The People's Friend have lots of stories in the shorter lengths, but not so many of 2,000 and 3,000 words, so if you're hoping for a relatively quick response, those are your best bet. Especially if they're set during the season the editor is scheduling for. Currently that's spring.
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.
Free entry writing competition news
Thanks to Maria Kinnersley for telling me about this competition for under represented writers. The prizes include cash and mentorship. You may enter fiction or poetry.
Thanks to Sheelagh, for the following – "There is a weekly six word story competition in the Irish Independent open to all, every week. The prize is €30 & the top 5 get published every week. I have entered a few times and made the top 5 at least 3 times but the €30 eludes me. Its good fun and the entry email address is weekendmag@independent.ie for anyone interested in entering."
I'd love to hear your competition news. Have you entered any competitions, heard about any, had any luck?
Do you have writing tips to share, questions to ask, or suggestions for this blog?
18 comments:
My news – I've had an acceptance from Thando at YOU and a story of mine is in this week's Ireland's Own.
I have quite a few stories out with TPF, some sent over two years ago. I queried some of those which have been long outstanding and unfortunately some had got lost in the system. I resubmitted them. I got a rejection and some others were 'passed up the line'.
Haven't heard of any new ones. Been watching those who entered Write Club fight it out on DL's site.
After a very very dry spell at Secret Attic, after one weekly write I mentioned, I had another, and a monthly short story and a drabble! The duck is broken! A very quick rejection from The Friend which is so much better than up to a year. Good to see you are getting some, Patsy :)
That's great Patsy. Well done on your successes & to Marguerite also. No news from here other than a quick rejection (2 day turn around) from TPF for a 3000 word story.
Well done Patsy.
If you're an unpublished TPF story writer, and you sub a story length that's 'in demand', it's actually irrelevant.
Work has got lost in the general email subbing system, so I've been forced to chase it after 3 months, only to re-sub and receive a reject in 2 days.
So hopeful TPF story writers, be prepared for a 3 month wait (or longer) for a decision.
I know a lot of published TPF fiction writers also have had work lost and on chasing, have been forced to re- sub and wait again.
Because of that, it's an even longer wait for decisions - over a year or more. I don't understand why so much work is getting lost.
Congratulations on your acceptances. I bought your book a couple of years ago and it's been really useful to me.
It's been very quiet for me for new acceptances, but no rejections either (so far!), but I have been given dates when two previously accepted stories will be published which is really exciting!
I've had a short story selected by Secret Attic, and like many of us, the speedy rejection from TPF.....I just don't seem to be able to crack that one! @Sheelagh I entered the weekly 6 word competition. Just interested to know... I didn't receive an acknowledgement, so presumably they just notify winners? Also, does it just run on a rolling basis, or is there a deadline each week? I couldn't find anything on their website. Thank you.
Thanks for the comp news, Patsy, and well done on publications. Very quiet on womag front for me atm. Chased up TPF but I didn't get a response. Some I ve had in since 2019. Had a story published in this week's You -South Africa.Got a highly commended in Anansi Archives flash comp and I ve reached the shortlist in Strands international flash comp. I sold a PN yo My Weekly and been told by other PN writers that I should now be able to submit short stories to My Weekly but I have had no response to two emails I have sent to the editor. Everything seems an effort atm!
@ New girl on the block; yes they only notify the main winner of the €30 each week, I've just realised that when I enter I usually just go and buy the Saturday paper to check which will not be so easy for you (or of great interest) if you are not living in the Republic of Ireland. I have never been able to access the competition results online without buying the paper (I'm sure there is a good reason for that, lol). & yes it is on a rolling basis so no deadline. From my experience you'd need to have in by Wednesday of the week in question or else it seems to go into the following weeks entries. Best of luck with that.
I still haven’t heard back from a story I subbed to Woman’s Weekly in early November, so fingers are crossed. (I’m going through a stage where I seem to be afraid to check emails). I’ve recently subbed two stories to Yours- one to their magazine and the other to their Fiction Special. So three ‘out there’ simultaneously is quite good for me.
Michael D
I have no news this month, other than that my mini-mystery will be published in Woman's World (USA) in a couple of days' time, so I'm very excited about that.
Like you and others, I have several stories that got lost in the People's Friend system and, after querying, I was asked to resubmit them. The resubmissions were a few months ago and I haven't heard anything yet. I fully understand that they're working from home, overloaded, and that systems break down, but I wish they would consider introducing a time limit - i.e. if you haven't heard back from us in X months, please consider it a rejection. Two years is such a long time not to know what's happening with the story. And for writers on the closed lists (I'm not), it must be extra frustrating, knowing you might have been able to place it elsewhere.
Wel done on your acceptances,Patsy. Well done to allthe other Womagwriters, too. I've just had an acceptance from TPF of a story I sent a year ago. So there is hope for the many other stories they have of mine! Just wondering if Alice is still the fiction editor at TAB as I may start subbing again now that we can keep copyright. Thanks for all the info, Patsy. Kate Hogan
I sympathise with those who have waited a long time to hear back about story submissions - waiting for news can be frustrating. However, I think it's fair to say that, for the past 22 months, fiction teams have been working in unprecedented conditions, with all kinds of additional work stresses, whilst possibly also dealing with covid illness themselves or within their families. I for one am glad that they have all managed to keep the womags coming week after week, or month after month, without fail - without which, we would have no magazines to which to submit at all. I really don't enjoy chasing up stories, as I don't like to feel I'm being a nuisance, but in fact I have been assured by editors that a gentle nudge after a reasonable time is perfectly welcome and any such nudges I have made have been answered with consideration and good humour. Just this month, I have had some successes with recent nudges and a day spent checking my records and resubmitting turned out to be very profitable - so I'm taking the positive view and saying a story that gets 'lost' for a while, can re-emerge rather nicely, like buried treasure or nuts squirreled away for winter! I appreciate that this isn't always the case, and long waits can also end in disappointment. I've probably said this before, but I firmly believe that the best remedy for waiting and for returned stories is to write, write, write - having more material 'out there' keeps hope alive, and, as writers, we really, really need that. Meanwhile, Kate H - yes, Alice is still the fiction editor at Take A Break/Fiction Feast. Fingers crossed for everybody for lots of success in 2022!
Well done on your successes, Patsy and fellow writers.
I have a story in the current People's Friend special and will have stories next month in both Yours and Yours Fiction. I agree with Eirin - keeping writing and sending out stories in order to have success.
On the other hand, I'm still waiting to be paid by SevenDays which is really not so good when they published the story several months ago...
Alyson
@Sheelagh - thanks for your reply.@Eirin - thanks for putting things in perspective with words of wisdom!
@ Alex – A battle of words can be quite exciting.
@ Marguerite – you're on a roll! I totally agree that a quick rejection is much better than waiting a long time for one.
@ Sheelagh – sorry it was a rejection, but pleased it was quick.
@ Sharon – 'new' writers seem to get a far quicker response than those already published by TPF. It varies from a few days to a few months, which I don't think is too bad. Several years is way too long!
@ Marian – It's great to hear that the book is useful.
@ New Girl – well done on the Secret Attic success and for trying the 6 word story.
@ Chris – it seems some stories have got lost, perhaps during the switch to moving from home. I suggest attaching any story you ask about so if it has gone astray they can look at it straight away.
@ Michael – good luck!
@ Liz – Like you I understand things haven't been easy for the editors lately, but yes it's really frustrating to have stories get lost (sometimes more than once!) and still have no decision a year or more after subbing. A cut off period would at least give a definite end point to the waiting and wondering.
@ Kate – Well done. Yes, it's still Alice.
@ Eirin – I hate chasing up stories too, but after discovering at least six of mine got lost at different times I realise I need to, or I'll never have an answer. I'm sure the problem is equally frustrating for editors who'd rather be reading stories than answering our queries and checking records.
I'm glad you got positive news from some of yours.
@ Alyson – I recently received my cheque and I've heard from others who have been paid, so you should have been too. I suggest emailing Siobhan and letting her know you're still waiting. I'm sure it's an oversight rather than attempt to get out of paying.
I'm encouraged that some writers on here have received payment from SevenDays, I, like @Alyson have not as yet received a cheque. However, as you suggest Patsy I will email Siobhan and let her know. Thank you for the ongoing advice and follow up.
@ Alyson F – I hope you get paid soon.
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