Wednesday 17 February 2021

Over To You

Here's the latest news from The People's Friend about COVID stories, how to submit fiction of all kinds and answers to other frequently asked questions.

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.

Thanks to Lindsay Bamfield for passing on the link to this free entry writing competition. There's a £725 / $1000 prize on offer.

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?

15 comments:

ChrisC said...

I ve submitted quite a few stories over last few weeks, still waiting to hear about ones submitted to TPF. I ve entered a couple of competitions from last post - thank you Patsy.

Niddy said...

I've had a Pocket Novel accepted by My Weekly, this is my second to be published, something I'm quite proud of. Have entered couple of competitions and subbed a couple of stories. Now working on a couple of Christmas stories because you can never be too early to sub seasonal stories.

Helen Yendall said...

May I please mention a short story competition which isn't free to enter but it's only £5 and copyright remains with the author. There is even an option to have your winning or placed story published on the website or not, as you wish. It's the Evesham Festival Short Story competition. No theme, cash prizes and last year's winner was actually cosy crime and saga writer (and author of the Riverside weekly soap in People's Friend), Glenda Young. All the details are here and the closing date is 12th March at 5pm. I have a vested interest because I'm one of the first readers for the competition. Looking forward to receiving lots more fabulous stories! thank you, Patsy. https://eveshamfestivalofwords.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/EveshamFoW-Short-Story-Competition-2021-31.10.20.pdf

Amanda B said...

Entered the Penguin Christmas Love Story comp - took me a whole day to come up with a 200-word pitch! Excited to have been shortlisted in the LoveReading Very Short Story Award with a story that's been around forever. If anyone has a minute to vote for it in the People's Vote I'd be really grateful. The link is below and mine is no.6, The Maiden's Garland. Thank you.

https://www.lovereading.co.uk/book-awards/vss/The-LoveReading-Very-Short-Story-Award.html

Amanda B said...

Congrats on the Pocket Novel.

Liz said...

I had a short story accepted by TPF a couple of weeks ago.

I've submitted a couple of stories to TPF so far this month and am currently working on what I hope will be my second feature for them.

@Niddy - congrats on the pocket novel
@Helen - I spent a lot of time in Evesham as a kid. I have many happy memories of family days out there.

ados123 said...

Thanks for the competition Patsy and Lindsay - shall definitely have a go at that one.

@Helen - have entered!
@Niddy - well done on the pocket novel.

Am in awe of those who write long.

Alyson

Sharon boothroyd said...

I think it might be a good idea to update or remove some of the mag guideline links, as the climate has changed so much.
Eg- The Woman's weekly fiction special no longer accepts work, nor do That's Life in Australia. The weekly News has ceased production.
I'm thinking newbie womag writers could read this old information, eagerly submit their work and it'll be for nothing.

Patsy said...

@ Chris – I hope you hear back about some of them soon and get good news.

@ Niddy – Well done with the pocket novels!

@ Helen – You appear to have got away with it! Interesting that people have the choice about whether or not to have placed entries published. I can see there are reasons for and against, so it's good to have the option.

@ Amanda – Pitches and synopsis are harder than writing a whole novel! Good luck in the competition!

@ Liz – Well done for the acceptance and good luck with the feature.

@ Alyson – It does look a good one, doesn't it.

@ Sharon – If people read the info on each mag they'll see the current situation – which in the case of Woman's Weekly and That's Life I hope will change. Sadly I can't see TWN ever coming back – which is why it no longer appears on the list in the sidebar.

Many people read out of date info and don't realise markets are closed. By leaving a mention of them on this blog, readers will be able to find that out. If I delete all mention of them, they'll not know and could waste their time submitting after reading old guidelines.

Elizabeth McGinty said...

Hi Patsy,
Thanks for all the info and comp information. I am currently working on a larger piece of writing. Congratulations to everyone who has had some recent writing success and/or sent off submissions.

My most up to date and exciting news... I am featured as The People's Friend, Writer of the Week for this week, answering some questions about my Pocket Novels.

Marguerite said...

I think my next target had better be getting out of the habit of just writing short stories. I too have admiration for anyone who can sustain a story for words and words and...,. Being of a certain age, I am pursuing Write Time (for the over 60s). A small fee to submit. They currently offer feedback if you are unsuccessful.

Penny A said...

Congratulations to everyone with stories 'out there' and doing well! I see that PF tell us that Covid-related (although not Covid-scary) stories might be acceptable. I think it's important to acknowledge all that's happening at present, but honestly not sure I feel up to tackling it myself just yet, even as background.
Meanwhile continuing with the current serial, which seems to demand all my attention at the moment... and which is comfortably set in the past...
Thanks as ever, Patsy, for the blog and keeping us all in touch!

New girl on the block said...

I've got a story with Covid background out there with Yours at the moment. It'll be interesting to see how it gets on.... if it's rejected, I'll try it with TPF.

Nick Wilford said...

That competition sounds quite interesting. Hopefully some cogs start turning. Thanks to Lindsay.

Patsy said...

@ Elizabeth – Congratulations on being the PF writer of the week – and good luck with that larger project.

@ Marguerite – I don't think there's any 'just' about writing short stories. Novels, poems, articles, plays etc etc are different, but they're not better (or worse!) than short stories.

@ Penny – I think we feel the same way about this. It seems wrong to completely ignore COVID in fiction, but I don't personally want to write or read about it at the moment.

@ New Girl – Good luck and do let us know if it's successful and if the editor makes any comment regarding the COVID element.

@ Nick – Good luck if you do try it.