Let's Party!

Today is our Solstice / Christmas / End of Year / any other excuse you can think of / party! It's all happening in the comments.

The main event is 6-7 this evening (UK time) but I'm expecting people to pop in early, perhaps to drop off food, tell us what you'll be wearing, or which literary guest you'll be bringing. Likewise, it's fine to hang around chatting afterwards. The space is free until Saturday (when I'll need it for my next post).

Have you brought a guest? (If so, can I talk to them, because the bloke Ally27 brought keeps telling me really scary stories.)

What are you eating and drinking? (There's a buffet table which already holds a variety of nibbles. The veggie options include Marguerite's special Christmas pie. There's also plenty of wine, Sheelagh's Irish coffe, and if alcohol isn't your cup of tea, we have elderflower presse, Eirin's 0% mulled cider, and an enormous pot of actual tea. Any further contributions are very welcome.)

What are you wearing? (It's hard to tell with typing, but I promise I didn't say that in a creepy voice.)

Are you listening to music?

Do you have a favourite party game? (As Richard Osman stood Dee up, we're going to have to organise our own.)

Lights borrowed from my neighbours.

On behalf of everyone who uses this blog in any way, I'd like to drink a toast and say a massive thank you to those who have supported it by sharing information (either by sending it to me, or in the comments) and / or by taking the time to leave a comment. It's wonderful how much support and encouragement that provides to other blog readers. This blog wouldn't be anything like as good, in fact would cease altogether, without you. Cheers!

On a personal note, thank you very much to everyone who has supported my own writing - by buying my books, reading through KU, requesting them in libraries, being ARC readers, downloading the free ones, leaving reviews etc etc. Cheers!

Over to you

We're having a party on 23rd December. Your invitation is here - just in case you missed it.

Please share writing related news – successes and failures, details of free entry writing competitions, updates about the womags you submit to, any other publication opportunities, and raise any queries you may have. All these things will help other readers of the blog, and help me to keep it going!

As always, feel free to use my photos as writing prompts. If you prefer words to images for that purpose, take a look here. or visit the blog on my website for the Wednesday word of the week.

Free entry competition news

Here's a great opportunity for unpublished novelists. There are generous cash prizes, mentoring, courses and agent representation on offer.

Thanks to Sharon Boothroyd for the link to The Cheshire Prize. There are cash prizes on offer for poetry, short stories, flash fiction, scriptwriting and children's literature. Unfortunately you must live in Cheshire to enter. Or, if you do live there, fortunately you will only be competing against a limited number of other writers.

Womag / competition news

Best have announced a new competition - for romance stories. Sorry, I haven't been able to get a photo or screenshot yet. I think the rules are the same as usual.

It's the winter solstice tomorrow (in the northern hemisphere). I like to celebrate the turn of the seasons and the fact the days will gradually be growing longer. This year, weather permitting, that will take place at Avebury. Do you celebrate or mark the solstice in any way?

You are invited!

23rd December is our Solstice / Christmas / End of Year / any other excuse you can think of, party! You, and a writing related guest (past, present, fictional character etc) are invited for a bring your own, food, drink and music party, which will happen simultaneously at your chosen writing venue and the comments section of the appropriate blog post.

The main event will 6-7 (evening UK time) but if you can't make that (actually even if you can) feel free to pop in early - perhaps to drop off food, tell us what you'll be wearing, or which literary guest you'll be bringing. Likewise, it's fine to hang around chatting afterwards. 

RSVP in the comments! (here's a step by step guide on how to leave a comment.)

If you'd like to help decorate the place, or have food to share, please email your contributions to patsycollins53@yahoo.com and I'll get them set up.

Free entry writing competition

Thanks to Alyson for this short story competition from RISCS. Admittedly my eyes started to glaze over when I read that stands for National Research Institute for Sociotechnical Cyber Security. Then I noticed the first prize is £1,000, there's a decent amount of cash for 2nd and 3rd, and potentially great publicity for the winner. 

You have up to 4,000 words and until 12th Jauary to come up with an entry. I'm going to read all those long words agian, in the hope that inspiration will strike.

Other publication opportunities

Flash Fiction Magazine publish a flash fiction story of 300 to 1,000 words every day. I don't think they pay for those. They do have competitions with cash prizes, but those have hefty entry fees.

Scribble magazine run various writing competitions. They're not free - you either pay an entry fee for each, or buy a yearly subscription (£19). They do offer cash prizes, and there's the option to get critiques, which would be helpful for future entries. I've not read the magazine myself, but Sharon Boothroyd tells me she feels it's worth subscribing, so if anyone is asking what you'd like as a Christmas present, that might be a good answer? (Or a subscription to one of the womags - remember they won't keep going without readers.)

Kindle Unlimited

Did you know that you can get some magazines through Kindle Unlimited (KU). The usual monthly fee is about £9 - for which you can subscribe to up to 50 magazines, and borrow as many books as you like. You can have up to 20 on your kindle at once, and return these to borrow more as often as you wish. If you're not already subscribed, it's very likely that, if you try to buy a kindle book, such as this one, you'll be offered an introductory price. I have seen free trials. Currently they seem to be offering three months for a total of 99p. After any introductory period, the price will go up to the regular amount – unless you unsubscribe before then.

In case you're wondering - the authors do earn a fee (a fraction of a penny per page.) If you already have KU, or sign up for the trial, I'd very much appreciate if you gave one of my books a try!

My news

I'm at a Christmas Fair today, hoping to sell a few books (St Faith's Lee-on-the-Solent). Please wish me lots of shoppers looking for easy to wrap gifts.

Don't climb the walls!

There aren't many rules around here, but that's one of them. I think it's perfectly reasonable, if a bit random.

As always, feel free to use my photos as story prompts. If you prefer word prompts, you might like to know that the blog on my website has a word of the week every Wednesday. They're a bit random too.

Free entry writing competition news

If you're a British or Irish, unpublished (self published is OK, I think) and unagented female writer who has written, or is writing, a novel then the Discoveries women's prize may be of interest. The winner will get £5,000 and agent representation.

A while ago I posted a link to a competition supplied by Sharon Boothroyd. The Welkin Prize for micro fiction hadn't actually opened when I posted about it, so I'm mentioning it again now it is. There's a first prize of £75 for up to 100 words of narrative prose, fiction or non-fiction.

Other publication opportunities


Thanks to Sharon Boothroyd* for letting me know that ezine After Dinner Conversation, accept short stories. Here's a link to their submission requirements. They pay $75. If you like, you can pay them to read your story more quickly! (I wouldn't pay - would you?)

*She kindly sent me lots of info, which I'm still working through.

The Fiction Desk publish anthologies of short stories of between 1,000 and 15,000 words and pay £25 per 1,000 words, plus two paperback copies. They charge a £5 submission fee. (I wouldn't pay that either - would you?)

Btw, I do understand why both these charges are made. I'm not saying they're wrong, or that authors who do pay are wrong, it's just not something I personally choose to do.

In case you missed my post earlier this week - the submissions database is now done! (For now - I'll add to and update it as much as I can.)

This isn't one of my rules. You can write virtually anywhere you like round here. (See what I did there?)

I had an idea...

Does anyone fancy a virtual Christmas party?  I was thinking of early evening, 23rd December. Of course it won't be the same as meeting up in person, but it might be nice for some of us to be online together, and chat as we enjoy our choice of snack and drink.

The database of fiction guidelines for women's magazines is DONE!

After a lot of research, and help from friends, I've updated my database of fiction submission guidelines for women's magazines. It also includes a few ezines and other publication opportunities. It's as comprehensive and accurate as I can currently make it! Please let me know if you spot any errors or omissions, or you become aware of any changes and I'll do my best to amend it.

Feel free to share the link for the database, but please don't just copy extracts from it.

I'm going to have a cup of tea and something to eat now – I feel I've earned it. Is it too soon for a mince pie?