Saturday 21 October 2023

Over To You

  


Do you have any womag news?

Any market news? Are you researching, writing, subbing? Had any acceptances or rejections? Still waiting to hear back on outstanding submissions? Do you have a question? Can you offer tips or encouragement to other writers?

Any other writing related news, questions and comments are also welcome.


Feel free to use these photos as picture prompts. If you'd like written writing prompts, short exercises and story/scene suggestions then you might find this book useful.

Don't forget to check the submissions database for details of which magazines publish fiction under what terms, and how to submit.

Free entry competitions

On the Premises have a flash fiction competition. You have 25 - 50 words on the subject of food, and the prize is $35. You could buy something really nice to eat with that!

Thank you to Sharon Boothroyd for the link to this poetry competition, which offers a £100 prize.

Thanks to everyone for your comments. As well as allowing us all to share information, help and encourage each other, comments also show editors, competition organisers and others that the blog is read and will therefore be more likely to provide information for me to share with you.

16 comments:

Sheelagh said...

Thanks for all the updates Patsy & to Sharon too. No acceptances or rejections to report from here but I am writing albeit slowly. I set myself an ambitious (for me) target at the beginning of the year & I'm behind by a bit to say the least. So a big burst of activity here now. On a positive note I have actually produced more this year than any year to date just my setting some targets.

Marguerite said...

Thank you, Patsy and Sharon. It's funny but I never think of 'poetry', and yet I often write silly rhymes for friends' birthday cards - not exactly serious though!
Well, just learnt I HAVEN'T figured in Beaglenorth's winners - still awaiting Crowvus Halloween and several Woman's Weekly and BOWW... really need to get on to that one. Despatched a Christmas to Best after you highlighted it here :)
Good for you, Sheelagh - sometimes that's all you need. setting some sort of target :)

Sharon boothroyd said...

My entry didn't get anywhere in the Halloween beagle comp,either.
I thought it was a Xmas ghost story comp that crowvus ran? That's what I've entered,anyway!
No other news to report. I have offered my unpublished short stories and poems to 2 local charities that specilize in audio magazines but they haven't got back to me, so I assume they're not interested.
It's a pity, as I'd like to help but if my material isn't suitable then fair enough. (No violence,swearing or gritty reality and upbeat endings). It would be nice to be informed,though.

Pamela Gough said...

Writers Bureau are running this free competition. Prize is one of their courses. https://www.writersbureaucourse.com/pages/spooky-story-competition?utm_source=FacebookAdSpookys&utm_medium=FacebookAds_campaign%3DSpookyStory&fbclid=IwAR2rX7DH7IaqTEndy9yvx8fg36U7hLnVpAEXxhit391XXe1KeSUK_l8Pg10_aem_AY1hewVVcvhHQAyTf89cs6XAld-YJYS_qtDnjXYOuK46ntnuPX437eA3P3Lkgit_pkF8FrB_neIskez2Q0hYMuxt

Marguerite said...

Sorry, Sharon - got me spooky mixed up with me Christmas :) Currently, not too surprised. Crowvus is spooky but Christmas. Another spooky always good for me, Pamela. Thank you.

ados123 said...

Thanks for the competitions, Patsy and Sharon. I've already entered the On The Premises one and I've entered the Best Christmas competition posted last week. In other news, I'm not sure if I mentioned before but I did hear back from April at BoWW a couple of weeks ago about a story she'd queried in March and she's bought it...
Alyson

Anonymous said...

Thanks to Patsy and Sharon for the competitions. No acceptances or rejections to speak of. In fact, silence! I did email April from BOWW six weeks ago about two stories I’d subbed earlier this year. I’m still waiting for a reply. Currently editing a couple of stories that I hope to send to WW in the next few weeks. Have an idea for Best’s Christmas competition, but I don’t feel it’s developed enough yet. There’s always next year.

Last week I tweaked a story that’s been out with Yours Fiction for almost a year and subbed it to Ireland’s Own. My first with them. Fingers are crossed.

Michael D

Sue McV said...

Thanks Patsy and everyone for all the news and information. I'm working on an entry for the Best competition. Another rejection from TPF. Whatever I do I can't seem to crack that one. I'll keep trying.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Patsy, as always. I might try entering the poetry comp as I recently self published my first Poetry Journal - read, write, Draw. On the short story front nothing but silence sadly, including still from April at BOWW… congrats to those who have had communication from her and acceptances! For me, it’s onwards and upwards! Charlie Sabin

Marian said...

Thank you very much for the news about the competitions. I really wish I was better at writing poetry. Maybe I'll get there one day.

I haven't got any news about submissions to report, but I have been finishing some stories this week. I've got one to send off for the Best competition and one to submit to The People's Friend, but it still takes me a little time to get my courage up to finally submit anything! I'm always scared that I've missed something in the final check.

Anonymous said...


Ally27

@Patsy - Cracking photos this week. I feel inspired already.

@Marguerite and Sharon Boothroyd - I didn't get anywhere with the Beagle North Halloween comp either. At least we can console each other.

@Pamel Gough - Thank you for posting the comp. Writing a spooky story in 100 words will be a challenge but I'm definitely going to have a go.

I don't have much in the way of writing news. I have entered the Best Christmas competition and have also entered a 500 words competition with Writing magazine. After a slew of rejections from TPF, I took a bit of a break from subbing but I think I'm ready to give it another go. Ally


Patricia G said...

Thanks very much for listing these free-to-enter competitions. I've never had any luck but I'll keep on trying - you never know!
On the writing front, my short story for TPF was turned down for being 'too slight', and I've heard nothing from Tracey about a TPF pocket novel which I submitted in March. I wonder if any other Pocket novel writers can tell me if this is par for the course?

Anonymous said...

NOTHING MUCH TO REPORT HERE EXCEPT I MANAGED TO GET COPIES OF THE STORIES OF MINE I'D MISSED. ALL BECAUSE OF THE HELPFUL CONTRIBUTERS HERE WHO CHECKED IN THEIR' MAGS AND ANNUALS FOR ME. ALASO RESENT SOME STORIES TO TPF BECAUSE THEY WERE NO LONGER ON FILE WHEN ABI, MY LOVELY EDITOR, LEFT FOR PASTURES NEW EARLIER THIS YEAR. I'LL HAVE A LOOK AT THE BEST STORY COMP NOW THANK YOU FOR POSTING. GOOD WISHES TO ALL. KATE HOGAN.

ados123 said...

@Patricia G - re pocket novel. Over a year and one reminder to get my first three chapters read and a request for the whole manuscript. Then another year until it was accepted. I don't know if this is normal....
Alyson

Patricia G said...

Thanks for your reply, Alyson. That's a long wait! I'll try a gentle nudge, but from what you say, I won't be holding my breath.

Penny A said...

Hi Patsy and everyone!
Having to wait a while for responses - as we all are1 - I too have been contemplating a return to writing poetry in between times. I began sending out poems before moving on to stories, a few successes back then and a whole lot of fun.
Anyone ever tried a 'pantoum' ?? Works well either as a funny or a spooky!
ATB Penny.