Do you know any market news? Have you heard about any free to enter writing competitions? Or come across calls for submissions or other opportunities?
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 and appreciated. As well as allowing us all to share information, help and encourage each other, comments show editors, competition organisers and others that the blog is read and will therefore be more likely to answer my questions, or provide information for me to share with you.
Womag news
Alyson spotted this on Twitter (I refuse to use its stupid new name!) tweeted by The People's Friend 'Fiction Ed Lucy is looking for 3000 word contemporary stories set in early summer onwards!'
I'd send her something, but as she's not yet read the last 5 I submitted, I can't. I expect there are others in the same situation.
55 comments:
Thanks Patsy for all the updates. I've no real news, I haven't had any acceptances or rejections of late from any womag magazine. But I am writing & getting acceptances of mostly historical articles after a bit of a hiatus so I'm happy with that.
I mentioned Fictionette a few months back, they are now closing down, sadly. However I recently won Northern Life Magazine's short story competition - with my Saltaire, West Yorkshire set 1000 word story, 'Finding Grandma' and Northern Life Magazine are running free to enter comps for the rest of the year https://northernlifemagazine.co.uk/northern-lifes-short-story-competition-2024/ the prize is publication and a complimentary copy of the magazine.
After reading about the witcraft site here on your blog, Patsy, I entered and had a piece posted there.
Thank you
Alyson
Well done everyone on acceptances and comp wins.
I rarely write 3,000 ones but I'll be trying again with TPF in April with 2 Xmas stories. I'm not expecting a yes for either.
The winning story and the runner- up stories from the bursary haven't been published in the magazine yet.
Yes it's sad about Fictionette.
The decision to close appeared suddenly on their website. It was strange, as they had launched a first birthday comp and I'd entered it.
However, Secret Attic has now re-launched under a different owner, so I may enter their comps instead.
Their comps are run in a similar style to the Fictionette ones.
The MW story writers haven't received the anticipated set of fiction guidelines yet, plus we thought there'd be news of more sales.
MW are around a week late. Hopefully, this will be resolved this week.
Congratulations to all those who have had acceptances. I think I am in the middle of a hiatus. Even the new Secret Attic, for one of the categories, is looking at 2,500 words plus...,. Then there's TPF 2000-3000... perhaps that needs to be my present target - a big ask for me :( I need to do some more sustained stories. I also haven't heard a word from BOWW even after a couple of polite chase ups... anyone else had anything?
@Marguerite I was wondering same about BOWW, I did have a few published in 2023 but oddly I had another one accepted at the same time & was told I could expect an invoice very shortly & well that was that. I've tried to follow up to no avail.
Sorry that was Sheelagh
Thank you, Sheelagh. You seem to have got further than me. Good! I feel my stories are in a void and I pretty much assume not wanted... but don't know for certain.
Its hard to know Marguerite, it also seems as if the editor April is extremely busy as I understand that BOWW is just one of her work projects. It would be good to get a definitive yes or no though.
https://dystopianstories.com/events/crossings-travel-writing-competition/?fbclid=IwAR3G5x6XfGi2ol1ZSr1m2H_1Abys48QIFbjZ2aVNqSx7PSMSF8OI6zfoJe4
Just come across this free to enter travel writing competition 'Crossings Travel Writing Competition'. 2000 words. Closes 30th March
Event Details
Write an original, factual, first-person travel story that centers on a crossing of some kind. Your travel story should, as always, grow around the context of a place or experience; we want to see the theme being used in a way that enhances both. Editors will be looking for originality, voice, and a satisfying story arc that captures attention and makes use of imagery to pull the reader along at every step.
Hope someone can get organised enough to enter!
Alyson
The travel competition sounds interesting but no way I can be that organised this week. Congratulations to all with acceptances. I have just about given up on hearing anything from BOWW. I got an acceptance from Andrew Shaw at Woman's Weekly with a publication date in the same email so no waiting for the usual few weeks. So that was a bonus. Nothing else at present but I do seem to be ' in the zone' with ideas so that's a good feeling. Just need to get some of them down!
I don't think April at BOWW issues rejections. I guess if you've been waiting 4 months with no word back, it's a no. In my experience, you only hear from her if it's an acceptance.
I’ve not done any writing but managed to edit and send off a story I’d already written for the Best Pet competition.
Congratulations to everyone on wins and acceptances.
HB
La fheile Padraig sona dhaoibh o Eireann (Happy St. Patrick's day from Ireland). Well done to everyone who has had recent successes & best wishes to all in your writing.
Hi, a fun free poetry comp with deadline 1 April is Wergle Flomp for humorous poems which can also have been prev published. Having made the commended list a few years back I will be trying again this year. Good luck. Jane Details here https://winningwriters.com/our-contests/wergle-flomp-humor-poetry-contest-free
Had 2 sales this week, one from Andrew - WW and one for BOWW. April doesn't send rejections - you ll only hear if she's buying and it seems to be pretty quickly after being sent. I assume after about 3 months it's a no! Congratulations to everyone who has had sales or wins recently!
Thank you, Sharon and Chris C for that with BOWW - very helpful.
Maybe it's quick acceptances for some writers with April but for some, it isn't!
I've heard of one writer recently who had a story there for over a year - and it was finally accepted.
I'm beginning to think that the last story I subbed was rejected, and that I should send a new story.
Maye I'm just not on the priority list!
As for Andrew... he's had several stories on the reserve list for around 2 years. I reckon he's not going to publish them now.
It's time to try and find a new home for them....
Andrew published a story which I'd submitted in April 2022 in February 2024! So maybe yours still have a chance, Sharon!
I had a story published in Woman’s Weekly two weeks ago, which didn’t go on their reserve list. Andrew Shaw also has two others of mine, which, fingers crossed, I’ll hear about soon. He did email me a while ago to ask if I’d resend one of them because he couldn’t open the document. I did this, and I’m wondering if it’s gone to the back of his reading list again.
I was hoping to complete a half-finished summer story that I started last year, but have only got as far as writing about three paragraphs. Tweaking and editing a few older stories as well as planning a new one seems to have got in the way.
Best of luck to everyone with their submissions. And congratulations to those who’ve had acceptances.
Michael
@Michael & a great story it was. You'll be pleased to know that someone unrelated to this blog was singing the praises of it in my company & very impressed when I said I sort of knew you (a wild exaggeration I know!)
Thanks for that, Sheelagh. Nice to learn that people actually like my stories. (Apart from close family and friends who might be a teeny bit biased). And to realise that people are enjoying reading woman fiction in general. It shows that short stories are still well received.
Michael
Thanks for the updates, Patsy. I have nothing much new to report except I'm really pleased to have a contemporary serial in TPF at the moment. Lovely to hear the pigeons cooing again and see the lilacs budding in the garden.
@ Sheelagh – I'm glad you're back to writing something, even if it's not fiction.
@ Alyson F - well done for your successes and thanks for the link.
@ Sharon - That's good news about Secret Attic.
I've heard of one person getting any acceptances for MW this period (it wasn't me!) Usually quite a few of my writer friends are successful. As the new guidelines haven't been sent yet, maybe there's a problem with the email system and more people will hear soon?
@ Marguerite - If you're used to writing 1,000 or less, 2 0r 3,000 is a big difference. For years I never went over 1,000 but around 2,000 now seems to be my natural length.
Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences with BOWW, to help create a picture of what's normal. As I don't sub to them (because they take all rights) I can't help. I really wish that editors who don't send rejections would give a definite cut off period after which writers could assume work was rejected, rather than leave us wondering if it's safe to try it elsewhere.
@ Alyson 123 - thanks for the link. I'll put that, and any others I get in a new post.
@ Sue - Congratulations!
@ HB - I've just sent one to the Best comp. Good luck to us!
@ Jane - thanks for the link.
@ Chris - Congratulations!
@ Maisie - Congratulations to you too.
@ Michael - and also to you!
@ Sheelagh – It's nice to hear that someone we know has had success, or to read and enjoy their work - and I think we do all sort of know each other from our work, and online. (And I've been lucky enough to meet some in real life!)
@ Ruth/Becca - Well done for the serial.
Has anyone here heard anything at all from MW in the last week?
I reckon the wrong date was put on the last lot of MW guidelines - hence the confusion.
I could be wrong though!
@ Sharon - That's a possibility I hadn't thought of! You could well be right.
It would be very easy for them to have put the wrong one, or to have changed the date but forgotten to update the guidelines, or for Kirstyn to have noted down the wrong one and be working to that.
Got no real news as been writing my debut novel! Now finished I’m ready to send off to agents so wish me luck! On the woman mag front, Andrew shaw got three of mine on his reverse list for the past year so we will see, but not getting my hopes up. Congrats to everyone on their acceptances. Charlie.
I was away at the weekend, so I'm a bit late in adding a comment, but I recently had an acceptance from BOWW which came very quickly after submission, as did my first one, whereas I had submitted stories to them in between that I didn't hear back about, so my experience seems pretty much the same as others.
In my own news, I recently had an acceptance from TPF, which thrilled me and I'm trying to write another 3000 summer story to submit, but it isn't my natural length, so it may not happen!
A bit of news that people may already know about. I contacted Stylist magazine to ask if they are currently accepting fiction. Reply came the next day. They aren't at the moment.
Congrats to everyone who's had sales.
I sold a long crime read to TPF last week - my first sale for ages as I haven't been submitting very much over the few months. So that was welcome news and something of a relief!
To Charlie,
Congratulations on finishing your debut novel and very best of luck with the agents.
We who are still struggling to finish one salute you! Very best wishes to you.
And many well done's to all who have had their work accepted. Response time is still dismally slow but allows the candle of hope to keep burning!
Kind regards to you all, Sue
Many thanks for that update from stylist mag,sue.
Congratulations to al who have had success and good wishes to all who are keeping on, keeping on. I sent a story to the Best Comp, thanks for the info. Waiting to hear on about five or more stories with TPF, still wondering if they were ever received though as I had no acknowledgement! Good wishes to all.
Sorry I'm late to comment - I had two story sales last week, one to My Weekly and one to PF for November.
@ Margret - It's Samantha Anderson who sends them out. It's probably best to email her.
Hi, I came across your blog the other day. It's a great resource - thank you! I'm a newbie to writing for Womags (one quick(!) lol - rejection from TPF the other day), but I'm not new to writing - though it's mainly been microfiction that I've had published.
For those with experience, does TPF ever accept stories where it's not all 'sweetness and light' (not being sarcastic, couldn't think how to phrase it otherwise) and if 'sex before marriage' can be insinuated, or is that a no-no?
I know I need to read a few issues, but any quick pointers would be welcome. I've got one story ready to go, but am now wondering if it's summery enough! :-)
Anyway, great site. Thanks. P
@ P – They do take 'edgier' stories than they used to, but it's relative. The best advice I can give you is to read a current issue or two, and don't push the boundaries more than a fraction beyond the majority of the contents.
I don't think they'd consider a story which didn't have a positive ending.
Thanks, Patsy - appreciate the advice :-)
P
Many thanks, Patsy for giving me Samantha Anderson's name. Can I assume her email is samantha.anderson@dcthomson.co.uk?
To Margret
I emailed Samantha Anderson as samantha.anderson@dcthomson.co.uk as you wrote above and it came back as not known.
I then tried again with sanderson@dcthomson.co.uk.
This form of address is shown for other contacts at MW, if you google 'contact My Weekly' so I thought it was worth a go.
I got an 'out of office but contact you when I return' reply from swatson@dcthomson.co.uk who is actually the Editor.
So I am none the wiser and will wait until she comes back on 8th April and hope to hear from either her or Samantha then. Patsy might have another address for her.
Kind regards, Sue
Sue, I am overwhelmed by your kindness in checking up on this. I don't want to nag Kirstyn again, particularly since she seems to think I'm already on the list, but it does seem strange. If you do hear something back on 8 April, I'll be forever in your debt. I'm doing quite well with the People's Friend, but it's nice to have another mag to write for.
Margret,
If I hear anything from either of them, I will post here for you to see; I suppose it might be a bit after 8th depending on how many emails she has to deal with on her return but I'm sure we will get something back in due course.
Congratulations on being accepted by PF, I am still knocking plaintively on their door - nil desperandum!
Kind regards, Sue
Sue
Many, many thanks. And fingers crossed that the door will soon open for you at PF. They are a lovely market. Just to encourage you, when I was writing fiction first time around (many moons ago) a story PF rejected was eventually sold to Woman's Realm. And one that one mag called "a storm in a not very interesting teacup" sold to My Weekly.
Is My Weekly still only taking submissions from writers who have already had work published?
Sue, This is a quote from the last My Weekly Guidelines that I received at the end of last year: 'We cannot accept submissions made from writers who have not previously had fiction published in My Weekly.'
Sorry!
Hi Margret,
With ref to my efforts to get the guidelines from MW - originally I wrote to
samantha.anderson@dcthomson.co.uk as you suggested. I now think I must have made a typo and this is why it came back as undelivered. I had another go yesterday, taking care and this time - hurray - it hasn't come back so I am hoping for a response now and will post it here for you and anyone else who is interested.
I am very sorry about the presumed typo in the first one, I think it may have been a comma instead of a full stop in the address. And I thought I had been so careful. Anyway, we will cross our fingers for an answer now! Kind regards, Sue
Sounds good, Sue. However, just a note of caution. The guidelines I have make it clear that they are not to be shared with anyone who has not previously had fiction published in My Weekly. I imagine that's because they don't want to be inundated with too many stories. So, if you do hear from Samantha, it might be best to just confirm that the email address works.
Hi Margret,
Thank you for the word of caution, duly noted. If I do hear, I will just post to say that this would appear to be the correct address for Samantha. It hasn't come back this time so I am guessing it must be. I have been in MW but not for some time!
Thank you very much. Kind regards, Sue
Well, I'm stumped. Subbed three stories, each rejected within a day - lol. Have read lots of stories in the mag and stylistically have tried to make mine similar (of course with different plots etc!).
Not sure I have the energy or enthusiasm to try again - while I like a fast rejection more than an interminable wait for a 'no thank you', I wonder if mine are just so bad, that's why they're kicked out so fast?
(feeling sorry for myself lol)
P
Re My Weekly – They do only accept work from writers already known to them, and as Margret says, their guidelines do state that these are not to be shared with anyone.
Because editors do sometimes share information with me, for use on the blog, I feel I need to be extra careful in not making anything public, which they'd have preferred not to be posted online. Sorry. I know it's frustrating not to be able to contact people, but without their permission, or the knowledge these are already public (eg posted on their website) I don't feel I can share individual email addresses.
Re The People's Friend – I've heard from quite a few 'new to them' writers who've had very swift rejections. Having read work by some of them, I don't believe this is generally due to poor writing (although of course that would result in rejection) but because the story isn't felt to be suitable for the magazine.
I know very fast rejections can hurt, but remember that it only takes a few minutes to read a story, and an experienced editor will know immediately if it's a good fit for their publication. There are other possible reasons for rejection too - it may be that they already have a large stock of stories of the same length, genre or subject.
Sue, you're very welcome. There are so few markets for short stories these days, and I wouldn't want you - or anyone else - to be blacklisted for over-sharing.
Patsy, thanks for confirming the situation.
Re rejections, yes, they're horrible, aren't they? In the old days before email submissions, it used to be the dreaded thud on the mat when the postman called. I gather some mags - Woman's Weekly? - don't even bother to reject. They just say that if you haven't heard for four months, then they're not interested. My feeling is that's even worse.
To Anonymous P - please don't give up hope. Obviously, I haven't read any of your stories, but I do know of one writer who had a similar experience until she realised that while her stories were well-plotted, she needed to create more relatable characters, ones with whom the reader could identify.
Thanks all for the words of encouragement. :-)
I'll take a little while to think about what I can do differently and might give it another shot. Shame they don't still give a hint as to why something didn't fit.
Thanks again.
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