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?
27 comments:
Still waiting to hear about poetry submissions to The People's Friend. I guess I didn't make it! Other than that, still working on Book 3 in my Buchanan Mystery Romance Series. Oh, and marketing my books as always with a freebie coming up this weekend.
Such a lovely personal rejection email from Weird Christmas - to say I was a close contender but they were looking for a balance in the final podcast. I'm keeping on with the Writing Magazine one (sometimes two) a month - almost obsessively! One day...
I am too waiting on poetry submissions Fay but please don’t give up hope as they are incredibly busy at the moment and good news they just accepted my first 2000 word short story for publication soooo excited!!! I’m so glad I never gave up and kept submitting to them. Still waiting to hear on my many submissions to Yours Fiction but should be happy that I have had 2 published with them in 2020 so I’m keeping my fingers crossed for 2021 🤞🤩
I'd like to wish you, Patsy, and all your correspondents a very merry Christmas and much writing success in 2021.
Still writing and subbing...and waiting to hear! But with everything going on I'm sure that editors are finding it hard, like us, so just trying to be patient.
Has anyone heard anything from the new editors at Allas?
Working on my children's stories atm - take care everyone!
Well done, Marguerite. I love weird Christmas 😁
Hi, Just to say thank you Patsy for keeping us all in touch with what's going on. I don't often comment - but that doesn't mean I'm not following! A question - does The People's Friend have a policy of not accepting 'magical' stories - I can't find any in the editions I've looked at so far.
Completed a five part serial for TPF - the last part a little hurried as they were due a scheduling meeting, though I haven't heard when it's going to appear in the mag yet. Just had a story published in an anthology (definitely NOT Womag material as the stories centre round the nine circles of hell!) Still waiting to hear back from an agent, though I guess it will be after Christmas now. Merry Christmas all and a healthy, happy-and calmer- New year
Thanks for asking Patsy.
I was advised by The Romantic Writers of Australia that my novel Star Crossed Lovers has been long listed in the Sapphire Comp. along with 14 other works. Early days but I'm glad to get this far. Funny that I'm bothered about this. I'm finishing 2020 with 8 books bought and published with 3 more lined up for 2021 so far. Also my short story collection has been published in Australia. Made lots of lovely new writing friends and still subbing short stories. Could I wish you and readers of your blog a safe Festive Season. Your efforts to help writers like me over the years are greatly appreciated. Take care everyone.
Good news, and not such good news. Good news is that my mini story received an 'honourable mention' in On the Premises' latest mini-comp. Not such good news is that PF declined a short story - first rejection from them after a run of successes. Hey ho.
Thank you for gathering and sharing competition and Womag information for us. Wishing you and everyone here a Merry Christmas, and let's look forward to a happy and healthy 2021!
Thanks for keeping the blogs going, Patsy. The womag news is always useful and I often enter the competitions. The Perito Prize asked to use my story in the anthology so I guess my story got to the short list stage. The winners are on the site.
Merry Christmas to you and all reader.
Alyson
I'm not submitting, but I am writing regularly.
I had a friendly email from the On the Premises team to say that although my entry for the mini contest wasn't published, it was in the top 10% of entries, so I was encouraged by that.
Hope everybody has a lovely Christmas and a better 2021.
I've had three acceptances (1 short story and 2 serial instalments) from The People's Friend since the last Over To You, so I'm very happy. They've bought a lot of stories from me this year and I've been stoked that a few of them have been published during the last few weeks, including in one of the Christmas issues and in the Christmas Special.
I also had a shortlisting in the Scarlet Stiletto Awards, an annual short crime story contest for Australian women. I didn't get a prize this year (I've won a few in the past), but it's always great to be shortlisted.
I've been really happy with how things have worked out for me writing-wise in 2020. Writing feel-good fiction for the Friend really helped me during Melbourne's four-month-long hard lockdown.
Thanks for this blog, Patsy - I really appreciate that you take the time to keep us all updated with what's happening.
Wishing everyone a happy Christmas and good things for 2021. May it be a great writing year for all of us.
No new womag news but a flash fiction to be published in USA shortly. A Highly Commended in Flash500 comp recently and a shortlisting in a comp here in Melbourne. That's it from me!
Just a note to say, thanks for everything you do, Patsy. We all appreciate it so much! Have a lovely Christmas (as best you can) and let's hope we all have a Happy New Year!
AngieM
Running an email womag writing crit group, I've noticed that PF seem to be letting their
published short story writers know of their decisions.
So, it seems that if you're not a published story writer, you're stuck in a queue and waiting ages and ages - and this includes decisions on poetry.
I'm a published PF poet, but I'm waiting decision on both stories and poems. It's coming up to almost a year now on some work.
I've subbed work to Allas, but heard nothing from the new eds, so I assume it's a no, Carrie.
Many thanks for keeping this blog up, Patsy. I appreciate it and the hard work you put in. Wishing Patsy and all the writers and blog readers here a very merry Xmas and a Happy New Year!
Waiting (in vain, I suspect) for word of a story I subbed to Yours Fiction last August. Meanwhile still toiling away at the pocket novel. Just to echo comments above - thank you so much, Patsy, for running this wonderful blog and wishing you and all fellow womag writers a very Merry Christmas, and here's to better times in 2021!
Thank you to Patsy, as ever, for the blog. And sending writing congratulations or commiserations where appropriate... perseverance will win through!
My latest PF serial is ongoing... also have short story (unexpectedly!) accepted this month, for later publication, plus another still to meet its fate.
This is often the time when I slow up, but in this unusual year there seems a bit more time for writing, so for the moment I count that A Good Thing.
Wishing all a happy and peaceful holiday.
I've submitted a few stories to People's Friend, Yours and Prima and am waiting on responses. I know they will be busy so just keeping my fingers crossed and hoping no news is good news!
Jenny Worstall, you asked about a new address for Love Sunday, it is lovesundaystory@trinitymirror.com. Sadly, I haven't had any acceptances since Flavia left.
Just want to say thank you for all your hard work in keeping us updated on this blog Patsy. It's been invaluable to me and I really appreciate it.
Merry Christmas to all fellow Womag Writers. I hope that 2021 is a successful year for all of us.
@ Fay. Good luck with the books. Don't forget to put the free one on the Facebook group for free and bargain reads – https://www.facebook.com/groups/383663789418408
@ Marguerite – I understand why many editors can't do it, but it is nice to get a personal response explaining why our submission hasn't been used.
@ Charlie – That's brilliant news! Congratulations.
@ Eirin – Thank you!
@ Carrie – I did get a reply from the new Allas editors, but it just said they'd be in touch!
@ Sophie – They don't seem to go for anything that's purely fantasy or magical, but it can be hinted at. I sold one where magic was one possible explanation for what happened, but the reader could opt to think it was something else.
@ Lynn – Well done on the serial and the definitely not womag story. It's good to right something different occasionally, isn't it?
@ Alan – Ooooh, exciting! Congratulations on that and all your other achievements.
@ Wendy. Congrats on the honourable mention! Sorry about the rejection. If it's any consolation, I got one from them recently. I'd been so sure it was just what they were looking for, but obviously not. We'll just have to write them some more, won't we?
@ Alyson – Well done! Obviously it stood out as a good piece of writing or they wouldn't want to use it.
@ Natalie – You do have to do the writing first! Good luck when you do get to sending it out.
@ New Girl – It's so motivating to know we came close, isn't it?
@ Liz – Great year for you writing wise! I agree that writing feel good stories can lift our mood, just as reading them can.
@ Lindsay – Good work on the flashing!!!
@ Angie – Thank you!
@ Sharon – I think the main reason that previously published writers are hearing back, and that new (to PF) aren't is that those with editors can email in their work and this can be read by people working from home. I believe that some postal submissions are being read now, but there's a backlog with these.
@ Patricia – Yours Fiction don't seem to reply unless it's an acceptance. I don't think it's fair to leave people in limbo like that – they could do as TWN used to and give a cut of period after which writers were to assume a rejection, so they knew where they stood. This situation is particularly frustrating and confusing as the Yours (as opposed to Yours fiction) does send rejections – and sometimes stories get passed between them.
@ Penny – Well done on the sale. The unexpected successes seem extra sweet.
@ Sharon – Thanks so much for the info. I'll add that into my next post. Fingers crossed for the stories you're waiting to hear back on.
Happy Christmas and New Year to all! Thanks for this blog -so informative and helpful. I wonder if it would have been better for TPF to temporarily suspend postal submissions because it's frustrating not knowing if they have even started looking through what must be a sizeable pile of submissions now. Linda
@ Linda – Perhaps if they'd realised how long they'd be working from home they would have done.
Sharon H, thanks for the info for Love Sunday.
And big thanks to Patsy for running this blog and keeping us all up to date!
I have heard PF will be using my poem in the next PF Special, which I am over the moon about. Until yesterday when I heard about the poem, I hadn't had an acceptance (or rejection) from PF for over 15 months. They have 4 pocket novels of mine and stories in double figures...and I'm a previously published author with them (so have been emailing submissions). I have emailed a few times to query but don't want to disturb them again at such a busy time. I know I need to be patient and I know they all work incredibly hard and are over-loaded, but the situation does puzzle me as I haven't heard of quite such a long wait from anyone else. Any advice? And a very Happy Christmas to everyone!
Hi, just to let Jenny, and others know, that I too have many stories with PF, and I think I've had only one acceptance this year. I would usually have had quite a few more. I'm guessing it's possible that some writers (Like myself) have been assigned to new fiction teams and editors, who are learning the ropes and of course how to deal with the massive workload, which is no doubt increasing as other markets have been disappearing. Let's hope we all hear some good news soon. Good wishes and Happy Christmas to all. Kate Hogan.
Hello Patsy and all, will be back with writing stuff but desperately looking for anyone who knows people in Seville. Our Costa Blanca dog homing group has one of the hardest challenges yet. Rock is a small dog who has just been rescued after years on the streets. He desperately needs a foster or forever home in Seville as that is where he is being treated. All costs will be met. If you could all share on Facebook pages we may have a chance of finding a loving person to care for him. All information is on the Costa Blanca Dog Homing site. Thank you. Maureen
Post a Comment