We had an amazing time, probably helped by being very lucky with the weather, and definitely picked a good time of year to visit Scotland.
Free to enter writing competitions
Thanks to Suzan Lindsay for the link to this competition from The Welkin Press. They want up to 100 words. There are 5 themes and the best in each will win £30.
And thanks to Fiona for this one from Curtis Brown on the theme of landmarks. They want a few more words - up to 300, and offer a potentially bigger prize of a Curtis Brown gift voucher valued at £300, and a year's membership to The Writing Studio.
Other publication opportunities
If you write short literary fiction (3,000 to 8,000 words) you might be interested in submitting to One Story. They pay $5,000.
Thanks to Fiona for pointing out that Myslexia "have lots of submission opportunities and for most you don’t have to subscribe to the magazines."
The latest issue of Writing Magazine has, amongst many other things, 'tips on writing for the womag market'. It includes alternative markets and uses for womag type fiction. In case you missed it, last week Liz Filluel wrote a post about using work originally written for womags in a completely different way.
Here, here and here, are examples of how I've re-homed some of the stories I've had published in magazines over the years.
8 comments:
Glad you had such a great trip Patsy and with such amazing weather. Thanks to you and Suzan for the competition info too.
I’m doing a talk at a writing group next week on getting published (story in this week’s PF so that’s helpful) and winning competitions (conveniently won a flash fiction competition last week but can’t read at the festival as I’m doing the talk!). I’m preparing a list of resources and tips for them and this blog will be top of my list. Thanks so much for keeping it going Patsy, even when you’re on remote islands!
Thank you, Suzan Fiona and Patsy. Well done, Fiona! Had two rejections from TPF a couple of weeks ago... and await another one from yesterday's sub (don't be so negative, I hear you say!). I am issue buddies in BOWW with another three from here. Alyson H: In the club; Patsy: The cookie monster as these are reprints. Your article was pretty comprehensive, Patsy - and a double-page spread! Hope you make more traffic for the blog from it.
I'm glad you had a good trip, Patsy.
Well done to all with positive news. I'm still getting my head around the news about fiction feast.
It's been a blow and I admit that I've been feeling pretty miserable about it. I don't how long we'll be waiting for clarification from them. It could be months.
I know I shouldn't allow my mood to be dictated by the fickle womag market but sudden changes for me, as an autistic person, are difficult.
Well, I guess it's about achieving success in a different way from now on.
I can't get my stories in TPF, no matter how hard I try!
I forgot to add that the story glory project has gone under after just 4 months. That was another out of the blue disappointment. Not a great week for me!
Glad you had such a great time Patsy and thanks for all you do for this blog. I haven't got much to report though I have just subbed another story to WW. I do have one coming out with them next month, the first since February.
Sorry to hear you're feeling down Sharon. The already limited markets are shrinking fast and its really hard to stay buoyant. Like you I'm having zero success with TPF. Determined to have another go though.
Glad you had a good holiday, Patsy. Did you find any puffins?
Thanks the for competitions, Suzan and Fiona. I might try the Welkin one, although I'm rubbish at very short fiction.
Thanks, Marguerite for telling me about BOWW - I had no idea. My story is a reprint from WW. Do you know the issue number of the magazine by any chance?
I wasn't writing for fiction feast - I only sold them a few stories and didn't get included on their list but I feel for those writers who had new from them this week. It seems to have been handled spectacularly badly and without feeling for those who have provided them content for years. Such a shame and does leave a bad taste.
Alyson
@ Fiona – Oooh, great timing on the publication and win with regard to the talk. congratulations for both.
Thanks in advance for the blog mention.
@ Marguerite – Thanks for telling me about the BOWW publication. I didn't know. Congratulations on your own publication there - lovely to be issue buddies!
@ Sharon – You're right, we should try not to let things like reductions in markets get us down, but that's easier said than done when there's so little good news to balance things out.
You're also quite right about looking for others ways to succeed! Congratulations on getting a letter in Writing Magazine.
@ Sue – Well done for your WW success. Good luck with 'cracking' TPF.
@ Alyson - Holiday?!? We did have a lot of fun, but it was also a working trip. They always are. Mainly that involves photography (proer stuff for Gary, not just my pretty snaps), but we write too.
Yes, we did see puffins. That was near the end of the trip and I've not got round to sorting out those photos yet.
Any changes at TABFF which involve fewer stories being bought will impact on all womag writers, as there will be even more competition for the remaining fiction slots.
This isn't the first womag change which hasn't been handled with any sensitivity towards those involved. DCT seem to manage things fairly well, but all the other recent (last 20 years!) changes I can think of have resulted in shock, upset and / or confusion.
Many thanks everyone for kind, comforting comments. I really appreciate it. I'm just hoping that my Xmas stories to FF will be considered and not automatically rejected.
Post a Comment