The sky is still a cloudless blue, the sea an invitingly cool blue, and some of the prettiest flowers in my garden right now are blue. I'm not blue myself – just a smidge exasperated with some aspects of this writing lark.
Free entry competition news
Wasafari are looking for, "critical essays of an exemplary standard, which constitute the most exciting academic work happening today across the field of international contemporary literature." There's a £250 prize, plus other benefits for the best entry.
I've never written anything like that, and doubt I ever will (not enough of a blue stocking?) How about you?
Thanks to Alyson for reminding we about this competition from Comma Press. £500 is on offer for a short story with the theme of Music. All shortlisted entries will be published in an anthology.
Womag news
Nothing much to report! I'm not getting acceptances, or rejections. It feels as though everything I submit is slithering into a heap behind a metaphorical sofa out in cyberspace.
I have had an acknowledgement of a submission and a response, but not an actual answer, to a query about long outstanding submissions.
Yours have stopped sending the automatic responses, so now we don't even have the reassurance that our story arrived safely as we wait for a response which might not come. The website states Yours Fiction don't send rejections, but Yours does. They no longer provide a cut off period past which you may assume your story will not be used.
Email subscriptions to this blog
To the right of this post is the option to sign up for email blog updates. Some people have reported that it doesn't work very well, or that they're unable to add their email to the list. I'm sorry about that, but don't know how to fix it. If anyone does know, please tell me!
If you do subscribe, you should get a confirmation email with a link to click to activate your subscription. You may also get scary warnings about it not being secure!
Sorry, I can't add anyone myself. That's probably a data protection thing. I do have a newsletter you can sign up for, which does seem to work, but that's not news about my writing, not blog updates.
I've added a link to an alternative way to subscribe, just in case that's helpful. If you try it, please let me know if it works!
Sorry not to be better and more professional with the technology side of things.
8 comments:
Borage? Well, that worked, Patsy :) I got the message as per... (Had to look up blue stocking - did not know that one! That's cos I'm not one!) The music one looked good for me - thank you :)
Ditto re the black submissions hole. To be fair I've just about stopped subbing now as it was getting too depressing. I may send something to You (SA) just to test the water but I am having trouble being bothered (and it's too hot!!)
As far as comps go, if I can't understand the submission requirements then I decide it is not meant for me :)
Don't sweat (see what I did there?) the techie stuff - I couldn't even set up a website. You're doing a grand job as always x
Thanks, Patsy. So I wonder how long Yours want to hold a story for? I usually find Yours Fiction responds pretty quickly if they want a story. Yours is a longer wait but I do get a thank you or no thank you eventually...
Alyson
August is usually a pretty slow month in the womag world, Patsy - maybe a lot of fiction eds are away on holiday?
I think it will pick up in September, as some decisions on Xmas stories could be given out.
The last time I subbed to YOU, it was in July and their auto message said that their fiction window was still closed.
Unless I hear otherwise, I'll stop subbing there.
I've also heard that they expect all fiction writers (even established ones) in the event of an acceptance, to send passport scans again.
There's been problems with payment too and I know writers have been forced to chase a lot.
If mags make it difficult for writers, then they'll stop subbing, and then the mag won't have any fiction material at all.
Thanks as ever Patsy, I'm not very techie myself so not sure I subscribed or not but not to worry as I just check in regularly for updates & I have just joined the newsletter as well. I am enjoying yours and Rosemary's book, its great for motivating one to get on with a bit of writing. I would love to have a go at the music writing piece but sadly its for UK residents only and as for the literary essay, it sounds a bit too much like a college thesis to elicit any interest from me at this stage, I only write for pleasure. Nothing else to report i.e. like acceptances but then I have so little out there at the moment that an acceptance would be a little miracle
Ah brilliant Patsy, I managed to subscribe to emails (well I managed to put my email address in & hit the button) I don't think I ever actually did that before lol You are way ahead of me in the techie stakes
Thank you very much for the competition news. I like reading everyone else's comments as well - it makes me feel that I'm not alone!
@ Marguerite – Yes, that's borage. Good luck with the competition.
@ Sherri – Yes, the black holes are depressing. Once I used to decide which magazines to focus my attentions on based mostly on the type of stories they published and the pay rates. Now I do it according to whether or not I think I'll ever get a response!
@ Alyson – It would really help if they either responded to all submissions or gave a definite cut off period, wouldn't it?
@ Sharon – You're right that holidays are likely to be adding to the delays. I hope you're also right that things pick up soon!
YOU do seem to have quite a few snags with payments. Far more than other overseas mags I've sold to. South African finance laws appear to be complex!
@ Kate – I hope you do get a response and that your masterpiece finds the home it so obviously deserves.
@ Sheelagh – When we're not very technically minded it's hard to know whether we've done something wrong, or missed something we should have done, or if it's the system not working correctly. I expect I try to fix mistakes I haven't made and miss those I have.
I'm hoping for a miracle for you.
@ Marian – I feel the same about the comments. However frustrating things get, it's of some comfort to know it's not just us.
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