Content-On-Demand

While visiting Bratislava for the third time this October and November,

I stumbled by chance over an art exhibition in the Bratislava Castle.

I was immediately smitten by the wonderful paintings by Andrej Smolák showing a variety of styles in his over four dozen years of working as an artist.

Smolák is an active and creative artist and man. Gallerist and organizer of cultural projects. So far, he has created over 6,000 paintings. He is dedicated to chamber painting, watercolor landscapes, and portraits and has created several hundred portraits of unknown people and celebrities.

Since 1982 he has held over 70 solo exhibitions in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, Austria, Ukraine, Belarus and the Russian Federation. His paintings are in galleries and private collections in many European countries but also in the USA, Japan, China, South Korea, Kazakhstan, and Australia.

His own Gallery in Snina (near Kosize) at the foothills of the Carpathian mountains shows his whole artistic oeuvre. I wish I had known it last year when I drove pretty close to this town on my way to Zakopane, Poland. But I will be back for sure ...

Read more about the artist:

https://andrejsmolak.com/en/about-the-author

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Content of this newsletter

WRITING CONTESTS
TIPS FOR WRITERS & SELF-PUBLISHERS
WRITERS RESIDENCIES, FELLOWSHIPS, & GRANTS
FREELANCE WRITING

With only four weeks left in the year, how's your writing and reading going? Get a lot of new ideas and encouragement for the next twelve months in this December Newsletter. Apply for one or more of the writing contests and grants listed here or find well-paid freelance writing jobs:

WRITING CONTESTS

Exeter Novel Prize

First prize - £1000 plus trophy. It is open to all authors anywhere who are without representation by a literary agent at the closing date, whether or not they have previously been published. All genres are accepted. Include a synopsis of not more than five hundred words.

£20 Entry Fee. Deadline Dec 30

https://www.creativewritingmatters.co.uk/2024-exeter-novel-prize.html

Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence

Emerging African American writers.

Short story collection or novel published in the current year. Prize: $10,000.

Deadline: Dec 31

https://ernestjgainesaward.org/criteria

Hooks Institute National Book Award

A Nonfiction book that best furthers understanding of the American Civil Rights Movement and its legacy.

Prize: $1000. Deadline: Dec 31

https://www.memphis.edu/benhooks/programs/bookawardnominations.php

StoryShares
This year, $15,000 in cash prizes are up for grabs, in addition to publication in both digital and print form. Winning stories and those selected as runners-up will be included in the StoryShares library, which is currently serving tens of thousands of students in all 50 states and 180 countries. Entry is free, unlimited, and open internationally. No Entry Fee. Deadline Jan 13, 2025

https://app.storyshares.org/contest/

JIM BAEN MEMORIAL SHORT STORY AWARD
One entry only. The National Space Society and Baen Books applaud the role that science fiction plays in advancing real science and have teamed up to sponsor this short fiction contest in memory of Jim Baen. Write a short story of no more than 8,000 words, that shows the near future of manned space exploration. Entries can be from any country.

No Entry Fee. Deadline Feb 1, 2025

https://www.baen.com/contest-jbmssa

TIPS FOR WRITERS & SELF-PUBLISHERS

How to Price an Ebook:

7 Questions to Help You Decide

https://makealivingwriting.com/how-much-should-you-charge-for-your-e-book-7-questions/

The 3 Best Platforms for New Writers
Build your solo business in 2025

https://link.medium.com/7AF133yvGOb

WRITERS RESIDENCIES, FELLOWSHIPS, & GRANTS

Prairie Ronde Artist Residency
We’re looking for individuals who are highly independent, engaged and curious. The stipend is $2,000 for 5 – 6 weeks, a $500 travel grant and private housing. Residents share their work with the community (a gallery show, public workshop or other). Location Vicksburg, Michigan. Application Fee is US$25. Deadline Dec 17

https://prairierondeartistresidency.com/about/apply/

The Creative.Inspired.Happy Scholarship

This Mid-Career Writing Scholarship is a scholarship for an aspiring writer not currently in a professional writing career, for use toward furthering their education in writing, such as continuing education or community college courses on writing. This scholarship is open to aspiring writers in any field, including fiction, poetry, and non-fiction. Two winners each receive $1,000. Deadline Dec 30

https://bold.org/scholarships/creative-inspired-happy-mid-career-writing-scholarship/

Tofte Lake Center

This year we are offering two Individual Artist Residencies. These residencies are focused on individual artists and/or small collaborative teams of all disciplines (literary, performing, and visual arts) who wish to create work in the natural environment and in community with other artists in all stages of their career. There is also time for play and rejuvenation - all in support of each artist’s goals, needs, and interests. Lodging is provided. Deadline Dec 31

https://www.toftelake.org/2025residencies

Tennessee Arts Fellowships

Fellowships provide those individuals who by education, experience, or natural talent engage in a particular art form or discipline, and live and work in Tennessee. To qualify, an artist must be financially compensated for his or her work, and this compensation must be a significant source of support for their livelihood. Grants $5,000. Deadline Jan 21, 2025

https://tnartscommission.org/grants/individual/

Vermont Artist Development Grants
Artist Development Grants support Vermont artists at all stages of their careers. Grants can fund activities that enhance mastery of an artist’s craft or skills or that increase the viability of an artist’s business. Also new this year, Flood Relief Funding. If the 2024 flooding significantly and adversely affected your ability to produce, perform, and/or market your work, and created a need for immediate relief funds and/or assistance, check for this separate category. Grants are up to $2,000, and there are two grant rounds each year. Deadline Jan 28, 2025

https://www.vermontartscouncil.org/grants/find-a-grant/artists/artist-development/

An Article Worth to Read

Realities That Authors Don’t Want to Hear

The average successful author on Amazon, Barnes&Noble, Kobo, Apple, etc. makes up to ten times more money than the average author with a publishing deal. Having a traditional publishing deal now means you probably don’t write books worthy of self-publication. Read this eye-opening article: 5 Realities Authors Don’t Want to Hear

https://easywaytowrite.blogspot.com/2017/09/5-new-realities-authors-dont-want-to.html

FREELANCE WRITING

The Mill
For most of our publications, they pay around £200 for a quick-hit and approximately £300 for something more reported and we also have the budget to pay significantly more for highly investigative stories that take months of work. Mill Media is leading a renaissance in high-quality journalism across the UK.

https://millmediaco.uk/write/

The Objective
Payment is $0.50 a word, though particular projects may have special rates. We split our stories between news and commentary, and have five sub-categories for stories: Media Workers, Community Engagement, International Context, Story Frame, and Language. We are also accepting submissions for our Civic Media Series with Free Press and members of the Future of Local News Collective.

https://objectivejournalism.org/pitch-us/

Modern South
We're here to spotlight all the things that make the American South great: those sweet Southern traditions like twinkling lightning bugs and all things toile print, while also celebrating all the wonderful, refreshing things we bring to the table in modern America. We're rocket scientists and farmers, miracle workers and teachers, whiskey aficionados and musicians, entrepreneurs and caretakers, and everything in between. Paying $150-$200 per story depending on word count and the amount of research/interviews needed. Pitches to hello@modernsouthmag.com

https://modernsouthmag.com/

Wealth of Geeks
Stories about traveling are some of the oldest tales in human history, and we’re looking for the next generation of travel writers. We seek first-hand travel stories and bizarre yet captivating stories about your adventures. We are also open to breaking news articles from the travel industry and the changing tides that affect travelers around the world. Starting rates are around $250 for 700 to 900-word articles.

https://wealthofgeeks.com/

Pipeline Artists
Looking for pieces that highlight unspoken truths, provide honest advice, and profile "emerging" creatives or those deserving of a platform they may not find in mainstream publications. Also ridiculous humor pieces—sometimes the world needs ridiculous humor. Pays roughly $350.

https://pipelineartists.com/submission-guidelines/

A Great Overview of Social Media:

The 8 Best Twitter Alternatives in 2025 - Even if You Haven’t Been a Twitter User Before

https://zapier.com/blog/twitter-alternatives/

Why Write on Substack or Medium?

The publishing ecosystem can no longer depend on the same media coverage that worked 5-10 years ago because that ecosystem has dramatically changed. Many buyers and salespeople don’t know the editorial value of Substack newsletters (and other newsletters). They are still looking for the same old plans, including print, radio, blogs, and influencer outreach. This must change, and fast.

Why Medium or Substack are Essential to Every Book Publisher’s PR Strategy. Media is shifting, and book publishing must shift, too.

https://kathleenschmidt.substack.com/p/why-substack-is-essential-to-every

Book Publishing and the Media are Misaligned

The average author must know what they are up against so they can manage expectations. “Let’s be more creative.”

https://kathleenschmidt.substack.com/p/book-publishing-and-the-media-are

Looking back to the last 12 months and also forward to the new year, let’s be thankful for all the positive things we got and experienced.

I wish you a great December and a very Merry Christmas and Chanukah.

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