I have a story in the current (February) edition of Woman's Weekly. It was accepted over a year ago under the old terms. Voodoo Val is about a change of management upsetting all the workers, and someone deciding to release tension by sticking pins into an image of the new boss. There's a happy ending not because of any black magic, but because everyone stuck together.In other news, I've had acceptances so far from three different womags. Two more editors are either holding onto stories for possible use, or have passed them on to the senior team for consideration.
Thanks to Sharon Boothroyd's guest post I've also had a story accepted by Love Sunday magazine (it comes with the Sunday People newspaper.) I gave it a try for research purposes and as a result will have a story in the 20th January issue. I'm hoping it might encourage more people to take a look at my books.
Guest posts, relevant to womag writing, are always welcome. If you'd like to share information or an experience, pass on tips or news, even just ask a question do get in touch. (Auto correct keeps trying to change womag to wombat – if you do happen to be a wombat who writes fiction, I'd be delighted to hear from you too!)
There's a People's Friend special, due out on 23rd January which will contain one of my stories. That's a 1,200 word one. It seems they still get a good supply of these and that longer stories may stand a better chance.
How are you getting on so far this year? Have you submitted anything, had replies, or are you expecting work to be published soon?
13 comments:
Well done on the stories coming out shortly, Patsy.
Well done on your sales, Patsy. I, too am still having the occasional story - submitted over a year ago, and accepted on the old terms - published in Woman's Weekly. How sad I am not to be able to submit any more to the magazine under their new terms. I have a couple of stories due to be published in My weekly, and something of a backlog with Take A Break - though they did buy a Christmas story from me. Anyone else have a backlog with them? My writing has become increasingly sporadic of late, though hoping it will soon pick up! Good wishes Kate Hogan.
@ Carol – thank you!
@ Kate – Congratulations on the acceptances. By a backlog with TAB, do you mean of stories accepted and awaiting publication, or which haven't yet had a reply?
My accepted stories seem to get used fairly quickly. Acceptances and rejections for most stories come reasonably quickly too, but some have a long wait. When I've queried, I've been assured they really still are under consideration, and I have had the odd one accepted after a lengthy wait.
Thanks, Patsy. I meant a backlog of stories not yet accepted or rejected. Wish it was that they were accepted! Good wishes.Kate Hogan
Well done on submitting your stories! Here's to a more productive year. Thanks for sharing!
www.ficklemillennial.blogspot.com
I enjoyed your very poignant Love Sunday story, Patsy. It's a shame that no fee is offered, but a double paged spread in a national publication isn't to be sneezed at and I hope it attracts lots of traffic to your website.
@ Kate – hopefuly at least some of them will be.
@ Gina – thank you, and yes, here's to a productive year for us all.
@ Maggie - thank you for letting me know you saw it.
Hi Patsy - we know each other from #writingchat. I'm thinking of having another try at submitting to womags. In the past my stories were always judged too dark but I'll try and tone down. I've had one published in Love Sunday and they don't seem to mind dark.
Anyway, I wanted to check with you the latest on submitting to Woman's Weekly. I understand there's a new fiction editor and they've reopened to submissions from writers new to them. Is that right and could you confirm the new editor's name. Thanks so much.
Helen
Hi Helen,
Yes, they've reopened to submissions. New editor fiction editor is Emma Shaclock. There have been other changes too. I suggest looking at other posts on this blog (either use the search function, or scroll down the stuff on the right of the page until you see the guidelines quick links and select Woman's Weekly) as there are things you may wish to consider before subbing to them.
Thanks for that advice, Patsy.
I have just read and enjoyed your Voodoo Val story Patsy. Thought with all the recent changes to contracts/copyright this line was quite prescient.."...new contracts had been brought in just after Shirley started. Several people's job descriptions had been changed with a 'take it or leave it' attitude from head office." Ha! How's that crystal ball??
June x
@ June – maybe I should write one about lots of new markets opening up?
@Patsy - do it! June x
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