6 Easy ways to re-use your story ideas

If you believe all my published stories, I’ve done everything from stitching on a shirt button to jumping off a cliff while tied to another human being. I may not have been born with such a multitude of talents as hitting the bull’s-eye on a dart board, winning swimming competitions, and staging children’s theatre, but I have been blessed with a quirky imagination and a flair for language. These I’ve put to good use by reusing one idea to create many different stories. Call it recycling, re-purposing, re-packaging or re-working, here’s how you can take just one premise and turn it into a folder-full...

Read the full article in the December 2016 issue of Funds For Writers

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Request to read the original article via email for just 99p! (T&C apply)

600 words
Nonfiction
US publication

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Words from the Wise

"Good piece, as usual."

C Hope Clark

Editor

Funds for Writers

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How FundsForWriters.com taught me to be a successful writer

Once upon a time, there was a writer. She’d had over a hundred feature articles published in various magazines, before she heard about FundsForWriters.com. “Hey, I’m a writer! I bet I could tell other writers a thing or two, and earn fifty cool ones,” she thought. So she dashed off a submission to the editor, Hope Clark. It was rejected. She tried again. And again. She had to pitch four times before her fifth submission was finally accepted. Even then, the piece seemed so less-than-satisfactorily edited, it spawned not one but two irate editorials, back-to-back, on the importance of perfecting...

Read the full article in the July 2016 issue of Funds For Writers

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Request to read the original article via email for just 99p! (T&C apply)

600 words
Nonfiction
US publication

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Words from the Wise

"LOL Thanks for this cute piece."

C Hope Clark

Editor

Funds for Writers

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Need motivation? Stop writing! (Enter a writing contest instead)

The most assiduous writer comes face to face with Writer's Block occasionally. The hand tires of embellishing the 59th promotional copy for Kirk's Paving and Tiling Solutions Ltd, the soul wearies of deconstructing the 16th time Joe Hero battles sundry demons. Creative juices dry up, creative muses leave the building, inspiration imitates a certain 1985 DeLorean and vanishes in a puff of smoke, leaving behind only the dusty smouldering ashes of a burnt out freelancer or novelist.

So you seek a jump-start. Because you are a writer, and write you must.

Disregard everything...

Read the full article in the July 2016 issue of Funds For Writers

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Request to read the original article via email for just 99p! (T&C apply)

600 words
Nonfiction
US publication

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Words from the Wise

"Enjoyed the contest piece!"

C Hope Clark

Editor

Funds for Writers

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Sell more work by grabbing eye-catching quotes

What do the following names have in common?

Jeffrey Archer, David Baldacci, Bernard Cornwell, Janet Evanovich, Jasper Fforde, Ken Follett, Jonathan Kellerman, Rebecca Tope.

Answer: My articles! These famous bestselling authors have all granted direct personal exclusive quotes to me.

A writer instills his own voice, personality, perceptions, knowledge, experiences, even moods into his work. It is one point of view and can sound opinionated. Adding commentary from external sources changes the tone of the article from opinion to analysis. Quotes liven up the content, humanizing...

Read the full article in the May 2016 issue of Funds For Writers

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Request to read the original article via email for just 99p! (T&C apply)

600 words
Nonfiction
US publication

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Words from the Wise

"I LOVE IT! Wow, that's fantastic. I love that you have brought the process into the social media age (I wouldn't have thought about the fact that "they can Google you too"). And of course that quote from the "well-respected editor" just totally sets the tone for a fine article :)"

Moira Allen

Publisher

Writing World

Is your website accessible?

“Build a platform!” urge publishing gurus. “Establish an online presence!” You dutifully obey. Facebook? On it. Twitter? Rule it. Website? Of course, and it rocks! But did you know you might be restricting an entire group of users and customers from accessing your website and hence, from reaching you? This group consists of people with disabilities.

The US Census Bureau states nearly 57 million people, that’s 19 percent of civilians, have a disability. You may have a family member or friend, know a neighbour or student who is disabled. Imagine them trying to do a basic search online that...

Read the full article in the February 2016 issue of Funds For Writers

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Request to read the original article via email for just 99p! (T&C apply)

600 words
Nonfiction
US publication

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Words from the Wise

"Occasionally an exceptional piece may be listed on the website under Latest FFW Tips."
- from Funds for Writers

"I love the topic"

Hope Clark

Editor

Funds For Writers

Go mobile

According to tech monitor SmallBizTrends.com, over 60% of online traffic now comes from mobile devices.

Unbeknownst to you, your own website may—right now!—be looking like a bad bowl of alphabet soup: text indecipherably tiny, images disproportionately huge, menus misaligned and the contact form stretched out of bounds of a finger-tap. There goes your chance of that interested editor getting in touch with you for a possible commission or that writers' group wishing to purchase your book in bulk for their next reading project!

With more people buying smart phones every day, you need...

Read the full article in the October 2015 issue of Funds For Writers

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Request to read the original article via email for just 99p! (T&C apply)

600 words
Nonfiction
US publication

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Words from the Wise

"Occasionally an exceptional piece may be listed on the website under Latest FFW Tips."
- from Funds for Writers

"A well written and well researched article"
Mary Cummings
Editor
Work Your Way

"I like the concept"
Hope Clark
Editor
Funds For Writers

Earn more money by artful negotiation

Want more money? Don't hesitate; negotiate! Whether you are looking for higher salary at work, greater price on a house or better paying freelance assignments, the principles of negotiation remain the same.

1. Assess yourself.

How long have you been in business? You can command a higher price if you're a veteran than if you're a novice. While some magazines welcome the fresh approach that new writers bring, many prefer to work with established writers for their experience and professionalism.

2. Assess the market.

What is the magazine's budget? Where do they get their funding from? How...

Read the full article in the October 2015 issue of Funds For Writers

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Request to read the original article via email for just 99p! (T&C apply)

600 words
Nonfiction
US publication

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Words from the Wise

"Occasionally an exceptional piece may be listed on the website under Latest FFW Tips."
- from Funds for Writers

"I love it!  It's fabulous! Excellent"

Moira Allen

Publisher

Writing World

Debora's Pen

Enjoy the full cartoon in the September 2015 issue of Funds For Writers

or

Request to see the original cartoon via email for just 99p! (T&C apply)

6 panels, 1 cartoon
Humour/Writing
US publication

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Words from the Wise

"I fell in love with Debora... Thought you'd (all) appreciate relating to her writing issues...
I've started trying to put some logos/photos in the feature piece, and your little girl seemed perfect... I think Debora is very cute. Clean and to the point. You ought to start a newsletter about Debora - brief with a lesson of sort. I think writers would love it. Excited about reading them!"

C. Hope Clark

Editor

Funds For Writers

"I enjoyed your cartoon series"

Brian Scott

Editor

Freelance Writing

"These are cute, I like them."

Lee H. Wilson

Art Editor

Feathertale Review

"Charming! I obviously like the cartoon, tailored-made to fit the theme, even including the date of the emails to coincide with the publication of the journal."

Virginia Howard

Editor

Thema

"This is cool"

Linda Formichelli

Editor

The Renegade Writer

"That was a good comic you sent me. I liked the line drawings, and I thought it was clever."

Bill Kenower

Editor-in-Chief

Author Magazine

"These are definitely cute... I love it! I absolutely love it!"

Moira Allen

Publisher

Writing World

"These are very well constructed and interesting"

Leon Ogroske

Editor

Writers' Journal

"These are adorable!"

Nicole Cliffe

Editor

The Toast

Four ways to find new markets

You've signed up for all possible newsletters that promise to introduce you to the magazine of your dreams - one that pays well, publishes fast and edits nary a word. What's more, you've actually tried all the magazines touted by these newsletters, by submitting your best stories. Yet, there's a bunch of manuscripts still gathering dust in your desk drawer (or its equivalent electronic cousin) that nobody has yet laid eyes on. Those stories need a home, too.

Or perhaps you've exhausted your permissible quota of stories that can be submitted to these dream magazines. (Two in a year. Yeah, right...

Read the full article in the September 2015 issue of Funds For Writers

or

Request to read the original article via email for just 99p! (T&C apply)

600 words
Nonfiction
US publication

***********************

Words from the Wise

"Occasionally an exceptional piece may be listed on the website under Latest FFW Tips."
- from Funds for Writers

"I like the fresh presentation, and I'm sure my readers will as well."

Hope Clark

Editor

Funds For Writers

Debora's Pen

Enjoy the full cartoon in the August 2015 issue of Funds For Writers

or

Request to see the original cartoon via email for just 99p! (T&C apply)

6 panels, 1 cartoon
Humour/Writing
US publication

***********************

Words from the Wise

"I fell in love with Debora... Thought you'd (all) appreciate relating to her writing issues...
I've started trying to put some logos/photos in the feature piece, and your little girl seemed perfect... I think Debora is very cute. Clean and to the point. You ought to start a newsletter about Debora - brief with a lesson of sort. I think writers would love it. Excited about reading them!"

C. Hope Clark

Editor

Funds For Writers

"I enjoyed your cartoon series"

Brian Scott

Editor

Freelance Writing

"These are cute, I like them."

Lee H. Wilson

Art Editor

Feathertale Review

"Charming! I obviously like the cartoon, tailored-made to fit the theme, even including the date of the emails to coincide with the publication of the journal."

Virginia Howard

Editor

Thema

"This is cool"

Linda Formichelli

Editor

The Renegade Writer

"That was a good comic you sent me. I liked the line drawings, and I thought it was clever."

Bill Kenower

Editor-in-Chief

Author Magazine

"These are definitely cute... I love it! I absolutely love it!"

Moira Allen

Publisher

Writing World

"These are very well constructed and interesting"

Leon Ogroske

Editor

Writers' Journal

"These are adorable!"

Nicole Cliffe

Editor

The Toast