Free entry competition news
Thanks to Fiona for sending the link to this competition. The Scottish Wildlife Trust are looking for short stories, poems, essays, articles or letter and can be fiction or non-fictions, but must feature a real wild animal native to Scotland. There are some excellent prizes and as Fiona said, I've collected suitable ideas for this recently, so if I can find the time I'll give it a go.
Womag/competition news
Congratulations to Ruth who was a runner up in the Best summer competition - and thanks to her for passing on the details of the current Best competition. As Ruth pointed out to me, the T&Cs have now changed. By entering you grant Hearst all rights to your story - that means they'll own every entry and whether you win or not, you can't ever do anything with that story. I think it's deeply unfair and urge you to think very carefully before sending anything in.
Do you have any writing news?
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.
My news
19 comments:
Brilliant thanks Patsy & Fiona. No news from here, had one acceptance last week from IO other than that all is quiet but then I need to get writing & submitting more. Enjoying doing other things this summer so it might be autumn before I knuckle down
It's ages since I had a short story acceptance from Ireland's own.
I used to do well there but they changed their length and no longer wanted twists.
I know they ran an annual story competition and published most of the entries from that.
If anyone has any updated info from them, it'd be appreciated.
Forgot to say well done to all who have received positive news.
Congratulations to Ruth on the Best win - it is such a shame they've changed their t's and c's. I was a runner up with them when they started and have always entered since and then usually sold the story elsewhere but I won't be doing this anymore. I can't be the only one who thinks it is mean and unnecessary - many of the stories they will never use as they won't be of a suitable standard anyway.
Congratulations to anyone one else with good news and hope you are still enjoying your holiday, Patsy.
Alyson
Well done everyone who has had good news. I've been taking a break from writing for a few weeks whilst I've been taking a few short holidays, plus being engrossed in Wimbledon and football. Intending to begin again next week.
Great shame about Best. I was a runner up last Christmas and have enjoyed submitting to them since but won't bother again. Another potential market off the agenda.
Also, regarding Best, have they made the change SINCE the last competition, the summer one? I had a go at that one without success. I'm hoping the new conditions don't apply to that entry. Anyone know?
This one is free to enter: https://www.valwood.co.uk/val-wood-prize
Sue, I just went back to read your lovely Xmas story. Many congrats. I read it at the time, but didn't 'know' you then. The Best T&Cs are new since the Summer contest. I still have the mag with that competition in it, and there's no mention of rights in the T&C.
Enjoy those puffins!
I agree that's not cool they keep all rights to every story.
Congratulations to Ruth for your Best story, and thank you for pointing out the different T&Cs. That’s a disappointing change. I usually enter the Best Competitions and have just rejigged my summer story entry to send elsewhere. As they always have the same themes, I have already written a Halloween story in anticipation of the next competition. Not sure whether to send it now …
HB
I also agree it’s a shame about Best. I had an idea for a Halloween story that just popped into my head yesterday after buying the magazine the day before. I will write it, but won’t be entering now. I have a Christmas story that I was planning to enter in their Christmas competition when the time comes. If the new T&C’s apply to that one also, I’ll be giving it a miss as well. (I might think differently about it if I’d won). But, as Alyson pointed out, some stories would probably be below standard and never used anyway. Not to mention many good ones. So unfair.
I had two Christmas stories ‘boomerang’ back from TPF in the last two weeks. (The second being the one mentioned above. Thought I’d try it with TPF first).
Hope you’re still enjoying your holiday, Patsy. And congratulations to Ruth on your win.
Michael
Congratulations Ruth on your win and to everyone else with acceptances or submissions. It's so disappointing about Best.
Good to hear you are still enjoying your travels Patsy I've purchased your new book but not got around to reading it yet, it's on my list!
I'm fortunate to have a story in this weeks TPF so that's my writing news.
Good luck everyone with your writing and submitting.
Good to know someone else gets the boomerangs, Michael ;) In the end, you think it's just you! So my limited and entirely unsuccessful relationship with Best has ended: ah, well. But well done, Ruth. Disgraceful about the rights, but thank you for highlighting that. I wrote to Prima several times about surely they couldn't mean THAT - no reply. Not surprised Best has followed. Congrats to everyone who has had acceptances and thank you to Patsy and Fiona.
A womag writer who has her fiction regularly published in best has also said that they take all rights now to her work.
I don't know if this means that they take the rights to every story she submits to them or just stories accepted for publication.
Congratulations to everyone who has had good news. Everything is very quiet for me at the moment.
I am also very sad to hear about Best. I was lucky enough to have a win with them a few years ago and, like others, still always enjoy entering, but I won't now.
Thank you Ruth for clarifying the timing of the Best rights change. And thank you for your positive comments on my Xmas story.
@ Sheelagh - congrats on the IO acceptance! I'm with you on the enjoying other things! I am working on the novel, but not doing much other writing, and almost no submitting at the moment.
@ Sharon – I get the odd one in, but nowhere near as many as I used to. I suspect they get a lot more submissions now.
@ Alyson - mean and unnecessary' sounds right to me. I don't believe they intend to use all the entries which don't get placed, so why deprive the writers of the chance to try them elsewhere?
@ Sue - A break can be a good thing for our writing, I think.
@ Pamela - Thanks for that! I'll add it in to the next post, in case people miss seeing it here.
@ Ruth - Thanks for the extra info.
@ Alex - Not cool at all - unlike puffins, which are super cool!
@ HB - It's entirely your choice, but remember that if you submit it, the story will no longer be yours. You won't be able to send it elsewhere if you're unsuccessful, or self publish it, or anything at all.
@ Michael - Writing but not sending to this particular competition sounds like a good idea to me.
Sorry about the boomerangs, but personally I feel that's a little better than waiting for years with no reply!
@ Elizabeth - Thanks so much for getting my book! I really hope you enjoy it.
Congratulations on the TPF publication.
@ Marguerite - Yes, if we don't hear from others who experience the same thing it's easy to feel like it's just us getting the rejections. There may be a very few who get nothing but acceptances, but I'm definitely not one of them!
@ Sharon - Oh dear. That dashes my hope that this was just a one off and they used the wrong set of T&Cs
@ Marian - It's a real shame.
After what has felt like a very quiet year to date, I was delighted to have some Christmas story acceptances recently. A little bit of success really is the greatest motivator. Wishing everyone a productive summer, whether writing or taking a break to do other things.
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