Funds for Writers: A Review of C. Hope Clark's Web Site for Writers

Trying to find a paid source for your writing is an ongoing challenge for almost every writer regardless of their experience. It seemed with the invention of the internet, it would make the writer's job that much simpler; yet in some ways, it has become more convoluted and frustrating. Sifting through pages and pages of Web sites until your eyes are crossed, instead of spending time actually writing something, can become overwhelming. Is this a real opportunity? Where can I find a list of writer's contests? If I pay a fee for a writing contest, will I just be ripped off? How can I get a grant to help me while I finish this first novel? These questions and more are all easily answered at C. Hope Clark's Web site, fundsforwriters.com.

The first seeds sown for Clark's Web site were back in 2000 when she was in a women's writing group and the talk digressed to "how do I pay for printer ink?". With a background in grantwriting and loans, Clark appreciated how funds could mean the difference between a project soaring or crashing. Offering her advice on financing to desperate writers evolved into a newsletter which eventually turned into a Web site. She felt that other Web sites offered great advice on querying, creativity, agent lists and so on, but her focus is on one simple thing: funding streams. That is what really sets this Web site apart from many writer's Web sites that may be valuable, but ultimately may not focus on how you can make a living as a writer.

While Clark does run a yearly contest for writers that offers a prize, the objective of this Web site is not to publish your content through Clark or her Web site. Her Web site is a resource guide that offers information on genuine writer's contests, grants opportunities and markets. There is a lot of the information available free via an e-mail newsletter. If you would like all of the information - approximately 75 contacts every 2 weeks - it is only $15 per year. Clark defines her information by the funding it provides for the writers, and the research that has been done as to whether it is a genuine opportunity. There are three main categories of writer contacts you can find through this website:

Grants

I also have a background in grantwriting, so I have an understanding as to how specific they can be. If you are a writer, you have an advantage that someone applying for a science grant may not have; the use of language. However, if you have never read a grants guideline or written a grant before, they are not for the faint of heart. First of all, do not even waste your time applying for a grant that "sorta" applies to your situation. Unless you are in Illinois and a member of the Chicago Artist's Coalition and you have recently been involved in an accident, fire or illness - you would not want to apply for the Ruth Talaber Emergency Assistance Fund. This, by the way, is an actual listing.

That doesn't mean that grants aren't incredibly valuable. But you need to be tenacious, and wait for the right one that perfectly fits you, and then give it all you've got. The right grant at the right time could turn your situation around, and Clark's Web site is the only one I've ever come across that has up-to-date information specifically geared to writers.

Contests

There are many schools of thought regarding the efficacy of writer's contests, but that is a whole separate article. For the purposes of this article, I will just say that I am pro-contest. At Clark's Web site, she has excellent contest information, and this is actually my personal favorite part of her Web site. It has always been a hassle for me to try and find worthwhile contests, and even great guides such as the Writer's Market don't have as much info or variety as I would like them to have. In addition, Clark's Web site focuses on contests that offer significant cash prizes ($350 or more), so again, you have the intent being funding for writers. Whether it is a poetry, novel, short story, novella, screenwriting or playwrighting contest, you can find it here.

Markets

Again, there are great guides out there for markets, including plenty of online ones. What is in this category is the typical magazine (such as airline mags) and the occasional contract jobs for writers. The difference for me would be the feeling that these are more current and more individually researched. There are probably less opportunities in this section than in the former two, but they are all PAID opportunities, so they are keeping in theme with the point of the Web site: to generate funds for writers.

I would highly recommend this Web site for any writer who is taking their career seriously. I appreciate the genuineness and feeling of "we're all in the same boat, let's help each other out" that I get from perusing through this Web site. Clark has done a wonderful thing by sticking to a specific writer's need, and if I can spend more time actually writing and less time typing key phrases into internet search engines - that alone makes this Web site a 5-star experience.