WOW! Women On Writing Blog

SECOND PLACE:
$150 cash prize
skirt! books Goodie Bag
Entry published on WOW! Women On Writing
$50 Gift Certificate to the WOW! Boutique
Interview on the WOW! Women On Writing Blog

THIRD PLACE:
$100 cash prize
skirt! books Goodie Bag
Entry published on WOW! Women On Writing
$50 Gift Certificate to the WOW! Boutique
Interview on the WOW! Women On Writing Blog

7 RUNNERS UP:
skirt! books Goodie Bag
Entry published on WOW! Women On Writing
Interview on the WOW! Women On Writing Blog

25 HONORABLE MENTIONS:
skirt! books Goodie Bag
Name, state, and title entry published on WOW! Women On Writing

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Jobs/Markets
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LAS VEGAS RESTAURANTS.COM
http://www.lasvegasrestaurants.com/writeforus.cfm
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Here at Las Vegas Restaurants.com, just as we are constantly
on the lookout for new restaurants, we're always looking for
new writers to review those restaurants. If you are passionate,
honest, and knowledgeable about food, wine, and fine dining,
you might be the perfect restaurant reviewer to join our
growing team.

Standard Assignments - These assignments are open to all
writers and are generally unpaid.

Featured Assignments - Open to all writers who have at least
one published review and generally pay between $10 and $75.

Premium Assignments - Open to all writers who have at least
three published reviews or one published Invited assignment,
and generally pay between $50 to $200.

Invited Assignments - May not be selected by a writer; rather
writers are contacted by our editors and asked to review a
specific restaurant. The fee for Invited Assignments is set
by each writer and can be up to $500.

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DEMON MINDS
http://demonminds.com/submissions.html
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For a monthly featured poem, story, or artwork we pay $25
either through amazon.com gift certificate, paypal, or in
DemonMinds merchandise. All other accepted works are unpaid;
however, all published material is eligible for our yearly
contests: Short Story, Poetry, and Artwork which currently
pay $100 for first place.

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THE OPINION GUY
http://theopinionguy.com/page4.html
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We want good speculative fiction that is character driven.
All stories should be under 8,000 words. We prefer stories
under 5,000 words. We are looking to publish new writers as
well as established writers. We pay $25 per story upon
acceptance for one-time rights.

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ON SPEC
http://onspec.ca/guidelines.php
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The ON SPEC editors are looking for original, unpublished
speculative fiction (SF) and poetry -- fantasy, horror, ghost
stories, fairy stories, magic realism, etc. Minimum payment
for fiction is $50 and maximum payment is $180. Poetry pays
$20 to $50.

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THE TOWN DRUNK
http://www.thetowndrunk.org/guidelines.aspx
---
The Town Drunk publishes lighthearted and humorous short
stories that contain an element of science fiction, fantasy,
or the supernatural. Horror tropes are welcome, but they must
receive a lighthearted treatment. Cross-genre work is also
welcome. Most importantly, we seek to offer stories that are
fun to read, leaving our readers smiling and eager to share
what they've read. We only publish short stories.

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POD CASTLE
http://podcastle.org/guidelines
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PodCastle is looking for fantasy stories. We’re open to all
the sub-genres of fantasy, from magical realism to urban
fantasy to slipstream to high fantasy, and everything in
between. Fantastical or non-real content should be meaningful
to the story. Pays $100 for 2,000 to 6,000 words. Pays $20
for flash fiction up to 1,000 words.

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THE WILLOWS MAGAZINE
http://www.thewillowsmagazine.com/
---
The Willows is an atmospheric horror and dark fantasy
magazine with an emphasis on the traditional weird tale, in
the classic style of Blackwood, Dunsany, Hodgson, Machen,
Lovecraft, etc. We love work set in Victorian times, in the
European countryside, in a twisted fairyland, in the
underbelly of an enchanted city, or in the ruins of an
undiscovered civilization. Pays $25 for fiction, $5 for
poetry, $10 for nonfiction book reviews or meditations.

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YOG'S NOTEBOOK
http://yogsnotebook.com/submissions.html
---
The editors of Yog's Notebook are looking for sf/fantasy/horror
short stories and flash fiction about what happens when people
encounter the unexpected. We like nanotech, space travel, urban
mythology, alien civilizations, and things that go bump in the
night. We pay $20 for stories between 1,000-6,000 words in length,
and $10 for fiction under 1,000 words. We'll select 5-6 stories
per issue.

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ADVERTISING FOR WRITERS
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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

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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

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CONTACT FUNDSFORWRITERS
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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

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