May Markets Newsletter (50,000 subscribers and counting!)
Intro by Angela Mackintosh; Markets Column by Ashley Memory
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Writers,
I went grocery shopping yesterday. Before entering the store, I tied a freshly-laundered homemade mask around my face with my gloved hands and made sure my lightweight sleeves were pulled down, so every inch of my skin was covered. Yet somehow, even with all that protective clothing, I felt hyperaware of my personal space. I gripped the cart and stayed away from the sides of the aisle, where people picked out groceries, like I was playing that old Operation game and would get buzzed for touching the sides. My cart glided down the refrigerated cheese aisle until I stopped at the vegan section. When I grabbed a container of Tofutti, a man without a mask holding a block of orange cheddar sidestepped towards me and whipped around; his shopping bag brushed my arm. I flinched, held my breath, frozen. He didn’t apologize.
Then I thought,
really? Not because he didn’t apologize, ignored the six-foot rule, and wasn’t wearing a mask, but for the fact that I was so paranoid to have a stranger’s bag barely touch me. I imagined I would have to peel off my clothes before entering the house, giving my neighbors an impromptu strip tease. And if anyone had anything to say about it, I’d spin around naked, lady bits and all, and say, “Coronavirus. Any questions?”
With two men at home who have compromised immune systems, one with cancer and one who just finished chemotherapy, I have to be hypervigilant.
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At checkout, I put thirty tins of cat food on the conveyor belt, and noticed the dark circles underneath the checker’s eyes. She brightened a bit when we talked about her cats. I told her about my work with cat rescue; but I didn’t mention how, earlier that morning, I’d found out that two of my co-workers tested positive for the virus. The look in her eyes told me that she’d watched many co-workers get sick, or suddenly disappear from work. After check out, I said
thank you.
Thank you for your service. You can’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude for workers and first responders. In this war against Covid-19, grocery store checkers are among those on the front lines. Meanwhile, people in the SoCal area are parading down streets and waving signs, protesting closures. Of course, I don’t know what’s best, so I’ll leave it up to the experts who do, and they say it’s not safe yet in Los Angeles because there’s not enough testing or a vaccine yet. But I get it. We all want it to be over.
Day to day, we adjust to a new way of living. Some writers struggle to find time to write with kids at home. Others, like my husband, have lost their jobs or have been ordered by their doctors to self-quarantine. And others, who already worked from home before shelter-in-place or those whose jobs now require them to work remotely, have found themselves working nonstop with little breaks, eating a sandwich in front of the computer during lunch, taking Zoom meetings with coworkers whose kids and pets photobomb and thankfully, provide a much-needed laugh. Video conferencing has become our new way of connecting with one another. The need to hear a loved one’s voice. To see a smile on screen and receive a virtual hug. The new sense of “touch.” (A much safer form than the man who brushed my arm at the grocery store!)
As writers, we use the five senses to bring readers into our stories, but what will become of the sense of touch? Dr. Anthony Fauci suggested Americans should never shake hands again. Even as some states make plans to reopen, recommendations to wear masks and keep distancing remain. How will it affect us in business dealings and as a community?
As an essayist, I can’t help but ponder both the big and small topics that Covid-19 provides. An essay or story using the sense of touch as a central theme would be a timely topic right now, and if you want to take that idea and run with it,
consider entering one of our contests. I’m itching to write another essay! But since last issue, I’ve taken on an overwhelming amount of freelance work. The majority is in content strategy, which is a thriving industry right now. Even though I’m exhausted, I can’t help but feel grateful, and other freelancers I’ve talked to feel the same. Grateful we
have work when so many have lost their jobs. Grateful we can write, pitch, publish, and get paid online. And with that also comes a sense of urgency—to take on all the extra contract work we can get because we’re worried there won’t be any later. But so far, that hasn’t been the case. New markets are popping up. Opportunities abound.
Editors are seeking personal essays and stories now more than ever. (Just check out the sidebar for editors seeking pitches, and the Covid-19 section below.) Personal stories are the balm we need during precarious times. We strive to connect. And if we can’t do that physically, we do it virtually—whether it’s through Zoom or better yet, through words. Our words and personal stories have the power to heal. They create community and connection around a shared topic.
One of the best ways to make good money for a piece of writing—whether it’s an essay or other creative writing piece—is by pitching your ideas (and retaining clients). Pitching typically pays more than submitting. Our markets columnist, Ashley Memory, shares a recent example in her column this month. Don’t know how to pitch? Check out WOW Managing Editor Margo L. Dill’s tips for querying in the section below. Also, remember, we’re accepting queries/article pitches for the next two WOW e-zine themes. A quick reminder:
Your Burning Question
Deadline for pitches: June 15
Every article title should be a question, and the content will be the answer to the most pressing questions writers have.
Authorpreneur
Deadline for pitches: September 15
This issue will focus on how to be a career author, from planning your writing products to managing your list, from taking care of your health and wellbeing to becoming a speaker and coach, from creating a sales funnel to earning passive income, and more.
We know some of you freelance full time. We strive to make this newsletter useful for writers of every genre and field. If you’re freelancing, you know that Covid-19 has affected some markets. Magazines and publishers have suspended print issues due to printers closing and a decline in media advertising, which is due to closed businesses. (And if it’s affected you, I compiled this
list of grants for freelancers and artists.)
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In light of this shift, we posed a question to Deborah Jeanne Sergeant, who has freelanced full time since 2000: “What do you do when your ongoing freelance client no longer needs your work?” Deborah tackles it in her listicle below. A couple of the resources she mentions are Grammar Gang and Codeless, which are both
sites that hire writers (and pay $75-$500 per article). In my effort to be proactive, I chatted with the owner of both websites, Brad Smith, and asked him if he’d be interested in
sponsoring this newsletter—specifically sharing his knowledge from years as a successful, high-paying freelance writer and now as an owner who hires freelance writers. Brad shares his
free 7-day course for freelance writers, where he provides one solid tip a day from his real-life experiences. And there is no sales pitch in the end. I took his course and recommend it for Brad’s honest, straightforward style and sound advice.
Speaking of sponsors, our favorite partner, Mari L. McCarthy of CreateWriteNow is our top sponsor this month! She’s generously offering all of her
Writer's Courses for only $4.97. We, at WOW!, love Mari’s courses for her thought-provoking exercises and the deeply personal insights you gain from each one. Find out how journaling can be used to set and reach your goals toward happiness and fulfillment.
And for fun, and because we writers like free things, I’d like to point out some of the giveaways WOW is hosting right now:
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The Ultimate Stay at Home and Read Giveaway
(ends May 3) – we are giving away a $200 Amazon gift card and over 25 books and prizes to 3 winners.
Enter here.
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Save the Cat! Giveaway (ends May 3) – win a copy of the bestselling plotting and structure book,
Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody, and Save the Cat Structure Software ($189 value).
Enter here.
We’d also like to remind you that the
Q3 Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest
closes April 30th. Prizes are $500, $300, $200, and Amazon gift cards, plus fame and notoriety and praise from fellow writers! We’d love to read your work.
You could say the entire WOW team has been as busy as bees. But honestly, staying busy has kept me sane during this time while my hair is turning gray—partly from worrying, mostly because I had to cancel my hair appointment right before the lockdown started. I also know why they call it Covid-19. I suspect “19” has nothing to do with the year but the pounds you’ll put on by sitting at home stress eating! But we’re all doing okay, staying healthy, and most of us are finding time to write. We hope you are, too.
Now, let’s get busy with submitting!
Much love, and write on!
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Angela, and Team WOW
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Angela Mackintosh, editor
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Editors Seeking Pitches
AirBnB Magazine
Guest editor Sam Dylan Finch is looking for pitches for a series called “Emotional Baggage” that will explore how travel can be part of healing with a mental health condition. Rates start at $500 for essays and increase depending on level of reporting. Info on how to pitch can be found
here.
Curbed
Editor Sara Polsky is seeking pitches for longform journalism, essays and narrative stories from freelancers for their website. Pitches should dig deep on topics of architecture, design, real estate, and urban planning. Pitch
sara@curbed.com. Very competitive pay, roughly $1,000 for 4k words. For guidelines, visit
this page.
Full Stop Magazine
Editor Helen Stuhr-Rommereim is seeking essays on the theme "Times of Monsters." Pay is $100 per essay. Send us your pitches to
helen@full-stop.net.
Healthline Magazine
Seeking Latinx writers with a unique angle on health and wellness. Pays $175-$200 per article. First person, anecdotes, unique stories. Pitch 4 headlines with 4 clips to editor Crystal Hoshaw
choshaw@healthline.com.
Indigo Blue
A new community start-up, editors are seeking seeking articles focusing on health, personal growth, mental health. Stories can reflect issues experienced during pandemic. Rates are $100 for 500-800 words. Send pitches to Laura:
IndigoBlueMagazine@gmail.com
Kveller
Seeking essays about women’s issues and parenting that are written from a Jewish perspective, between 500-1,000 words. Pays up to $.04 per word. submission guidelines can be found
here.
MTV Australia
Editor Alice Griffin is taking pitches for personal essays; isolation hacks; political hot takes; wellness; sex and relationships; deep dives and rabbit holes.. anything you think young Aussies will want to, or should, read right now. Pitch Alice:
alice.griffin@vimn.com.
Paper Magazine
Editor Katherine Gillespie is looking for freelance pitches "relating to COMEDY. It's nice! to! laugh! Funny writing. Serious writing about people who are funny. Funny writing about people who are funny."
Phenomenal World
They publish theory and commentary across the social sciences, in the form of research, essays, lit reviews, white papers, book reviews, and interviews of about 1,000-2,000 words. Rates are $500 for longform pieces and $250 for interviews. Send pitches to
editorial@jfiresearch.org.
Post Outlook and Post Everything
Furloughed and laid-off journalists: Editor Mike Madden is seeking pitches for
The Washington Post sections. Email:
mike.madden@washpost.com
Rewire News
Editor Tiffany Diane Tso is pitches on Asian and Pacific American race/identity and sexual/reproductive health, rights, and justice—analysis, commentary, features, personal essays are all welcome. Pitch her at:
tso.tiffany@rewire.news
Rooted in Rights
This blog is a platform dedicated to amplifying the authentic perspectives of disabled writers. They’re seeking articles and op-eds on disability rights topics, written by people who identify as disabled. In order to have your piece considered for publication, keep in mind that it’s important to interweave your personal insights and experiences with broader cultural and disability rights issues. They pay on a sliding scale, with minimum payment of $100. For more,
visit this page.
Serious Eats
Editor Daniela Galarza accepting features pitches, including stories about
food history,
personal essays, or
profiles. They’re also accepting pitches about cooking culture and the way we eat now, but this section does not publish recipes. Rates are $500 for a reported story of 1000-1200 words. Send pitches and three relevant clips to
danielagalarza@seriouseats.com.
Shondaland
Editor Britni Danielle is seeking pitches for May/June on entertainment (commentary on films, movies, interviews),
books (author interviews for books publishing in May/June), and culture. Rate: $400+. Pitch her at:
britni@shondaland.com
StreetsblogMASS
“A daily news source dedicated to promoting sustainable transportation and safer streets throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.” Seeking transportation-related reported pieces and essays from Massachusetts writers, especially from people of color and people outside metro Boston. They pay $0.50/word for reported pieces and $0.25/word for opinions and essays. Send pitches to
christian@streetsblog.org.
Taste
Editors are hungry for your pitches on food culture, food trends and personal angles on food, recipe-driven stories, and surprise ingredients or techniques. Pays $0.60 per word. Send an email to founding editor Matt Rodbard
mrodbard@tastecooking.com with the pitch pasted in the body, no attachments with “pitch from freelance writer” incorporated into the email subject line. Please include samples of relevant work. Guidelines
here.
Vice Life
Vice Life covers wellness, health, self-care, relationships, drugs, alcohol, work, and money. Seeking pitches on mid-length (700-1,500 words) original reports and essays, “as well as shorter, bloggier, voicier pieces with a quick turn-around time.” Pays $0.50 per word. Send pitches to editor Amy Rose Spiegel at:
amyrose.spiegel@vice.com. For more, see
this page.
Vox
Seeking thoughtful, in-depth, provocative personal narratives that explain the most important topics in modern life for their First Person section. If you have a great story to tell that helps explain an important issue, send them a pitch at
firstperson@vox.com. Payment: negotiated. For more about First Person check out
this page. Read an example
here.
Zora
Zora is Medium’s online publication about women of color. Their topic areas include: “current events, culture, identity, race, justice, equality, work/life, family, self, sexuality, parenting, psychology, spirituality, career, friendship, aging, habits, love and dating, body image, trauma and recovery, caregiving, hobbies… and the list goes on.” They usually pay $1 per word. Features Editor, Adrienne Samuels Gibbs, is seeking pitches and links to relevant, recent stories. "Pitch for May and June and perhaps July if you got something GREAT." Send pitches to
agibbs@medium.com.
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This issue is sponsored by:
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CreateWriteNow's Journaling Courses for Writers
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Our partner, Mari L. McCarthy, founder and chief empowerment officer at
CreateWriteNow, is offering her courses for writers for only $4.97 through May 3rd! For some of the courses, that's 82% off. Dive into courses like 53 Weekly Writing Retreats, 12 day Guide to Morning Pages, Journal Magic for Writers, and Overcoming Page Fright. All led by inspiring instructor, Mari L. McCarthy.
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Free 7-Day Course for Freelance Writers
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Freelance writer and Grammar Gang founder, Brad Smith (and quoted expert in Deborah Sergeant's article below!), is offering WOW subscribers a
free 7-day course to help you boost your income as a freelance writer. He shares one solid tip per day! It's straight forward, practical advice for those looking to make a living from their writing. AND he doesn't try to sell you anything in the end. Brad's writing has been featured in
The New York Times,
Business Insider,
TheNextWeb, and hundreds more.
- One simple tip for seven straight days
- How to go from less than $0.6/word to $0.30/word and up
- Featuring real-life results and examples
- Zero sales pitches at the end
- Zero tricks, gimmicks, or BS-advice
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By Ashley Memory
As a first-time beekeeper, I’m simply astounded by the work ethic of the bees in our new hive. The wind blows fiercely, but our little worker bees still fly out faithfully for nectar, gathering it everywhere they can. And the young queen lays hundreds of eggs every day. Humm…can’t I at least write one poem today?
As we do our best to cope in these strange and scary times, it would be all-too easy to put aside our writing. I’m tempted at times myself. But the truth is that the world needs our words now more than ever. And isn’t it great to know that writing is one of the few activities that’s also safe? We can’t make each other sick by writing. There’s a good chance we might even help each other heal.
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I’m new to pitching topical ideas, and I usually submit finished pieces to various markets, but I’m very intrigued by the idea of taking the initiative every now and then. In case you’re interested too, in addition to our usual market round-up, below we’re providing a list of publications seeking work related to COVID-19 and general pitches. All in all, you have 60 markets to choose from this month!
With so many outlets crying out for your work, we sincerely hope you’ll buzz like a writing bee this season. Make your work a priority and give yourself permission to share your words with the world. Your story may be just the remedy that someone else needs, whether it’s inspiration, connection, and maybe even a little laughter.
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Ashley Memory lives in rural Randolph County, North Carolina, with her sculptor husband, Johnpaul Harris. When she's not musing on a new metaphor, she's trying to learn to drive a skid-steer loader and move earth. Her writing has appeared in many publications and magazines, including
Romantic Home
s,
The Raleigh News & Observer
, and
The Thomas Wolfe Review
, and most recently online in
The Rumpus
,
O.Henry
,
Gyroscope Review
, and
Women on Writing
. Her first poetry collection,
Waiting for the Wood Thrush
, was published by Finishing Line Press in November 2019, and she's currently at work on a memoir of her life in the Uwharries. For a forkful of the literary life, follow her blog,
Cherries and Chekhov
, or find her on Twitter
@memoryashley
.
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No deadline unless stated otherwise.
Broadsided Press: Calling for poetry submissions for “A Sense of Home.”
Deadline: May 5
With so many people around the world confined to their homes in an attempt to slow the progress of COVID-19, we are being challenged in many ways. We offer a few highly-structured writing prompts that engage with a sense of home at this moment and invite new perspectives on what it means to be confined at home or elsewhere. We, too, are hungry for new ways to bend our minds, to escape the worn ruts we travel. Fee: $3. For more:
https://broadsidedpress.org/bsided-responds-a-sense-of-home/
Another Chicago Magazine
Deadline: as long as pandemic lasts.
Seeking nonfiction contributions roughly two to eight paragraphs long. We seek most of all interesting observations, reports on conversations and conditions, descriptions on the effects of the pandemic and other bits and pieces that add to everyone’s understanding of the way the pandemic is affecting individuals around the world. For more:
https://anotherchicagomagazine.submittable.com/submit
Fearsome Critters
Deadline: May 23
Seeking submissions for “The Quaranzine: Poetry in the Time of COVID-19.” Submit up to three poems directly related to life under quarantine during COVID-19.
Indolent Books
For its poem-a-day “What Rough Beast—COVID-19 Edition,” Indolent Books is seeking verse written in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Editors are seeking three poems or up to three pages of writing.
Las Laguna Gallery
Deadline: September 31
In response to COVID-19, Las Laguna Gallery has launched its first online exhibition of art in all media, “a light in the darkness.” All submissions will be accepted and posted in an online gallery.
Let it Ripple
Calling for people around the world interested in being part of its new global film project. Read all or part of the poem “Lockdown,” and answer a few questions to get involved.
Rattle
Since 2014, Rattle has been publishing weekly poems about current events. Editors have been publishing several per week lately in response to COVID-19 with a live streamed open mic every Sunday morning, where all poets are welcome to share their responses. Selected poets will receive $100.
Sky Island Journal
Deadline: June 30
Seeking poetry, flash fiction, and creative nonfiction from around the world that provides culturally diverse perspectives on, and experiences with, the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Freelancer by Contently
Seeking pitches that help freelancers navigate the coronavirus crisis. Favorable topics include: remote work, productivity, finding work, the economic fallout, emergency assistance, personal essays, financial management during downturns, and more. Payment for a 700-1,000-word story ranges from $300-$350, but could be more or less depending on length, sourcing requirements, and other factors. Pitch ideas to:
thefreelancer@contently.com. For more, see
https://contently.net/2020/04/08/resources/how-to-pitch-the-freelancer/
Positive News UK
Seeking pitches on the positive or constructive responses to the coronavirus. Send pitches to
editorial@positive.news. For more, visit:
National Research Center for Parents with Disabilities
Deadline: May 15
Looking for essays focused on “the experiences of parents with disabilities during the COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic, including adaptive strategies, relationships, support needs, and barriers and challenges.” Pay is $100 per blog entry. Blog entries should be between 500 - 1000 words. Type "Blog Submission" in your email subject line, and send to:
centerforparents@brandeis.edu. For more, visit:
HelloGiggles
Seeking pitches about domestic violence during quarantine and social distancing. If you have pitches for features on the topic, send them to editor Kristin Magaldi:
kristin.magaldi@meredith.com. According to payment reports, they pay an average of $0.05 per word. For more, visit:
Hyphen Magazine
Seeking stories that put a spotlight on Asian American experiences during COVID-19. Rates vary. Send pitches to editor Karissa Chen:
karissa.chen@hyphenmagazine.com
Bashy Magazine
Contingent Magazine
Seeking pitches for mini-essays addressing the impact of COVID-19 on non-tenure-track historians (defined broadly to include archivists, museum workers, grad students, etc.) 200 - 500 words. Base pay is $75.
The Dig
A podcast from Jacobin is working on a special short-run narrative series on life and politics in the COVID-19 era. Seeking pitches for longform narratives, sound-rich audio diaries, investigative stories, personal essays, and interviews. Pay is between $500 and $3,000 depending on length and complexity. Email pitches to
thedig.covid@gmail.com. For more:
https://www.thedigradio.com/covid-series/
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Editor Margo L. Dill's Quick Pitch Tips
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Be Specific
Queries should be about one page long, like a regular query letter for an editor or agent for a book manuscript. In the query for an article, it's important to be specific about your idea, including major points or even a short outline. It might seem obvious to you what you're proposing without specific details, but we get a lot of queries. Some of them are similar. If we haven't worked with you before, then we don't know what to expect when the article comes in. Here's an example:
Vague: I am proposing an article about how to be an authorprenuer and support yourself on your book writing income.
Specific: I'm proposing a 2000-word article on the topic of being a full-time book writer, which means—no other day job for the writer but writing books. In the article, I will touch on these key points: how many books to produce a year, advertising and marketing strategies, figuring out your budget and needed income...
There's an obvious difference to those query examples; and in this case, we would give the contract to query two, as long as she's qualified to write it or plans to interview experts, which brings me to my next point.
Include Your Qualifications or Experts Details
A freelance writer can write an article about anything—you don't have to just write what you know. But we need to know your qualifications—how are you supporting yourself on your book writing income? Or you can include the names of experts who have agreed to be quoted and interviewed for the article, so we know your plans. Both ways work, but editors cannot just assume that you will find the experts you need, or you are qualified to write the article. And please don't send us to a website where we have to search around for your qualifications; we need to know in the body of the query. It's also okay to say: "I have plans to interview Author A and Author B, which I will contact on your acceptance of this query."
Check Out Our Website and Archives
Every article we've published on WOW! is in our archives. We have a search function built into our website, accessible on the home page. If you have an idea, before you query us, look around. Search for your idea. Has it been tackled before? Do you have a new spin? Have things changed in the publishing world since that article was published? You can mention that article. Tell us how yours is different. This a wonderful way to query someone because it shows that you have studied the publication, which is a tried and true rule of querying.
Provide Writing Samples
If you're a published author and your work is online, then provide a link to the article. This helps us know your writing style and your experience. If you aren't published online, then create a writing sample on your website and link to it. That works, too. It shows you are committed and that you can write.
Final Tip...
If the first idea that popped in your mind seems obvious, it probably is. This means that you are not the only writer to have this idea, or you are not the only one writing on this topic. Take thirty minutes and do some research on our site and others. Dig deeper and focus your idea. What new slant can you put on it? Ask yourself if this is the very best idea you can present. If not, what can you do to make it better?
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2020 Passager Poetry Contest for writers over 50
Deadline: May 10
Passager is a nonprofit journal and book press that publishes 50+ authors. Winner receives $1,000 and publication. Honorable mentions will also be published. Submit up to 5 poems with a 40-line maximum for each. Fee: $20.
2020 Anhinga-Robert Dana Prize for Poetry
Deadline: May 31
The award is open to all poets. A prize of $2,000, publication by Anhinga Press, and 25 author copies is given annually for a poetry collection. Submit a manuscript of 48 to 100 pages with a $25 entry fee ($28 for electronic submissions).
Lynx House Press seeks submissions of full-length unpublished poetry manuscripts for the 23rd annual Blue Lynx Prize for Poetry
Deadline: June 1
Entries must be at least 48 pages in length. The winner receives $2,000 and publication. Each entrant receives a copy of a book from our back catalog. Open to U.S. authors, which includes foreign nationals living and writing in the U.S. and U.S. citizens living abroad. Fee: $28.
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PCC Inscape Magazine: Dark Hearts and Light Minds Zine
Deadline: May 9
The Raymond Carver Short Story Contest
Deadline: May 15
Prizes total $3,000 with 5 winners published in Carve Magazine’s annual fall issue. 10,000-word limit. All work submitted will be considered for non-contest publication. Winning stories will be read by three literary agents. Fee: $17 (online) and $15 (mail).
SmokeLong Quarterly Award for Flash Fiction
Deadline: May 24
Have you been drafting some killer flash? First place in SmokeLong Quarterly‘s flash fiction competition will earn you $2000! But even if you don’t win first place, you might just earn some money as one of our finalists. In our biennial contest issue, everyone gets paid! Fee: $15.50 for up to two stories.
2020 Earth Day Short Fiction Contest
Deadline: May 31
Sponsored by Sapiens Plurum (The Wisdom of Many), this contest offers $1,800 in cash prizes and is free to enter. Entries should address the connection between technology and empathy, a prompt inspired by a TED Talk.
The 2020 Halifax Ranch Fiction Prize
Deadline: June 1
Award: $2,500 and publication in an upcoming issue of American Short Fiction. 2,000-6,500 words max. All submitters will receive a complimentary copy of the prize issue. Final judge: Manuel Gonzales. Sponsored by American Short Fiction.
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Creative Nonfiction
Deadline: May 18
Seeking essays on any subject, any style. We’re especially interested in work that pushes the boundaries of the form. We pay a flat $125 + $10/printed page on publication. Fee: $3 to submit online, or free for current subscribers. Essays must be previously unpublished and no longer than 4,000 words. Multiple submissions are welcome, as are entries from outside the United States.
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Birdcoat Quarterly
No deadline
Seeks lyric essays up to 5,000 words and 3-6 poems that blur genre and play with form, experiment with compression or expansion, use language in surprising ways, and bring attention to subject matter of contemporary urgency or uncommon interest. Pays $10 per poem; $25 per essay. Fee: $3 to submit a poem or lyric essay.
Other Worldly Women Press 2020 Summer Anthology: A Headrest for Your Soul
Deadline: April 30
We are spirits with divine female energy who hold each other’s stories close to our hearts. We’re open to work about all subjects with a focus on healing, health, and overcoming obstacles, but with a hippy twist. LGBTQ friendly! Nonfiction essays (1,000 words or less) and poems (up to 3 poems) about loss/rebirth, kitchen witchery, recipes, oil blends, and how we heal with feminine spirits. Fee: $6.
Porkbelly Press: Love Me, Love My Belly Zine
Deadline: May 10
Seeking essays and creative nonfiction from 500 – 5,000 words and up to 5 poems. Dedicated to the acceptance of self and imperfection as beauty. It’s about the space between us, our differences, our scars, our wobbly bits, and our power as it relates to the bodies we live in. Previously published works (reprints) considered on a case by case basis. Fee: $10 (includes back issue).
https://porkbellypress.submittable.com/submit/117037/love-me-love-my-belly-essay-cnf
Fatal Flaw Literary Magazine: Theme of “Dystopia”
Deadline: May 10
Seeking essays and short stories. Our world as we know it has ended. What's gone wrong and what could we have done differently? Be open. Be honest. Point out the cracks in society and reveal their underlying opportunity. Please submit as a word document, double spaced, Times New Roman font. 1,000-8,000 words or less is preferable, but for exceptional work we'll make exceptions. Please put the word count in your cover letter. Fee: $3.
Chicken Soup for the Soul
UPDATE: Christmas Is in the Air – Deadline EXTENDED to May 15.
Seeks true and unpublished stories (up to 1,200 words) and poems about ordinary people having extraordinary experiences for their best-selling series of books. No fee. Pays $200 and 10 free copies of the book your work appears in.
Meat for Tea: The Valley Review - Theme: “Passionfruit”
Deadline: May 23
Seeking prose no longer than 8,000 words in length, including well-written, witty recipes and also poetry up to 1,500 words. The "Passionfruit" theme should not be approached literally. Fee: $4.50.
Ilanot Review - Theme: Toxic
Deadline: May 31
Seeking short stories up to 2500 words long, or up to 3 flash pieces, no longer than 1500 words total and creative nonfiction up to 5,000 words. Comics, photo essays, visual narratives: Up to 6 files per submitter. No fee.
WOW! Women on Writing Quarterly Flash Fiction and Creative Nonfiction Contests
Deadlines: April 30 (Creative Nonfiction) and May 31 (Fiction)
Our favorite writing community and long-time Writer’s Digest “Best Website” offers quarterly contests judged blindly with multiple cash prizes and more for 20 winners, up to $1,350 (fiction) and $1,175 plus a gift certificate to CreateWriteNow (nonfiction), an affordable critique option, and a 300-entry limit on each contest. What’s not to love? Fee: $10 (Flash Fiction) and $12 (Nonfiction).
Baltimore Review Summer 2020 Contest
Deadline: May 31
No theme. Surprise us. But keep it short. See how much you can accomplish in 1,000 words or less. A $300 prize will be awarded in each of three categories: flash fiction, flash creative nonfiction, and prose poetry for the contest. Fee: $5. Also accepting poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction for Spring Issue (no fee). Non-contest submissions may be eligible for $40 Amazon gift certificate or Paypal. Same deadline. All entries considered for publication.
The First Annual Opossum Prize
Deadline: May 31
Awards up to $1,000 for fiction, up to $500 for poetry and flash (fiction and nonfiction).
Hippocampus Magazine: Road and Corner
Deadline: June 15
Seeking essays for their nonfiction anthology series,
The Way Things Were, which reflects on the things we miss. Previously published essays and book excerpts are also accepted, and hybrid and experimental creative nonfiction welcome. The themes they want work on are Road (true stories about road trips, and also solo travel stories with or without a car), and Corner (stories of all kinds that are set in or revolve around a corner bar/dive bar). The essays should be up to 5,000 words, and pay is $50.
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Celebrate Mother’s Day (May 10) by submitting to:
Her Stry - Theme: Motherhood
Deadline: May 21
Seeking nonfiction stories about motherhood. It's a big topic and we did that for a reason. Everyone's experience of motherhood is different and we want to capture that. So if you have a story about motherhood, good or bad, we want to read it. All stories should be true and about you. Stories between 500-3,000 words. Fee: $3. Payment: $20.
And celebrate National Smile Day (May 31) by smiling and submitting to:
On Second Thought
Deadline: May 31
Seeking submissions for the IN GOOD HUMOR issue to be published Summer 2020. We think that we could all benefit from a good laugh or writing that will brighten our spirits. OST is looking for humorous, satirical, whimsical fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and artwork. Pays $50 for online publication and between $250-$500 for print publication. You do not have to be a current resident of North Dakota to submit.
https://onsecondthoughtmagazine.humanitiesnd.org/submit.html
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By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Breaking up hurts, especially when your better half is a steady writing client. You had a good thing going! Why did it have to end? Unless you made a really terrible mistake, losing a long-term client isn’t usually about you. It’s about them. Here’s how to bounce back from a break-up and land more writing work.
1. Don’t take it personally.
I’ve had a break-up occur after a decade-long publishing relationship. I received a curt reply to my usual breezy query to the editor. Then I spotted a new name in the signature line. I learned eventually that Ms. New Editor revamped the periodical and axed all freelancers. Another time, a ghost blogging job of several months dried up without warning. I had no reason to feel jilted. The blog owner had closed his business and no longer needed blog entries. It’s just business.
2. Don’t spit in their coffee.
I know a writer who felt our mutual periodical had treated us unfairly when they changed the pay rates. He felt that it was time to end his relationship with them by sending a scathing group email to the editor and publisher, which he copied to all the freelancers. Guess who came back months later and had to somehow convince a new editor to let him submit again?
3. Understand their world.
Anyone
hiring freelance writers has to make money with his business. If their sales suffer, budget cuts may include you. Despite the break in your relationship, occasionally keep in touch, but without a hard sell. I have found that using this strategy, I often receive surprise assignments from these clients.
“Despite the break in your relationship, occasionally keep in touch, but without a hard sell. I have found that using this strategy, I often receive surprise assignments from these clients.”
4. Value what you do.
Never offer free samples or cut your rates to entice former clients (or any clients). You have to price your writing based on what you need for your writing business, not on what clients have to pay you. Some clients believe that paying a writer $15 is a good rate; however, they would readily pay their plumber $35 an hour to fix their drain. They’re basing the low rate on what a receptionist might make without taking into account that they provide the receptionist with a solid 40 hours of work, benefits and all her supplies and equipment.
Let’s say you need $60,000 to pay yourself a sufficient salary, replace your business equipment and supplies, and pay taxes. Divide that by forty hours a week and by 52 weeks in a year. If you work full-time, expect a rate of $28.85 per hour. Also consider that you can’t spend exactly 40 hours per week only writing, as you’ll need time for administrative tasks and possibly research, traveling and photography. That means you should increase that hourly rate to $35 to $40 to ensure you make enough. Don’t slash that rate for lowball clients who promise “exposure” or copious amounts of future work.
5. Remain flexible with an ex-client.
Perhaps the client doesn’t need blog entries at this time, but could use editing work on the website. While you shouldn’t chop your rate, it’s okay to accept a rate commensurate for the type of work you’re performing. I’ve edited product descriptions for a blogging client at a lower rate per word than writing blogs because the work takes less time. After a few months, sales were up and I was back to writing blog entries.
6. Reflect on your writing.
While it hurts less to think that the break-up is about the client, it might be partly your fault. If they need to reduce their freelancers, it makes sense to let go of ones with error-prone work than those submitting clean copy. Review some of your recent work in light of these tips on
how to become a better writer. Have you succumbed to using trite expressions, for example? Have you strayed from writing what your audience wants?
“If you can write a newsy blog about COVID-19 for a technology blog, you can likely write a newsy piece about COVID-19 for a general-readership magazine.”
7. Look for others with similar needs.
Perhaps there’s another client or editor who wants the type of writing you do. You can use examples from your past work to showcase your abilities, but never badmouth the other guy. The new guy will wonder what you’ll say about
him someday. This springboard technique can work for blogs, websites and magazines of similar audiences as well as for writing similar types of work, such as profiles, how-to pieces and trend pieces. If you can write a newsy blog about COVID-19 for a technology blog, you can likely write a newsy piece about COVID-19 for a general-readership magazine. Using this strategy, I’ve won jobs writing website copy for several service companies—like roof repair, fire recovery, and security alarm installers—even though the nature of the services varies considerably.
8. Leverage your advanced skills.
After writing celebrity profiles for a monthly magazine for several years, I had mastered the ability to interview people over the phone. When the magazine cut their freelance budget, I used that experience to win writing work that involved phone interviews. It’s key to relate the skills you used in the past to the work you want to do for the new client.
9. Expand your writing type.
Maybe you’ve only written one or two kinds of writing but want to branch out. Check out resources that can help you find more writing, such as
Writing Jobs,
Writer’s Digest,
Freelance Writing, and of course,
WOW! Women On Writing. Don’t rely on Craigslist.com or low-paying freelance sites (the ones that offer $1 or $2 an hour. Yes, they exist!). You may occasionally find some good-paying work there, but it’s like shopping at the thrift store. You have to sift through a lot of junk to find that pristine vintage jacket.
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Deborah Jeanne Sergeant has been freelancing full-time since 2000. She writes magazine and newspaper articles, web copy, blogs and marketing materials.
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Free ebook! The Recession-Proof Freelancer
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Carol Tice built her own freelance-writing business up until it hit six figures during the '08-'10 recession. In this free ebook, she reveals exactly how she built a thriving freelance business during those times, and provides you with a simple system of key actions you can take right now.
Includes resources to help you find clients and get hired!
A special section at the end of this book includes 3 of my most popular handouts:
- Find Your First Freelance Writing Client With These 7 Pitch Templates
- 8 Ways to Get Editors’ Emails
- 18 Free Resources for Finding Better Freelance Writing Clients
- The Recession-Proof Freelancer includes everything you need to confidently niche, pitch, and build a thriving freelance biz
This e-book answers questions including:
- What’s the secret of growing freelance income, despite a down economy?
- Which industries will do well in the recession?
- How can I ask for referrals, given everything that’s happening?
- What sort of sites do I need to set up, to appear professional online?
- I’m so worried — how can I make it stop, and take action to build my biz?
- What’s the easiest way to earn more, as a working freelancer?
Get
The Recession-Proof Freelancer
for Free (PDF, EPub, Amazon Kindle files available.)
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(From Your Friends, the Bees)
As you study the markets and think about your work and where to submit, be sure and consider all your options. Our bees, for example, are the ultimate multi-taskers. In addition to gathering nectar and pollen, they navigate, they fly, they dance, and they tell stories. So, if you have an essay that’s not quite jelling, think about turning it into a poem. And if your short story lacks panache, could it be an essay in disguise? Or, consider blurring your genres or trying out an innovative new form entirely.
Before I forget, now is also a great time to take a class. And the latest list of WOW classes offers something for everyone. I take several classes each year and always end up with new pieces worth polishing and submitting.
So be sure and take a look at the WOW class roster for yourself. I hope to see you online soon!
Whatever you do, keep writing. And keep sharing your successes with us. We want to know so we can dance about them and tell the world, too.
~ Ashley Memory
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