Thanks to Alyson for telling me about this call for short stories on the theme of Magi. In theory this is a paying market, but don't expect to earn much, if anything. Anthologies don't tend to sell well, the royalties will be split between the publisher and all other contributors, and they don't pay out until you've earned at least £10. Still, money isn't the only reason for writing and submitting work.
Free entry writing competition news
I'm the runner up in Best's Valentine's competition. I'm not telling you that just to brag, but also to remind you that real people do win these things, so it's worth having a go.
Thanks to Marguerite for the reminder about this gothic short story competition.
The photos were taken on a recent day out at Mottisfont Abbey. There was cake!
13 comments:
Congratulations on the Best win, Patsy! It's a great boost isn't it. I was a runner up a couple of years ago - they don't seem to pick you a second time though, but I often enter as it makes me write a new story.
The Bridge House anothology is unlikely to pay anything but getting a story selected is also a great boost to your confidence. I had stories in several many many years ago now and met writing friends through the experience.
Alyson
Congratulations, Patsy! It does give you a boost, doesn't it? :) Thank you, Alyson. Anthologies are definitely a way in, although, yes, limitations. I am at the tail end of my submission for Rayne Hall's 'exteremely cold weather' I mentioned a couple of months ago:
https://www.raynehall.com/writing-contests?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
deadline 15th February - no AI - don't get me started!
Well done, Patsy! I’m looking forward to reading your story. Like Alyson, I once had success with Best and although I’ve never come close since, I always enter as there’s nothing like having a deadline to encourage you to come up with a story!
Oh, that's lovely news, Patsy. I really look forward to reading it!
@ Alyson. I was lucky to be runner up in the Best story competition a couple of years ago, and then again in summer 24, so it can happen twice...
I really like the Best competition because of the fact there's a theme and a fairly tight deadline. I'm guessing the next one will be a "furry friends" type one, which isn't really my thing.
I have a friend who won the Best competition twice in a row... but she submitted with a different name (and email address) the second time. Her story was great, but I did wonder at the time if she'd have won twice using her own name. 🤔
Congratulations Patsy. I haven't heard, so mine will be sent elsewhere. I'd like to enter the cold weather story comp but I've found substack very difficult to navigate. I don't really understand substack but I'm not a bright young thing any more!
That link has an email address, Sharon. It also tells you how to head it. You don't do it through substack - hope that helps :)
Congratulations Patsy, it's lovely news and a great boost for all of us on the blog. Thanks also to all who have submitted competition details, and good luck to all who enter.
Congratulations, Patsy! I shall look out for your story in Best. I'm going to try to have something ready to enter in the spooky one later in the year.
Well done Patsy. I was a runner-up a couple of years ago with a Christmas story but haven't had any luck since in spite of a couple of attempts. I'll probably keep trying. Wouldn't fancy submitting under a different name. Could get complicated with bank account details for one thing.
@ Alyson – Yes, being selected would be a boost to the writer's confidence. Plus, as with competitions, having a theme and a deadline can motivate us to try something different and actually finish it.
@ Marguerite – Oh, thanks for reminding me about that one. I planned to give it a try, but hadn't got round to inventing a plot. I'll get thinking.
@ Marian – Yes, deadlines are powerful things!
@ Anonymous – Impossible to know for sure, but I imagine they'd prefer different winners to the same person over and over.
@ Sharon – I don't understand substack at all, and hadn't even realised it was a substack link! Fortunately, as Marguerite says, we don't have to use the platform to enter.
@ Elizabeth – It makes me happy each time 'one of us' has success, and it's great to know others feel the same way.
@ Suzan – It's very likely they'll have another spooky competition, but if they don't I'm sure someone else will.
@ Sue - I think your comment arrived while I was writing mine.
If it was a couple of years ago, there's probably no advantage in making things complicated with a pen name.
I left a comment about this a few posts ago but has anyone heard the results of the Irish country mag comp? I assume that if we haven't heard back, it's a no.
@ Sharon – I thought it only closed last week?
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