I did get to write a post this week, even if I am finishing it off at the last minute.
These photos were taken by me, but not in my garden. btw, the photo in last week's post was of brown hares, as I'd not captured any fluffy bunnies with the camera. I'm guessing you all thought I'd mixed them up and are too polite to correct me.Did you witness the eclipse?
Here's a competition for plays. The theme is climate change. If the current weather has inspired you, then in you're in with the chance of winning £15,000.
Thanks to Eirin for telling me about the Sunday Post short story competition, as it closes on Friday September 18th. "Entrants must be amateur writers and not selling their work on any platform. "
I believe Best have a Hallowe'en competition, but haven't seen a copy of the magazine yet. I'll update this post if/when I do.
Free entry writing competitions
Here's a competition for plays. The theme is climate change. If the current weather has inspired you, then in you're in with the chance of winning £15,000.
Thanks to Eirin for telling me about the Sunday Post short story competition, as it closes on Friday September 18th. "Entrants must be amateur writers and not selling their work on any platform. "
You have 1,500 to 2,000 words. I don't think there's a big cash prize, but winning this one could be a useful boost to a newish writer hoping to go on to be published.
And thanks, Dee - you know why!
Womag news
I believe Best have a Hallowe'en competition, but haven't seen a copy of the magazine yet. I'll update this post if/when I do.
Eirin has also told me that the cut off date for registering stories with ALCS in time for March payments has moved forward a little, to 31st October. If you'd been intending to sign up with them and not yet got around to it, now would be a good time. Here's why you might want to join.
Erin, you have story in the September monthly special of That's life mag.
ReplyDeleteWell done and well done to all with positive news. I'm planning to send some photos to two mag's letters page. I'm glad that it's cooler today.
Sharon, thanks so much for the tip-off - I didn't even know That's Life magazine included fiction - I take it this is a Bauer title and the story a reprint of a FF one?
DeleteThank you so much for all the updates, Patsy. I’m afraid I haven’t got any news to report, but well done to those who do!
ReplyDeleteMarian, you have a story on the September issue of tab monthly. Well done.
DeleteThe Best halloween competition is 1200 words, closes 1st October and send to bestfiction@hearst.co.uk. They are thinking ghouls, ghosts, haunted houses or maybe even a crime thriller.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the posts, Patsy.
Alyson
Thanks, Patsy, for mentioning the ALCS change. I would again urge all writers with work published in the past three years to sign up and list their stories - there is money to which you are entitled just waiting for you. There is a modest fee for registering with ALCS and they also take a small commission on what they gather up for you, but it's still worth claiming your cash.
ReplyDeleteAnd they even deduct the modest fee from the first payment :)
DeleteThank you Patsy and Eirin, for all the information.
ReplyDeleteBelated congratulations to - Sheelagh re selling those two stories last week, and to Eirin - I enjoyed reading the first episode of your PF ‘School series’.
Yes, we saw the eclipse, with glasses, colander and, in true Blue Peter fashion, a pinhole camera made from a cereal packet… 😊
Dee
Eirin, stories are featured in the That's life monthly specials (not the weekly mag) and in the seasonal specials, such as summer and Christmas. Yes, they are usually re- prints, taken from Fiction Feast. You should be able to claim ALCS on them, though.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sharon.
DeleteTo add - short stories are also featured the TAB monthly specials, too. These are re - prints now as well.
ReplyDeletein 1999, I led a school assembly with a box over my head, explaining how to look at the eclipse safely :) To keep the tradition going, I used the box method :) This time was the first I'd heard of the colander method. Good luck, Sharon: I have a friend who regular sends 'tips' and photos, often printed :) Thank you, Eirin and Patsy for the info. Still awaiting Crowvus (memoir)...
ReplyDeleteWonderful! I seem to remember that during the 1999 eclipse it went cooler, darker and quieter. Or am I just looking back through rose tinted (or in this case eclipse tinted) glasses?😊
DeleteDee
I took temperature readings... sad, isn’t it? 😉 Yes, it did go down.
ReplyDeleteThanks Patsy & Eirin & Dee. Isn't it nice not to be able to enter something you are a published author! & yes the eclipse was spectacular here too
ReplyDelete@ Sharon – I remember when the weekly That's Life had a twist ending story each week. They were usually really good - by far the best part of the magazine. I stoped reading it when those were dropped.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the photos.
@ Marian – It's slow news season.
@ Alyson - thanks for the info. I'll add it to the post. It's interesting they're considering a crime story. I guess they're still taking all rights?
@ Eirin – I certainly think it's worth it. To those who've signed up, remember everything counts - letters, tips, articles and reprints, as well as original fiction.
@ Dee – We saw quite a few people with home made pin hole cameras. I confess I didn't quite believe they'd work. My mistake.
It most definitely got a lot cooler and darker where we were (seafront Lee-on-the-Solent) There wasn't any cloud cover, so the difference was very noticeable. It wasn't quieter, as there was a big crowd of people.
@ Marguerite - ha! I bet that got people's attention. The colander method is really a lazy version of the pin hole camera - you did things much more scientifically.
@ Sheelagh – It is, unless we don't realise until we get to the small print , then it can be disappointing.
I'm glad the eclipse was good there too.