Concentrating on my writing whilst it's all been going on hasn't been easy, so I've used the time to sort out more of the photos from our recent trip. These were taken near the end on the Farne Islands.
Free entry writing competitions
Thanks to Alyson for this short story competition. The theme is titles, max word count 1,500 and the prize £100, plus a book.
Do you like writing book reviews? (If so, please review one of mine!) There's £500 on offer for a review of books in various categories in this competition. It does look as though they expect winners to attend their event.
Womag news
The TABFF rejections continue! I got 10 all at once - all of them submitted in 2024. Some of them previously rejected. Some previously published in the magazine. Some given up on after the period the guidelines told us we were to do that, subbed and published elsewhere.
I asked what would happen with stories accepted but not yet published ad got this reply - "Any stories we publish will be paid for in the normal way. Any unpublished submissions can be sold elsewhere. If you need any further information let me know."
Thanks to Maisie Bishop for forwarding these guidelines, recently sent out by The Simple Things. They used to take unsolicited submissions, then went to commissions only. It looks as though they've had a rethink about that!
The Simple Things
Fiction submissions
National, monthly, lifestyle magazine The Simple Things is proud to run a piece of flash fiction every month. We are always delighted to receive submissions, provided they fit the below criteria.
(available from newsagents, larger supermarkets, WHS, M&S, Barnes & Noble in the US, and as a digital version) to familiarise yourself with our overall content.
As you’ll see, we’re rather obsessed with nature/food/family/friends/home/crafts/nostalgia/simple pleasures. Stories should ideally refer to at least one of these obsessions in some way – but please don’t cram too many in, or feel obliged to deliver, for example, the tale of a middle-class family reconciled through crochet, chickens or a home-cooked dinner (we’ve had quite a lot of those recently…). Feel free to approach things from a new, oblique angle.
Sex and death are best avoided.
Humour is very welcome (though not essential). Melancholy is fine, but the story should ultimately strike – and this is probably the most important thing to bear in mind - an upbeat (though not cheesy) note.
Please keep titles 3-6 words long if possible.
WORD COUNT: 600 words.
FEE: £100
EMAIL AS WORD DOC TO: eithne.farry@gmail.com
HEARING BACK FROM US: If we decide a story is just right, we’ll be in touch as soon as possible. However, due to time constraints and heavy submissions it may not always be possible to reply personally to every unsuccessful submission. We’ll try, but if we can’t - please forgive us, and know that we are very grateful to you for sharing your words with us.
Thanks! We look forward to reading you.
The Simple Things.
Many thanks Patsy and to everyone who has passed info on.
ReplyDeleteI'll have a go with simple things but I looked at the mag in smiths (or what used to be smiths) and the fiction in it was very literary.
It was the sort of thing that I couldn't write, so I'd bear in mind that they may not be looking for commercial fiction.
That could have changed, of course but it didn't look like a typical women's magazine to me.
There's lots of questions I'd like to ask FF but I don't feel that we are going to receive answers. Are the submitted Xmas stories going to be considered for this year, for instance?
Is the mag going to become mainly filled with re- printed stories? Is it being cut done to 10 issues a year, or worse, 4 seasonal specials?
However, it's good that they have mentioned paying for stories in the future.
The only news from me is that I had a story published on a website. There was no fee but they illustrated it nicely with photos, so I was pleased.
I'm on the hunt for online story projects.
Well done to all with positive news.
Sorry meant to say that I'm glad you've finally had your office fitted, Patsy. It looks really great!
ReplyDeleteThe office looks great Patsy! So pleased it is all completed.
ReplyDeleteThank you Patsy, Maisie and Alyson, some interesting info this week.
Last week you mentioned finding ‘other ways to succeed’; looking at those wonderful birds-in-motion photos, perhaps a glossy, coffee table book? Just a thought…😊
I recognised quite a few names, from this blog, in the PF Feel-good fiction Bookazine, congratulations.
Dee
The new office looks gorgeous, Patsy - wishing you many happy writing days there. Re TABFF - I observed in my latest subscription copy that they are still inviting new subscriptions from readers, so that suggests the magazine is expecting to maintain its current number of issues, I'd have thought. Fingers crossed.
ReplyDeleteRe Smith’s - I agree, Sharon and Marguerite– I still think of it as ‘wuh huh smith’ which is what our daughter called it when she was learning her letters!😊
DeleteDee
Thank you, Patsy, Alyson and Maisie. Sadly, for the first time in a while, I won't be sending to Toasted Cheese (21st June) because it's gone down the literary route this time. And true to form, a rejection from TPF but I cheated even more this time! I sent it late Friday... which meant they had it a whole 3 days! Congratulations to Sharon: always great to see a good photo/picture with your work too. Thank you for doing the Smith's research as well :) It'll always be Smith's to me... until it goes completely.
ReplyDeleteThe office looks fantastic, Patsy! Parallel to you and the office, I now have a lounge. I have felt your pain...
Sorry, above message re Smiths should be here, too quick with that publish button...
DeleteDee
The office looks great, Patsy.
ReplyDeleteIt’s also great that The Simple Things is opening up to submissions. I enjoy the magazine and also the podcast so I might have a go at writing something.
Liz
Thank you Patsy and everyone for the competition info.
ReplyDeleteThe office looks fantastic.
HB
I wish you both happy writing in you new office. It looks amazing despite the stress it caused! Thanks everyone for the comps and info :)
ReplyDeleteCool the office is finally finished! And those are some amazing photos. You should do a photo book.
ReplyDeleteGlad the office is finished! It looks good. The puffins are very cool. Still on my list :) It's a long list...
ReplyDeleteNever seen a copy of The Simple Things and its not on Press Reader so I'll have to have a look in town when I next go in.
Alyson
Office looks great Patsy, that would definitely encourage you to spend more time in there. Nature photos are fab too. Like the sound of the Simple Things competition so might give that a go, thanks for all the info Patsy & everyone who keeps me up todate on writing matters
ReplyDeleteThe office looks great - a lovely place to work.
ReplyDeleteThank you patsy for another great post!!! Can I ask when you get a reprint in the same magazine or BOWW that was originally printed in WW do you add this to ALCS to claim anything? I only add the story one time but I’ve had several reprints so just wondered… Charlie
ReplyDeleteI don't think it is a competition run by Simple things mag. It's for their short story submissions. It'd be good if any of us here had an acceptance. I'd be interested to know if it was a commercial womag type of story or a literary one.
ReplyDeletePatsy - the office looks so good!
ReplyDeleteCharlie - I contacted ALCS when I heard about reprints in BoWW from this blog. They told me you can claim if the story has been published in a magazine with a different ISSN.
Thanks everyone for your comments about the office. It does look good, and will make things a bit easier. It won't improve my writing of course, but it removes a lot of excuses for not getting on and doing some!
ReplyDelete@ Sharon – I think you're right and they're a bit more literary than nost womags. Perhaps similar to The Lady stories in tone?
Well done on your website publication.
I'll ask TAB if they will still be considering those stories already submitted, and see what else I can find out.
@ Dee - We did consider creating a book with some of Gary's photos and decided it wasn't viable for several reasons. Marketing and the high cost of printing images to a good standard being the main ones. Nice idea though and suggestions are always welcome though.
@ Eirin – That sounds hopeful.
@ Marguerite – I hope that you can now forget the trauma of having the lounge done, and jusy enjoy it. That's what we're doing with the office.
@ Liz - if you're a regular reader and listener, hopefully you have a good idea of the sort of thing they'd like.
@ HB - It's what we're here for!
@ Elizabeth – I'm enjoying the novelty of clutter free space.
@ Alex – I'm toying with the idea of doing one of our travels, just for us.
@ Alyson - We've got a list like that! Dunnet Head is a good place to see puffins, should you be going up that far.
@ Sheelagh – I don't have any excuse not to get on with my writing and other work now, do I?
Sharon is right, The Simple Things are open to submissions, rather than running a competition – although that doesn't make much difference when it comes to submissions, other than a lack of deadline.
@ Maisie - Yes, it's great now it's all done and we've, just about, sorted out where everything goes.
@ Charlie - Yes, you can claim ALCS on reprints. The money is per publication, not per story. You might still be able to claim for yours – I think you can do it for up to three years after publication. The main difficulty with reprints is that we don't generally get told about them by the editors, so rely on either spotting them ourselves, or friends doing it and letting us know.
@ Marian - Thanks for confirming that.
Masie, you have a story in the new woman's weekly summer special. I don't know if it's a re-print or not, but sel done!
ReplyDeleteSorry - well done!
ReplyDelete