C. Hope Clark Advises "Let the Writing Be Its Own Reward"

I have been following C. Hope Clark for her newsletter, Funds for Writers, for ages. That recognition of her expertise grew with time. Her advocacy for authors is astonishing. This particular post of hers struck a note for me. In these times when I am seeing more and more ageism being expressed in the media, it seems especially valuable. But I also relate to it because as each day passes (and each health issue must be dealt with), I find myself grateful that I write. It is almost impossible to picture a day when it won’t be one of the most pleasurable activities I encounter. When I saw this I found myself grateful to Hope for saying this so well.  

Message from Hope

Someone recently told me she was too old to try to write. I reminded her she was still breathing, which was all the reason she needed to put pen to paper.  I get it. Sometimes we see technology over the writing. All the talk about AI, writing to SEO, white-papers on topics we do not understand, the need to promote via podcasts, TikTok, and Instagram. It can feel daunting that not only do we not understand a lot of the topics that need writing about out there, but if we write for ourselves, the publishing of it scares us away.  Take a breath.  Just write. Write your story. Enjoy using all your word tiles and creating beautiful sentences with them. Let the writing be its own reward.  A neighbor of mine is 90 years old. He has had an incredible life as a self-made man. Over ten years ago, he decided his life needed to be recorded, so he’d stay up each night and write. I could see his light on across the cove from me as he scribbled in his notebooks. Finally, he decided he’d reached the end and got someone to type up the manuscript. They he had it formatted and published it locally, for no one other than his family.  There are many writers out there working into their 70s and even 80s. They aren’t writing technical manuals. They are writing history, mystery, children’s stories, short stories, horror stories, slice-of-life vignettes, and more. And when they decide to publish, they either pitch to agents or publishers, or they hire someone to put the book together and self-publish.  It’s very doable, friends. Chin up. You can always write. That’s what I love about the craft is that it’s always an option for just about anyone.

MORE ABOUT TODAY’S GUEST BLOGGER

C. Hope Clark founded FundsforWriters.com 23 years ago, and Writer’s Digest has selected it for their 101 Best Websites for Writers for 22 years in a row. She founded the newsletter because she couldn’t find answers to what she wanted as a fledgling writer, and surprisingly, it took off. Guess a lot of writers weren’t finding what they were looking for either because she has 25,000 followers. The newsletter is every Friday, having missed only two Fridays in those 23 years. It’s well known throughout writing circles for its editorials from Hope (very popular), how-to features from other writers (who are paid by Hope, by the way – $75 for 650-word features), and open calls for submissions for contests, freelance markets, gigs, agents, publishers, and grants. 

Hope also practices what she preaches in her newsletters. She is a regular contributor to Writer’s Digest products (magazine, podcast, blog, newsletter, online courses) and other freelance venues. But she is also known for her award-winning mysteries, especially the Edisto Island Mysteries. She has published 16 mysteries with Bell Bridge Books with another coming out in June and a contract for three more, one in each of her three series. 

She writes for income, for fun, and because she loves it. Barely a day goes by that she isn’t penning a feature, blog post, editorial, or chapter of a novel. It’s what she does, and she loves giving back to other writers through FundsforWriters. Her readers have watched her grow from novice to seasoned, having experienced many of her trips, obstacles, downfalls, awards, and successes, both as a writer and personally. She calls it like she sees it in the industry which makes her top-of-the-newsletter editorials quite popular. 

The FundsforWriters newsletter is available at www.fundsforwriters.com and is a free, weekly (on Fridays) delivery. Find out more about Hope at www.chopeclark.com and even more here in her e-mail signature: 

The Carolina Slade Mysteries 
The Edisto Island Mysteries 
The Craven County Mysteries 
www.chopeclark.com
Editor, FundsforWriters
www.fundsforwriters.com 
Writer's Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers