Over to you

Please share success (or otherwise!) report any womag news, tips, advice you may have, make womag related comments or observations and ask questions – and answer them too if you can help.

If there's anything you'd like me to make a post about, or you have other ideas for this blog, I'm open to suggestions – although I can't promise I'll be able to implement them all. I'm also happy to hear from people who'd like to write relevant guest posts.

 (If you have news or a question relating to a particular magazine, it's also fine to add it as a comment to the latest post for that magazine.)

The new People's Friend fiction editor has been announced.

Lucy Crichton has been appointed as the new fiction editor at The People's Friend. (More details here.) 

I know we're all going to miss Shirley, but I've no doubt Lucy will do a great job. I met her briefly last year and just like the rest of the team, she's very nice.

Congratulations, Lucy. 

Glenda Young's back – with answers!

Thank you all very much indeed for the lovely response to my Womag blog post earlier this month. As Patsy mentioned at the end of that blog post I’ve returned to answer questions raised, It’s a daunting task, especially when I recognise many of the names of those asking questions and they’re writers I admire, Gulp. Here we go!

Elaine Everest asks: I've really enjoyed reading your books, Glenda. Can you tell us if you envisaged a time when you move your stories to another town?

Hi Elaine and thank you very much for your kind words. I’ve been given two three-book deals with Headline to write novels set in the village of Ryhope where I was born and bred. It’s a dream come true to set the novels in Ryhope and I have no wish to leave that setting just yet. It’s rich in characters, in history and gives my saga novels a very strong sense of place. It’s a village of two haves with the gritty coalmine and the pastoral farming community plus there’s the beach, a railway and lots of opportunity for drama. So for now, I’m more than happy to keep on writing about Ryhope. One review said that Ryhope came through as one of the characters in the book, which was a huge compliment.

Patsy asks: How far ahead do you plan the soap, Glenda – and do you stick rigidly to that plan, or can you be flexible if an interesting idea presents itself?

Hi Patsy! For my weekly soap opera Riverside that I write for The People’s Friend magazine, I keep a list of important events I’ve introduced that will need repeating, e.g. birthdays and wedding anniversaries. Added to that list are national days such as Mother’s day, Valentine’s, bank holidays etc. These provide a good framework to help planning but apart from that I … dare I admit it?.... don’t plan at all. I sit down each week, eager to write Riverside, it’s my writing highlight of the week. But as for what is going to happen, I have no idea until I sit down and start typing! I’ve just written an episode which will be published in May this year and at the end of it, one of the main characters says something like “Don’t worry, I’ve got a plan!” and I have no idea what that plan will be to solve the problem I’ve created until I start typing on Wednesday this week. Sometimes if I have a brainwave about a storyline for a particular character I’ll add it to my ideas list for the soap, where it might stay for a few weeks or even months before I use it.

Kate Blackadder asks: Where your Ryhope novels are concerned, Glenda, are you a plotter or a pantser?

Hi Kate! As mentioned above, when I write Riverside I’m definitely a pantser but when I write my novels I’m firmly a plotter. I plot the overall arch of the story and then break it down into 16 chapters. I give each chapter at least one (and usually two or even three) dramatic, emotional events, whether good or bad, and a couple of gentle laughs too. I plot each chapter with a few paragraphs, so I know where I’m going when I sit down to write. But the plot isn’t written in stone, it’s more like a framework on which I weave my story. It needs to be flexible because I’ve learned that once I start writing, characters appear I haven’t planned, stories will go off on tangents I never saw coming and I embrace these changes as I go. As the story moves and finds its own way, subsequent chapter plans need to be changed, it’s always evolving. But I find a do need a plan of some kind so that when I sit down to write, I’m not faced with a blank page. I know what I’m doing and that fuels me on.

Eirin Thompson asks: What an interesting and inspiring post. It sounds like your writing output is immense! This must require quite a bit of juggling. How do you manage to get so much done? And, working from home, how do you protect your writing time from domestic demands?

It's not easy, that’s for sure. But writing is my full-time job now and I treat my days as if I was in any other job. Fortunately, it’s not a dull 9-5. My day can start as early as 7am and finish at 1pm, for instance. I break my day down into writing chunks. A couple of hours of solid writing is enough for me each day, otherwise it feels like I’m just filling space for the sake of it. I’m fortunate to live right by the sea and can take a walk on the beach to clear my mind after writing. I allow myself Mondays off to go shopping and visit my mum who is in a care home with dementia. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings are for novel writing. Wednesday afternoons are for writing my weekly soap opera Riverside. Fridays are also a break too, when my husband and I go off walking or sightseeing or go out for lunch - our Friday adventure we call it! Saturdays and Sunday will see me tinkering away at short stories for women’s magazines or competitions if the mood takes me, and if it doesn’t, I’ll use it as thinking time for my novels. And as for domestic demands, I’m very lucky indeed that my husband does a lot of the housework while I’m writing my novels. I lose myself to the page and he’ll knock on the door of the study (aka our spare room) where I’m locked away, typing and shout: “Want a cuppa?!?” I’m very lucky indeed.

Carrie asks: A very interesting post to read, Glenda, and congratulations on all your wonderful success. Do you find writing novels very different to writing short stories? And how do you start...an idea in mind that takes a journey of its own?

Thank you, Carrie! I find that writing novels aren’t so different to writing short stories – and here’s why. When you think of writing a novel, you think of writing say, 100,000 words (which is what the publishers ask for). That’s a terrifying number. What I do to make it manageable is break it down into 2,000 word chunks. Each 2,000 words is the length of a short story I’d write for a woman’s magazine and psychologically, for me, that makes it much more manageable. Once I’ve got my 2,000 words to write I treat it exactly the same as a short story. It needs a strong intro, good characters, dialogue, and a satisfying conclusion… of sorts… before it goes into the next 2,000 word chunk and the next. Saying all of that however, there is a different kind of joy to writing a short story that’s say 700 words and it just flies off your keyboard after an idea just won’t leave you alone. As for ideas and inspiration, they can come from everywhere and anything. When I have an idea for a short story I write it down on a list. Some ideas work out as stories but some don’t. And if I get very stuck and want an idea for a story, this is a very useful website I sometimes use. (Note from Patsy – you may also like this book which is full of story ideas and writing prompts.)

Sharon Boothroyd asks: Great post. How do you find the stream of plot lines and ideas for Riverside on the TPF? I'd be totally stuck, I wouldn't like the pressure of committing to producing an ongoing weekly serial! I admire your output, Glenda.

Thank you Sharon and hello! For my weekly soap opera Riverside in The People’s Friend, it’s all about knowing who the magazine readers are, what kind of things they’re interested in. I’ve been writing for the magazine since 2015 and attended one of their fiction writing workshops (highly recommended, by the way) so I think I’ve got a good feel for what the magazine are after in terms of fiction. However, although Riverside is a soap opera, it’s not Coronation Street or EastEnders or any of the TV soaps we know. It is unique, written solely for the readers of The People’s Friend. At its heart are Mary and Ruby, two women who’ve been friends since they were girls. I love writing Riverside. It makes me chuckle when I write it and feedback from readers is always warming to hear. When you love writing something so much, whether it’s short stories or a novel, when your heart is in it and your head is engaged, there’s no pressure at all. Writing really is the perfect job for me and I couldn’t be happier.

You can buy Glenda's books here, or you make like to follow her Twitter account or visite her website.

I'm an expert!

The front cover of the current issue of Writing Magazine refers to publishing experts – and one of those is me! I was asked to write a short round-up of the womag market in 2019 and give my predictions and hopes for this year. 

I also have another piece in there about the iminient editorial changes at DC Thomson – see here, here and here if you missed the news.

Of course I'm just one of many people who know something about the womag market and how to write for it. Glenda Young is another. If you've not read her recent guest post and taken the opportunity to ask her a question, you can do so here.

Guest post by womag soap writer Glenda Young

Today's guest is womag short story and soap writer Glenda Young.

I began writing fiction in 2015 and since then have had stories published in The People’s Friend, My Weekly and Take a Break’s Fiction Feast. I’m also in the rather wonderful and unique position of writing a weekly soap opera, Riverside, which has been published in The People’s Friend since October 2016. I love writing short fiction and away from the Womag world, enter much darker, quirkier stories into competitions. I’ve had some success in winning or being highly placed in national and regional story competitions too (and I’ve a lot of failures, but let’s gloss over those, ahem). 

On the strength of all of this I plucked up the courage to approach a literary agent and was signed up by Caroline Sheldon of the Caroline Sheldon Literary Agency in London. Caroline secured me a three-book deal with Headline in 2017 to write historical novels set in the northeast coalmining village of Ryhope, where I was born and bred. My debut novel Belle of the Back Streets had three publishers fighting over it and in 2019 I was offered a second three-book deal with Headline.

After a life-time spent working in University admin, I’m now working full-time as a writer. This might sound glamourous and yes, it’s true there are trips to London and lovely long lunches with my editor and my agent (I’ve always wanted to say that line ever since I was a little girl writing dotty poems in my pink glittery notepad). But the truth of it is, when you’re a full-time writer it means sitting down at home and Getting On With It, while wearing comfortable trousers and eating too many biscuits at home. I love writing, it’s what I have always wanted to do, ever since I was a child and I couldn’t be happier now. I’m in my mid-50s so novel writing has come fairly late to me in life, but it’s here and I’m making the most of every day.

Before writing fiction, I had written non-fiction books, TV tie-in books about Coronation Street for ITV. This all came about as I’m such a huge fan of the show and have watched it since before I can remember. The Coronation Street books were a passion for me and I was very honoured and proud to be asked to write the official tribute book to the character of Deirdre Barlow after the actress Anne Kirkbride who played Deirdre, passed away in 2015. I’ve also ‘written’ Coronation Street’s official colouring book in that I had to choose 45 iconic images from the show’s 60 years and write descriptions of each one for the book. I continue to run the Coronation Street Blog fan site and edit a team of 16 bloggers.

I continue to bring my love of TV soap and drama to Riverside, the weekly soap opera I write for The People’s Friend. Riverside is a great deal of fun to write and remains the highlight of my writing week. I can take a step back from my historical novels, return to the contemporary world and write funny scenes and poignant stories. I love it!  

Glenda has kindly agreed to answer some of our questions on writing short stories and longer works for the womags. Please leave any you have as comments to this blog, and she'll be back later this month with her replies. In the meantime you make like to visit her Twitter account or visit her website.

Happy New Year!

I hope 2020 brings you all much happiness and positive stuff.

And for me, I hope next year starts as this one is ending – I've just had an acceptance from Shirley for The Weekly News!

The bit in between

I hope you enjoyed Christmas and that 2020 will be a good year for all womag writers. Who knows, maybe the better events of 2019 will be repeated and another new market will open up, and another publication will drop the requirement for all rights?

Whatever happens, we can't get our stories published until we've written them. Personally I find this time of year is very productive, but if you need a little nudge to get you started, A Year Of Ideas: 365 sets of writing prompts and exercises might be helpful.


Or maybe it's that tricky part between starting to think up ideas and reaching your reader that you'd appreciate assistance with? In that case From Story Idea to Reader is the book you want – and it's currently half price!

What are your writing plans for the rest of the year?

Season's Greetings

I'll still be doing daily posts, featuring free to enter writing competitions over on my other blog, but this will be my last Womagwriter post until after Christmas. (Unless there's some really exciting news to report!)

I'd like to wish you all a happy winter solstice, merry Christmas and jolly nice anything else you may celebrate. For those born at this time of year – Happy birthday!

New fiction editor at My Weekly

The new My Weekly fiction editor has been appointed. She's Susan Watson (currently My Weekly's celebrity editor.) Congratulations to her.

No changes to the submission process have been announced – I'll let you know when/if that happens.

Your Go

This month's discussion topic – If you didn't write Womag fiction, what would you do with the time you currently devote to it?

Here's another monthly random photo for use as a story prompt. 

Please share success (or otherwise!) report any womag news, tips, advice you may have, make womag related comments or observations and ask questions – and answer them too if you can help.

 (If you have news or a question relating to a particular magazine, it's also fine to add it as a comment to the latest post for that magazine.)

Writing competitions

If you like writing competitions, take a look at my other blog. Every day from last Friday until the winter solstice (at least) I'm featuring a different free to enter writing competition (short stories, poetry, novels, non-fiction etc).

Do you like writing competitions?

Ever been placed in any?

A YEAR OF IDEAS – 365 sets of writing prompts and exercises

Do you like writing prompts and exercises? If so, you'll love my new book. There are lots in there. I know it says 365 sets of them on the cover, but it's a leap year next year, and I have a tendency to get carried away, so there are a few more than that.

A YEAR OF IDEAS – 365 sets of writing prompts and exercises

All writers need ideas. We need topics and themes, prompts to get started and a little encouragement to keep going. New writers may be wondering where to begin, daunted by a blank page and want help to transform thoughts into fiction. Even the most experienced have dry periods when ideas don't flow, or times when they appreciate a push to try something different.

Patsy Collins' methods are proven to work. She's employed them at workshops where she's never failed to get her attendees, from brand new and nervous to burnt out, not just writing but producing interesting scenes, snippets and stories.

Each of the daily sets of prompts in this book have been used in some way by Patsy, to create her own work. She needs a lot of ideas as she's completed five novels, co-written From Story Idea to Reader (an accessible guide to writing fiction) and produced nineteen collections of themed short stories, averaging two dozen per book. Hundreds and hundreds of her short stories have been published – mainly in women's magazines. She blogs, writes articles, wins competitions and is always working on something new.

Whether you're a new writer, or a more experienced one temporarily out of ideas, have hours to fill or just five free minutes, you'll find something in this book to help get you writing – every day of the year.

You can buy it here. The price is £2.50 ($3.22) for the ebook and £6 ($7.74) for the paperback.

ISSNs

Thanks to Chris Sutton who, via a comment, has supplied some ISSNs (Magazine International Standard Serial numbers, needed to claim ALCS). 

For Woman's Weekly the ISSN is 00437417 

For Woman's Weekly Fiction Specials it's 23997508 

For My Weekly, it's 0262026X 

For My Weekly Fiction Specials it's 14790475

And for The Weekly News it's 02623714 (This is now considered a newspaper and not eligible for ALCS.)

ISSNs are usually displayed somewhere in the magazine, although it's often hard to find them. If you can't and you have work in a particular mag, you could email the fiction editor and ask them for that magazine's ISSN. 

From Bernadette –

Take a Break Fiction Feast is 09530983

People's Friend is 02622382

Writing Magazine is 09649166

From Glenda Young

The People's Friend Fiction Special 14790469 


ISSNs are often found in the bar codes, if you know how to interpret them.

If anyone adds other ISSNs and mentions them in the comments, then I'll add them to this post, hopefully providing a useful resource for us all.

Btw, I was really pleased this morning to see 13 new comments on this blog – until I realised every single one was spam! The spam is a bit annoying. Genuine comments are really appreciated. Whether they're asking questions, providing answers, encouraging me or others, even just a bit of chat, I value them all.

You magazine closed for submissions

You magazine, in South Africa, have now closed for submissions until 1st June 2020.

Your Go

This month's discussion topic – What's your favourite thing about writing womag stories?

Here's another monthly random photo for use as a story prompt. 

Please share success (or otherwise!) report any womag news, tips, advice you may have, make womag related comments or observations and ask questions – and answer them too if you can help.

 (If you have news or a question relating to a particular magazine, it's also fine to add it as a comment to the latest post for that magazine.)