I'm hoping these flowers will stop me feeling blue about it all!
Womag news
Alyson tells me that Tracey at The People's Friend is looking for more pocket novels. The latest requirements I can find are here – I believe they're up to date.
Free entry writing competitions
On the Premises have a short story competition with the theme of 'Less' which can be interpreted in lots of ways. Maximum word count 3,000. Prizes from $250 for first place.
Thanks to Fiona for this flash fiction competition from Gooseberry Pie. There's $1,100 in prize money and they only want 400 words, so it already felt worth a try. After yet another snag with our office fitting reading the prompt was a bad day getting worse, it felt like a sign! I hope the bit about it all ending up better than expected comes true.
A note about rights
It's because of this, that a story which I never submitted to Yours magazine is in the current issue. I wouldn't have known about that, without the combined efforts of Sharon Boothroyd and Sharon Haston. Thank you ladies – now that I know I can claim ALCS.
Btw, one of the flower photos in this post is a reprint from a previous post. Points to anyone who deduces which one!
Oh dear, I was looking forward to seeing your new office, Patsy.
ReplyDeleteRe the flower - is it the blue iris, symbolising hope and optimism – very appropriate! 😊
Thank you for the submission/competition details.
Dee
Thanks Patsy & Alyson for the updates. Sorry to hear about your office nightmare experience Patsy, I can just imagine the frustration! I'm pretty sure I've seen the beautiful blue Iris here before ?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Patsy and Fiona. The Gooseberry Pie comp looks interesting - if I can come up with an idea.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I can see the guidelines for the pocket novel are correct, Patsy. About 38,000 words and remember, no spacing or indents...
Alyson
Thanks for the update Patsy and I hope that you have a lovely new office soon. Just a bit of info for MW story writers - the serial 'Tell it to Stella' has now become an ongoing serial, so I'll be in the mag every week.
ReplyDeleteWith the big name novelist's story and a new serial slot (more serials in the pipeline) that will be 3 fiction slots taken up, on a more or less permanent basis.
So it's less space in the mag for the short story writers. It's difficult enough to find markets as it is, and this has made it harder for us.
Sorry I meant he Stella one has now become an ongoing series, not a serial.
ReplyDeleteOh dear Patsy, you must be very fed up with the office problems. I hope things soon take a turn for the better.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the competition news.
Sharon, Im not familiar with the Stella series but it sounds like good news for you if you're going to be in the mag every week. Thats great.
Does anyone have info about the PF poetry competition that was mentioned last week? I've looked online but can't find anything. Maybe need to just buy the mag I guess.
Hi Sue, it's for a poem on the theme of 'reconciliation'. The poem has to have three verses of four lines. The competition closes at noon on 9th May. Email your poem with your name and address to pfeditor@dcthomson.co.uk with 'Poetry Competition' in the subject line. First prize is £150 with three runner-up prizes of £50 plus publication in the magazine. Good luck if you enter!
DeleteI was reading your story in Yours magazine the other day, Patsy, and the author's name btw is in tiny print at the side of the text, but found your comment interesting on the 're-use' of your material.
ReplyDeleteSorry, it was a typo. It's not me who'll be in the mag every week. I meant to say 'That'll be in the mag every week.' SORRY!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info and lovely photos.
ReplyDeleteI hope the office is soon sorted and everything will seem less blue!
HB
Thank you, Alyson, Fiona and Patsy. Oh, dear, still not sorted :( Hopefully soon? Love the blue flowers :) I have just seen a house front full of wisteria too. (I once made a pathetic attempt to grow it but will have to delight in others' efforts.)
ReplyDeleteSharon...sorry I thought you must be the author of the series. Its not a mag that I buy. Sorry for misunderstanding. Would have been nice!
ReplyDeleteSuzanne...thanks very much for the PF information. May have a go. Thanks again.
Oh Patsy, I’m so sorry things haven’t been sorted yet. Hope it gets resolved soon. I’m six months into trying to get a new gas meter and have had three days waiting in - cancelled, turned up with no meter and then no show - so you have my sympathies!
ReplyDeleteSorry Sue and everyone, for the mistake earlier. It wasn't anyone else's fault but mine. I type on my tablet and it's predictive text.
ReplyDeleteThe TPF poetry comp... it's strange that it's not even mentioned on their own website.
I probably won't bother entering, as I don't have a poem that fits the theme and I can't think of any fresh ideas for a new poem, either.
Also, I just cannot see any poem that I could compose being worth £150. Good luck to all who enter it.
From July, I will finally be able to enter the 'write time' short story competition.
Oh, Sharon, good luck with Write Time when you get there. I've tried and tried... had several feedbacks but I just don't fit. I've used a variety of genres, shortlisted in WM with them and edited and edited... to no avail. I hope you will have better luck than me.
ReplyDeleteI'll report back later! It's £5 to enter. If they like literary stories, that's me out.
ReplyDeleteHi Patsy, I hope you get your office sorted out soon it's so annoying when firms don't deliver on their promises. Fiona you have my sympathy too with your meter issue. Thanks all for the information re various comps etc. Good luck with Write Time Sharon, I hope you have success, look forward to you feeding back on your experience. Happy writing/submitting everyone!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the competition news. I've tried to write something for Gooseberry Pie, so I'll see how I feel about it when I have another look at it tomorrow. I hope you have better news about your office soon, Patsy.
ReplyDelete