I've had one of those weeks where it's taken all my time to do almost nothing, so apologies for not finding much info.
If someone could make up a clever sounding reason for littering this post with lighthouses, so I can say, 'You're absolutely correct,' that would be marvellous.
Free entry writing competitions
If you write plays, here's your chance to go to London to see it being recorded and earn £2,500 in cash. And here's another competition, this time with a £3,000 prize.
Do any of you write plays? If so, does it pay as well as these suggest?
Harper's Bazaar are again running a short story competition and again it seems to be a rights grab. 
By entering the competition and in consideration for Hearst publishing your entry, you assign to Hearst the entire worldwide copyright in your entry for all uses in all print and non-print media and formats, including but not limited to all rights to use your entry in any and all electronic and digital formats, and in any future medium hereafter developed for the full period of copyright therein, and all renewals and extensions thereof, any rental and lending rights and retransmission rights and all rights of a like nature wherever subsisting.
Creative Futures are running three competitions (poetry, fiction or creative non-fiction) for UK writers who are who are underrepresented--those who find it difficult to access the writing world either because of mental health issues, disability, health, or social circumstance. There are cash prizes as well as courses and mentorships on offer.
As always –
New blog posts are published each Saturday. All blog readers are welcome to use the comment section to share writing news, tips, successes, links to competitions and other publication opportunities, to ask questions and to respond to comments from others.
12 comments:
Thanks Patsy I'm reading a great book called Story Engineering which was recommended to me by a writer (Sheena Billett, author of From Manchester to the Arctic, wonderful book too) I met in London in December at the launch of the Evergreen anthology, for anyone thinking of writing a fictional novel, it's a useful tool. Writing a little bit as well so that's good as I got out of the habit towards the end of last year.
Love the lighthouse photos, they always fascinate me. I'd love to stay in one for a while, what does that say about me I wonder? Do I recognise one of those as an Irish lighthouse or do most of them look similar? Now why would you be focusing on lighthouses at present, perhaps you have lost your way a little and are looking for guidance or a light to illuminate the path ahead! How's that for an interpretation?
Hi Patsy, love the lighthouse photos, maybe because my grandfather was a lighthouse keeper so they are dear to my heart. I love Sheelagh's interpretation too and also the book recommendation, thank you Sheelagh.
Well done on the fabulous book review Patsy, absolutely spot on!
Thanks also for the comp info. Regarding Harper's Bazaar rights grab, given the author's names they use in the blurb, I wonder how many of those authors would have given up so many rights.
The People's Friend last year also took the rights to every entry in their competition, too - which is why I didn't enter.
As Prima mag have the same T&C's, I don't enter the Prima one.
I think you'd need to be very good indeed to make a full time living at play writing, either for stage, radio or the TV screen.
You'd need an agent, for a start!
I don't know how TV soap writers started out. It would be interesting to discover how they began their careers.
I think they'd probably have a degree, and then get taken on as a story liner in the existing team. I don't know - I'm just guessing!
Yes well done on the great book review Patsy, well deserved.
Thanks for the comps, Patsy. Screen/play writing isn't for me, I don't think, although never say never.
I like the lighthouse pictures too. I've featured a lighthouse as a holiday home in several short stories I've written.
I've just done the Globe Soup seven day challenge and am working on a sci fi one for their other competition. It's quite nice to have a change from womags...
Alyson
As always, I love the pictures - an atmospheric setting for a tale or two...,. My sum total recently has been a couple of Secret Attic subs and one for Lipstick and Lies - not even sure if it fits the bill but it exercises the writing muscle ;) Congratulations on the review, Patsy. Not sure about any of the comps this week. Still loads around in abeyance to do, though...
All of your time to do almost nothing? Most weeknights, that's me!
Great lighthouse photos. I've just squeezed a last-minute poetry submission in to Northern Gravy, and last week I submitted a poem to From the Horse's Mouth (thanks to the blog for both those links). Otherwise nothing to report.
Many thanks for the latest competitions. I haven't tried to write a play - I'm a member of a drama society and I know a couple of people who have written pantomimes, but I don't think I'd know how to start! I've submitted a few stories over the last week, but it had been a quiet time otherwise until I got an acceptance from The People's Friend, which really cheered me up!
Thanks for the comps Patsy and congratulations on the book review.
I had a poem, Barn Owl, published on Sylvia website this week. Unfortunately it was under someone else’s name so I had a day of trying to get in touch and eventually it was changed. Very glad it wasn’t in a printed mag!
I’m late to the party this week because like Alyson I was doing the Globe Soup seven day challenge although in my case it was the seven draft challenge. The story had a mind of its own, but eventually last night I had something I was happy to submit. Even if it gets nowhere in the competition, I have another story finished and that feels like a win.
@ Sheelagh – You're right in several ways!
There is an Irish lighthouse in the mix. It's Hook Head. That's quite a way from you, but if you're that way it's worth a visit. Not so much for the lighthouse as the seabirds behind it. There's a large sea stack very close to land which means you get great views.
In the UK there are several lighthouses you can stay in. Some are hotels, others are holiday lets. This includes some working ones!
And actually I do feel like I've lost my way a little. Maybe February will bring illumination?
@ Elizabeth – It's a shame that well known authors give their support to something that's so unfair to the rest of us, isn't it?
@ Sharon – You're quite right not to enter any competition which offers unfair terms. I'm sure you're right that playwrights need to be very good to make a living.
You've now got me interested in how they get started. If any playwrights who've had worked produced would like to write a guest post on the subject, please get in touch!
@ Alyson - I once went to a screenwriting workshop with a friend. It was really interesting, but I quickly decided it wasn't for me.
Totally agree about the comps being a nice change from the womags. It's not just subject matter - we also know whether or not we were successful within a reasonable timeframe.
@ Marguerite – Like you, I don't attempt all the opportunities I blog about. There are far more than I could cope with.
@ Alex – Maybe that's what weekends should be like?
@ Maisie - Two entries is way better than nothing.
@ Marian – Congratulations. One acceptance makes up for a lot, doesn't it?
@ Fiona - Well done for the publication, but shame about the mix up.
I quite like stories to develop a mind of their own, but it is frustrating if there's somewhere you want it to fit and a limited time to knock it into shape.
I was thinking it was Hook Head in Wexford alright, I have been there, its very pretty especially in summer. You could have got some great writing inspiration if you paid a visit to Loftus Hall nearby, reportedly haunted by the devil and the ghost of a woman!!
Like you I am focusing on February when I plan to be more productive on the writing front.
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