womagwriter's blog

Guest Post - Nicola Morgan - and competition

2012-01-22T18:32:00.005Z

I’m delighted today to welcome Nicola Morgan to my blog, as part of her blog tour to promote her new ebook – Write A Great Synopsis. I’ve read the book – it does what it says on the tin and should be part of every novelist’s e-bookshelf. Wish I’d read it before submitting my lousy attempt at a synopsis to an appraisal agency! Ah well, at least I know where I went wrong now.

As more and more writers seem to be self-publishing ebooks these days, I thought I’d ask Nicola a few questions about this.

WW: You’ve self-published a couple of books on Kindle – what kind of book do you think does well published by this route?
NM: Short books are perfect. Non-fiction where the author has direct contact with the target market is ideal and it’s hard to see why you’d want to use a publisher to do this for you, unless there are lots of pictures or something technical like that. Novellas and short story collections are very hard to place with trade publishers (though I think more publishers will tap into this market when they get their act together) but can do well as ebooks. But fiction of any length is hard to sell and writers should not think of publishing it themselves without understanding why it’s hard to sell and without being prepared to do some pretty full-on (and often unattractive, in my opinion) self-promotion or accept modest sales.

WW: Many short story writers have a back catalogue of published stories and might like the idea of self-publishing a collection as an ebook. Do you think there’s an appetite for short story collections as ebooks? What are the pitfalls to beware of when self-publishing ebooks?
NM: See above! I’d add that the temptation is for unpublished writers to self-publish just because they can. And before they are ready. However, in self-publishing as in publishing, mediocre or even dud writing can also sell well (and great writing can sell badly) though I hate the thought of that. Therefore I think the pitfalls are in some ways the same for publishing: underestimating the problems and fortunes of what makes a commercial success. If you believe your writing sings and you are as convinced as possible that it’s as good as it can be, do it. But if you feel you are still practising, my recommendation is to carry on practising for longer. You will get better and I’d hate for you to publish too early and then wince when you read it two years later. And don’t let the few(ish) major success stories in self-publishing give you a false impression of how easy it is. It is not easy. That’s why it’s satisfying.

WW: Agreed, anything worth having is worth working for. Do you have any advice on how to publicise self-published ebooks? (Or how to publicise anything!) Your blog has a huge following. What advice would you give to writers who are trying to build up their own following on blogs or twitter or other networks?
NM: Be active, be nice, be online, be generous, be patient and be yourself. Don’t prostitute yourself or cross the lines you don’t like others to cross. For non-fiction, “platform” is essential. So, for me with Write a Great Synopsis, my blog and Twitter will be crucial and have already paid dividends. For fiction, I’m afraid you need to be active on the forums where readers recommend books. I don’t have time and generally don’t enjoy these forums so I don’t frequent them and my fiction ebook sales therefore won’t fly. Mondays are Red (novel) sells about a quarter the number that Tweet Right (non-fic) sells, even though Mondays are Red has so many original print reviews to support it. But I’m happier with a modest number of genuinely interested readers than I would be with lots more that I might get if I spent a lot more time on marketing and chatting on forums. I suppose it boils down to this: know how it all works and work out what is right for you. And have appropriate expectations. It is very hard work – but then it’s very hard work being published anyway. There is also luck involved, in both models. Sorry, that wasn’t very helpful advice, was it?!

WW: It was honest at least! In the couple of years since I’ve been following your blog, you’ve written a highly acclaimed YA novel, a How to Write book, a guide to Twitter, Write a Great Synopsis book and republished your first YA novel. Wow, respect for all that! What’s coming next?
NM: Thank you! Well, I’ve written another YA novel which may or may not find a publisher (It takes a few risks. And, although you’ll hear that the YA market is vibrant, it’s really only vibrant for paranormal romance and I can’t tell you how this is NOT paranormal or romance…) I’m planning two more Crabbit Publishing non-fiction titles, first the provisionally-titled Dear Agent. And I’m writing a novel for 9-11s (I love that age group) which I’ve started but which I’m finding incredibly hard. So I want to devote some time to that.

WW: Tell us about the competition you’re running to promote Write A Great Synopsis?
NM: Sure! Would you like the chance of winning a critique of your synopsis from me? All commenters below (by Feb 15th) will be entered into the Big WAGS Competition, with chances to win a critique of your synopsis by the Crabbit Old Bat herself! One comment per person on each blog – though you can add to your chances by commenting on the other posts on the tour. Details of all stops on the tour will appear on my blog (Help! I Need a Publisher!) as they go out.

Thanks for having me, and good luck to all your readers. Happy synopsis-writing!

For details about the book, including buying options, go here.
The link direct to Amazon UK is here.

Thanks Nicola, and good luck with this book and all your other writing ventures.

Moving On

2012-01-19T21:56:00.003Z

Della Galton's latest book, Moving On, does what it says on the tin. It explains in detail the differences between writing short stories and writing a novel, and it's not just about the length! It's a must-have for any short story writer who's thinking about trying a novel.

Using lots of examples, Della shows the differences between a story plot and a novel plot, and helps you recognise the form in which your latest idea would work best. She explains how important it is to really know your novel characters, why they need a full backstory, friends and family - even if you're not going to use this in the novel. She shows why using a single viewpoint is usually best for a story, while it could be too limiting for a novel. She covers beginnings, middles and ends, theme, structure and flashback and how their use differs depending on what you are writing.

The whole thing is written in Della's easy to read style, and comes thoroughly recommended by this writer. I just wish this book had been available a couple of years ago when I started writing my novel! I suspect I'll be referring to it a lot while I write the next one.

Available here from Amazon.

My Weekly

2012-01-14T18:01:00.005Z

Now that I'm back writing short stories for a while, I realised I needed to get myself up to speed with the kind of story the magazines are currently publishing. You can't rely on your memory of what they were buying a couple of years ago - magazines change all the time. Subtly, perhaps, but even so, the more you are acquainted with the type of story an editor likes, the more likely you'll sell to them.

So I bought a copy of the current My Weekly, dated Jan 10-16, and have just finished reading it, cover to cover. It was always one of my favourite mags, and still is.

There are five short stories in this issue, and a few thoughts struck me as I read them.

It's My Choice by Trixie Nisbet. Louise has moved in with new boyfriend Ben, who seems like a much better choice than her last boyfriend, though her mum doesn't think he's good enough for her. But things aren't going too well - Ben was a bachelor for too long and is set in his ways.
What surprised me here was the ending. It's not quite the traditional upbeat ending you expect to find in women's magazines. It's a realistic ending though, and refreshing, as it was unexpected.

Special Night Out by Helen Hunt. A 'moment in time' one-page story, following a woman making herself look as good as possible for a night out. Beautifully descriptive (Helen is so good at this kind of story!) and leaves you with a smile on your face, wholly approving of the main character's actions. I wanted to high-five her at the end!

There's Something About The Willows by Stella Whitelaw. A young couple buy a neglected old house after its previous elderly occupants died. They often find books left open, as though someone had been reading and has just left the room. This is a beautiful gentle ghost story, though we never 'see' the ghosts. What struck me here is that in the past, My Weekly would only take ghost stories if there was an alternative, rational explanation. There's none such in this story, and if there was, it would only spoil it.

You'll Never Guess by Hayley Johnson-Mack. Unusual and satisfying twist in the tail story. If this had been mine, I'd probably have tried it at Take A Break first, as it felt more like their territory than MW.

Off To See The World by Elizabeth McKay. Written in the second person, this reads like an open letter from a mother to her daughter who's just about to set off on her gap year travels. Second person?! I think this may be the first time I've seen this in a women's mag, but it's perfect for this story.

All great stories. Well done to the authors! And so good to see My Weekly branching out and taking a wider variety of stories than before.

I received My Weekly's latest writers' guidelines the other day. They're still not able to accept fiction submissions from writers they've not published before, sadly (though this doesn't apply to features or pocket novel submissions). And only one submission per author per month.

They're currently looking for Jubilee, Olympic and Wimbledon themes.
- 700 word coffee break stories (no twists please in this category)
- 1400 word light-hearted twist in the tail
- 2500 emotionally engaging stories
- Light-hearted romances in all the lengths

Fiction editor Liz Smith is aiming to give writers constructive criticism, coupled with a faster turnaround, this year (as reported in February's Writers' Forum). Which is all good news. I do wish she'd open up submissions to new writers again, however. Thankfully, other fiction editors such as Jill Finlay of The Weekly News, are actively looking to publish as many new writers as possible this year.

Right, well, I must get my January submission to My Weekly sent! I've a 1400-word light-hearted romance which might just hit the spot...

How to earn £10 in 10 minutes

2012-01-09T20:58:00.002Z

Actually, I don't know how to earn £10 in 10 minutes. But I know a woman who does. And she's distilled her advice into a handy little ebook, which costs all of 89p.

Here's the book and here's the author, Linda Lewis, and here's how you download a free Kindle reader for your pc if you don't have a Kindle. A must for all filler writers!

House Styles - guest post by Sarah England

2012-01-03T18:29:00.005Z

I'm delighted to welcome Sarah England to my blog today. She's a women's magazine writer who has also recently published a novel - Expected - available as an ebook on Amazon . (I've read this and can confirm it's funny and witty and definitely worth a read!)

I asked Sarah to write a post on any topic of interest to women's magazine writers, and was very pleased when she sent me this, as it's not something I've ever covered on this blog as far as I can remember.

House Styles
When I first started writing short stories for magazines about 5-6 years ago now,I simply wrote whatever came into my head. Rejection after rejection followed.Eventually - you know the thing: ‘if you don’t succeed then read the instructions’ - so I did a brief correspondence course and reluctantly started reading what the magazines were actually printing. Shortly afterwards I had my first success with My Weekly, and have since had over 100 short stories published in magazines, newspapers and anthologies. So what cracked it?

Well each magazine has a definite house style. Some magazines I know I will never be published in because I simply cannot get into their mindset. But others I can. I like writing comedy and The Weekly News publishes short stories with lots of humour and a sharp twist, so I often write for them. But I also like having a long rein with character i.e. they don’t have to be nice all the time - and that’s where Woman’s Weekly comes in. With Woman’s Weekly I feel that my characters can explore the wicked side of life. They can find themselves in tricky situations and not always handle them well. In short - the stories can push boundaries. And so can I.

It hasn’t been long since I had my first story taken by Woman’s Weekly, and then they took one after the other - everything I wrote hot off the press as it were. What happened was this - I started to read the Woman’s Weekly Fiction Specials in detail - every story, every style, every author. I got into the mindset of the reader, and most importantly the writers. Real life was screaming from the pages, so was humour, and nostalgia, and complex family scenarios. There were no twists at the end - ‘the ha! ha! Fooled you’ - type. And no spine chillers as such. Instead I found subtlety and a gradual increase in pace; atmosphere and character leading the reader down a long and winding path to a natural conclusion. Suddenly - it all fell into place!

Of course there is still the tricky aspect of finding more and more characters and plots - which is never easy - but what helps is to draw on your self, your background and your experiences, because your reader will be able to relate to that. And then add in character quirks and challenges for them to tackle. Keeping your reader entertained - that’s the key! If your story isn’t credible and your characters act in unrealistic ways then the reader will not be happy. And nor will the editor.

So to come full circle - I’d advise finding a house style you are happy with. If you like old-style romance then I’d recommend People’s Friend as a good place to start. If you have a knack for short tales with a twist I’d concentrate on Take a Break. But take a lot of time to get into the zone. These magazines sell thousands and they know what works for them.

Finally - once you know you want to tell people stories then try everything until you find what you are good at. I just love making people laugh. Which is why I wrote ’Expected’ now on Amazon kindle ebooks. Here’s the link if you’d like to take a look.

So there you are - match your style with a magazine and hopefully your hits will soon mount up! Thanks Sarah for this post, and good luck with promoting your novel!

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T16:17:00.003Z

It's a grey and murky New Year's Eve down here on the south coast, but I'm sure tonight will be sparkly and merry at my neighbour's New Year's Eve party. While I wait until it's time to get ready to go out, I thought I'd come up with some new year's resolutions and look back on last year's.

Last year, my writing resolutions were to complete a first draft of my novel by the end of June, and finish the edits by the end of the year. I'm delighted to say I achieved both goals, and in December sent my novel to a literary appraisal agency to get a critique of the whole thing. I'm still waiting to hear back - no doubt there'll be a lot of work to do on the novel before I can start sending it to agents or publishers.

My non-writing resolutions for 2011 were to keep running every week if possible and increase my distances until I could run 10km. By March I was able to run 10km, so that resolution held too!

So, what are my aims for 2012?

Lose 10kg by the end of the year. Not by following any strict diet but by changing my eating (and drinking!) habits.

Keep up the exercise - swim most weeks, run most weeks, try out a Zumba class.

With hubby, do up the living room.

Write a story a fortnight until the end of March, and get them sent out.

Develop my idea for a new novel, and start writing it. By the end of the year, be about half way through the first draft.

Did you achieve your aims for 2011? What are you targetting in 2012?

Happy New Year to all my blog readers, and may 2012 bring you everything you are hoping for!

Things to do before you go back to work

2011-12-26T16:26:00.003Z

Bored of leftover turkey and TV yet? I'm not, but in case you're needing something to do this week here's a couple of suggestions:

1. Try Sally's 100 question quiz to wake up your brain.

2. Decide on your New Year's writing resolutions for 2012 - remember to make them SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-framed). I'll be posting mine up at the end of the week, and reflecting on last year's resolutions.

3. And while you're at it, think of a new year resolution that's gone wrong, write a 250-word story about it, and enter Della's little competition to win a signed copy of her new book Moving On. Free entry, email your story to Della by 10am on 4th January.

4. If you're stuck for resolution ideas, consider entering Sally's 100k in 100 days challenge. Starting 1st January, write 100,000 words in 100 days - this can be a novel, a couple of pocket novels, several short stories or articles.

By the way, skiing was fab. Plenty of lovely soft powder snow - we needn't have worried!

So here it is... Merry Christmas!

2011-12-14T18:38:00.005Z

OK so it's not quite Christmas yet, but I'll be off on the annual Christmas skiing trip on Saturday so this will be my last chance to wish you all a very Merry Christmas! We're off to Austria this year, and have been watching the snow reports nervously, half resigned to it being a walking holiday rather than skiing. Thankfully the lifts have been running and more snow is due over the next couple of days so we could be in luck after all. Keep your skis and poles crossed for us, folks!

I've a few items of news for you:

Helen Hunt is running a Hop On, Hop Off writing course next year - there are five modules you can take in any order on dates which suit you. £100 for the full set but there's a hefty discount if you sign up before the end of this year. She's an excellent tutor and has sold dozens of stories to the womags so this course is well worth signing up for. It doesn't matter where you live - this course runs online! Full details on her website here.

Everyone who's anyone seems to be getting their pocket novels republished as large print books these days! Sally Quilford's My True Companion will hit the libraries on 1st January, and Douglas McPherson's Nashville Cinderella (written under the psuedonym Julia Douglas - he doesn't mind me 'outing' him!) is also about to come out. The books are also available directly from Ulverscroft - a great Christmas present idea!

Check out also Sally Q's author page on Amazon - many of her pocket novels are available for Kindle. You don't need an actual Kindle to read them - you can download free software for your pc here. Oh look, Tears and Laughter and Happy Ever After is available as an ebook!

Talking of Tears and Laughter - check out our blog where all the authors are writing about the inspiration behind the stories in the anthology. There's a new post every few days.

And finally, win yourself an Arvon writing course in 2012. Here's how (with thanks to Kath aka Kate Hogan). 2000 words on the theme of 'identity', by 14th February, prize is £500 plus a place on an Arvon course. Free to enter!

Right, well that was a bit of a link-fest. Hope Santa brings you everything you asked for, hope your Christmas Day is merry and bright, and may my week before Christmas be white!

Added 10:30pm - just seen that Helen Yendall came 2nd in Best's fiction competition - well done Helen! Winner was Brenda Reid. Stories are published in the current issue of Best, out now.

Della's new blog

2011-12-08T22:14:00.002Z

Another must-read blog to add to your favourites! Della Galton has added a blog to her website. Go read it to find out what she got up to on a recent solo writing retreat.

"Solo writing retreat." Don't those three words make you green with envy? Think I must have been a hermit monk in a past life.

That's Life - WF interview with fiction editor

2011-11-29T17:56:00.002Z

The latest (January 2012) issue of Writers' Forum includes one of those marvellous Meet the Editor articles, this one written by Glynis Scrivens and the subject is Anthony Lambert of Australia's That's Life and Fast Fiction. Here's a brief summary of the main points, but as always do consider buying the magazine - it's on sale in WHSmith or you can subscribe via the link above.

Categories include romance, thriller, light bite, sixth sense, heartwarmer, revenge and tear jerker.

Stories vary from 700 words (1 page) to 2800 words (4 pages)

Stories need to be credible. Check everything actually works in your story.

Setting should usually be Australia unless there's a real need for the setting to be elsewhere eg a Scottish castle

Male viewpoint stories are welcome

Send seasonal stories six months in advance (and remember Aussie seasons are opposite to those in the UK!)

You can submit by email, and should receive an auto-response acknowledging your submission

Stories previously published elsewhere in the world (not Australia or New Zealand) are welcome, but Anthony will buy second rights for these, so you will earn less. (Beware, the UK Woman's Weekly is on sale in Australia.)

Anthony keeps a stock of shortlisted stories to fill gaps. But if you haven't had a response after six months assume your story is rejected. You are welcome to resubmit if you think the story is particularly good.

The basic guidelines are unchanged since this post so I won't repeat them.

Email submissions to fastfiction@pacificmags.com.au

My blog post on Tears and Laughter blog

2011-11-28T22:07:00.001Z

I've written a post about the inspiration behind my two stories in Tears and Laughter and Happy Ever After - please see here.

Also, I'm delighted to see this blog has over 500 followers! Welcome to followers #500 and #501; you've made my day!

Amazon Reviews

2011-11-25T11:15:00.001Z

Superb post here by Anne Allen on Amazon reviews. In an ideal world, everyone who ever posts book reviews on Amazon would read this article.

Tears and Laughter Blog

2011-11-23T21:48:00.003Z

Just a quick post to say the Tears and Laughter and Happy Ever After blog is now up and running, and over the coming weeks we'll be posting about our inspiration for the stories in the book. I find reading about how other people came to write a story often sparks ideas of my own, so I hope you enjoy following this blog. I'll be posting there next week.

Also, if you've bought and enjoyed the Kindle edition of the book, please do consider leaving a review on Amazon. If you're waiting for the paperback - it should be released soon! I'll post again when it's published.

Could you write a comedy script?

2011-11-21T20:14:00.003Z

If so, why not enter Circalit's competition - write a 3-5 minute comedy sketch, and the prize is to have it produced by an award-winning producer.
(If you think you can't write a script, why not dig out one of your humorous stories and try converting that. Plenty of tips here on how to write a screenplay.)

If scripts don't appeal in any way, it's still worth having a look at the Circalit competition pages - they are running a wide variety of comps at the moment, from pitching a feature film to 500-word flash fiction comps. Some of the comps are even free to enter!

Edited 23/11/11 - also look at BBC Writersroom for tips on script-writing.

100k in 100 days?

2011-11-19T18:06:00.003Z

Could you write 100,000 words in 100 days? That's an average of just 1000 words a day, which isn't too daunting, is it? Sally Quilford is setting up a challenge to run from 1st January, for, well, 100 days of course! You can write anything to make up the 100,000 - a novel, two novellas, 100 short stories or articles -whatever you like.

For more details and to sign up, go here.

Tears and Laughter - Kindle edition now available!

2011-11-15T21:43:00.008Z

I am delighted to announce that the Kindle edition of Tears and Laughter and Happy Ever After is now published!

You can buy it here for just £2.99. A bargain for all short story lovers!

(If you don't have a Kindle, you can download a free Kindle app for your computer, ipad, iphone, other smartphone. See here for details.)

If you're a good old fashioned paper-book lover or just prefer to read in the bath, I'm sorry but you'll need to wait a little longer for the paperback.

We're also on Facebook, Twitter and we have a website. We'll soon be blogging regularly on the website - make sure you follow us to hear about the inspiration behind the stories!

‘Tears and Laughter and Happy Ever After’, a vibrant collection of wonderful stories from some outstanding UK writers.

Twenty-six stories that encompass the dizzying heights of happiness, the heartbreaking depths of sadness and every emotion in between.

A housewife with a surprising secret
A beekeeper with a problem
A most unusual undertaker
Angels, ghosts, aliens

Find these and many other intriguing characters in ‘Tears and Laughter and Happy Ever After’.

The writers included in this book have had hundreds of short stories published in women’s magazines, won or been placed in dozens of competitions, published novels and written non-fiction for many UK magazines. The idea for the book came from the successful ‘A Story A Fortnight’ writing group which brought the writers together in a project which has inspired and supported them in their short story writing.

Home For Christmas: Guest Post by Cally Taylor

2011-11-11T11:19:00.008Z

With extraordinary good timing, my copy of Cally Taylor's new novel Home For Christmas arrived in the post today. What a gorgeous sparkly cover! Makes me want to get the Christmas tree out already! Cally is offering some fabulous prizes just for 'liking' her facebook page - go to her blog here for all the details.

The post which follows is an updated version of an article by Helen Hunt which appeared in Writers' Forum a couple of years ago, reproduced by kind permission from the author.

Cally Taylor's second novel, the romantic comedy ‘Home for Christmas’, was published by Orion in November 2011. The novel, set in Brighton, follows Beth and Matt as they examine their love lives, jobs and living situations in their search for happiness. Cally says, 'I really wanted to write a novel about the lengths people are prepared to go to in their search for happiness. In a lot of chicklit novels that search is centred around the main character’s love life but I wanted this novel to be more true to life – more rounded – because it’s normally a combination of factors that leads to our happiness (or unhappiness!).

Cally is now working on a synopsis for her third novel but in her early days as a writer she wrote a very different sort of fiction. Cally honed her craft writing short stories for magazines and competitions, and many of the skills she developed have helped immensely in her novel writing.

'Openings are hugely important in short stories,' she says. 'You’ve only got seconds to grab the attention of a busy editor and convince them to continue reading your story. An opening to a novel is equally important. When you’re subbing your novel to agents your manuscript will end up in a huge pile of submissions so you need to grab their attention. If the beginning of your novel isn’t strong they’ll just pick up the next manuscript. When you've got an agent that same opening has to appeal to an editor and, ultimately, a customer browsing in a bookshop.'

Pace is also vital in both short stories and novels, according to Cally, 'With a short story you’ve got a limited number of words in which to tell your story. You can’t spend ages on the beginning and rush the middle and ending – they have to be evenly weighted. Short story writing taught me that description can slow a story whilst dialogue can speed it up. Using a mix of long and short sentences also helps vary pace. By writing short stories you learn to sense whether the pace is right, and when you’re writing a novel you can apply the same principles to scenes. If a scene seems to be dragging, it probably is!

'That’s where editing comes in – when I was writing short stories I learnt to never send off a story until I’d read it aloud at least once. When you write you ‘hear’ your words internally. It’s not until you read them aloud that you hear them as a reader would.

'Another important part of editing is ruthless cutting. Frequently, I pruned short stories from 3,000 to 2,000 words in order to hit a particular word limit. I had to apply that same ruthlessness when I edited my first novel “Heaven Can Wait” from a 100,000 word first draft to a much less baggy 80,000 words. Every word should count and if a particular scene bores you it’ll bore the reader, so cut it or rewrite it until it sparkles!'

Writing short stories can also help you build up a writing track record which will appeal to agents. 'If you’ve fought off competition from other writers to win a prize in a competition that proves that you can write well. A list of magazines that have accepted your stories shows the agent that your work has been vetted, and accepted, by a professional editor. A writing CV shows you can produce polished, professional fiction and that’s definitely attractive to an agent.'

Cally's novels are aimed at women of all ages who like romance, a laugh and maybe a little cry too. Cally says, 'I think my short stories appeal to the same audience. I aim to touch the reader emotionally. If they laugh or cry I’ve done a good job. A couple of the magazines I write for have included a brief mention of my novels at the end of the story which is useful for publicity, but my main hope is that women who enjoy my short stories might see my novel in a bookshop and think, “Oh, I read a lovely short story by Cally Taylor once. I’ll see what her novel’s like.”'

The biggest challenge in moving to novel length writing is stamina, Cally thinks. 'The short stories I write tend to be about 2,000 words and I can finish one in one sitting. Writing a novel is a much longer process and I initially found it strange to spend so much time with the same set of characters. Writing a novel takes an enormous amount of determination, motivation and energy. Almost every writer I know gets to a point in a novel when they have a fantastic idea for a new novel and are tempted to ditch the one they’re working on and start again. That’s particularly tempting when you’re used to writing short stories, but you must push on and reach the end. It’s normal to fall out of love with a novel while you’re writing it but you’ll inevitably fall back in love with it again.'

Cally has some advice for anyone thinking of writing a novel. 'I’m not much of a plotter,' she says. 'I tend to know the beginning and the ending and let the characters tell me how to get there. But breaking your idea into chapters can be helpful as it reduces it to manageable chunks. Try not to be over-awed by how long a novel is and set yourself little targets like “I’ll write 500 words today,” or “I’m going to keep writing until I finish this scene”. Writing is such a solitary business that joining a writing group can be helpful too. You can swap notes with other writers, encourage each other to keep going or even challenge each other to write a certain number of words by a certain date.'

Cally sees herself continuing to write short stories as well as novels, and sees advantages to both. 'With novels you’ve got more freedom, and a lot more words, to flesh out your characters,' she says. 'I get to know my characters so well when I’m writing a novel that they’re like real people to me. Because you’ve spent so much time with them you grow to care for them – which makes it much harder to throw obstacles in their path and do horrible things to them! It’s important that you find something likeable – or fascinating in the case of the ‘baddies’ – in the characters in your novels because you have to spend so much time with them. Characters in short stories are more like snap shots than fully-rounded characters, but on the plus side, with short stories you’re constantly creating new characters and dipping into their lives.

'With novels you can explore sub-plots – something you don’t have time for with short stories – and you can play with structure and point of view. With ‘Home for Christmas’ I was able to tell the story from the point of view of TWO main characters – one male, one female - and that was hugely enjoyable.

'In a novel you’re exploring a period of time in great depth. You can take your time building up to an emotional punch. With shorter fiction you’re stripping out everything extraneous to that punch and getting there faster.'

‘I’ll keep writing short stories though,' Cally says, ‘because I love writing them and because it’s so fulfilling to create something finished in a relatively short time! A lot of the ideas I have aren’t suitable for a novel – either because they don’t fit within the genre I write, or because they’re too skant to support 80,000 words – but are ideal for short stories. And I never ignore what I hope is a great idea!'

'Editing is very different from writing a first draft.,' Cally says. 'It’s much more logical and clinical, so it doesn’t take long before I crave the buzz I get from writing. Short stories are like a little writing fix and help break up the, sometimes tedious, editing process.'

Cally's come a long way in her writing career, and at the moment life is really hectic. 'There’s a lot to juggle,' she says. 'I have a day job, I’m promoting “Home for Christmas”, a short story anthology called ‘Tears and Laughter and Happy Ever After’ that I’m involved with and I’m putting together a synopsis for novel 3. Oh yes, and there’s another novel that I’ve been working on (20,000 words written so far) that I’ve had to put on the back burner since giving birth to my first child at the beginning of October! If the press report a huge rise in coffee sales in Bristol you’ll know why!'

Some things stand out as making all the hard work worthwhile. ‘I recently received a beautiful, sparkly copy of ‘Home for Christmas’. When I’m having a stressful day and the phone won’t stop ringing, the baby is crying, emails are clogging up my inbox or I’m struggling to edit a scene I look at that book and I’m reminded how extraordinarily lucky I am.'
http://www.callytaylor.co.uk/

Beth Prince has always loved fairytales and now, aged twenty-four, she feels like she's finally on the verge of her own happily ever after. She lives by the seaside, works in the Picturebox - a charming but rundown independent cinema - and has a boyfriend who's so debonair and charming she can't believe her luck! There's just one problem - none of her boyfriends have ever told her they love her and it doesn't look like Aiden's going to say it any time soon. Desperate to hear 'I love you' for the first time Beth takes matters into her own hands - and instantly wishes she hadn't. Just when it seems like her luck can't get any worse, bad news arrives in the devilishly handsome shape of Matt Jones. Matt is the regional director of a multiplex cinema and he's determined to get his hands on the Picturebox by Christmas. Can Beth keep her job, her man and her home or is her romantic-comedy life about to turn into a disaster movie?
Buy ‘Home for Christmas’ on Amazon.co.uk

Nanowrimo - guest post by Brittany Lyons

2011-11-09T18:00:00.004Z

It's that time of year again when the mad amongst us are scribbling furiously in an attempt to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. Blogger Brittany Lyons offered me a guest post about the Nano challenge, how it began and what you can get out of it. She also mentions a challenge set by Lulu.com to write a 600-word story in a month - come on, all of you can manage that!

Or write a 500-word story, and enter it in Tesco's current competition to win a Kindle. Write a lot this month or write a little - it's up to you but write something and make it count!

OK, here's Brittany's post and I hope it inspires you all!

Nanowrimo - a Challenge of Epic Proportions

If you love to write bu have trouble forcing yourself to sit down and just do it, National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, may be for you. NaNoWriMo is a fun contest that takes place every November, in which participants attempt to write 50,000 words in one month. Anyone who makes it to the goal of 50,000 words before November 30 “wins” the contest, and is award with a badge for their blog, Facebook profile, or wherever else they want to put it. But it's not really about winning—it's about writing.

2011 marks the 13th annual NanoWriMo contest. Last year saw over 200,000 participants—an overwhelming number compared to the first NanoWriMo contest in 1999. The contest began as a private challenge between founder Chris Baty, a writer living in San Francisco Bay, and 20 of his friends. Baty's friends didn't have writing PhDs, but they all enjoyed reading and wondered whether they could complete a novel in a month. Since “The Great Gatsby” was a group favorite, the group decided that any work the same size as this classic—50,000 words—would count as a novel. Six of the original 21 participants completed their novels by the end of the month.

The contest has grown over the last 13 years from a personal challenge to a social event. NanoWriMo has an official website where participants can keep track of how many words they've written and how close they are to their goal. The website also offers forums where writers can discuss their work and difficulties they have with the writing process, and socialize with other writers. In addition to online forums, writers can learn about and attend "write-in" events at local libraries and independent bookstores, where they can meet other writers in person.

The event's primary purpose is to jump start your novel writing, and so it focuses on quantity, not quality. Anybody can succeed at NaNoWriMo if they write 1,667 words a day, all month long. Some professional writers object to this, saying that even though a writer can produce a finished book in 30 days, it's unlikely that the book is ready for publication. However, this objection misses the point of the competition. NaNoWriMo isn't about creating a finished book; it's about getting
that all-important first draft out of the way. Once NaNoWriMo is over, writers can work on revising their novels and getting them ready for publication, if they so desire. Some NaNoWriMo-inspired novels have been published and have even been successful.

Because NaNoWriMo focuses on word count rather than the story itself, it has also attracted bloggers, poets and short story writers looking for help with establishing a regular writing routine. Those 1,667 words a day don't have to be directed toward a novel, as evidenced by the self-publishing company Lulu.com's NaNoWriMo short story contest. The contest encourages participants to write, polish, and self-publish a 600-word story. At the end of the month, the selected winners receive great prizes like the Barnes and Noble NOOK and up to $500 in cash. So even if you aren't a novelist and never intend to become one, NaNoWriMo is a great way to both
get involved with the writing community and motivate yourself.

It's very easy to sign up for NaNoWriMo. Simply go to their website, choose a username, and provide your email address. You can report your progress on a daily basis, and even share excerpts from your work in progress if you wish. Between November 25 and November 30, participants upload their novels to validate word counts, and anyone with 50,000 words get the winning graphic—and the satisfaction of having reached a huge goal.

Brittany Lyons aspires to be a psychology professor, but decided to take some time off from grad school to help people learn to navigate the academic lifestyle. She currently lives in Spokane, Washington, where she spends her time reading science fiction and walking her dog. She blogs at phds.org.

And if you think it's too late this year, there's always next year. Thanks, Brittany!

Writing women's fiction podcast

2011-11-06T17:53:00.004Z

Ian from National Short Story Week offered a podcast on writing women's fiction for this blog. Well, I almost bit his hand off in accepting it!

He says: It is one of three online radio specials of broadcaster Sue Cook's programme for writers, "The Write Lines". The Women's Fiction programme is a panel discussion with Rowan Coleman, Sophie King and Sue Moorcroft and is packed with tips, insights and suggestions.

The other programmes are on British Short Stories and Children's Fiction. You can listen to all of them here or click below for the Women's Fiction one.

If you enjoy listening to fiction can I also recommend the Women Aloud CD of short stories - buy it here and see a review of it by Helen Hunt here.

Happy Birthday Woman's Weekly!

2011-11-04T20:43:00.002Z

WW is 100 years old. The issue now out in the shops is the centenary issue, and contains a facsimile of the first ever WW, dated 4th November 2011! It's a real collector's edition - get out there and buy it, everyone!

In 1911 the magazine included:

cartoons showing why 'a woman's work is never done'

lace and crochet instructions

the first parts of two serials

a full page advertorial for Antipon, a fat-reducing medicine

'pin money pages' - readers' recipes

real love stories - readers are invited to send in their stories of how they met their partners, and all those published receive 'a charming little jewel-box'

several dress patterns for women and children

'I agree, do the housekeeping yourself!' - a story of how the complaining husband managed the home

an article 'How to become a nurse'

So - not too far removed from the kind of thing you'd expect in a current magazine!

As well as the facsimile, there's also reprints of problem page letters and ads from the past century, and lots of features comparing 'then and now'.

It's a lovely magazine - loads in it, especially for history lovers like myself. With enormous thanks to my lovely mum for alerting me to this very special edition.

Christmas is coming...

2011-11-03T20:17:00.002Z

Oh yes it is! It's November now, time to start thinking about presents and turkeys and baubles.

And books - Cally Taylor's second novel is about to hit the shops. It's entitled Home For Christmas and sounds like the perfect stocking filler for everyone you know who enjoys romantic comedy.

Cally's asking bloggers to help launch her book, by blogging on 10th November on the theme of 'All I want for Christmas'. See here for details and to get involved. She'll be guest posting for me next week as well. All that and caring for a newborn baby as well - what a superwoman!

Tears, competition, laughter, pocket novels, happy ever after

2011-11-01T19:04:00.008Z

A few bits and pieces for you -

How about this - an estate agency running a writing competition! Well, we all have to branch out, I suppose. Anyway, the competition is being run by Peter Barry agency; the theme is, perhaps not surprisingly, 'Moving Home'; the closing date is 12th December and the top prize is £750. There's no entry fee and you can email your stories, so there's nothing to lose! Full details here

Sally Q and some other writers of pocket novels have set up a blog dedicated to the art of the 50,000 word romance. Here it is and may I especially draw your attention to Sally's superb post on Conflict which is as applicable to short stories as it is to pocket novels. If you're a writer of pocket novels or a wannabe writer of them, this blog is definitely one to follow.

And finally, I'm delighted and proud to announce the launch of the Tears and Laughter and Happy Ever After website! Yes I know I've linked to it before, but there's a lot more on it now, including profiles of all the authors (including me) and tasters of some of the stories. The website was built by the incredibly talented Leigh. The book is due out as an ebook before Christmas and as a paperback soon after. I'll post again (of course!) when it is available; or sign up on the website to be the first to hear.

I've fallen in love...

2011-10-29T18:29:00.002+01:00

... with Wimborne Minster, the dear little town only half an hour's drive from me, which held its first ever Literary Festival today

... with Malcolm of Gullivers Bookshop who organised the event, and indeed with the bookshop itself

... with Martin Brown who illustrates the Horrible Histories, whose energetic talk kicked off the festival. There were lots of kids in the audience for this one. Everyone was given a drawing pad and pen, and he had us all drawing faces, and giving them expressions to make them come alive. Well I'm used to giving my written characters voices and actions to make them come alive, but it was great fun trying the same thing with rough cartoon sketches!

... with the books of Elizabeth Cooke, Imogen Parker and Natasha Solomons . All three authors spoke brilliantly about their writing careers and their books. I already had a couple of their books but ended up buying several more, as you do. My TBR pile is ridiculously high now.

All in all I had a great day out. Three members of my writing class were there too, so we had a lovely lunch together, following which I am sorely tempted to buy this .

A blog reader was there too, and somehow recognised me - Excuse me, but are you womagwriter? she said. My fame spreads. Hello Beryl - I said I'd give you a mention!

Hopefully this will become an annual event. I'll definitely go next year. I had such a lovely day - these local events are definitely worth supporting. I've come back inspired to write more, read more and go to more literary events. Wish there were more hours in the day!

The lovely Malcolm also promised to give Tears and Laughter and Happy Ever After a push when it is published. Ebook coming in November, paperback early next year. I'll post more on this later, you can be sure of that!

Historical short stories - guest post by Joanna Barnden

2011-10-22T19:57:00.004+01:00

I'm a fan of historical fiction - just as well as that's what I'm writing! I like to read historical short stories too. So when Joanna Barnden, womag writer and historical novelist, offered a guest post for this blog I asked her to do something on writing historical short stories for the women's magazines. Here's the result - many thanks, Joanna!

Please do go and visit her website. She's sold about 150 short stories, and runs writing courses and offers critiques at a very reasonable rate. Her novel is currently with an agent.

Writing historical fiction

Magazine editors are always asking for that terrible conundrum – stories that are both recognisable AND original. Providing such a tale is the great challenge for the womag writer and given the scarcity of original plots, one of the best ways of livening up a story is with its setting.

This is usually thought of as a matter of geography and, indeed, I always urge anyone who has visited (or better still lived in) an unusual place to use it in their fiction, but of course there are myriad places to visit if we consider the idea of setting historically.

Historical fiction is very popular at the moment and whilst it’s a genre that does lend itself to novels, there is room for short stories too. ‘Oh but the research!’ I hear you cry and yes, that is a concern, but in a well written short story centred around an exciting character, a few facts coupled with a decent imagination can go a very long way. With the wonders of the web at our fingertips it’s never been easier to find out about Victorian England or Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Scotland, or even penal Australia – so what are you waiting for?!

Here are a few benefits and pitfalls of historical fiction:

Benefits:

- Readers love learning about new places and, to some extent, facts so use that to give them a world they know little about.
- Social and legal differences in past times can give you a whole new set of tensions to play with. People love historical romance because there are so many more social obstacles in a couple’s way. Equally, historical crime can be fascinating because of differences in the justice system and, perhaps more crucially, in forensic knowledge. A very simple thing like setting a story in a world without phones can make a huge difference to its dynamic.
- Going back in time can also give you a whole new set of personal problems for your
characters to deal with. Going to war is the obvious one, but there are many more – such as going into service, or into the workhouse or being present at a key historical event.

Pitfalls:

- It is very easy to get carried away with your setting, especially if it fascinates you. Do NOT let your setting dominate and do NOT fill your story with facts. You must present the world as your character sees it, and much of what is intriguing to you as the writer (and to your readers) will be totally normal to them, so present it subtly.
- A strong, engaging character is crucial, as is a decent plot arc. A clever setting is not enough – you still need a vibrant STORY.

So who takes historical fiction?

You’d be surprised! People’s Friend is the only magazine that openly invites historical submissions, both for short stories and serials (though they are a little overloaded with the latter at the moment), but plenty of others will consider it if well done.

People’s Friend like all historical fiction as long as it’s set in a socially recognisable world, so after about 1700.

Women’s Weekly are always on the hunt for originality and are quite happy to consider stories set in any period as long as they are ‘show’ rather than ‘tell’ – a good maxim for any story but especially pertinent for historical fiction which must be vivid and not just a dry description of a different time.

Yours like stories set in previous eras but more ‘nostalgia’ than ‘history’ (though who’s to say where the former becomes the latter!) As a rule of thumb they’d be unlikely to take anything pre-
1900.

My Weekly will consider historical stories, though they are still only accepting work from writers previously published with them.

The Weekly News tends to prefer modern fiction, though anything in the last century would probably be fine.

Take a Break are pretty resolutely modern day, though they do welcome a good ghost, so perhaps that offers a historical angle for the clever writer?

So, if you fancy trying out a new era, I’d urge you to give it a go, but do remember that your period, however fascinating it may seem to you, is ultimately little more than a background for your vital story ingredient: your character and their personal, emotional journey.

Great article, Joanna - lots to think about there! I sold a partly historical story to My Weekly once - it was set partly in 1850s Ireland and partly in the modern day. I also sold a ghost story with a historical (WW2) angle to Take A Break's Fiction Feast, so I think you are right suggesting that's the way to go to get history into TAB!

Calling all Dorset writers!

2011-10-14T19:18:00.004+01:00

The first ever Wimborne Literary Festival is on 29th October, sponsored by Gullivers Bookshop.
There's a great line-up, including Martin Brown, the bloke who illustrates the Horrible Histories (my sons want to come along to that one!), and historical writer Elizabeth Cooke whose latest book I've just ordered.

Sessions are just £3 each or £10 for the whole day. It's just up the road from me so I'm definitely going. Tickets available via Gullivers Bookshop. They're also running a free-to-enter competition, max 500 words, prize £50 in book tokens, closing date 29th Oct. See the Literary Festival website for more details.

The other thing I want to say to you all is: Tears and Laughter and Happy Ever After! Watch this space. Or search for it on Facebook, and 'like' the page to keep up with the latest news.

National Poetry Day today

2011-10-06T17:43:00.002+01:00

To celebrate my birthday
which happens to be today
I thought I'd write a post to say
It's National Poetry day!

To give you something new to try
I thought it would be fun
To ask you write all comments in rhyme
This post could run and run!

As you see I'm not a poet
Just as well I know it.

News round-up

2011-10-05T19:58:00.003+01:00

1. NAWG short story competition, closing date 31st October, 1st prize £250, to be judged by Linda Lewis. Entry fee £5, for an additional £3 Linda will provide a detailed crit of your story. Full details here (scroll down).

2. Helen Hunt's next writing workshop is entitled Moving On. To be held on 29th October in Northampton, fee £35 which includes lunch. Full details on her blog here.

3. As part of National Short Story Week (November 7th to 13th) a charity audiobook of women's short stories entitled Women Aloud has now been launched. Two hours of stories for £9.99 - details here. Some top names have contributed stories to this anthology. It's the first time I've heard of an audiobook of short stories and I think it's a great idea! Play them in the car on long journeys or buy as a gift for your mum/aunt/grandmother.

4. And some magazine guideline updates - clarification on required story lengths for Australian That's Life Fast Fiction - the editor buys mostly 700-800 word one-page stories, and 1200-word two-pagers. He also occasionally buys longer stories of about 2700 to spread across four pages.

5. Woman's Weekly Fiction Special is increasing to 12 issues a year from 10. They'll need more stories! Pop over to Helen Yendall's excellent blog here for their latest letter to contributors to see what they do and don't want right now.

6. And while you're looking at Helen's blog, see also her series of Magazine Madness posts in which she describes dozens of markets for fillers and letters.

There you are - plenty for everyone and I've caught up with passing on all the lovely snippets and bits of news people have sent me. Thanks to all who've been in contact lately - much appreciated.

Bad girl anti-chicklit

2011-09-30T21:52:00.006+01:00

When I get my Kindle, which will be next week for my 21st-ish birthday, I'm going to download Sally Q's pocket novels onto it first. I missed them when they were out in print, and don't feel old enough to borrow large print books from the library just yet, so at 98p the Kindle downloads look like a bargain.

Then I'm going to download womag writer Sarah England's book Expected, now available as an ebook. She describes it as humourous bad girl anti-chicklit, which sounds like just the thing to make me chuckle embarrassingly while on the train to work...

I think this is where epublishing comes into its own. To provide a market for writing which is overlooked by mainstream publishers - such as novellas or quirky books publishers are too afraid to take a chance on. We can easily buy the marketing-backed books on the 3 for 2 tables, but books on a smaller budget need word-of-mouth and benefit from the instant accessibility you get with downloads. I wonder, would themed short story collections do well as ebooks - what do you think? Would you buy them?

Bookshop

2011-09-28T21:18:00.018+01:00

If I can work out how to do it I'll make this a sticky page at the top of my blog.

There are dozens of 'how to write' books out there - here are a few I recommend for writers of women's magazine fiction. I own and have read most of these.

How to Write and Sell Short Stories by Della Galton
Does exactly what it says on the tin. If you're aiming at the womags then this is definitely the first book you should buy. Easy to read, no nonsense style, lots of quotes by women's magazine writers - read the book to join the club!

Wannabe a Writer? by Jane Wenham-Jones
Well, do you? Jane will tell you how to become one, and she'll make you laugh as she does so. A really great read.

Wannabe a Writer we've heard of? by Jane Wenham-Jones
The sequel. These days, getting published is not enough. Then you've got to get out there and market yourself. Jane tells you how, in her inimitable style.

Write On! The Writer's Help Book by Adrian Magson
Presented as a series of articles on all aspects of writing, from finding an idea to finding a market, this book is sure to inspire you. If you're a beginner writer this one's a must. If you're a jaded old hack, this book will revitalise you.

Write to be Published by Nicola Morgan
This one's more for novelists than short story writers, but if you want to know how best to approach agents and publishers then this one's for you. The first half of the book covers making your book the very best it can be; the second half covers sending your book out there into the big wide world.

Writing from Life by Lynne Hackles
Write what you know, they say. Well the thing you know best is your own life - Lynne tells you how to turn your own experiences into profitable prose, both fiction and non-fiction. This book is packed with writing exercises guaranteed to get you going.

Love Writing by Sue Moorcroft
A complete guide to writing romantic or erotic fiction, from chick-lit novels to womag stories via pocket novels and serials. Sue has published hundreds of stories and several novels, as well as being a writing tutor, so she knows what she's talking about.

A 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance by Kate Walker
Kate writes several romantic novels every year for Mills and Boon, so she's got the art down to a fine tee. Or a fine 12 points. She makes it all sound so easy. Follow her advice, and maybe you'll find it is!

Diamonds and Pearls, edited by Elaine Everest
And finally, study the market, say all the writing tutors. If you're targetting women's magazine fiction, what better way than to read a collection of stories by the best women's mag writers around? Proceeds from sales of this book go to a breast cancer charity.

Gosh, don't they all look pretty? And have you any idea how long it has taken me to put this post together?!?!

Commissioned stories only please - for discussion

2011-09-22T17:33:00.005+01:00

There's a worrying trend in some of the magazines on the fringes of our markets (eg Candis, Woman and Home) whereby they include fiction but only commissioned stories from novelists with new books out. That's fab for the novelist, who'll no doubt sell a few copies of their novel to readers of the mag, but a bit rubbish for the short story specialists. They may sell dozens of stories to TAB, Woman's Weekly, My Weekly etc but these commission only mags are effectively closed to them.

I suspect there are three main reasons for magazines following this policy:

1. A story by a well-known novelist might attract more people to buy the magazine, or at least to read the story.
2. The editorial staff believe stories by published novelists will be better quality.
3. By commissioning stories, the editorial staff won't have to wade through an enormous slushpile to find decent stories to publish.

Let's look at these reasons in depth.

1. A story by a well-known novelist might attract more people to buy the magazine, or at least to read the story.
That's undoubtedly true if the novelist is a really big name - Fay Weldon, JK Rowling, Annie Proulx. But probably not true for mid-list or first-time novelists. Indeed, readers might be more familiar with certain short story writers, if they also read some of the other women's mags. Indeed, long before I began writing short stories, I was familiar with several names from reading the magazines, including Della Galton and Teresa Ashby. (And my mum considers many of the regular names to be old friends.)

2. The editorial staff believe stories by published novelists will be better quality.
I'm not making this one up. I think it was the editor at Candis who said this, as justification for switching to commissioned stories only. Hmm. I have no doubt that published novelists can write really well (and honestly, I have nothing against novelists, I am one!!) but it is the short story specialists who know the markets best and are aware of which plots are too overdone etc. There's a letter in the current Writers' Forum which expresses surprise at a story by a well-known novelist in Woman & Home magazine. I haven't seen the story, but the letter-writer says it relies on that hackneyed twist of using the main character's identical twin.
Similarly, when Best relaunched fiction in the summer, the lead story by a published novelist used the age-old MC-thinks-spouse-is-having-an-affair-but-it's-all-a-surprise-for-MC plot (going by my goldfish memory here).
Commissioned stories will certainly be well-written, but if the writers don't know the markets the stories could be so predictable they'll put readers off. It's the short story specialists who know how to put a new spin on an old tale, or how to come up with something completely original.

3. By commissioning stories, the editorial staff won't have to wade through an enormous slushpile to find decent stories to publish.
I can't argue directly with this one - it's obviously going to be less work to use commissioned stories only. I guess they'll have to pay more per story, but will probably make a cost saving overall, as the magazine may not need to employ a dedicated fiction editor. BUT - this goes back to point 2. A dedicated fiction editor wouldn't make the blunder of accepting a story which relies on a yawn-inducing twist - they'll have seen it done too many times before. And it's in that slushpile that the best stories by the best writers are found.

What do you all think? Are there other reasons for using commissioned only stories? Is it a trend that more and more magazines are likely to follow? Can we do anything to reverse the trend?

Feel free to comment anonymously if you want (remember, this blog is read by fiction editors as well as writers!) but please be polite and professional in all comments.

Shall I ask for a Kindle for my birthday?

2011-09-15T19:56:00.003+01:00

Do you love them or hate them? Given that I will probably still buy paper books if only to inhale, is it worth me getting a Kindle for use on holidays and long train journeys?

Answers on a postcard please, or failing that in the comments below. :-)

People's Friend Pocket Novels questionnaire

2011-09-15T19:22:00.003+01:00

People's Friend want to know what readers think of their pocket novels. Here's your chance to influence what they publish in future - answer their questionnaire here. And be in with a chance to win £200 of M&S vouchers!

Mail on Sunday start-of-novel competition

2011-09-12T20:01:00.003+01:00

This year, the Mail on Sunday competition for the best first 150 words of a novel was won by a Bournemouth lady (Yay! Go, Bournemouth!) - Marion Richards. She's given me permission via her writing tutor, women's mag writer Hilary Halliwell, to publish her entry - see below. Well done Marion!

The next competition is now open - and here are the details.

You need to write the first part of a novel, between 50 and 150 words. Your entry must include the word 'row' - in any format, eg rowing boat, blazing row, row of tulips. Closing date is 28th October 2011. Send your entry to The Mail on Sunday Novel Competition, PO Box 150, Rochester, Kent ME1 9AG. You must include full contact details (name, address, phone no and email) on the same page as your entry. Judges are Fay Weldon, James Buchan and Sarah Waters (wow, two of my very favourite authors in that lineup!)

First prize is £400 and a place on an Arvon course. Five runners-up get book tokens to the value of £150-£300. Entry to the competition is free.

So, nothing to lose and loads to gain! Here's Marion's entry so you can see what impressed the judges this year. The word to be included was 'set'.

“Guilty!”

The word splits my ears.

A guard grabs my arm, marches me down concrete steps and throws me into this underground cage – like I’m no better than a wild animal straight out the jungle.

“It’s your home ‘til morning,” says the uniform. “They’ll be shifting you on tomorrow – somewhere permanent.”

“Where’s that?” I ask.

Uniform’s keeping the answer to himself and I’m left in this rathole wondering what’s gonna happen next.

“Make yourself comfortable, lad,” he says but I know he can’t mean it ‘cos there’s only a rusty bunk and buglife for company. He hands me a tin plate and mug. Then reels off mealtimes as though I’ve booked into some posh-nosh hotel.

His bit done, he makes his exit. The door clangs. The key turns.

Footsteps echo down the corridor. Uniform’s gone.

“It’s a set-up!” I scream. “A bloody set-up!”

But nobody’s listening.

Well that certainly grabbed me! Where's the rest, Marion?! Good luck to all who enter.

Pocket Novels Workshop

2011-09-05T19:52:00.006+01:00

Sally Quilford, Queen of Pocket Novels, has put together a workshop to share her experience and advice re writing these novels. Full details below. If you're interested in writing pocket novels this workshop will be well worth attending!

Pocket Novel Workshop

Saturday 22nd October 2011
Chesterfield Market Hall, Chesterfield, S40 1AR
10am-3pm
Cost: £35.00 to include unlimited beverages and biscuits!

How to Write Pocket Novels for My Weekly and Peoples’ Friend

Sally Quilford, the author of six pocket novels (to date) will talk you through the process of creating a 50,000 word romantic novella for My Weekly and Peoples’ Friend.

The workshop will cover:
The basic requirements: format, word length, characters, structure, narrative, dialogue etc
Writing a traditional romance – the conventions
The Morality of Pocket Novel World
Approachable Heroines
Rewarding Heroes
Conflict
The First of a Million Kisses
Compelling secondary characters
How to come up with plots and sub-plots
After your pocket novel is published: Going into Large Print

(The running order of the workshop may vary from above but will cover all these points and more)

Requirements: The workshop is open to both men and women. If you have not done so already, try and read at least one novella from each line (My Weekly and Peoples’ Friend) before you arrive so that you have some familiarity with them. They are available to buy at Tescos, Sainsburys, Asda, WHSmiths and larger newsagents and cost around £1.99 each.

More details and how to book and pay for workshop

Send a message via Sally Quilford’s contact page at http://www.sallyquilford.co.uk/page13.htm

While Womag's Away...

2011-08-20T17:46:00.006+01:00

I'm off on holiday tomorrow for 10 days - to Northumberland and Durham, mostly camping but also staying at a friend's farm for a couple of days. The boys are hoping they'll be allowed to drive tractors...

Here are a few snippets of news to keep you busy for the rest of August:

1. Helen Hunt is running her second Writing for Women's Magazines workshop on 17th September. Full details on her blog - here. Cost is £30 which includes lunch and a critique of a story to be sent before the course. That is such amazing value for money - if you are anywhere within reach of Northampton it'd be criminal not to go!! Feedback from her last course: 'Very good value for money', 'The course is excellent and a must for anyone wishing to break into the woman's magazine market', 'Very supportive and constructive feedback', 'A fantastic day'.

2. Helen is also offering critiques by email, starting at £15 a story, which is again brilliant value for money. See her blog for details.

3. If you like writing historical pieces, fiction or non-fiction, take a look at this new magazine Vintage Script. They can't offer payment as yet but it would be a publishing credit. I'm considering subscribing to this as I love history (and am writing a historical novel).

4. Bedtime story competition with some nice prizes - £500 first prize - closing date 28th October, 1500-3000 words. This one's free to enter, so there's nothing to lose!

5. And another competition at the Boston Review, first prize $1500 and publication. They want online submissions so I assume the competition is open to anyone in the world. Closing date 1st October, fee $20 which can be paid by credit card. Max word count 4000 words.

6. But BEFORE you enter either of those two, take a look at The Write Place competition, which has a closing date of 31st August, so not much time left. Top prize £100, entry fee £4.50, and the judge is womag writer Linda Lewis aka Catherine Howard. Max word count 1500 words.

7. Finally if you're into Twitter but don't know how to get the best from it, or would like to try Twitter but don't know where to start, Nicola Morgan has written the perfect ebook for you - Tweet Right.

Enjoy what's left of the summer, everyone!

Write On! competition - the winner!

2011-08-18T18:43:00.004+01:00

Hi all

Firstly thank you all so much for all your wonderful entries for the Write On! competition. My son and I had great fun reading them. He made all the decisions, so if you didn't win and think you should have - don't blame me! Given that some of you entered several times I'm guessing you enjoyed writing these as well.

My son read them all twice, then rated them 1, 2 or 3. He discarded the 3s, read the 2s again then discarded them, then re-read the 1s and decided on a first, second and third. Then he slept on it, re-read the top 3 this morning but decided to stick with his decision. He'd scrawled 'I want to read this one' beside the winner. (And it's a real scrawl - he's left-handed and it was his left wrist he fractured. On the mend now, and cast off in 4 weeks. Thanks for all your good wishes for him.)

OK, so, drum roll......

the winner is......

Geoff, with his first entry, which I've reproduced below. Well done Geoff! You realise you're going to have to write this novel now...! Please email me using the link on this blog and let me know your contact details so I can pass them on to Adrian Magson who will send your prize.

2nd was RainbowLou with her entry which begins Who says boredom won't kill you?
3rd was Beverley with her entry which begins Former child progidy Max...

And Womagwriter's Honourable Mention goes to Elaine for her non-fiction book, 50 Things a Teenage Boy Should Never Tell His Mum. I need that book, Elaine, so I can see through all their ploys...

Well done to all.

Winning Entry
When he got the text, teenager Jack Stone prayed it was a joke:

DO AS I SAY OR THEY DIE!

Jack ignored the first instruction . . . and found out it was no joke at all. The bus smashed into the bus queue, killing them all instantly.

DO AS I SAY OR I KILL AGAIN!

In this action-packed thriller, Jack Stone races through the city, committing crimes to order for an unknown master. If he doesn't, his master kills.

Unless Jack can find out . . .

His Master's Secret.

Euro Writer

2011-08-14T11:53:00.002+01:00

Calling all non-fiction writers - take a look at this site for a list of English language magazines from across Europe which take articles from freelancers. Handily organised with links to the magazines' online guidelines, and with contacts and requirements/payment details listed for each one.

And don't forget there's still time to enter my little Write On! competition. My son is now back from his camp, complete with plastered arm, and is very much looking forward to judging the comp!

Write On! Review and competition

2011-08-10T17:39:00.003+01:00

I spent a happy Sunday afternoon sitting in the garden sunshine with Adrian Magson. Well, not the man himself but his new must-have for a writer's bookshelf: Write On! The Writer's Help Book. Here's a brief review of the book, followed by a chance to win a signed copy for yourself.

The book is presented as a series of essays, written in an engaging, chatty style. You can read the book straight through from start to finish as I did, as it covers covers everything from 'I wanna be a writer!' to ' Wahey I'm published!' Or you could easily dip in and out of it, open it at random and read a chapter or two. The chapters are organised in sections, eg Writer's Block... or Not?, Kick-Starting Your Mojo; Editing - so whatever your need the book covers it. It's full of ideas and most importantly, inspiration. You find yourself desperate to get back to your current writing project but at the same time wanting to keep reading the book! I definitely recommend this for all writers - beginners who've yet to find their niche or submit anything, through to experienced writers needing a friendly nudge in the right direction.

Magson even manages to use one of my favourite words, pronking, which is not one I ever thought I'd see in a book about writing. I'm not going to tell you in what context - you'll have to get hold of a copy yourself to find out!

So - how to get a copy. Order from Amazon or enter my little competition below. (I was going to put a link so you can order it direct from the publisher Accent Press but can't find the book on their website yet.)

OK, the competition. What I'd like you to do is write a brief description (blurb, pitch, just a couple of paragraphs) of a book aimed at teenage boys. This can be either something you're working on, or something you've made up on the spot - I don't mind. Post your entry as a comment below. You have until 6pm on 17th August.

Why a book aimed at teenage boys?

My poor 16-year old son is away on Explorers camp this week, and yesterday evening I got that phone call every parent dreads. Hi Mum, it's me, I'm in Swansea hospital because I've fractured my wrist playing Laser Quest. They want to keep me in overnight so the specialist can see it tomorrow and decide if it needs an operation...

He's all right. I spoke to him again today and he didn't need an operation after all. He's had a plaster cast put on and is now back at the camp, but excused from washing up and toilet-emptying duties. He'll be missing out on lots of activities, and I'm going to have to cancel loads of things we had booked for the rest of the hols. So your mission in this competition is to cheer him up!

Entries will be judged by my son (who doesn't know it yet) with my help. Tips: wacky and/or lots of battle scenes. We'll post the result up on 18th August, then I'll pass the winner's details on to Adrian who'll send the prize himself.

So come on, get yourself into the mindset of an injured 16 year old and see what you can come up with!

Bumper Post!

2011-08-06T19:14:00.004+01:00

The magazines all publish Bumper Summer Issues so I thought I would join them, as there are loads of snippets of news to tell you all about.

Firstly, I was out shopping today and bought 3 items in WHSmiths which I urge you all to buy also. They are:

1. Writing Magazine, the issue dated September 2011. It contains a marvellous article by Vivien Hampshire, entitled Save Our Short Stories. She's interviewed several fiction editors, and gives a run down on which magazines are not entirely closed to fiction and which are still accepting fiction or even expanding their fiction requirements. She recommends (as do I!) joining the Bring Back Fiction campaign on Facebook. Great article, Viv, and thanks for the blog-plug!

Added 22:20 - just realised this mag also includes an article by Elaine Everest on using your own experiences in your writing, and she's quoted me. I'm everywhere, me! Another reason to buy the mag!

2. The latest issue of Best, which contains a short story by Bernadette James (well done Bernadette!) It also contains a fiction token - you need to collect 4 to enter their forthcoming £1000 short story competition I posted about a couple of weeks ago.

3. Sally Q's latest My Weekly pocket novel, entitled Sunlit Secrets. I believe it's the first 50,000 word pocket novel she's had published (after several 30,000 word ones). It occurred to me that pocket novels are a low-cost, low-tech alternative to Kindles. I've been considering buying a Kindle to keep in my handbag so I would always have something to read. Pocket novels do the same job, for just £1.99 an issue! By the way, get over to Sally's blog for the chance to win a copy of Sunlit Secrets, and also to take part in her forthcoming birthday bash. She even gives away her age. Which I, being two years younger than her, would never do. Oh, oops.

Now then, here's a new ongoing monthly competition site for short stories. It's run by experienced writer, competition judge and Writers' Bureau tutor Andy Ellis. The interesting thing about this competition is that Shirley Blair, the fiction editor of People's Friend, has been in conversation with Andy about these competitions. It's possible that in future winning stories will also be considered for publication in People's Friend. Andy's accepting stories in 4 categories - romance, historical, horror (not for PF!!) and children's. Entry fee £7. Top prize is 70% of total entry fees. Go take a look.

Adrian Magson, whom subscribers to Writing Magazine will know through his regular columns, has written a How To book - Write On! which has just been published. He's sent me a copy, (thanks Adrian!) and has offered a signed copy to a reader of this blog. I'm going to run a little competition in a couple of days time, with this book as the prize so make sure you come back here and enter! The book looks like a very useful addition to any writer's bookshelf - I'll review it when I've finished reading it.

National Short Story week is not until November, but do bookmark this site and keep an eye on what's going on.

Thanks to everyone who has emailed me via this blog to tell me of their successes. I love to hear how this blog has helped people on the road to publication. It's great to know it's not all doom and gloom, and new writers are still able to break into the markets and sell their stories. Keep it up, everyone! And if you do come across a new market or writing opportunity, let me know!

And to those who've asked - editing of my novel is going well. Summer's difficult because of holidays, but I've been able to get on with it in between camping trips. Still on target to have it ready for submission by the end of the year. I veer between thinking, hey, this is ok! and blimey, this is awful. Which I guess is normal and healthy behaviour for novelists.

Historical shorts

2011-08-02T18:28:00.003+01:00

With thanks to Romy who sent me a link to this site which is looking for historical short stories for a new publication, Snapshots of History. It looks as though it runs along much the same lines as Scribble where non-subscribers pay £3 to submit, subscribers can submit for free, and the author of the 'winning' story per issue is paid. I think I'll subscribe to this one for a year and see what it's like - am into historical fiction these days!

While we're talking history, here's one of my new favourite blogs - The History Girls - which carries a new post every day and is seriously eating into my editing time.

Best is the best!

2011-07-23T16:23:00.009+01:00

With thanks to Pat who alerted me to the return of fiction (for the summer at least!) to Best magazine. I've been out today and bought the current issue, dated 26th July, and am delighted to see it contains 6 pages of fiction - 3 stories. One is by novelist Erin Kelly who also introduces the fiction pages - with these words:

"It's so important that people read... We all need a bit more downtime, to curl up with a good book and a cup of tea and lose yourself in the plot."

I couldn't agree more! Except to add that the curling up can be done just as well with a fiction magazine.

Best are planning to include a coffee-break read in every issue for the summer. And maybe (I'm guessing) if the stories prove popular and they get some positive feedback, they might consider including a coffee-break tale every issue indefinitely...

Also, they announce a short story competition. First prize is £1000. You need to collect four Short Story Vouchers from the next few issues, and then complete the entry form which will be included in the September 6th issue. The winning story will be published in Best.

Other opportunities for writers of fillers include:

Cleaning tips - could earn you £50 - on a postcard to Amaze Aggie, 33 Broadwick St, London W1F 0DQ

Letters - £50 for star letter, £25 for all others printed - to best@natmags.co.uk

I've just flicked through the magazine today, but like the look of the mixture in it. I always did like Best - their real-life stories are good ones you can relate to (not the 'my husband ate my baby' type); there isn't too much celebrity gossip; there are good fashion/health/food articles (some great BBQ ideas in this issue!) I have 3 hours on a ferry to Cherbourg tomorrow, so guess how I'll pass the time?

Finally - PLEASE if you are a writer of womag fiction, DO go out and buy Best this summer! We must support our own markets!

BBF & MBNV & cycling

2011-07-20T20:03:00.006+01:00

September's Writers' Forum arrived today, and I was delighted to see the subject of the dwindling commercial short story market well aired in a fabulous piece by Douglas McPherson. Sounds like all is not lost at TAB weekly - occasional stories are still being bought for that magazine. And although The Lady have stopped fiction, they'll read anything sent in and if it's brilliant, they'll publish it. Same at Candis where officially they're only taking commissioned stories.

Added at 22:18 - Pat reports in the comments that Best has fiction in it this week, and also announces a fiction competition. Rush out and buy it, everyone! Their FB page is here if you'd like to go and comment.

If you haven't already, do join Julie P's Facebook campaign to Bring Back Fiction - here. We can make a difference!

If you're writing longer length romantic fiction, the M&B New Voices 2011 competition is approaching, open to anyone who hasn't had a full length novel published.

I'm away next week - cycling and camping in the Cherbourg peninsula. Won't be doing anything like the milage of the TdeF riders, but then again, they don't carry heavy panniers, tents, sleeping bags etc. See you when I get back. Happy writing everyone!

My Weekly Pocket Novels

2011-07-15T20:50:00.001+01:00

Guidelines are now beautifully produced as a PDF and available via Sally Q's blog, here.

Remember the length is now 50,000 words.

Tour de France

2011-07-14T19:30:00.007+01:00

Is anyone else a fan? Him indoors and I are glued to it for three weeks every July. We have a long-standing dream to buy a campervan and follow the Tour one year. When it came to Britain back in 1994 we cycled those legs ahead of the race, and went to see them both. Same again when it went to Ireland a few years later.

Those who don't watch cycling perhaps think it's just a huge number of cyclists all trying to be first over the line. It's actually so much more than that. The Tour de France is a 3-week long race, winding its way through France and often crossing borders into neighbouring countries. It goes over the Pyrenees and Alps. There are flat stages, hilly stages, sprints, time trials. There are three main competitions - the Yellow Jersey, the Green Jersey and the Polka Dot Jersey. The Yellow is worn by the current overall leader - the person with the lowest overall time. The Green is won by the person with the most points from sprints. The Polka Dot is won by the best climber. So no matter what your speciality is in cycling terms, there's a prize to aim for. If you're a sprinter but no good at climbing, go for the green. If you can ride uphill quickly, go for the polka dot - King of the Mountains. Or you could try to be part of a breakaway - a small group of riders who get ahead of the peloton (main group) - and try to win one day's stage.

And then there's the team dynamics. Cycling is most definitely not each man for himself. The top sprinters rely on team-mates to lead them into the sprint. You save approximately 30% effort if you ride close up behind someone else, in their slipstream. So a team which includes the best sprinters will position themselves near the front of the peloton as they near the finish line, and each team member (known as domestiques) will take a turn at the front, cycling as hard as he can to keep the speed up. Finally with just a couple of hundred metres to go, the last team member will peel away leaving the sprinter to go into top gear and hopefully win the stage. Those team members give their all, but get no fame or credit for it outside of the cycling community.

TdeF cyclists must be amongst the toughest sportsmen in the world. There was a horrific accident the other day which sent one rider flying into a barbed wire fence. He was patched up and back on his bike in minutes, and went on to finish the stage and gain the Polka Dot jersey. He needed 30 stitches. He's still in the Tour, still cycling, and is my new favourite cyclist. (Johnny Hoogerland. He's cute too.)

Finally, at the end, the man in the Yellow Jersey at the end of the race is the overall winner. But every man who's made it to the end - the race traditionally finishes on the Champs Elysee in Paris - is a winner.

So what has all this to do with writing? Well I suppose we could come up with some tortured analogies. The different jerseys are like different genres. A climber will never win a sprint - a top romance writer is unlikely to publish a best-selling thriller. But they're all valid, all worthwhile, and each of us has our own specialities and strengths. Each stage win is one cyclist's 15 minutes of fame, just as each book launch is one writer's moment in the spotlight. The domestiques who launch the sprinter to his win are like the unsung heros - agents, publishers, editors, cover artists - behind a bestselling book. The cyclists picking themselves up after a crash and going on to finish the stage - well those are like writers after a rejection of course. Get up, dress your wounds and keep on trying. Don't give up.

The Tour de France is about so much more than the glory of the final overall winner, although that's the man who'll be on the front pages at the end, dressed in yellow. There are lots of winners along the way. And losers, and plenty of drama.

It's like a three week soap opera. I love it. Really, I just wanted to write about the Tour. They went over the Tourmalet today (big hill. Him indoors wants to cycle up it someday. I'll drive the support car.) Sammy Sanchez, a climber, won the stage, sadly taking the polka dot jersey from Hoogerland.

And finally, a quote from Lance Armstrong for all those slaving over edits - Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts for ever. Now that IS relevant to writing.

Calling all dog owners - a plea for help with articles

2011-07-09T18:08:00.003+01:00

I've had this plea for help from womag writer and freelance journalist Elaine Everest (who also edited the brilliant Diamonds and Pearls anthology). She needs to write a couple of dog-related articles by the end of next week. She says:

I need to interview one person who goes or has gone camping and taken their dog.
It's not for a dog magazine. I would also need the person to send me a good
quality image of them/the family and the dog with a tent in the scene.

Also, do you have a dog (or had a dog) and changed your working life to fit
around his/her needs so that the dog is not left alone all day? This may have
meant working part time, were allowed to take the dog to work with you or
perhaps you started your own business so the dog could be with you?
I have to find three case studies for this feature.
Again, a good quality image of you and your dog is required.

If you can help, please contact Elaine directly at elaineeverest (at) aol.com

As for me, I've only got two puddy-tats so can't help. Got the first one after I began home-working, to keep me company!

Gratuitous photo of my cat Mir looking Evil...

A couple of wildly different writing opportunities

2011-07-06T21:52:00.003+01:00

If you're feeling particularly arty and literary, have a look at the Creative Works competition over at Aesthetica magazine. Deadline 31st August so there's loads of time. Aesthetica is a well-established and respected literary and arts magazine, available from WHSmith or on subscription, or from various art galleries etc.

If you're feeling more like playing with the latest apps on your iphone instead, then here's a site where you can download them for free, in return for writing a brief review. Might be of more interest to your resident teenagers, so feel free to pass this on!

Or if you'd rather stick to writing womag stories - it's time you were getting on with some Christmas themed stories. So what if the sun is shining and you aren't in the mood - that's what a writer's imagination is for!

Short Story Workshop

2011-06-30T17:53:00.003+01:00

The markets may be dwindling, but that's all the more reason to polish up your writing and targetting skills to get yourself ahead of the competition.

If you're within reach of the Northamptonshire area and free on Saturday 30th July, why not sign up for Helen Hunt's short story workshop? Helen's been writing for the women's magazines for a few years, and has had tremendous success, especially with Woman's Weekly. The day costs just £30 and includes a critique of a story to be sent beforehand by email.

Click on the link above for full details and how to contact Helen. I bet it'll be an excellent workshop and you'll learn loads.

I'm off on a course myself on Sunday in Bath - How to Sell Your Novel, run by Sarah Duncan. Am nowhere near wanting to try to sell it yet, however! I believe there might still be places available on that course - email sionhillcourses (at) hotmail.com if interested.

Take A Break - survey

2011-06-28T19:52:00.003+01:00

Here's a chance to tell Take A Break what you like and don't like in their summer special. Fill in this survey, and maybe you'd like to mention how much you like the fiction?!

With thanks to Patsy for sending me the link.

Bring Back Fiction

2011-06-23T22:00:00.004+01:00

Campaigns to get fiction reinstated in as many magazines as possible are popping up all over the place. I've heard of another one tonight - recommending as many people as possible email Take A Break asking why there's been no coffee-break fiction in the weekly magazine recently. The email address to use is tabfeedback@takeabreak.co.uk Readers, writers, writers' mums - we should all send a message. Fight for your markets!

My understanding is that Take A Break has a new editor who is wanting to make her mark by changing the magazine.

Not so many years ago, Woman's Weekly got a new editor, and she also reduced the amount of fiction in the weekly magazine. There was an outcry, and the fiction was reinstated and then increased. I'm all for change, but it needs to be the right change, not change for change's sake.

So spread the word, email the mags, put messages on facebook, and ask everyone you know to do the same.

Twelve points to writing romance

2011-06-19T17:40:00.002+01:00

Over on Sally Q's MYWYN blog, there's an excellent guest post by Mills & Boon writer Kate Walker in which she summarises the 12 essential components of a romance novel. These same 12 points also apply to romantic short stories as well - worth book-marking that post and using it as a checklist!

Kate's book - A 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance as you might guess expands on these points and is well worth buying if you are writing romantic fiction.

Magazine facebook pages

2011-06-15T22:26:00.004+01:00

Delighted to see so many people requesting fiction on the various facebook pages for magazines. The desire to see the return of the short story seems to be alive and well. I don't recognise all the names so assume many of them are readers...

Diane reports that Australian Women's Weekly have taken note of the facebook comments asking for more fiction. So this campaign might just work!

These pages do look like a good way of keeping up with what's going on in the magazines. For instance on the Woman fb page there's a mention of their Summer Special which comes out on 1st July and which contains some short stories. I suspect they are commissioned from well known novelists but we'll see when it comes out. Maybe if people buy this and enjoy the stories they could consider writing to the magazine or commenting on facebook about how good the stories are?

Also noticed an opportunity for book reviewers on the Woman page - email them on woman@ipcmedia.com to ask for a chance to review their weekly Hot Read.

UK magazines which have dropped fiction in the last 7 years (since I've been writing) are: Chat, That's Life, Best, Bella, Woman, Woman's Own, The Lady, Take A Break (weekly), Candis. That's just off the top of my head so may not be complete. Fiction lovers are forced to buy Woman's Weekly, My Weekly, People's Friend or the fiction specials from these magazines or Fiction Feast. I do think there is room on newsagents' shelves for a bit more weekly fiction!

Woman magazine relaunch

2011-06-11T11:48:00.005+01:00

No fiction in the Woman magazine relaunch. But they are on Facebook - if you go there and 'like' them you can post on their wall about what you'd like to read in the magazine... if enough people called for fiction I wonder if they'd consider it?

With thanks to Pat P for passing me this link.

Edited 12th June to add: Julie P is starting a crusade to bring back fiction in weekly magazines. Check out her facebook page and blog for details.

Also take a look at Diane's blog, which lists more magazine facebook pages where you can leave feedback about the magazine content.

Womag writers of the world unite!

Take A Break revamp

2011-06-10T18:23:00.006+01:00

Julie P noticed there's been a distinct lack of fiction in the weekly Take A Break since its recent revamp. More true-life and celeb gossip.

Does anyone know for certain if they are dropping the fiction slot? I know occasionally in the past they've missed a week or two but then it's come back, so maybe this is just a blip. Let's hope so.

To clarify - we're talking about the weekly TAB magazine here, which traditionally has taken one one-page story each week. The monthly Fiction Feast is unchanged.

Edited 11th June to add - some writers have had confirmation from Norah that the weekly TAB is definitely dropping its fiction slot for now.

Another market gone.

Edited 13th June to add - here's TAB's Facebook page if you'd like to leave comments about the new format.

Selling Overseas

2011-06-06T18:43:00.003+01:00

I've finally had a few minutes to sit down and catch up with the latest (July) issue of Writers' Forum, which contains an excellent article by Australian women's mag writer, Glynis Scrivens. She explains how, starting with a decent story and with the help of this blog and a bit of hard work, you might manage to sell the same basic story several times in different countries.

So how does this work?

When you sell a story in the UK, you are (usually) selling First British Serial Rights. That means you are guaranteeing that this is the first time the story has been published in Britain. If you sell to an Australian magazine, you're selling First Australian rights. If you sell to a US magazine, it's First North American rights, etc. So the same story can be sold many times, without any clash of rights. Having said that, always specify in your covering letter if your story has already been published anywhere in the world, and take care with Woman's Weekly which is on sale in Australia as well as in the UK.

Glynis makes the very good point that you must tailor your story depending on the market you're submitting to. (Of course, you always do that anyway, don't you? You wouldn't dream of submitting the same story to People's Friend and Take A Break without changing it, would you?) Things to bear in mind when sending a story overseas is to ensure it's not too English. Don't go referring to British soap operas and the UK Prime Minister. A quick Google search will find you suitable alternatives depending on the chosen market. And use tourist websites to find a good setting for your story. Don't forget, stories set in exotic holiday destinations eg Egypt or the Caribbean could sell to any country.

This blog (which Glynis mentions in her article several times - cheers!) has details of a few overseas markets which take stories from UK writers. But you may know of more, or you may be able to find more using a bit of detective work. Some Scandinavian magazines take stories written in English and will translate them.

I've sold to Australian That's Life but not to any other overseas markets, though I must admit there are some I've never submitted to. But if you've written a good story, make it work for you by selling and reselling. Glynis knows a writer who sold the same story 8 times (including anthologies). Now there's a target to aim for!

What are your experiences of selling abroad? Does anyone know of more markets they are willing to share? Any more tips for reselling stories? And if anyone wants to swap magazines for market research purposes, feel free to get in contact via this post.

Write to be Published - review

2011-05-25T20:31:00.003+01:00

Write to be Published by Nicola Morgan

Along with every other English-speaking writer with a smidgen of sense I've been a fan of Nicola Morgan ever since I discovered her wonderful blog. When I first found it, I was busy writing womag stories and doing ok at getting them published, so much of her advice on writing novels and approaching agents or publishers was not so relevant to me. But I loved the blog anyway and kept going back.

And now, just when I'm embarking on editing my first completed novel, with a view to sending it out into the big scary world in a few months time, the wonderful woman distils her blog's advice into a handy paperback which you can read in the bath.

It's simple - all you have to do is "write the right book in the right way, send it to the right publisher in the right way and at the right time." Then they'll publish you. Nicola takes you through all the steps of this process. There's no guarantee - you do have to be able to write, and there's a mention of some necessary fairy dust which I believe you need to sprinkle into your submission envelope - but if you follow the advice in this book you'll definitely increase your chances.

I've just read it cover to cover - including the acknowledgements at the end which includes womagwriter! Cheers, Nicola! I'm going to re-read the bits on editing your book soon when I get going with the edits. And I'll re-read the bits about submission when I get to that stage.

A very helpful, easy to read, no-nonsense, enjoyable book for anyone who likes to write and wants to be published. Thoroughly recommended.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news...

2011-05-23T18:10:00.003+01:00

... but we've lost another market.

From Gill Hook at Candis magazine:

"Due to exciting developments for the magazine, although we will still carry short stories, we will no longer be accepting unsolicited submissions.

Instead we will be commissioning short stories from established authors and from a shortlist of our most popular writers."

With thanks to Patsy for passing this on.

I can't say it sounds like an exciting development for the magazine to me. Last time I heard of a magazine changing to take commissioned stories from famous authors only, it was not long before they dropped the fiction slot altogether.

All together now, BOOOOOOO!

The Edits Await!

2011-05-17T20:27:00.007+01:00

I'm pleased and proud to announce I've now completed the first draft of my novel! You know, the one I started nearly a year ago, which made me give up writing womag stories and almost made me drop this blog? (Phew, that was close!)

My aim at the start of this year was to complete the first draft by the end of June (easy!) and the edits by the end of the year (we'll see...) This is the first time I've completed a novel although I've started a couple before. Got to 17,000 and 55,000 words with earlier attempts - this one's ended up at a respectable 81,500.

It's full of gaps and boring bits, but I hope there's a few gems and that the whole thing is salvageable.

Here's my Plan of Attack:

1. Copy all the sections into one big document. For some reason I wrote every section in a new Word document. Now they all need putting together in the right order.

2. Buy a lot of printer paper. I've found this at £20 for 5 reams on Amazon which I'd guess is about as cheap as it comes.

3. Print off and read novel, scribbling thoughts in a notebook as I go.

4. Edit 1: Make decision whether I should keep the story told in a chronological order, or play around with the structure and sequence of events. Will probably make use of techniques such as Sarah Duncan's cards-all-over-the-bed at this stage. Construct novel in the chosen sequence.

5. Edit 2: Starting from the outside in (see link to Sarah's blog above), first I'll tackle the major problems. Cut the boring bits, add some extra scenes (there are already a few in my head!) I'll also need to do a few bits of research - every now and again there are instructions to self written in capitals eg CHECK WHEN RAILWAY CAME TO WORTHING. I never wanted to break the flow of my writing, so didn't stop to check these facts as I went (1845, by the way).

6. Edit 3: The novel is written in several view points. Each section is a different view point, headed up with the POV character's name and the date. Most are third person except for one main character whose sections are in first person in a distinctive (I hope!) voice. So now I need to go through all sections for each character and ensure their voices are consistent and distinct from each other.

7. Edit 4: Add pretty details, setting, atmosphere, use all the senses etc. When writing short fiction, this would normally be my first edit.

8. Add the prologue and some appendices I have in mind - historical facts etc.

9. Edit 5: Check for readability. Tweak sentences, cut repetition etc.

10. Write synopsis and covering letter.

11. Edit 6: Final read through.

12. Edit synopsis and covering letter. Agonise over them. Wring hands and agonise some more.

13. Research online and in Writers' and Artists' Yearbook and decide on agents to submit to.

14. Post submissions. Drink large bottle of wine. Start new writing project in a futile attempt to forget all about this one.

I'll no doubt ask writing buddies for help with bits I'm not sure about, and will read bits out at my writing class if I'm feeling brave enough. I'll also read the best How To books around, including Nicola Morgan's Write to be Published which I've already begun.

So - wish me luck! Also for those of you who've written novels, does this sound like a reasonable plan? The novel at the moment feels like a big shapeless lump of unproven, unbaked dough. I need to turn it into a beautiful crusty sliced loaf, light but satisfying to eat.

Three Good Things for a Monday

2011-05-16T19:40:00.004+01:00

1. With thanks to Pat for forwarding this link - interesting blog on writing for the US magazine, Woman's World (guidelines here), which analyses lots of recently published stories.

2. Excellent post on dialogue tags, she enthused, here.

3. Guardian short story competition - get published in a broadsheet alongside famous names. Details here.

Helen Hunt on writing for the womags

2011-05-15T14:18:00.002+01:00

My buddy Helen Hunt is a guest blogger over at The Literary Project, where she talks about writing for the women's magazines. I well remember Helen announcing her first womag publication which was only two years ago, but since then she has sold dozens of stories! She's planning to run some writing courses on short story writing, which will be well worth attending, so do get in touch with her or keep a watch on her blog.

Look what arrived in the post today!

2011-05-14T19:26:00.005+01:00

Personally signed by the author and everything! For your own copy, go here.

I was delighted to see that this blog has been included in the list of useful resources for writers at the end of the book. Cheers, Nicola!

Also in the post was the latest issue of Mslexia. I used to subscribe to this a few years ago, then let my subscription lapse because I never seemed to have time to read it. Recently I heard it has had a makeover so I thought I'd give it another go. So far, looks excellent, and includes a particularly good article on how to improve your MS before submitting it.

Blog for Girls

2011-05-09T19:37:00.002+01:00

Here's an interesting and worthwhile competition, for all you bloggers out there. Write a blog entry designed to provoke discussion about breaking the barriers to girls' education in the developing world, and enter it into the competition here. The prize is a 5-day trip to Ethiopia to witness some of Plan's aid projects at first hand.

Blog entry should be 400-600 words, deadline is 30th May. For full details click the link above.

Linen Press

2011-05-03T18:53:00.004+01:00

Linen Press, my favourite small publisher, now has a facebook page. If you're a facebooker please go take a look and 'like' them. Right now there's an offer on - buy two of their latest releases and get £4 off, when bought through their website. I've read one of the books in the offer - White Lies - and it's a stunner (see little review on my books blog).

May - it's all happening!

2011-05-02T14:33:00.003+01:00

Right then, now we've got that wedding out of the way and there are no more pesky bank holidays to ruin our routines, it's time to knuckle down and get back to writing. My poor novel's been totally neglected for a fortnight, and I'm only about 5000 words away from writing The End. One last push and I'll have a first draft.

Here are two ideas to get you writing in case you're needing some inspiration.

1. Write 150 words inspired by a picture of a fountain-pen and spilt red ink to win a critique from Nicola Morgan, as part of the run up to the launch of her book Write to be Published. Details and a taster of the book here.

2. Join Sally Quilford's challenge to write 80,000 words in 80 days. The actual start date was yesterday but it's not too late to join. Just think, write 1000 words a day and by late July you could have a full-length novel all ready for editing...

Whatever you're writing, enjoy yourself writing it, and good luck!

Write to be Published

2011-04-27T20:26:00.003+01:00

Details here of how to pre-order Nicola Morgan's must-have book which comes out on 1st June. Order directly from her to get a signed copy and enter a draw to win a Crabbit bag which is the season's top accessory for writers everywhere.

Life is just one long holiday...

2011-04-26T18:44:00.006+01:00

The sun shone for the ENTIRE WEEK we were in the Lake District which is some kind of world record. I went equipped for cold, wet weather - packed thermals, fleeces, waterproofs, woolly hats, the lot. Not a single short-sleeved t-shirt, or pair of shorts or sunhat.

Ah well, who cares, I pushed up my sleeves and made a hat out of a buff. We had a great time, climbed lots of peaks including Scafell Pike (England's highest mountain), Skiddaw and the range which flanks Buttermere lake.

Here's my son on High Stile contemplating the view.

THANK YOU ALL for your marvellous suggestions on the last post for new markets for stories and fillers. Lots there for me to follow up, and if I get more details I'll post them up.

Meanwhile, although I'm working this week (all 3 days of it! Isn't it great?!) we're off on another holiday on Friday. My lovely Irish hubby decided he'd rather vacate the country than sit and watch a royal wedding, so we're off to Ireland to stay with his sister and escape the wedding fever. (I might have to barricade myself into my sister-in-law's living room to catch the wedding highlights, though.)

Moody shot of Derwentwater:

See you all next week! Enjoy the bank holidays!

We need more markets!

2011-04-15T21:57:00.007+01:00

I think we all need a bit of a pick-me-up after the sad news of the last post.

I am off on holiday tomorrow (to the Lake District). While I'm away, can I give you all some homework?

How about everyone posts a comment on this thread about a market they know about which isn't already covered here. Ideally a paying, print fiction market (in any country), but I'd also welcome news of other markets, eg for fillers, online markets, anything, really!

If you don't know of any, how about going to your local newsagent and picking up a magazine you don't normally buy, then post here about any opportunities for writers within it. Even if all you find is a readers' letters page!

I often get comments about how useful this blog is, and how generous it is to share so much useful information. Well, now it's your turn!

Have we lost another market?

2011-04-12T17:54:00.003+01:00

I've had an email suggesting that the Australian magazine Woman's Day is closing its doors to fiction submissions. (Thanks to Fran for passing this on.)

Has anyone heard anything more? Can't believe we are losing another market. It seems as though soon only the magazines which have traditionally specialised in fiction (Woman's Weekly, Take A Break, My Weekly, People's Friend, Australian That's Life) will be left.

Edited 15/4/11 - sounds like the fiction editor Julie Redlich is retiring and Woman's Day is dropping fiction. They will use any stories already accepted, but don't send any more.

How to sell books and lose money

2011-04-07T17:06:00.003+01:00

I first came across Linen Press last year, after reading about it on Sally Z's blog. The four titles published at the time sounded interesting so I bought two (Breeze from the River Manjeera and The Missing) and loved them both. Three more titles have just been published -I've bought two of them and have just finished reading one - White Lies - which blew me away. (Brief reviews of all are on my little books blog - click on the books link over there -> )

I've written on this blog before how shocked I was to hear that small publishers such as Linen Press might actually make a loss on every book they sell through Amazon, because Amazon take such a big percentage of the price of every book sold, regardless of who the publisher is or how many copies of the book have been sold.

Lynn Michell, the one-woman-band behind Linen Press, has written a piece for the Guardian Books Blog about this, which is well worth reading. Amazon are so convenient - they make shopping for books so cheap and easy - but they're killing not only your local independent bookstores but also small independent publishers.

I bet many of this blog's readers have written/are writing/would like to write novels. It is the small publishers who are most likely to take a punt on a first-time unknown writer. Novelists need small publishers and local bookstores, so I believe we have a duty to support them.

Please, read Lynn's piece in the Guardian, have a look at the Linen Press website, and consider buying one or more of their books - but not from Amazon! (Lynn has priced books and postage on her website such that the overall cost will be the same as buying from Amazon.)

Up for a challenge?

2011-03-31T21:00:00.002+01:00

Sally Q is starting a challenge to write an 80,000 word novel in 80 days, starting 1st May and conveniently finishing just as the kids break up from school on July 19th.

1000 words a day - that's easier than Nanowrimo, and you end up with a full-length novel. It'll need editing, but you'll have the first draft done.

So if you've wanted to write a novel and have an idea, but have just not got round to starting, why not have a go at this and get that first draft done in one push. Go here to sign up.

I'm about 10,000 words from the end of my first draft and then I want to push on with editing it, so I won't be doing this, but best of luck to all who do!

Yours - updated guidelines

2011-03-31T20:58:00.001+01:00

Please download updated guidelines for Yours magazine from here. Note their required word length is now 1000-1200. With thanks to Meg for pointing me in this direction!

It's nearly Mother's Day!

2011-03-28T19:24:00.004+01:00

Bit of shameless self- and buddy-promotion here.

If you haven't yet bought your mum a mother's day present, or told your reluctant kids what they ought to buy you, can I recommend the following couple of books?

Diamonds and Pearls - anthology of stories by women's magazine writers (including one from me) and sold in aid of a breast cancer charity

or if you or your mum prefers a novel, what about

Mothers and Daughters - Kate Long's latest novel now out in paperback (and previously entitled A Mother's Guide to Cheating)

Both guaranteed great reads and I am of course in no way biased, oh no.

World Circus Day and an offer for blog readers

2011-03-27T12:18:00.005+01:00

Douglas McPherson, a regular contributor to Writers' Forum and a women's magazine story writer, sent me the following for this blog, which includes a special offer for all Womagwriter blog readers! Thanks Douglas!

WORLD CIRCUS DAY APRIL 16

Ladies and gentemen, boys and girls... Saturday April 16 is World Circus Day, the perfect ocassion to recall childhood memories of the big top, elephants parading down the high street and clown cars with the doors falling off, the perfect ocasion to roll up roll up to a circus near you and rediscover the thrills and spills of the sawdust circle, and the perfect ocassion to use the evocative images of the circus ring as the setting for a short story.

Regular womag short story writer and Writers Forum columnist Douglas McPherson used the magic of the circus as the inspiration for his recent My Weekly serial Murder At The Circus (which can also be read on his blog http://www.circusmania.blogspot.com/) and his circus themed Pocket Novel The Showman's Girl, which comes out in May.

Douglas is also the author of non-fiction book Circus Mania and to celebrate World Circus Day would like to offer Womag blog readers the opportunity of saving £5 off the recommended retail price by ordering Circus Mania direct from Peter Owen Publishers.

Dedicated to the memory of Eva Garcia, an acrobat Douglas met just days before she fell and died during her act, Circus Mania is a behind-the-scenes journey through the world of circuses traditional and modern, talking to clowns, trapeze artists, tiger trainers and sword swallowers about their unique lives, culture, history, traditions and superstitions.

Circus Mania is launched in America next month and will soon be available as an eBook for the Kindle etc. In the meantime, the paperback has recieved a warm welcome from the critics with a full-page, 4-star review by Roger Lewis in the Mail on Sunday calling it "A brilliant account of a vanishing art form" and "An excellent book."

Tina Jackson on the Writers Hub website wrote: “Like a good old fashioned circus – McPherson’s favourite kind, in the end – the book rollicks along at a cracking pace, delivering a cast of colourful characters, and a parade of stories of the life-is-stranger-than-fiction variety. There are thrills and spills, acts of derring-do, heart-in-mouth moments, and laughs aplenty. The circus deserves this book and, like the circus, McPherson deserves for Circus Mania to reach a very wide and appreciative audience.”

Circus Mania can be ordered direct from Peter Owen Publishers at the special offer price of £10 postage free in the UK (£2.75 postage worldwide) by sending cheques to:

Peter Owen Publishers
20 Holland Park Avenue
London W11 3QU

Credit card orders can be taken during office hours on 020 7373 5628 or by email on sales@peterowen.com

As they traditionally say at the end of every big top show: May all your days be circus days!

Picture caption: Douglas McPherson (centre) with legendary circus owner Gerry Cottle (left) and Circus of Horrors ringmaster Dr Haze celebrating the launch of Circus Mania at the Circus Space circus school in London.

Anti-Conning Writers Day

2011-03-25T10:41:00.003Z

Get yourselves over to Sally Q's blog and learn how to become a streetwise writer who won't get conned. Sadly there are people around who play on a writer's desire to see their work published. Sally's article is detailed and informative with loads of brilliant links.

Remember the golden rule - money flows towards the writer.

May Writers' Forum

2011-03-24T22:35:00.005Z

My calendar tells me it's still March, but the May issue of Writers' Forum arrived today, so Spring must be definitely here and I'm ignoring the fellow on the telly right now who's telling me it's all going to get colder again this weekend.

I get mentioned both by name and by blog address, so it must be a good issue!

Firstly, Paula William's regular Ideas Store is a great column. She's one of the contributors to the Diamonds and Pearls anthology, and she asked all the other contributors what had inspired their stories. So if you've ever wondered where on earth women's magazine writers get their ideas from, this article will tell you!

Linda Lewis gives this blog a nice little plug in her regular column on writing women's magazine stories.

Sally Q's column focuses on how to be sure competition judges know what they're talking about.

There's a new series beginning this month by Douglas McPherson on how he develops stories for the magazine market, complete with examples of his published stories.

Julie Phillips has an article on giving writers' talks, and Sue Moorcroft's workshop will help you develop your characters.

And there's the usual agony aunt column by Della Galton of course!

Loads there for women's magazine writers. You probably think I must get some kind of reward for plugging this mag. I don't - I plug it because it's a good mag, filled with great advice from great writers.

Authors for Japan update

2011-03-21T18:42:00.002Z

The auction made almost £11,000 which is an incredible total! If you donated or bid, thank you. Details on the results here.

I've won myself a book on running by Rachel Newcombe, which I'm really pleased about as I regularly run 10km at weekends now.

Anthologies, competitions, questions, mountains

2011-03-20T13:51:00.008Z

1. If you're an ex-pat writer, you might be interested in this call for submissions by Writers Abroad for a charitable anthology, entitled Foreign Flavours. They are looking for fiction and non-fiction on the theme of food, drink and cooking from around the world. Profits to go to The Book Bus charity. Alexander McCall Smith is to write the foreword. See here for full details.

2. Eddie Walsh at Emerald Writing Workshops is running more competitions for flash fiction this year. Max 500 words, entry fee a very reasonable 5 second-class stamps. Next comp closes on 31st May. See here for details.

3. Teresa Ashby is running a competition to win a copy of the Diamonds and Pearls anthology. Closing date 31st March, and all you need to do is write the first line of a story. See here for details.

4. If you weren't able to help the poor people of Japan via the Authors for Japan auction, perhaps you'd like to contribute to New Sun Rising, an anthology of prose and poems, all profits going to the Red Cross. Details here.

5. Ever wanted to ask a best-selling author a question and hear the answer in her own words? Well, go here to ask Kate Long a question. You type it in, give your email address to get notification that she's recorded an answer, then check back to see what she says.

6. And finally, where I was last week with Leigh - this is me on top of Cairngorm, Scotland. Felt like I was on top of the world!

PS I keep looking at that photo and thinking how fat I look. But it is simply all the bulky warm clothes I am wearing, honest!!

News from People's Friend

2011-03-19T15:15:00.003Z

Shirley Blair, fiction editor of The People's Friend, emailed the following message for this blog. Thanks for visiting, Shirley, and thanks too for the offer of answering any questions. I'd suggest blog readers post questions for Shirley after this post. Great to hear there will be more PF fiction specials this year!

Hi, Womagwriter. I’ve been dropping in on your blog occasionally, I hope you don’t mind. We’ve made a lot of changes over the last year or so in how we deal with the fiction in The People’s Friend, and I thought that visiting your blog would give me an insight into if or how any of those changes might be affecting you and your followers. And of course, once I’d visited a couple of times I was hooked! What a lively bunch you are!

Something that was a concern from my point of view was the build-up of stories waiting for attention as we adjusted to the changes in our system, but I thought I might use this opportunity, if I may, to assure any writers who were put off by that that we’ve made massive inroads to that backlog and are now looking at turning stories around in 12 to 16 weeks.
I can also tell you that we’re producing more specials than ever this year, including four that are exclusively fiction. The Spring and Summer Fiction Specials for 2011 are well in hand, but that leaves Autumn and Winter Fiction 2011, plus our usual Summer and Holiday Specials. And then it’ll all begin again next year! So, any writers who had given up trying, were put off trying, or had never thought of trying writing for us — now’s your chance! We have excellent guidelines that anyone can have by emailing a request to peoplesfriend@dcthomson.co.uk

Thanks for allowing me to make this visit. Oh, and if anyone has any questions, post them on the blog and I’ll do my best to answer them.
Thanks again for your time.
Shirley E. Blair
Commissioning Fiction Editor, The People’s Friend.

Authors for Japan auction

2011-03-18T15:51:00.005Z

I've been away all week so am late posting this, but thankfully not too late.
Auction closes Sunday 20th March, 8pm UK time.

If you haven't already had a look at the auction, please do. Click on the image below. Enjoy browsing and please bid!

Authors for Japan

2011-03-12T14:30:00.002Z

The scenes of destruction in Japan are shocking, incomprehensible. Here's something authors and publishing professionals can do to help - donate something (a book, offer of critique, publishing opportunity) for auction. If you can't donate anything yourself, please spread the word and when the auction opens, bid for items.

Yellow Room competition

2011-03-12T14:22:00.003Z

See post here on Sally's blog about the Yellow Room short story competition. Currently short of entries but it's a great little competition and one definitely worth supporting. I'd recommend sending your more literary stories to be in with the best chance of winning this one.

(Veronica, if you're reading, please enter, win, and supply chocolate at some future writing class. I'm relying on you!)

World Book Night

2011-03-04T21:26:00.002Z

I've only just seen this lovely, wonderful idea from Nicola Morgan to celebrate World Book Night TOMORROW! 5th March.

Buy a book, preferably from a local bookstore, inscribe it: "Given in the spirit of World Book Night, March 5th 2011 and bought from [insert name of shop] - please enjoy and tell people about it." and give it to someone. Your mum, your mate, your child, or even some random stranger in the street.

What a lovely and generous idea. We're all writers which means we all love reading. Let's pass a little of that love on to someone else, tomorrow. I have friends visiting for the weekend. I think I'll buy them a copy of Diamonds and Pearls and thereby do even more good by raising money for a breast cancer charity.

Come on, join in!

News round-up

2011-03-03T22:01:00.003Z

Can I direct you all to Sally's blog, where she has written all sorts of interesting posts lately, including this one about being careful when signing up for writing forums - find out first who you're dealing with; and this one where she's naming 25th March as Anti-Conning Writers' Day. If you've ever been conned out of money as a writer, perhaps paid for vanity publication or signed up for services which were a rip-off, or entered a competition only to find you'd signed away all rights to your story - then consider telling your story on your blog on 25th March, or contacting Sally to tell it for you anonymously on her blog. Let's expose the cowboys who try to make money out of writers by ripping writers off!

And on a happier and more upbeat note, Kate Long's latest novel Mothers and Daughters is now out in paperback - here on Amazon. It's had a change of title and cover (was previously entitled A Mother's Guide to Cheating). You might remember Kate provided a guest post on this blog when the hardback came out. She's a great writer, and this novel is one of my favourites. Would make a great mother's day present, or simply treat yourself to it!

I bought an old, rare book the other day, published in 1945 and containing memoirs of a fellow who was born in 1813. I came across it while doing some genealogical research. And in it I have discovered who my great-great-great-grandfather bought his house from! Which is incredibly exciting to me, but I will understand completely if you are all stifling yawns now.

History & sales of UK women's weeklies

2011-02-26T18:10:00.005Z

This article is a bit out of date but is an interesting overview of the last couple of decades' history of UK women's magazines. The comparative sales figures (from 2006) at the end are interesting too - especially if you compare with these figures from August 2010.

The Nearly Sale

2011-02-25T20:57:00.003Z

We seem to be enjoying our debates here on womagwriter. I wonder what you'll all have to say about this topic? Once again, I'm a little out of the loop here, having not written or submitted a short story for some time, but a writer who wishes to remain anonymous asked me to raise this topic. It seems some magazine editors are keeping writers dangling on a thread, telling them a story is 'almost certainly a sale' and they will get back to the writer soon. But months go by, and chasing emails leave the story still unconfirmed as a sale.

Here's what the writer had to say:

After years of writing and selling stories, 18 months ago I decided to take the plunge and see if I could make this my living. Well it paid off as I have now sold almost 100 stories etc and last year I sold an additional 41 stories, articles and serials to the mags both here and abroad.

However for the last 2 months I haven't earned a bean. This is despite having over 50 new stories submitted to mags around the world. I believe this is due to a worrying new trend. What I call THE ALMOST SALE.

This is worse than a rejection as it means the eds keep you hanging on indefinitely. It's happening here in the UK and abroad. I've been told my stories are almost certainly sales and that they will confirm shortly. But despite lots of 'nice' chasing emails from em, I haven't had a confirmation yet.

The dilemma is - do you ask for the stories back and try to re-sell knowing you've got at least another 3 month wait or hang on in there as you are so close.

I believe this is worse than a rejection as you can at least re-market then.
I'd be interested to hear other writers comments.

Have other writers had this experience? I realise for newer writers an 'almost sale' would be exciting and would be classed much better than a rejection, but for those who try to make a living from writing I can see it must be very frustrating. What do you think?

My Weekly pocket novels - new guidelines

2011-02-22T21:44:00.004Z

Maggie Seed, My Weekly's pocket novels editor, has issued a new set of guidelines which I've copied below. For all you pocket novel writers, the important things to note are the new longer length of 50,000 words, and the increased payment of £300.

MY WEEKLY POCKET NOVEL GUIDELINES
Love! Romance! Passion! Adventure! Avid fans of romantic novels can get their fix from My Weekly Pocket Novels! A great read for lovers of good stories

NEW LONGER LENGTH: 50,000 WORDS
PAYRISE RATE IS NOW £300 First Cheap Paperback Rights

We look for stories with a strong, developing romance between two identifiable characters.
We want to sweep the reader away in time and space to share and experience the breathless/breath-taking excitement of a growing relationship.

Do: Create characters our readers can identify with, rejoice with or grieve with. They can have flaws.
Do: Thrill and intrigue the reader. You have the time it takes to read the novel to take the reader through a gamut of emotions, thrills and dilemmas to resolve the mystery, pitfalls and obstacles.
Do: Include those heart-stopping moments! Key moments to consider: She realises she likes him; she thinks he is lost to her forever; that second-chance moment when happiness can be hers...THE KISS!
Some questions you might like to answer: How can she resist him? How did he misjudge her? What kind of a woman is she?
Do: Set our pulses racing (ooh la la!) BUT remember we want passion, not pornography!
Do: Use dialogue so the reader can participate in the story's development rather than being told in large chunks in straight narrative.

There can be a secondary plot to help develop the romance. For instance, there are often complications and misunderstandings between the hero and the heroine, or there is something vital at stake, such as a child, an inheritance, a relationship etc.
Crime and intrigue can feature, as long as they don't distract from the developing romance.
Who: Our heroines vary in age from their early twenties to middle-age and are compassionate and morally sound. They are more modern in their relationships, thoughts, feelings and experiences when the novel has a contemporary setting.
Where and When: Stories can be set anywhere in the world and can be contemporary or historical.
How: The story is usually told from the woman's point of view, although occasionally it is from the man's.

Presentation
Please send in a synopsis and the first three chapters in manuscript form or via email.
If we wish to proceed, we will ask you to send in the full novel electronically.
Wordcount: around 50,000 words, no more than 52,000.
Double spacing, double quotes, single space only between full stop and next sentence.
If accepted for publication the completed novel must be presented electronically in a format compatible with ours (ie, Word or rich text format)
Payment: We pay £300 for First Cheap Paperback Rights

Please send to: My Weekly Pocket Novels D.C. Thomson & Co., Ltd., 80 Kingsway East Dundee DD4 8SL
Email: myweekly@dcthomson.co.uk

If you've a story in the next Fiction Feast...

2011-02-22T21:31:00.003Z

...which I believe is out this week, please pop over to Diane's blog here . She's suggested sending invoices for your stories, as soon as you know how many pages they take up and therefore how much you're owed. State that payment is due 30 days from the date of the invoice. Which is statutory law, in the UK.

FF payment rates are here. As far as I'm aware they have not changed in recent years.

More good stuff on chasing payments on Simon's blog and Alex's blog and Sue's blog.

A competition and a new market and a bit more about payment

2011-02-20T19:40:00.004Z

Can't remember if I've already mentioned this competition but with just 8 days to go before the closing date it's probably about the right time to remind you of it! The latest competition run by Della Galton and Vanda Inman has the theme: Moving On. Deadline is 28th February. First prize is £150 and the entry fee is £5. See here for more details and how to enter.

Those of you who like writing non-fiction might want to take a look at this new market which is looking for articles about people juggling family life and running a business from home. Thanks to Lydia for forwarding me this link.

Finally - please go and look at this link on Diane Parkin's blog. It's a very good follow-up with some excellent advice on what we were talking about here a couple of weeks ago about late paying magazines.

Snippets

2011-02-13T13:44:00.005Z

1. A while back I posted an appeal from Sharon who wanted to find writers to set up an email group swapping feedback on short stories. Well, she's now set up the group with a few writers but there's room for more. Doing a crit of a short story benefits both the writer and the person giving feedback, so if you feel you'd like to join this group do contact Sharon on sbee.poetry (at) gmail.com.

2. Take A Break are looking for 'summery' stories right now - why not put your shorts and shades on to put yourself in the mood, and get writing!

3. If you're looking for maximum payment per word, don't forget about the letters pages in magazines. Blog reader Lydia reminded me of this market, and says she has sold hundreds of letters over the years. Some mags give prizes rather than payment for letters these days but often the special interest mags will pay £25 or so for a letter. Go spend an hour browsing in WHSmith and jot down the contact details on the letters page!

4. Finally, if you've bought and enjoyed Diamonds and Pearls, please consider leaving a review on Amazon. Preferably a good one! If you haven't yet bought it, remember it's sold in aid of a breast cancer charity, so not only is it a great read but a worthy cause too.

The Weekly News - new guidelines

2011-02-12T10:58:00.004Z

Jill Finlay, the fiction editor of The Weekly News, left the following comments and new guidelines below one of the old TWN posts, so I've copied them here to be sure you all see them. Many thanks, Jill!

Please find below a copy of the latest guidelines for TWN.
They're a bit more detailed than before so, hopefully, a bit more helpful!
Many thanks for the continued interest in the paper, and the supply of quality fiction for me to read.
Things stalled a little over November/December thanks to Christmas and a technical hitch, but I'm just about back on top of thing now.
Please do nudge if you're bored waiting - nudging is good!
Best Wishes,
Jill.

Here come the guidelines . . .

Weekly News Short Story Guidelines

Thank you for your interest in The Weekly News fiction section. I hope you find these guidelines useful.

The Weekly News has a largely older readership which is evenly split between the sexes, so we are looking for general interest tales — crime, humour (especially), ghost stories (although we’ve had plenty of these recently), or “coffee break” dramas which wouldn’t be out of place in any popular TV soap.

At the moment, I’m also interested in stories with a bit more “edge” that are slightly darker.

Although an old-fashioned love story may occasionally be appropriate, I’m not looking for “slushy” romantic fiction, or anything “twee”. And although it’s a popular style, I don’t generally take “chick-lit”.
Similarly, I don’t want anything too racy or gory. As The Weekly News is a family paper, I wouldn’t use anything with any sexual content.

Many stories we publish have an interesting twist to surprise the reader, as these seem to be popular. But if your twist is “it was all a dream” or “he/she/it was a ghost”, or the main character is actually a pet, it won’t get through!

• Aim for something light-hearted, perhaps centred around family life or a recognisable situation.
• If your main character is strong enough, you can have them carry the whole story.
• A positive outcome is favoured, but this can be reached by a good bit of double-crossing, or the comeuppance of the “baddie”.
• Be playful – have some fun with your characters at their expense ie in embarrassing social situations.
• I also like sensitive stories which may involve a death, an illness a fear etc. If the situation doesn’t come across as too dark and depressing and has an uplifting end, then it may make it through.

Stories can vary in length from about 750 to 2000 words at most, though we reserve the right to edit them as appropriate.

Also, I rarely accept stories written in the first person or present tense.

Please note that, at present, I use three fiction items at each week and, even if an item is accepted, it could be some time before it is published.
I always have plenty of stories to read through, so it could be six to eight weeks before I can respond to submissions.
I’m acutely aware there is always someone waiting to hear from me, so thank you for your continued patience – I will always get back to you!

Here are some DOs:
• Use strong, identifiable characters – but remember they don’t always have to be likeable.
• Use natural-sounding speech. I tend to avoid dialect, as we like to be a bit “geographically vague” to add to the universality of the stories.
• Check your historical facts fit your time-frame and characters.
• Be thought-provoking if you want – be topical.
• Read and check your punctuation and paragraphing. The easier your work is on the eye, the easier it is to make an informed decision.
• Work within reality – this is fiction, but it does have to be believable.
• Do include your email address, postal address and phone number on your story.
• Full stories, please. I can’t get enough detail or “feel” for a piece from a pitch or synopsis.

And some specific DON’Ts:
• No murdered spouses, dreams, ghosts or pet twists.
• No first person or present-tense stories.
• No relationship-centred stories.
• No hard copy.

E-mail is now our only method of delivery. Please send to: jfinlay@dcthomson.co.uk
You’ll receive an auto-reply from this address, so you know I’ve definitely received your email.

Thanks,
Jill.

Win books and Crabbit bag by writing about feet

2011-02-07T19:45:00.003Z

Nicola Morgan is celebrating having passed the 1000 Blog Followers mark (which makes me feel completely insignificant at just 366 followers) by holding a competition. Write 150 words inspired by the feet photo on her blog. Details here - looks like a fun one to have a go at, though I haven't a clue what a Crabbit bag might contain!

New Love Stories - apparently out of business

2011-02-06T16:04:00.004Z

Looks like the New Love Stories magazine is no more. The website is gone and submissions come back with an auto-reply saying they are no longer accepting submissions.

Another market lost. :-( I've removed them from the guidelines links on the right.

Does anyone know what happened to them? I know quite a few of this blog's readers sold several stories to them.

What does 'we pay on publication' actually mean?

2011-02-02T20:04:00.006Z

This post is intended as a discussion topic.

Some magazines, for instance Take A Break, state that they pay writers on publication, as included in their writers' guidelines copied here. Now, it's been a while since I submitted anything to any womag, so I don't have recent personal experience of how quickly or otherwise TAB are getting payments out, but I have heard that lately they are frequently not paying writers until two months after publication.

I understand about month-end payments processing, but what I've heard is that TAB seem unable to state when a writer will be paid for any given story. Surely any company should be able to get a decent payments system in place, so that cheques are printed or payment credited to accounts on regular dates. Is it too much to expect that you should get your money by the end of the month in which your story was published? That gives Bauer four weeks to pay writers, as Fiction Feast comes out at the beginning of each month.

Another issue writers have with TAB payments, is that they have to guess how much they are likely to get for each story. TAB pay by the page, and until the magazine layout is finalised they can't say what you'll be paid. Lucky you if they decide to use lots of pictures and spread your story across more pages, but it's annoying for writers who rely on payments from magazines, and are unable to budget because not only do they not know when they'll be paid, they don't know how much they'll get either!

Have you had problems getting paid by TAB, or indeed any magazine? Let's air our grievances here on this blog. Remember, I accept anonymous comments, so please don't go worrying you'll be blacklisted for speaking out, though of course you should always be professional and courteous as you don't know who might be reading this.

In fact, worrying about blacklisting is a daft attitude to have. I know we all feel we are barely worthy to lick the stiletto heels of fiction editors, but actually the relationship is a symbiotic one. You know those birds which sit on hippos' backs? The hippos tolerate the birds because they get their hides kept free of insects and bugs. The birds get an easy lunch.

Fiction magazines would not survive without fiction to publish, therefore fiction editors would be out of a job without writers. To ensure they get the type and quality of stories they want, they have to pay for the stories they publish. We earn that money, we have the right to be paid on time, and we should most certainly chase payment if it is not forthcoming. Don't undervalue yourselves!

So come on, have your say, all comments welcome.

Diamonds and Pearls

2011-01-31T20:38:00.004Z

I'm delighted to say the Diamonds and Pearls anthology is now available to buy from Amazon or direct from the publisher Accent Press. This book is sold in aid of a breast cancer charity, and many womag writers (including me, Sally, Sue H, Della, Teresa, Lynne, Sue M and so many others!) have contributed a story. It's like a who's who of womag writers and I am just a little overawed at being in such company.

Buy it, please! Buy it for your mum and your aunt and your sister and your best friend too. It'll be a fab read, and it's for a great cause. Hats off to Elaine Everest, the driving force behind this project, and a breast cancer survivor herself.

Buy from Amazon

Buy from Accent

My Weekly latest requirements

2011-01-31T20:24:00.003Z

These are valid from January 27th to March 24th 2011. I won't post the entire guidelines as much of them are unchanged from before. But briefly, My Weekly are looking for:

moving family stories about little children, 1200 words
long reads, 2500 words
Twist in the Tale, 1400-1600, especially light-hearted themes
Coffee Break tales, 700 words, especially light-hearted themes
Romance, either 1200 words or 2000 words, once again, light-hearted themes most welcome

Please note that Liz can still only accept short stories from writers who have already had stories published by My Weekly. (This does NOT apply to articles or pocket novels however - those are open to all writers.)

One submission a month please. Include a 30-word My Inspiration piece.

Liz says she's had lots of positive feedback from readers about the quality of fiction in My Weekly, which is lovely to hear. She will send a critique on all submissions from those previously published, but it may take some time before you hear from her, so be patient.

So, there we are, get writing those light-hearted themes! But be careful, light-hearted does not mean light weight. Don't fall into the trivial trap, ensure your story still means something. (That last bit is my interpretation, by the way.)

Features
My Weekly features are written on a commission-only basis. If you have an idea you’d like to pitch to us, please email the following:
Health – Karen Byrom kbyrom (at) dcthomson.co.uk
Celebrity, General Features – Susan Anderson sanderson (at) dcthomson.co.uk
Real Life – Sally Rodger srodger (at) dcthomson.co.uk
Fashion/beauty/diet - Audrey Patterson apatterson (at) dcthomson.co.uk
Travel, Cookery – Alison Graves agraves (at) dcthomson.co.uk

Two appeals from readers

2011-01-26T21:37:00.004Z

From my inbox:

Dear Womagwriter

I'm very pleased to have discovered your site. By so doing I have managed to sell two stories to 'that's life' Fast Fiction. Thanks. I couldn't have done it without you! The only problem is I had a palaver getting my first contributor copy (Spring Issue) 'Over The Moon' Kate Hogan. I've been paid for a story in the Summer Issue 'A matter of Time' Kate Hogan. I haven't seen the mag or received a contributors copy so I don't know if it was published or not. Do you or anyone you know have a copy they could check? If I am published in the Summer Issue I'll email Anthony Lambert and ask for him to send me a copy. I'd be really grateful for your help. Many thanks.

Kate

Hi there womag writer

Would you consider uploading the following appeal on your blogspot wesbite?

Are there any amateur womag writers out there?
If so, would you be interested in swapping stories and offering feedback on each other's work?
It would be completely FREE and done via e-mail only.
A fresh pair of eyes may help us both!
If you are interested, please e-mail me,
S. Bee at sbee.poetry (at) gmail.com

Many thanks
S.Bee

Kate - well done on your sales and thank you for the kind words about this blog! If anyone has a spare copy of TLFF Summer issue they could send to Kate please leave a comment on this post and I'll put you in touch.

S.Bee - great idea! I am sometimes asked if I know of writing groups people could join. Here's your chance, folks, contact Sharon direct via her email address above.

Edited 27/1 to correct the above - it's the summer issue Kate is after, apologies for that.

Writing Opportunities

2011-01-19T19:43:00.007Z

Some writing ideas and challenges to help you through the long dark January days!

1. Write a story set in an airport, max 500 words, and send it to Emerald Writing Workshops along with an entry fee of 5 second class stamps, for the chance to win £75. Closing date 28th February, full details available here. This is a nice little writing competition, with a very reasonable entry fee for a decent prize. Previous winners and brief comments on the shortlisted stories are available on the website.

2. Write a How To article on any topic and send it here by the end of January for a chance to win £100. We're all experts on something or can pretend we are, so have a go!

3. If finance is your thing, contact Nick at Bozboz who is looking for finance writers for a new website he's setting up. I can just about manage to check my change - I leave all the money stuff to him indoors - but if you can tell a debt from a debenture then why not get in touch. He's looking for writers who can provide financial advice for the general consumer: saving and banking, credit loans, mortgages and homes - that sort of thing.

4. Or how about writing something to do some good - the latest call for contributions to a charitable anthology is 100 stories for Queensland. Details here and on the Facebook page here.

There you are, plenty to do, something for everyone and no need to sit around and whine!

Woman's Weekly - original ideas wanted!

2011-01-17T20:32:00.004Z

A letter recently sent to regular contributors to Woman's Weekly is pleading with writers for more original, less safe or predictable stories.

They want fresh stories written in your own unique voice. Don't be afraid to be experimental, but keep it subtle. Show, don't tell. Use humour. Old themes are fine, as long as you can find a new way to use them.

Avoid:
- soppy or dated stories
- weak or flippant endings that read like the punchline to a joke
Avoid also the following overused themes:
- retired or redundant husbands getting under their wives feet
- adopted children finding their birth mothers
- brides with cold feet

WW lament that they are having to reject too many stories at present. (Not half as much as we writers lament it!) So come on everyone, write something new, something different, and send it off to Woman's Weekly!

(WW take stories of 1000-8000 words. 1000 and 2000 are the best lengths for the weekly magazine. Postal submissions only, unless WW have specifically asked you to email submissions. Address is Fiction Department, Woman’s Weekly, IPC Media, Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark Street, London, SE1 0SU. Include contact details on every page of your story as well as on the cover sheet or covering letter.)

Pocket novels - interview with Maggie Seed

2011-01-14T21:27:00.005Z

This interview by Douglas McPherson, with My Weekly's pocket novel commissioning editor Maggie Seed, appeared originally in Writers' Forum a few months ago. Douglas kindly sent it to me to publish on this blog - many thanks!

Douglas is a regular contributor to Writers' Forum, and is also a women's magazine fiction writer, having sold several stories and serials and pocket novels to My Weekly. He's also just sold his first (of many, I hope!) story to Take A Break.

Douglas blogs at http://www.circusmania.blogspot.com/ and has reproduced one of his MW serials on his blog. Go take a look for more tips!

A Little Romance

Maggie Seed is a woman looking for romance - and lots of it! As the commissioning editor of My Weekly Pocket Novels, Maggie buys 50 love stories a year, making the imprint a big market for romance writers.

The 30,000-word novellas, published at a rate of two a fortnight in a floppy A5 format, are the perfect stepping stone to longer fiction for writers who have cut their teeth on short stories for women’s magazines.

They’re also a good starting point for writers aiming to move on to other publishers in the field, such as Mills & Boon.

The competition is healthy. Some regular authors churn out four or five Pocket Novels a year and Maggie receives between five and ten unsolicited manuscripts per week.

But she says, “I always like publishing new writers,” - as I can attest to, having had two Pocket Novels accepted on my first attempt!

Within the realms of romance, Pocket Novels offer authors a lot of freedom. Settings can be modern or historical, home or abroad. Plots can revolve around work, parents, children, a crime or mystery, or even supernatural themes for Halloween.

“If it’s a good story, I won’t say no to anything,” says Maggie.

The main criteria for success is that authors create characters the reader can identify with, laugh and cry with. The story should take the reader through the gamut of emotions.

Above all, because Pocket Novels are a quick read, designed to be consumed in a couple of hours, they should be shameless page-turners.

“You’ve got to be able to make people not be able to stop reading,” says Maggie. “You have to make it so thrilling that at the end of every chapter, you have to read the next one to see what happens.

“With just 30,000 words in which to tell the story, there’s no room for loads of description or extraneous stuff. There isn’t much time to set the scene, introduce your characters and get the story going - it has to get going straight away, and you have to make it interesting straight away. Then you’ve got to get from A-Z at a nice brisk pace.”

Characters and dialogue are the most important elements, says Maggie, with plot and setting in third and fourth place.

Her reasoning is if you’re swept up in the emotional drama you won’t notice that the situation may be improbable. Whereas, “When something stops me liking the characters, then it makes me notice the plot and other details, and that’s when stories can get rejected.”

Heroines can be any age, but are typically in their 20s. The guidelines, available on request, say they should be ‘compassionate and morally sound.’

“We don’t want any criminal activity from our heroines,” Maggie elaborates. “But, generally speaking, they’re interesting; they have a lot to say for themselves. They’ve got strong principles and they take action to change their lives.”

As for the heroes...

“I like them to be handsome and sexy. You’ve got to fancy the man!

“In historical dramas, I quite like it if the hero is tormented in some way, so the heroine can save him from his mental anguish. We had one where his house burned down with his wife and child in it. I quite liked having the heroine coming along and saving him from himself.

“But there’s a fine line between making them moody and broody but at the same time appealing. I don’t like cross and grumpy characters.

“There’s a similar fine line between making heroines feisty and tough without being annoying.”

A particular dislike of Maggie’s is having the characters clash too much before they fall for each other.

“There has to be drama and complications to sustain the story - a mystery to solve, a dilemma to resolve or something to keep the characters apart.

“But some writers are so busy creating drama between the characters that they forget that if they’re shooting sparks off each other they may come over as not very nice. You have to like the main characters.”

The preferred way to get characters across is through dialogue.

“I like them to be revealed through conversation and interaction, rather than loads of description telling you what they’re thinking... or what the reader should be thinking.

“I like to find out who the characters are by what they say and do... and I like to decide for myself what to think.”

Whether modern or historical, Maggie feels there are some essential ingredients to any romance.
“You have to have a moment of tension when the characters suddenly realise they are interested in each other, and another moment when they think they might lose the other person. That feeling of Oh God, I’ve blown it now. I like to torture my characters by making sure they go through the tension of thinking they’re going to lose the person they love.”

Other key scenes are the second-chance moment when the heroine realises happiness can be hers and, of course, the climatic big kiss.

The no nos are violence, swearing and explicit sex. The characters are allowed sex lives and it doesn’t have to happen entirely off stage, but the rule is “Passion not pornography. It’s definitely a case of less is more. I don’t want anything that makes me feel queasy.”

Above all, Maggie stresses that a Pocket Novel should be escapist fun.

“I like the writers to think up nice things for the heroine to do. I like them to have adventures and enjoy themselves. It shouldn’t be all angst.

“Sometimes I tell writers something is too gritty and realistic and they get a bit cross with me and say, ‘That’s what it’s like in real life.’ But real life is the last thing I’m interested in. I don’t care if people were being tortured and murdered in the 18th century, I’m not having it in my novels, no matter how true to life it is.”

Instead, Maggie likes her heroines to have plenty of delicious food, clothes and shoes to die for - and good weather to boot.

“In the summer, I like summery stories. But then, in the winter, I like the escapism of stories set in hot climates: Italy, South America. I don‘t like it when it‘s raining all the time.”

If elderly parents or other older people are to enter the story, they should be feisty and independent rather than decrepit and burdensome.

“I’d like to think our older readers are busy, active people. So I prefer older people to be away on a cruise instead of losing their marbles or vegetating in an old folk’s home.”

Maggie says she’d currently like to receive more contemporary stories: “Modern heroines with modern dilemmas.”

Her pet hates include road rage and car accidents as plot devices to introduce the characters, while a recent influx of stories involving murder mysteries and people renovating old houses means, “I don’t really want anymore of those at the moment.”

Because of the number of Pocket Novels published each year, Maggie asks authors to be patient, as it can take several months to reply to a submission. (My own Pocket Novel was submitted in January and accepted in August for publication at Christmas).

The one-off fee is modest, but Maggie buys only the First Cheap Paperback Rights, leaving copyright with the author to sell again elsewhere. Many Pocket Novels go on to be republished by large print publishers.

In many cases, Maggie suggests revisions to manuscripts that are “not quite there,” and may steer an author through a couple of re-writes. Endings are a frequent problem, with the story cut off too abruptly: “It’s as if they got tired of it and just finished, when I felt there was more to come.”

Whatever you write, Maggie assures would-be Pocket Novelists that their manuscript will get a warm reception.

Like the romantic she is, Maggie says, “I do love all my writers. I appreciate them writing me lovely stories and always try to reply nicely and be encouraging.”

Maggie loves...

-Food
- Kisses
- Tortured heroes
- Knights in shining armour
- Fun and adventure
- Nice clothes and shoes
- Cake and chocolate
- Spunky old people
- Brave aunties
- Interesting children

Maggie hates...

- Sleazy sex
- Dull men
- Prissy heroines
- Pedigree dogs
- People on diets
- Annoying children
- People nearly getting run over
- Road rage
- Forced marriage to sexy men
- Constant rain

The opening of Douglas’ Pocket Novel:

NASHVILLE CINDERELLA

Chapter One

The Ryman Auditorium - the original home of the Grand Ole Opry. They called it the mother church of country music and back in the 30s it had indeed been a church.

Standing on the edge of the surprisingly narrow sidewalk outside the front doors, Cindy Coin tilted her head back as far as it would go. Three tiers of arched windows and a decorative balcony led her eyes up the dark brown brickwork to a sharp triangle of pitched roof that scratched the grey-blue Nashville sky.

The enormity of the building was dizzying and so was the sense of history. Early on a chilly Tuesday morning there was barely a soul on the street, but over the past century what country singer from Johnny Cash to Tammy Wynette hadn’t stood where she stood now, paying their respects before the altar of country music, before walking around the corner to the stage door? How many millions of fans had worn those smooth dips in the pale grey steps as they swarmed inside to witness the concerts broadcast live on radio station WSM every Saturday night?

Nothing was more overwhelming to Cindy than the fact that she was finally standing here, the stub of a train ticket from Alabama still screwed up in her raincoat pocket, a suitcase in one hand and a guitar case in the other.

A man’s voice, low and friendly, spoke just behind her: “Y’all just got into town?”

Distracted from her reverie, Cindy took a step back. Her heel missed the kerb and she fell backwards into the arms of the most handsome man she’d ever met.

Douglas’ Tips

- Read some Pocket Novels to get a feel for them before you begin.

- Create an interesting setting, but stay focused on the romance.

- Don’t try to write to a formula. Write the story you want to write.

- Give it some sparkle and glitter, and keep things upbeat. Go for the feel-good factor.

Submissions

Pocket novels should be around 30,000 words and no more than 32,000 wds.

Submit synopsis and first three chapters by email to: myweekly@dcthomson.co.uk

Postal submissions* may be sent to:

My Weekly Pocket Novels
DC Thomson & Co
80 Kingsway East
Dundee DD4 8SL

*If accepted, the final MSS must be sent electronically.

Need New Year inspiration?

2011-01-08T12:53:00.001Z

I've updated my inspiriation corner post with some new links, and removed broken links. If you're struggling for story ideas, try using some of these!

Pocket novels to Large Print

2011-01-08T12:15:00.006Z

I've mentioned before, I think, that pocket novels sold to My Weekly or People's Friend can often later be resold to a large print publisher. They're the perfect length to print as a normal-sized book in large print, and libraries love them. The author will receive a one-off payment on acceptance by the publisher, and will then earn public lending rights payments for years to come - all of which makes the writing of pocket novels much more lucrative than it might originally seem.

Ulverscroft are one of the major large print publishers in the UK. If you'd like the chance to win a large print version of one of Sally Quilford's pocket novels, hot off the press, then get yourselves over to her blog as soon as possible. She's running a competition to win one, which closes on Monday. All you need to do is state in under 100 words why you feel you deserve to win.

Easy. Because I say you're worth it!