High Hope for the Freelance Writer                                                                     

      C. Hope Clark, Editor

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7th Annual FundsforWriters Essay Contest

Theme for 2008: The Best Advice I Ever Had

The winners of this year's contest are:

• 1st ENTRY FEE- Ryma Shohami - "I Can Never Write That Well"
• 2nd ENTRY FEE - Amy Mullis - "Being Bombeck"
• 3rd ENTRY FEE - Sheryl Platte - "You Don't Need a Real Cabbage Patch Doll"
• 1st NO ENTRY FEE  - Anna Steegmann - "Don't Submit to the New York Times"
• 2nd NO ENTRY FEE- Miranda Ward - "Bliss"
• 3rd NO ENTRY FEE - Kelly Christensen - "The Tired Dog"

FundsforWriters changes its theme each year. You have two topics to choose from in 2008, but they have one thing in common. Your assignment, if you choose to accept it, is to write about the best advice you ever heard.

THEME: The Best Advice I Ever Had

• TOPIC 1 - The Best Advice I ever had and IGNORED

• TOPIC 2 - The Best Advice I ever had and FOLLOWED

Ahhh - something different, huh? If you know anything about FundsforWriters, you know that we like lessons learned and motivational ideas. Of course, we are all about writers, so if you stray off the beaten path and talk about something non-writing-related, be careful. Hopefully it will tie back into a writing lesson. Just think about Hope's weekly editorials when she takes ravaging deer, grandchildren or the price of gas and turns it into a writing essay.

We offer the same two categories - the $5 FEE category and the NO FEE category. Many writers do not believe in paying while others have no contrary opinion about an entry fee. Here we offer both so everyone has a choice. This way no one has an excuse not to submit. If you cannot submit to this contest, you just don't like to write essays - period. We put you on no mailing list and you do not have to be a member of FundsforWriters to enter.

Those that pay the $5 entry fee receive the ebook of their choice.

Remember...this is an essay, a nonfiction entry. No fiction, no poetry, no writing about someone else. We want this to be all about YOU. Entries are welcome from any race, religion, gender, nationality or other diverse group.

Prizes:

$5 ENTRY FEE Category

• First Place - $200

• Second Place - $20 - and a free copy of IdeaWeaver.com software, a $49.95 value

• Third Place - $10

NO ENTRY FEE Category

• First Place - $50

• Second Place - $20

• Third Place - $10

7th Annual FundsforWriters Essay Contest - Continued...guidelines

What to Put In/On Your Submission:

1. The essay.
2. The word count.
3. The selected TOPIC.
4. Your name.
5. Your email address.
6. Note Entry Fee or No Entry Fee category.
7. The ebook title of your choice - see www.fundsforwriters.com/ebooks.htm

Guidelines:

• Not to exceed 750 words.
• Essay/nonfiction only.
• Receipt deadline Midnight, October 31, 2008.
• Email to hope@fundsforwriters.com. (No more fax and snail mail submissions.)
• No attachments to emails. Embed in the email itself. (Viruses are nasty creatures.)
• Entry fee $5 or ZERO dollars. Payable via PayPal or check. Put name and essay title with check via mail.
• Note ENTRY FEE or NO ENTRY FEE on your submission. 
• Same piece cannot be submitted in both ENTRY FEE and NO ENTRY FEE categories.
• Must be original and unpublished.
• Must be in English but entries accepted internationally. Entry fees must be in US dollars.
• No limit to the number of submissions.
• All writers must be 18 or older.
• Do not bother with SASE for winners lists. Winners posted on website and in newsletters.
• Single or double-spaced accepted.
• Winners and public notified by December 1, 2008.
• Winners published in FundsforWriters newsletters and/or website.
• Other submissions will be considered for publication, but will be paid the standard rate of $35 if selected.
• Panel of editors and published writers to make final determination.

Direct any additional questions to Hope Clark at hope@fundsforwriters.com .

2007 WINNERS - Choice of two topics. Theme: Make Us Want to Be You

• 1st ENTRY FEE- Rachel Gurevich - "A Passionate, Risk-Taking Year"
• 2nd ENTRY FEE - Michelle Miller Allen - "A Fork in One Hand, a Pen in the Other"
• 3rd ENTRY FEE - Lindy Schneider - "One Year with NO BOOTS!"
• 1st NO ENTRY FEE  - Chris Mac - "Old Friends"
• 2nd NO ENTRY FEE- Lee Hanekom - "Terrs No More"
• 3rd NO ENTRY FEE - Eva M. Lemeh - "A Fabulous Year"

2006 WINNERS - Choice of four themes on mentoring and grants

• 1st ENTRY FEE -Diane Lau - The Successful Author, Revised
• 2nd ENTRY FEE - Katherine Hauswirth-  I Googled Myself
• 3rd ENTRY FEE - Joan Foley Baier - My Virtual Grant
• 1st NO ENTRY FEE - Margaret Skipworth - All You Need Is...
• 2nd NO ENTRY FEE - Amber Herrick - My Own Definition  
• 3rd NO ENTRY FEE - Nateisha Taylor - The Reluctant Reader

2005 WINNERS - Theme: They Actually Paid Me To Write

• 1st ENTRY FEE - Cynthia Morris, "Frivolous Poetry"
• 2nd ENTRY FEE - Kathleen Ewing, "Pay Back"
• 3rd ENTRY FEE - Joni Fisher, "Call Me"
• 1st NO ENTRY FEE -  Jill E. Alicea, "Matters of the Heart"
• 2nd NO ENTRY FEE - Katherine Hauswirth, "Write First Surf Later"
• 3rd NO ENTRY FEE - Lowell Thomas, "A Little Encouragement Goes a Long Way"

Copyright 2000-2009, C. Hope Clark and FundsforWriters - FFW does not warranty the information on this site. Contests, grants, markets, awards, fellowships, and other job opportunities cannot be guaranteed by FFW. Please use at your own risk just as you would any information in your writing career - with educated caution. We do not collect information for distribution. Email addresses are not shared with other sources. Direct any questions to Hope@fundsforwriters.com - or by snail mail to 140-A Amicks Ferry Road #4, Chapin, SC 29036