Womag news
For those of us not on Twitter, Alyson passed on this by The People's Friend - "Calling all authors! We're currently looking for stories set in August onwards for our weekly, and from late autumn onwards for our Specials. We're also now ready to read Advent and Christmas stories to feature across all 'Friend' publications. All genres and word counts!"
Have you had another bunch of TAB rejections? Me too.
Free entry writing competitions
Here's a short story competition for those who are either unpublished, or have been published no more than four times. Entry is only free until the end of the month.
Win cash prizes, industry recognition, and a chance to impress our expert judges.
My news
Thanks to Sharon for telling me I have a story in WW. I haven't managed to see it yet, but we're running out of supplies so will be shopping today.
There's a post on the blog on my website about POV, inspired by part of the trip, which you might find interesting.
21 comments:
Ooh! Islay, I’m jealous Patsy! My neighbour had an auntie who lived there and went many times, but I’ve never made it yet. Did you try the whisky?
Thanks Alyson for sharing the PF update from Twitter. I find it disappointing they don’t put this in their weekly email which often includes a writing prompt, so is aimed at writers.
Had an email from a literary mag this week to say a poem’s been longlisted. This made me smile because I sent off two - one worked on for weeks, the other a ‘write something crazy and send it off’, which of course, was the one the editors liked!
Have a good writing week everyone.
Well done to all with positive news.
I've subbed 2 Xmas stories to TPF and they didn't want either of them. Never mind, I'll try and find homes for them elsewhere. I've sent most of my Xmas stories now.
I've had several stories accepted for the story glory booklet but I still haven't heard from micro romance e- mag. Has anyone else?
Thanks Patsy, great info as usual. Enjoy your travels, I'm going to read your story in WW this morning..well done Fiona on your long-listing, sounds interesting. The best I did was submit a story this week, first in ages as I've been busy with non fiction writing. There's a contentment in writing & submitting fiction that you're happy with regardless.
Wonderful photos Patsy, how lovely to find these deserted places.
Congratulations Fiona, a similar thing happened to me last year. I entered a paid competition and submitted two pieces, I spent ages writing the first one, I had to rush the second one, very last minute - yes, that was the one that was shortlisted…
I agree Sheelagh, writing something you’re pleased with and sending it off is very satisfying, it always makes me happy.
Congratulations on the story glory acceptances Sharon.
Dee
Patsy, I'm jealous, I love Islay and the people who live there are so welcoming. Enjoying your photos! I had a Christmas story accepted this week by TPF so wee happy dance for me. Well done everyone with their acceptances, wins or submissions and happy writing.
The above comment was from me!
Lovely to hear good news from Sharon, Elizabeth and Fiona 😊. Anonymous wrote at the end of last week: congratulations on the BOWW... since I also heard yesterday, I'm hoping I have a womagblog buddy in the next edition 😊. Thank you Patsy and Alyson for all the information. Just shocked that I can now say (feels odd to me) that there are some comps I can't enter because I don't qualify for too many published!
@ Marguerite I was thinking the same thing, it feels like an achievement in itself to be eliminated on the grounds of having too much published!!
A beach to yourself is a rarity here!
Islay looks wonderful. It was on our list but has just shifted up a few notches.
Yes, odd to eliminated from a comp for having too many stories published!
Alyson
Glad you’re enjoying your travels, Patsy. Some of Scotland’s beaches look wonderful. I subbed a Christmas story to WW last week. Already have two others ‘out’ with them atm.
I’m busy trying to shorten a story I wrote about five years ago. Over 2500 words down to 1800 if possible. I’m managing to edit out large chunks of waffle so hopefully I’ll achieve my goal.
I also feel shocked that I can say I can’t enter a competition because I have too many stories published to qualify.
Anyway, happy writing, everyone. And congratulations to those with acceptances.
Michael
Beautiful photos once again. Scotland is so beautiful. Congratulations to all with successes to report. I had an 'on file ' acceptance frim Andrew Shaw last week. Never sure about those but will wait and see. Has anyone ever submitted anything to Stylist? I tried one in February but haven't heard anything g one way or the other and nobody here ever seems to mention it. Their website says they accept freelance subs.
Congratulations to everybody with good news. @SueMcV - I submitted to Stylist once, several years ago, and heard nothing back. I sent a story off to Andrew Shaw for the first time in ages this month, so fingers crossed. I haven't been submitting for a while - busy working on other things, so have slightly lost track. Am I right in thinking that the only well-known mags open to submissions from people not 'on a list' are TPF (which I don't seem able to crack!) and the WW family?
@Maisie. Thanks for that reply. I had a feeling my submission to Stylist submission had probably fallen into an abyss. Think I'll try it elsewhere. I think you're right about those being the only mainstream mags accepting freelance submissions. Like you, I am unable to break into TPF other than with poetry. Hopefully we'll get there eventually.
Wonderful pics, again, Patsy - thanks for sharing. Maisie, I think you're right - PF and WW seem to be the only fully open doors to all writers just now among the women's well-known magazines, but I would definitely keep trying with PF, as they publish in the region of one thousand new pieces of fiction each year, which means a LOT of opportunities. It took me a while to get published there, but my breakthrough came, I think, when I started to write stories that I would like to read, instead of being too rigid in who I thought the readers were. Of course you need to keep one eye on current content for the desired tone and subject matter, but your own particular eye for detail/sense of humour/slant are also vital ingredients (in my opinion: I have absolutely no authority for offering advice!) Good luck, Maisie and Sue.
Thank you Eirin. Its good to have advice and encouragement from someone who has succeeded.
I have subbed to stylist and got nowhere. You're forgetting Ireland's own, who have an open list. Prima has an ongoing competition that's 800 words but they take all rights to the winning story.
Ah yes of course. I forgot those two. Thanks Sharon.
@Sharon - thank you for reminder of Ireland's Own and Prima. @Eirin - thanks for your words of encouragement. Like Sue, I've had a couple of poems in TPF, but honestly, mine weren't even good - just sent them on the offchance!
@ Fiona – Islay is lovely. It's a really pretty island, with lots of wildlife. We've been to every distillery - there are 9, I think. And yes, I've tried some of them. We bought a few miniature bottles, as the tours are all in the daytime and neither of us want to drink midday, even if we don't have to drive afterwards.
Well done re the poem. It shows that we don't always have to overthink our writing, perhaps?
@ Sharon – Well done for being organised enough to send out stories, with time to try elsewhere if they're not successful. Hopefully you'll find an alternative home for them.
@ Sheelagh – I agree about there being contentment in finishing something we're happy with, regardless of what happens to it – I prefer a sale though!
@ Dee – We've been surprised how many beaches we've had to ourselves, at least for an hour or two. Maybe most tourists do drink before teatime, so don't go out looking at the scenery?
@ Elizabeth – the people are indeed very welcoming. When we were looking for a standing stone, the person we asked for directions let us park in her drive while we went to ask the farmer, who opened a gate and walked with us until he could point out the way. That kind of helpfulness has been typical.
Congratulations on the story acceptance.
@ Marguerite – Well done on the acceptance. Yeah, too many stories published does feel odd in any context.
@ Alex – It might be partly because there are so many beaches, most of which are reached by single track roads and / or walking. Not everyone makes the effort, and those who do, might all be at different places.
@ Alyson – I think you'd like it. There are lots of great walks.
@ Michael – It's surprising how much we can cut if we have to for some reason. Good luck with the story once you've reached your word count.
@ Sue – I've tried Stylist now and then. I've never had any kind of reply, which is very disheartening.
@ Maisie – I see Sharon B has already replied about two mags. Best also have their regular competitions. Again they take all rights.
@ Eirin – TPF do publish a lot of stories. I wish all the mags took so many!
Post a Comment