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# FundsforWriters

Tips and Tools for Serious Writers

## Posts

- [What You Should Know About the WGA Strike](https://fundsforwriters.com/what-you-should-know-about-the-wga-strike/) - There’s no shortage of drama in Hollywood these days. And I don’t mean in front of the camera. I’m referring to the drama that seems to be increasing as more shows stop filming: the Writers Guild of America strike. The WGA is the labor union representing over 15,000 writers working in entertainment. When negotiations on
- [Writing for Children's Magazines](https://fundsforwriters.com/writing-for-childrens-magazines/) - After nearly a decade of writing for children, I’ve learned that children’s magazines are a great way to gain money and exposure for your work. Parents and librarians still buy plenty of fodder for their hungry young readers. Perhaps this is why children’s magazines tend to pay quite well (by fiction standards) and have a
- [Successful Travel Stories: 9 Questions to Ask Before You Pitch](https://fundsforwriters.com/successful-travel-stories-9-questions-to-ask-before-you-pitch/) - You spend hours researching your topic. Then you spend time writing a query letter and finding potential magazines to pitch. How can you write successful travel stories that will have a better sell factor to magazine editors? Use this screening technique to examine story feasibility and turn ideas into successful travel stories that get published.
- [Fact-Checked Mistakes That Can Cost You Clients, Credibility, and Income](https://fundsforwriters.com/fact-checked-mistakes-that-can-cost-you-clients-credibility-and-income/) - I'd always worked directly with my editor. We'd go back and forth, smooth out phrases, maybe tweak a section or two, and then the piece would move forward to the publication phase. But one day, she said she wanted to pass the copy to a fact-checker first. Admittedly, in the era of AI, everything needs
- [What Copycatting Says](https://fundsforwriters.com/accidentally-culling-your-own-readers-2/) - By copycatting, I'm talking about you copying someone's style, plagiarizing their description, stealing a story concept, or using AI. The creative world is anti-AI, in case you hadn't noticed, and regardless of what those using it are saying, readers do want to know if a human or machine wrote it. Readers are not ignorant creatures
- [Got the Guts to Get Your Piece Published?](https://fundsforwriters.com/got-the-guts-to-get-your-piece-published/) - I'm not a talented writer. I'm not even steeped in writing qualifications. Yet my website is splattered with published features. How? In three words - pitch, ballsiness and research. Pitch - Turtles inspired me to write. While out having coffee, I noticed a company advertising string bags as alternatives to plastic ones. Not very interesting in
- [What I Learned After Losing Money on Writing Contests](https://fundsforwriters.com/what-i-learned-after-losing-money-on-writing-contests/) - I used to treat writing contests like a gamble. I'd scroll through listings, pay my entry fees, and hope for a miracle. It was a strategy built on "maybe," and it left my bank account empty. The issue wasn't that my writing was bad, it was that my strategy was non-existent. I was treating contests
- [Accidentally Culling Your Own Readers](https://fundsforwriters.com/accidentally-culling-your-own-readers/) - For years, I've counselled writers to avoid religion and politics in their branding unless they are part of their brand. There are always potential readers on the other side of the fence, and with so much competition for book sales, do you really want to alienate a chunk of them? There's another category rearing its
- [Promo Lesson](https://fundsforwriters.com/promo-lesson/) - Once upon a time not long ago I did an event where several authors appeared. It was at a library. The library didn't advertise except in its own material to its patrons. They thought the writers would really appreciate the recognition. I asked if they had advertising prepared that I could use. No. I mentioned
- [The Author Bio: A Tiny Tool That Can Open Doors](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-author-bio-a-tiny-tool-that-can-open-doors/) - When I started submitting my work in 2017, I didn't have an author bio. At the time, I thought the writing should speak for itself. The bio felt like filler; plus, I had no idea what to say about myself. I didn't have a long list of publications yet, and the thought of writing two
- [Three Unique Ways to Find New Markets to Pitch](https://fundsforwriters.com/three-unique-ways-to-find-new-markets-to-pitch/) - As freelance writers, we struggle to find markets that suit our interests. Even sites dedicated to providing freelance listings, while excellent for the most part, can't list every available market. Often, the smaller niche publishers aren’t even included in listings, but with some effort there are ways to find them. Search Medium for [Subject] Writers’
- [Pitching Mags and Online Sites](https://fundsforwriters.com/pitching-mags-and-online-sites/) - Believe it or not, online sites and magazines are seeking freelance writers they can rely upon. And if they develop a reliable relationship with them, they'll use those writers as long as they can. The reason? Reliable writers who can follow direction, think intelligently, and write well without AI are few and far between. I
- [The Instruction Book](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-instruction-book/) - A week doesn't pass that someone doesn't write me and ask what books I recommend on learning how to write well. And I never fail to go to a conference and not meet a writer who thrives on how-to-write books, with a library of two dozen or more. To them all, I preach this: The
- [How I Turned My Self-Published Book Into an Amazon Bestseller](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-i-turned-my-self-published-book-into-an-amazon-bestseller/) - Launching a book as an indie author can feel overwhelming, but with a clear schedule and targeted strategies, it can also be a source of income, reviews, and long-term visibility. I learned this while preparing my travel memoir Stray: Breaking Free, Falling Hard and Growing Stronger, and I want to share the exact steps that helped
- [How Writing Contests Became My Best-Paying Writing Habit This Year](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-writing-contests-became-my-best-paying-writing-habit-this-year/) - Last year, I made more money from my writing than I ever had before, and it came from one change: submitting to writing contests. I don’t pretend contest winnings can replace a full-time income, and they haven’t for me. But contest money has helped in concrete ways, and it gave me a takeaway even more
- [Moaning about AI on LinkedIn Won’t Get You Hired](https://fundsforwriters.com/moaning-about-ai-on-linkedin-wont-get-you-hired/) - LinkedIn attracts people who make money from writing and language – content creators, ad copywriters, seo and marcoms writers, brand voice specialists and all the rest. It’s a place to network, debate industry topics, and subtly showcase skills. Recently these wordy people are posting more obsessively about two things – AI and ‘grammar’ or writing
- [Raise Your Value – Successfully Raise Rates With Long-Standing Clients](https://fundsforwriters.com/raise-your-value-successfully-raise-rates-with-long-standing-clients/) - It can be reassuring for a freelance writer to maintain steady clients to fill their workdays. Work keeps flowing, and paychecks keep arriving. Until savings decrease, or bills rise, and profits aren't what they once were. Not that you aren't working hard, but your pay may not be keeping up with financial needs. Now comes
- [Writing when you’re down How to keep going – and earning – when you’re not feeling yourself](https://fundsforwriters.com/writing-when-youre-down-how-to-keep-going-and-earning-when-youre-not-feeling-yourself/) - Writing when you’re down Over the last two years I’ve experienced a series of setbacks that have taken quite a toll personally and professionally – bereavements, illness and accidents in the family, caring for ageing relatives, plus losing my job, ample pitch rejections, and all the rest. In recent months, unfortunately, this has led to
- [Beta Readers](https://fundsforwriters.com/beta-readers/) - A beta reader is a reader who reviews a book before published to provide constructive feedback. There are lots of versions of beta readers, but they are good tools to have for any book-length manuscript, and even for those in freelance, nonfiction material. It's another set of eyes on the near-finished product. What do they
- [The Pros and Cons of Adapting Your Own Novel](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-adapting-your-own-novel/) - You’re a proven novelist with one or more published books to your name. You clearly know story, plot, conflict and character. You’re riding high on accolades from readers who are eagerly anticipating your next literary masterpiece, but you’re also hungry to try something new. That’s when a friend casually says, “Have you ever thought about
- [The Truth About Writing Groups](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-truth-about-writing-groups/) - A reader asked, "Can you or one of your authors give new writers guidelines for how to find a writers' group? I'm interested in finding a group where I can get feedback from experienced writers and have an opportunity to read and comment on their works in progress. (Learning how they build their stories will help
- [Unsexy but Lucrative: Making Money from Thought Leadership Content](https://fundsforwriters.com/unsexy-but-lucrative-making-money-from-thought-leadership-content/) - It sounds like a terrible bit of business jargon, but ‘thought leadership’ is basically just expert-based content that educates or informs potential clients, rather than selling at them. Where a company has a complicated or very technical service to offer and/or the purchasing process involves lots of decision-makers, this kind of content helps audiences to
- [Reach Your Writing Goals with Your Personal Writing Calendar](https://fundsforwriters.com/reach-your-writing-goals-with-your-personal-writing-calendar/) - "How did it get so late so soon? It's night before it's afternoon . . . My goodness how the time has flewn." (Dr. Seuss). For years, this was my reaction after realizing that I have missed – again! – the pitching deadlines for seasonal and thematic articles. But not anymore. I found a simple solution
- [Edit Now or Later?](https://fundsforwriters.com/edit-now-or-later/) - I have been asked a few times of late about whether a writer should hire an editor before pitching to an editor or agent. After all, if those gatekeepers love the idea, won't they provide an editor to clean it up? 1) Editors cost money. If they receive a manuscript with a great idea that ALSO
- [Integration vs Gravitation](https://fundsforwriters.com/integration-vs-gravitation/) - I read the best essay about writing today from a writer named Angela Yuriko Smith who manages the Substack page and newsletter called Authortunities. She's pretty cool and has some great ideas. We don't agree on everything, but I love how she justifies her thoughts. She's smart and she loves helping writers. Today she spoke of Protecting Your Lightning. In
- [Protect your Words and Income With Back Up Storage](https://fundsforwriters.com/protect-your-words-and-income-with-back-up-storage/) - Writing is a primary source of income that should be stored in more than one location. When you don’t do this and your hardware crashes, you risk missed deadlines, kill fees, and strained client relationships. In addition, you feel frustrated and angry as you try to duplicate what was lost from memory or notes. As
- [Self-Love](https://fundsforwriters.com/self-love/) - In a recent chatroom, someone asked if there was any hope left for struggling writers with so many other writers taking shortcuts with AI. My response was that if fear of AI knocks you off your game, maybe you aren't playing the right game. Many of us live in fear that we aren't being productive
- [Define Opportunity](https://fundsforwriters.com/define-opportunity/) - I declined a speaking opportunity this week. One in a very reasonable distance from me, as a matter of fact. This time of year often fills my calendar with such requests, which thrills me. I love doing events. But they must be worth my investment of time, travel, and book sales. In this case, it
- [Practical Ways to Keep Your Query Pipeline Full](https://fundsforwriters.com/practical-ways-to-keep-your-query-pipeline-full/) - Many freelancers struggle with consistency, especially with pitching and idea generation. We all know we should keep a pitch tracker so we’ll know when we’ve sent something out and when we can expect a response. But if that’s all we’re doing, it’s easy to lose focus. Most of us are goal-oriented or reward-oriented. We like
- [How to Be Clearly Human These Days](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-be-clearly-human-these-days/) - I just spent a week going back and forth with a freelance writer who wanted to see his piece published in this newsletter. TO be honest, the piece had great potential. I needed some changes in it, and he quickly accommodated. The message had purpose. I hadn't had red flags before then, but while he
- [Collecting Golden Writing Guidelines](https://fundsforwriters.com/collecting-golden-writing-guidelines/) - Strong submission guidelines are the cornerstone of being a published author. If you know which publications are receptive and paying, you’re ahead of the writing race. However, good guidelines can be difficult to source, and they’re individual to every author. Here’s how to sift through the pile and find the golden guidelines. Searching for Pages
- [Contest Rights - A Matter of Opinion](https://fundsforwriters.com/contest-rights-a-matter-of-opinion/) - Writers look at contests for entry fee, word count, prize money, potential publication, and which influential judge might be on board to read the entries. But what is also important to note is the rights you give up if you win. . . or maybe even if you just enter. Begin with understanding why
- [In the End It's Only You](https://fundsforwriters.com/in-the-end-its-only-you/) - I've been writing for a long time. I've written novels for just under 20 years though I've officially published for 14. By now, a lot of people know I write books, and when I'm introduced to someone new and they learn I write books, I can talk it off the cuff with no problem. It's
- [Can You Explain Your Writing Self in a Nutshell?](https://fundsforwriters.com/can-you-explain-your-writing-self-in-a-nutshell/) - As writers, it’s vital to be able to summarise what we offer in a few brief interesting words – as much for ourselves as for the readers we want to reach. Whenever I write any article, let alone a book, I begin by drafting a rough lede which sets out the essence of the piece,
- [Building Your Author Platform on a Budget -   Part 2: Building an email newsletter and list](https://fundsforwriters.com/building-your-author-platform-on-a-budget-part-2-building-an-email-newsletter-and-list/) - (See Part 1: The website) Despite complaints about inbox overload and spam, surveys show consumers consider email the least intrusive of direct marketing tactics. When someone signs up for your messages, they’re inviting you into a personal space that’s largely competitor-free (unlike a search results page). And unlike social media, your list is yours to keep.
- [Building Your Author Platform on a Budget - Part 1: Your website](https://fundsforwriters.com/building-your-author-platform-on-a-budget-part-1-your-website/) - Some argue that you don’t need a website these days, that it’s enough to be on Facebook, Linktree or Substack. But platforms come and go, and with social media you are at the mercy of the algorithms. As publishing expert Jane Friedman notes, ‘your website serves as an online home and hub for everything that you do…
- [Writing to Find Work](https://fundsforwriters.com/writing-to-find-work/) - A friend of mine, also a writer, posted about seeking work as a freelancer and having to wade through the naysayers, complainers, and grammar nerds to glean information about where to find work. Admittedly, AI is robbing this group of writers of much viable income. Businesses will take AI cheaply over original work for more
- [How to Find Your Writing Community](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-find-your-writing-community/) - Writing is often called a solitary pursuit, yet none of us performs alone. It takes a supportive community including editors, proof readers, critique partners, and beta readers. Words don’t magically appear on the page to perfection, ready for publication. Start at the Library Libraries are filled with words and people who write them. When I
- [How to Create Your Own DIY Writing Retreat on a Budget ](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-create-your-own-diy-writing-retreat-on-a-budget/) - The words ‘writing retreat’ might summon up images of a week in a lakeside cabin with a posh notebook, a pot of coffee, and birdsong for company. But for many of us, work, family and budgets such images are pure fantasy. But there are ways to create your own retreat even if you have next
- [The Subject Line Secret: How to Win Readers Before They Even Open Your Email](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-subject-line-secret-how-to-win-readers-before-they-even-open-your-email/) - You've spent hours crafting the perfect newsletter. Every paragraph sparkles, the call-to-action is clear, and the design looks sharp. You hit "send," then wait. And wait. But the results are flat. Your open rates are terrible. The problem isn't your content. It's your subject line. In publishing, the real battle for attention happens in the
- [What Does Ready Mean?](https://fundsforwriters.com/what-does-ready-mean/) - We attempt to polish to perfection. The funny thing to me is that we dare think of being able to achieve perfection. Nobody does nor should they think they can. Weekly I write two editorials: the opening thought, then later the editor's thoughts. One is more personal than the other. One tends to be more
- [How to Spot a Dodgy Litmag](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-spot-a-dodgy-litmag/) - The submissions database Chill Subs lists over 3000 magazines and 1200 writing contests, many of the contests affiliated with litmags. Most of these are run by passionate writers and editors who work hard to champion great work, often for little monetary reward. But given the size of the market there will inevitably be some dodgy ones with
- [AI and Perfection](https://fundsforwriters.com/ai-and-perfection/) - “Have no fear of perfection—you’ll never reach it.” ~Salvador Dalí All of us seek perfection, though none of us reaches it. Improving ourselves, however, is the real goal and quite admirable. We should never stop in that effort. But all too often, we feel we cannot seek perfection so we find ways to shortcut and settle.
- [Rudolph and Writing](https://fundsforwriters.com/rudolph-and-writing/) - In listening to a podcast this week, I almost teared up at the story of a Christmas song. It is a secular song, but then, it is not. I will never hear it the same again. In 1939, Montgomery Ward wanted to publish something Christmassy with an animal protagonist for children of customers. Rather
- [How to Fake It Till You Make It When Pitching Article/Content Ideas](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-fake-it-till-you-make-it-when-pitching-article-content-ideas/) - Having worked as a features editor for numerous magazines, head of copy for a content agency and MS/slush reader for various literary agents, I've looked at 1000s of pitches and submissions. One of the things that always stands out is what I call ‘quiet confidence’. The opposite also stands out, but for the wrong reasons
- [The AI Forecast](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-ai-forecast/) - Recently Jane Friedman, guru of all things publishing in the US if not the world, spoke of AI in her email "The Bottom Line." Some books were disqualified from a national award in New Zealand because they discovered AI was used on the covers. A lot of people think this is appropriate. Others say that AI is nothing
- [Half Asleep](https://fundsforwriters.com/half-asleep/) - For a long time, I've learned to go to bed with a chapter running in my head. First, it helps me go to sleep. Secondly, it makes my mind work, and in the morning, especially if I go right into the shower, ideas bubble to the surface for what I need to do next. Or
- [The Way to Seeing Better Search Results](https://fundsforwriters.com/12751-2/) - Search engines are an integral part of writing research, and often the way authors find new magazines, writing markets, or submission guidelines. However, search engines can be repetitive or biased and easily trap searchers in a scrolling loop. Here’s key advice on how to find your way around search engines. The Writing Market Search Searching
- [Pull Away From the Routine](https://fundsforwriters.com/pull-away-from-the-routine/) - I was at Edisto Beach a few years ago, and it rained all week. I mean two days of hurricane-type rain and five days of drizzle. Water dripped off the porch roof and plopped in the sand below. Ozone hung in the air. A small herd of deer walked hidden in dunes and assorted grasses,
- [Middle of the Night](https://fundsforwriters.com/middle-of-the-night/) - Illness/shingles tried to get in the way of my writing, and while I haven't written every day, I have managed to throw a few words together often. The motivation is mostly due to the fact I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel of the next book. So I've reverted to my old
- [How to Effectively Use Three-Act Structure in Film Scripts](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-effectively-use-three-act-structure-in-film-scripts/) - Early in my career an executive once told me, “Great story, mediocre script.” When I pressed him on what made the script mediocre, he fumbled trying to explain – how it took too long to get to moment X or that moment Y had no conflict between the hero and villain – before finally settling
- [Friday Deadlines](https://fundsforwriters.com/friday-deadlines/) - This newsletter has gone out for 26 years. I have missed two Fridays in that time period. I've been asked how I do it, and all I can say is it is such an instilled habit that a Friday cannot arrive without me wondering what's left for the newsletter. Then I'm asked what's the hardest
- [Serious Symbiosis](https://fundsforwriters.com/serious-symbiosis/) - Several times this week, someone has told me what they write, how long they've been writing, and how much they love writing. They've finished a first draft, edited it once or twice, then deemed it ready for publication. They ask me where they can send their writing, as if that were just an afterthought, and
- [Why You Shouldn't Delete Market Newsletters](https://fundsforwriters.com/why-you-shouldnt-delete-market-newsletters/) - Most writers subscribe to at least one (usually more) market newsletters that provide lists of places to pitch work. In addition, these newsletters offer advice from experienced writers about writing and the business of getting published. I've been a subscriber to FundsforWriters since 2011, and I have what I thought was a bad habit of not deleting
- ["What Kind of Writing Do You Want, Editor?"](https://fundsforwriters.com/what-kind-of-writing-do-you-want-editor/) - I want to scream each time someone asks me this. I'm sure many other editors and publishers feel the same. They usually don't reply. I simply tell the submitter to read the guidelines on the website. Being able to write is only one factor used in someone hiring, purchasing, or contracting your work. The other
- [Making Money from Writing on Medium, Part 2: Monetizing ](https://fundsforwriters.com/making-money-from-writing-on-medium-part-2-monetizing/) - The main way of making money from Medium is to join the Medium Partner Program and start submitting to ‘publications’. It’s worth subscribing too. Anyone can read a limited amount of the content on Medium, but for unlimited access beyond the paywall, you have to be a member yourself. Subscribing is how Medium makes the
- [Making Money from Writing on Medium, Part 1: The Basics](https://fundsforwriters.com/making-money-from-writing-on-medium-part-1-the-basics/) - I make a few hundred dollars a year from writing on Medium, something I’ve been doing for about seven years. As well as a writing side hustle, I’ve also found Medium useful as a research tool, portfolio, and archive. Over a couple of articles, I’ll look at how to get started, and how to start
- [Calls to Action for Authors](https://fundsforwriters.com/calls-to-action-for-authors/) - While assisting author Raven Digitalis to promote his new book, I noticed that his promotional emails were getting better responses than my own pitches for articles and new clients. More than 60% of our cold pitches for promoting Raven’s book (and requesting reviews) had worked, yet I was only getting pitch approvals once every other
- [The Gatekeepers Versus Your Heart's Dream](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-gatekeepers-versus-your-hearts-dream/) - “Do what you feel in your heart to be right — for you'll be criticized anyway.” — Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962) Keep the above in mind as I opine here. I just read an editorial from someone who'd been attempting to traditionally publish for a handful of years. Dozens of queries. They got a nibble from
- [How We Want What We Read](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-we-want-what-we-read/) - We don't see things as they are. We see them as we are." ~Anais Nin Readers want to read stories by people. They want to read how someone else sees the world, to compare that viewpoint with how they see the world. It doesn't matter whether you're talking nonfiction or fiction, mystery or scifi, short
- [Getting Started on Substack](https://fundsforwriters.com/getting-started-on-substack/) - Many writers and authors, both aspiring and established, are turning to Substack as a way to grow audiences, showcase work and build a new hustle. Substack blends the intimacy you get from a blog with the professionalism of an email newsletter, with the possible bonus of paid subscriptions. But is it for you? Certainly, there
- [Around the Corner](https://fundsforwriters.com/around-the-corner/) - I heard a soul song created by AI today that made my chin drop, because it was that good. The time when AI will create music, literature, and visual art is just around the corner. All the more need for you to develop yourself as a brand. If your readers want to read human work
- [Which Do You Prefer to Read Online?](https://fundsforwriters.com/which-do-you-prefer-to-read-online/) - Let me be clearer. When you sit down at your computer, to read about your favorite writer or catch up on literary news, which media do you prefer to read? 1) Facebook 2) Instagram 3) Substack 4) Website/blog 5) Email newsletter Over the years, now decades since people began incorporating electronics into their routines, email
- [Quicker Turnaround Income](https://fundsforwriters.com/quicker-turnaround-income/) - If there’s a single lesson I’ve learned in writing full-time, it’s that emergencies are inevitable. Food budgets run short, bills pile up, or there’s a medical situation or repair that needs urgent attention and grains time and money—often when the next publication date is far away, as is the payment for same. Here’s how to
- [Copyright Before or After Publication?](https://fundsforwriters.com/copyright-before-or-after-publication/) - I personally had this question not long ago, with the advent of Hidden on Edisto, book 13 of The Edisto Island Mysteries. With the onset of Anthropic's $1.5B lawsuit settlement, I realized just how important copyright could be. If I could afford to file for copyright, why not do it? So I shot off a copyright request
- [Mining All Your Interests](https://fundsforwriters.com/mining-all-your-interests/) - Once upon a time, there was a girl, and from an early age (10), she knew she wanted to be a writer. She went to college to study writing. After she was done with her schooling, she got her first full-time teaching job. This was in 1990. But she ran into some bad luck in
- [Even Stephen King](https://fundsforwriters.com/even-stephen-king/) - I have preached many times about being careful promoting your religious, political, and social opinions. Yes, you have the right. But also, others have the right to delete, cancel, and cease reading your work when they can't put that off to the side when they see your work. Stephen King expressed his opinion recently
- [How Do I Define My Book's Genre?](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-do-i-define-my-books-genre/) - ‘When talking to an agent or publisher about your novel, practically the first thing out of your mouth should be the genre,’ says agent Rachelle Gardner. With so many books out there, readers need help finding the ones that beckon. Genre is a key tool for that, with each genre bringing its own set of
- [To Substack or Not to Substack?](https://fundsforwriters.com/to-substack-or-not-to-substack/) - Substack is all the rage. You can write in newsletter/essay form and start building a platform, because opening a Substack account makes you part of an instant community. New writers are jumping on it. I am receiving queries from people who claim their publishing credits are their Substack articles. A lot of writers are throwing their
- [Walk Away When You Need To](https://fundsforwriters.com/walk-away-when-you-need-to/) - I reached a point this week where I was fed up with all the emails about how to market, buy this, subscribe to that, hire this consultant, or sign up for that course. "Become a best selling author!" Most are from people I never heard of before. Clearly many of these people made all their money
- [Engaging With a Conversation Partner to Support Your Author Event](https://fundsforwriters.com/engaging-with-a-conversation-partner-to-support-your-author-event/) - A recent library fundraiser featured Abraham Verghese, author of The Covenant of Water. Instead of standing at a podium talking at us, he engaged in conversation with Rebecca Makkai, author of The Great Believers. . They sat in easy chairs on a dais and discussed Verghese's book, writing habits, and philosophies of life. For the release of my historical novel, Courting the
- [The Pros and Cons of Copyright](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-copyright/) - In the recent and pending Anthropic $1.5B settlement, a lot of writers were disappointed that their work was pirated, used, yet they did not qualify for this settlement, which amounted to about $3,000 per pirated book. One of the main disqualifiers was not having filed a formal copyright with the United States Copyright Office. https://www.copyright.gov/ I
- [The Big and Little Picture](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-big-and-little-picture/) - Well, I have bronchitis from Covid, my third week of having this damn bug. I am not particularly happy about the situation, but I am trying to see the bigger picture. I am better, just not BETTER. Some would say Covid is the bigger picture, but it's not. The bigger picture is who I am
- [Differing Views](https://fundsforwriters.com/differing-views/) - Last week I wrote in my weekly newsletter how I was dealing with COVID, on my 8th day of it, as a matter of fact. Well, I returned to the gym and three days later I had a bit of a relapse. Guess I jumped too soon. But that meant my world slowed down, during
- [7 Things Agents and Publishers Really Don't Want: 2025 Edition](https://fundsforwriters.com/7-things-agents-and-publishers-really-dont-want-2025-edition/) - I've spent a lot of time recently trawling through directories of agents and publishers, and I’ve learned some things. Some of these no-nos are golden oldies, but others are newer. Tech avoidance They receive a lot of stories set in the near past – say 20 or 30 years ago – which they put down
- [Tips for Generating Ideas for a Regular Column-Writing Gig](https://fundsforwriters.com/tips-for-generating-ideas-for-a-regular-column-writing-gig/) - What writer hasn't wished for regular income from a regular column? This year is my third year as a columnist, and I love it. Believe it or not, some markets are looking for columnists. They are also open to serials, which are similar to a column. You can pitch column ideas to your local newspaper,
- [Don't Forget the Local Library, Wherever It Is](https://fundsforwriters.com/dont-forget-the-local-library-wherever-it-is/) - I received a sweet email from a fan of my novels. "Hi Hope. I just wanted to thank you again for your newsletter and to let you know I requested Murder in Craven at the Vancouver, WA library. I have a goal to read forty books this year and am hoping to add the Craven
- [Writing What AI Can't](https://fundsforwriters.com/writing-what-ai-cant/) - Artificial intelligence has led to job losses and client cut backs. However, it’s important to notice that AI has been used mostly to replace impersonal, cheap copywriting or content jobs. High-quality sites and news-worthy publications won’t replace their authors with artificial intelligence anytime soon. If you’re an author, your stories are still human enough to sell
- [Don't Forget Trade Publications](https://fundsforwriters.com/dont-forget-trade-publications/) - While at a recent writing retreat, an attendee cornered me, asking questions about entering the freelance writing industry. She told me what she'd like to write about, but she felt she really wasn't an expert at anything. So I mined her life. That lady left floating off the ground, so thrilled, so empowered, and so
- [How to Break Into the Video Gaming Article Market](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-break-into-the-video-gaming-article-market/) - Do you have a passion for video games? If you do, breaking into the video game article market could be a good way to expand your freelance writing business. Countless video game websites and magazines cover console, mobile device, and Windows PC gaming, many of which are open to freelance article submissions. I have been
- [The New Reason for Having a Website](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-new-reason-for-having-a-website/) - The new reason you need a website is going to be different than you might think. Artificial Intelligence - AI. Many writers these days deem themselves "writers" because they've learned to access AI programs, tell it what they want to pitch, and have it either write the query letter or the article itself. Some call
- [The Passion Factor](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-passion-factor/) - In the gym today, my trainer advised that if you want to improve and build muscle (i.e., get strong), you push the last three reps/times such that you think you'll fail at any moment. In other words, you push to failure. You push, seeking that point when you just can't. He said he's had clients
- [What Skills Do Writers Need to Moderate AI-generated Content?](https://fundsforwriters.com/what-skills-do-writers-need-to-moderate-ai-generated-content/) - Businesses increasingly use AI to draft and edit content – blog posts, case studies, training outlines, policy documents, contracts, presentations and more. I heard about a life-writing company that uses AI to ghost books based on an interview transcript, and only brings in a human to edit and sense-check the final draft. Many may deplore this direction,
- [Tried and True Words](https://fundsforwriters.com/tried-and-true-words/) - Recently a long-time fan wrote me, saying she kept some of my words for ready reference. She came across a particular essay that really resonated with her, and she asked that I repeat it, because what applied years ago, still applies today. It's pretty evergreen, I think. "The world is hurting, and it doesn't know
- [Honing Your Instincts of Keeping Your Ears Open](https://fundsforwriters.com/honing-your-instincts-of-keeping-your-ears-open/) - As a journalist, the most common question I receive is about the source of my story ideas. Sometimes, newspapers assign me work which saves me the brainpower of having to come up with ideas. In the unfortunate case that I must come up with my own stories (most of the time), there's a few tricks
- [When Family Doesn't Read Your Writing](https://fundsforwriters.com/when-family-doesnt-read-your-writing/) - In a recent editorial I lightly mentioned that a lot of my family do not read my books, and another writer replied to that. She wondered if it was upsetting to me. My honest answer? I try not to dwell on it. If I did, I would get my feelings hurt. But a writer has
- [Worked on a Book Lately?](https://fundsforwriters.com/worked-on-a-book-lately/) - I came in today from talking to our dock guy, we call him. The man who helps us maintain our small dock, and who is building us a small pier to fish off off. He asked me a question that most people do, to include people who know me well. "Have you worked on a
- [Authors and Alternative Social Media Platforms](https://fundsforwriters.com/authors-and-alternative-social-media-platforms/) - Alternative social platforms like Threads, BlueSky, and MySpace are drawing users who want safer, more regulated online worlds. PEN International and Stephen King have switched. Should you? Here’s how authors can expand their reach to alternative social media. Why Switch? I explored alternative social platforms when people became too curious about my personal life online. Other users are switching to follow
- [Your Name Is Important](https://fundsforwriters.com/your-name-is-important/) - Someone pitched me an article this week, and while the idea sounded decent, I declined based upon his online presence...or lack of one. He told me he could send his CV and a list of articles he has done, but they were not online. He had a handful of articles with links. The problem arose
- [How "Almosts" Can Help Get a Writer Noticed](https://fundsforwriters.com/12496-2/) - As freelance writers, we know to include a bio with our queries or pitches—one that provides links to published pieces and that aligns with the type of submissions a magazine is looking for. There is something else we need to consider adding to our bios or pitches—"Almosts." Almosts are what I refer to as submissions
- [Ethical AI Use for Authors and Journalists](https://fundsforwriters.com/ethical-ai-use-for-authors-and-journalists/) - Ethical AI uses machine-learning for data analysis and research—rather than using generative artificial intelligence to replace the human artist, writer, or creative. While generative AI “creates” content from sometimes plagiarised input, general artificial intelligence can ease the burdens of research. Here’s how artificial intelligence can be put to (good) use. Visualization I’ve heard from many authors who
- [Throwing Yourself Out There](https://fundsforwriters.com/throwing-yourself-out-there/) - I follow a lot of groups, usually remaining silent, reading, taking note, hoping to find some nugget to use myself. . . or to use as a learning tool in a future FundsforWriters newsletter. As you probably know from your own experience, it's amazing what people write for the world to see that leaves scars
- [The Facebook Author Page: An Essential Marketing Tool](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-facebook-author-page-an-essential-marketing-tool/) - Social media promises writers a way to reach a large number of potential readers. The problem is, the possibilities are rather limited. X is a dumpster fire of partisan politics. Bluesky will probably follow. I don’t know anyone who gets many sales through Instagram. Tiktok works only for extroverts and the app’s future in the
- [Writing Retreats](https://fundsforwriters.com/writing-retreats/) - I'm back from my annual writing retreat in Maine where I help facilitate writers in their dreams to bring their work alive and get it published. All week I attend and assist in a class a day. The rest of the day, attendees are supposed to write. I'm on call around the clock to answer
- [Could a Writing Residency Be Right for You?](https://fundsforwriters.com/could-a-writing-residency-be-right-for-you/) - Imagine waking up in a beautiful setting where meals are provided, and your only expectation is to create. Or maybe you dream of using your writing to connect with a community, leading a journaling workshop or introducing readers to a piece of artwork or historic happening. Or perhaps you have a special project that you're
- [Written By a Human or AI?](https://fundsforwriters.com/written-by-a-human-or-ai/) - I follow a site/newsletter titled Plagiarism Today. Jonathan Bailey ( @plagiarismtoday \ @mastodon.world \ mastodon.world \ plagiarismtoday.com ) has managed this site for decades, and he knows his stuff about AI, copyright, and plagiarism. I receive many newsletters. His I read. Recently he composed a piece entitled How Can I Prove That I'm Human? As we all
- [Do Writers Need a Business Plan?](https://fundsforwriters.com/do-writers-need-a-business-plan/) - Earning a living from writing is not as easy to wrap your head around as opening a coffee shop or becoming a tax accountant. The work writers do is often mitigated by a publisher. Thinking of what "goods" or "services" you provide as a writer and who your "customers" are can feel intangible and vague.
- [Hear Me Out! Making Peace with AI](https://fundsforwriters.com/hear-me-out-making-peace-with-ai/) - Before I start, a few caveats. First, I really don't know very much about AI. Also, I’m only really talking here about ChatGPT. And I’m only talking about the world of commercial content, not creative writing. I start with all that because pretty much everyone I know who is a creative type is violently against
- [I Have  This Story...](https://fundsforwriters.com/i-have-this-story/) - A lot of people, particularly in person, tell me they "have this story" that they want to tell. They ask me how I write, then they ask how to publish. There is a mile in between, and I try to tell them what that mile consists of. Recently, a new author asked me why they
- [When You Lose a Gig](https://fundsforwriters.com/when-you-lose-a-gig/) - I was negotiating a small appearance for sometime downstream when something kept niggling at me about this one in particular. I have learned to listen to that feeling. The pay was average, and the expenses were fully covered. I could sell my books and retain 100 percent of proceeds. No bookstore there selling books, but
- [Can Writers Stop or Slow AI?](https://fundsforwriters.com/can-writers-stop-or-slow-ai/) - I was horrified when a client suggested using generative AI to “fill in” an article. I was appropriately aghast when another client switched their copywriting to cheaper ChatGPT. Generative AI has led to job losses and writing industry impact—it’s not just my story, but could be yours. Can writers stop or slow AI? Here’s how to
- [Marketing for Appearances](https://fundsforwriters.com/marketing-for-appearances/) - “If you build it, he (they) will come” is the famous line in the classic 1989 flick, “Field of Dreams,” spoken by character Iowa corn farmer Ray Kinsella (actor Kevin Costner). That's fine when you're talking about ghosts showing up on a baseball field, but what about book signings and appearances? When you are going
- [That Happy Middle of Promotion](https://fundsforwriters.com/that-happy-middle-of-promotion/) - I am more in the line of Dean Koontz when it comes to making appearances. I make myself appear just enough, not totally comfortable with too many face-to-face events. I don't do major conferences. I rarely leave the state anymore. Pre-COVID I was all over the place, and admittedly, the touring helped put my name
- [Dealing with Silence](https://fundsforwriters.com/dealing-with-silence/) - Writers talk a lot about coping with rejection. I used to get lots of messages from editors and agencies that said things like ‘we decided to go another way’ or ‘sorry, this one’s not for us’ or ‘we regret to inform you that on this occasion your application has been unsuccessful’. But I don’t receive
- [Find Paying Opportunities Through Social Media](https://fundsforwriters.com/find-paying-opportunities-through-social-media/) - Every day I keep my writing career strong by logging in to social media. I often use Facebook Messenger to communicate with other writers, but chats alone are not enough. Your Profile Just as a website must make a writer or author stand out as an authority, so must a social media profile. For example,
- [Writing with a Backup Reader](https://fundsforwriters.com/writing-with-a-backup-reader/) - I was surprised when a copywriting client pointed out “weird phrasing and spelling mistakes” in my work, then I worried their concerns were true. Writing tired had become the norm for a while, and the stress of late nights was beginning to show. This pushed me to hire a single, permanent beta-reader—someone who could brainstorm
- [Every Word Has to Count](https://fundsforwriters.com/every-word-has-to-count/) - A reader queried me this week, asking how to send their word to a traditional press. Big ask, because they write entire courses and books on the subject, but I tried to give them an abridged version. First, you don't send the entire manuscript. He asked if he needed a dedication page, the front matter,
- [Developing a More Efficient Submission Process](https://fundsforwriters.com/developing-a-more-efficient-submission-process/) - Last year, I realized my submission process was extremely inefficient. I'd write an essay or short story and then begin searching for somewhere to submit it. It was a time-consuming process that meant I could spend up to two hours researching markets just to submit to one or two publications. Although I subscribe to newsletters
- [We’re In Agreement: Understanding Different Types of Writing Contracts in Hollywood](https://fundsforwriters.com/were-in-agreement-understanding-different-types-of-writing-contracts-in-hollywood/) - Okay, so you’ve written a screenplay and are shopping it around town. What now? Well, if your work generates interest from a studio or producer, you may soon be handed one of several agreements to review. Understanding the key differences and commonalities between each one will be essential to protecting your work, accomplishing your goals,
- [Best Practices for Shopping Your Novel to Hollywood](https://fundsforwriters.com/best-practices-for-shopping-your-novel-to-hollywood/) - Having your book turned into a film or series offers fans the chance to engage through a different medium, opens the work up to an entirely new audience, and creates an additional revenue stream. But how do you get your book in the hands of a Hollywood producer who can bring it to the screen?
- [How I Turned a 210,000-Word, 18-Month Disaster into 30+ Articles, 2 Books (and More Money)](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-i-turned-a-210000-word-18-month-disaster-into-30-articles-2-books-and-more-money/) - In 2021, I had the idea for a book in which I’d celebrate a different fake holiday every day for a year. (You know, Talk Like A Pirate Day, National Cabbage Day, Bubblewrap Appreciation Day and all the rest.) My publisher of the time loved the idea and commissioned the book – to be called
- [Piracy of Books](https://fundsforwriters.com/piracy-of-books/) - A lot of writers are losing their minds about the article in The Atlantic about a pirate site illegally taking copies of titles, posting them, and letting Meta use them to train their AI program. The Authors Guild has already joined with publishers and the federal government in pursuing this. (See AG article here.) (quote from AG
- [Who Has Time to Read?](https://fundsforwriters.com/who-has-time-to-read/) - I heard this line at a writers group, no less. This line is turning into a common remark that I hear each and every time I appear somewhere. I've heard it from people you'd never imagine, too. Teachers, librarians, parents who wonder why their children don't read, and, yes, other writers. Who has time to
- [6 Reasons Being an Older Freelancer Gives You an Edge](https://fundsforwriters.com/6-reasons-being-an-older-freelancer-gives-you-an-edge/) - Because of job cuts, I’ve recently returned to the freelance hustle in my mid-50s – and I’ve encountered lots of negativity and defeatism. My fellow 50-somethings are lacking confidence, can't cope with new tools and software, think editors only want young talent, that AI is making them redundant... I felt all this, too, at first.
- [Writing to Other Writers](https://fundsforwriters.com/writing-to-other-writers/) - I remember writing my first letter to author François Bloemhof in 2000. As a young author, I was delighted when he actually answered—and the feeling has never quite worn off when writing to other authors. Writing to another author grows your connections and knowledge whether thanking them, admiring them, or just exchanging like-minded ideas. Here’s why you
- [A Freelance Portfolio](https://fundsforwriters.com/a-freelance-portfolio/) - I am a big fan of Colleen Welsch at The Freelance Writer's Guide. She has a big personality, but she is down to earth as well and so darn full of common sense. If I were returning to fulltime freelance writing, she'd be the person I'd go to in order to get back on track. Thanks
- [Shut Up About the Rejections Already](https://fundsforwriters.com/shut-up-about-the-rejections-already/) - We are not defined by our rejections....or rather we shouldn't be. Nobody knows about them . . . or should. We ought to be defined by our efforts and success. Don't talk too much about rejection, or about trying hard and not getting anywhere. Yet many people want to talk about how hard they've tried,
- [How Daily Life Turns into Stories](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-daily-life-turns-into-stories/) - Stories about my daily life never seemed like writing that could sell. Who cared who I was or what I had done. But an editor of a publication pointed out that international readers would find my everyday cultural experiences interesting and fresh. I wrote the first feature about daily life in rural Southern Africa—and surprisingly,
- [How to Start](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-start/) - I am often asked how should someone start writing. They tell me they've always wanted to write. They think about a novel. They would love to write for a living. How did I start? When did I decide I liked writing? Many of these are people looking for Step 1, Step 2, Step 3, then
- [Tips from a Reluctant Networker](https://fundsforwriters.com/tips-from-a-reluctant-networker/) - I was recently made redundant from my day job so am now, at the age of 56, back out there having to hustle for freelance work. I naturally began to reach out to my so-called network. But I quickly realised that I haven't been great at nurturing contacts and keeping in touch with people over
- [Becoming Another Writer’s Assistant](https://fundsforwriters.com/becoming-another-writers-assistant/) - Author Raven Digitalis hired me to be their publicity assistant in November 2024. Opportunity knocked and I answered, anxious to step in for the potential fun and experience. While authors frequently need editors and proofreaders, they also would use an extra hand. Here’s what I learned by becoming another writer’s assistant. Writers Hiring Assistants I was
- [The Art of Brevity in Screenwriting](https://fundsforwriters.com/12278-2/) - Unlike novels, screenplays are not in and of themselves an end product. They’re merely blueprints for something else, like a movie or TV show. They’re a roadmap showing filmmakers how to express a story in a visual medium using tools like cameras, lights, actors, editing and music. They’re not meant to be all-encompassing narratives that
- [A Follow-Up on Pseudonyms - Guest Piece  (from a long-time FFW fan)](https://fundsforwriters.com/a-follow-up-on-pseudonyms-guest-piece-from-a-long-time-ffw-fan/) - Ello, ello, Hope. Happy New year of the (sneaky) Snake sign!!🧧🎍🧨 I've just read your recent email letter (dated January 24, 2025) and have some comments about the article: Using Your Pseudonym, by Alex J. Coyne. What I want to share: it is totally fine to get paid in the pseudonym and it can easily be
- [Think Like a Reader](https://fundsforwriters.com/think-like-a-reader/) - Do you want to hear how an author got published after five years? Do you want to hear how many times they were rejected? Do you want to hear the pros and cons of how they chose their agent, indie publisher, or self-publisher? Do you want to hear about the pros and cons of how
- [Using Your Pseudonym](https://fundsforwriters.com/using-your-pseudonym/) - The Dark Half is one of my favorite Stephen King books, because it’s the one where an author’s pseudonym comes to life. Pen names like Robert Galbraith (JK Rowling), Anne Rice (Howard Allen Frances O’Brien), and Stan Lee (Stanley Martin Lieber) are common. However, why use pseudonyms or pen names — and how? Here’s why pseudonyms
- [When You're Writing for Hits](https://fundsforwriters.com/when-youre-writing-for-hits/) - I worked for a mainstream news website called The South African until mid-2024, producing freelance articles that connected its success to the amount of total article views (hits) each week. Through this wild ride, I learned how to increase post views for online writing. Writing for Hits: How I Ranked Top 3 I ranked as one of
- [When It's About You](https://fundsforwriters.com/when-its-about-you/) - In doing my regular reading in an attempt to stay on top of all that is evolving in the writing world, I ran across several articles that carried the same trend. They talked about how they started . . . a decade or more ago. When you give someone a podium, they are going to
- [What's Old is New Again](https://fundsforwriters.com/whats-old-is-new-again/) - As I checked on a previous FFW newsletter from a couple of weeks back for information about a publication opportunity, something occurred to me. My email history held a years'-deep stash of FFW issues. With excitement, I spent hours following the trail revisiting these old issues going several years back. Frankly, what was old became
- [The Differences Between a Beta Reader and an Editor](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-differences-between-a-beta-reader-and-an-editor/) - Many of you would read that headline and roll your eyes. Others, however, would be eager to hear the difference because they are relatively knew at this business. After all, they just want someone who reviews their work before it is published. What does it matter what you call them. A Beta Reader 1) Is
- [Weather and Chaos](https://fundsforwriters.com/weather-and-chaos/) - I live in the Southeastern US, and today it is snowing. People lose their minds when it snows in SC. So funny and silly to watch and listen. I left the gym this morning thinking that I had the rest of the day to write. I listened to others in the gym. They were going
- [How Disabled Writers Can Turn a Disability into an Ability to Earn Money from Their Writing](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-disabled-writers-can-turn-a-disability-into-an-ability-to-earn-money-from-their-writing/) - As a writer with disabilities, I took a while realizing that I could earn money writing about my disabilities. The chance to write articles relevant to the Deaf community for a national newspaper was a game changer. There are a few ways writers living with disabilities can earn money writing about their disabilities. Your Author
- [How to Start Writing](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-start-writing/) - The habit is not easy to establish. Yes, I am one who preaches that you write daily, not when the mood strikes you. That's for hobbyists. If that's what you want to be, then fine. Just decide and quit straddling the fence. Let's say you've never written seriously, or for very long a time. Let's
- [The Writer in You](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-writer-in-you/) - Do your family or friends give you books or book gifts for holidays? When they think of what to gift you, do they see you as a literary, wordsmithing addict? That's great if they do. That means you lead with your desire to write. You love the written word. If they don't think that way,
- [The Untapped Markets of Coffee Shops and Bookstores](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-untapped-markets-of-coffee-shops-and-bookstores/) - Coffee shops and bookstores are valuable promotional avenues for authors. When you’re looking for a speaking platform, book release venue, or practical branch to sell your work, the untapped market of coffee shops and bookstores are almost endless. Here’s how to network with places where bookworms can be found. Stores (As a Venue) As a
- [Subject Lines and Titles](https://fundsforwriters.com/subject-lines-and-titles/) - The title of a book is equivalent to the subject line of an email. Both give us expectations as to what to expect. What the email will address and what the book will cover. Subject lines and titles are used by the potential customer to cull through what's available. Emails get deleted and books overlooked
- [When It's Difficult to Write](https://fundsforwriters.com/when-its-difficult-to-write/) - I have an active mind. I probably don't look like it on the outside, but inside my brain is like a whirling dervish of ideas, opinions, and feelings. At night, if I'm not careful, it whirls out of control. That means I have to get out of bed. Partly not to bother hubby, and partly
- [Video Content for Writers](https://fundsforwriters.com/video-content-for-writers/) - Video content is an excellent way for authors to reach new audiences, who frequent platforms like Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and Vimeo. Book trailers, narrated videos, and reels of writing advice have become an incredibly useful way to market yourself. Here’s how to reach more readers. Why Make Video Content? Video reaches broad audiences, across multiple
- [A 32-Year Learning Curve](https://fundsforwriters.com/a-32-year-learning-curve/) - Some years ago my Philadelphia-based agent received the following letter of decline from Michael Pietsch, a New York–based editor: Dear Mary Jo, I was very impressed by the subtlety and loveliness of Vincent Czyz’s writing, and by his ability to bring a large cast and several distinct settings to life. But for all the author’s
- [Creating Freelance Opportunity](https://fundsforwriters.com/creating-freelance-opportunity/) - Hubby came home from shopping and showed me a glossy magazine. "Do you still write for magazines like this?" I said I did, if the idea popped into my head and the publication seemed worthy. I looked at the magazine. Hook & Barrel, The Lifestyle Magazine for Modern Outdoorsmen, was pretty slick. One might wonder how
- [Gifts FROM a Writer](https://fundsforwriters.com/gifts-from-a-writer/) - We read everywhere about what to give a writer as a holiday gift. But let's turn that idea on its head and envision what a writer could give others as a gift . . . and still underline the fact they are a writer. If you have the gift of words, find the innovation to
- [How Persistence Pays Off as a Freelancer](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-persistence-pays-off-as-a-freelancer/) - I’ve sold many articles through the value of sheer persistence. Asking, pitching, and adapting is key to being a career writer. Editors who say no might have a different answer to another pitch in the future. Yes, rejections can be a future opportunity. Here’s how to turn negatives into positives as you turn rejections into
- [How I Traditionally Published Nine Novels Without an Agent](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-i-traditionally-published-nine-novels-without-an-agent/) - Fact: I am a novelist and travel writer. Fact: I have published nine novels. Fact: I don’t have an agent. Fiction: The path to publication is straightforward. Imagine a labyrinth. Erase the walls. That's publishing. After my MFA program I stepped into the maze-less puzzle—lost. I queried the novel I had completed as my thesis. Rejection,
- [Who You Write For](https://fundsforwriters.com/who-you-write-for/) - Just last night, I was assisting a grandson on how to write his paper for class. It was a paper in which he was to do research, actually do an experiment, and come to a conclusion. He wrote it per guidelines. He clearly wrote it for a teacher. That opened the conversation about defining who
- [Love the Path You're On](https://fundsforwriters.com/love-the-path-youre-on/) - I spoke at the Marlboro County Library in Bennettsville, SC this week. It was a two-hour drive, but hubby and I needed to get out, and I simply adore a good book club visit. I have been to a lot of book clubs. Each has its own temperament. This time, I was headed to a
- [A Smart Writer's Smartphone](https://fundsforwriters.com/a-smart-writers-smartphone/) - I was asked to review a short story collection called NSFW by David Scott Hay, and in the process learned that, surprisingly, the manuscript was entirely written and edited on a smartphone. Smartphones are capable of writing and editing stories. While they’re distinctly different from computers or desktops, phones are very effective tools when used
- [Titles and Headlines](https://fundsforwriters.com/titles-and-headlines/) - I like to scan emails on my phone, sorting and culling what I have to take action on. Then I go back to my desktop where my massive screen and lots of space makes my writing life easier to handle. What I wind up doing is deleting a lot of email on the fly, with
- [Trying to Keep Up](https://fundsforwriters.com/trying-to-keep-up/) - The great thing about the Internet is the wealth of information that teaches us about writing and publishing. That's also the worst thing about the Internet, because you become inundated with the latest and greatest advice. About the time you feel you have grasp how to accomplish or succeed in an aspect of the business,
- [When Snafus Happen](https://fundsforwriters.com/when-snafus-happen/) - While at my annual Edisto Beach retreat recently, partially to work and partially to get away, I picked up the local newspaper. It's published monthly and is sort of informative, sort of gossipy, and partially public service announcements. It provides me a flavor of the beach and its people, though, I've learned I have to
- [Let's Talk about a Legal Transcription](https://fundsforwriters.com/lets-talk-about-a-legal-transcription/) - What does it take to become a scopist (legal proofreader) and transcriptionist? I’ve worked for legal agencies and registered court reporters -- and with training, so could you. Legal transcription is technical and detailed, however, also lucrative as a part-time income or career. What a scopist does Scopists work with court reporters and judicial services, turning raw
- [Writing Historical Nonfiction for Profit](https://fundsforwriters.com/writing-historical-nonfiction-for-profit/) - Since the popularity of DNA testing, millions of people have sought information about their ancestors. However, not everyone wants to do the research or write about their family history once uncovered. This opens a huge market for those who enjoy looking for dead people and an opportunity to turn a hobby into a paying gig.
- [(Writing) True Crime Pays](https://fundsforwriters.com/writing-true-crime-pays/) - True crime is an interesting topic, and the niche is more multifaceted than a diamond. Authors with a knack for research and interviewing could make this genre their best friend. I’ve written about crime scene cleaning and true crimes, interviewed reformed criminals, and learned about law. Here’s how (writing) true crime pays. Crime Scene Cleaning:
- [Don't Hurry Your Writing](https://fundsforwriters.com/dont-hurry-your-writing/) - In the last three weeks, I've been asked to look at four books that came with great story ideas and very nice premises. The covers immediately hollered self-publishing, but, hey, there's great writing in self-published books. I gave up that prejudice a long time ago. Truth be told, I'm still reading two of them, so
- [Grants for Neurodivergent Individuals](https://fundsforwriters.com/grants-for-neurodivergent-individuals/) - Did you know there are grant opportunities for those with disabilities, including those in the neurodivergent community? One came from my home state, Colorado, through the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR). After years of struggle as an independent author, a glimmer of hope emerged when I learned about the DVR grant. You see, I have bipolar disorder.
- [Saving Your Writing Can Pay Off](https://fundsforwriters.com/saving-your-writing-can-pay-off/) - I was in my forties when I started a new career in writing, and it took me a little while to realize the importance of saving everything. My first published piece was a 900-word essay for a publication called the Dana Literary Society. I proudly saved the link but deleted the essay from my documents.
- [Looking Forward, Not Behind](https://fundsforwriters.com/looking-forward-not-behind/) - When we feel things aren't fair, when we feel someone got a step up that we deserved, when we feel we write better than someone else yet they got published, we stand at a crossroad. At that point, we have a decision to make. To feel we should get what someone else got, or to
- [Hybrid Writing Groups and What to Do with Them](https://fundsforwriters.com/hybrid-writing-groups-and-what-to-do-with-them/) - Formal and informal writing groups have been around for hundreds of years. Hybrid authors clubs are newer, rising in the 2000s and are becoming a staple of how authors connect with professionals and readers today. “Hybrid” writing groups exist IRL (or in real life), but also connect with other communities online - often internationally. Find
- [How to Publish](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-publish/) - I make a point of walking up to an author's table and talking to them, often buying their book. Having spent many an hour in their shoes, I understand the difficulty of sitting there (they ought to be standing, but that's another article). Invariably, I'll look at the book, and if I cannot tell who
- [Novel Writing and Word Processor Software](https://fundsforwriters.com/novel-writing-and-word-processor-software/) - Novel writing software and word processors are faster, fancier, and more feature-filled than your old typewriter. However, are they any better than your old word processor for getting jobs done? Here’s a look at various writing software, what they cost, and how they work. Scrivener Scrivener gets rave reviews, and it’s a favourite of bestselling
- [Keep or Throw Away?](https://fundsforwriters.com/keep-or-throw-away/) - Many writers are afraid to throw away work. It could be something they can't seem to sell, or it could be the original version of a chapter rewritten. It could be that perfect sentence that someone told you to cut out, that you can't see to let loose of. It could be a scene you
- [How Google Scores Authors’ Content](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-google-scores-authors-content/) - Google crawls, scores, and then ranks all online content. Search results are based on these rankings. Writers can have an advantage by understanding how Google scores their online writing. Here’s how search engines read. What Google Scores Google uses more than 200 ranking factors to score online content for searchability. Readability and keywords, domains
- [Make Your Professional Author Photo Shine](https://fundsforwriters.com/make-your-professional-author-photo-shine/) - Your author photo is like your handshake. What does it say about you? We often feel uncomfortable with our author photos. However, if you don't have one—or if you use some other alternative—you appear to be hiding. Readers and clients will have a harder time relating to you. I'd go so far as to say
- [What Book Authors Should Know  About Adapting Their Material for the Screen](https://fundsforwriters.com/what-book-authors-should-know-about-adapting-their-material-for-the-screen/) - Many storytellers have an unquenchable thirst to share their tales with the widest possible audience, often with agnosticism toward medium or format. This is why so many book authors have tried their hand at screenwriting – Agathie Christie, John Steinbeck, Stephen King and J.K. Rowling to name a few. Toiling away to satiate this thirst
- [When the World is Too Loud and Opinionated](https://fundsforwriters.com/when-the-world-is-too-loud-and-opinionated/) - Right now in these trying times I find it a little difficult to read social media, but on the other hand I can hardly keep away from it, amazed at how the world seems to be on fire. One evening, it literally made me tear up at the animosity and sarcasm. Honestly, some folks just
- [When the Writing Workshop is Too Slow](https://fundsforwriters.com/when-the-writing-workshop-is-too-slow/) - The writer’s workshop model remains one of the best ways writers receive feedback. We share our work with a group, and everyone chimes in with ideas and suggestions. Early in our writing careers, we learn about structure and grammar through the workshop. As our writing improves, we begin to learn about character development, plotting, and
- [Social Media Madness](https://fundsforwriters.com/social-media-madness/) - I have finally cleaned up my social media such that I only see things nonpolitical and/or non-adversarial. Finally I can get back to business and breathe a better sigh of relief. That's because I unfriended three dozen people and snoozed that many more. Do they have a right to speak up? Yes. Do I have
- [Write Through It](https://fundsforwriters.com/write-through-it/) - Some of you have seen my social media of late. It's not very active except to say I am hiding a bit behind pound cake, coffee, and my stories to avoid the universe. These are hard times. Don't get sucked in. Write. I'll be the first to tell you it's difficult to claw past the
- [Exploring Niche Writing (from a Card Player’s Perspective)](https://fundsforwriters.com/exploring-niche-writing-from-a-card-players-perspective/) - Writers with experience in specific subjects are encouraged to use their niche, especially when breaking into the writing world. Holly Lisle used nursing experience for her debut novel Sympathy for the Devil, Justin Gustainis turned bodyguarding experience to supernatural fiction for Black Magic Woman -- and if you know more about a topic than other
- [Leaping at Article Ideas](https://fundsforwriters.com/leaping-at-article-ideas/) - In a recent success story, T. Jensen Lacey had a curious thought, dared ask for an interview, and dared pitch the piece. See what resulted. Her daring-do got her a fantastic assignment. (See Below) I once noticed a turf grass magazine. Keep in mind my degree is in agronomy, so there are still areas in
- [What You Write About](https://fundsforwriters.com/what-you-write-about/) - I was recently asked by a local magazine to write about my opinion of AI. It wasn't a paying gig, but just a way to remind the local community who I was and that I lived among them, writing my books. I turned it down. I have a lot of fans in this area. Some
- [Leverage Themed Calls for Ideas and Income](https://fundsforwriters.com/11964-2/) - Resistance. Bookmarks. Dragons. Dreams. These are just a handful of examples of recent or pending "themed" submission calls posted on the Publishing . . . and Other Forms of Insanity web site, one of my go-to resources for submission venues. In my own writing, themed calls have played a key role in idea generation and sales. Brainstorming
- [How Do You Tell the Scams?](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-do-you-tell-the-scams/) - Victoria Strauss of the Writer Beware blog, has been around for ages informing writers how to not get taken by the less than reputable entities out there in the publishing world. In her latest article written for Writer Unboxed, titled Cheated, Swindled, or Scammed: What's a Writer to Do?, she gives you options on what to do once
- [5 Ways I Broke Out of a Writing Rut](https://fundsforwriters.com/5-ways-i-broke-out-of-a-writing-rut/) - We writers often stay in our own wheelhouse, our comfort zone. We stick with topics that allow us the ease and knowledge to keep money flowing in. Therefore, the articles and essays we write often come from the wealth of information we've gathered over the years. But what happens when creativity for those same topics
- [At the Crossroads](https://fundsforwriters.com/at-the-crossroads/) - First, I don't believe in a muse. I believe you write or you don't write. If you feel you need to be in a mood to write, then conjure up the mood. Candles, music, coffee, bourbon, whatever. Make it happen instead of waiting for it to happen. There are some days where you sit down
- [The Metaphysical Author](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-metaphysical-author/) - I've written about a plethora of topics over the years, but metaphysical, occult, and spiritual writing is a more specific authorship path. Only you can decide if it feels right for you. In case you aren’t sure, here’s how to branch into metaphysical writing, and why it can be fulfilling. Understanding belief systems in writing
- [Kickstarter](https://fundsforwriters.com/kickstarter/) - Crowdfunding has been around for decades. It's a manner of telling the world what you have to offer, how you intend to make it successful, and asking for financial endorsement. Many genre fiction writers self-publish by earning funds to do so via crowdfunding. The largest crowdfunding tool to use is Kickstarter. There are thousands of
- [Literary Magazines are Not the Barrier to Publication Many Writers Think](https://fundsforwriters.com/literary-magazines-are-not-the-barrier-to-publication-many-writers-think/) - Literary magazines have been around for hundreds of years and feature a writing style different from what we commonly read. Many writers may see this style as a barrier and, therefore, never pitch these types of magazines. This writer is here to tell you there’s opportunity! Is this writer the kind who graduated from a
- [How to Get Speaking Engagements](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-get-speaking-engagements/) - Trust me, they were not easy to land in the beginning. In the early days, when I had one book, even two, bookstores all but laughed in my face. One told me to come back when I had two books; they weren't interested in a one-book author. I remember that bookstore to this day. I
- [Work Ethic](https://fundsforwriters.com/work-ethic/) - Here lately, when I sign books or speak, people look at my stack of books or my banner with all 19 books and say, "Wow, you must have some kind of work ethic to make yourself write that many books." Only one person in five years or more has recognized my reality when they said,
- [Almost Famous: Interviews in the Music Industry](https://fundsforwriters.com/almost-famous-interviews-in-the-music-industry/) - Almost Famous and Spinal Tap are two of my favourite movies – but also (rather accurately) depict the niche of music industry interviews. I've shared the stage with many but switched to journalism and decided to bring some of the music along. Here's how to 'make it happen' for interviews in the music industry. Publications
- [How to Use Your Writing Skills in a "Traditional" Job](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-use-your-writing-skills-in-a-traditional-job/) - Not all of us in freelance writing do so exclusively. Yet those traditional jobs can also be golden opportunity to utilize the skills you've learned while freelance writing. One of my past employers had a long-running newsletter put together by the same person for years. After she left the position, I offered my services to
- [The Book Club](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-book-club/) - Recently a local lady asked me if I could squeeze in a book club for this week. They had chosen Murder on Edisto and wondered last minute if I'd be available to discuss it. Of course I accepted. I arrived to the smell of shrimp and grits, cheese tarts, cheese biscuits, salmon snacks, homemade chocolate
- [The Leap to Write for a Living is Shorter Than You Think](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-leap-to-write-for-a-living-is-shorter-than-you-think/) - If you want to write, first find your niche, find the thing or things you are most interested in and knowledgeable about, be it motorcycles, plants, or backwoods camping and write. There is a need for writing on every topic under the sun. When I first started writing, I knew how to write essays and
- [The Debut Writer](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-debut-writer/) - Online recently, someone spoke of almost making it as a writer in Woman's World Magazine. For those who do not know, WW has a layered process of acceptance. I, too, have made it to the final round and been rejected. On the other hand, I have a short story writer friend who has to have published
- [Book Clubs](https://fundsforwriters.com/book-clubs/) - Just this week, someone asked if they could pick my brain about appearing at book clubs. She sent a list of questions for me, and I realized this was going to be a piece on telling debut authors how to latch ahold of book clubs to launch their books. In a nutshell, here's a bulleted list
- [20 Questions to Ask Yourself as You Write Your First Picture Book](https://fundsforwriters.com/20-questions-to-ask-yourself-as-you-write-your-first-picture-book/) - I became a book coach because helping people realize their writing dream lights me up inside. When I first started out, I accepted books across all genres, but over time, I limited my clients to children's book authors, adult self-help authors, and non-fiction books about craft. Authors of most genres have a general sense of
- [Cleaner Accounting for Freelancers](https://fundsforwriters.com/cleaner-accounting-for-freelancers/) - All writers have hopes, dreams, and stories. Realistically speaking, professional authors and freelancers also have expenses to meet. In 2023, I realized the future of my writing business could look better (and earn more) once I analyzed what was going on inside all the loose ends. Here’s how to demystify writing expenses, ranging from accounting
- [Busy Isn't Quality and Fast Isn't Good](https://fundsforwriters.com/busy-isnt-quality-and-fast-isnt-good/) - A new writer in my area recently announced to various groups on Facebook that he had published a mystery. What caught me was the title, which I won't list, for his sake and mine. It included wording I have in a work-in-progress title, so of course it caught my eye. I almost bought it. That
- [The Art of 'Accessible' Celebrity Interviews](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-art-of-accessible-celebrity-interviews/) - Cambridge Dictionary defines “celebrity” as someone famous. Celebrity interviews can make for an easy sell of articles, too. “Accessible” celebrities are anyone reasonably within the author's reach without the complication of press junkets or bodyguards. What's not “accessible” Could you reach George Clooney or Brad Pitt in minutes? Probably not. Restricted access means they only
- [Turning Our Volunteer Passions into Articles and Income](https://fundsforwriters.com/turning-our-volunteer-passions-into-articles-and-income/) - Children's television host, Mr. Rodgers, said that whenever he watched scary news as a child his mother would tell him to "Look for the helpers." He said knowing people were helping was a great comfort. His words inspired me to write about my volunteer experiences. I've been a mentor to women in difficult marriages for
- [How Do I Get the Word Out?](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-do-i-get-the-word-out/) - I hear this over and over, people asking me what is the magic potion that made people buy my books. 1) I made appearances. 2) I published a weekly newsletter. 3) I answered every email, text, and message. 4) I freelanced every chance I could. 5) I guest blogged. 6) I kept writing. That sounds
- [How to Write a Book While Maintaining a Full-Time Writing Job](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-write-a-book-while-maintaining-a-full-time-writing-job/) - If you have a full-time writing job and want to write a book, you may wonder how you will accomplish both. You likely spend most of your time and energy on paid work. How do you complete a book AND maintain quality work for clients at the same time? I know this challenge well. I
- [What Books Should I Read as a Writer?](https://fundsforwriters.com/what-books-should-i-read-as-a-writer/) - As you might expect, I get deluged with books. From publishers, fans, wannabe writers, published-yet-still-struggling writers, my book club, and friends and family as gifts. My to-be-read stack is two columns of a dozen books each, and that doesn't count my bookcase with books I still told myself I would read. Don't even ask me
- [What to Expect from a Developmental Editor—and Why Hire One](https://fundsforwriters.com/what-to-expect-from-a-developmental-editor-and-why-hire-one/) - My first editor worked with me on five revisions of my debut story in a major magazine. Decades later, when I wrote about him, I understood what had inspired his stamina: my trying and failing and trying again to express what I wanted to say. The piece wasn't spectacular, but it launched my career and
- [The Biggest Grant Myth](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-biggest-grant-myth/) - A week doesn't go by without someone asking me for money to self-publish their book. Nine times out of ten, they are beginning authors. There are no grants for this. And there are lots of reasons why. I'll try to toss most of them in here, in abbreviated form so this doesn't turn into an
- [Top 7 Things a Producer Wants From Your Screenplay](https://fundsforwriters.com/top-7-things-a-producer-wants-from-your-screenplay/) - What makes a screenplay successful? This question has haunted many a writer since the dawn of motion pictures. No single genre, subject or storyline has so dominated the box office as to be dubbed a surefire winner. If one had, that’s all Hollywood would make. We’ve seen hits and flops from every kind of film
- [Referrals](https://fundsforwriters.com/referrals/) - Most of you reading this have published somewhere. In newsletter, magazines, or blogs. Maybe you've done podcasts or YouTube episodes. Or you've published in an anthology, or even published a book or two. Along this journey, you've met people in the business. Don't forget these people. Some will be editors and others marketers. Some helped
- [Writing Critique Groups](https://fundsforwriters.com/writing-critique-groups/) - I no longer belong to a writer's critique group. I used to belong to two at the same time. One in person and one online. The first was 25 miles away, and we met biweekly, with a limit of ten double-spaced pages. The second was online and international. It was understood to submit a chapter
- [Leveraging Substack and Public Speaking to Monetize Your Passion](https://fundsforwriters.com/leveraging-substack-and-public-speaking-to-monetize-your-passion/) - As a starving freelance writer, I always look for ways to turn craft into coin. Enter Substack. Think of it as a personal online publishing platform with which you build a paying readership. Setup is free, intuitive, and quick. Fill it with previously published work, new articles, OpEds, short stories...whatever tickles your fancy. Create subsections, the
- [Imposter Syndrome](https://fundsforwriters.com/imposter-syndrome/) - I'm someone who does not believe in writer's block. However, I have to admit that everyone, sooner or later, is touched by Imposter Syndrome. For those unfamiliar, it's when you believe you cannot write up to the standard to be taken seriously, you feel you cannot fulfill a task, or you feel like a fraud.
- [Another Contest Purpose](https://fundsforwriters.com/another-contest-purpose/) - In having coffee with a local writer, we started talking contests. She has a goal of entering one per month with her works in progress. She writes mainstream and romance, so she has to select contests open to other than literary fiction (which makes up a lot of contests). She'd heard me say that I
- [Expand Your Writing Practice With Book Reviews](https://fundsforwriters.com/expand-your-writing-practice-with-book-reviews/) - Whether you write poetry, nonfiction, gardening books or novels, writing book reviews is an excellent way to expand your writing practice and your publication credits. The task sharpens your skills, deepens the reading experience, and helps support the writers' community. The niche also separates you from the crowd: literary journals are besieged with poems and
- [Normalcy](https://fundsforwriters.com/normalcy/) - I am a fan of The Marginalian newsletter/website, aka Maria Popova. She is insanely well-read and looks at humanity through the lens of many classic creatives. Recently she wrote on normalcy. . . and its affiliation with rejection, or in the case of those frequently rejected and distraught, breakdown. https://www.themarginalian.org/2021/10/13/alain-de-botton-normalcy-breakdown/ The world comes at us with
- [4 Ways to Tap Into the Booming Middle Grade Horror Market](https://fundsforwriters.com/4-ways-to-tap-into-the-booming-middle-grade-horror-market/) - According to a 2022 article in Publishers Weekly, "shivery tales are proliferating." Middle grade horror stories are having a moment, and for good reason. These books can do both things a great kids book sets out to do: entertain and enlighten. Horror stories keep kids engaged and turning the page. R.L. Stein, the king of middle grade
- [Beware the Call](https://fundsforwriters.com/beware-the-call/) - Well known mystery/suspense author Lee Goldberg received a call recently from a gentleman professing to be with a literary agency. He and his organization would assist him in getting his book promoted at the Los Angeles Festival of Books. Mr. Goldberg recorded the conversation and you'll enjoy listening to this renown traditionally published author mess
- [Maintaining Your Computer for Writing Success](https://fundsforwriters.com/maintaining-your-computer-for-writing-success/) - Congratulations on your endeavors, authors. You are part of an elite group of caring individuals. You care for your words, characters, worlds, and subjects. Yet, caring for your computers? Not so much. I read too many complaints in writing groups that go something like this: "My computer is slower than a sloth working a fast-food
- [A Suggestion on AI](https://fundsforwriters.com/a-suggestion-on-ai/) - Last week, in mentioning my hardline distain for AI in the creative universe, someone labeled me naïve in thinking AI wasn't here to stay, mentioning technology. Admittedly, AI already has been in existence for a few years in that department, but now it's crossing into creativity, and that's utterly insulting. In my not-so-humble opinion. it
- [Avoiding These 3 Mistakes Will Help You Sell Your Screenplay](https://fundsforwriters.com/avoiding-these-3-mistakes-will-help-you-sell-your-screenplay/) - We all want to write that perfect script. One that will blow the reader's mind and convince a producer to shovel copious amounts of money into our creation (but only once the strike finishes, of course). Unfortunately, this is much easier said than done, as the majority of screenplays fall well short of perfection. I've
- [Stumbling](https://fundsforwriters.com/stumbling/) - When we start anything in our lives, we stumble through it. Yet, for some reason, we don't want people to know that we are stumbling. In fact, everyone in the world is stumbling through their lives, because the only way to grow is to proceed through trial and error, and you know what? We haven't
- [Why (and How) Writers Should Master WordPress](https://fundsforwriters.com/why-and-how-writers-should-master-wordpress/) - Writers who know the nuances of WordPress can manage their own websites better -- and be of more help to their clients by mastering WordPress as an extra skill. Wordpress.com and .org As much as 40% or more of the internet uses WordPress to post blogs, manage websites, and create content. Learn this skill, and you can
- [More on Pitching to Markets](https://fundsforwriters.com/more-on-pitching-to-markets/) - As I tried to explain last week, pitches must be smart and cater to the needs of the editor and their publication first and foremost. Again, in my researching markets, I came across a guidelines page with great advice. Climate Change News posts detailed and informative guidelines at https://www.climatechangenews.com/write-for-us. In your pitch, explain: What is new? Whether your
- [How Illness Became Opportunity](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-illness-became-opportunity/) - I’ve had more than twenty surgeries from my eyes to feet, and my health has become accepted as one part of my writing journey. Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes (EDS) is a manageable group of connective-tissue conditions -- shared by others like actress Jameela Jamil. It hasn’t slowed the writing journey down. Actually, it’s helped! Here’s how surgeries
- [Pitching a Magazine](https://fundsforwriters.com/pitching-a-magazine/) - A lot of freelancers make the mistake of thinking that the publication they are pitching wants to know more about the writer than the topic being pitched. Please, understand that most publications are most interested in a quality subject that strongly pertains to their readers. Who you are matters little unless you are an expert
- [What Writers Should Know about Dates and Rates](https://fundsforwriters.com/11712-2/) - Rates are perhaps one of the most important considerations in freelance writing, yet authors seldom dare to adjust them or discuss them thoroughly. A writers’ rates are their income, and usually their food budget and rent. Here’s how to secure a better future . Rates and what’s fair Households have inflation and ‘bad months’, and
- [What Buys Readers](https://fundsforwriters.com/what-buys-readers/) - Right now I am reading The Idea: The Seven Elements of a Viable Story for Screen, Stage or Fiction, by Erik Bork. I don't read many how-to writing books, but this one was a gift, and I decided to give it a go before deciding against it. I love it. It's basic, understandable, with loads of
- [Stop Me If You've Heard This Before](https://fundsforwriters.com/stop-me-if-youve-heard-this-before/) - Sometimes, we just need to laugh at ourselves, but if you’re the kind of writer who enjoys writing humor, you can turn something funny into your next humor article or story. Doing so could mean your next sale! Anyone can write humor, but it takes a bit of practice to “get it right.” Humor is
- [How to Make Yourself Write](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-make-yourself-write/) - There are as many reasons for block as there are writers attempting to overcome it. These are the primary obstacles: -Fear of judgment / self-doubt -Need for perfection -Exhaustion -Illness -Lack of ideas -Distractions -Temperature -Lack of inspiration -Lack of family support -Depression As a professional, I’ve experienced all of these but one: I’m blessed
- [Why I Sometimes Write for Free](https://fundsforwriters.com/why-i-sometimes-write-for-free/) - ‘Never write anything for free’ is an important mantra, and one I know Hope believes in very strongly. But in my experience there are times when writing for free can be worth it – so long as you are clear about your end goal. Take the world of short stories, creative nonfiction, and essays. There
- [Writing About Ourselves](https://fundsforwriters.com/writing-about-ourselves/) - When someone new thinks about becoming a freelance writer, they often start with writing about themselves. However, nothing paints a novice more than writing about themselves. Unless....they specialize in a niche area and can be considered an expert. When someone new wants to write a book-length project, they often start with a memoir. The problem
- [Resolved](https://fundsforwriters.com/resolved/) - People talk about hating resolutions yet they are jumping all over the question, "What word describes 2024 for you?" It's the same thing. And what have you accomplished in dropping one word? And look at the energy you wasted pondering which word to choose. Are you doing to wake up every morning, remember your word,
- [The Importance of Following Editors on Social Media](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-importance-of-following-editors-on-social-media/) - Have you got your eye on a publication, one that would be a great achievement if you could just break into it? You’ve submitted and submitted, but you’ve been rejected as many times. So many times, in fact, that you decided to put it on the back burner or even walk away altogether. because you
- [The Hows and Why of Cowriting](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-hows-and-why-of-cowriting/) - A byline doesn’t have to stay single forever. Cowriting happens when writers put their thoughts together for articles or stories. Here’s more about the hows and whys of cowriting with another person, and how to make it work on paper. Why Cowriting is Useful Cowriting means that writing responsibilities are split, and it can take
- [Only You Can Make Yourself Happy](https://fundsforwriters.com/only-you-can-make-yourself-happy/) - I read a site called Letters of Note that posts common letters from famous and uncommon people, and this week they posted one from Norman Lear who recently died at 101. He wrote and produced fantastic material way ahead of his time, dealing with the social mores of society and making it comical with a
- [The Most Common Question](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-most-common-question/) - The question asked most of me is: How do you organize your day to accomplish what you do? I probably never answer it the same any two times. There isn't an A-B-C or step-by-step response to that. However, I will try to list how I get things done and see if you can find some
- [What I Wish I'd Known Before Becoming a Ghostwriter](https://fundsforwriters.com/what-i-wish-id-known-before-becoming-a-ghostwriter/) - I was intrigued when I accepted a ghostwriting contract a couple of years ago, but instead of becoming Prince Harry's secret scribe, I learned the reality is much less glamorous. Lack of variety Most clients hired a ghostwriter because they weren't writers themselves or couldn't devote enough time. I’ve also worked with some authors whose
- [Tips from a Cold-Email Marketer for Your Submissions and Query Letters](https://fundsforwriters.com/tips-from-a-cold-email-marketer-for-your-submissions-and-query-letters/) - In my job I write emails on behalf of businesses to try and generate leads from other businesses. Here are some things I’ve learned that we could apply to writing query emails and subs… Make it easy for the recipient When emailing an editor or agent, remember the relationship is asymmetrical: the message matters far
- [Wrangling Complimentary Travel Writing Perks](https://fundsforwriters.com/wrangling-complimentary-travel-writing-perks/) - In the early days of my freelance travel writing career I realized how difficult it was to earn enough money to travel to all the places I wanted to visit. Magazine pay rates vary tremendously from as little as 10c/word to $1/word. Thus, travel perks became important to defray my travel costs. Travel writing perks
- [You Have to Love the Life](https://fundsforwriters.com/you-have-to-love-the-life/) - I recently read an essay by an author who earned out her $20,000 advance in two years, which is amazing. What does that mean? They paid her a $20,000 advance when the book was sold to a traditional press, which meant she received no royalties until her advance earned itself out with sales. She did
- [How to Presell Your Travel Stories](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-presell-your-travel-stories/) - My 17-year travel writing journey mantra is, "presell your travel stories before you visit your destination." Many travel writers go on trips without assignments. Then they're faced with the uphill grind of selling their ideas after they return. I'm always surprised at this random approach, because it's not good business. It's difficult to sell stories
- [How to Book Hollywood Talent for Interviews](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-book-hollywood-talent-for-interviews/) - By Orrin Konheim Considering I’ve devoted a significant portion of my life to writing about entertainment, I’m especially agog at the prospect of getting to meet a celebrity face-to-face (or on zoom or the telephone or whatever) and pepper them with questions. Even if I didn’t care about the cult of celebrity, interviewing a famous
- [What Does Being Findable Mean?](https://fundsforwriters.com/what-does-being-findable-mean/) - We put a lot of attention into being very visible through logos, brands, websites, and book covers. Rightfully so, to a point, because a bad first impression is pretty permanent, especially with all the competition out there. Introductions are important. We might want someone to be attracted to our bright lights and spin, but that
- [It Really Is That Simple](https://fundsforwriters.com/it-really-is-that-simple/) - It took me many years to give in to the idea that I was a writer, and a few more to discover the secret to my success. The first happened for me on an auspicious occasion: passing the hours beside my husband's hospital bed. He was on a respirator after a massive heart attack, and
- [Why You Need a Website/Social Media as a Freelancer](https://fundsforwriters.com/why-you-need-a-website-social-media-as-a-freelancer/) - A website shows who you are, where you've been, and what you offer to make someone's life sweeter. Many writers think that having published someplace validates them. Some think that promising the moon will entice someone to hire them. You've got to give them something to study about you, and without a website or a
- [Knowing When to Ditch a Client](https://fundsforwriters.com/knowing-when-to-ditch-a-client/) - Starting my freelance career writing for content mills instilled the mindset that I had to say yes to every job and put up with anything my clients threw at me. Now after three years, I see the benefits of saying no and the opportunities this can lead to. It was frightening at first, but here
- [Can't You Give Me a Chance?](https://fundsforwriters.com/cant-you-give-me-a-chance/) - Magazines use regular "contributing" writers for many reasons. They love having writers already on board who understand the needs of the readership and the publication.. To ask a publisher to give you a chance is to say you don't feel you are valuable enough to earn markets on your prowess. . . and it says
- [What Readers Don't See](https://fundsforwriters.com/what-readers-dont-see/) - When you write and publish, whether an article or a book, the reader wants to walk away from the reading with the knowledge they were educated or entertained thoroughly. The experience should be memorable. A lot of writers make the mistake of thinking that writing in quantity or just getting the grammar correct or just
- [Ace That Freelance Writing Virtual Interview](https://fundsforwriters.com/ace-that-freelance-writing-virtual-interview/) - Years ago, I was a freelance writer who had run the gamut regarding content mills. I was overworked, underpaid, and something in me kept saying that I deserved better. Working for $0.03 per word didn’t pay the bills. After hundreds of Google searches, I found the method to the madness was pretty easy. I had
- [Make a Promise and Keep It](https://fundsforwriters.com/make-a-promise-and-keep-it/) - As writers we make promises. We forget that sometimes. -We promise to write a great article that fits the readership, giving it our absolute best, delivering it on time. -We promise to write a solid book, published professionally. -We promise to spin a tale that entertains while tickling the intellect. -We promise to provide a
- [Data Analyzers: Using Facts to Sell Your Fiction](https://fundsforwriters.com/data-analyzers-using-facts-to-sell-your-fiction/) - by Angela Yuriko Smith As an author, having a marketing plan is essential to earning money from your books. It's not enough to rely on your perceptions, as this can lead to flimsy publishing plans that fall apart in the face of unforeseen events. Instead, you need to base your plans on data, specifically on
- [The Power of Personal](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-power-of-personal/) - A variety of skills are needed to earn a consistent income as a writer. Next to writing aptitude and business proficiency, relationship building rounds out the top three. In more than 30 years as freelance writer, I’ve grown to appreciate the power of personal. Building authentic, mutually-beneficial relationships with editors, business clients, and fellow writers
- [Waiting for That Rejection Letter](https://fundsforwriters.com/waiting-for-that-rejection-letter/) - I have yet to attend a writer's group of any kind without someone fussing about submitting and only hearing crickets in return. They'd prefer an acceptance, but if that's not in their cards, they want a rejection, and on top of that, they want to know why they were rejected. My questions then become: -
- [Work-Write Balance](https://fundsforwriters.com/work-write-balance/) - Writers make a living in different ways. I am lucky enough (and struggled hard enough) to have a job that includes writing: an anthropologist who works in academic research. And yet I found myself wanting to write more and differently, to be creative, to produce fiction and creative nonfiction in addition to peer-reviewed manuscripts describing
- [Your Real Voice...and AI](https://fundsforwriters.com/your-real-voice-and-ai/) - The world is grappling with adopting AI in all aspects of itself. We, of course, are concerned about it infiltrating our writing. All over the web, we see writers bragging about using AI to write better. They are claiming that putting their ideas into a program, and accepting what comes out, even tweaked, is their
- [The Old Writer](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-old-writer/) - I spoke to a library group this week, and one man stood out in the audience. I wish I'd gotten his name and contact information. He was 80 years old, a retired engineer, and he'd written creatively his entire life. He'd written many shorts, poetry, and five novels. He said his time was running out
- [The Accidental Columnist - How to Land a Regular Newspaper Gig](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-accidental-columnist-how-to-land-a-regular-newspaper-gig/) - The stability of a consistent paycheck eludes many freelance writers, but scribbling out a regular column in a local rag can help address this shortcoming and provide a fulfilling sense of community connectedness. It is also more attainable than you think. (Look at the amount of your local daily's content that is purchased from without.)
- [When Writing Becomes Content](https://fundsforwriters.com/when-writing-becomes-content/) - Modern writing often goes on the internet first, and isn’t just on the tactile, tangible page anymore. When writing becomes online content, the pitch is also about the characteristics of website reading - and not just about landing a good idea. Here’s how to pitch and write content for online markets. Working On Content Shared
- [Writing Humor](https://fundsforwriters.com/writing-humor/) - If you told any one in my family that I was funny, they'd laugh their heads off. I'm the one who cannot tell a joke, forgets punch lines, and has a delayed reaction to everyone else's humor. I have been known to cross the line and pull off humor in my novels, and I've made
- [On Critiquing Nicely](https://fundsforwriters.com/on-critiquing-nicely/) - Based on a couple of inquiries, I wanted to share my response about tricks on ways to critique. Once I finished replying, I realized I'd written an editorial. Never waste words, I say, so with a few touch ups, here is my take on how to critique someone else's work without stepping on toes. Realize
- [Black Hat Copywriting](https://fundsforwriters.com/black-hat-copywriting/) - Alarm bells went off when a copywriting agency asked me to write a testimonial about MyPillow, a product known for buying their reviews. Black hat copywriting is everywhere, and is meant to manipulate consumers (and swing search engines). Here’s why I left the job the moment I realized their game. What Is Black Hat Copywriting?
- [Uncle Sam Is My Most Lucrative Technical Writing Client](https://fundsforwriters.com/uncle-sam-is-my-most-lucrative-technical-writing-client/) - It was never my dream to become a technical writer for government. However, government clients like the Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and Montana State University have taught me a valuable skillset and provided me with steady bread and butter for seven years, allowing time for personal writing projects. You
- [Bookstore Readings from the Bookstore's Perspective](https://fundsforwriters.com/bookstore-readings-from-the-bookstores-perspective/) - What should I know about author readings and book signings from the point of view of bookstores? Glad you asked. From my fifteen years working at Op Cit Bookstore in Taos, NM, I’ve learned quite a bit, being an author myself. Formerly called Moby Dickens, the locally-owned and independent shop has been in business almost four decades.
- [How To Succeed In Interviewing](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-succeed-in-interviewing/) - Like most people who listen to interviews on TV channels or read them in print, I was diffident about interviewing people. However, studying a short and helpful module in a course called, “English for Journalism,” offered online by Pennsylvania University, equipped me with the needed skill and the confidence. The course made me realize I
- [Individualism](https://fundsforwriters.com/individualism/) - As some of you might be aware, back in June I was the writer-in-residence at a Maine writer's retreat. I had a ball there, no only helping others in their writing and promotion but also in having ample time to write for myself. Trust me, it's a challenge to have all day to write. One
- [AI Copywriting](https://fundsforwriters.com/ai-copywriting/) - An AI didn’t write this article, but a human did. Artificial intelligence is taking over the internet, and computers can create thousands of articles (in a single click). Let me reassure you: writers still have real jobs, and we’re all fine. Here’s why us human writers still maintain our grip on the industry. “No, Thanks.”
- [What Do You Advise New Writers?](https://fundsforwriters.com/what-do-you-advise-new-writers/) - Whenever I am interviewed in a podcast, phone interview, online for an article, or in person, invariably this question is asked: What advice do you have for new writers? I have several answers, and whichever pops into my head is the one I use. I'm not beiong sarcastic. I'm just saying there are so many,
- [Give Up](https://fundsforwriters.com/give-up/) - Whether you’re just beginning this journey toward publication or you’ve been on the road for what seems like forever, the last thing you want is yet another “don’t give up” speech. Maybe you’ve already grown weary of rejections and requests to revise, especially when those only result in yet another rejection. Only a few months
- [How Is It Normally Done?](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-is-it-normally-done/) - Oh, how often I receive this question. How is mystery normally done? How are people normally self-published? How does one normally pitch an agent? How do you normally start a freelance business? These questions fly in the face of being unique and striking out on your own to create a brand, especially in the creative
- [People Don't Care About Your Sweat and Blood](https://fundsforwriters.com/people-dont-care-about-your-sweat-and-blood/) - I witnessed a pouty meltdown by an author the other day on Facebook. Someone bashed her book. And instead of walking away, being quiet, or ignoring the remark, she took the challenge and replied to the person, then she went to her peeps on FB and replayed the situation, ripe with vitriol and frustration. "People
- [6 Online Resources to Help Get Your Screenplay Seen](https://fundsforwriters.com/6-online-resources-to-help-get-your-screenplay-seen/) - Hollywood is structured much like a kingdom. Celebrities are treated like royalty while agents and managers serve as their courtiers. Top-level producers, directors and writers make up the rest of the nobility, with varying strata of professionals below them, all the way down to the film student serfs struggling to survive on an internship. The
- [Cause and Effect](https://fundsforwriters.com/cause-and-effect/) - Cause Example: A writer doesn't accept a speaking engagement because it's too far away. Cause Example: A writer doesn't accept a signing gig because they are too nervous. Cause Example: A writer doesn't submit to a contest because they don't believe in entry fees. Cause Example: A writer doesn't go to a conference for fear of looking too
- [The Power of the Editor](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-power-of-the-editor/) - Forty years ago, while taking a college course in children's literature, I set out to write a children's book. But my career as an elementary school teacher interfered, and my publishing dreams evaporated. When I became a mother of a child with a disability, the next twenty years blurred the boundaries between order and chaos.
- [Snaring Freelance Pitches](https://fundsforwriters.com/snaring-freelance-pitches/) - "Keep it (pitches) short and sweet and to the point. Editors get hundreds of pitches every single day and if you can help them get to a "yes" fast, do it." ~Six-figure freelance writer Mandy Ellis, https://www.mandyellis.com/ Yes, the key is to write such a pitch as to make the editor sigh with relief at
- [From Budget Cuts, to Cutting Decks](https://fundsforwriters.com/from-budget-cuts-to-cutting-decks/) - Contract bridge is a four-player, dual-team card game. When I first wrote about bridge, most people didn’t get it yet - but this year, seeing a Family Guy skit about bridge, the references certainly appear to be more mainstream. Makes me smile, because writing in this niche for over seven years has held strong for
- [It Takes Courage](https://fundsforwriters.com/it-takes-courage/) - Creating art is heart-pounding and daring when you put it on display. Whether art, dance, or writing, to take what you've practiced long and hard to accomplish, takes intense courage to present it and make it subject to criticism and praise. “To create one's world in any of the arts takes courage.” – Georgia O'Keeffe
- [Timing Your Query, Article, or Essay Can Enhance Acceptance](https://fundsforwriters.com/timing-your-query-article-or-essay-can-enhance-acceptance/) - Pitching is an incredibly important part of freelance writing—as important perhaps as the writing itself. That being said, have you ever given thought to the timing of your query, article, or essay? Timing your query, article, or essay for a holiday, especially the big holidays such as Thanksgiving or Christmas, is a no-brainer. You submit
- [I Wrote This Book . . . Now What?](https://fundsforwriters.com/i-wrote-this-book-now-what/) - An individual wrote me asking this in pretty much these words. They had a children's book out, a month or more old and hadn't garnered a single review. They asked how to get reviews and how to get their book on a list that others would see. So many writers push to get a book
- [Where to Submit and Why...or Why Not](https://fundsforwriters.com/where-to-submit-and-why-or-why-not/) - I had a philosophical discussion with someone this week who didn't like the way a particular state they visited did certain things. I don't want to get into a political discussion here, so I'll keep it general. I also won't mention the state. I'm a rather live and let live type of person. I told
- [How to Navigate Writing About Loved Ones](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-navigate-writing-about-loved-ones/) - Being a writer is a personal decision; we choose to share our stories in order to be seen but what about the privacy of the other people involved? A couple of years ago I pitched a personal essay about my first Christmas in the UK with my partner and his family. It was a warm,
- [Inside an Independent Bookstore](https://fundsforwriters.com/inside-an-independent-bookstore/) - I’m a writer and author working at Op Cit (https://johndunnshops.com/project/op-cit-books/ ), a locally-owned, independent bookstore in Taos, New Mexico. They’re also in Santa Fe. Formerly called Moby Dickens, the Taos shop has been open almost four decades. My fifteen years of employment there has provided me with insights worth sharing. First, the sheer volume of books
- [Finding the Balance](https://fundsforwriters.com/finding-the-balance/) - I received an email from a frustrated reader this week. This excerpt pretty much sums it up: "I'm still doing medical and legal transcription (keystrokes for pennies) which leaves me unfulfilled and often angry about writing. I think this is what prompted me to reach out - your writing prompted by anger (see last week's newsletter).
- [Anger and Writing](https://fundsforwriters.com/anger-and-writing/) - When I am sad, mad, frustrated, or disenchanted with life, I usually do one of two things . . . write or go outside and absorb nature. Recently, since I'd spend the previous two days in nature planting a very large garden, I chose to go to the keyboard. I shut the door and wrote.
- [Corporate Blog Writing & How It’s Different](https://fundsforwriters.com/corporate-blog-writing-how-its-different/) - Corporate blog writing lets a writer step into the name of a company or brand, creating posts to promote or inform readers and entice possible customers. Corporate blogging isn’t sales copywriting, but instead content that keeps customers and readers coming back to a site or blog because they crave more. Here’s how corporate blog writing
- [You Look Like You Love What You Do](https://fundsforwriters.com/you-look-like-you-love-what-you-do/) - There isn't a better compliment on the planet than this. I was at a book signing, having just spoken to attendees about how I got to where I was with writing, and how I put some of my stories together. We got to the end, when folks bought books and came up to speak, and
- [Retreat to Teach What You Love & Draft a Book You Love](https://fundsforwriters.com/retreat-to-teach-what-you-love-draft-a-book-you-love/) - When my youngest of three children started kindergarten, I returned to teaching English at the community college after a ten-year hiatus. I became so disillusioned with problems in the classroom (students texting under desktops and aggressively asking me to alter their grades), I decided instead to teach adults who were in love with writing. I
- [For Free](https://fundsforwriters.com/for-free/) - I received an email from someone with CAPS and exclamation points about a FundsforWriters sponsor charging for her services. The promotion promised the customer would attend and walk away with a pitchable submission. The reader was upset the promoter neglected to say in that sentence you had to pay $20 per month for the experience.
- [Indexing, See also Freelance Work](https://fundsforwriters.com/indexing-see-also-freelance-work/) - An indispensable tool, the back-of-the-book index enables nonfiction readers to find information efficiently and quickly. Writing those indexes offers another income opportunity for freelancers. As a lover of nonfiction, I decided to add indexing to my freelance writing and copy-editing business. What better way to spend my time than going through a biography or how-to
- [On Book Banning](https://fundsforwriters.com/on-book-banning-2/) - I am so tired of book banning being designated a political tool. A Republican or Democratic thing. And I wish book banning wasn't painted with such a broad brush, as if banning a book applies to every venue across the nation, or in many cases, across a state. Book banning is a phrase now used
- [How to Win at Losing Writing Contests](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-win-at-losing-writing-contests/) - Winning a writing contest can be an affirmation that a writer is talented, but to those that write, enter, and lose, losing can be disheartening and make a writer question their ability and talent. Surprisingly, however, a losing entry can be a boost to your writing income, especially if you challenge yourself to enter contests
- [Pitching a Column for a Newspaper](https://fundsforwriters.com/pitching-a-column-for-a-newspaper/) - I've had two inquiries of late about how to pitch a column for a newspaper. Everyone wants to know the right way to approach an editor, and I offered several suggestions. 1) Offer a piece to the paper, stroking them that you felt this piece fit them exactly, and you wanted to contribute to your
- [How Parenthood Opens Writing Opportunities](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-parenthood-opens-writing-opportunities-2/) - I began my full-time writing career a few months before having my baby, and that new parental perspective helped provide the inspiration for many articles. I write nonfiction in the form of reported articles on everything from health to travel, but also more personal opinion pieces where I share my view on the world. As
- [More on AI](https://fundsforwriters.com/more-on-ai/) - Publishers are struggling to get ahead of AI, artificial intelligence, and its impact on what is being published and by whom. They want to continue publishing to be done BY WHOM not BY WHAT. I just ran across this post from Candlemark & Gleam, a publisher of speculative fiction, which gives you an idea of what
- [Turn Your Local History Into a Book](https://fundsforwriters.com/turn-your-local-history-into-a-book/) - “Hi, I’m Rod, where are you from?” Ok, I admit, it sounds like a cheesy one-liner, but seriously, where are you from? As authors, we are constantly seeking the next idea, the idea that might turn into a sellable book or article, the idea that just may put our names on the lips of readers
- [Do You Ever Read the Winners?](https://fundsforwriters.com/do-you-ever-read-the-winners/) - In my research for FundsforWriters, I was studying contests and grants. I don't often talk about the winners of these funds because that would take twice the size of the newsletter that's already pretty long, but a particular one had shown a snipper of one of the winners, and it drew me in. I wound
- [The Reality of a Writer's Retreat](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-reality-of-a-writers-retreat/) - I'm always posting fellowships, scholarships, and opportunities for writers to attend retreats. Some of them come with the responsibility of teaching, others require you take care of the property, maybe even the livestock. Some have you meeting in groups, collaborating on each other's material. Others throw you solo without internet connection out in the woods
- [Just Ask](https://fundsforwriters.com/just-ask/) - Sometimes you just have to ask. Conferences charge admission fees. Did you know that you can ask the conference leader if there are scholarships, fellowships, or co-op opportunities to have part or all fees covered? Sometimes they are income-related and other times you have to volunteer and work for the conference in exchange. They often
- [On Book Signings](https://fundsforwriters.com/on-book-signings/) - Not long ago, a local literacy group asked multiple authors to appear with their books and promote literacy. They met at a library. They announced it in a few places, but it had little success. The leader sent out an email to attendees and whomever else he knew in his literary community asking for advice
- [Chicken Soup for the Soul Success](https://fundsforwriters.com/chicken-soup-for-the-soul-success/) - We were two grandmas, and two authors in a coffee shop discussing writing. One of us multi-published, self-confident, the other convinced her first publication in a Chicken Soup for the Soul book was a fluke. "Why would anybody be interested in my ordinary life?” said the latter, “Nothing extraordinary has ever happened to me. I
- [Ageism](https://fundsforwriters.com/ageism/) - Last week I posted a brief editorial about mature writers still being relevant. If you are breathing, you are still able to write. Amazingly, writers came out of the woodwork thanking me for addressing that fact and respecting the senior writer. Some of them were close to giving up. Some were still going strong and
- [Selling Books at Libraries](https://fundsforwriters.com/selling-books-at-libraries/) - I enjoy visiting libraries. They have purpose, and they can give your book a lift in the community they are responsible for tending, literally. They definitely fill a need. When I appear at libraries, my preference is to make a presentation. I've visited libraries to teach how to write, how to publish, how to put
- [Using Your Career as a Blogging Tool](https://fundsforwriters.com/using-your-career-as-a-blogging-tool/) - Most writers have had or still work a full-time career. In our working years, we acquired knowledge for that job, and whether we retire or segue into full-time writing, we often think that information isn’t relevant any longer in our lives, but it is. Said experience could be beneficial for future writing income, especially when
- [Those Public Appearances](https://fundsforwriters.com/those-public-appearances/) - From a reader:
- [Too Old to Write?](https://fundsforwriters.com/too-old-to-write/) - Someone recently told me she was too old to try to write. I reminded her she was still breathing, which was all the reason she needed to put pen to paper. I get it. Sometimes we see technology over the writing. All the talk about AI, writing to SEO, white-papers on topics we do not
- [5 Ways to Make Your Self-Published Book as Professional as It Should Be](https://fundsforwriters.com/5-ways-to-make-your-self-published-book-as-professional-as-it-should-be/) - Why is it that some self-published books sell quite well and others don't? Marketing experts have studied this question for years, and many of them say the same thing: the professional quality of your book makes a difference, one that definitely affects sales. In other words, if you want your book to sell well, you
- [The Anthology Odyssey: Should You Join The Bandwagon?](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-anthology-odyssey-should-you-join-the-bandwagon/) - Looking for avenues to publish, authors search far and wide for any chance to do so. One method is by submitting a work to an anthology. Anthology genres cover the gamut in the writing world, giving authors more than a few opportunities. Of course, there are sharks and vanity presses aching for your business (and
- [Valuable Promotion: The Art of the Guest-Post](https://fundsforwriters.com/valuable-promotion-the-art-of-the-guest-post/) - Half the job of writing books is promoting them. There are many ways to promote a book, but book blogs have become increasingly influential to potential readers. One of the more visible and easier-to-break-into ways to promote a book with an influential book blogger is by guest posting on their site. And double score if
- [Five Steps to Take to Become a Freelance Writer](https://fundsforwriters.com/five-steps-to-take-to-become-a-freelance-writer/) - Eight years ago, I started writing after a break of more than a decade. I had last worked as a features writer for a thriving mid-sized newspaper. But so much had changed! Slowly, I began finding my way through the confusing maze that is freelance writing. Today, I have recurring writing assignments at several local and regional
- [Three Things I’ve Learned From Self-Publishing a Collaborative Christmas Novella Collection](https://fundsforwriters.com/three-things-ive-learned-from-self-publishing-a-collaborative-christmas-novella-collection/) - Last year, as the pandemic zapped the joy out of the holidays, four author friends and I joined forces to pour our energy into a positive project and keep our writing flowing. What started as a small side venture has now become a big, beautiful book filled with five novellas meant to lift spirits this
- [Book-themed Videos that Promote Sales](https://fundsforwriters.com/book-themed-videos-that-promote-sales/) - As a teacher, I know firsthand the value of using visuals to catch my students' attention and move them from the printed word to a higher level of engagement. Therefore, as I pondered ways to attract potential buyers of my debut novel, The Bottle House, it occurred to me that brief videos could interest and
- [What Did the Author Mean?](https://fundsforwriters.com/what-did-the-author-mean/) - I’ve put in so many enigmas and puzzles that it will keep the professors busy for centuries arguing over what I meant, and that’s the only way of insuring one’s immortality. ~James Joyce I grinned at this quote. Do you remember in English Lit class when the teacher spent days dissecting a novel on
- [The Blessings of a Writing Residency](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-blessings-of-a-writing-residency/) - How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. ~Annie Dillard This quote, from the FundsforWriters newsletter on November 26, 2021, reached me toward the end of a one-month writing residency. Dillard's words helped me understand why I had found my weeks at the residency so worthwhile: because this brief period of time
- [Case Study: Crowdfunding a Novel (Part 1 of 3)](https://fundsforwriters.com/case-study-crowdfunding-a-novel-part-1-of-3/) - 1: Getting started In this series of three articles, I’m going to look at how I crowdfunded my novel, Work in Progress, through Unbound’s unique crowdfunding model. I wrote my book with two pals, Martin and Alex. It was originally called Kitten on a Fatberg, and it tells the story of a group of eccentrics, aspiring writers
- [Case Study: Crowdfunding a Novel (Part 2 of 3)](https://fundsforwriters.com/case-study-crowdfunding-a-novel-part-2-of-3/) - (Read Parts 1 , 2 , and 3 of this 3-Part piece at FundsforWriters.com.) 2: Getting the orders in! After getting the book deal signed with Unbound, we now had to raise a five-figure sum in pre-orders to get our manuscript turned into a real book. One of the fun things Unbound does is teach you
- [Case Study: Crowdfunding a Novel (Part 3 of 3)](https://fundsforwriters.com/case-study-crowdfunding-a-novel-part-3-of-3/) - (Read Parts 1 and 2 of this three-part series online.) 3: Production and publication With the book hitting its crowdfunding target, it was time to look at production and publication. We had a fantastic copyeditor, Hayley, who carried out what Unbound called a developmental edit. She spotted lots of errors, some quite structural, and did
- [A Case of Charity](https://fundsforwriters.com/a-case-of-charity/) - We all know the benefits to donating our time and money: warm fuzzies, tax write-offs, the gratifying sense of purpose and general knowledge that we're helping others and making the world a better place. But in donating, when do we as writers sell ourselves short and where do we draw the line? When is charity
- [Ghostwriting Fiction on the Freelance Sites](https://fundsforwriters.com/10565-2/) - I freelance off and on as my schedule permits or my bank account demands. I usually use https://www.freelancer.com (lowest membership level), and https://www.upwork.com (free version) for budgetary reasons. Ghostwriting fiction has taken the lead as my favorite type of work. It has a lot of perks but there are things you should know if you
- [Middle Grade Voice for Adult Writers](https://fundsforwriters.com/middle-grade-voice-for-adult-writers/) - The middle grade market is blowing up and authors are scrambling to get their share of the pie. It's a big pie that seems to have room for everyone. As authors we draw a fine line between what kids deem fashionable reading and adults find cultivating, but how do you the author authentically write in
- [Memoirs and Creative Nonfiction – Do They Sell Better than Fiction?](https://fundsforwriters.com/memoirs-and-creative-nonfiction-do-they-sell-better-than-fiction/) - “You should write about your experiences growing up in a haunted house.” Those were my sister’s words. “You experienced the paranormal more than the rest of us.” She never believed I’d seen the ghost, yet, she saw the value in the story. While I pondered her words, I continued writing my other creative nonfiction –
- [Scrivener Puts Ten Sets of Eyes on a Book’s Structure](https://fundsforwriters.com/scrivener-puts-ten-sets-of-eyes-on-a-books-structure/) - We aren’t at the point—and I don’t want to reach it—where “miracle” AI software writes our stories for us, and we passively absorb them. Sure, AI can output all sorts of text from prompts and prodding, but the human touch remains essential in story shaping. But some writing software performs brawny labors to structure book-length
- [Artist-in-Residencies for Creative Folks](https://fundsforwriters.com/artist-in-residencies-for-creative-folks/) - Travel can be exhilarating, especially when we can give back to that location. In America, the United States National Park's Artist-In Residency (A-I-R) Program offers creative folks a chance to enrich the parks' interpretive programs. Artists of all persuasions - writers, painters, sculptors, photographers, fiber artists, musicians, composers, glass artists, woodworkers, book-makers and more -
- [Write Nonfiction Articles to Build an Audience for Your Fiction](https://fundsforwriters.com/write-nonfiction-articles-to-build-an-audience-for-your-fiction/) - The day my agent sold my newest novel for middle school readers, I sat down with a giant piece of paper and my daughter’s colored markers. I created a bubble graph of the topics and themes in the story and how I might explore them in nonfiction articles for newspapers and magazines. Though having been
- [Discovering Parenting Markets](https://fundsforwriters.com/discovering-parenting-markets/) - In my early forties, after working as a plumber for over twenty years, I changed careers and became a writer. I started out by writing what I knew – plumbing and home improvement articles. Before long I had established myself as a freelance writer, but I wasn't satisfied with writing about only plumbing. I wanted
- [Use Your Book as a Key to Greater Success](https://fundsforwriters.com/use-your-book-as-a-key-to-greater-success/) - Books don't make much money, but they do open doors. Even on the best of days, you can't make a living off a book. In today's publishing world you promote yourself and your book, while still making an income in other ways. But, a book, whether self-published or published by a traditional publisher, can give
- [How To Write About Money & Enjoy It](https://fundsforwriters.com/10992-2/) - Financial writing is a wide niche, and it's worth learning the ropes. I've written many features about finance and becoming more money wise; however, if you write about credit, cash, or cryptocurrency financial writing turns into a whole different world. Suddenly, it's not like copywriting in Kansas anymore.Here's how to approach financial writing and enjoy
- [Writing for Language Learners](https://fundsforwriters.com/writing-for-language-learners/) - Writers can spend years taking writing classes and attending conferences, and never land a book deal. Often the problem is that writers want to be published with one of the Big Five, and forget there are other ways of birthing a book. For instance, have you heard of graded readers? Graded readers are books to
- [Pink Stilettos in a Brown Boot World](https://fundsforwriters.com/pink-stilettos-in-a-brown-boot-world/) - A fellow writer sent her manuscript for me to critique. I'd published over a dozen stories for a particular outlet, and she wanted to see if she could get her story published with the same publisher. So, of course, I agreed to look over her work. The outlet that she hoped to write for had
- [How Parenthood Opens Writing Opportunities](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-parenthood-opens-writing-opportunities/) - I began my full-time writing career a few months before having my baby, and that new parental perspective helped provide the inspiration for many articles. I write nonfiction in the form of reported articles on everything from health to travel, but also more personal opinion pieces where I share my view on the world. As
- [AI](https://fundsforwriters.com/ai/) - What is AI? AI is artificial intelligence which simulates human intelligence processes by the use of computers or machines. Some argue it has great value in writing the mundane, like blog posts, ad copy, and such. The computer is fed a collection of writing which it uses to create a document. I was recently in
- [Finding "That" Source](https://fundsforwriters.com/finding-that-source/) - Being a writer isn't easy. One of the most common challenges is “that” elusive source or interview: the one that you (or an editor) relies on to make a piece solid. It's usually the most difficult one to find. “That” source can be famous or high-level, though can also be someone with outdated contact information.
- [Be Careful on Social Media](https://fundsforwriters.com/be-careful-on-social-media/) - This week I was scrolling through social media, stalling before writing another chapter in my book, and ran across someone asking how in the world self-published people put out such bad covers. That launched a flurry of their people echoing in agreement. My response was: Who cares? Not my place to tell someone how to
- [Fear of Failure](https://fundsforwriters.com/fear-of-failure/) - Not long ago I was on a Zoom meeting of writers. We spoke of recommended how-to books, how AI is impacting writing and whether or not we've used it, and then show-don't-tell. When it came time to brag about our individual successes, one writer spoke of how she had talked of writing, read of writing,
- [Setting is Money](https://fundsforwriters.com/setting-is-money/) - All of my books use real settings in the state of South Carolina. I can honestly say that the locations have done more to sell my books than anything else. SC settings like Edisto Island, Charleston, Chapin, Pelion, Walterboro, and Newberry can be found in my stories. Readers say, hey, I've been there, and they
- [Pitching with Efficiency](https://fundsforwriters.com/pitching-with-efficiency/) - When you discover you have the means to freelance, it becomes a blessing and a curse. On the upside, you have the ability to take the thoughts that go through your head and convert them into bylines and money. On the other hand, you feel like an overloaded dishwasher. With so many ideas you scramble
- [Writing Memoir](https://fundsforwriters.com/writing-memoir/) - About this time of year we take measure of who we are, what we've accomplished, and what we've overcome. Then we often ponder where to take things from here. Many of us interpret those feelings as yearning for a memoir. We like to feel that what we experience is so profound that it needs to
- [Still Searching for an Agent? Here Are More Options](https://fundsforwriters.com/still-searching-for-an-agent-here-are-more-options/) - If you are a self-publishing author who is breaking even and beyond, and you enjoy marketing and selling your work directly to your readers, then a literary agent may not be the proper route for you. But if you seek to publish your books via the traditional tract—meaning a publisher that will equip you with
- [Red Flags for Online Sites Offering Writer Services](https://fundsforwriters.com/red-flags-for-online-sites-offering-writer-services/) - A gentleman wrote to me asking if he could write a feature piece for FundsforWriters about a site that took his money and didn't follow through with the promised service. I try not to do that. I don't mind warning about the characteristics of such sites, but I back away from calling a business out
- [Diversify Your Writing Skills to Earn More](https://fundsforwriters.com/diversify-your-writing-skills-to-earn-more/) - A market I come across states it wants poetry, so I sort through my collection of unpublished poems and find one or two to submit. The same goes when I see markets requesting essays or short stories; I usually have one matching their need. Opportunities for more sales await the writer who writes a variety
- [How Do You Write About Your Life?](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-do-you-write-about-your-life/) - Each week someone (or several someones) writes me with something similar to the following: "I want to write about my life. It is very colorful and . . ." That color consists of abuse, drugs, alcohol, homelessness, bad marriages, adoption, traveling, rags to riches . . . you get the idea. Someone has overcome an
- [Why Nobody Can Tell You When or How to Write](https://fundsforwriters.com/why-nobody-can-tell-you-when-or-how-to-write/) - A few weeks ago, I mentioned one of the questions I am often asked, one that I feel uncomfortable talking about. "What advice would you give another writer?" Similar questions in that arena are: 1) How do you avoid writer's block? 2) Where do you get your ideas? 3) Don't you run out of ideas?
- [Editorial Review Writing](https://fundsforwriters.com/editorial-review-writing/) - A key piece in the book promotion puzzle for authors/publishers is obtaining editorial reviews from an authoritative source such as a newspaper, magazine, or website. Freelancers often write these editorial reviews, oftentimes as a labor of love (i.e., a volunteer gig). However, if the review site charges authors/publishers for reviews, it most likely pays freelance
- [Turning Local Into Writing Opportunity](https://fundsforwriters.com/turning-local-into-writing-opportunity/) - Ten years ago, my husband and I moved from Massachusetts to North Carolina for a job he’d been offered. I’d always worked in publishing (for national trade magazines) and found work writing and editing for local lifestyle magazines in the area, but it was difficult to gain a sense of community in a brand-new city
- [Writing Book Reviews](https://fundsforwriters.com/writing-book-reviews/) - Many book aficionados write reviews. That's great. However, if you are interested in writing reviews for publication or payment, you might consider how to formally write a review. In my own search for guidance, I came across this site that actually offers templates to escort you through the process. And another site that has more book review
- [You Won't Like Some Markets](https://fundsforwriters.com/you-wont-like-some-markets/) - And when you see those markets that do not fit your preference, pass them by. Here at FundsforWriters, we've had writers fuss, comment, opine to us about what we post and why we post it. There have been the Catholics who think we favor Jews . . . and Jews who think we hate them.
- [How to Better Manage Your Time Off as a Working Writer](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-better-manage-your-time-off-as-a-working-writer/) - With the beautiful fall weather fast approaching and the holidays after that, you may be taking time off of your writing business. Try the following tips to make the shift easier to manage. 1. Plan Ahead of Time Calendar in the days you will be gone and then work backward. What has to be done
- [Why Novelists Ought to Write More Than Novels](https://fundsforwriters.com/why-novelists-ought-to-write-more-than-novels/) - Novelists dream of becoming full-time writers, when the truth is being able to support yourself with book-length fiction is quite difficult. I make more than I ever have with my novels, but I still freelance to make the writing income I desire. There is a reason that FundsforWriters posts Contests, Grants, Markets, and Publishers. I firmly believe
- [Take a Risk: Submit to a Questionable Market](https://fundsforwriters.com/take-a-risk-submit-to-a-questionable-market/) - I’ve always enjoyed writing stories about family experiences, experiences so memorable that no matter how much time passed, my mind goes back to them. However, not being targeted for a specific market before I wrote them, they were hard-sells. For example, I wrote a short essay about taking my 12-year-old granddaughter hunting on a family
- [The No-Resume Resume for Writers](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-no-resume-resume-for-writers/) - Despite having actively worked as a freelance writer for over a decade, I confess my resume looks far more horrible than my college guidance counselor would like. My work history over the past decade has been akin to a hodgepodge of paint splatterings; only, I didn’t have the foresight of a Jackson Pollock to weave
- [Pros and Cons of Small Presses](https://fundsforwriters.com/pros-and-cons-of-small-presses/) - My books are published with a small press with three imprints under their umbrella. They are recognized by the major writers' organizations as a very credible press, with the one most important to me being the Mystery Writers of America. And before you ask who, just know that they are not taking on new authors
- [Oh, The Places You'll Go (Without An Agent)](https://fundsforwriters.com/oh-the-places-youll-go-without-an-agent/) - Literary agents have an important role to play, but the agent route is not for every writer. As I look back on over a decade of work as a lone writer and journalist, there's a fair amount of advice about how I've managed without one. Here's how to steer your literary career forward (without an
- [The Future of Publishing](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-future-of-publishing/) - I know, I know. How many times do we see this in blog posts? I usually delete them as if they carried COVID, but between Jane Friedman's post in The Hot Sheet (subscription only ) and Penny Sansevieri's in A Marketing Expert, I figured it time to say something about the direction the publishing industry is leaning. I
- [Keep Writing, Keep Submitting and Keep Earning!](https://fundsforwriters.com/keep-writing-keep-submitting-and-keep-earning/) - Most writers want to know if there is a magic formula to getting published in any capacity, and most published writers will tell you that there isn't one. The only way to get published is to continuously send your work out there. The trick is to figure out the "continuous" part. As a working writer,
- [When There's Too Much How-To Info](https://fundsforwriters.com/when-theres-too-much-how-to-info-2/) - Most authors and writers, we're talking both in this piece, think that pitching is a 12-month, year-round activity when it is not. Whether talking contests, book publishers, or magazines, there is a bit of a science in the process, and if you want to improve your odds in this profession known for its high odds,
- [How to Conduct an Interview Journalistically](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-conduct-an-interview-journalistically/) - While a journalistic interview seems like a chummy experience at first glance, it can often be a complicated dance. The interviewer has to build rapport and keep the subject engaged in conversation while also keeping in mind that the person you are talking to isn't your customer or boss. As someone who has worked most
- [Reflection on a Writer's Birthday](https://fundsforwriters.com/reflection-on-a-writers-birthday/) - Tomorrow is my birthday. I'm in my sixth decade, and as I sit here at the computer wondering how to define this point in my life, I realize I'm okay with it all. First of all, I have family. My heart goes out to those missing theirs, and I see on Facebook several of my
- [The Bad Side vs. the Good Side in Your Story](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-bad-side-vs-the-good-side-in-your-story/) - Call them bad guys or villains or antagonists, you need them in just about every genre that exists if you want an interesting story. Even nonfiction merits an opposition. For a story to capture readers, it needs adversity. And the bad side has to be every bit as devoted to winning as the good side,
- [Preparing for Computer Problems as a Writer](https://fundsforwriters.com/preparing-for-computer-problems-as-a-writer/) - At some point, every writer loses an important file. If you're lucky, it will be only one file. However, if your computer dies, gets hacked, or falls from a great height, you want to make sure you don't lose your life's work. The first time I had a computer die on me, the computer repair
- [When There's Too Much How-To Info](https://fundsforwriters.com/when-theres-too-much-how-to-info/) - I received this email from a new FundsforWriters reader. I have paraphrased it a little bit to avoid showing her history.
- [When Nobody is Watching](https://fundsforwriters.com/when-nobody-is-watching/) - You know the song. The one with the lyric, "Dance like nobody's watching." You get the meaning. Let yourself be the real you. You know how you are in the car, alone, when the perfect song you sang to in high school comes on the radio. You belt it out, maybe even attempting harmony. But
- [How to Break Into Travel Writing Without Traveling](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-break-into-travel-writing-without-traveling/) - This may come as a surprise, but you don't have to travel to become a travel writer. Almost everybody lives in or near a town or city that has some points of interest for others. If you've lived in your area for a long time, you probably know a lot about its various attractions. That
- [When You Forget Why You Started](https://fundsforwriters.com/when-you-forget-why-you-started/) - "When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure." - British economist Charles Goodhart (Goodhart's law) This quote says that basically, when you set a goal, and you become hard focused in meeting that goal, you can easily forget what drove you to set the goal in the first place. The measure,
- [1,000 Fans](https://fundsforwriters.com/1000-fans-2/) - The Web abounds with writers who ponder how to develop that proverbial network that's supposed to represent their 1,000 true fans...those fans who are supposed to make growth possible. Those fans who want anything we have to offer, and tell others about it. In case you are not familiar with the concept, read these articles.
- [Contest Fees](https://fundsforwriters.com/contest-fees/) - Someone recently emailed me, upset that a book contest charged a $70 entry fee. The first prize was a strong four figures, and I knew the credibility of the sponsor. Therefore, I had no problem posting the contest. The complainer called the contest predatory and told me not to respond to their complaint. Apparently they
- [Defining Niches in Freelance Work](https://fundsforwriters.com/defining-niches-in-freelance-work/) - When I started freelancing, I was a pure writing whore. I'd write anything for anyone for almost any price. It's what most writers do. Their brain says get paid to write with little thought given to branding the career. Defining your specialty, choosing your niche(s), at first blush feels like setting limitations on potential work. What if
- [Embracing Uncertainty](https://fundsforwriters.com/embracing-uncertainty/) - Storyteller and mythologist Martin Shaw is as much a philosopher as anyone I've read. He's Irish and steeped in that history of storytelling, which if you've read such stories, know they are quite rich in lesson. In a recent post of his in Emergence Magazine, he spoke of embracing mystery, which could be interpreted in embracing uncertainty
- [Reviews](https://fundsforwriters.com/reviews/) - Recently, one of the many groups I follow asked all of its members to join a review group for the summer. The goal was to review each others books, because it's so difficult to get book reviews. For every review you received you owed a review. All you had to do was list your name,
- [Amidst This Storm...](https://fundsforwriters.com/amidst-this-storm/) - People are so uncomfortable these days about anything subject to opinion. With just me stating that people are opinionated these days, will most likely result in emails asking me to define what my true intentions were in even saying so. That's how sensitive people are. These days, we are afraid to write what's in our
- [Practicing What You Preach and Being Quiet About It](https://fundsforwriters.com/practicing-what-you-preach-and-being-quiet-about-it/) - Social media tattles on writers. I'm always dumbfounded when new writers fuss in writers groups and on personal pages about things like: 1) I'm sick of people not understanding how hard it is to write a book. 2) I gave away ten books and got one review. That's theft. 3) Nobody is buying my poetry
- [On Memoir](https://fundsforwriters.com/on-memoir/) - A recent letter from a fan friend prompted me to share how important memoir is. And this might give you an idea on how to start a project in your own community, paid or otherwise. Dear Hope, I totally concur with you that you never know just how much putting one's thoughts on paper means.
- [Authors: Appearance Etiquette](https://fundsforwriters.com/authors-appearance-etiquette/) - There are reasons you make presentations as an author, and they widely vary. This year, my appearances took place for the following purposes: 1) To discuss a particular book after the audience has read it., usually the newest release Edisto Heat, 2) To talk about how I became an author . . . my writer's journey,
- [Art is First and Foremost About the Art, Not the Artist](https://fundsforwriters.com/art-is-first-and-foremost-about-the-art-not-the-artist/) - Regardless how famous an artist is, they started as an unknown. It took writing several REALLY GOOD if not GREAT stories to gain traction. Then and only then did the public want to know who the author is. The public wants the picture and the story first and foremost. Only if they are attracted to
- [Joining the WGA: What Does It Mean and Is It Worth It?](https://fundsforwriters.com/joining-the-wga-what-does-it-mean-and-is-it-worth-it/) - Flourishing as a film and television writer today is as challenging as ever, especially in an age when online screenwriting “masterclasses,” open-source software, and direct-to-buyer email queries have broadened industry access to millions. As such, producers and agents need to be more discerning than ever when wading through material. How do they separate the pros
- [Bios: The Subtle Art of Bragging](https://fundsforwriters.com/bios-the-subtle-art-of-bragging/) - When submitting your writing to a magazine or publisher, expect to include a short biography along with your pitch or query. While it should not matter as much as the quality of your writing, you want to make sure that your “bio” does not turn them off from the start. Even if you sometimes suffer
- [Living the Dream and Smalltown News](https://fundsforwriters.com/living-the-dream-and-smalltown-news/) - As little girl, I wrote stories. I wrote fiction, silly songs, and bad poetry. In the 1980s, at a friends’ birthday sleepover, when camcorders were all the rage, the mother of the birthday girl pointed the camera at me and asked my nine-year-old self what I wanted to be. “A writer,” I said. “Oh, you
- [When a Page a Day is Too Much](https://fundsforwriters.com/when-a-page-a-day-is-too-much/) - "Write a page a day and in one year you'll have written a book," they say. I've heard this piece of wisdom many times by many people to the point it can’t be attributed to anyone. I've even been known to share it myself, because it makes such simple sense. If you write alongside a
- [The Journey to Gonzo Journalism](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-journey-to-gonzo-journalism/) - Gonzo journalism is a nonfiction style made famous by authors like Tom Wolfe and Hunter S. Thompson. Chaotic and crazed, Gonzo puts the journalist in the middle of their feature. Gonzo journalism uses facts, but also embraces emotion and first-hand experience. Here’s how I found my way to Gonzo journalism, and what can happen when
- [Sometimes Just Ask](https://fundsforwriters.com/sometimes-just-ask/) - As an aside, my Facebook page is where you'll see a lot me, find review requests (which means free books), hear opinions, and experience giveaways. I'm limited to 5,000 friends, and yes, I consider them friends. I hit the 5,000 mark often and have to spend crazy time getting rid of the odd closed accounts here and
- [What Makes Readers Pay Full Price for a Book?](https://fundsforwriters.com/what-makes-readers-pay-full-price-for-a-book/) - On a whim, and since I have a book coming out this week, I asked this question on Facebook: List the top three conditions required for you to buy a book at full retail price. It didn't take long for 250+ commenters to come forward with 426 replies. The trends popped up early and maintained
- [Journals, Blogs, and Word Robbers](https://fundsforwriters.com/journals-blogs-and-word-robbers/) - Part of every day, I scan newsletters, reference sites, suggestions, and requests to post markets, contests, grants, and freelance gigs in FundsforWriters. One would think that the title FUNDS FOR WRITERS would ring a bell to most, but amazingly, some do not grasp the concept that we ONLY consider opportunities that pay. In my humble opinion,
- [The Story Isn't Always a Book](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-story-isnt-always-a-book/) - In the summer of 2021, as COVID slowed, I found myself with spare time, so on a whim I started a cancer memoir. In addition to the writing, I awoke one night, husband snoring beside me, with an original concept on how to structure the book. Lesson #1: When the spirit moves you, record your
- [To Avoid Going Insane](https://fundsforwriters.com/to-avoid-going-insane/) - "Man is born as a freak of nature, being within nature and yet transcending it....The human being would indeed go mad if he did not find a frame of reference which permitted him to feel at home in the world in some form and to escape the experience of utter helplessness, disorientation, and uprootedness. There
- [Joining a Chamber of Commerce](https://fundsforwriters.com/joining-a-chamber-of-commerce/) - I joined the Chapin Chamber of Commerce this week. I used to belong to it, but they weren't very receptive to folks who worked from home and had no brick and mortar storefront. Very old school. Well, four years later, two years of COVID later, and two chamber CEO's later, they are welcoming everyone with
- [A Recent Book Signing](https://fundsforwriters.com/a-recent-book-signing/) - A small local coffee shop advertised an author signing. Since I had to be in the area, I attended, to make a fellow author feel better. Having sat in that chair and been through that stress, I vowed to buy a book, regardless how good or bad it was. After all, it takes guts to
- [A Solid System for Getting Paid Always and On Time](https://fundsforwriters.com/a-solid-system-for-getting-paid-always-and-on-time/) - Recently, the president of Freelancers Union said that one of the biggest challenges for freelancers is "getting paid on time, if not getting paid at all," noting that the majority of freelancers get stiffed by their clients from time to time! That was me once, but let's cut to the happy ending because I don't
- [Serialized Fiction](https://fundsforwriters.com/serialized-fiction/) - Serialized fiction is a story told in parts and unveiled in installments over a period of time. Think of a television show where a new episode is released each week, just instead with a story and a new chapter published each week. This concept has been around for nearly two centuries. Charles Dickens kicked off
- [Catching](https://fundsforwriters.com/catching/) - I can't teach you a surefire way to earn money as a writer, but I can offer you hope, assuming you're willing to work hard and put yourself out there. This is my story. The income that accompanies my journey starts at zero, goes up to $150,000 at its peak, and then back to zero
- [The Simple Why of Writing](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-simple-why-of-writing/) - Some of us are more logical in our writing, the thrill of publishing sitting on our shoulder like the devil, pushing us to make the words earn their keep. Others of us are more spiritual, the joy of creating our only drive, with publishing not a worry. The grand majority of us fall on the
- [Finding New Content for Your Website](https://fundsforwriters.com/finding-new-content-for-your-website/) - How many times have you visited a website only to discover it had not been updated in six months or even a year? How is a reader supposed to know you’re still writing if you don’t refresh your pages now and again? The mere existence of a website doesn’t cut the mustard with an eager
- [No Teaching is 100% Right for You](https://fundsforwriters.com/no-teaching-is-100-right-for-you/) - The number of classes, appearances, books, and podcasts for writers boggles the mind. It almost feels like teaching writers makes more money than actually doing it. Out of curiosity, I briefly study most of those opportunities that come across my desktop, and, believe me, I'm on a lot of mailing lists. If they appear interesting,
- [How Much to Charge](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-much-to-charge/) - You may not realize it, but I wrote the chapter "How Much Should I Charge?" in the 2022 Writer's Market this year. It was a humongous assignment, and until I did the research, I didn't realize how much had changed in the last five years as well as mid- and post-COVID. Freelancers are very much alive and
- [Finish, for God's Sake](https://fundsforwriters.com/finish-for-gods-sake/) - Steven Pressfield (the author of The War of Art) speaks about the difficulty of pushing through and reaching THE END of whatever you are writing. It could be a poetry chapbook. It could be a memoir. It could be fiction of any genre or any word count. It could be a how-to on cabinetmaking or a children's picture
- [Take Some Eggs Out of the Basket](https://fundsforwriters.com/take-some-eggs-out-of-the-basket/) - As writers, we tend to carve out a niche for ourselves and stick to writing what we know best. We get comfortable writing in our genre. It fits us much like a pair of old pajamas. Even if the money isn’t coming in like we’d hoped, we don’t want to take those flannel pants off,
- [Sometimes It's Not About You](https://fundsforwriters.com/sometimes-its-not-about-you/) - I just saw another crowdfunding campaign where the author is asking for money to be able to do what they love to do...write. These types of campaigns are usually not successful, and this is why: 1) Everyone has a dream. Why should the world pay for your dream? 2) A lot of people, millions as
- [Add Small Business Clients to Your Freelance Portfolio](https://fundsforwriters.com/add-small-business-clients-to-your-freelance-portfolio/) - There are almost 31 million small businesses in the United States, and a freelance writer who understands how to serve and communicate with small businesses—and their special needs and restrictions—can open up a whole new world of opportunities, relationships, and steady income. As a small business owner, advocate, and consultant, someone who has worked on
- [Are You Writing for Art or Money](https://fundsforwriters.com/are-you-writing-for-art-or-money/) - Most of you will say both, but that is not true. You may not even realize it's not true. Truth is, we all start writing with a purpose in mind. . . to either make money writing, or to have our work loved. And whether you admit it or not, you favor one mindset over
- [Direct Access Pitching for Screenwriters](https://fundsforwriters.com/direct-access-pitching-for-screenwriters/) - Access to TV/film producers and directors has never been easier through direct access pitching. It is made possible through a variety of online venues (below) that have sprouted up over the years in an effort to bridge the gap between screenwriter and TV/film decision-makers, with the prospect of getting it produced. While traditionally securing a
- [Industry Facts to Consider When Writing a Book](https://fundsforwriters.com/industry-facts-to-consider-when-writing-a-book/) - The publishing industry is never going to settle into a norm. Frankly, it never has, it's just we, as members of different generations, enter the business at different times, with different books, in different genres, with different styles of publishing, and with different concepts of marketing, and as a result we establish our own sense
- [The Three-Pronged Approach To Getting Paid Projects](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-three-pronged-approach-to-getting-paid-projects/) - It's difficult providing estimates and proposals for creative writing services. As writers, we often sound vague when walking the client through the scope of our writing work. It seems sketchy to tell them that we curate, create, collate, read, mull over, write, rewrite a million times, edit vigorously and then only reluctantly submit. While reality
- [The Value of Your Time](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-value-of-your-time/) - Work every day. No matter what has happened the day or night before, get up and bite on the nail. ~Ernest Hemingway For months, maybe years, you write on a project. Then you publish it. We won't get into the pros and cons of self-publishing versus traditional, but let's just say you have some say-so
- [The Art of the Upsell: How to Land Five-Figure Freelance Writing Contracts](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-art-of-the-upsell-how-to-land-five-figure-freelance-writing-contracts/) - Your freelance writing business works well offering one-off services and monthly retainers, but your earnings haven't changed. Of the many techniques I've used in my business, the best results came from adding a few additional lines to my proposals. This effortless technique is what I call the art of the upsell. 1—The Deadline Upsell
- [Make Yourself Worth Reading](https://fundsforwriters.com/make-yourself-worth-reading/) - I received a LinkedIn notification of a book release, from a man I respect. The premise was intelligent, and I perceived the plot to be in-depth and a challenge, which thoroughly tempted me. The problem was: 1. About six other authors I already read have books out. Some were released the end of 2021, some just
- [On Book Banning](https://fundsforwriters.com/on-book-banning/) - “Having the freedom to read and the freedom to choose is one of the best gifts my parents ever gave me.” ― Judy Blume, bestselling children's author Book banning is back in vogue. I don't care which politics people adhere to or whether or not they have children, but I am not fond of book banning.
- [Planning for When You're Gone](https://fundsforwriters.com/planning-for-when-youre-gone/) - Earlier this year I lost another family member. At the funeral, I caught myself giving more attention to the impact this person had on other people, and how it's not about how they died but how they lived. Yeah, maybe trite and cliché, but the shift from mourning to celebration mattered to me. To pine
- [Your First Book May Not Be the One to Publish](https://fundsforwriters.com/10078-2/) - The point is to learn how to write anything book-length, and the first one you write, actually reaching THE END, may need to be your trial run. You really need to see if you can do this first, and that book, with all its warts and scabs, could show more of your flaws that you
- [One Door Closes, Another Door Opens](https://fundsforwriters.com/one-door-closes-another-door-opens/) - “Sorry, but we’re in crisis mode over here. Everything nonessential is getting cut. But call us when this COVID thing is over.” Just like that, my two-year university contract doing international education strategy development vanished. Worse still, my consulting business appeared to be sliding straight toward a cliff. Higher education was on the skids, and
- [Taking Virtual Events from Sucky to Success](https://fundsforwriters.com/taking-virtual-events-from-sucky-to-success/) - After enduring 21 Covid months cringing through virtual events, the experience boils down into a secret sauce for going pro when going on camera. Shifting a virtual event from the level of suck to success is a skill every author needs since virtual connections increase opportunities for professional exposure and more book sales. Seven easy
- [Kickstart Your Writing Career with Corporate Know-How](https://fundsforwriters.com/kickstart-your-writing-career-with-corporate-know-how/) - When I started my writing career, I maintained my corporate job, which offered me the stability I needed after surviving leukemia and the respite of part-time work during my long convalescence. I took a very business-like approach to jumpstart my writing life. Find feedback fast Corporations invest in intensive employee feedback to help people grow
- [On Being Unique](https://fundsforwriters.com/on-being-unique/) - The more someone else can write your piece, the less valuable it is. I receive many submissions for FundsforWriters, and the majority of them can be written by almost anyone. How to write for parenting magazines, how to schedule your writing day, what makes for a successful writer. The advice could be copied and pasted from
- [Expand Your Income Stream Writing Memoirs and Legacy Books](https://fundsforwriters.com/expand-your-income-stream-writing-memoirs-and-legacy-books/) - Memoirs and legacy books have never been more popular. It is natural to want to memorialize oneself, to create a written portrait of one's life to pass down to children and grandchildren, or to publish one’s story as a lesson from which others can learn. However, not everyone who wishes to tell their personal story
- [Paying It Forward](https://fundsforwriters.com/paying-it-forward/) - It's a familiar feeling for the writer. Once he or she has finished a manuscript, essay or book of poems there is a sigh of relief and a feeling of satisfaction for a job well done. The writer puts the work aside for a bit, then takes it out again and starts the editing process.
- [FundsforWriters Made My Dream Come True](https://fundsforwriters.com/fundsforwriters-made-my-dream-come-true/) - As a published author, I always look forward to reading FundsforWriters. Not only does it deliver C. Hope Clark’s fun updates about all things books (and life!), it provides incredibly useful news about literary grants, job opportunities, industry insights, and writing retreats. Last year, the newsletter mentioned the Pat Conroy Literary Center’s Writer’s Residency in
- [The Eve of Something Special](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-eve-of-something-special/) - I like to think of Christmas Eve and New Years Eve as the forecast, the brink of something forthcoming instead of the end of the year. We stand on the cusp of better and brighter living. Of more hope. Of more adventure. There are those of us who have suffered loss, and I wish you
- [The Joy of Writing Local](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-joy-of-writing-local/) - I have been a newspaper and magazine feature writer for decades. I've worked from big cities and smaller markets, both in the U.S. and in Europe. I have (on occasion) spoken on national TV about the stories I've written and had my pieces picked up by wire services and reprinted across the country. I'm here
- [Are You Working on a Book?](https://fundsforwriters.com/are-you-working-on-a-book/) - That question comes to me at every event I appear at. Especially once a book comes out, like of late with the release of Murdered in Craven and Burned in Craven. The non-writer thinks that I finished the latest book just a week or two ago, and then someone put it on Amazon for me, sending me copies
- [Three Ways to Ace Your Pitch](https://fundsforwriters.com/three-ways-to-ace-your-pitch/) - In 2020, I wrote a personal essay that I just couldn't get published. The worst part was that I couldn't figure out why. My essay had, as far as I could tell, all the hallmarks of a publishable piece. It told a unique story (about my first same-sex crush at 25, an age when I
- [Marketing to Build and Maintain an Income Stream](https://fundsforwriters.com/marketing-to-build-and-maintain-an-income-stream/) - It doesn’t matter if you’re a freelance journalist, corporate ghostwriter, romance novelist, or free-verse poet, to build and maintain an income stream from your writing, you must proactively market your brand or service. The tools for doing so are always evolving. Twenty years ago, the key advice was to maintain a website and mailing list.
- [Journaling](https://fundsforwriters.com/journaling/) - I tremendously admire people who regularly journal, and those who have journaled since they were young amaze me most of all. I love journaling, but I do not do it. At lest not often. I think a lot depends on how you want to use journaling, or why you feel the need to journal. I,
- [Asking for Feedback You Don't Really Want](https://fundsforwriters.com/asking-for-feedback-you-dont-really-want/) - A writer recently asked me to review her memoir. She'd been through an incredible journey in her life, and I had to admit the experience amazed me. She'd already tried self-publishing a few years ago and had gotten scammed by an editor before also learning that not all self-publishers are created equal. A mutual friend
- [Nobody Steals Your Work](https://fundsforwriters.com/nobody-steals-your-work/) - Just a week ago, I met a young woman attempting to complete a novel. She was in a writer's group, but leery of who was reading her work, fearful of someone stealing her work . . . and her idea. I explained to her that very few people have the guts to steal someone's work
- [The Whole of Who We Are](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-whole-of-who-we-are/) - "We are born without choosing to, to parents we haven’t chosen, into bodies and borders we haven’t chosen, to exist in a region of spacetime we haven’t chosen for a duration we don’t choose. As physicists know, we don’t choose the particular atoms that constellate our particular selves or the neural configurations that fire our
- [Sharpen Your Business Skills as a Freelance Writer](https://fundsforwriters.com/sharpen-your-business-skills-as-a-freelance-writer/) - As writers it is not enough to write well. It is just as important to sharpen your business and communication skills in preparation to conduct confident, intelligent, and unemotional conversations with potential clients. Especially when they counter you and disagree. As a Communications Specialist in a corporate role, I was supremely confident of my writing/editing
- [There's Room for You](https://fundsforwriters.com/theres-room-for-you/) - A market can get glutted with providers, especially authors, a complaint that's been around for over a decade. However, there's always room for the exceptional author. The exceptional author is exceptional in their pursuit of being exceptional. They dissect grammar, voraciously read and analyze the gifted writer, and aim for the best story. They do
- [Your Best Writing is Lonely Writing](https://fundsforwriters.com/your-best-writing-is-lonely-writing/) - "Writing is a lonely occupation at best. Of course there are stimulating and even happy associations with friends and colleagues, but during the actual work of creation the writer cuts himself off from all others and confronts his subject alone. He moves into a realm where he has never been before — perhaps where no
- [Wanting to Write But Unsure How](https://fundsforwriters.com/wanting-to-write-but-unsure-how/) - There's a lady here in South Carolina who is a fan of my books. She's bought and read them all. She's attended book clubs to hear me and even sponsored one at a restaurant. She is a beautiful person, and she not long ago suddenly lost her husband. After a length of time, she started
- [Sensitivity Reading as a Business](https://fundsforwriters.com/sensitivity-reading-as-a-business/) - Crave a change-of-pace that pays you and helps your fellow authors produce high-quality narratives? As a member of a marginalized community, consider sensitivity reading for that marginalization. A sensitivity reader "reviews unpublished manuscripts to spot cultural inaccuracy, representation issues, bias, stereotypes, or problematic language." (Reedsy) The ranks of sensitivity readers include beta readers, writers, and editors, and their
- [How Success Story Became a Success Story](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-success-story-became-a-success-story/) - Prove to me in 650 words that you are a memorable human being, worthy of acceptance. That's pretty much the prompt students face when attempting the Personal Statement on college applications. It's also the Everest I help them climb with Success Story, my business I built this past year. For students, this high-stakes writing task is
- [Work and Life Balance](https://fundsforwriters.com/work-and-life-balance/) - Recently read an incredible piece on balancing work and life. We all know about it, and we all realize balance is necessary for a happy life. But I don't think anyone really understands what that means. How much leisure do you need compared to work hours, and what defines work? What defines leisure? Work is effort
- [On Writing](https://fundsforwriters.com/on-writing/) - I'm not a big audiobook listener. As a fast reader, I can race through print so much faster. However, with a few credits on Audible, I decided to give Stephen King's On Writing a reread, so to speak. I'd forgotten how good that book was. King gives you permission to be a writer without instilling false hope
- [Ghostwriting: A Growth Market](https://fundsforwriters.com/ghostwriting-a-growth-market/) - Ebooks have radically transformed the publishing world—by taking it back in time. After World War II, as the economy boomed and wartime restrictions on paper ended, publishers discovered a hungry market for inexpensive books. The mass market paperback was born. They were available everywhere—not just in bookstores but on spinner racks in drugstores, supermarkets, even
- [It Is So Easy to Feel Left Behind](https://fundsforwriters.com/it-is-so-easy-to-feel-left-behind/) - I just finished reading an issue of The Hot Sheet, founded by writing and publishing industry guru Jane Friedman. I'm no dummy, and I like to keep up with at least some of the advances in my profession. The Hot Sheet is the most energetic, thorough, and comprehensive of any publication in the business, and I highly
- [How Writers Can Gain Visibility and Find Opportunities on the HARO Platform](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-writers-can-gain-visibility-and-find-opportunities-on-the-haro-platform/) - Any writer who hasn’t yet heard of the Help a Reporter Out (HARO) platform may be missing out on important opportunities. The site connects writers with sources, and it’s used by journalists, freelancers, and book authors alike. Public relations professionals use the platform to find outlets where they can potentially gain visibility for clients by contributing insights
- [Writer on Fire](https://fundsforwriters.com/writer-on-fire/) - Writers love to write. Some want to tell stories. Some want to tell THEIR stories. Some want to reach out and spread their stories around the world. Some want either to make money or not write. Some write whether the stories sell or not. There are so many types of writers, with so many nuances
- [In Defense of Literary Agents: It's a Symbiotic Relationship](https://fundsforwriters.com/in-defense-of-literary-agents-its-a-symbiotic-relationship/) - When I explained to a non-writer friend what my agent did, he said, "So he takes your book, shows it to the people who are actually going to publish it, and takes a cut of the money you make. Sounds parasitic." When you've just started looking for an agent (and received many rejections), it can
- [1000 Fans](https://fundsforwriters.com/1000-fans/) - The Web abounds with writers who ponder how to develop that proverbial network that's supposed to represent their 1,000 true fans...those fans who are supposed to make serious growth possible. Those fans who want anything we have to offer, and tell others about it. It's a 2007 concept developed by a man named Kevin Kelly,
- [Wayne’s Extra Rich Chocolate Cake](https://fundsforwriters.com/chocolatecake/) - Wayne’s Extra Rich Chocolate Cake 2 cups AP flour 2 cups sugar ¾ tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt ½ tsp cinnamon 1 cup water ½ cup vegetable oil ¼ cup butter 3 Tbsp cocoa 2 large eggs ½ cup buttermilk 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract ¼ cup strong brewed coffee Stir first
- [Submitting Your Creative Nonfiction Writing](https://fundsforwriters.com/submitting-your-creative-nonfiction-writing/) - Ten years ago, I would have told you to review Cliff Garstang's ranking of literary magazines for nonfiction and begin by submitting to the best. I did that for many years, dutifully submitting my short memoirs and personal essays to a prioritized list of literary magazines, with limited success. Thankfully, I eventually realized there was
- [Reading Others While You're Writing Yours](https://fundsforwriters.com/reading-others-while-youre-writing-yours/) - “If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.” — Stephen King A friend recently said she cannot read someone else's book when she is writing. Jokingly, I asked her if she could walk and chew gum at the same time. . . two
- [How to Produce a Kick-ass Book Trailer for under $20](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-produce-a-kick-ass-book-trailer-for-under-20/) - 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
- [Discounting the Word NO](https://fundsforwriters.com/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
- [Can I Write About Parenting When I Don't Have Kids?](https://fundsforwriters.com/can-i-write-about-parenting-when-i-dont-have-kids/) - A friend recently emailed a link to an essay that he had published in Motherwell, an online parenting magazine. The essay was about an old dish and how it got passed down through the family and repurposed over the years. I could write something like that, I thought, but shoot, Motherwell is for parents, and I am not
- [We Are All Busy](https://fundsforwriters.com/we-are-all-busy/) - Why is it we worry about whether we think other people think we are busy? If someone asks what we've been doing, we have to make sure it sounds terribly busy. Too-much-to-do-in-a-day-type busy. We feel we have to sound like we've been too busy to write, or that we've been hard at it, just not
- [Success as a Disability Writer](https://fundsforwriters.com/success-as-a-disability-writer/) - Successful authors seem born to write. Masked by the ability to put words on paper, (or on screen) it seems these authors have never struggled at all. But in fact, many writers have a disability. Sometimes it's even the reason they write. According to online blog Mental Up, people like George Bernard Shaw and Jules Verne,
- [Presenting Your Book Online](https://fundsforwriters.com/presenting-your-book-online/) - More specifically, I'm talking about how your book should present to the public on any venue. I recently spoke to a writer who spoke of only doing their book in ebook format. Another only wanted their book in print. I responded, "No, no, no." The credibility of your book is reflected in its presentation, delivery,
- [Insights from Judging a Short Story Contest](https://fundsforwriters.com/insights-from-judging-a-short-story-contest/) - I just wrapped up serving as one of the judges in the Hemingway Shorts contest sponsored by the Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park, and I thought I’d share some of the insights I came away with: Don’t start your story with a weather report unless the weather is the main topic. This is my number
- [Where Do You Find Freelance Work?](https://fundsforwriters.com/where-do-you-find-freelance-work/) - You've decided to be a writer, or decided to add freelancing to your writing skills. After all, selling those books is hard work and a long-term wait in terms of return on investment. Sprinkling freelancing amidst your creative short stories, novels, and poetry can help fund your passion. Yes, it's work, but it's also quicker
- [Repurposing Content](https://fundsforwriters.com/repurposing-content-2/) - I'm talking fiction, nonfiction, copy, blog material....all of it. When it comes to fiction, it's called the backlist. When it comes to commercial copywriting, it's called repetition or repurposing. Whatever you write, because you released it once does not mean that others saw it or shouldn't be used again. ClearVoice.com is a savvy site about writing
- [Ten Unusual Places for Freelance Ideas](https://fundsforwriters.com/ten-unusual-places-for-freelance-ideas/) - Anyone who pitches articles or writes stories is always on the lookout for more sources of ideas. There are lots of well-trodden sources, but here are a few I use that might be less obvious. Foreign titles. Publications from other countries, readily available online, can be a rich source of ideas. Based in England, I
- [Repurposing Content](https://fundsforwriters.com/repurposing-content/) - I'm talking fiction, nonfiction, copy, blog material....all of it. When it comes to fiction, it's called the backlist. When it comes to commercial copywriting, it's called repetition or repurposing. Whatever you write, because you released it once does not mean that others saw it or shouldn't be used again. ClearVoice.com is a savvy site about writing
- [Who's On Your Team?](https://fundsforwriters.com/whos-on-your-team/) - While researching for an article, I came across a quote from Proverbs 31:15: "She gives portions to her servant girls." The context was a wise woman looking after her household and business. Two questions came to mind. Who's on my writing team? How are they rewarded? As I considered the answers, I knew it
- [Right and Wrong in Your Story](https://fundsforwriters.com/right-and-wrong-in-your-story/) - Genuine tragedies in the world are not conflicts between right and wrong. They are conflicts between two rights. ~Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, 19th century German philosopher While we like to think that the world is comprised of clear lines between good and evil, right and wrong, it is not. My opinion may differ from yours, with
- [Do You Read Your Reviews on Amazon?](https://fundsforwriters.com/do-you-read-your-reviews-on-amazon/) - Some industry gurus say never read your book reviews. Maybe if you are selling tens of thousands of copies and the reviews come in too fast to read, sure. Put your assistant on the task to pick out those snippets you want to use in blurbs, in ads, and on covers. But for those without assistants,
- [Diversifying Your Writing Livelihood](https://fundsforwriters.com/diversifying-your-writing-livelihood/) - To earn money as a writer it helps if one can pivot from one genre to another—and then another. I've been writing for newspapers since I was 17 years old. Since then I've worked as a reporter/photographer on two daily newspapers and have written freelance stories for a large regional daily, for United Press International
- [The Proper Order of Editing](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-proper-order-of-editing/) - If you've been around the profession for long, you realize that editing can make or break you and your work. Editing is not to be taken lightly, and sometimes, how you approach it matters in doing it well. We all know that you edit the big picture before you dive into the minutiae. Whether fiction,
- [Becoming a Teacher/Author: Not a Typical Career](https://fundsforwriters.com/becoming-a-teacher-author-not-a-typical-career/) - #post_excerptUnfortunately, like 45 percent of teachers, I left the job. In my case, my three disabled children's health issues pulled me home. Ironically, that is when I became a writer.I always wanted to be a teacher or a writer writing the great American novel or seeing my byline in magazines seemed like a dream job to me. But, because I also wanted stability, I became a teacher. And I loved it. Unfortunately, like 45 percent of teachers, I left the job. In my case,
- [How My Non-Writing Experience Launched My Freelance Career and Led to a Lucrative Niche](https://fundsforwriters.com/nonwriting-experience-launched-freelance/) - If you had told me fifteen years ago that I would someday be writing about heart disease in apes and museum programming for teens – with no background in either one – I would have been skeptical. But that's where writing for professional and trade organizations has led me, with rewards that include interesting stories,
- [How to Pitch a Magazine or Freelance Gig](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-pitch-a-magazine-or-freelance-gig/) - Sounds easy enough, but editors will tell you that very few writers pitch well. As a result, the few who do pitch well receive most of the work. That's how repeat business is created . . . by following the guidelines, writing well, and treating the editor like gold. First, I am a firm believer
- [The Monologue Market](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-monologue-market/) - As with many industries across the country and around the world, theater was dealt a devastating blow with the escalation of COVID. With actors unable to rehearse plays, producers unable to fill their performance spaces and audiences deprived of live entertainment experiences, it seemed that it wasn’t just Broadway that would go dark indefinitely. While
- [Do You See Obstacle or Opportunity?](https://fundsforwriters.com/do-you-see-obstacle-or-opportunity/) - This is a dilemma I've fought my entire life. I mean, consciously...seriously grappled with. In my earlier years, I decided nothing would get the best of me. I gave everything my all, and if I did not ace whatever it was, then I hadn't tried hard enough. I saw life as nothing but challenge and
- [And the Winner Is...](https://fundsforwriters.com/and-the-winner-is/) - Entering contests is a no-brainer for me. I can directly attribute my entry into the realm of traditional publishing (albeit a small press) to winning a contest. Many authors could say the same. In 2012, I entered my unpublished manuscript, working title Probable Cause, in the Public Safety Writers Contest (PSWA). I won third place in
- [The Mistakes I See](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-mistakes-i-see/) - I love receiving questions from readers. They arrive via Messenger, email, Facebook, even the occasional text. Sometimes by snail mail. All too often, however, the questions come to me prematurely, meaning the cart gets positioned well ahead of the horse. For instance: 1) "I have this story idea that's so remarkable. How do I sell it
- [Synchronicity](https://fundsforwriters.com/synchronicity/) - All writers have experienced synchronicity—two or more people coming up with the same idea at the same time. If you write long enough, synchronicity will happen to you, too. Historically, many inventions and theories have surfaced simultaneously, often from people on opposite sides of the globe. For example, two scientists came up with the theory
- [How to Find and Pitch Websites that Actually Pay](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-find-and-pitch-websites-that-actually-pay/) - Freelance writers know to pitch articles regularly to get their name out into the ether and gain recognition. But when many publications pay little or nothing for your work, where do you start? Which publications are worth the time and effort? Here's how to find and pitch high-paying websites. Narrow Your Focus Find the right
- [Self-Editing](https://fundsforwriters.com/self-editing/)
- [Selling Your Unemployment](https://fundsforwriters.com/selling-your-unemployment/) - How do you find the good in the bad when you’ve lost your job? Whether that job was your dream job or a paycheck, it paid the bills. Now that you’re unemployed, however, you’re thinking about how much you’ve always wanted to write. You never had the time, though. Well, the time is here, you
- [Writing Listicles for Fun and Profit](https://fundsforwriters.com/writing-listicles-for-fun-and-profit/) - Listicles are not only great staples for seasoned freelancers, but are also a good way for new writers to break into print. I have been writing these bite-sized, easily digestible articles for years. Listicles used to be called refrigerator articles, because folks would cut these short informational pieces out of the newspaper and hang them
- [How to Create a Portfolio from Scratch](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-create-a-portfolio-from-scratch/) - After I decided to stop practicing law and try something new, I discovered the world of freelance writing but did not know how to start this new career path. I didn't have a portfolio, a journalism degree, contacts, or experience with non-legal writing. My lack of a portfolio was my biggest obstacle. Publications often required
- [They Ought to Like Me](https://fundsforwriters.com/they-ought-to-like-me/) - A woman posted on a Facebook group recently how insulted she was that some of her friends and family do not appreciate that she writes romance. She commenced to explain why she wrote it and loved it and how it was the largest selling genre, therefore, it deserved respect. Others on the group echoed her
- [Scheduling Habits](https://fundsforwriters.com/scheduling-habits/) - I just read a piece by Seth Godin (love him!), in which he talks about choosing what we do in our day-to-day existence. I preach something quite similar; just ask the people I teach at conferences. (Conferences...remember them?) We are somehow hardwired to plan our days. The only days we don't is when we take
- [The Niche of Paying Parenting Markets](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-niche-of-paying-parenting-markets/) - Being a parent, grandparent and now great-grandparent, has honed my niche as a writer. My children, grandchildren, and great grandson have been awesome food-for-story fodder which has also increased my earning power. The parenting market booms with magazines, both digital and print, blogs, and parenting anthologies. Parenthood, in all its myriad forms, single parents, same
- [Notebooks of Your Talent](https://fundsforwriters.com/notebooks-of-your-talent/) - I love notebooks. I keep three ongoing at all times. When I started out, I used one. It served me well then, and at the end of the year that notebook went into my income tax records. Then I evolved. Today I keep one for my business side of writing which incorporates ideas, phone calls,
- [A Different Reason to Enter Contests](https://fundsforwriters.com/a-different-reason-to-enter-contests/) - When I started writing seriously, I had a novel in mind. This was way before FundsforWriters. I spent two years working on that novel concept, after work, on weekends, and between hockey practices with my sons. But I was afraid of sending it to publishers and agents, for fear of rejection. My mother, of all
- [Accepting Advice](https://fundsforwriters.com/accepting-advice/) - Not long ago, I was in an online chat. A woman had just been offered representation by an agent, and she was over the moon. She was concerned, however, that the agent had asked that parts of the story be rewritten in a different direction. Others in the chat rose up in a banter about
- [13 Tips Your Editor Wants You to Know (But Is Too Busy to Tell You)](https://fundsforwriters.com/13-tips-your-editor-wants-you-to-know-but-is-too-busy-to-tell-you/) - As a writer, I know that hitting “send” can feel like throwing your work into a frightening void. Now, as a magazine editor, I’ve collected scraps of insider info that I wished I’d known before I became an editor. So — I give them to you. 1. I want you to succeed. Every time I
- [How Do You Do It?](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-do-you-do-it/) - In the writing world, writers hang on understanding how another writer found success. They want to know the secret, the magic, or the inherent talent required to duplicate that success. We want to know the right path out of the woods. No two writers find success the same. That is the wonder and the bane
- [Author Royalties 101 (Self-Published)](https://fundsforwriters.com/author-royalties-101-self-published/) - A question I get asked frequently, especially when I launch a new book, is: What is the best way for me to order your book? What these kind and supportive people are attempting to politely ask is, which way do you make the most money? I know pre-published writers are curious about this too. They want
- [Slow Down and Let It Rise to the Top](https://fundsforwriters.com/slow-down-and-let-it-rise-to-the-top/) - If you keep a blender going, the ingredients swirl and combine until you have a product that looks little like its original parts. But if you shut off that blender, and you let the pitcher sit there for a few hours, something will usually settle to the bottom . . . or float to the
- [Six Rookie Mistakes to Quit Making](https://fundsforwriters.com/six-rookie-mistakes-to-quit-making/) - If your middle school years were anything like mine, the cafeteria was a dangerous place. Where to sit? What to say? And just when you thought you figured it all out, everything changed. Entering the writing world gave me a déjà vu of walking back into the middle school lunchroom. Even if I knew the
- [Reviewing is an Honor](https://fundsforwriters.com/reviewing-is-an-honor/) - With every release of a novel, the author and publisher seek quick reviews so that others will buy. Receiving a review copy is an honor, frankly. You have been entrusted with a book, a free book, often ahead of others, and you have been asked for your particular opinion. The author and publisher want you
- [A Different View on Rejection](https://fundsforwriters.com/a-different-view-on-rejection/) - Not long ago, I was reviewing submissions to this newsletter (which also go on my blog), and something happened I've never had happen before. Every single one of them fell short of an acceptance. After a marathon review session, I rejected nine submissions in one day. Nine submissions may not sound like a lot; however,
- [Is There Something Else You Can Write About?](https://fundsforwriters.com/is-there-something-else-you-can-write-about/) - We often hear write what we know. There is some merit in those sage words, but is there a market for what we know? Absolutely. The first thing you need to do is make a list of what you know. What are your passions? As a writer of historical fiction, fantasy, creative nonfiction and memoirs,
- [Finding Your Writing Pleasure](https://fundsforwriters.com/finding-your-writing-pleasure/) - But pleasures are like poppies spread, You seize the flow'r, its bloom is shed; Or like the snow falls in the river, A moment white—then melts forever. –Robert Burns (1759–96) Mankind is forever in search of pleasure, and writers are forever seeking some sort of sweet spot of success that works forever. I know, that
- [Five Wisdoms About the Middle Grade Market](https://fundsforwriters.com/five-wisdoms-about-the-middle-grade-market/) - When approaching a new market, the more familiar you are with the particularities of that market, the greater your chances of success. Writing for middle grade readers is no exception - this market has its own nuances and best practices just like any other. If, like so many of us, you are interested in writing
- [Freelance Writing Teams](https://fundsforwriters.com/freelance-writing-teams/) - This day and time, writing "teams" are making appearances across social media and emails. I get inquiries from them at least every other day. Sometimes they come across as individuals. Other times they openly state they represent teams. As an editor, I have a problem with them, in whatever guise they present themselves. Today, this is
- [Want to Make Money Writing? Try Social Media Management](https://fundsforwriters.com/want-to-make-money-writing-try-social-media-management/) - When old friends ask me what I do now, I laugh. No one’s more surprised than me! I fell into social media management by accident. Back when I promoted my books online, I noticed opportunities. Then a local cafe owner and I started kicking around ideas one afternoon, and it happened—she hired me for a
- [Writing What You Know](https://fundsforwriters.com/writing-what-you-know/) - We hear that phrase all the time. Some say it is the basis of good writing, especially for new writers. Others claim it's false, that writers should be able to write anything, or they are at their best when having to dig down and research. But there's more to writing "what you know" than to
- [Want Publicity? Go Local](https://fundsforwriters.com/want-publicity-go-local/) - Writers appreciate that reviews are golden, but self-promotion is also key. Sometimes that means promoting ourselves through guest blog posts or interviews with a podcaster. But in addition to all the work to reach a wider audience, it's also important to remember where we came from, or where we are. I found as a writer
- [An Annual Rant about the Art of Critique](https://fundsforwriters.com/an-annual-rant-about-the-art-of-critique/) - Critiquing has an etiquette all its own, but way too many people have never been taught those manners or do not care to follow them. As a result, they impact their own character. They will argue that character does not play into the equation; however, critiquing, like any human interaction, comes with best practices. The
- [The Daring and the Tentative](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-daring-and-the-tentative/) - The difference between the tentative and the daring is that the tentative ask too many questions beginning with BUT or WHAT IF. The daring, however, are too busy forging ahead, diagramming how they will arrive at success. The daring and diligent are focused. The tentative are scouting for obstacles so they are not blindsided. The
- [Being Accountable](https://fundsforwriters.com/being-accountable/) - I've had a rash of queries from folks asking how they find a way to be accountable in their writing, because while they are still quarantined, they are wasting the time away. Would you want to be the person who says, "Hey, how many words did you write today?" only for the other person to
- [Connecting with Clients and Writing Markets](https://fundsforwriters.com/connecting-with-clients-and-writing-markets/) - Connections with our clients and writing markets form the cornerstones of a successful freelance business. When people remember YOU ARE THE WRITER, they hire you – but if clients forget your name, other writers get the job. When starting out, I had a small handful of customers. Building and maintaining client relationships has increased my
- [Could UX Writing Be for You?](https://fundsforwriters.com/could-ux-writing-be-for-you/) - UX writing is a growing area that generally pays well and is specialised without being impossible to break into. So what is it and could it be for you? What is UX writing? UX stands for usability or user experience, which is basically about how easy it is for people to use a website or
- [New Year Wake Up](https://fundsforwriters.com/new-year-wake-up/) - The year taught us that the norm can quickly change if not disappear, leaving us wondering what the heck do we do next. The year taught us that conforming can be good and bad. We learned that there are options to our lives with many throwing themselves in new directions. Some made bread, others read,
- [Four Ways to Build a Business Case for Your Content Writing](https://fundsforwriters.com/four-ways-to-build-a-business-case-for-your-content-writing/) - While content is a multimillion industry for big brands worldwide, there are still many business sectors - especially smaller businesses - that don't see that content as worthwhile. They’re not necessarily against content; they may in fact quite like the idea of having a blog or publishing regular articles or ebooks. It’s just that their
- [Are You Zoomed Out?](https://fundsforwriters.com/are-you-zoomed-out/) - Whether you like it or not, Zoom (and its cousins) will be the gateway to appearances for a while. Very few bookstores, libraries, and other public venues will venture to host public events for quite some time. Some have grown accustomed to Zoom, and prefer the mode of communication. My question to you is this.
- [Selling to a Publisher](https://fundsforwriters.com/selling-to-a-publisher/) - A major reason many self-publish is control of the publishing process. Another strong reason is the long, hard experience of rejection from traditional publishing houses. Sometimes I think writers profess the former when the truth is more likely the latter. Rejection is painful. A lot of writers fuss about the arrogance of traditional publishing, or
- [How to Use Google Alerts to Get Assignments and Build Your Career](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-use-google-alerts-to-get-assignments-and-build-your-career/) - People might think of Google Alerts as something once upon a time helpful but not anymore. I’ve been using Google Alerts for quite some time. It’s enabled me to find submissions I wouldn’t ordinarily find, follow some successful authors, and make contacts to further my career. By customizing Google Alerts, you can be notified for
- [Writers and Singers](https://fundsforwriters.com/writers-and-singers/) - You hear a singer. Instantly you picture them, maybe recall that song or others they have sung. You remember where you were when that song impacted you. You know that singer is not like any other. You might not even remember their name, but in this day of smartphones, you instantly look it up. That
- [Seven Commercial Writing Job Titles Explained](https://fundsforwriters.com/seven-commercial-writing-job-titles-explained/) - If you’ve looked at any recruitment pages recently, you may have noticed a lot of jargon creeping into job titles. Here we strip the acronyms and buzzwords away to reveal the – often quite straightforward – roles that lie underneath. UX Writer UX stands for user experience. What a UX writer does is craft the
- [Training Your Writing](https://fundsforwriters.com/training-your-writing/) - I learned some time back to write in snippets no matter how small. Made myself write 500 words in a day. Doesn't sound like much, but it became habit. . . but it also was easier to justify in my busy day. Think about it. . . sitting down and pounding out 500 words and
- [How to Find Freelance Clients in a Recession](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-find-freelance-clients-in-a-recession/) - I panicked when I lost my job earlier this year. The current jobs market is not exactly stellar amidst COVID-19 and the resulting recession. In the last few months, though, I’ve grown my freelance business from a side-hustle to a sustainable, full-time source of income. I love it and can’t see myself returning to traditional
- [Amazon Reviews Can Be a Treasure Trove](https://fundsforwriters.com/amazon-reviews-can-be-a-treasure-trove/) - Many hate Amazon, and some small enterprising companies have tried to take a chunk out of it, a mouse trying to nip the beast, so to speak. I am not for or against those small entities doing something they feel the need to do. I, however, have always been an Amazon fan. Why? Because I
- [Writing the Wave](https://fundsforwriters.com/writing-the-wave/) - Niche markets perform like waves. Freelance writers benefit from plunging into the right market at the best time, even when the niche is far removed from their usual work. Here's how to take advantage when the wave is high – and how to find your way back after. Wait for the Boom A 'hot' niche
- [Boost Your Writing Income with Themed Merchandise](https://fundsforwriters.com/boost-your-writing-income-with-themed-merchandise/) - Merchandise that highlights your writing, freelance work, or author brand can boost your writing income in multiple ways. The most obvious is through selling those products. Beyond that, people showing off your wares become your “street team,” shoring up the personal connections and word-of-mouth critical to book sales and freelance referrals. “As human beings, we
- [One Question You Do Not Ask an Editor](https://fundsforwriters.com/one-question-you-do-not-ask-an-editor/) - When referencing "editor," I'm talking about the ones who make the decision whether to publish your editorial, essay, feature, short story, or even book. These are gatekeepers. These folks decide if they like what you submitted. So what is the criminal question you're banned from asking? What topic do I write about? This is about
- [Earning Money Writing Book Reviews](https://fundsforwriters.com/earning-money-writing-book-reviews/) - A popular Stephen King quote is: “If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write.” While I wholeheartedly agree, I also recognize the difficulty in sitting down to read when you need funds for food and rent. Reading improves your writing, yet, too often, feels like a
- [Channel the Need](https://fundsforwriters.com/channel-the-need/) - Recently I was advising a political Facebook group, and one key factor I could not get some of the candidates to understand was "define the voter's need then fill it." The candidates only wanted to say how good they are. That's like saying a new drink product is good, when the best ads for drink
- [13 Terms to Know About Copywriting](https://fundsforwriters.com/13-terms-to-know-about-copywriting/) - Copywriters write copy that sells to people and educates them about products and services. They provide the words for things like advertisements, sales emails, brochures, and commercial websites. Copywriting is a necessity and pays better than editorial work, so no surprise that many freelance journalists and content writers gravitate to it. A key difference is
- [Don't Be Shortsighted with Your Author Presence](https://fundsforwriters.com/dont-be-shortsighted-with-your-author-presence/) - Recently, I was reading a submission from a writer who wanted to appear in the FFW newsletter. I liked the article, was going over it with some comments when someone messaged me. I keep umpteen windows open at a time, and in the back and forth, I accidentally deleted the email. It was a month
- [Five Ways COVID Has Changed Professional Screenwriting](https://fundsforwriters.com/five-ways-covid-has-changed-professional-screenwriting/) - I know, I know. We’re all sick of talking about COVID. It’s the pandemic that just won’t go away. Unfortunately, that may be doubly true for the world of professional screenwriting. The impact of COVID has, for better or worse, changed much of Hollywood’s old reality, and many of those changes look to be with
- [Get Paid for the Job, Not the Hour](https://fundsforwriters.com/get-paid-for-the-job-not-the-hour/) - On social media, many artists and writers fuss that the public doesn't realize the hours and sweat that goes into a creation. I want to tell them to please hush. In doing so, they shift attention off the art itself and onto themselves. A reader doesn't care how hard the story was to write. The
- [Should You Add an Ebook to Your Promotional Toolkit?](https://fundsforwriters.com/should-you-add-an-email-to-your-promotional-toolkit/) - Along with your blogs, social posts, author website, and newsletter, an ebook can be a powerful part of your promotional mix. Ebooks are a subtle-type selling, too, that lets you editorially showcase some of your experience and expertise, so readers start to associate you with a particular area. And despite the name, writing them is
- [The Importance of a Recipe](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-importance-of-a-recipe/) - Recipes are directions, and in most cases, directions on how to create food. One of my relaxing pastimes is reading recipes, collecting them, and dissecting them on what makes them easy, unique, or particularly mouth-watering. I ponder how to alter them, improve them, add to make the flavor better. I imagine the type of setting
- [Five Reasons Your Magazine Pitches Get Rejected](https://fundsforwriters.com/five-reasons-your-magazine-pitches-get-rejected/) - So you've written your hundredth magazine pitch only to be rejected again. This is where most writers quit, but smart authors know that a successful pitch goes beyond a clean essay and a flashy idea. You need content that not only compels the editor to inquire for more but also provides a definitive point of
- [You Cannot Write for Everyone](https://fundsforwriters.com/you-cannot-write-for-everyone/) - If you sit down in a pizza place and order sushi, neither you nor the manager will be happy. The manager hasn't served your needs, and you stay hungry. . . unless you decide to settle for pizza. But what are the odds that your craving for sushi will be satisfied with pepperoni and cheese?
- [How to Deal with a Bad Payer Without Giving In to Anger](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-deal-with-a-bad-payer-without-giving-in-to-anger/) - Some months ago, I finally, finally received a modest payment for a couple of articles I’d written for a well-known outlet. It took me almost a year from submitting the first piece to getting paid, and the whole process involved endless emails, chasing different people, lots of silence, and false dawns – a great deal
- [How to Run a Short Story Competition](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-run-a-short-story-competition/) - Writers love competitions. There’s the creative stimulus of an interesting prompt, the promise of kudos, validation if you do well, and, of course, publication and prizes. Running your own competition is fun, too. It can develop your network and author brand, and may lead to other offers of work such as reviewing or webinars. Best
- [Start Local and Move Out](https://fundsforwriters.com/start-local-and-move-out/) - We're stuck at home and sick of Zoom. How do we tell the world we are open for business as commercial or freelance writers or editors? We start at home and work out from there. Meaning, we start with who knows us, who lives near us, and who understands where we come from. This is
- [A Letter to a Friend and Fellow Writer](https://fundsforwriters.com/a-letter-to-a-friend-and-fellow-writer/) - Tom - Let's put this into perspective. Yes, it's difficult to sit across the table from your friend and be exposed to his success while you struggle. Hearing how much he pays for editors and the travel he's able to do is difficult. But your friend didn't start off hiring line editors for $7,000 when
- [Becoming A Writer for A Digital Marketing Agency](https://fundsforwriters.com/becoming-a-writer-for-a-digital-marketing-agency/) - I've been working as a content manager, freelance writer, and editor for the Barcelona-based digital marketing agency Vime Digital for over four years. In fact, there are dozens of agencies out there and they're all eager to recruit new writers. Read on and learn how to make your bones in the agency world. Let's quickly define what
- [What If You Were the First?](https://fundsforwriters.com/what-if-you-were-the-first/) - Black authors' work is surging, which is a great, great thing. Long overdue. Not long ago, LGBTQ authors made a comeback, and their work came into its own. Harry Potter taught the world that Young Adult was important for all, not just kids. All the books labeled with GIRL or WOMAN over the last three
- [How to Get Two (or More) Assignments Out of One](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-get-two-or-more-assignments-out-of-one/) - Building a career as a freelance writer takes more than talent and tenacity. While editors seek superbly written articles and essays, it’s what you do after publication that can make the most impression, leading additional assignments or acceptances. I have a strategy that has worked for me for the past year. These five easy steps
- [When You Talk to People...](https://fundsforwriters.com/when-you-talk-to-people/) - When you open a discussion with someone, do you lead with "Once upon a time I lived in Michigan. I was twenty-four. I was working at the mall and was trying to figure out my life." No. BIG YAWN. You don't start with the backstory. Frankly, I'd bet you'd be embarrassed to start with the
- [How to Create and Pitch a Television Show](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-create-and-pitch-a-television-show/) - Series programming continues to be a desirable source of content for buyers around the world, even as the entertainment landscape shifts and evolves. And the proliferation of newer platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon and others means more places for writers to pitch their shows. In the marketplace of ideas, a good one will rise to
- [12 Phrases NEVER to Use in Your Freelance Writing Pitch](https://fundsforwriters.com/12-phrases-never-to-use-in-your-freelance-writing-pitch/) - To help make the best impression, avoid this dirty dozen. ‘I hope you don’t mind me dropping you a line…’ / ‘Apologies for emailing out of the blue, but…’ Phrases like these have a defeated air. If you don’t sound like you believe in yourself, why will anyone else? Don’t brag but be confident. Say
- [How to Deal with Your First Bad Review ](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-deal-with-your-first-bad-review/) - Amid all the euphoria of getting published for the first time, and all the good wishes from friends and family, it’s easy to forget that your book is now out there in the world, alone and unprotected, and must sink or swim on its merits. Soon enough, all that positivity will be challenged by your
- [When You Have an Editor's Ear](https://fundsforwriters.com/when-you-have-an-editors-ear/) - Editors juggle a lot of balls in finding literary material for publications. They have multiple deadlines for multiple editions and all the administrative nuts and bolts that come with putting a publication together. When finally obtaining the ear of an editor, keep your moment(s) brief, because others just like you are vying for that editor's
- [Four Important Lessons About Magazine Writing](https://fundsforwriters.com/magazinewriting/) - Having worked in the book industry my entire career, I decided that 2020 would be a great time to not only broaden my writing repertoire but also add another revenue stream by writing for magazines. So, in January, I pitched article ideas to a local magazine publisher. I felt confident about the topics and assumed
- [Use LinkedIn to Find Your Next Writing or Editing Job](https://fundsforwriters.com/use-linkedin-to-find-your-next-writing-or-editing-job/) - Undoubtedly, LinkedIn is the work world’s primary search engine and yet most job seekers do not maximize it. Instead, they copy and paste their resume thinking someone might reach out to them. As a former introvert, I needed to manipulate LinkedIn if I wanted to prove my marketability. I have gotten assignments, requests for interviews
- [Top Tips for Projecting a Professional Video Presence](https://fundsforwriters.com/top-tips-for-projecting-a-professional-video-presence/) - Virtual meetings are becoming the new normal for job interviews, writing groups, workshops, author talks, readings, press calls and more. Finding a way to be as professional and effective on screen as you are in real life is a bit of a learning curve. Here are a few pointers... Video Platform There are lots of
- [When It Isn't Fun](https://fundsforwriters.com/when-it-isnt-fun/) - Each time to ascend to a higher rung on the ladder of personal evolution, we must go through a period of discomfort, of initiation. I have never found an exception. - Dan Millman, author of Way of the Peaceful Warrior and 16 other books of inspiration During this Time of COVID-19, we have learned
- [The Journey of Editing Autobiography and Memoir](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-journey-of-editing-autobiography-and-memoir/) - Are you an editor of fiction who would like to venture into editing autobiography and memoir? When I took my first autobiographical editing job in June last year, I soon recognized a whole different ball game - and a fresh learning curve. Autobiography… Or Memoir? An autobiography recounts the whole story from beginning to end
- [Easy Tracking](https://fundsforwriters.com/easy-tracking/) - Submitting queries and manuscripts nowadays is as easy (and cost-effective) as a single keyboard click. But while programs like Submittable keep a list of e-submissions sent to certain sites, not every publisher uses such a program. Without it, can you pinpoint exactly where and when you sent out every piece, query or pitch in the
- [The Race to the Bottom](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-race-to-the-bottom/) - The problem with freelance sites where you compete for work is that the low price usually wins. Same goes for pitching to magazines and customers . . . the lower you value yourself, the more likely you'll get stuck with that price. Not only will you get paid for less than you are worth, but
- [Backing Into Large Publications](https://fundsforwriters.com/backing-into-large-publications/) - Freelance writers have to be motivated to reach for the brass ring. To some of us, that means publishing in a major magazine or national newspaper, a difficult achievement even with a substantial number of clips. A plethora of authors vie for the top spots, and once they’re in, they hold onto them. Fortunately, there
- [Trident Media Group Literary Agent Mark Gottlieb on Overcoming Panic in Publishing During the Pandemic](https://fundsforwriters.com/trident-media-group-literary-agent-mark-gottlieb-on-overcoming-panic-in-publishing-during-the-pandemic/) - "I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me." –Frank Herbert, DUNE Fear has taken hold of the minds of many people in trade book publishing during the pandemic brought on by
- [Nine Unusual Ways to Make Money from Writing](https://fundsforwriters.com/nine-unusual-ways-to-make-money-from-writing/) - Look beyond blogs and ghostwriting for unusual assignments that may be a match for your skills. Editing stories of popular writers on Medium You can make money by writing posts as part of the Medium Partner Program, but in this fascinating article , writing coach Nico Ryan describes how he makes more by fine-tuning the posts of Medium
- [The Fear of Writing Poorly](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-fear-of-writing-poorly/) - Just as a good man forgets his deed the moment he has done it, a genuine writer forgets a work as soon as he has completed it and starts to think about the next one; if he thinks about his past work at all, he is more likely to remember its faults than its virtues.
- [Ten Lessons from Entering Hundreds of Short Story Competitions](https://fundsforwriters.com/ten-lessons-from-entering-hundreds-of-short-story-competitions/) - Do the Obvious Stuff Follow the submission guidelines. Get the formatting right. Make sure the story is anonymised if it has to be. Check you haven’t left any details in the doc from a previous contest requirement. Don’t send a 500-word bio when they want 75 words max. Look for Author-Competition Fit Contests typically change
- [How to Mine a Dozen Articles from a Single Topic](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-mine-a-dozen-articles-from-a-single-topic/) - As a content writer or freelance journalist, a little learning can go a very long way. In the course of your career, you may become quite expert in a particular topic(s), perhaps because of a job you once had, or because you once had to do a lot of research or interviews in that area,
- [Ten Reasons Why Editors Ignore Our Pitches](https://fundsforwriters.com/ten-reasons-why-editors-ignore-our-pitches/) - Tired of brainstorming new ideas and pitching to publications only to hear crickets? Ever wondered why these editors ignore our ideas? Editors are intensely busy people. Their inboxes stay packed with pitches from writers like us. That's why they select only the cream of the crop and neglect pitches that show the following bad traits.
- [Finding Time to Write](https://fundsforwriters.com/finding-time-to-write/) - Protect the time and space in which you write. Keep everybody away from it, even the people who are most important to you. ~Zadie Smith You find the time to write by discarding something else in your life. I mean, I have to assume you think your day is full, right? Isn't that what we
- [What Are the Best-Selling Screenplay Genres?](https://fundsforwriters.com/what-are-the-best-selling-screenplay-genres/) - As a screenwriter, working out the crux of your story is a daunting enough task, but let’s rewind even further. How do you determine what genre to work in? After all, this is a crucial component to creating material that Hollywood wants to buy, right? So, how do you know which genres have the best
- [10 Ways to Turn Rejection Into Acceptance](https://fundsforwriters.com/10-ways-to-turn-rejection-into-acceptance/) - For writers of all kinds, dealing with ideas and words that get rejected is an everyday reality. But there are sometimes ways you can turn a No into a Yes… So you get your commission, you send in your copy – but the editor or client says they’ll pass. Or you send in a bunch
- [How to Interview Someone](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-interview-someone/) - Whether it's for a post on your blog, or a conversation with an expert you need to write up for a content client, here’s how to get an interview written up with speed and impact… Don’t do an interview! We’re not talking hard-hitting news here. We’re talking about a conversation between two people with mutually
- [How to Organise a Book Launch](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-organise-a-book-launch/) - You’re publishing your own book, now you need to organise your own launch event! Here’s a handy checklist… Draw up numbers Your event will mark the moment that your book will be launched to the world, but you’re footing the bill, so be clear about why you’re doing it and how to maximise the event’s
- [Three Tips for Submitting for Grants at Arts Commissions](https://fundsforwriters.com/three-tips-for-submitting-for-grants-at-arts-commissions/) - When artists of all types seek grants, I direct them first to their state arts commissions. Canada has province and city arts commissions, and the UK and Australia have their own national and local commission. (Our knowledge does not branch into Africa, Middle East, or Far East, sorry.) While those are pretty easy to locate,
- [Nine Reasons Your Article Idea was Rejected](https://fundsforwriters.com/nine-reasons-your-article-idea-was-rejected/) - Sometimes your article idea for a website or magazine might get rejected for reasons beyond your control – perhaps something similar has already been planned, or the editor has no budget left for freelances. But you can improve your chances of acceptance. Your query letter lets you down A query that isn’t written in a
- [The Big Benefits of a Small Publisher](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-big-benefits-of-a-small-publisher/) - When writers dream of getting published, their initial fantasies probably take the form of a massive advance from one of the big houses, perhaps with a nice little film deal thrown in. Because of this popular obsession with the big players, writers can easily overlook the benefits of a smaller, independent publisher. So here are
- [Have Your Manuscript Read Back to You on Your Computer](https://fundsforwriters.com/have-your-manuscript-read-back-to-you-on-your-computer/) - Writing is a challenge. We who love to write feel joy, pain, anxiety, rage, sadness, the full gamut. After all, our work is a part of us. The stress of meeting a deadline or even just writing for fun is challenging enough, but after you've finished that first draft and re-edited and re-edited... and re-edited,
- [Six Ways to Rethink Rejections](https://fundsforwriters.com/six-ways-to-rethink-rejections/) - For obvious reasons, writers often find rejection difficult. Even the word feels unnecessarily harsh. When that dreaded notification arrives, most forget that it’s only a collection of your words – and not you yourself – that’s been turned down. Here – from a serial rejectee – are some ways to reframe the concept of rejection
- [Top Tips for Rocking Your Public Book Reading ](https://fundsforwriters.com/top-tips-for-rocking-your-public-book-reading/) - As a writer of short stories with a new collection out and a few competition successes under my belt, I’ve been doing a few readings at small literary events recently. Here are a few tips I’ve picked up about how to read to best effect, overcome nerves and leave a memorable impression… Check out the
- [Blinkered by Books](https://fundsforwriters.com/blinkered-by-books/) - So there I am, the young unpublished writer in his 20s working on his novel, Such Lunatic Gods. What genre am I writing in? Science fiction, of course, because that's what I like reading about. It's a natural progression, obviously, because I've sold a few articles and short stories so it's time for a full-length piece.
- [Review Copies, Freebies, and Author Copies: Q&A](https://fundsforwriters.com/review-copies-freebies-and-author-copies-qa/) - Think the author of a new book is entitled to unlimited copies? Think again. Here we look at author copies, review copies, and giving away freebies. What is a review copy? Often known as ARCs (advance review copies), review copies are a promotional version of the book for the trade and media. They will not
- [Simplify Your Writing Life](https://fundsforwriters.com/simplify-your-writing-life/) - I don't know about you, but in my attempt to keep up with publishing changes, my stress level often rises. My email box posts roughly 200 emails daily, the majority of them telling me how to best edit, publish, market, and partner with influencers. How to work Amazon. . . how to hate Amazon. How
- [The Unseen Writer: Ghostwriting for the Corporate Sphere](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-unseen-writer-ghostwriting-for-the-corporate-sphere/) - An entire world of writing exists for which you’ll never see a by-line. Welcome to the world of corporate ghostwriting, where product descriptions and press releases pay. Here’s what you’re in for, and why it’s a great writing gig any day. What You’re Writing Corporate ghostwriting is a vast field that includes product descriptions, manuals,
- [Owning Your Pockets of Time](https://fundsforwriters.com/owning-your-pockets-of-time/) - How much better is silence; the coffee cup, the table. How much better to sit by myself like the solitary sea-bird that opens its wings on the stake. Let me sit here for ever with bare things, this coffee cup, this knife, this fork, things in themselves, myself being myself. ~Virginia Woolf I'm an
- [Interest a Publisher with Children's Nonfiction Ideas](https://fundsforwriters.com/interest-a-publisher-with-childrens-nonfiction-ideas/) - As a writer of children’s nonfiction, I’ve enjoyed a fairly steady flow of work over the years. The usual pattern is that publishers come up with ideas for new books, then approach me to write them. Occasionally though, when work is thin on the ground, I’ve had to adopt a more proactive approach by going
- [Squeezing the Most Out of a Writer's Training Course ](https://fundsforwriters.com/squeezing-the-most-out-of-a-writers-training-course/) - Whether it’s a masterclass on finding a literary agent, a seminar on improving your social media skills, or a workshop on self-publishing, investing in some training can give your writing career a massive boost – so long as it’s the right training. I’ve been running training courses in copywriting for 20 years and have attended
- [Writing for University Publications](https://fundsforwriters.com/writing-for-university-publications/) - Universities produce tremendous amounts of written material—magazines, newsletters, websites. These publications rarely post guidelines for interested freelancers, but some investigation can pay off. First, dive into the institution's website. Links for "alumni" and "alumni relations" will lead to alumni magazines. To find the institution's regularly updated news site, try "university news" or "public affairs." Search
- [Pantser or Plotter](https://fundsforwriters.com/pantser-or-plotter/) - “I’m very much a writer who lets the story develop. I have no idea how the book is going to end. . .I don’t know what my characters are capable of until I spend a hundred pages with them.” David Baldacci, told to The Daily Beast I listened to a freelance editor teach an audience
- [Best Practices for Working with a Producer,  Agent or Manager in Film & TV](https://fundsforwriters.com/best-practices-for-working-with-a-producer-agent-or-manager-in-film-tv/) - Producers. Agents. Managers. Oh my! As a writer looking to make a living in the world of entertainment, these enigmatic creatures will be an integral part of your journey from unproduced novice to sought-after scribe du jour. Learning to work with them in a way that proves mutually beneficial means creating a winning environment for
- [On Grants, a Primer](https://fundsforwriters.com/on-grants-a-primer/) - Someone searches "grants for writers" and up pops FundsforWriters in the search. Right there upfront. All you have to do is email someone, say you are a writer and ask for a check to publish your book. Right? Sigh. . . if only it were that easy. Following is a generalization of what we tell writers
- [Five Pro Tips for Killer Email Subject Lines](https://fundsforwriters.com/five-pro-tips-for-killer-email-subject-lines/) - When you email an agency or editor to query new work or chase a submission, the subject line is almost as important as all the other elements of your email put together. Here, based on 20 years of working with email agencies and the CRM teams of big brands, are my tips for writing a
- [Reading Aloud Can Pay Off - Literally](https://fundsforwriters.com/reading-aloud-can-pay-off-literally/) - Are you a writer who studied acting? Learned vocal techniques that enhance projection, enunciation, and relaxation? Have you practiced dance or movement? Become an experienced public speaker? Any of these skills can translate into a revenue stream for writers. Twenty-five years ago, in New York City, I enrolled in acting school. One of my reasons
- [Teaching Others to Write. . . Online](https://fundsforwriters.com/teaching-others-to-write-online/) - If you’ve been published for any length of time, you realize thousands upon thousands of writers still struggle to get published or to decide what they want to write. Some still need to learn the basics while others seek to be steered in the right direction. With enough experience and knowledge under your belt, you
- [Your 100 Fan Club](https://fundsforwriters.com/your-100-fan-club/) - By C. Hope Clark The older I get, the more simplified I seem to want my life. That's why I toned FundsforWriters down over the years from four newsletters, to three, to two. . . and now one, just like I started years ago. More time to write. More time to enjoy myself while writing.
- [How to be a Welcome Guest Poster](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-be-a-welcome-guest-poster/) - Posting on guest sites is a great way to increase your profile, develop your personal brand – and subtly plug a product or service. Here's how to increase your chances of getting your posts accepted... Writing guest posts is a great way to promote your work and build your personal writer's brand. I've done a
- [7 Nudges to Work Into Your Query Letters](https://fundsforwriters.com/7-nudges-to-work-into-your-query-letters/) - Nudges are psychological levers that can be used to help influence and persuade people because they work with the way our minds are wired. Here are some common nudges you can work into your query letters and project submissions... Nudge Theory is a branch of economics designed to help us all make better decisions by appealing
- [Five Tips for Creating a Phenomenal Newsletter](https://fundsforwriters.com/five-tips-for-creating-a-phenomenal-newsletter/) - A successful newsletter goes beyond generating a massive mailing list—although that is the tacit tenant that drives us all. Smart authors strive to create content that not only compels subscribers to read and share but also urges them to act in a manner that generates sales. This goes beyond the basic, and frankly overused, taglines
- [Could Content Writing Help You Make Ends Meet as a Writer?](https://fundsforwriters.com/could-content-writing-help-you-make-ends-meet-as-a-writer/) - Content could be your best chance of making up the extra income you need to keep your writing ambitions on track. So what is it and how does it work? Content is the material produced by businesses to market themselves and covers all of these and more: social media messages, website collateral, print brochures, brand
- [Show, Don't Ask](https://fundsforwriters.com/show-dont-ask/) - By C. Hope Clark Don't ask an editor what you can write for him. Writers aren't just about putting words together. They are about bringing fresh material to the table. Writers are a dime a dozen. New ideas are a dime a dozen. Writers who can write and produce fresh ideas hit the sweet spot.
- [The 7 Best Places to Find High Paying Ghostwriting Jobs](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-7-best-places-to-find-high-paying-ghostwriting-jobs/) - After my first article about earning big as a ghostwriter on FundsforWriters, the next obvious question so many writers asked was where to find clients that pay well for ghostwriting jobs. Following you’ll find seven high-paying markets for ghostwriters. While there are plenty of websites and portals that offer ghostwriting gigs, most of these do
- [10 Ways to Blog Your Book to Increase Sales Without Being Pushy or Annoying (Part 1)](https://fundsforwriters.com/10-ways-to-blog-your-book-to-increase-sales-without-being-pushy-or-annoying-part-1/) - A lot of people think that once a book is written, the work is done. Often times, especially if you are a self-published author, the work is just beginning. After the brainstorming and drafting, writing and revising, editing and publishing comes the… selling. There are only so many times you can say, buy my book!
- [10 Ways to Blog Your Book to Increase Sales Without Being Pushy or Annoying (Part 2)](https://fundsforwriters.com/10-ways-to-blog-your-book-to-increase-sales-without-being-pushy-or-annoying-part-2/) - Last week I shared the first half of a list devoted to blog post topics that will let your audience know about your work in authentic and engaging ways. I will finish sharing those post ideas with you today in hopes that you’ll be able to spread the good word about your book and increase
- [Correcting Other People's Grammar](https://fundsforwriters.com/correcting-other-peoples-grammar/) - By C. Hope Clark A suggestion . . . don't do it. Every once in a great while, a typo or grammatical error appears in the newsletter. I have a wonderful proofreader, and, between us, we comb the newsletter each week. But hey, sometimes when the stars align and we both have a bad week,
- [10 Tips for Crowdfunding a Novel: Practical Ideas and Pointers from an Unbound Author](https://fundsforwriters.com/10-tips-for-crowdfunding-a-novel-practical-ideas-and-pointers-from-an-unbound-author/) - By Dan Brotzel I'm the co-author of a new comic novel, Kitten on a Fatberg, which is currently crowdfunding on Unbound. Unbound uses a different model to the traditional publishing one. Essentially, a book's author(s) have to raise a certain amount of through pre-ordered copies before the book goes into production. Once that happens, Unbound
- [Red Alert: 10 Signs You Should Avoid That Freelance Writing Client](https://fundsforwriters.com/red-alert-10-signs-you-should-avoid-that-freelance-writing-client/) - By Carol Tice When you’re a hungry freelance writer, it can be hard to say no to a prospective client. But not every freelance-writing job is one you should take. Some clients are simply a nightmare. The good news is, you can often tell you’ve got a PITA (Pain In The A*) client before you
- [Chasing The Grant](https://fundsforwriters.com/chasing-the-grant/) - Most major cities offer artist grants for those of us involved in the arts. In my town there’s an annual drive for locals to apply, and back in 2014, I gave it a go. According to the rules, anyone in the arts field, including literary arts, was eligible. “Hot dog, I’m going for it!” I
- [How Film Producers Analyze Your Screenplay](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-film-producers-analyze-your-screenplay/) - When an actor reads a script, he’ll think about how to approach his character, his motivation, his arc. When a cinematographer reads that same script, he’s thinking about lighting, camera angles, and what cinematic style to employ. The art director thinks about how to use design principles and visual techniques, while the editor assesses how
- [Write the Nonfiction Book Proposal Before Writing the Book](https://fundsforwriters.com/write-the-nonfiction-book-proposal-before-writing-the-book/) - I finished a manuscript, set it aside for a month, then read it again. But I never even tried to publish it. Why not? Because as brilliant as it was (well, I thought so and so did my mother), it was doomed because it had no point. The book, overflowing with insightful arguments and powerfully
- [Query Letter vs. Letter of Introduction](https://fundsforwriters.com/query-letter-vs-letter-of-introduction/) - By C. Hope Clark The shortest, most blunt email anyone receives from me is "The guidelines are on the website," and I send that email many times a week. The online guidelines at www.fundsforwriters.com/submissions clearly ask for articles on spec. Or if a writer isn't sure, they can pitch ideas, and if one is selected, they
- [Optioning Your Screenplay to a Producer](https://fundsforwriters.com/optioning-your-screenplay-to-a-producer/) - Congratulations! Not only did you finish writing your 120-page cinematic opus, but you have a motion picture producer interested in bringing it to the silver screen. You’re ready to sell. Ready to see your name on the back of a director’s chair. Ready to chow down on craft service while Jake Gyllenhaal and Rachel McAdams
- [Making a Living as a Life Story Writer](https://fundsforwriters.com/making-a-living-as-a-life-story-writer/) - A business card left at a coffee shop that garners a $50,000+ writing gig. Same card, different coffee shop, that results in a feature story in a local publication. No, it's not the card that's magic, but the profession it advertises: life story writer. Those were only two of the many strokes of good luck
- [Make Time to Be Solitary](https://fundsforwriters.com/make-time-to-be-solitary/) - Loneliness expresses the pain of being alone and solitude expresses the glory of being alone. ~ Paul Tillich Books take many hours to write, which gives the public the impression that writers are lonely, solitary creatures. The average person cannot stand being alone. However, it's next to impossible to be alone anymore. I'm not talking
- [Cashing in on Local Copywriting Gigs](https://fundsforwriters.com/cashing-in-on-local-copywriting-gigs/) - When I began freelancing over a decade ago, I greatly enjoyed the challenge of pitching and achieving payment for writing magazine articles. But since the assignments weren’t easy to come by and patience is not one of my top virtues, I decided I’d rather target copywriting opportunities in my own backyard. My first step was
- [Ghostwriting: A Lesser Known Career Path that Pays Big](https://fundsforwriters.com/ghostwriting-a-lesser-known-career-path-that-pays-big/) - Graduating with an engineering degree, I had no clue I would end up being a freelance writer. I chose to be one, as it best suited my life during the recession period back in 2009. Like many other writers who get stuck with low paying content mills like Elance (now Upwork), I started my career
- [Five Tips to Promote Yourself as a Newbie Freelance Writer](https://fundsforwriters.com/five-tips-to-promote-yourself-as-a-newbie-freelance-writer/) - It can get hard to get off the ground while starting your freelance writing business. This is especially true if you have quit your day job and you're yet to get your first assignment. The pressure can be extremely agonizing. All you need to do is leave your worries aside and get down to business.
- [House-Sitting Puts Ink in the Travel Writer’s Pen](https://fundsforwriters.com/house-sitting-puts-ink-in-the-travel-writers-pen/) - Staying for extended stretches in exotic and culturally rich places for free? Then being paid for pieces you’ve written about your stay? Sounds unreal, but the reality is anything but: over the past several years I’ve spent one- to two-month periods in Hawaii, Mexico, Panama, the Bahamas and St. Vincent and the Grenadines with my
- [Multiple Submissions of Freelance Material](https://fundsforwriters.com/multiple-submissions-of-freelance-material/) - A reader asked me to address this topic. She had an article to query to publications and didn't want to wait for one answer at a time. Could she pitch to several markets at once, she asked. The answer isn't a simple Yes or No. It's actually Yes AND No. And I have my own
- [Tapping into Local Businesses for Writing Work](https://fundsforwriters.com/tapping-into-local-businesses-for-writing-work/) - Here's an optimistic thought: writing is a necessary part of every business. You read that right. Every business – big and small – has the need for written language. More good news: most businesses don't have a full-time or even part-time writer on staff. Hint: here's where you come in. Local businesses need your skills.
- [Writing for Hobby and Leisure Activity Magazines](https://fundsforwriters.com/writing-for-hobby-and-leisure-activity-magazines/) - When I began my freelance writing career in 2007, I would never have believed I'd end up writing dozens of articles for hobbyist magazines. But today, my bylines include more than 20 special interest magazines for hobbies as diverse as gardening, gold prospecting, ham radios, four-wheel drive vehicles, classic cars, art and sculpture, wine tasting,
- [Writing for the Health Markets](https://fundsforwriters.com/writing-for-the-health-markets/) - In case you had not noticed, America is getting older. And while that might cause alarm for some people, for freelance writers, it is time to dance a jig. Why? Because with the so-called "graying of America," the opportunity to write for health markets has "exploded and reached an all-time high." And it will continue
- [Platform - It's About Making Friends](https://fundsforwriters.com/platform-its-about-making-friends/) - Who you know and how far you can reach. That's pretty much the definition of platform. But so many people are writing that the competition is fierce. And there's so much competition for entertainment that books aren't everyone's first choice. Which means putting a book on Amazon will not sell it. Someone told me their
- [Would You Write Daily If You Got Paid For It?](https://fundsforwriters.com/would-you-write-daily-if-you-got-paid-for-it/) - A new UK company has launched offering aspiring novelists an alternative to publication: a salary from £2,000 per month to write novels. De Montfort Literature (DML) will pay writers a salary to write novels which DML will then design, print, publish and promote. After salary, production and marketing costs, authors will receive a 50 percent
- [The Biggest Mistake You'll Ever Make as a Children's Author](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-biggest-mistake-youll-ever-make-as-a-childrens-author/) - Every so often, a friend will hand me a children's book manuscript and ask if I would review it and offer an honest opinion. I'm always delighted to do so, but, over the years, I've discovered that almost every one of those potential book projects suffers from a critical and quite frequent mistake. When I
- [The Ins & Outs of Corporate Ghostwriting](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-ins-outs-of-corporate-ghostwriting/) - While I’m known as a journalist, writer and editor, I’ve also done a lot of corporate ghostwriting behind the scenes. It’s a potentially lucrative market for writers who don’t mind skipping the by-line. Here’s how to track down your clients. Defining Corporate Ghostwriting “Corporate ghostwriting” can include website content (blog posts or static pages), press
- [How to Connect with Book Clubs](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-to-connect-with-book-clubs/) - It can be difficult to find sources that allow authors access to book clubs. Clubs often like to choose their own books. So what’s an author to do if she doesn’t have a Top 5 publisher promoting her to clubs? Here are a few proven options that use a variety of methods and budgets to
- [Making Six-Figures as an Indie Author](https://fundsforwriters.com/making-six-figures-as-an-indie-author/) - It may seem like a pipe dream, but indie authors can make serious cash. I know quite a few who bring in six-figures, and by next year I should join them. But how do they do it? What’s their marketing secret? After much research and observation, I’ve come up with seven key things needed to
- [How I Funded My Mission, Wrote My Book and Made Bulk Book Sales with Grants](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-i-funded-my-mission-wrote-my-book-and-made-bulk-book-sales-with-grants/) - I started with a heart centered mission and a newly published book, How to Raise Respectful Parents: Better Communication with Teens and Parents. Like all new authors, I was proud of it, but I soon learned writing and publishing a book are only half the journey. I had to market, and I wanted to market
- [How Writers Can Become Songwriters](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-writers-can-become-songwriters/) - I am lucky to make a living as both a songwriter and a “regular writer.” When I tell other writers about my songwriting, they typically respond with, “I wish I could do that!” My response is always, “Why don’t you?” I hear reasons like, “I don’t know how,” or “I can’t sing.” These excuses seem
- [How Do I Find Money to Write a Book](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-do-i-find-money-to-write-a-book/) - People love to ask this question, a frequented question in my email, but I understand that every day new people decide to become authors. Folks who love reading, or have this burning story inside them, and want to see their work in print. Oh, only if that was all there was to it, right? Many
- [Five Steps to Blogging for Businesses You Frequent Anyway](https://fundsforwriters.com/five-steps-to-blogging-for-businesses-you-frequent-anyway/) - Even successful freelance writers find themselves in lulls at times, their pitches readily declined. By making some simple choices, however, writers can access long-term clients without competing with a large pool of freelancers on a job board. By following these five steps, you can gain clients by showing them how your services will benefit them
- [The Good Ones: Hitting the Higher Paying Markets](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-good-ones-hitting-the-higher-paying-markets/) - By Alex J. Coyne One of my first high-paying features sold to The Investor for $170 (Six String Stocks, October 2015). I’ve sold others since, including a piece for Catholic Digest that earned $500. I sure didn’t think it was possible when I started out with $20/article rates. Here’s how I got to higher rates
- [Are There Grants with No Strings?](https://fundsforwriters.com/are-there-grants-with-no-strings/) - One of the most common questions that FundsforWriters receives is where can someone find a grant to self-publish a book, ninety percent of the time their first book. No mention of genre, where the author lives, the purpose of the book, or why anyone would want to fund such a book, much less read it.
- [Why They Extend Contest Deadlines](https://fundsforwriters.com/why-they-extend-contest-deadlines/) - I have a writing friend who gets downright angry when a contest extends the deadline. He considers it an insult, or that the editors are looking for specific people who didn't make the deadline. In reality, contests are run by people and they make mistakes or misjudge or simply didn't plan well enough ahead. Here's
- [Your Income Depends on How Well You Cope with Rejection](https://fundsforwriters.com/your-income-depends-on-how-well-you-cope-with-rejection/) - To make money as a freelance writer you can't just play offense (networking, learning how to pitch, improving your craft, finding new markets, negotiating). You also have to play defense. And that means developing something researchers have identified as crucial to financial success: a higher threshold for failure. The eminent psychologist Dean Simonton, in his masterpiece
- [Are You Polarizing?](https://fundsforwriters.com/are-you-polarizing/) - This is one of my most important messages. One of the many reasons I left my day job was stress. Many of you have done the same or are in the process of finding ways to leave the lifestyle that makes your world less palatable. I worked for the federal government, and my job entailed
- [The Wrong Bio](https://fundsforwriters.com/the-wrong-bio/) - A gentleman at a conference came up to me and asked how he was supposed to include a bio in his query letter to literary agents when he had not published. He had a couple of stories in anthologies, and his day job had nothing to do with his writing. He kept catching himself making
- [How the Shy Writer Copes](https://fundsforwriters.com/how-the-shy-writer-copes/) - When I speak at events, people tell me they can't believe I'm an introverted person. That's not to say I can't become a Mama Tiger when it comes to my family, or a real BE-ATCH when someone's wronged me or mine. But for the most part, I avoid throngs of people. Throngs meaning as few as
- [Why Pay Contest Entry Fees?](https://fundsforwriters.com/why-pay-contest-entry-fees/) - I received this email from a reader this week: "I see an entry that might work for me, but then the publication requests $10, $20, and sometimes more to enter the contest. Many times I just pass. Why should we pay to present our work? To date, I have paid a few, but generally I
- [Entertainment Writing Jobs You May Not Have Considered – Part 2 of 2](https://fundsforwriters.com/entertainment-writing-jobs-you-may-not-have-considered-part-2-of-2/) - In this follow-up article, I put more of an emphasis on the feature film world. Thanks to the proliferation of “prosumer” technology like HD cameras and editing software, more films are being made now than ever before, offering increased accessibility for writers who are willing to attempt a more non-traditional approach to their careers. Write
- [Entertainment Writing Jobs You May Not Have Considered – Part 1 of 2](https://fundsforwriters.com/entertainment-writing-jobs-you-may-not-have-considered-part-1-of-2/) - As a former literary manager, I represented film and television writers for the better part of eight years. Many of the talented but less experienced writers who hadn’t yet made a living at the craft were solely interested in creating original screenplays that would be shopped to production companies, studios and packaging agents. They never
- [I Need a Grant](https://fundsforwriters.com/i-need-a-grant/) - By C. Hope Clark - I forget that new writers enter the profession daily, and I'm most reminded when a slew of them write me after seeing FundsforWriters.com for the first time. The first thing they see is GRANTS, and that throws their fledgling minds into overdrive, wondering how they can find some generous grant

## Pages

- [Home](https://fundsforwriters.com/) - Run by prolific author C. Hope Clark, FundsforWriters is an award-winning source of numerous grants, fellowships, contests, awards, markets for writers.
- [Advertising](https://fundsforwriters.com/advertising/) - Advertising FundsforWriters reaches people with a passion for writing and lets writers know about your product or service through online or newsletter exposure. Since FFW limits its ads to writing-related services, you do not see those get-rich-quick schemes or anyone’s novel or poetry chapbook for sale. We are here to help writers earn a
- [Markets](https://fundsforwriters.com/markets/) - Markets A sample of freelance markets and contract jobs mentioned in the newsletters are listed below. Note: these markets mean $200 or 10 cents/word in payment. The exception is in the sci-fi realm where professional rates are 6 cents/word and up. MOTHERSHIP https://www.mothership.blog/write-for-us/ Here at Mothership, we have a specific focus: the intersection of games
- [Grants](https://fundsforwriters.com/grants/) - Grants Grants are the free money everyone wants. Here you'll find grants that cover a simple conference fee or a six-month retreat to write and get away from it all. Some pay for specifically designed projects and others exercise your ability to match writing with a social cause. No two are alike, so keep coming
- [Contests](https://fundsforwriters.com/contests/) - Contests Writing contests provide steps up for a writer - especially a struggling writer. A portfolio that contains contest wins means more than many clips. Can't afford the entry fees? Consider entering one contest a quarter or something more amiable to your pocketbook. A few are free. Contests provide prizes, prestige and usually publication with
- [Newsletters](https://fundsforwriters.com/newsletters/) - Newsletters Now you're seeing what we are known for at FundsforWriters - our newsletter! We are proud of this baby and believe you'll realize why so many writers join and stick around a long time. We started publishing in April 1999 and continue to grow stronger with each year...nay, each issue! FundsforWriters FundsforWriters provides markets
- [Submissions](https://fundsforwriters.com/submissions/) - Submissions For Contest Sponsors, Publishers, Employers, Retreats, Grant Providers To post your call for submission in a newsletter and on the website, realize that you must have a PAYING market, contest, job or grant. Send it to us and we'll be glad to consider its inclusion in the newsletters. Remember it must be a
- [Q&A About Grants](https://fundsforwriters.com/qa-about-grants/) - Q&A About Grants Every day, writers email about finding grants. Just like no two requests are alike, no two grants are alike either. Here I try to answer the most frequently asked concerns so that you do not anxiously send out emails only to find out it's the wrong grant, the wrong question, the wrong
- [About FFW](https://fundsforwriters.com/about-ffw/) - About FFW FundsforWriters is an online resource for writers. You can be a thirty-year veteran or a part-time wannabe, but here at FundsforWriters (FFW), we consider you a writer none-the-less. We emphasize finding money to make writing a realistic career. Of course, you'd write anyway. That's the way of a writer. Other websites provide guidance
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## Soliloquy Sliders

- [Testimonial Slider](https://fundsforwriters.com/?post_type=soliloquy&p=3804)

## Testimonials

- [– Melanie Steele](https://fundsforwriters.com/testimonial/melanie-steele/) - Advertising with FundsforWriters has brought amazing people to my writing retreats. My ads generated a strong, immediate response from Hope’s active, engaged fans. Hope is a pleasure to work with, and I highly recommend FundsforWriters as smart, effective use of marketing resources. www.forthewriterssoul.com/retreat
- [~Peter Parsons, long-time reader & multiple contest winner](https://fundsforwriters.com/testimonial/peter-parsons/) - I find your newsletter a kindhearted and generous offering in a world that is not often that way.
- [- Johnny Townsend, Author, Op-ed Writer, Assoc. Producer, johnnytownsend.com](https://fundsforwriters.com/testimonial/johnny-townsend-author-op-ed-writer-assoc-producer/) - I always enjoy your personal essay more than any other part. I feel like I'm having a thoughtful conversation with a friend about writing. You often make me consider points I hadn't thought of before, or support suspicions and ideas I've had that no one else ever expresses. Either way, I enjoy your own pieces.
- [– Alan Jankowski to his Facebook group:](https://fundsforwriters.com/testimonial/alan-jankowski-to-his-facebook-group/) - If you have any interest at all in making money writing, you owe it to yourself to subscribe to C Hope Clark’s FundsForWriters newsletters…she has two that are of interest that come out every week…the FundforWriters newsletter,… everyone here should be subscribed, no excuses…C Hope Clark searches the net for contests and submission calls and
- [- Caroline Sposto, Emerald Theatre Company](https://fundsforwriters.com/testimonial/caroline-sposto-emerald-theatre-company/) - Thanks to the publicity from your newsletter, our little Memphis, Tennessee event received scripts from Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Montana, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming, the UK and New Zealand. This wealth of wonderful material yielded quality vignettes that made the best local actors
- [– Katherine Don](https://fundsforwriters.com/testimonial/katherine-don/) - When I started my book editing business, I had a tiny budget and wanted to be certain I chose the correct host for my ads. As luck would have it, around that same time I was introduced to Funds for Writers through a friend. After reading the newsletter, I realized that FFW must attract serious
- [– With deep appreciation, Laura Lee Perkins](https://fundsforwriters.com/testimonial/with-deep-appreciation-laura-lee-perkins/) - I am sitting in a ferry terminal, waiting for the next boat to take me to the Turkeyland Cove Foundation Writer’s Retreat on Martha’s Vineyard Island. Am I excited? You bet I am! Why? Because this is the first time in my life that I have been offered the gift of time and space for
- [-Laura Kepner, Safety Harbor Writers and Poets](https://fundsforwriters.com/testimonial/laura-kepner-safety-harbor-writers-and-poets/) - Hope gave the keynote workshop at the Safety Harbor Writers Conference: Solving the Mystery of Writing, in Clearwater, Florida. Hope could have left after her keynote address, but instead, she stayed throughout the day and made a point to talk to individual writers one-on-one. At the end of the day, Hope participated in a panel
- [–Kypris Aster Drake, M.S., M.A.,](https://fundsforwriters.com/testimonial/kypris-aster-drake-m-s-m-a/) - What a breath of fresh air! You said everything I’ve been secretly thinking for years, that there is no direct, linear path to book success. It’s all about that intuition and doing what feels right. Thank you so much for being a beacon in the ‘white noise’. Your words always inspire me.
- [– Beth Herman](https://fundsforwriters.com/testimonial/beth-herman/) - The newsletter is becoming a Bible for me because you are thoughtful and conscientious in what you choose to print (and not print, I would assume). It is all of tremendous benefit, not just some throw-away information.
- [– Courtney Mroch](https://fundsforwriters.com/testimonial/courtney-mroch/) - I wanted to tell you that thanks to all the newsletters you put out, I really upped the ante on my submissions last year because you sent around these great markets. Some I had success with, and some I didn’t, but the fact of the matter was it was THE most productive year for me
- [– Amy Biddle](https://fundsforwriters.com/testimonial/amy-biddle/) - Advertising in your newsletter was a huge success. Not only did it increase traffic in the short term, but our numbers have been increasing steadily on average since the advertisement was posted. And your readers were just the audience we were looking for! We are a relatively new website, and were excited to see our
- [– Robyn McGee](https://fundsforwriters.com/testimonial/robyn-mcgee/) - When I was looking for funding for my project, Mindshift 2012, a writers’ showcase and audience discussion, connecting local writers with readers, I did not know who to ask. I wrote to Ms. Clark and within minutes she replied with a list of ten plus sources of funding for my kind of literary event. Thanks
- [– Robin Hewitt](https://fundsforwriters.com/testimonial/robin-hewitt/) - Hi Hope, we met at the SCWW conference in Myrtle Beach last October, and I was so impressed with your lecture that I subscribed to FFW as soon as I got home. I wanted to drop you a line to let you know that because of FFW, I submitted AND WON The 2008 William F.
- [– Timothy Judd](https://fundsforwriters.com/testimonial/timothy-judd/) - I listed a contest on Hope Clark’s site, FundsforWriters (fundsforwriters.com) and the day her newsletter went live, my traffic went through the roof. Three hours later, the hits are still climbing. If you are considering an advertisement with Hope, I would strongly encourage you to do so. She obviously has a large following of loyal
- [– Cathy Swormstedt](https://fundsforwriters.com/testimonial/cathy-swormstedt/) - Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained! Placing an ad in Funds for Writers is easy and affordable. And if your experience is anything like mine, response to your ad will be almost immediate, proof positive that FFW readers pay attention! Anyone with a product or service they believe fellow writers should know about, should definitely give FFW
- [– Reece W. Manley](https://fundsforwriters.com/testimonial/reece-w-manley/) - Total Funds for Writers pays for itself almost immediately. Hope and her research skills are phenomenal. Thanks to TFFW I have sold four articles, all with clients who did this amazing thing called paying me. It’s quite delightful – money is querky but boy its fun stuff to have! If you haven’t signed up for

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