It's made me think about what I want from my writing life and I'll be making a few changes. Nothing drastic, more a change of focus.
Maybe with the way the womag market is going, I'm not the only person considering a few changes?
Here's a free to enter poetry competition. They're looking for something funny. You can submit text or a video and the prizes are book tokens.
This competition is for short stories. Entrants must have previously had work published. £2,000 is on offer to the overall winner.
Thanks to Alyson for mentioning this one in the comments. "Another free to enter comp here but note "Entrants must be amateur writers, and not selling their work on any platform."
I'm taking part in some more group promotion thingies with other authors - being self published means I need to find ways to reach readers. One way is through a newsletter. The promotions here and here are to, hopefully, entice more people to sign up. Potential readers are offered free ebooks for doing that.
Here is one for sales of mystery, suspense and thriller reads. The books in this promotion are all cozy (cosy!) crime available to buy or read through kindle unlimited.
Is writing books something you do, are considering, tried and stopped, or something you don't fancy at all? (No wrong answers! – it annoys me when people assume short forms of writing are somehow inferior to novel length works.)
18 comments:
Another free to enter comp here but note "Entrants must be amateur writers, and not selling their work on any platform."
https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/sunday-post-short-story-competition-2024/?utm_content=194085078&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&hss_channel=fbp-446860718688838
Hope the trip was restful, Patsy. It seems as if you've been away a long time and seen plenty.
Yes, lots to consider re the womag market. I'm not at all hopeful for its future. I've entered a few more competitions myself in the last few weeks and less womag stories...
Alyson
Should add the above comp closes 4pm on Friday, September 13, 2024 - hence adding it here...
Amazingly, I have a poem that fits the bill. Thank you, Patsy :) I'm fairly sure I have one to fit those criteria as well, ados123: thank you :)
I didn't know whether to feel reassured by the AI response to Lacey's question or downright spooked out! Either way, I, too, will probably have to broaden my horizons, Patsy. Have you caught up on all the washing and ironing yet? ;) It seems like you've had a great time.
Hope you're happy to be returning home after your lovely travels, Patsy.
I too am thinking a lot about my writing future following my decision to stop writing for The People's Friend. The things I really enjoyed writing for them were cosy crime long reads and three-part mystery serials, and there are no other markets for these (that I've found).
I'm really not sure whether I have a writing future at all, so am wondering whether to just stop writing, or to first have a go at trying to achieve a couple of unmet writing goals/dreams. I don't want to self-publish, so that narrows my options somewhat. I have a couple of non-womag ideas so will probably end up trying those out, but at the moment, I feel extremely demotivated as far as writing is concerned.
Liz
I have no plans to write a novel at all. Self publishing doesn't appeal and even if I did that, I don't think it would sell. It'd be hard work, trying to promote it and I'm pretty sure there won't be a reward at the end. I've sent some stories to unpaid projects and I'm waiting see how I've got on. I've entered a poem for the Wetherby arts festival but mine is light- hearted, rather than laugh out loud funny, so I'm not expecting to get anywhere there! Yes, the womag market has shrunk. WW hanging onto reserved stories for 3 years does not help matters. I admit that this puts me off subbing to them.
@ Alyson - Thanks for the competition link. I've copied it into the post.
The trip was restful in parts and jolly hard work in others (We really haven't been on holiday for three months straight.) We did see, and do, a lot and mostly had a very good time.
@ Marguerite - We only take the minimum of clothes and wash as we go (If I took enough to last us three months we wouldn't have room for cake - or us!). I haven't ironed anything since 2013 (when I had a day job with a uniform). I know some people enjoy it, but I'm not one of them and if any of my friends notice my wrinkles they're too polite to say so!
@ Liz – I've enjoyed the trip, but I like being home too.
I will endeavour to find suitable markets / competitions for longer crime stories. I'm sure there will be something.
@ Sharon – You're right that promotion is hard work and there's guarantee of a reward at the end. There's quite a bit of techie stuff involved too, and I know you don't enjoy that kind of thing.
How long did you spend in Scotland? Beautiful country.
Good morning everyone,
Just to mention that with Alyson's tip off for the free Sunday Post s/s comp - the entries end up with DC Thomson and in the comp rules, number 12 states
" "12. Entrants (including the winners) hereby assign all intellectual property rights and waive all moral rights in their entry to D. C. Thomson. ""
Just saying - for those of us who do not like 'all rights'.
Good luck to all who enter. Best wishes, Sue
I have pretty much given up on the womag market. I arrived late to it and have had a few successes, so I'm pleased with that at least. I'm now working on a much longer fiction project, which will probably never see the light of day, as I'm not really interested in self- publishing, but I'm very much enjoying the writing experience.
Welcome back Patsy. I too always love returning home after any break.
I self-published a novel on Amazon Kindle a few years ago. Sold a few copies but mostly to family and friends as I couldn't be bothered with all the publicity you need to do. Keep thinking I might give it a face lift sometime but the chances of finding a home for it are so unlikely. It seems to be so difficult to break into the print market. But I guess that's always been so. Who'd be a writer!!
Welcome back Patsy, sounded like a fabulous summer, my kind of fabulous anyway. Sadly publishing opportunies are narrowing & lots of publishers seem to lend towards celebrity authors who can bring in the sales. Probably also reflects some readers choices too! I've been shocked at the drivel produced by some such authors but sure they fly off the shelf especially for Christmas etc. Not much one can do about that except vote with your wallet!
Welcome home, Patsy. After a couple of weeks away in our campervan, I used to get weird dizziness when back on 'terra firma', as if having to readjust from the motion of the van. I can't imagine how I would have been after three months!
I've not been writing lately, although I did finish and send a story to TPF, which I'd had hanging around for a while. I feel much the same as Maisie, and I think I will dig out my old WIP novel and have another go at that.
HB
There seems to be a very subdued feeling amongst womagwriters just now, I think attributable to the shrinking market for our work. I wonder why magazines have fewer readers, and why many of those still in print seem to have decided against publishing original fiction. I grew up in a house where women's magazines were bought and read every week and I'm curious to know where the next generations are going for their stories - do soap opera-style celebrity gossip and true life 'confessions' now meet this need? Or have potential new fiction readers headed for the bookshelves, with supermarkets selling some popular titles for little more than the price of a magazine or two? Patsy, it sounds like you had a great trip, but home can be very nice, too. I share your approach to ironing. I also found Lacey's post below your last post very interesting.
I suspect that the reason why fresh fiction is declining in magazines is because the publishers have to pay the writers, Erin. I have Readly and the Australian mags appear on there. I've noticed that lots of true life stories are re- published in both UK and Australian mags. Every few weeks I think 'Not this one again!' Also, a lot of mags feature true life gory crime tales from the USA a lot. I personally feel that it glamourises crime but they would argue that this is what readers demand. But is it? A clever crime fiction tale would be less 'in your face' and it would be a nice, welcome climb down from these never ending, depressing, downbeat features. There's also lots of ads in mags from an agency that are desperately seeking true life stories. They pay people who are wiling to share their 'story' in a public arena. When I see this page, I think a 800 word twist in tale would be a better way to entertain readers but full page ads mean money coming in, and not going out.
Happy homecoming Patsy. I enjoyed reading about your travels and seeing your photos.
I must confess to feeling a little demoralised about the shrinking market too.
I am going to try writing a pocket novel. Wish me luck!
I think unfortunately that many young people don't read magazines as much these days.
I was lucky to grow up in the days of Bunty, Mandy, Jackie etc. magazines.
It seems most magazines lean towards celebrity gossip and that doesn't interest me at all. I'd much rather read a good story.
I don't comment much on here but I enjoy reading everyone's news.
I must try some of the competitions.
Good luck to all who are waiting to hear about submissions.
Sharon H
@Alex - It is indeed beautiful. We spent three months this trip!
@Sue - Thanks for pointing that out. We should always check the rules for ourselves of course, but it's easy not to pay them as much attention as we should.
@ Maisie – If you're enjoying doing it then it's worth doing!
@ Sue - The promotion side of self publishing isn't at all easy and takes different skills than those needed for writing.
@ Sheelagh – There were definitely fabulous moments!
I suspect the stuff written by, about, or for celebrities sells because more people get to hear about it than they do about books written by those who aren't well known. And a lot is bought as gifts, perhaps by people who aren't readers themselves.
@ HB – I'm not dizzy precisely, but being back home does feel a little odd!
Yeah, go on - take a look at that WIP!
@ Eirin – I expect it's a combination of things. The publishers do seem to be trying to reverse the trend. I'm not sure if they're going about it the wrong way, or it's just a losing battle.
@ Sharon - Yes, saving money will be one of the reasons – but they used to be able to afford to pay us a lot more. In the 20 years I've been writing I can't think of any mag which has increased payments, but I know of several which have cut them.
Clearly there are people wanting the shocking 'real life' stuff. There's plenty of it available online, so I wonder why they're willing to pay and readers of upbeat fiction aren't?
@ Sharon – You're right, kids and teen mags seem to be in decline too. I'd guess that those who grew up enjoying magazines are more likely to buy them as adults.
I live in a large village and it’s harder for the people who want to buy a magazine because both the shops have reduced their magazine sections and tucked them in a corner, which was depressing to see. The nearest large supermarket stocks everything to be fair, but quite a lot of people (the ones who were probably buying the magazines) still only shop locally.
I’m also trying a pocket novel now and entering some short story competitions - not successfully, but it’s nice to have a challenge!
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