Each month I'll be making a posting just like this one, so blog readers can ask any questions*, share any womag news, tips, advice they may have, or make womag related comments or observations.
*If you can answer these, please do.
Have you written anything lately? Had an acceptance or rejection? Got a story in one of the current magazines? Waiting for a reply to your submission?
I had a bad year generally thanks to a big house moved but managed to sell 5 Christmas stories - one in the lat PF Special, and one in the current issue, plus a story in Woman's Weekly, and more to come out in My Weekly soon. I have 28 stories out there at the moment, not including subs to Australia as they don't officially reject stories which make sit hard to keep track. I am working with Vanda Inman at the moment. We set a different theme each week then share feedback. It seems to be working well. Over Christmas, I will make sure I have enough ideas on file so that when I need Xmas stores next time, I will have the starting points already waiting. Much easier than doing that in the summer when Christmas is a faded memory.
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting, Linda. It's nice to know I'm not talking to myself.
ReplyDeleteIt's not surprising that moving home slowed up your writing output - it's quite literally an unsettling time, as well as a busy one.
Congratulations on your recent sales!
Making notes for seasonal stories as events occur is a sensible idea. As you say, it's harder to remember all the details six months later.
Hi Patsy, I sold my first womag story earlier this year, (to That's Life Australia). It was actually a story that had been sitting around on a floppy disc since the millennium! It just needed a good shake and edit.
ReplyDeleteI've just had an idea for an Easter story, and wondering if my timing's out regarding when to send it. Will most of the mags have their Easter stories prepared by now do you think?
Tricia
Not writing as much 'in retirement,' perhaps. (Note the inverted commas - retirement can be when you wondered how you ever found time for work!) But have recently sold a story to PF. It's about 'A Surprising Girl' called Molly, but quite possible either name or title, or both, will change. I never mind if that happens. And I loved writing it!
ReplyDeleteA Happy Christmas to you, Patsy, and everyone!
@ Tricia - congratulations on your first sale! I'd definitely write the story you have an idea for. Depending on the market you try for, you might not be too late to send it now, but even if you are, a story written while the idea is fresh has a better chance of eventual success than one you forget to write.
ReplyDelete@ Penny - Do writers ever retire? I'm guessing not if they still love writing. Congratulations on your sale to PF.
Hello, i read and review books does anyone know if there's any magazines that i could write an article in? I already do facebook, goodreads and amazon. Xx
ReplyDelete@ Anonymous You could try writing into the letters pages of magazines, about books you think their readers may be interested in. Many magazines pay quite well for letters. If a book changed your life or helped you through a problem you could try a true life story too - these are very well paid.
ReplyDeleteYou could also try writing straightforward reviews for this site - http://copperfieldreview.com/?page_id=99
I'd love you to leave reviews for my books on Amazon etc. Not A Drop To Drink is a free ebook of short stories.
A 'better late than never' comment: I had a short story in the November issue of Prima magazine. I hope this is becoming a regular thing; I had one in the November 2016 issue too! Recently I submitted to 'The People's Friend' for the first time and received a rejection within two and a half weeks. I wasn't too crestfallen - at least I wasn't waiting for ages and they did give me a bit of feedback saying that the outcome was too predictable. They also gave me a giggle: the title of the story was 'All that glitters is not gold' but the subject line in the PF read 'All that glitters is not good'. I did not have high expectations of the response having read that!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the brilliantly informative blog, Patsy, and festive greetings to all womag writers.
Amanda
That gave me a laugh too Amanda! A deliberate (if cruel!) 'subject title'?
ReplyDelete- or a Freudian slip of the mouse???
SeaSideGal
Although it has been a quieter year for me than the previous one, I'm pleased to have written my first novel which was accepted for My Weekly Pocket Novels and will be published in March. Considering my pathetic attention span these days, it was an achievement, one I never thought I could manage before. It's set in Australia (naturally)/
ReplyDeleteThat allows me into the My Weekly select writers and, thanks to your posts here Patsy, I'm in the Woman's Weekly writer list also. We shall see what 2018 brings. Just finished my second novel and will submit that soon.
@ Amanda - congratulations on having a story in Prima!
ReplyDeleteHa! Funny typo, on the PF rejection. I can see why you didn't get your hopes up.
@ SeaSideGal - I can't imagine anyone at PF being so mean as to do that on purpose
@ Tassie Devil - congratulations for the Pocket Novel! It certainly is an achievement.
Well this hasn't been my most creative year for many reasons. However keen to keep up my writing ritual I have hauled out lots of my old rejected stories, some of which have been re rejected many, many times. So I tweaked and I tweaked the old unwanted tales here and there, then sent them off into the wild blue yonder yet again. I can't believe how many have been enthusiastically accepted. I'm chuffed, though baffled. The moral of the story, though, is do not give up on a story. When the creative muse is in hibernation, rework, rewrite, and resubmit those old friends and maybe they'll find a home.
ReplyDeleteI have a biggish general question, but I'm wondering whether it might be better suited to the "questions and contact" page. Please advise.
ReplyDeleteIf it's a general one, to which you're hoping for several answers, then a guest post (similar to the current one by Lisa Watts) might work best?
ReplyDeleteSaved as a favorite, I really like your web site!
ReplyDelete