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WritersNotes.Net: Helping Writers Follow Their Dreams Through Information, Inspiration, and Encouragement!
Share Your Writing Savvy With Other Writers
Since Absolute Write will be publishing one of my own articles (a reprint) in the November 5th edition of their newsletter, this seems a perfect time to bring this writing market to the attention of Writer's Notes' readers.
If you enjoy writing about the craft or business of writing and believe you have some valuable tips or techniques to share with other writers, you, too, might want to try submitting your work to Absolute Write.
Write How-to Articles on Writing or Submit Your Writing-Related Reprints
Absolute Write accepts submissions of both original and reprint articles and interviews "related to the craft and/or marketing of writing"--as their Submissions page states. This is the only type of writing they publish. They are interested in how-to articles about a number of different branches of writing, a list of which may be found in their guidelines.
They also accept pieces for their Debate Desk, First Person, and Just for Fun Departments, which are, like all the other articles they purchase, related to writing. Details, as well as payment information are included on their Submissions page.
Be Sure to Check Out the Absolute Style Guide Before Submitting
Absolute Write expects work submitted to their site to conform to certain specific formatting requirements; so be sure to read their style guide before submitting your work to increase your chances of making the sale. You wouldn't want to have your article rejected unnecessarily, simply because you didn't follow their particular punctuation and formatting rules. Even in the case of a reprint, you'll want to go through and modify the piece before submitting, to be sure it conforms to their preferred format.
A Market Well Worth Considering for Widespread Exposure
Absolute Write is a market that can provide excellent exposure for your work, since their newsletter has 75,000 subscribers. And the widespread publicity your submission will receive will only be enhanced by their willingness to publish your photo, bio, links, and ordering info for any books you've had published.
If you enjoy writing about the business or craft of writing and feel you have some expertise or experience to share that other writers need to hear, check out Absolute Write. It's a great way to get your name and your work out there before a sizeable audience and make a few bucks in the process.
Happy writing!
Jeanne
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September 29th 2007 21:20
Sugar & Spice Anthology Needs More Conventional Online Poetry Written By Women
Gerald Bosacker of Bosacker Books, is putting together a poetry anthology, to be entitled Sugar & Spice. This compilation of the works of various female poets which have already appeared online in one internet venue or other will be comprised of conventional, mostly rhymed and metered poetry.
A number of my own poems will be included in the anthology, and I wanted to share this opportunity with my female readers who have written poetry of this type and had it published--or may yet have it published--online. Remuneration will likely be small; however, your inclusion in the anthology would give you one more--or perhaps your first?--published clip. And since it will be in a print publication, it will likely carry a bit more weight among future potential publishers than an online publishing credit, as it's generally so much easier to be published online.
The Opportunity, In Mr. Bosacker's Own Words
Here's what Mr. Bosacker had to say to me in an e-mail written in response to my submissions back in July:
If your intent is monetary compensation, refuse permission as the financial yield will not be great. I sell poetry, and receive but a small fee, even from large magazines. I do take pleasure in the paid recognition, no matter how small. SUGAR & SPICE does not auger huge sales, but all of the royalties will be divided amongst the authors, in proportion to their share of print. I will not contribute, nor share royalties. I have no idea how well the anthology will sell, but it is not a scam, nor profit making venture.
Let me know if you wish to be included...
Anthology Release Delayed Due to "Scarcity of Good, Conventional Poetry, Written By Women and Posted on the Internet"
Mr. Bosacker had hoped to release Sugar & Spice by October 1st, but has had trouble amassing enough good conventional poetry written by women which has been published on the internet. His latest correspondence of a few weeks ago informs me that, at this point, he only has about one-third of the poetry he needs to fill the 200-page book. At that rate, it could be a while before the book goes to print--unless the internet poetesses among us will begin submitting our best work ASAP.
Visit BosackerBooks.Com for Submission Information
Feel free to visit the Bosacker Books website for more information about the planned anthology and/or to find out how to submit your work. The book's cover may be viewed at the following link: Sugar & Spice Poetry Anthology.
While Sugar & Spice will likely not be a high-profit venture for those of us whose work is included, there is always the possibility that it will sell better than Mr. Bosacker expects. Whether or not it does will no doubt--in part, at least--be dependent upon how much buzz we ourselves are able to create for the book via our websites, blogs, word-of-mouth, and possibly even through asking our fellow writers and bloggers for their help in spreading the word.
Are You a Conventional Female Poet Who Has or Will Soon Put Your Work Online?
If you are a female poet and you have some well-crafted conventional poetry sitting in the bottom drawer of your desk, the back of your closet, or even the darkest corners of your garage or attic, you might just want to consider digging it out, reassessing its quality and appropriateness for this market, touching it up if needed, posting it on one of the online poetry websites* first, and then submitting it to Mr. Bosacker for the Sugar & Spice Poetry Anthology.
If your work is already posted online, so much the better! You will be able to submit it to the anthology with a minimum of hassle. So, scour the sites you've posted your work to, find your best poetic masterpieces, and consider submitting them if you'd like to be a part of this book project.
If you don't already have some conventional poetry hidden away somewhere--either online or off--but have the heart of a poet(ess), why not write a few poems, submit them to the poetry site(s), and then forward them to Mr. Bosacker. Send your best work, though, because Mr. B is looking for very well-executed conventional verse. Let's show him that good conventional poetry written by women and published on the internet isn't really as scarce as he thinks it is!
Best of luck to you!
Jeanne
*A few of the better websites that accept poetry are Creative-Poems.Com and MoonTownCafe.Com. To learn more about submitting your work to these sites, please see my earlier posts, Calling All Poets! More Info About Creative-Poems.Com and Calling All Poets 2: More Info About MoonTownCafe.Com. Other possible websites for posting your poetry--though they are not exclusively poetry sites--are Helium.Com and Associated Content.
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September 26th 2007 08:36
The Writer Within Wants Your Articles on Writing
The Writer Within Newsletter publishes writing-related articles ranging in length from 400-700 words. Original and previously published pieces are acceptable. While this is a somewhat low-paying market, at $10 per article (paid on publication via PayPal), you're free to send along a bio, links, or promotional ads with your submission.
Don't Have an Article to Publish? Still Get Free Publicity!
You may also get free publicity, without submitting your work, by sending "a short brag or success story" to The Writer Within "Strut Your Stuff Section." Bios and links will be included here, as well. It's a good opportunity to let the cyber-world know about you and your accomplishments, your website, or your blog.
Further Information
For further information, follow this link to The Writer Within Submission Guidelines. Then start writing!
Till next time,
Jeanne
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September 19th 2007 01:00
Short Stories Sought for Two Unusual Anthologies
Hadley Rille Books is seeking short stories for two of its upcoming anthologies: Desolate Places and Ruins Metropolis. If you happen to be an author of tightly written Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, or Mainstream Fiction, with a knack for expressing the "eeriness and wonder of a desolate place"--which can be either on earth or anywhere else in the universe--or a talent for creating captivating tales about ruins (in particular, a tale based on the third issue's cover art), Hadley Rille would like to hear from you.
Desolate Places: An Anthology Exploring "Magnificent Desolation"
For this volume, Hadley Rille seeks Science Fiction stories set in--you guessed it--desolate places. The folks at HR believe that "desolation stirs the imagination." For these tales, they prefer physically desolate settings, as opposed to more abstract desolation. A few of the questions they'd like your story to answer are the following: "Why are your character(s) there and how do they react to such a place? What do they expect to find?"
Ruins Metropolis: A Volume of Mysterious Dimensions
For this particular volume, as its title indicates, the company seeks stories dealing with ruins--specifically, the ruins depicted on the anthology's cover--with the story revolving around a particularly mysterious woman--also on the cover--who should be the story's protagonist. For this anthology, the third in the company's Ruins series, stories may represent a number of different genres--including Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, or Mainstream--as long as they feature the "ruins" theme.
Deadline, Story Length, and Payment Info
Deadline for submissions for both anthologies is October 31st, 2007. Ideal story length for both would be 2,000-6,000 words, though stories ranging from 1,000 to 7,000 words will be considered. While up-front payment for stories is relatively low ($25-$30 each), authors also receive royalties and one copy of the book. In addition, the opportunity for getting your fictional creations into print, demonstrating your prowess in crafting Fiction, and gaining exposure for your work within the above genres should provide another great motivation for you to consider this market.
Submission Guidelines for Both Anthologies
You may follow this link to read the info and guidelines for submitting stories to the Desolate Places Anthology. And here's the link for info and guidelines--as well as the cover art for which a story is sought--for the Ruins Metropolis Anthology.
Try Your Hand at Creating Desolation and Ruin
If you enjoy writing Fiction of the type described above--in any of the genres mentioned--take a look at Hadley Rille's guidelines for these two anthologies. You just might be able to make a few bucks writing the kind of stories you love. And, if you've already got a story or two lying around that you believe would fit one or both of these categories, by all means, consider sending it along. But, be sure to follow the guidelines; and, if you have any doubt that your story or story idea in fact fits what the company is looking for, be sure to query. Hadley Rille would be more than happy to answer your questions about exactly what they're looking for for these two anthologies.
Best of luck writing about desolation and ruins! And may your writing career be just the opposite!
Happy writing!
Jeanne
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A Write-from-Home Reminder
Write-from-home.com is a website that I've written about before. In my May 11th, 2007 post, Write-from-Home.Com: A New Site for Freelance Writers, I introduced this site to my readers, as the excellent resource that it is for writers.
Recently, Amy Derby, who runs the site, purchased a reprint of one of my articles, which appeared on my blog back in June and which she has just published in her September online e-zine. And, although this isn't really the reason I'm bringing her site up again (since my blog's readers have likely already read the post in question), it's as good a reason as any to remind everyone of a great site where writers will find helpful writing-related articles, writing markets and contest listings, and even a blog with some really great content.
The Write-from-Home Blog
With all the other helpful info on the site, it would be easy to overlook the Write-from-Home blog--but don't, because it's loaded with helpful tips, information, advice, and resources that can help you succeed. One post even contains a warning about a possible scam currently being advertised on Craigslist. So, check it out. I know you'll get a great deal out of this blog, as well as the rest of the site.
Some topics covered on the blog, in addition to the possible Craigslist scam, are these: dealing with stress as a freelance writer, the freelance workload "rollercoaster," setting up a home office on a budget, getting published as a new freelance writer, and freelance writing terms explained (quite a long list of them, too).
The Write-from-Home Market
So, if you've never been to Write-from-Home.Com--or haven't been there lately--drop by for a visit. You'll find a great deal of helpful information there.
And, if your forte just happens to be writing about selling your writing, you might just be able to sell some of your writing right there--since Amy buys both original articles and reprints for her Write-from-Home e-zine. (She pays $75 for unpublished articles and $30 for reprints.) Check out her Guidelines to find out what she's looking for.
Stop by Write-from-Home.Com--and give your freelance writing career a boost!
Happy reading!
Jeanne
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Heading for the Holidays
With the holidays on the horizon, this is a good time for us to briefly turn our attention away from our latest writing project--since we're long overdue for a break, anyway--and check out a site that can take the hassle out of our holiday gift-giving this year. It can save us both money and time, giving us more of the first precious commodity to spend on the people we care about and more of the second to spend working on our favorite creative pursuit: writing.
One-Stop Gift Shopping
The people at CouponChief.com work hard to provide a one-stop coupon deal and discount resource for their website visitors. In fact, Coupon Chief offers literally hundreds of holiday--and everyday--coupons to help stretch your writing dollar and help you get more for your money.
A Few Retailers with Deals to Appeal to Writers
Coupons from online stores such as the ones mentioned below can help you get the best deals on books, stationery, computer and other writing-related materials and products, and a variety of gifts for your family members and friends.
For example, you'll find Barnes & Noble coupon deals that will help you fill your bookshelves with the titles that interest you most. You'll also discover Dell coupons for a wide variety of different products, from computers, software, and accessories, to office furniture and digital cameras. And the Staples coupon codes you'll find on the site will help you upgrade your office--and replenish your writing supplies while you're at it--for the best possible prices.
The Best Deals from a Wide Variety of Stores
Aside from the stores mentioned above, a long and varied list of other retailers offering special coupon deals will make your holiday shopping task a simpler one. You'll be able to take a few minutes out from your writing whenever the mood strikes and find some great deals for yourself and everyone on your holiday shopping list, without even removing your hands from the keyboard. And, for a writer, it doesn't get much better than that.
Happy writing!
Jeanne
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Do You Sell Your Work on Your Website?
Do you have a website or blog where you sell your own work--perhaps even the work of others? Or maybe you've never sold books, e-books, artwork, or crafts online before, but have been thinking of adding that feature to your site. Either way, you'll need good, reliable shopping cart software to make the job of selling and shipping your creative products easier, more accurate, and more convenient.
Ecommerce: The Current Trend
Ecommerce is the current trend in product marketing, and Ashop Commerce is one of the leading providers of ecommerce software on the internet today. Their website offers an ecommerce demo shop, where you can test drive their award-winning software to see first-hand what it can do.
The site also includes a long list of shopping cart features, arming you to compare their shopping cart software to other similar products and see how much more you'll get with Ashop. And flexible package pricing will help you find the combination of features that meets your individual needs at the best price.
All This, And a Free Trial, too
Aside from all this, Ashop offers a free 10-day trial of their shopping cart software, with no credit card required to take advantage of it. Yet, with its advanced functionality, you'll be able to accept credit cards online when selling your products.
Your website will likely need a shopping cart, if you plan to offer quite a few different items and/or make a significant number of sales. Once you have the software in hand, within hours, you'll be ready to use your customized shopping cart to begin selling online--or begin doing it better and more profitably.
Be a Contender
So, if, in addition to writing articles or blog posts for your site's visitors, you'd also like to offer your work for sale, check out the shopping cart software offered by Ashop Commerce. It will help you compete with some of the most powerful sites on the Web.
And perhaps, soon, it will help you to join their ranks.
Happy browsing,
Jeanne
This post is sponsored by Smorty.
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Smorty, for My Australian Readers--and Everyone Else!
Since I've decided to add some carefully selected sponsored posts to my blog, in the interest of survival for myself and value for my readers, I thought I'd try Smorty, which is an Australian blog advertising site, and which, as such, might tend to offer products and services that my Aussie readers would really be able to relate to. (Of course, I'm sure that Smorty's advertisers' products and services have widespread appeal!)
An Opportunity to Get Paid for Blogging
I'm glad to have this opportunity to get paid for blogging. (After all, I already blog and love it!) This will be just one more way to help insure that I'll be able to continue bringing my readers as many great writing tips, techniques, and resources as possible.
Let's face it; financial realities confront each one of us, every day. Few of us are strangers to the need to earn a living. But, I have no intention of belaboring the point, because I see my new relationship with Smorty as a great thing! I feel it has a lot to offer both me and my readers, and I intend to do my best to choose opportunities that are relevant to you, as writers; though I have to confess that I may occasionally just happen to choose a few that seem intriguing to me--and remember, I, too, am a writer--whether or not they relate to writing directly. (After all, writers have lives, too--outside of writing, that is--though at times it may not always seem that way!)
A Few Words About Smorty
At Smorty, as with most other sites where writers blog for money, advertisers pay bloggers to write opinion posts with links back to the advertiser's site. While this is great for us bloggers, who get paid to blog, it's also obviously beneficial to the businesses that advertise on blogs. This mutual benefit is the basis of every truly successful business transaction--and, for the writer, this includes the sale of our writing in any other venue. After all, this is what free enterprise is all about!
As I see it, if we bloggers pick and choose our advertising opportunities with care, our relationship with Smorty--or with any other blog advertising network--should not only benefit the company, the advertiser, and the blogger, but also the blog's readers, as well.
Here's to the Future--With Smorty and My Readers!
I look forward to a great relationship with the people at Smorty, as well as with their advertisers! And I also look forward to a continuation of the excellent relationship I currently enjoy with my readers and fellow bloggers. You are very important to me, and I promise, you, my readers, that I will not knowingly post inaccurate information or reviews and certainly will not intentionally mislead you about any product, service, or company, for the sake of money.
How About You?
Should you be interested in pursuing your own opportunity to blog for money, I'll be placing my Smorty affiliate badge into my sidebar very soon. If you'd like, you may use it to get more information about how you can get paid to blog at Smorty. (In the meantime, feel free to use the link found in the first paragraph of this post.)
Thanks for your support!
Jeanne
This post sponsored by Smorty.
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A New AdVenture
I recently decided to try PayPerPost, in the hope of picking up a bit of cash for a few things that are always nice to have (i.e., food...clothing...a place to live). To me, this seems like a new adventure--even without the pun!
I truly love writing my blog, giving encouragement and inspiration to writers everywhere...providing information and resources to help you grow, stretch, and improve at your craft...finding and sharing potential markets that can help make it possible for you to reap some sort of (well-deserved and fully earned) monetary return for all the hard work, the energy, effort, and thought, the heart, and the soul that you put into your writing.
And, please believe me when I say that I would continue to do so without remuneration, as I have for the past seven months, because I consider it an honor and a privilege to provide you, my readers and fellow-writers, with everything at my disposal that I believe might prove helpful to you.
My Greatest Reward
After all, it is you who have visited my blog--at least once or twice, but in many cases--day after day, week after week, and perhaps month after month. (Why, some of you have even subscribed to my feed--or I should say feeds, since I now have two.) You've read and considered what I've had to say, you've shared your own views via comments, you've used the resources I've provided to help you in the magical vocation that is writing, and perhaps you've even gone so far as to follow some of the advice I've given, as you've pursued your creative passion.
That, in itself, has been my greatest reward. Yet, as I sit here at my computer, typing this post, I can't help but ponder the coming month, with rent to be paid, bills coming due, and groceries to be purchased; and I am reminded that everyone needs to survive. So, as I continue to seek and find various freelance writing opportunities, I remind myself, very practically, that freelancing income isn't always (is it ever?) extremely regular, and therefore, finding ways to supplement that income (at least until my name becomes a household word!) is never a bad idea.
Enter, PayPerPost.
A New, More Productive, Era for Writer's Notes
In my many travels around the Web, I've often seen one or another of the various PayPerPost buttons and badges, which, I must confess, have quite intrigued me. For quite some time, I've considered signing up, yet only recently have I actually gotten around to it.
Well, I'm glad I did. I see this as the beginning of an opportunity to be productive in a new way--to pick and choose the products, companies, and services that I believe would be of value to my readers and to give an honest appraisal of the others, as an added service. I like the idea of doing all this while, at the same time, continuing my longstanding practice of giving you the best writing-related information and resources I am able to provide. And, yes, I will earn a few much-needed dollars in the bargain, but I don't believe very many of you will fault me for that.
A Great New Relationship With the People at PayPerPost
I'm looking forward to a pleasant and mutually beneficial relationship with PayPerPost and its advertisers--one that I expect to be every bit as helpful to my readers, in one way or another. Some of you may even decide to join PayPerPost and try it out for yourselves. I think that could just prove to be a good idea.
While I am still very new to PayPerPost, I've been happy to find that their staff has been very responsive and helpful with issues I've encountered during the signup process. My messages, written to them via their internal message system, have been handled competently and answered quickly and courteously, which has created in me nothing but good will toward the company.
Though no doubt many of you have read my earlier informational piece about PayPerPost, this is actually my first sponsored post for PPP. (If you are considering joining PayPerPost, and you haven't read my other post about them, you may want to check it out. You'll learn many great details about them from that post.)
Just thought I'd share with all of you how and why I came to join PayPerPost, and a little bit of what I've experienced there.
Till next time,
Jeanne
Bloggers:
Want to add value to your blog? Why not join PayPerPost and write about products and services that can benefit your readers. It will give them one more reason to visit your blog.
Advertisers:
Participating in PayPerPost will drive traffic to your website, in addition to providing exposure for your company by featuring your products and services on a variety of quality blogs.
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Aurealis: The Aussie Center for Fantasy, Sci-Fi, and Horror
While hunting down links for my 100-List post, I stumbled upon--and I use the term in its old-fashioned sense--Aurealis, a fascinating site for Australian writers of Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Horror. I was enthralled--not only by the fact that I'd found an Australian website to share with the Orble locals--but because it contained a very promising page of links to other notable Australian Fantasy and Sci-Fi-related sites, in effect, spreading the Aussie magic!
In fact, I wanted so much to include this site's link page in my 100-List post, because I knew it would add an intriguing new dimension to an already-great collection of literary links. Yet, I couldn't--because it wasn't a 100-List! (And, after all, in celebration of Writer's Notes' 100th post, I couldn't very well stray from my theme, could I?) So, instead, I copied and kept the link for later sharing with my loyal (Oh, OK, even my occasional) Australian readers.
A Website, A Magazine, and Some Great Links
Well, it's later now, and I've decided to share it! As I looked this site over, going beyond its link page, I discovered that it contains a great deal of other rather interesting information. In addition to book news, reviews, and awards, it features Aurealis Magazine, including subscription and back-issue options.
A Multi-Faceted Market for Your Creative Works
And, for those who are looking to find a market for their own Fantasy, Science Fiction, and/or Horror writing--whether it be genre fiction stories or non-fiction articles/reviews written about Australian Fantasy, Sci-Fi, or Horror--it will undoubtedly be good news to you to hear that Aurealis not only welcomes submissions, but also pays for them.
(They also publish a limited amount of work by "overseas" writers, who are asked to query first.) Please see the Aurealis Writer's Guidelines to learn more about the details of submitting work to this great site/magazine.
In addition to fiction and non-fiction, Aurealis also purchases full-color art work, which is used on the cover of their magazine. Guidelines for each type of submission are clearly spelled out in the site's Writer's Guidelines, as are the various payment amounts for each type of material.
Don't Forget to Follow the Links!
Be sure to check out the Links page, before leaving the site, so you won't miss out on any of the other great sites it points out, sites such as the following: Fiction Factor, The Telltale Art, HorrorScope, The Zone, and Australian Writers Web, to name but a few.
So, dust off those Fantasy, Sci-Fi, and Horror manuscripts, and prepare to enter another realm...
Happy haunting,
Jeanne
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If you're looking for a site with tons of valuable information for freelance writers, you'll want to check out Writers-Editors Network. This site is also the home of Cassell Network of Writers (CNW) and Florida Freelance Writers Association (FFWA).
While both of the aforementioned writers associations charge varying fees for membership, the Writers-Editors Network website contains a great deal of free information, in the form of articles filled with advice on writing, getting writing assignments, negotiating fees for your work, and many other aspects of freelancing.
In addition, the site offers a Contest Tip Sheet, with great advice that can help you become "a contender" in any writing contest you may decide to enter. They also offer a list of current writing contests, as well as info on their own contest, and an FAQ page which answers many questions that writers may have about the writing/marketing process. They also list a few job opportunities, as well as "Talks, Seminars, and Conferences of Interest" to writers and/or editors.
If you are serious about writing--and about selling your writing--there's a lot of great information here that would undoubtedly be worthy of your time. So, check it out, and see if you don't find something here that will help you along the road to writing success.
Here's to your success!
Jeanne
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Freelancing Journey, a blog which refers to itself as "The Road to Business Success for Writers & Bloggers," is literally loaded with info, tips, links, leads, techniques, advice, and other resources that can help you, the freelance writer, make the most of your own website or blog. Covering many different aspects of the freelance writer's creative, professional, practical, and even personal development, this site has something for everyone interested in any type of freelance writing.
One post, "Page Rank, Back Links and Blogging," posted June 22nd, 2007, explains why page rank is important and provides tips on how to obtain quality backlinks to your blog. Another, more recent post, titled "Definitive List of Paid to Blog Services," dated June 28th, 2007, links to a very comprehensive discussion of the subject found in a post on another helpful blog. In addition, Freelancing Journey's "Roll of Honour" includes a long list of links to other blogs about writing--and blogging--as well as numerous other writing resources, markets, and marketing blogs.
Freelance writers are busy people, whose time is often severely limited. But taking a few minutes out of your busy schedule today to pick up some timely tips and advantageous advice could just save you a great deal of time and trouble over the long term.
So, check out Freelancing Journey, and see if you don't agree that this blog contains some helpful literary and marketing signposts to guide you along your freelance writing travels.
Bon Voyage!
Jeanne
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Back in March, I penned a post called, A Salute to My Fellow Writers--With Links! One of the links I included in that post pointed to the Funds For Writers website, which I felt at the time--and still feel today--to be a very valuable resource for writers.
One of my blogging buddies has confirmed my belief in the significance of Funds for Writers in the freelance writing marketplace by including an article containing some info about the site in a recent post. So I felt this would be the perfect time to write a post centered solely around the site and what it has to offer the aspiring, developing, or practicing writer.
(For more info about Yvonne Russell's Freelance Writing Rates post, mentioned in the previous paragraph, see my June 14th post, entitled, Buzz from the BlogVine: WritersWeekly Raising Rates--or go directly to her post by using the recent post link, above.)
Funds for Writers, generously presented to you by Hope Clark, offers multiple resources that can help writers in a number of different ways. Some of the site's highlights:
-A list of grants for writers
-A list of writing contests (containing competitions both with and without entry fees)
-A (limited) list of writing markets, with more offered in the site's free newsletters
-Several free newsletters
-An annual writing contest
-A list of other beneficial links (including organizations that can help writers in various ways)
-Lists of books and e-books for reference and/or study
-Publication of--and payment for--your articles about the craft or business of writing
Check out the Funds for Writers site! You'll find a great deal there that can help you reach your writing goals!
Happy Reading!
Jeanne
PS. For your convenience, should you later return to my blog and desire to access the site, a link to Funds for Writers can always be found in my Helpful Sites for Writers list, located in the sidebar on the left side of this web page.
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I learned, a few days ago, from reading my friend Yvonne Russell's Grow Your Writing Business blog, that WritersWeekly.Com is raising the rates it pays writers for their work. According to an article, written by Angela Hoy and reproduced in its entirety (with permission) by Yvonne, WritersWeekly is raising its rates 20% for features and 33% for success stories. This is great news for freelancers!
According to Ms. Hoy's article, the 20% increase for feature articles figures to "$60 for around 600 words for non-exclusive electronic rights only," and she adds, "For freelance success stories, we now pay $40 for around 300 words."
Her article is exceptionally interesting reading for freelancers, as it also contains an explanation of the payment history of several other major online publishers of freelance material, as well as several print publishers, giving us a glimpse into their going rates, and letting us know just how long it's been since each has raised its own rates.
Check out this great article on Yvonne's site! You'll find it in her post, entitled, Freelance Writing Rates. The article, entitled, We're Raising Our Freelance Rates, by Angela Hoy, is also posted on the WritersWeekly website.
Thanks, Yvonne for this fascinating and thoroughly helpful info! We can only hope that all the other publishers of freelance material will follow WritersWeekly.Com's shining example of adopting fairer freelance payment rates and thereby engaging in more responsible business practices!
Happy writing!
Jeanne
P.S. You'll want to visit Yvonne's blog often! Through it, she provides lots of great info and many helpful resources for writers! For your convenience, a link to Grow Your Writing Business can always be found in my blog's sidebar in the Helpful Sites for Writers list.
You'll also want to visit WritersWeekly.Com. Their site is packed with articles, market listings, and other resources that will help you reach your writing goals!
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Are you a previously unpublished writer with a few short stories lurking in the deepest, darkest recesses of your computer's hard drive? Have they been sitting there so long, in fact, that you're not at all sure you won't find cobwebs when you open them? Or does your inventory of short fiction fall on the opposite end of the spectrum where your latest fiction piece is so new that the ink isn't even dry yet? Either way, No Record Press is actively soliciting your short fictional manuscript for its next annual anthology, which will be published in early 2008.
This opportunity for previously unpublished writers of short literary fiction to have their work included in the next annual issue of the anthology, put out by No Record Press, is currently being advertised on Craigslist.Com (posted 5/25/07).
Here's the way No Record Press describes itself: "No Record is an organization dedicated solely to publishing promising literary works by previously-unknown writers. Our mission is to make available, for public consideration and benefit, noteworthy works by new writers that, for various reasons, may find it difficult to interest mainstream publishers."
No Record welcomes manuscripts between 500 and 10,000 words in length, and the submission deadline for the next anthology is July 1st, 2007 (publication date: February, 2008). Please see Writer's Guidelines before submitting (link in first paragraph of this post.)
Oh, and did I forget to mention: They pay $50 per accepted story and "all rights revert back to author on publication."
Sounds like a pretty good deal to me--especially for an unknown author who may be finding it difficult to locate a publisher who's willing to pay anything at all for the fictional works of previously untested new talent.
Seems to me that a new writer could certainly do worse!
Good luck!
Jeanne
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Do you have a compelling, true story that you'd like to share with the world? Is your story haunting, wistful, poignant, or gripping? Does it touch people where they live? If so, you might just want to check out Common Ties--a "story blog" which publishes quality non-fiction and pays decently for it.
The folks at Common Ties have this to say about the stories they seek: "Specifically, we look for any personal story that is in some way emotionally compelling--stories that make us shudder, gasp, giggle, or cry." In short, Common Ties publishes creative non-fiction at its best.
To be sure, having a thrilling tale to tell or a sensitive story to share is only the beginning. At Common Ties, craftsmanship is everything. Again, they give a few words of friendly advice to the writer who aspires to seeing his or her work grace the pages of this relatively new but popular online publishing venue: "You may have several powerful personal stories, but they must be written well if they are to be accepted. Quality of writing is of paramount importance."
Common Ties has been publishing compelling personal stories from around the world since October 2006 and runs stories based on a weekly schedule of themes. (They will, however, accept stories on nearly any theme at any time, since themes are recurring and also because there are times when they will decide to publish a particular story, regardless of theme.)
Some upcoming themes and their submission deadlines are: turning points, May 29th; eating disorders, June 5th; fathers and fatherhood, June 12th; moral dilemmas, June 19th; weddings, June 26th; honeymoons, July 3rd; suicide, July 10th. In addition, they have a long list of other themes that are of particular interest to their editors, which can be found on their Submission Guidelines page (at the link found in the opening paragraph of this post.)
Common Ties' average compensation range for an author's work is $100-200 per story, though they refer to this as "only a guideline" and, consequently, they are very open to considering higher or lower compensation levels, depending on such factors as a writer's previous publishing experience and story quality. They are currently experimenting with accepting reprints, though there's a limit to the number of reprints they will accept from a single author in a calendar year. (See Guidelines.)
If you have any interest at all in this type of anecdotal writing and you have a stirring tale or two to tell, you might seriously consider submitting your work to Common Ties. This online publication appears to be one that's open to giving you a fair price for your work.
Good Luck & Happy Writing!
Jeanne
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If you would love to explore a fascinating world of art, poetry, wisdom on the writing craft, and more, Artella may just be the site for you! Billing itself as "a creative magazine and inspiring art community for artists, writers, and creative spirits," Artella welcomes all who visit "to the Wonderful World of Artella...the waltz of words and art."
This very colorful site may just have something for everyone who has even the slightest artistic streak--whether one's passion be for the written word or the picture that's worth a thousand of them. Boasting both a print magazine and ezine, as well as a poetry newsletter, Artella accepts submissions of poetry-themed articles, as well as articles on writing in general. Poetry competitions are yet another feature that rounds out the mix, adding to Artella's appeal for the creative individual.
Artella looks like a really fun site to peruse when you've got a little time to just browse and enjoy all of its unique categories and features. Read a little poetry, look at a little art...and who knows, maybe you'll just come away from the experience inspired enough to create some masterpieces of your own--and submit them!
Artistically yours,
Jeanne
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Write-from-Home.Com, a new site for writers that "just opened its web doors at the end of 2006," has some interesting info and resources for freelancers who want to learn more about the writing business, as well as find markets for their work.
Write-from-Home.Com, offers a free list of paying markets for freelance writers and also a free list of writing contests and awards, as well as a fair-sized selection of interesting new articles on getting paid to write. They also offer a free subscription to their ezine, which provides info on all the latest paying markets and contests, and perhaps best of all, they buy articles from freelancers! Since their focus is on the business end of freelance writing, these are the types of articles they purchase for posting to their site.
Here's a link to their Guidelines. They pay $75 for first-time non-exclusive rights (to previously unpublished articles) and $30 for reprints. Articles of 500-700 words are preferred, though articles up to 1500 words will be considered. They like articles on the following aspects of the writing business: "breaking into new markets, unique ways to make money freelance writing, and tips new freelance writers can use to be successful." They are not interested in articles on the writing craft or on specific categories of writing, such as poetry, fiction, etc., nor are they interested in personal success stories; and they don't publish fiction, poetry, columns, or "rants."
If this gig sounds like something you'd be interested in, or if you'd simply like to check out their market listings or read some of their articles to pick up some tips that might prove helpful to you in the advancement of your own freelance career, take a look at their site. (They have articles on grant writing, travel writing, writing book reviews, finding article ideas, writing for your local newspaper, not overlooking small jobs, staying inspired, tax issues, and health insurance for freelance writers.)
Take a look at Write-from-Home.Com. You might just find something helpful there--and maybe even sell an article or two in the process!
Your friend in the literary art,
Jeanne
Another Great Site for Freelancers
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If you're looking for a site that will help you master the writing craft and/or prepare you for your own personal journey on the path to publication, Writing-World.Com has a great deal to offer!
This site is chock full of great information for the aspiring--or practicing--writer! Some examples:
~An interesting variety of books on the writing craft itself and on marketing your writing, including volumes containing specific markets for your work. (Their book inventory also contains a few books on subjects other than writing.)
~An impressive list of more than 600 writing-related articles that can be read right on the site. These articles are all well catalogued and categorized for easy reference.
~A contest database featuring a wealth of info on entering--and not being scammed by--writing contests.
~A list of certain selected markets for your work.
~A long list of links to other online resources for writers.
~A call for articles on writing that they will purchase from you to add to their database, complete with Writer's Guidelines.
~A "Guide for Launching Your Writing Career," containing a wealth of great advice that can get you started on the road to a successful freelance writing business. (This section also includes a lot of great advice on the real nitty gritty, down-to-earth, seat-of-your-pants aspects of writing.)
~A great section on how to avoid writing scams, presented along with info on copyright issues, rights, and contracts.
~A free monthly newsletter, containing many great feature articles, as well as recurring topical columns that you might find helpful.
As far as payment for articles is concerned, here's what they themselves have to say: "We pay 5¢/word for original articles, to a maximum of $100 (regardless of word count; thus, a 2500-word article is still paid only $100). We pay a flat $25 for reprints, and we definitely welcome work that has appeared in other publications (especially print). Payment is on acceptance. For humor, we pay a flat $15 per item. We will also exchange advertising space for editorial."
That doesn't sound half bad for an online market! So, if you enjoy writing about your craft, check out their Writer's Guidelines and try submitting your work. But be sure to check their article database to be sure your topic hasn't already been covered. You can do this via their Topical Indexes or their Master Article Index.
Take a peek at what Writing-World.Com has to offer. I think you'll be impressed!
And good luck!
Jeanne
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Another great resource when seeking markets for your writing is Duotrope's Digest. This website is a compilation of writing markets, described by the folks at Duotrope as "a database of over 1700 current markets for short fiction, poetry, and novels/collections."
Duotrope's free service includes a search engine that allows you to find the most appropriate markets for the type of writing you do, as well as the level of compensation you are seeking for your work--from non-paying to token payments and from semi-pro through professional compensation levels, with other payment levels in between. They also have an "unknown" category for those markets whose level of compensation isn't available.
You can either use their search engine to generate a list of all the markets in one of three categories (Short Fiction, Poetry, or Novels & Collections) or narrow your search still further using such criteria as Genre, Country, Length, Sub-Type, Reprints, Awards, Themed, and others; and you may also search by Publication Title, if desired. You also have the option of hiding temporarily closed markets so these do not appear in your list.
Duotrope's Digest uses a very interesting system of color-coded symbols to present all the pertinent info about each market on their list. Info covered includes Type of Media (Electronic or Print), Length Ranges/Categories, as well as specific Genres accepted by each publication. (Their Genre listing also includes an "Open to Most" category.)
They also give you Response Time information in each individual market description, as well as statistical info on percentages of Acceptances vs. Rejections, Rewrite Requests, Non-responses, and Author Withdrawals of Manuscripts. In addition, each market listing contains a Before Submitting section, giving tips for submitting your own work. They also tell you when the Most Recent Response Reported to them was received by an author from the publication and also the Latest Submission Date of manuscripts that have received responses. They tell you when the market was added, when its entry was last updated, and when it was last checked. Each market description page also includes a link to the publication's website.
Duotrope updates its market listings about once a day--They, in fact tell you exactly how much time has elapsed in hours and minutes since their last update!--and once a week, they check all listings to make sure they are still current.
While this site focuses on fiction and poetry, some of their markets accept essays and articles, as well, though these tend to relate to the genres covered by the particular publication. In fact, some of their markets even accept such things as interviews, scripts, photography, artwork, music, and other media. So, it's definitely worth a look!
Duotrope's Digest is a helpful site offering an impressive list of free services to the writer who is interested in finding just the right market for his or her work. Aside from those services already mentioned above, they offer a fascinating compilation of statistics related to the marketing of your writing, including lists of the 25 slowest-responding and 25 fastest-responding markets, as well as the 25 most challenging and the 25 most approachable markets. (This can be found by clicking "Curious?" in their Quick Menu.) Very interesting stuff!
They also offer a weekly e-mail, based on your writing category of interest, informing you of any new markets that have become available that week, as well as any updates that have been made to the markets already on their list since the last Duotrope's Digest e-mail. This service can be a real boon to the busy writer and can make keeping up-to-date on the latest markets an absolute breeze!
Anyone who visits the site may search for market info and also read all the valuable info posted to the site, but an additional service is available to registered members: that of tracking your submissions on the site. Membership is free, though they do ask for donations to help the site stay that way.
Check out this great site and find just the right home for that literary masterpiece that's been sitting there gathering dust!
Happy hunting!
Jeanne
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