One for the poets

 Thanks to Aly Rhodes for the details of this poetry competition.

Tuesday top tip - do your tax return

 We're already a month into the new tax year. This is the perfect time to send in your return (if you're required to do so). You need to do one if you earn more than £1,000 from your writing. That's income not profit.

I know it's not a fun thing, but it won't get easier or more enjoyable if you put it off until the last minute. Doing it early saves stress, and means that if you discover there's something missing from your records you have time to sort it out without risking a fine for being late.

In case you didn't realise, the date you send in your return has no impact on when you have to pay.

NB the above applies to the UK - other countries may have different rules.

What the editors want

Thanks to Babs Trevitt who sent me the following which she spotted on Twitter. I no longer use that platform, so hadn't seen it.

Obviously these are the requirements for The People's Friend submissions. If you have guidelines from a different publication with different instructions, then you should follow those for that particular publication. Otherwise, I don't think you'll be going wrong by adopting the above for all submissions.

Btw, I don't use Word to write. Before submitting I 'save as' a Word document and that works fine, so don't worry you'll need to buy Word if you don't already have it.

If anyone is concerned / confused about submission guidelines (for any publication) then contact the editor concerned - but feel free to mention it here. If there are queries about a publication where I have a contact, I'll attempt to get an answer.

To any magazine editors who may happen to see this - I'm always happy to post any guidelines / tips / requests / super exciting gossip you may wish the share! Same thing goes for organisers of free to enter writing competitions.

So busy!

You might have noticed I've not been posting or commenting as much as usual. I did have a bad cold (recovering now) but mostly it's because I've been really busy with non writing stuff. That's going to be the case for a while now, so apologies in advance for any sparseness, or even half completed posts! I'm hoping something now and again is better than nothing at all.

A lot of the business involves photography, some of which I'll randomly share. (Nothing new there!)

Free entry writing competitions.

Thanks to Marguerite and Sharon B for the link to this free poetry competition. There's lots of time to come up with something funny (which is what they want). There's a £25 book token prize for the winner in each category.

New book!

I've got another short story collection out. 

Your Good Health

A collection of 24 short stories

Do you want to be healthy? The characters in this book know their health, both mental and physical, is important, even if they sometimes take it for granted, or behave in ways which aren't in their best interests. They learn there are things we can do to help us stay healthy, such as eating well, getting some exercise and planning ways to reduce our risk of problems. The cure mustn't be worse than the cause though. Having fun is essential, and as Aoife discovers, sometimes a slice of cake is just what the doctor ordered! 

Although there are some medical issues we can't control, from illness and infection, through accidents and bad luck, to conditions we're born with, there are ways to cope. Maybe you'd like to walk on a mountain like Merryn, go speed dating as Jenny does, or join Sue in dressing in nothing but strategically placed fig leaves? Or perhaps you'll stick to more conventional options, just as Aggie and Lizzie do.

The characters in this book explore a variety of ways to live healthier happier lives, no matter what their medical situation. Whether sick or well, helping ourselves or others, we all have stories to tell. This book contains 24 of them.

Over to you

 

Please share writing related news – successes and failures, details of free entry writing competitions, updates about the womags you submit to, any other publication opportunities, and raise any queries you may have. All these things will help other readers of the blog, and help me to keep it going!

As always, feel free to use my photos as writing prompts. If you prefer words to images for that purpose, take a look here.

Playful opportunities

Opportunities for writers

From Fiona - There are a few things on the BBC writers website that might be of interest for any blog readers wanting to do something a bit different. Could maybe adapt a story?

I thought this one looked good. It's for very short plays. Each succesful submission will receive a £70 license fee.

Free entry competitions

Thanks to Alyson for the link to this poetry competition. The theme is 'caring, community and family' Top prize is £100. UK residents only.

Three free writing competitions.

 

Free entry writing competitions

Here's a 'micro fiction' competition. You're allowed up to 1,500 characters to write a story 'related to Africa in some way'.  There are three cash prizes, €750 for first - plus the possibility of runners up and special mentions.

The Oxford/42 New Writing Prize is for novels, stage, radio or screen plays. Experimental writing is welcome. You must be 'unagented' to enter. The prize is £1,500 pounds and an agency contract with 42 M&P

The Baen fantasy adventure award is for fantasy stories of up to 8,000 words. First prize is paid publication, $500 of Baen books and an engraved award

Regarding the AI issue mentioned in my last post, there's a petition by the Society of Authors here. It has some 'big' names on it.

Please sign even if you're not directly affected in this particular case, as if this goes unchallenged then it's likely that even more of our work will be stolen. 

Tuesday top tip - don't let your books be stolen to train AI

You may have seen that many thousands of books have been stolen to train AI. Not just literary classics and best sellers, but loads of self published books too, including some of mine. 

Here's a link to check if your books have been used in this way.

Here's a link for an easy way to complain, and attempt to get this stopped, if you discover your books have been used.

Please help real human authors by reading their books (and make sure to buy them from not pirate sites, or to borrow from libraries or legitimate subscription services).

Thanks to Alyson for this link from the SoA about what we can do.

This tip was brought to you by Patsy Collins. If you'd like to contribute your own tip to this blog, here's what to do.

Wee free writing competition - and a bigger one

Free entry writing competitions

Thanks to Suzan Lindsay for reminding me about the Scottish Book Trust flash fiction competitions. Each month they ask for a 50 word story on a set theme. You've got until the 25th to write something involving a bookcase. The prize is suitably little – but Id still be happy to win. (I'd help my chances if I remembered to enter, wouldn't I?)

I confess the photos are only very tenuously relevant – I took them in Scotland last year.

Here's an email I recieved a few days ago -

 Hi everyone! I'm writing because you previously submitted a short story to the Redbud Writing Project's annual Coppice Prize competition. We took last year off to reformulate the contest, but this year we're back, thanks to a generous grant from United Arts of Wake County in North Carolina, and we'd love to see your work. Here are the details:

The contest is open until midnight on March 31.

--We accept only previously unpublished work, under 4,000 words, with identifying names and details omitted. 

--Winners receive $600 (first place), $300 (second place), and $100 (third place), plus publication and review from a literary agent. 

--Our three judges--Anise Vance, Aamina Ahmad, and Raf Frumkin--will select the winners in late April, with the winners to be announced in May.

--This year, the aim of our contest is specifically to highlight marginalized and under-represented writers. So we ask that you only submit if you consider yourself part of those categories (e.g. cultural identity, income level of your family, racial identity, gender identity, disability, or something else). We will leave it up to individual contestants to decide if they identify as marginalized or under-represented. If you’d like to talk this out with us, please feel free to reach out.

Submit your work here! As always, it's free to enter.

Tuesday top tip(s) - writing a series

Here are a few things I learned from writing my Little Mallow cosy mystery series. I thought they might be of interest to authors contemplating writing their first series.

(btw, book 1 in the series is currently free to download.)

1. When planning your release schedule, allow lots of time. Although it is true that books in a series are quicker to write than standalones (because you don't have quite so much world building and character creation to do) the process isn't a lot faster. Readers won't want to wait too long to read the next one, but it's far better to set a realistic timetable than an overly optimistic one you don't meet.

2. Keep notes, a database, or spreadsheet of nearly everything! It might seem tedious to record the name of every single character, their partners, jobs etc, but having those details recorded in an easy to check format will save time and/or help avoid silly errors.

3. Depending on the genre, it might be a good idea to create a timeline chart of some kind. With my latest book I needed a very precise one to be sure people's alibis did, or didn't, work properly. A more general overall one can be useful for keeping track of things such as how long characters have known each other, making sure everyone just has the one birthday a year, that you don't have fourteen month pregnancies, and that everyone ages accurately in relation to everyone else.

4. Keep any planning notes after completing earlier books in the series. These will make it easier to check what's already happened than if you need to read through the entire novel.

5. As much as possible, plan the entire series in advance. That can help you avoid backing yourself into a corner by writing something you later regret e.g. killing off a character before you've finished with them, or failing to mention something which later becomes important to the storyline. For example, in my second book the fact the verger doesn't drive is important. As it's unusual for capable, employed men in their thirties, not to drive, this information is mentioned in the first book. I also mention a skill he does posses which proves useful later on.

6. If a character will become important for a later book in the series, consider including them as a minor character in earlier books. That way readers (and you) will get to know them and care more about what happens when they become more involved.

7. Decide whether each book will work as a standalone as well as part of the series, or if the books need to be read in order for the storylines to work. If it's the latter, make that clear in the descriptions, blurb and any promotions.

8. Although you'll want some kind of resolution at the end of each book, don't feel you must completely tie off every single lose end. That can feel contrived. 

9. When publishing, consider putting you books into kindle unlimited, as series are popular with KU readers. This does require you to make the books exclusive with Amazon, which doesn't suit everyone, but you can opt out again after three months and make your books 'wide' then.

10. Consider making the first book in the series a little cheaper than the others. That's both to encourage potential readers to give it a try, and to steer them towards starting at the beginning and hopefully reading all the way through.

11. Consider creating some kind of free bonus material to promote the series. In my case I wrote a short ebook, set in the village of Little Mallow. This is available exclusively to those who sign up for my newsletter. It gives an insight into the location for the series and introduction to some characters.

12. Writing a series is a big commitment – be sure you're happy to spend time with your characters and in your fictitious world! Personally I love spending time in Little Mallow, and am very fond of the residents. I'm delighted to hear that many of my readers feel the same way.

This tip was brought to you by Patsy Collins. If you'd like to contribute your own tip to this blog, here's what to do.

Over to you

 

Please share writing related news – successes and failures, details of free entry writing competitions, updates about the womags you submit to, any other publication opportunities, and raise any queries you may have. All these things will help* other readers of the blog, and help me** to keep it going!

* It can be very reassuring to know we're not the only person who gets rejections, finds something confusing, or has doubts. It's also very encouraging when people we've heard of and know are real people, something like us, win competitions or get published.

** It takes time to find new free competitions every single week and it's very difficult to keep track of markets I don't submit to. Your support through sharing information, and leaving comments, makes a big difference. (Never worry you're telling me something I know – reminders are welcome!)

Free entry poetry competition

Thank you to Fiona for sending me the link to this very interesting poetry competition. The challenge is to write an artfully awful poem (I can do half of that!) There's £100 first prize.

Another free writing competition

On this blog I only share details of free to enter writing competitions (for several reasons, including the hope I won't be opening you up to scams). There are plenty with entry fees though - do you think those are worthwhile? 

Free entry writing competitions

The Fitzcarraldo prize 'awards £4,000 to the best proposal for a book-length essay (minimum 25,000 words) by a writer resident in the UK & Ireland who has yet to secure a publishing deal.' 

This is one of my favourite signposts. 

Where do you think it's directing people? Or maybe you know?

Poetry and prose competitions

 

Free entry competition news

Thanks to Fiona for telling me about this poetry competition with a £100 prize.

The Alpine fellowship have a competition, accepting any kind of writing, on the theme of fear. First prize is £300. Entrants may be of any nationality. The also have a poetry competition with the same theme and prize.

Also

I can't remember if I've already said... This blog has a Bluesky account. For those who've not tried Bluesky, it's just like Twitter used to be, before it got choked up with adverts. If you could use Twitter, you'll be able to use Bluesky – although obviously you don't have to!

My romance novel, A Year And A Day is free until March 5th. (I've made it free in the hope of getting some reviews.)

The photo above is of Smoo cave in Scotland. Try saying Smoo out loud a couple of times – I bet you can't resist adding a few more Os!

Womag news and free entry writing competitions

I've had (more than) enough of winter and have decided it's spring! There are signs of it, if you look in the right places.

Womag news

In case you missed Liz's comment on last week's post, she said – "A heads-up that a couple of writers have had stories accepted by Woman's World over a year after they submitted them. Until the past few weeks, writers could assume rejection after around 3 months. Also, recent acceptance emails have been sent out around publication time rather than a few weeks before. This probably isn't an issue for the solve-it-yourself mystery writers as there are no other outlets that accept that format. But the romance writers will need to be aware of it."

I wonder why that is? Could they be short of submissions? The magazine's website is here. I couldn't find any official submission guidelines, but this blog might be of interest.

Free entry competition news

The Tom Grass Prize is for 'a short piece of stand-alone prose in either Fiction or Non-Fiction (1,500 - 3,000 words). It can be adapted from a longer work but must be satisfying to read by itself. ' • Open to emerging writers over the age of 25 from around the world
• £1000 for first prize, and two runners-up prizes, each £500
• Judged by a panel including literary agents
• Submission deadline 31st March 2025
• Fiction, non-fiction or journalistic writing

The current Best competition is for a crime or thriller story of up to 1,200 words. Quite a few followers of this blog have won or been runner up in this competition (I was runner up in the last one), so it's definitely worth a try.

If the t&cs are too small to read, right click on them and save to your desktop - you should then be able to enlarge them (works with any online image of sufficient resolution).