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Finding the Bacon Greetings, avid freelancers and welcome to this issue of
Finding the Bacon. The holidays make us mindful of our means, and without our
jobs those means would dry up quickly. Trade magazines pertain to dozens of
trades—many of which are unfamiliar. However, as freelance writers, that
doesn’t mean we’re exempt from submitting to them. Some research, some
interviews, and some creative querying may just result in some lucrative—if
not unusual—writing assignments.
***************************************************** Cutting Tool
Engineering Guidelines Online:
No E-Mail Queries: No As the wife of a
specialty machinist, I’ve seen this magazine kicking around for years. It’s
an amazingly high paying market for those familiar with industrial metal cutting
tools and the metal cutting operation. Articles run 1500 to 3000 words and
include interviews, profiles, new product information, personal experience, and
technical advancements within the trade. Columns are
shorter and include 600 word interviews with industry professionals, short
profiles of shop owners, and tool reviews. Query with
published clips via standard mail. Buys all rights. Pays: Upon
publication--$500-$1000 for features; $150-$300 for columns.
***************************************************** Party and Paper
Retailer Guidelines Online:
No E-Mail Queries:
Yes Owners and
operators of party and stationery shops rely heavily upon this trade magazine to
keep up with the latest trends in managing their stores. Features include tips
and how-to pieces on display set-ups, marketing strategies, and merchandising.
Also buys interviews with successful store owners. Articles run
800-2000 words. Query via standard mail or e-mail with published clips. Buys First Rights. Will consider
previously published material. Pays: On
publication—rates vary according to length and writing experience.
***************************************************** Photographic
Processing Guidelines Online:
No E-Mail Queries: No The title says it
all. This trade magazine is dedicated to the business of processing our
photographs. From the booth at the mall to the drop off at the drugstore—there
are people behind the scenes doing the majority of the work. This magazine
speaks to them. Articles include the new trend toward everything digital, new
product reviews, and interviews with successful technicians or business owners.
Articles run an average of 1500-2000 words. Accompanying photos increase the
chances of acceptance, but no additional compensation is offered. Query via standard
mail with published clips. Buys One-Time
Rights. Pays: On
publication--$200-$350.
***************************************************** Western HVACR
News Guidelines Online:
No. The Web site indicates the presence of an editorial calendar, however it
states it was last updated in October of 2001. E-Mail Queries:
Yes Obviously the
first question will be, “What’s an HVACR?” The letters stand for heating,
ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration. The trends and technology
within this field change frequently. The magazine likes to stay abreast of these
changes and relies upon freelancers to provide news articles. Articles include
how-to, technical features, interviews, and profiles. Query via standard
mail or e-mail with published clips. Buys first rights. Pays: On
publication—25 cents per word.
***************************************************** Managed Care Guidelines Online:
Yes E-Mail Queries:
Yes. They actually prefer them. This magazine
speaks to physicians and insurance administrators, and features the latest in
the constantly changing field of health care and management. General interest,
personal experience, opinion, humor, contract issues, and computer programs are
all viable topics. Articles run
1000-3000 words. Query with standard clips—preferably via e-mail. Buys all rights. Pays: On
acceptance—50 to 60 cents per word. ***************************************************** Kimberly Ripley is a freelance writer and published author from
Portsmouth, NH. A wife and mother of five, her family's antics have led her to
write books like ''Breathe Deeply, This Too Shall Pass," a collection of
thirty tales of the trials and tribulations of parenting teens. She is the
owner/publisher of Writerip Publishing, and editor of a newsletter and web site
called ''Freelancing Later in Life,'' based on her book by the same name.
Visit her site at http://www.freelancing1.homestead.com. Air Mail Markets Hello again and welcome to the latest issue of Air Mail Markets. E-Queries: No queries needed - just submit work. Payment: Upon publication, articles pay $15 (USD$9.50), short stories pay $10 (USD$6.30) and poetry pays $5 (USD$3.20). Rights: Brady Magazine does not retain any rights to the material it accepts for publication. ***************************************************** NFG Magazine E-Queries: Accepts Payment: Upon acceptance and completion of signed contract (see Notes for details), nonfiction articles pay $35, nonfiction reviews pay $20 (USD$12.75), fillers pay $10 (USD$6.30), fiction pays $0.02 (USD$0.012) per word (minimum $50/USD$32), poetry pays $30 (USD$19.20). Comics and artwork is also accepted; see the writers' guidelines posted online for detailed payment rates. Rights: First Worldwide Rights for 24 months and the right to republish work in future compilations or anthologies for 60 months, according to terms of signed contract. Woman's Value Editor: Terena le Roux Email: valmag@womansvalue.com Amy Brozio-Andrews is a freelance writer living in New York; she writes on a variety of topics for print and online publications, and is hard at work on her first novel. Please feel free to check out her website at www.penpadandpixel.com, and e-mail her at amy@penpadandpixel.com. Contests
Corner A
baker's dozen of contests this month, ranging from the sublime to the
ridiculous. One has a very close submission date, for those who work best under
pressure, but many closing dates are well into 2003, and some are annual
contests should you really have no time to write over the holiday season. I wish
you peace and good health into 2003. Cheers,
Moira
***************************************************** The
2003 ASNE, Quill and Scroll International Writing, Photo Contest "Quill
and Scroll was organized April 10, 1926, by a group of high school advisers for
the purpose of encouraging and recognizing individual student achievement in
journalism and scholastic publication. "Since
its founding, charters have been granted to more than 14,024 high schools in all
50 states and 44 foreign countries. Currently enrolled high school students are
invited to enter the International Writing, Photo contest. Awards are made in
each of the 12 divisions. Every entry must have been published in a high school
or professional newspaper between Feb. 1, 2002 and Feb. 1, 2003 and must be the
work of a currently enrolled high school student. Each entry must be the work of
one student only except in the In Depth Reporting/Team Division. Each school is
limited to four entries per division. One student may submit any or all of the
school's allotted entries. "The
Society encourages student recognition through student membership in Quill and
Scroll. The Society also sponsors the following activities: "INTERNATIONAL
WRITING, PHOTO CONTEST: Each school may submit four entries in each of 12
categories: editorial, editorial cartoon, news story, feature story, general
columns, review columns, in-depth reporting (individual and team), sports story,
advertisement and photography (news-feature and sports). Deadline for entries is
February 5 each year. An official
entry form is required. "YEARBOOK
EXCELLENCE CONTEST Each school may submit four entries in each of 11 categories
(except theme): theme, student life, academics, clubs, sports, people,
advertising, sports action photo, academic photo, feature photo, graphics and
index. Deadline for entries is November 1 each year. An official entry form is
required. The contest is open only to schools with a Quill and Scroll charter. "NEWS
MEDIA EVALUATION An in-depth critique of school newspapers is available to
member schools in the form of the News Media Evaluation. Deadline for
registration is April 15 each year. An official entry form is required."
PRIZE:
$500 and others ENTRY
FEE: $2 DEADLINE:
February 5, 2003 URL:
http://www.uiowa.edu/~quill-sc/
Mommy
Tales 2003 Essay Contest "My
Favorite Memory As a Mom So Far" "What
is your favorite memory as a mother? Is it the birth of your child? How about
the day your son or daughter said "momma" for the first time? Or when
you took that fun vacation with your kids to Disney World or Hawaii? Tell us
what your favorite memory is as a mom! "Essay
length: Up to 500 max. words, typed. One entry per contestant will be eligible.
All winning essays will be featured on the Mommy Tales Web Site and in the Mommy
Tales eNewsletter in March 2003. "Contest
essays will be judged on the following criteria: Writing
style (up to 45 points out of 100 overall points): Do the words in your essay
grab people’s attention? Are they compelled to keep reading? Originality
of thought (up to 30 points): Do the thoughts in the essay seem original? What
is unique about this essay? Mechanics
(up to 25 points): Are spelling and grammar correct?"
PRIZE:
Various gift hampers ENTRY
FEE: None DEADLINE:
January 24, 2003 URL:
http://www.mommytales.com/contests_promotions.htm
***************************************************** Proposal
Story Contest "Share
your proposal story with us and win! If our site visitors feel your story is the
best you can win! "No purchase is necessary. The Proposal Story Contest is open to anyone who is at least 18 years of age on November 1, 2001, is a resident of the United States or its territories and possessions. "The
odds of winning depends upon the number of entries received and the number of
votes that each entry receives. The prize is not transferable and not redeemable
for cash."
PRIZE:
$$$ worth of diamonds :-) ENTRY
FEE: None DEADLINE:
Ongoing, quarterly URL:
http://www.diamondcuttersintl.com/contests/proposalstories/index.html
***************************************************** 3rd
ANNUAL SHORT FICTION AND POETRY CONTEST! Presented
by Bard's Ink Writer's Group, Copper Beech Books and Phoenix Books "Short
stories maximum 1500 words - entries over 1500 words will not be read. Poems
under 40 lines."
PRIZE:
$50 and others ENTRY
FEE: $5 DEADLINE:
January 31, 2003 URL:
http://www.iprimus.ca/~pjduane/Welcome.htm ***************************************************** SUSPENSE
ME "Yesterday
grabbed me by the throat and shook me like a high wind with a sapling." "The
rain told cold stories in soft voices." "Believe
it or not, the holiday season is well known for ghost stories, going back to the
three ghosts of Charles Dickens in his Christmas Carol. NovelAdvice has a
holiday gift for you along the lines of Dickens. "Read
the two sentences above, and choose one. Write a story, full of suspense and
excitement, of no more than 500 words. Use your chosen sentence as the starting
"hook." "Winners
will be announced on Christmas Day, December 25, 2002, as our present to all of
you."
PRIZE:
Book, critique, publication ENTRY
FEE: None DEADLINE:
December 21, 2002 URL:
http://www.noveladvice.com/
***************************************************** Wild
Violet First Annual Fiction Contest (2003) "Entrant
must be the author of the original, unpublished work submitted to the contest.
This is not a lottery; a winner will be selected based on the decision of an
independent judge. The entrance fees go towards the prize amount, with any
remaining funds going towards defraying the expenses of Wild Violet magazine, a
not-for-profit enterprise."
PRIZE:
$100 and publication ENTRY
FEE: $5 DEADLINE:
March 3, 2003 URL:
http://www.wildviolet.net/ ***************************************************** Prairie
Schooner Awards "Prairie Schooner publishes short stories, poems, interviews, imaginative essays of general interest, and reviews of current books of poetry and fiction. Scholarly articles requiring footnote references should be submitted to journals of literary scholarship. "All
Prairie Schooner prize winners are chosen from the year's published
contributors. Prizes are subject to availability of funds and are announced
annually in the Spring Issue. Do NOT send work for the purpose of entering it
into a specific contest ... just send us your best and know that if we accept it
for publication, you will be considered for the following awards: THE
GLENNA LUSCHEI PRAIRIE SCHOONER AWARD THE
STROUSSE AWARD
PRIZE:
$$$ Various as above ENTRY
FEE: None DEADLINE:
Ongoing, annual URL:
http://www.unl.edu/schooner/html/
***************************************************** Young
Feminist Scholarship "Spinsters
Ink invites young women in their last year of high school to submit essays on
feminism and what it means to them. The winner will be announced on
International Women's Day, March 8, 2003. Check out our most recent winning entry and our list
of previous winners. "The
winner will receive a $1,000 scholarship to the college of her choice and will
also be invited to attend Norcroft: A Writing Retreat for Women for one week. "Essays
must be no longer than three pages, typed, and double-spaced."
PRIZE:
$1000 college scholarship ENTRY
FEE: None DEADLINE:
December 31, 2002 URL:
http://www.spinsters-ink.com/
***************************************************** The
Cream City Review Fiction contest Also
an annual poetry contest with later closing date.
PRIZE:
$100 and publication ENTRY
FEE: $10 DEADLINE:
December 30, 2002 Annually URL: http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/English/ccr/index.html ***************************************************** firstwriter.com's
Second International Poetry Competition "The
contest is open to poems of any style and on any subject, but they must not be
longer than 30 lines. Right
now you can submit poems in seconds over the Internet - no SAEs, no manuscripts,
no fuss! Alternatively, if you prefer the old-fashioned method, you can still
submit by post... There are no restrictions on age, origin, or number of poems -
whoever you are, wherever in the world you are, you will be able to enter as
many poems as you like.
PRIZE:
₤200 ENTRY
FEE: ₤3 DEADLINE:
October 1, 2003 URL: http://www.firstwriter.com
***************************************************** 55
Fiction contest "You
can enter all year long and submit as many stories as you like. Winners in our
annual contest are published in New Times on June 1. All stories will be
considered for our next book. "Write
a 55-word short story so we can consider it for our next contest and for
inclusion in our sequel to 'The World's Shortest Stories.' And what luck: We
just happen to have the official rules right here to help guide you when
crafting a mere 55 words into one of the truly great stories of our time. "Writing
a 55 Fiction story isn't as easy as it looks. "A
haiku poem is short. So is a quarterback sneak. But nobody thinks they're simple
to execute–it's just that the people who do them well make it seem that way. "Taking
a great story concept and developing it within such a limited space is a little
like carving a beautiful sculpture from a tiny block of wood. The working range
is truncated and intimate, but the goal is no different than if you were
creating on a much larger scale. You're trying to perfectly merge various
elements into a coherent whole that ultimately makes people say, 'Wow,
that's really great!' "The
first rule we always tell 55 Fiction writers may seem obvious, but it's broken
more often than you might think. We tell them to remember that we're talking
about fiction, not essays or poems or errant thoughts. "A
lot of people have a hard time getting that straight, no doubt because they have
a hard time believing that writing something so short is really possible. They
usually end up with only part of a story, often with their character stranded in
a situation going nowhere. "So
although some may have a more complex definition of just what constitutes a
'story,' for our purposes, a story is a story only if it contains the following
four elements: 1) a setting; 2) a character or characters; 3) conflict; and 4)
resolution. "Telling
a story in a traditional narrative mode is probably the best approach for new
writers, but keep in mind that 55 Fiction encourages experimentation. You can
write about anything you like, but you can't use more than 55 words. Yes, you
can use fewer if you'd like to, but we don't know why anyone would–don't
shortchange yourself even more than we already have."
PRIZE:
None mentioned on site, other than publication in their book ENTRY
FEE: None DEADLINE:
Ongoing URL:
http://www.newtimes-slo.com/
***************************************************** "Tell
Your Story," A Creative Nonfiction Contest "Colorado
Writers Fellowship (CWF) announces 'Tell Your Story,' a creative nonfiction
contest. Do you have a dramatic, true story? Or do you know of someone who does?
Write the story in first person ('I') in less than 1,000 words, and send it to
the 'Tell Your Story' contest. The true-life tale can be your life-changing
experience or someone else's, written with an 'as told to' byline. Final judge
is Steve Baal, features editor for Woman's World.
"Creative
nonfiction is a term used to describe a true story that is written with fiction
techniques to build the manuscript's tension. For this contest, the author must
write their nonfiction story in first person and present it as if it were
happening. Although every story must be true and not deviate from the facts,
authors are free to use fiction techniques to make their stories more
compelling."
PRIZE:
$55, $35, $15 ENTRY
FEE: $10 DEADLINE:
February 7, 2003 URL:
None, e-mail ColWritersFellow@aol.com
***************************************************** And
for a bit of fun ;-) THe
Wergle Flomp Poetry Contest! "A
humor poetry contest with a twist. Seeks best parody poem that pokes fun at
‘vanity contests.’ The Wergle Flomp contest is not the place to submit
sincere poems meant seriously. We
are looking for poems that are a)
Inspired nonsense b)
Spectacularly awful c)
Intended to make fun of 'vanity contests' Your
poem should make the reader cackle with mischievous glee. "1)
Find a vanity poetry contest, a contest whose main purpose is to appeal to
poets’ egos and get them to buy expensive products like anthologies,
chapbooks, CDs, plaques and silver bowls. Vanity contests accept nearly all
poems, no matter how bad, in their effort to sell as much stuff to as many
people as possible. "2)
Make up a deliberately absurd, crazy, laugh-out-loud parody poem that pokes fun
at vanity contests and what they do. "3)
Submit your parody poem to a vanity contest as a joke. "4)
After you’ve done steps 1-3, click here to submit your parody poem to the Wergle
Flomp Poetry Contest and
tell us which vanity contest you sent it to as a joke. "5)
Poets of all nations are welcome. Your poem must be in English (inspired
gibberish also accepted).
PRIZE:
$817.70 Check site to see how this amount was determined ENTRY
FEE: None DEADLINE:
April 1, 2003 URL: http://www.winningwriters.com/ ***************************************************** I have been an accountant for a very long time, but I always wanted to be a
writer when I grew up. I realised a year or so back that there's not that
many decades left for me get grown up, and so I'm working part time at learning
how to be a writer. Besides my column here, I write a weekly article on
Women Abuse for Suite101.com - not a pretty subject, but if you have the
stomach, check it out at http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/women_abuse
- and have recently been promoted by them to Managing Editor (Food). |
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