Monday 14 September 2020

Over To You



Do you have any womag news?

Are you researching, writing, subbing? Had any acceptances or rejections? Any other news?


Feel free to use the as a picture prompt. If you'd like other writing prompts, short exercises and story/scene suggestions then you might find this book useful.


I'd love to hear your competition news.

Have you entered any writing comps? Had any luck? Heard about interesting contests? Got any tips to pass on? (Although I only feature free to enter competitions in my posts it's fine to share news about other competitions too.)

Do you have writing tips to share, questions to ask, or suggestions for this blog?

My news is that I had a story in last week's Hemmets magazine, I'll have one in the 26th September issue ofMy Weekly, and two in the next People's Friend Special.

I also have a story up on Longshot Island. Submissions are open for this market, which offers a small fee. Previously published work will be considered – provided the author has retained copyright.

My short story collection Coffee & Cake won't be released until December 1st, but as an experiment, it's available to 'pre order'.


25 comments:

Chris Sutton said...

Everything on the acceptance front is still very quiet as far as I'm concerned, Patsy. I am sending out stories, both new and reworked, but other than the odd automated response, I am hearing nothing back. My only published story so far this month is in That's Life Australia, and it wasn't a new acceptance but one that had appeared in Fast Fiction seven years ago, which they have decided to reuse.

Was interested to see your mention of your story in Hemmett magazine. Well done, it's great to have your work translated into another language. I have been submitting to the Swedish mag Allas much more recently - is Hemmett published by the same company? Do you have guidelines/contact details, please?

Chris Sutton said...

Looks like that should have been Hemmets, ooops.

Patsy said...

@ Chris – I thought I had a link up for them. Wonder where that went? It's the same deal as with Allas.

Chris Sutton said...

So you send to the same fiction ed, do you, Patsy? Lotta Gustavsson. Do you just say in your email 'for consideration for Allas/Hemmets magazine' and leave her to decide? Presumably fifteen hundred words, the same as Allas?

Patsy said...

@ Chris – Sorry, I'm getting my Scandi names mixed up now! I meant Allers. You sub to Allas, where they're first published, then they can be reused in the other magazines. They all send copies, which is nice as they often have great illustrations.

Chris Sutton said...

Ah, okay, thanks for the clarification - good to know it's not just me who gets things muddled!!

Natalie Aguirre said...

Congrats on getting some of your stories published. I'm trying to write consistently, and it's working.

Anonymous said...

I wonder is anyone willing to share what kind of stories they've found success with, with the Allas family of magazines? As I'm unable to read them, I'd be extremely grateful if anyone could indicate the kind of subject matter and tone that has been accepted, so I'm not shooting completely in the dark, if submitting. Thanks. Patsy, congrats on a busy spell of successes! Best wishes to all from Eirin Thompson

Liz said...

I've had two acceptances from The People's Friend over the past couple of weeks, which I'm very happy about.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Congratulations on the story and your upcoming book!

New girl on the block said...

I entered the limerick competition you mentioned on this blog. I didn't win anything, but it was fun writing a limerick!

Penny A said...

Congratulations on the story publications! Good to hear.

Two recent shorts in PF. Ploughing ahead with new serial. Still waiting to hear fate of episode 1, but that's okay because more research has become needful!

AND (it always seems to happen) while doing my best to concentrate (honest) have had to stop to try out a couple of pesky new ideas I shall probably forget if I don't write something down. They may come to naught... but if I don't draw the quick spidergram, then they most certainly will!

Lindsay said...

Had my first womag acceptance ever. A story in an October edition of Yours.

Lynn Love said...

Well done on all your success, Patsy. I'm still in the middle of writing a five part serial for the Friend, waiting in feedback from the second part before I start the third. I also entered the Best ghost story comp you shared, so thanks so much for that - love writing ghost stories. Still tweaking a novel opening as I have an agent 1 to 1 coming up next month- wish me luck!

Chris Sutton said...

Well done to all who've had acceptances, Lindsay especially. That first womag acceptance is always a thrill. Congratulations all round.

ados123 said...

Well done on your stories, Patsy. I also would love to know what sort of stories Allas accept - so few markets around!
I've started a serial for TPF. Never written one before although had lots of short stories with them and a long read. I'm also working up at story for this competition -which I think you mentioned here before, free to enter...

https://www.weareperito.com/perito-prize

Alyson

Patsy said...

@ Natalie – Consistently producing work of a publishable standard is the way to go, I think.

@ Eirin – Maybe I need a post on Hemmets and Allas. They take quite a range of styles, from humorous and quirky, through spooky to tear jerker. You just have to take into account that there culture is a little different, so some stories which work for the UK market might not be suitable. (I'm jolly impressed with myself for selling them one involving politics!)

@ Liz – well done!

@ Alex – thank you!

@ New Girl – I'm glad you enjoyed entering. It would have been even better if you'd won a prize, but that still makes it worth me having mentioned it.

Patsy said...

@ Penny – Well done with the sales and best of luck with the serial and new ideas.

@ Lindsay – That's fabulous! Well done.

@ Lynn Love – I do indeed wish you luck!

@ Alyson – ditto what I replied to Eirin! Thanks for the comp reminder.

Charlie said...

Congratulations to everyone on their acceptances, I got my second ghost story coming out in Yours in October which I’m thrilled about and lots more out there but quiet on that front, still got my fingers crossed for a story submitted a year ago to PF and told still being considered so fingers crossed. Also working on my first novel - slow progress though.

Anonymous said...

A post on Allas and related magazines would be great, Patsy - thanks. Congratulations to all those who have had recent successes and especially to Lindsay for that all-important first breakthrough - may it lead to many more stories being accepted. Best wishes from Eirin Thompson

Marguerite said...

Congratulations all the acceptances! Still waiting to copy Lindsay ;) Rejection from People's Friend :( but highly commended in the Pennine Ink Comp which balanced it out :) That must be so gratifying when you get your first Womag acceptance :)

Anonymous said...

Not much to report here. Have a few stories waiting in the wings to be published at My Weekly, lots of stories with People's Friend - but no word on acceptances. Almost entered the Query Letter competition with a book blurb, but the site wouldn't let me submit! The good news TAB had underpaid me on one of my stories, and will, given thanks to Shane Telford for advising I contact them, pay me the money they underpaid. So a very big 'Thank You' to Shane for coming on thisr blog to advise me. Thanks again Shane, and thanks to Patsy for providing the platform for Shane to do so. Good wishes Kate Hogan.

Nicola Martin said...

I've had a couple of acceptances come trickling in from The People's Friend over the past month, although still waiting to hear on a few (including some seasonal ones, which seem to have missed the boat, ho hum).

I've been trying to flog a 5,000-word crime short story to some competitions with no luck. I think it's time to edit it down so I have more options of where to submit it.

Thanks, as always, for your blog, Patsy.

Patsy said...

@ Charlie – Well done on the latest acceptance and best of luck with the others.

@ Eirin – There will be a post tomorrow. (If you or anyone else has suggestions for posts, please let me know. I don't promise I'll be able to write them, or persuade guests to, but I can try.)

@ Marguerite – Well done for being highly commended. Hopefully a magazine sale will follow shortly.

@ Kate – excellent news the payment was sorted out. That proves the value of us sharing information and experiences – which thankfully many writers are generous enough to do.

@ Nicola – congratulations on the sales, and good luck finding a home for the crime story.

ChrisC said...

Congratulations to everyone who has had some success of late. Delighted to have had my first acceptance from Yours magazine. Still waiting to here when my PF story will be in print. Got a few more out there so hoping for news soon!