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Doris-Maria Heilmann's Blog, page 2
March 2, 2023
March 2023 Publishing Newsletter
Tips for Successful Publishing – Newsletter March 2023
by 111Publishing and SavvyBookWriters
Content of this Newsletter:
– Writer Residencies
– Freelance Writing
– Add People
– Writing Contests
– Tax Deductions
Hello friends, happy March
Hopefully, Spring is finally arriving in your neck of the world.
It’s a month full of holidays and anniversaries to celebrate during the next weeks: St. Patrick’s Day, Women’s Day… Well, the whole March is Women’s History Month… For many young people, it’s time for the famous “March Break”. Daylight Savings Time is back on the second weekend – and lots of writing contests, fellowships, and free writer’s residencies. Just apply!
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RESIDENCIES
Soaring Gardens Artist Retreat
Soaring Gardens Artists Retreat in the country outside of Laceyville, PA offers visual artists, writers, composers & musicians 3-week residencies between May & Sept. No fees, no demands, simply spacious studios, pleasant rooms, nature, and time. A limited number of $500 need-based grants are available. Location Laceyville, PA. Deadline March 10 https://www.lermantrust.org/apply/
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Hedgebrook Writers in Residence
The program supports fully-funded residencies for selected women-identified writers at the retreat each year. Up to 6 writers can be in residence at a time, each housed in a handcrafted cottage. Writers must be women, 18 and older, which is inclusive of transgender women and female-identified individuals. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, TV/Screenwriters, Playwrights & Songwriters are all encouraged to apply. The location is Freeland, WA. Deadline March 13 https://www.hedgebrook.org/writers-in-residence
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Banff Centre’s Summer Writers Residency
It provides writers space for the creative exploration of their writing practice. This self-directed residency offers the opportunity to work away from the constraints of everyday life. Writers in all creative genres are invited to apply. Financial Aid of 100% is available to cover tuition, and 50% is available to offset food and accommodation costs. All accepted participants will receive this financial aid package. Application Deadline March 15 https://www.banffcentre.ca/programs/summer-writers-residency-2023
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– FREELANCE WRITING
Bicycling
They publish stories about every aspect of cycling, from tips on how to pick out your first bike to human interest pieces to training techniques for competitive cyclists aiming to get better for their next event, and everything in between. They speak to all cyclists: beginners, weekend riders, fans of the pro peloton, cross racers, gear fanatics, and more. Their audience responds best to stories that explain how to better themselves as cyclists for every ride. Pays up to a dollar per word.
https://www.bicycling.com/about/a34243047/how-to-pitch-bicycling-magazine/
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– ADD PEOPLE
I must admit, I am guilty too: writing non-fiction too dry and with too many facts and not adding real people in some way into the blog or book. Recently I talked to a multi-book writer about it and wrote a blog post last week. Here is an excerpt:
“We need to build page-turning non-fiction books. Thumbing through any newspaper or magazine, you will find people in almost any story: mentioning names, interviewing a person, citing people…
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– WRITING CONTESTS
Winning a contest really boosts your chances of getting published. Many of these contests are held every year. So if you missed one you’d like to enter, you have lots of time to prepare and catch it next year.
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Mahler & Lewitt Studios Essay Prize
The prize awards £3,000 to the best proposal for a book-length essay (minimum 25,000 words) by a writer resident in the UK & Ireland who has yet to secure a publishing deal. In addition to the £3,000 prize the winner has the opportunity to go on residency at the Mahler & LeWitt Studios in Spoleto, Italy, to work on their book. The book will then be published by Fitzcarraldo Editions. No Entry Fee. Deadline March 13
https://fitzcarraldoeditions.com/prizes/essay-prize
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Romance on the Road Travel Writing Competition
Write an original, factual, first-person travel story about a time you experienced romance while traveling. Feel free to explore romance in all of its manifestations, but ensure that your travel story builds itself around the context of a place or experience. One winner and up to three runners-up will be selected to have their work published in Intrepid Times. The winner will be paid a cash prize of US $200, and the runners-up will receive our standard fee. Please write between 1200 and 2000 words. No Entry Fee. Deadline March 19 https://intrepidtimes.com/romance-on-the-road/
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Grindstone Literary Novel Prize
The 2023 Novel Prize is open to authors from all countries, self-published authors who are unrepresented are eligible to enter. Entrants are asked to submit the first 5,000 words of their manuscript. Manuscripts may be finished or part-finished at the time of submission. All manuscripts must have a finished (or projected finished) length exceeding 70,000 words. Grand Prize: £1,500. Runner Up: £500. £16 Entry fee. Super early bird deadline April 1
https://www.grindstoneliterary.com/no...
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Trio Award for First or Second Book
The Trio Award for First or Second Book is only open to poets with less than two books published. Poetry manuscripts must be between 48-70 pages of poetry, written in English. Creative nonfiction manuscripts must be between 60,000 – 80,000 words. Translations are not eligible for publication. Winner receives $1000 and twenty copies of their book. $25 Entry fee. Deadline May 1
https://triohousepress.submittable.com/submit
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Writer’s Digest Annual Writing Competition
The Grand Prize winner will receive $5,000, an interview with them in Writer’s Digest (Nov/Dec 2023 issue), and on WritersDigest.com, a paid trip to the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference. $20-$30 Entry Fee. Early-Bird Deadline: May 5
https://www.writersdigest.com/writers-digest-competitions/annual-writing-competition
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TAX DEDUCTIONS
It’s this time of the year again… Tax season is already in full swing. Don’t wait until the last minute. What authors can deduct from taxes: ALL book production costs, book promotions, transportation costs, rental for book readings, office rental or mortgage, heating, electricity for your home office by square feet, phone / Internet / e-Reader costs, website/blog costs, such as hosting or development, computer/copy Machine, scanner, router… just to name a few. Find a comprehensive list of all deductibles here:
http://www.savvybookwriters.com/what-writers-can-deduct-from-taxes/
We hope you found lots of writing and publishing ideas in this March newsletter. Enjoy St Patrick’s Day and the upcoming Daylight Savings Time next weekend.
Books by Doris-Maria Heilmann:
To the TOP
Smart Free Marketing for Entrepreneurs and Self-Employed
ebook: https://books2read.com/u/mqv8Z1
ebook: https://www.thalia.de/shop/home/artik...
ebook: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08957T6XN/
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Audiobooks for Success
Valuable guidebook for authors, audiobook publishers, narrators, voice-over artists, and audiobook listeners. Learn how to create, produce, publish, and market your audiobooks
https://books2read.com/u/bPRRyJ
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07W81MN2Z
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111 Tips to Create Impressive Videos –
How to Plan, Create, Upload, and Market Videos
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BYDH41S/
https://www.books2read.com/u/3GYnpa
https://www.thalia.de/shop/home/suggestartikel/A1050298606
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111 Tips To Make Money With Writing –
The Art of Making a Living Full-time Writing –
An Essential Guide for More Income as Freelancer
https://books2read.com/u/bWZMjz
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1988664187
https://www.thalia.de/shop/home/artik...
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111 Tips on How to Market Your Book for Free
– Detailed Plans and Smart Strategies for Your Book’s Success
https://books2read.com/u/bMre1a
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018RA72LY
https://www.thalia.de/shop/home/artikeldetails/A1047879655
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111 Tips to Get Free Book Reviews
– Best Strategies for Getting Lots of Great Reviews
plus 1,200+ reviewer contact links
https://books2read.com/u/mZ5nx5
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M2Y3E5W
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111 Tips to Create Your Book Trailer –
How to Create, Where to Upload, and How to Market Your Videos
https://books2read.com/u/mVZkjr
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CHWX6X2/
https://www.thalia.de/shop/home/artik...
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Book Marketing on a Shoestring
How Authors Can Promote their Books
Without Spending a Lot of Money
https://books2read.com/u/mZ5gdp
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1988664225
https://www.thalia.de/shop/home/sugge...
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Hello Friends, visit my Author Page here:
https://books2read.com/ap/n4EYY8/Doris-Maria-Heilmann
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February 2, 2023
Tips for Successful Publishing – Newsletter February 2023
Content of this Newsletter:
– Freelance Writing
– Book Pre-Orders
– Writing Contests
– Fellowships & Grants
– Writing for Magazines
Hello friends, happy February.
I hope you had a great first month of the year and that you are full of energy to tackle new projects. Get lots of new ideas in this month’s newsletter:
FREELANCE WRITING
Chicken Soup for the Soul:
Miracles. True stories and poems. “All of us have experienced events in our lives that are completely unexplainable: the strange premonition that made you take a different route home causing you to miss an accident; the eerie feeling that you should call home… now, saving someone’s life; the mysterious communication from a loved one who has passed on.” Payment: $200. Deadline: Feb 28
https://www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/possible-book-topics/
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Chicken Soup for the Soul:
The power of positive thinking. True stories and poems. “How did you “think positive” and how did it change your life? Tell us your success story about using the power of positive thinking!” Payment: $200.
Deadline: Feb 28. https://www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/possible-book-topics/
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AFAR
The magazine publishes a range of reported features, personal essays, opinion pieces, photo essays, illustrated features, short fiction, poetry, and shorter middle-of-book pieces. Instead of more traditional aspirational lifestyle travel stories, we tell the stories of a place and the people who live there. Their rate starts at $1/word.
https://www.afar.com/about/pitch-guidelines
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WIRED Magazine
A publication about change—about the ways science and technology are reshaping the world and what it means to be human. While the subjects of WIRED stories run the gamut from deep dives into the biggest tech companies to Hindu extremism to digital blackface to space food to true crime, every story has technology, science, or innovation as one of its key variables. Finished pieces tend to be in the range of 1,200 to 1,800 words. Story fees now start at about $2,500 and rise from there. Other short, online-only content starts at $500 and rises with time commitment and reporting intensity.
https://www.wired.co.uk/article/contributor-guidelines
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BOOK PRE-ORDERS
Apple offers a powerful marketing feature on iBooks, and even authors who upload directly to Apple can use it. Your book title can be posted on iBooks for pre-order — up to one year before the book launch — even if you don’t have a book cover or interior file yet. However, it’s advisable to have the cover at least. “e-Books born as pre-orders earned the authors 3 1/2 times more income than books that were simply uploaded on the day of release.
Pre-release twelve months in advance and you have got twelve months of people discovering your book before it hits the market. It means twelve months of additional sales in those first few days. All you need is your metadata: the book title, author, book description, price, pre-order, and release date. A lot more favorable than Amazon’s pre-order conditions! Easy Upload to iBooks: Authors can distribute to iBooks on their own through a direct upload route — or through an aggregator (book distributor) such as Draft2Digital.com
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WRITING CONTESTS
The Bechtel Prize
Essays describing a creative writing teaching experience, project, or activity that demonstrates innovation in creative writing instruction. They are looking for essays that describe a project or activity that got students excited about writing and fostered a vibrant and dynamic culture of literacy in the classroom. Prize: $1,000 and publication. Deadline: Feb 10. https://twc.org/bechtel-prize
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The International Radio Playwriting Competition 2023
Sponsored by BBC World Service and British Council in partnership with Commonwealth Writers. Open to non-UK residents. Genre: A script for a 53-minute radio play with up to six central characters. Prize: £2,500 sterling ($3,900) & a trip to London. Deadline: Feb 12
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Governor General’s Literary Awards
Books must have been written or translated by Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. The best English-language & the best French-language book in each of the seven categories of Fiction, Literary Non-fiction, Poetry, Drama, Young People’s Literature (Text), Young People’s Literature & Translation (French to English). Prize: $25,000. Deadline: Feb 15
https://canadacouncil.ca/funding/priz...
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Luminarts Creative Writing Fellowship
The Creative Writing Fellowship awards two $7,500 grant Fellowships for excellence in creative writing in the categories of prose and poetry, in fiction and nonfiction. Open to writers between the ages of 18 and 30 years, be enrolled in, or have graduated from, a degree program; and live within 150 miles of the Union League Club of Chicago. Genre: Poetry or prose, fiction and nonfiction. Prize: $7,500. Deadline: Feb 17
https://luminarts.org/creative-writing-opportunities
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Scotiabank Giller Prize
Open to books published in Canada in English. Books must be published in Canada in English between Oct 1, 2022, and Feb 28, 2023 to be eligible. Must be nominated by publisher. Genre: Fiction. Full-length novel or collection of short stories published in English, either originally, or in translation. Prize: $100,000 to the winner and $10,000 to each of the finalists. Deadline: Feb 17
https://scotiabankgillerprize.ca/important-dates/
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Jeanne Córdova Prize for Lesbian/Queer Nonfiction
Open to a writer committed to nonfiction work that captures the depth and complexity of lesbian/queer life, culture, and/or history. The winner of the prize will have published at least one book and show promise in continuing to produce groundbreaking and challenging work. Prize: $2,500. Deadline: Feb 17
https://lambdaliterary.org/awards/special-awards/
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Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing
Prize: Adventure writing novel. Prize: £10,000. Deadline: Feb 17
https://www.wilbur-niso-smithfoundation.org/index.php/awards/best-published-novel-2019/submissions
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Dr. Jim Duggins Outstanding LGBTQ Mid-Career Novelist Prize. Restrictions: Open to LGBTQ mid-career novelists who have published at least three novels. or two novels and substantial additional literary work (including poems, stories, or essays). Published book. Prize: $5,000. Deadline: Feb 17
https://lambdaliterary.org/awards/special-awards/
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Randall Kenan Prize for Black LGBTQ Fiction. Restrictions: Open to a Black LGBTQ writer whose fiction explores themes of Black LGBTQ life, culture, and/or history. To be eligible, the winner of the prize must have published at least one book and show promise in continuing to produce groundbreaking work. Prize: $3,000. Deadline: Feb 17, 2023. https://lambdaliterary.org/awards/special-awards/
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J. Michael Samuel Prize for Emerging Writers Over 50. Restrictions: Open to unpublished LGBTQ writers over 50 working in any genre. Genre: All genres. Prize: $5,000. Deadline: Feb 17
https://lambdaliterary.org/awards/special-awards
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The Reporting Award
Journalism, in any medium, on an under-reported subject in the public interest. Prize: Up to $12,500. Deadline: Feb 21. https://journalism.nyu.edu/about-us/awards-and-fellowships/the-reporting-award/
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Wiley-Silver Prize in Civil War History
First book or monograph in Civil War history, published in the previous year. Books or monographs published by scholarly or popular presses are eligible. Prize: $2,000. Deadline: Feb 24
http://www.civilwarcenter.olemiss.edu/wileysilverinfo.shtml
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Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize
Awarded for the best piece of writing on the theme of the Alpine Fellowship 2023 – Flourishing. The winner of the Writing Prize will receive a cash prize, and the runners-up will receive travel expense support that must be used to attend our 2023 symposium which will be held from 10th-13th August 2023 in Fjällnäs, Sweden. First place: £3,000 cash grant. Second place: £1,000 travel expense. Third place: £1,000 travel expense. Open internationally. Max. 2,500 words/entry. Deadline March 1 https://alpinefellowship.com/writing-prize
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Hentoen International
Students currently enrolled in a medical school or program are encouraged to submit to Hektoen International’s 2022 Medical Student Essay Contest. The winner receives $3,500, runner-up $2,500. Essays can be on any topic as it relates to medicine, art, history, and literature topics are preferred. Essays should be under 1,200 words. Deadline March 15. https://hekint.org/
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The Every Animal Project
We are currently accepting submissions around the theme of courageous animals for our first anthology, debuting in December 2023, The Dog Who Wooed at the World. Stories should explain how an animal’s bravery inspired and moved you. Stories must be true (non-fiction). One winning author will receive a $300 prize, and the second-place author will receive $200. All other authors with stories chosen for the book will receive a $50 award, along with a free copy of the book upon its publication. Stories not chosen for the book will have the opportunity to be featured online on the blog, with a $20 award. Please keep your submission roughly between 500 and 3,000 words. https://www.everyanimalproject.com/contact/
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FELLOWSHIPS & GRANTS
De Groot Foundation Grants for Writers
They welcome applications from adult writers actively engaged in a writing project and for whom a monetary boost could help further or complete the project. Applicants may be writing in any genre. In 2023, The de Groot Foundation will award grants, between $1,500 and $7,000. Deadline Feb 15 https://degrootfoundation.org/courage-to-write-guidelines/
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Accelerate Fellowship
It is a year-long program that gives mid-level disabled screenwriters $40,000 in funding, bespoke mentorship, industry connections and the community they need to become industry-leading creators. The money is unrestricted— Fellows can use it to cover living expenses and other project-related fees—which is intended to give them the time and space to further develop their projects. The Fellowship is for individuals that self-identify as disabled. This includes physical, intellectual, developmental, psychiatric, visible, or invisible disabilities. https://www.inevitable.foundation/fellowship
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Emerging Creators Fellowships – Charlotte, NC
The Emerging Creators Fellowship provides resources to emerging Mecklenburg County artists to make their creative practice a sustainable vocation. The fellowship funds can be used for research, workspace/studio rental, conferences, apprenticeships, travel, creation of new work, materials or other experiences that help the recipients develop their creative capacity. In addition to the grant, the fellowship recipients are encouraged to participate in professional development and growth opportunities through ASC. The fellowship is an investment in Mecklenburg County’s emerging creatives with 2-10 years’ experience pursuing their creative practice as their primary occupation outside of a degree-seeking program. In 2023, ASC will award up to ten $10,000 Emerging Creators Fellowships. Deadline Feb 6
https://artsandscience.org/emerging-creators-fellowship/
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WRITING FOR MAGAZINES – WORTH YOUR TIME?
Why write for magazines and newspapers? If you write articles, you reach many more people than with books. Your book may sell five thousand copies. Certainly, some books turn into bestsellers, but with more than 500,000 new books per year, many books are fortunate to sell even a thousand copies. With one article, you can reach millions of people.
Writing for magazines will give you increased confidence that you can write for publication and meet word limits and deadlines. A fiction author recently pondered whether writing magazine articles was worth his time. Would his time not be better spent writing for his own blog or website? My answer was that it depends on how many subscribers and readers his website and blog had. Should your blog have less than a million readers per month, consider writing for these magazines with enormous readership numbers:
• Huffington Post: 43 million per month
• Salon: 7.7 million per month
• Travel + Leisure: 950,000 per month
• AARP The Magazine: 21,931,184
• Better Homes and Gardens: 7,624,505
If only one percent of this readership finds your article and the byline with your name, website, and book info, it’s worth it to write for these magazines.
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Have a wonderful February and enjoy writing and making plans for new books. “Although February is short, it is filled with growing sun, lots of love, and sweet surprises”. Enjoy the many holidays this month: Groundhog Day, Super Bowl, Rosa Parks Day, Chinese New Year, Lincoln’s Birthday, Valentine’s Day, and Presidents’ Day.
Don’t forget to visit my Author Page here:
https://books2read.com/ap/n4EYY8/Doris-Maria-Heilmann
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December 30, 2022
Tips for Successful Publishing – Newsletter January 2023
Tips for Successful Publishing – Newsletter January 2023
by by 111Publishing and SavvyBookWriters
Content of this Newsletter:
– Book Categories
– Fellowships & Grants
– Writing Contests
– Freelance Writing
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Hello Friends,
Feliz Año Nuevo – Bonne année – Happy New Year – Gott nytt år – Gelukkig Nieuwjaar
I hope you all had a marvelous Holiday season and you are energetic to tackle the New Year. This is your year! But good intentions change nothing. How can you stick with your goals throughout the year? And what are your plans for 2022? Get lots of encouragement to stick to your resolutions with our tips here:
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– Book Categories
Why should you care about Amazon book categories as an author? Using the right categories to list your book allows you to reach more potential customers and improve your overall sales performance. Learn more:
https://bookbird.io/amazon-kdp/catego...
On the same page you will also find:
How Amazon Book Categories WorkImportance of Book CategoriesBrowser Categories vs. BISAC CategoriesHow to choose winning Book Categories.
– FELLOWSHIPS, GRANTS, RESIDENCIES
Conroy Center Writers Residency
Located on a salt marsh, the residency at MarshSong Cottage provides an inspirational, creative space in the heart of Pat Conroy’s beloved Lowcountry. The residency location is a guest cottage on St. Helena Island, SC. The residency dates will be Feb 28 to March 7, The residency is open to both published & unpublished writers, available to writers of all genres. Deadline January 10
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Tennessee Fellowships
Fellowships provide those individuals who by education, experience, or natural talent engage in a particular art form or discipline, and live and work in Tennessee. To qualify, an artist must be financially compensated for his or her work, and this compensation must be a significant source of support for their livelihood. Recipients will be awarded $5,000. Deadline Jan 23. https://tnartscommission.org/grants/individual/
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NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowships
Prize: $8,000 cash awards are made to individual originating artists living and working in the state of New York for unrestricted use. These fellowships are not project grants but are intended to fund an artist’s vision or voice, regardless of the level of his or her artistic development. Deadline: January 25. https://www.nyfa.org/awards-grants/artist-fellowships/
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Writer of Note Grants
Applications are open to individual adult writers regardless of race, ethnicity, gender orientation, education, economic situation, geographic origin, or location. The de Groot Foundation will award seven COURAGE to WRITE grants of $7,000 each to writers writing in any genre and three $7,000 LANDO grants to writers exploring immigrant/refugee issues and experiences. Application Fee $22. Deadline Febr 15 https://degrootfoundation.org/courage-to-write-guidelines/
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– WRITING CONTESTS
Open to women, US citizens only. Genre: Novel. All entries must be submitted by publishers who wish to have the work of their authors that were published in the year 2018 considered. No self-published works or works from vanity presses will be accepted. Prize: $7,500. Deadline: Jan 15. http://www.sas.rochester.edu/gsw/news-events/kafka-prize/index.html
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Ballard-Spahr-Prize
Open to residents of MN, IA, ND, SD, WI, or MI. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $10,000 & book publication with Milkweed Editions. Deadline: Jan 15
https://milkweed.org/ballard-spahr-prize-for-poetry
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The Orwell Prize
£3,000.00 for political writing is open to nonfiction first published in the UK or Ireland. (See publication deadlines.) Genre: Nonfiction, including entries addressing political, social, cultural, moral, and historical subjects. Deadline: Jan 16.
https://www.orwellfoundation.com/the-orwell-prizes/rules/#special
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Bronwen-Wallace Award
Candidates must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents; Under the age of 35; Unpublished in book form and without a book contract. Genre: Poetry and fiction. Prizes: Up to C$10,000. Deadline: January 16
https://www.writerstrust.com/awards/rbc-bronwen-wallace-award-for-emerging-writers/
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Shaughnessy Cohen Award for Political Writing
A Book of literary nonfiction that captures a political subject of relevance to Canadian readers and has the potential to shape or influence thinking on contemporary Canadian political life. The book must be published in Canada. Prize: CAN $25,000.00. Deadline: Jan 31.
https://www.writerstrust.com/awards/shaughnessy-cohen-prize-for-political-writing/guidelines/
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Memoir: First Chapters Competition
First Prize: £1500. Second Prize: £300. Third Place: £100. Memoirs can be in any style or form, but must be in English, and written for adults. Submit a 300-word One-Pager (summary of your Memoir), and the opening chapters of your Memoir (5,000 words maximum). You can apply for a bursary if low income, class, race, age, gender, sexuality, caring responsibilities, location, disability, or mental and physical health affects your writing. £20 Entry Fee. Deadline Jan 31. https://theplazaprizes.com/competition/memoir-masterpiece/
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Papa Tango Prize
The winning writer will receive £7000. Their script will be produced by Papatango in a full run on the main stage of the Bush Theatre, London, in spring 2024. The writer will receive a royalty of 8% of the net box office and their play will be published by Nick Hern Books. The four shortlisted writers will each receive £500. No Entry Fee. Deadline Febr 5.
https://papatango.co.uk/entry-requirements/
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– FREELANCE WRITING
Daily Remedy
News articles run between 400 and 1,000 words. Pay is $1/word. All articles should be directed to the Editorial Features Editor at info@daily-remedy.com. We prefer articles that editorialize on popular health topics using novel, nontraditional methods of analysis. Pitches should be brief, with a single paragraph explaining the story idea. We prefer articles that editorialize on popular health topics using novel, nontraditional methods of analysis. Features run between 2,000 and 2,500 words.
https://www.daily-remedy.com/write-for-us/
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Better Homes & Gardens
Looking for new, experienced freelance writers for upcoming evergreen commerce articles. Previous experience is required. Rates start at $600. Please email resumes and press clips to Brittany Romano, the Senior Editor at BRomano@DotDashMDP.com
https://www.bhg.com/about-better-homes-and-gardens-5525299
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Listverse
A website that pays its contributors for writing interesting and unique lists. The lists cover a wide range of topics, from the bizarre to the interesting to the informative. If you have a knack for coming up with unique and engaging lists, you can make money by writing for Listverse. The website receives millions of visitors each month, so if your list is accepted and published, it will be seen by a very large audience. But that’s not where the money comes in. You don’t get paid for the views you get. It’s a flat rate. Listverse pays $100 for each accepted list. https://medium.com/new-writers-welcome/write-a-list-and-earn-100-8d065f39cfcd
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More freelance writing for magazines: The golden ticket to write for senior magazines
https://makealivingwriting.com/senior-magazines/
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As we head toward the new year, think about how you will overcome fears, find peers to support you, and get your writing and pitching done.
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October 5, 2022
October Newsletter: Successful Publishing
Content of this Newsletter
– Independent Authors
– Help a Reporter Out – HARO
– Grants
– Freelance Writing
– Writing Contests
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Welcome to the October Newsletter.
Are you falling for Fall like me? Pumpkin pie and spiced coffee, glorious tree colors, mild Indian Summer weather, crisp colorful leaves, delicious food and wine, country hikes – and yes, lots of new books. Get the (maybe much-needed) motivation for the busy fall season and read these valuable publishing tips:
Independent Authors
Think about it: How can you be an independent author if you are under the control of Internet giants? The only way to throw off the shackles is to become an independent publisher. You can take full control of your writing, publishing, and income. Read more reasons why Authors Should Stay INDEPENDENT
https://www.savvybookwriters.com/10-reasons-why-authors-should-stay-independent/
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HARO
Help a Reporter Out (HARO) platform is giving writers important opportunities. And you have the opportunity to be interviewed for a longer story. The basic subscription level for HARO is free, whether you register as a source or as a journalist, and it’s a great way to forge some new connections. As you can see above, it’s also a great resource for finding ways to promote yourself as a writer and find more paying opportunities to further your writing career.
– Discover new outlets or job opportunities. Subscribing to the free emails can introduce you to a wide variety of paying outlets in search of writers.
– Gain visibility by responding to requests for quotes
HARO IS not only for non-fiction writers and freelancers – but a way for writers to get better known: https://www.helpareporter.com/
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GRANTS
Neal Pierce Travel Grant
Our travel grants of up to $1,500 enable journalists to travel to cities within the U.S. to produce one or more stories for publication. The awards, selected through a competitive review process, cover travel expenses necessary for on-the-ground reporting. Full-time freelancers as well as journalists currently employed by a news organization are invited to apply. Reporters, writers, editors, and photographers working in print, online, radio, television, and multimedia are eligible for travel grant awards if they have had stories published or aired in the previous three years. Deadline October 15 https://www.nealpeircefoundation.org/apply/
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Mass Cultural Council’s Cultural Sector Recovery Grants
Individuals are offered unrestricted grants of $5,000 to creatives and gig workers to support recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and set a path for growth. To apply for this grant, an applicant must be an artist or cultural practitioner active in any artistic discipline or cultural tradition; a teaching artist/scientist/humanist; or a cultural worker in the arts, humanities, or interpretive sciences in the state of Massachusetts. Deadline November 1.
https://massculturalcouncil.org/artists-art/cultural-sector-recovery-grants-for-individuals/
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FREELANCE WRITING
The American Gardener
Among the topics of particular interest to us are profiles of individual plant groups; innovative approaches to garden design; profiles of prominent horticulturists whose work has a national impact; plant research and plant hunting; plant conservation, biodiversity, and heirloom gardening; events or personalities in American horticultural history; people-plant relationships (horticultural therapy, ethnobotany, and community gardening); environmentally appropriate gardening (choosing plants suited to one’s region, using native plants, conserving water, etc.); and plant lore and literature. Feature articles run 1,500 to 2,500 words. Departments run 600 to 1,000 words. Payment for feature articles ranges from $300 to $600 on publication. Payment for departments ranges from $150 to $200.
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The Sun
Seeking short stories and personal essays for The Sun magazine that will make the editors laugh. When you message the editor, provide a summary of your piece. They only read finished stories and essays. If interested, they follow up and ask you to email the submission. Direct message https://twitter.com/Barelyoutofblue (Anna Gazmarian). Pays Nonfiction/Fiction $300 to $2,000 and Poetry $100 to $250. The Sun is an independent magazine that uses words and photographs to evoke the splendor and heartache of being human. https://www.thesunmagazine.org
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THE BMJ
Seeking US-based medical/health/science freelance journalists. Query mlooi@bmj.com. Rates vary depending on story complexity but the range is between £350-700. The BMJ can be many things to its diverse audiences: an international research journal, a member magazine, a think tank, an investigative campaigner, an educational resource, or even a trusted and inspiring friend.
https://www.bmj.com/about-bmj/editorial-staff
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WRITING CONTESTS
Chicken Soup for the Soul
Funny Stories. Genre: True stories. “Share your funny stories about something that happened to you in your life – in your relationship with a partner or spouse, a parent or child, a family member or friend, at work or at home – that made you and the people around you laugh out loud. Payment: $200. Did you mean for it to be funny? Did the other person mean to make you laugh? Did a situation just get out of control? Did a misunderstanding turn into a comedy of errors?” Deadline: October 15
https://www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/possible-book-topics/
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Women’s Prize for Fiction
Genre: Published novel by a woman. Entrants must be writing in English and must be published in the UK between 1 October 2022 and 31 November 2022. All subject matters and women of any age, from any nationality or country of residence, are eligible. Prize: £30,000.00. Deadline: October 21. https://www.womensprizeforfiction.co.uk/enter
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National Award for Arts Writing
The Mar-field Prize, also known as the National Award for Arts Writing, is given annually by the Arts Club of Washington to nonfiction books about the arts written for a broad audience. Prize: $10,000. Genre: Non-fiction book. Self-published books are not accepted. Deadline: October 28 https://themarfieldprize.com/
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The Writer Magazine Fall Short Story Contest
Submit works in any genre – fiction OR nonfiction – in less than 2,000 words for your chance to win $1,000 and publication in our magazine. Our grand-prize winner will receive $1,000, our second-place winner will receive $500, and our third-place winner will receive $250. The first-place story will also appear in a print issue of The Writer. $25-30 Entry Fee. Early deadline October 25, last call deadline November 8. https://www.writermag.com/contests/
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“October: crisp, sunny days and cool nights, a time to curl up around the dancing flames and sink into a good book.” ~ John Sinor. Have a great October and happy writing!
Visit my Author Page too – lots of books to help writers market their books:
https://www.books2read.com/ap/n4EYY8/Doris-Maria-Heilmann
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August 8, 2022
Tips for Successful Publishing – Newsletter August 2022
Dear friends,
I hope your summer has been so far brimming with fun, sun, family, friends, and of course, lots of reading! Nothing better to nourish the soul than a book during these long and gorgeous days of summer. Summer has so many pleasures. Is writing one of them for you? Or do summer activities collide with your writing goals? What about just collecting ideas for future books? It doesn’t take away from your travel time. Have a pen and paper with you and make notes about the scenery, encounters with interesting people, delicious meals, and everything in between.
CONTENT OF THIS NEWSLETTER:
GRANTS, FELLOWSHIPS, RESIDENCIESFREELANCE OFFERSWRITING CONTESTS.
GRANTS, FELLOWSHIPS, RESIDENCIES
UCROSS Foundation Residency
Residencies in Clearmont, WY. vary in length from two weeks to six weeks. At any one time, there are up to 10 individuals in residence comprising a mix of visual artists, writers, composers, choreographers, interdisciplinary artists, performance artists, and teams of collaborators. Lunch and dinners are prepared Monday to Friday by a professional chef, and ample provisions are on hand for breakfasts and weekends. Deadline Sept 1
https://www.ucrossfoundation.org/residency-program.html
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FREELANCE OFFERS
Chatelaine
They are delivering all the content Canadian women want, whether it’s about health, current events, food, social issues, decor, or fashion and beauty. Send a one-page query letter outlining your idea. Pays $1 CAD per word for print and $300-$800 CAD for online.
https://www.chatelaine.com/about/writers-guidelines/
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Roadpass Digital
They help inspire, educate, and empower millions of RVers and road-trippers to enjoy camping and the open road. Send your pitch to pitches@roadpass.com. Rates typically range from $200 to $1,000 per story, based on length, article type, and how much reporting is required.
https://roadtrippers.com/magazine/pitch-roadtrippers-magazine/
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ACCESS Marketing Services
Out of Washington, DC, they have a fully remote workforce with deliverables due in eastern time. And employ full-time writers but frequently need freelance ad copywriters during busy primary and general election cycles. When in our freelance pool, they keep a calendar of availability so that project managers can pull writers. The work is by the hour, paying roughly $100 per hour. Contact Olivia Hatcher at https://twitter.com/plathitude
https://www.accessmarketingservices.c...
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The Daily Best
Most of the stories they’re looking for fall under a mini-feature length, between 800 and 2,000 words. Pays up to $600. There needs to be a reason we should green-light this pitch now, whether it’s some new research or new developmental breakthrough, a new announcement, some new insight or news that the story itself is breaking, etc. If the story is unpacking a larger trend or issue that isn’t going to vanish overnight, we’re much more likely to be interested. Query Neel V. Patel, Science and Innovation Editor at neel.patel@thedailybeast.com
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Chicken Soup: Lessons Learned from my dog
They are looking for true stories and poems about your dog. Tell us what new thing your dog taught you. How smart she is or how she outsmarted you! How he made you smile. How she “rescued” you after you “rescued” her. How he brought your family closer together, helped you find love, and inspired you to change something in your human life. Stories can be serious or humorous, or both. Limit 1,200 words. First-person, please. Payment is $200 and 10 copies.
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WRITING CONTESTS
Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence
Emerging African American writers. Prize: $10,000. Genres: Short story collection or novel published in the current year.
Deadline: Aug 15
https://ernestjgainesaward.org/literary-award-criteria-registration
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Lee & Low Books New Voices Award
The contest is open to writers of color who are residents of the US and who have not previously had a children’s picture book published. Prize: $1,000 and publication. Children’s books – fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. Deadline: August 15
https://www.leeandlow.com/writers-illustrators/new-voices-award
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Women’s Prize for Fiction
Prize: £30,000.00. Genre: A published novel by a woman. Entrants must be writing in English and must be published in the UK between 1 April 2022 and 30 Sept 2022. All subject matters and women of any age, from any nationality or country of residence, are eligible.
Deadline: August 26
https://womensprizeforfiction.co.uk/w...
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Short Story Award for New Writers
Limit 6,000 words. The winner receives a $3,000 prize and agency review, and their story will be published online in late winter/early spring. Second and third place finalists will be awarded publication, agency review, and $300/$200 prizes. $20 Entry Fee. Deadline Aug 28
https://mastersreview.com/short-story-award-for-new-writers/
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Sunday Times Charlotte Aitken Young Writer of the Year Award
Prize: £10,000. Open to authors aged 18-35 as of December 31 of the deadline year. Books must have been first published in the UK and/or the Republic of Ireland, in the English language, between June 23 of the preceding year and August 31 of the deadline year. Authors must be UK or Irish citizens, or residents for the three years preceding the award. Genre: Published or self-published book of poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction. Deadline: August 31
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Writers Digest Personal Essay Awards
One Grand Prize Winner will receive $2,500, their essay title published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s May/June 2023 issue, and a paid trip to the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference, including a coveted Pitch Slam slot. The Second Place Winner will receive $1,000, and their essay title published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s May/June 2023 issue. The Third Place Winner will receive $500, and their essay title published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s May/June 2023 issue. Limit 2,000 words.
$25 Entry fee. Deadline Sept 1
https://www.writersdigest.com/writers...
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MSLEXIA Woman’s Fiction Competition
Our competition is open to unpublished novels of at least 20,000 words in any genre for children and/or young adult readers. Submit the first 3,000 words only in the first instance. The winner will receive £5,000. The winner and three finalists will also receive manuscript feedback from The Literary Consultancy.
£26 Entry fee. Deadline Sept 19
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Use the lazy days of summer to browse through hundreds of books in your own genre and see what’s available and how other writers created their work. Or visit one or more than over twenty writing conferences.
Enjoy a wonderful August!
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January 2, 2022
Successful Writing & Publishing in 2022 – Newsletter
Content of this January 2022 Newsletter:
– GRANTS – AWARDS
– FREELANCE WRITING
– WRITING COMPETITIONS
– £30,000 Prize
– New Year’s Resolution – More time for Writing
– National Parks Free Days in 2022
Feliz Año Nuevo – Bonne année – Happy New Year – Gott nytt år – Gelukkig Nieuwjaar
Dear friends, I hope you all had a marvelous Holiday season and you are energetic to tackle the New Year . This is your year! But good intentions change nothing. How can you stick with your goals throughout the year? And what are your plans for 2022? Get lots of encouragement to stick to your resolutions with our tips here:
– GRANTS – AWARDS – RESIDENCIES
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Leon Levy Fellowship for Biography
Deadline Jan 4. The Center for Biography offers resident fellowships at the Graduate Center for the academic year beginning in Sept. Awards include writing space, research assistance & a stipend of $72,000. Application:
https://llcb.ws.gc.cuny.edu/fellowships/biography-fellowships/
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Mass Moca Fellowship for Indigenous or Black Artists & Writers
Openings for Summer-Fall 2022 residencies. The Studios is MASS MoCA’s artist and writers residency program situated within the museum’s factory campus and surrounded by the beautiful Berkshire Mountains. Artists of any nationality can apply for stays of two to eight weeks. Deadline Jan 8, 2022.
https://www.assetsforartists.org/studios-at-mass-moca
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Discoveries 2022
A £5,000 Prize for an unpublished novel-in-progress by an unpublished Female Writer from the UK and Ireland. Any genre of adult fiction is accepted and entrants will be required to submit only the first 10,000 words of their novel with a synopsis of up to 1,000 words. No Entry Fee. Deadline Jan 17
https://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/discoveries-2022/
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– FREELANCE WRITING
I hear from many writers who say they would like to quit their jobs and “start writing.” To these writers, I say: “Start writing as a freelancer now. Quit later.” If you haven’t started yet—or if you’re just starting—you simply won’t know enough about this complex business to earn a living. So start writing.
Write more than 10 hours per week, every week.Submit at least one new query or article per week.Here are some tips on how to find freelance writing possibilities:
https://www.freelancewriting.com/jobs/
Calls for Submissions (Facebook group)
Erika Dreifus posts calls for submissions and contests every Monday on her site.
https://publishedtodeath.blogspot.com/p/calls-for-submissions.html
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ASK Magazine
The theme is Facing Fear. What are you scared of? And why? What is fear and what is it good for? Why do people fear different things? And how can we tame it? ASK® is a nonfiction magazine for children 7–10 years old who are curious about science and the world they live in. Pays 25 cents per word. Deadline Jan 30
https://cricketmedia.com/ask-submission-guidelines/
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Budget Travel
They are currently focusing (mostly) on US domestic travel, and “Vacations for Real People”. The average rate is $.25/word. Email Laura Brown, Publisher with a writing sample at pitch@budgettravel.com
https://www.budgettravel.com/general/pitch-a-story
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AETLA Magazine
Our audience expects engaging, beautiful images and stories that you can disappear into. Any pitches should focus on the following ideals: sustainable travel and adventure, consciousness, and slow living. We publish articles of varying lengths, but most commonly around 800 to 2,000 words, or between 6 and 12 images. Rates up to £150 per 1,000 words. Deadline Feb 22
https://aetlamagazine.com/submissions/
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OBSERVER
Erin Taylor, Arts Editor, etaylor@observer.com seeks arts pitches (for features, interviews/profiles, reviews, even essays if relevant). Rates are usually around $200-$300 with the lowest typically at $180 for small pieces. Pitches should cover the arts, meaning fine arts. galleries, museums, artist profiles, art labor, theater/dance/performance/opera, books (author interviews/ profiles), the arts market/auctions, digital art/NFTs, and what’s hot/up and coming.
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SELF
A women’s magazine about fitness, food, health or culture that pays up to $700 for 2,000-word essays.
https://www.self.com/contact-us
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– WRITING COMPETITIONS
Prism Prize for Climate Literature
Seeking to promote and support fiction, poetry, and literary non-fiction writing in the emerging genre of climate literature, Homebound Publications proudly announces its new climate writing competition. Sponsored by The Wayfarer’s environmental editor Gail Collins-Ranadive, the prize carries an award of $1,000 and publication of the winning manuscript. No Entry Fee. Deadline Jan 9
https://homeboundpublications.com/prism-prize/
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K. Margaret Grossman Fiction Awards
Unpublished stories, 10,000 words maximum. All subjects and styles are welcome.
First prize $1,000. Second prize $300. Third prize $200.
$10 Entry Fee. Deadline Jan 15
http://www.literal-latte.com/contests/fiction-award/
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Malahat Review Novella Prize
One winner will receive a prize of CAD $1,750 and be published in the magazine’s summer 2022 issue #219. Submit a single work of fiction per entry, with a minimum length of 10,000 words and a maximum length of 20,000 words. Deadline Feb 1
http://www.malahatreview.ca/contests/novella_contest/info.html
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Chicken Soup for the Soul – Holiday Memories
We want to hear about your holiday memories and traditions. The rituals of the holiday season give a rhythm to the years and create a foundation for our lives, as we gather with family, with our communities at church, at school, to share the special spirit of the season, brightening those long winter days. Please share your special stories about the holiday season with us. Limit 1,200 words. Pays $200 and 10 copies. Deadline May 30, 2022
https://www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/story-guidelines
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Natan Notable Books Prize on Jewish Themes
The book winners receive a Natan Notable Book seal and $5,000 for the author, marketing/ distribution coaching and promotion from Jewish Book Council and Natan, and customized support designed to bring the book and the author to new audiences. Open until April 1, 2022, for nonfiction books published for the first time between October 1, 2021, and September 30, 2022. No Entry Fee.
https://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/awards/natan-notable-books
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£30,000 Prize – Sunday Times
To find out more about lucrative writing competitions follow:
Short Story Competitions 2022, List of Writing Contests UK, USA, and more
https://www.christopherfielden.com/short-story-tips-and-writing-advice/short-story-competitions.php
And the best competition of all – with a £30,000 prize by the Sunday Times – can be found soon at https://www.shortstoryaward.co.uk/awards/2021/ or @shortstoryaward
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National Parks Free Days in 2022
If you need a break from writing… There are 6 Free Entrance Days in the US National Parks in 2021. For example on Martin Luther King Day, January 17 https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/fee-free-parks.htm
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– New Year’s Resolution – More time for Writing
I stopped ten years ago to watch TV – and it saves me at least 10-15 hours every week. Would it be a big loss for you to miss those dump sit-coms on TV (which consist of 50% of advertising) and instead, write blogs and articles in order to improve your career as an author? If you can dream and believe it, you can do it! Have a wonderful January 2022!
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October 12, 2019
Sunday Book Review – To Live is to Fly
Sunday Book Review: To Live is to Fly – Memoirs of an Executive Pilot by Doris Daily – September 1, 2019
Book Reviewer D.G. Kaye wrote:
My Sunday Book Review is a little different read today for me. Author – and retired pilot – Doris Heilmann of 111 Publishing had another life before she became an author and publisher – she was a pilot.
“Doris flew planes, taught flying, wrote for aviation magazines and more, and if it weren’t for her eventual two eye surgeries, hindering her from continuing to fly, I have no doubts she’d still be spending half her time up in the air!
Doris wrote this book as ‘Doris Daily’, her pen name for her aviation collection of books and instructionals she’s written. To Live is to Fly is Doris’ newest memoir on her aviation days, and as a memoir writer and a friend of Doris’, I jumped at the chance to read her newest book. Note, various other books published by Doris Heilmann on marketing for self-published authors, I also highly recommend!”
Dreaming of Learning to Fly? And maybe becoming a Commercial Pilot?
Have a seat in the airplane’s cockpit and be entertained by these memoirs of an enthusiast pilot!
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Observe fascinating flight experiences, technology, and the beauty and forces of nature.
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Become captivated by the flying world of a professional aviator during the ’80s and early ’90s in Europe.
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And maybe gain also a few pieces of advice along the way for your own flying career…
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“Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.”
~ Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
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My 5 Star Review:
Memoirs of a pilot
“This book was an easy read, written in conversational style writing, as though I was sitting down with the author (pilot) fixed on her knowledge of flying as an executive pilot and flight instructor, and wowed by some of the experiences she encountered – both good and bad.”
“Doris Daily engages us with the beginnings of her desire to learn to fly airplanes, through sharing her experiences on learning to fly, the grueling hours needed to move up the ladder to private and executive airliners, and new technologies and breakthroughs in the airline industry. The author gives us an inside look into the cockpit, and a step-by-step take about what’s involved to learn how to fly, the importance of protocol, possible things that can go wrong, and going from a novice to a trained commercial/executive pilot.”
“We’ll also learn the difference between ‘autopilot’ and flying using the instrument panel. She also shares some personal stories about some of the beautiful and scenic places she’s flown to or from North America to Germany Italy, and Austria, to name a few, adding tidbits about what pilots do while they wait for the planes or ‘private’ clients for their return flights, and the perks and sightseeing notes in between – things the average person never really thinks about.”
“If you love to fly and are curious to learn about what goes on behind the working scenes of the life of a pilot, you will definitely enjoy these memoirs from Daily, easily explained for those of us who have no concept about what it takes to become a pilot.”
TO LIVE IS TO FLY: Memoirs of an Executive Pilot
https://www.amazon.de/dp/1988664349
https://books2read.com/u/mKYpGd
In Europe by Tolino/Thalia/Weltbild/Hugendubel
https://www.thalia.de/shop/home/suggestartikel/ID142447093.html
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Another work is a guide book for (future) pilots:
TRAUMBERUF PILOT?
Piloten Ausbildung, Jobsuche und Berufsalltag
(in deutscher Sprache)
https://www.thalia.de/shop/home/artikeldetails/ID81994834.html
https://www.amazon.de/dp/1988664330
https://books2read.com/u/4DoxPr
February 27, 2019
Why Add People Into Your Blog Articles?
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Don’t Just Write Down Dry Facts
Breathing life into a non-fiction article is tough, especially if it doesn’t include a character. Sometimes called “literary journalism” or the literature of fact, creative non-fiction merges the boundaries between literary art and research nonfiction – statistical, fact-filled, run of the mill journalism.
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Even in Non-Fiction, You Have to Build a Page-Turner
Non-fiction authors should take a few tips from their sisters and brothers across the aisle. We must build page-turning non-fiction books too. Short attention spans are baked-in. We can blame smartphones, millennials, or the weather, but we’ve got to keep our reader’s attention. An informing tone, usually overused in non-fiction, will turn off readers if used consistently. Breathing life into a non-fiction article is tough, especially if it doesn’t include a character.
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Creative Nonfiction Should:
Include accurate and well-researched information
Hold the interest of the reader
Potentially blur the realms of fact and fiction in a pleasing, literary style – while remaining strangely grounded in fact
Nonfiction writers often choose to write about topics or people close to them (including themselves). As long as the piece deals with something real, or something based on the real, the writer is allowed to take the piece in any direction he or she wishes.
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Your (Non-Fiction) Article Needs a Human Face Too
Marketing Guru Jeff Bullas explains why: “Individuals have emerged as a means to put a human face to the soulless and faceless stats of the demographic data scientist. The problem is that just considering a demographic profile misses that human element. So personas were invented to help the new breed of marketer understand the human side of the data.”
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Newspapers: “If it bleeds it leads”
Thumbing through any newspaper or magazine, you will find people in almost any story: mentioning of names, interviewing a person, citing people…
“Newspapers have understood this at a primal layer for a long time in what news they published on the front page. Editors and journalists have known for a long time that “If it bleeds it leads”. Fear also sells newspapers. Personas have personalities, they have fears, wants, and passions. People in their articles have an age, an assigned gender, and even a college degree.”
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***It does not matter whether you are a blogger, a brand or social media marketer, or a non-fiction writer of books, you need to make your content more human.***
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To Develop a Persona Requires Asking Some Questions – Here Are a Few to Get You Started:
What are the biggest problems in their private lives?
What are the challenges in their job?
Where do they get their information from? Blogs, trade magazines, books?
What would stop them changing to your product or service?
How do they convince their boss to make a buying decision?
Do they print off an ebook and put it on his desk?
What media do they consume? YouTube videos, white papers, podcasts?
Knowing the answers to some of these questions will help in creating relevant and appropriate articles – and to add people in your non-fiction writing.
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Personas and Content Marketing
“Creating a persona is both an art and a science. Contagious and engaging content that touches hearts and minds is your goal as a content marketer. The content not only needs to answer the questions but also be on the media preference of choice.
That may be a video, a blog post and on Slideshare – or maybe all three. If you can put your content creators in the buyers’ shoes then you are well on your way to content marketing success.”
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September 15, 2018
How to Get Your Author Page #1 on Google
According to studies: The No. 1 Position in Google Gets 33% of Search Traffic. Why being on top of Google search rankings is important for you as an author?
Remember what’s critical in buying property: location, location, location … in web terms it means ranking, ranking, ranking. So, if someone is searching for key phrases that are contained in your blog or on your website, they will find you on Google’s top rankings. And as more potential readers find your websites, as more they learn about you as an author and about your books.
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To boost your website’s ranking it is very important to know and use SEO, which stands for “search engine optimization.”
Basic Search Engine Optimization Knowledge
What you should know to benefit from regarding SEO:
How to Announce Your Book for FREE on Google
Better SEO
Would you like to have your book cover and description seen by millions on the internet? If your answer is YES, then sign up with Google plus – Google+ and use one of the best ways on the whole internet to announce your book for FREE – several times a day!
Once you are signed up with Google+, write a compelling “Profile” and add images of you and your books to it.
Start building circles and adding potential readers of your book into these circles. Unlike Twitter, you can build circles with thousands of followers in a very short time. No 2,000 limit only here…
No need to “hand-pick” these followers, just start out by adding already existing circles to your own. Type in: readers, writers, literary agents, publishers, librarians, book reviewers, bookworms etc. or keywords of your books to find the right circles. Don’t forget your personal interests, sports and hobbies to have a well-mixed community. Select the audience or the parts of your list that will be receiving your message according to your chosen topic of circles.
Create a Google+ Business Account – easy and free again. Google+ allows every business to act as an individual in many forms.
“Like” – the same as with any other social media, comment on postings of others, ask questions, give a “1+” on their postings and “share” them (same as “re-tweet” on Twitter). After some participating days, start your own posts, write short articles about anything your audience might be interested in. After all, it is called “Social Media”…
Add lots of photos and snippets from your blog or website. Post your book trailer – see 111 Tips to Create Your Book Trailer how to do this – and add links to Amazon or other book sales pages.
Place images of your books and a short description along with your author bio – several times a day! Avoid looking spammy, create a variety of text and images, as well as a variety of links to your book’s sales page.
Place your book trailer in separate posts to achieve even more buzz. Write at least five unique descriptions of each of your books, to avoid this “spamming look” on your posts and change the headline as well.
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Chats on Google Plus
You can use Google Talk to chat with friends, potential customers, and readers. In your sidebar, you have an option to connect with people in through chats. Again: As larger your audience on Google+ is, as more people you added to your circles, as more potential readers you will get and as better the result will be.
Take advantage of Google+, one of the best ways to market books or e-books which authors and publishers yet have to discover. Let me know about your Google+ presence and I will add you into my circles too. Mine is: https://plus.google.com/u/0/108229068198031646389/posts
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Reasons Why Google+ is Perfect for Writers
Google+, now since over a year in the social media scene, keeps growing and growing. Google+ had ….. members and rising and is now the fastest-growing social media site in history… Though Facebook is currently the industry leader for social media, some think Google Plus could beat Facebook.
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You might think: “Why engaging in another social media when I am on Twitter and Facebook already? However, for me and many other publishers and authors, Google+ has lots of benefits, and I am just mentioning here the most important:
SEO – Search Engine Optimization:
You can submit each of your blog posts to your Google+ account. Google treats the information on its own platforms, aka Google Search Engine, pretty high, which means your SEO-ranking for your website or blog improves dramatically. Your Google+ profile will always be top ranked on a Google search, so just fill it in and link it to all your other sites.
Google keeps the exact process for measuring the quality and originality of content top secret. Instead, Google asks webmasters and content producers to consider 23 questions to help better produce well-ranked content.
Of those 23 questions: “Does the page provide substantial value when compared to other pages in search results?” best underlines the strategy that has the most potential for content producers.
Google has found a way to measure the appreciation of a site’s fans. Google accomplishes this partially through their +1 button, which can be used by Google search engine users with a Google account, to share with Google a recommendation for a website, page, or content item. It’s essentially the same thing as the Facebook “Like”, but with more clout because it’s directly tied into a site’s Google SEO rank. To “+1” something in the Google search results, you do need a Google account, but it does not need to be a “Google+” account.
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If you want to step into Google’s mindset, the questions below provide some guidance on how they have been looking at the issue:
•Would you trust the information presented in this article?
•Is this article written by an expert or enthusiast who knows the topic well, or is it more shallow in nature?
•Does the site have duplicate, overlapping, or redundant articles on similar topics with slightly different keyword variations?
•Would you be comfortable giving your credit card information to this site?
•Does this article have spelling, stylistic, or factual errors?
•Are the topics driven by genuine interests of readers of the site, or does the site generate content by attempting to guess what might rank well in search engines?
•Does the article provide original content or information, original reporting, original research, or original analysis?
•Does the page provide substantial value when compared to other pages in search results?
•How much is quality control done on content?
•Does the article describe both sides of a story?
•Is the site a recognized authority on its topic?
•Is the content mass-produced by or outsourced to a large number of creators, or spread across a large network of sites, so that individual pages or sites don’t get as much attention or care?
•Was the article edited well, or does it appear sloppy or hastily produced?
•For a health related query, would you trust information from this site?
•Would you recognize this site as an authoritative source when mentioned by name?
•Does this article provide a complete or comprehensive description of the topic?
•Does this article contain insightful analysis or interesting information that is beyond obvious?
•Is this the sort of page you’d want to bookmark, share with a friend, or recommend?
•Does this article have an excessive amount of ads that distract from or interfere with the main content?
•Would you expect to see this article in a printed magazine, encyclopedia or book?
•Are the articles short, unsubstantial, or otherwise lacking in helpful specifics?
•Are the pages produced with great care and attention to detail vs. less attention to detail?
•Would users complain when they see pages from this site?
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Google hopes the questions above give some insight into how they try to write algorithms that distinguish higher-quality sites from lower-quality sites. 75% of internet users will never scroll past the first page of a Google search. Using the tips above will help your site to be on the first page. Best of all: it doesn’t cost you a dime – it’s free advertising by the world’s largest search engine!
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MORE TIPS:
Always have your own domain name and domain hosting. Free websites, such as Weebly or Wix, for example, will never bring your websites – and your books – to Google’s first page! Free websites that save you less than $10 a month, will cost you actually: in lost readers and lost business.
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Visit more blog posts to learn where you can show your book cover:
http://www.savvybookwriters.com/how-to-improve-your-amazon-author-page/
http://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2012/08/16/how-to-market-your-book-on-photo-sites/
http://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2012/06/24/5-ways-of-marketing-with-pinterest/
http://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2012/08/01/63-top-websites-to-announce-your-book-for-free/
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Books by Doris-Maria Heilmann:
111 Tips to Create Impressive Videos:
How to Plan, Create, Upload and Market Videos
https://www.books2read.com/u/3GYnpa
111 Tips To Make Money With Writing
The Art of Making a Living Full-time Writing
An Essential Guide for More Income as Freelancer
https://books2read.com/u/bWZMjz
111 Tips on How to Market Your Book for Free:
Detailed Plans and Smart Strategies for Your Book’s Success
https://books2read.com/u/bMre1a
111 Tips to Get Free Book Reviews:
Best Strategies for Getting Lots of Great Reviews
plus 1,200+ reviewer contact links
https://books2read.com/u/mZ5nx5
Book Marketing on a Shoestring:
How Authors Can Promote their Books Without Spending a Lot of Money
https://books2read.com/u/mZ5gdp
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September 9, 2018
Spring 2019 Writer’s Conferences
Why attending writer’s conferences? Well, it’s very inspiring to be surrounded by other writers. The writing process can be solitary so being surrounded by other writers who are also going through the process is motivating – no matter at what stage of writing career you’re at. Learn to practice your pitch, clarify your book concept, get inspired, get feedback, and learn a lot of new things – way more than you expected:
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Writers Studio at UCLA Extension
An intensive 4 days of instruction and writing. Participants choose from 10 workshops in which they work closely with a professional writer, limited to 15 students.
February 7-10, 2019
http://writers.uclaextension.edu/writers-studio/
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San Miguel (de Allende) Writers’ Conference
San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
See why Tom Robbins said: “If Dante had had the San Miguel experience, he might have written more about heaven and less about hell.”
February 13-17, 2019
https://sanmiguelwritersconference.org/
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Southern California Writers’ Conference
Believing that craft matters, SCWC has facilitated well over
$4 million in first-time authors’ book and screen deals.
San Diego, CA, Feb. 15-17, 2019
http://writersconference.com/sd/
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2019 Las Vegas, NV, Writer’s Conference
Las Vegas Writer’s Conference has sessions and workshops for all levels of writers from beginners to ready to publish whether traditional or self- publishing
May 2-4, 2019
https://hendersonwritersgroup.com/las-vegas-writers-conference/
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Search for more writing programs by location or keyword, or view a calendar of upcoming writing events: http://writing.shawguides.com/
The energy of being around so many other people who are excited about this process is absolutely contagious. Any writing conference will leave you invigorated and charged up, ready to head out into the real literary world.
Oh, BTW, you can write it off as a business expense. Yes, you’ll get a tax break for attending a writers’ conference – even if you haven’t started making money yet.
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Books by Doris-Maria Heilmann:
111 Tips to Create Impressive Videos:
How to Plan, Create, Upload and Market Videos
https://www.books2read.com/u/3GYnpa
111 Tips To Make Money With Writing
The Art of Making a Living Full-time Writing
An Essential Guide for More Income as Freelancer
https://books2read.com/u/bWZMjz
111 Tips on How to Market Your Book for Free:
Detailed Plans and Smart Strategies for Your Book’s Success
https://books2read.com/u/bMre1a
111 Tips to Get Free Book Reviews:
Best Strategies for Getting Lots of Great Reviews
plus 1,200+ reviewer contact links
https://books2read.com/u/mZ5nx5
Book Marketing on a Shoestring:
How Authors Can Promote their Books Without Spending a Lot of Money
https://books2read.com/u/mZ5gdp
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