Quick update on YOURS

It's been pointed out to me that the YOURS website still shows fiction submission guidelines, and these appear to have been updated within the last few days. I have checked in case either the information I posted recently was incorrect, or there had been a change of policy. Unfortunately that's not the case.  

Sad news about YOURS

I've been seeing various rumours about Bauer adopting a policy of only using previously published fiction in their magazines (for which they wouldn't have to pay as the most recent contracts either give them all rights for accepted material, or allow for reuse).

After contact with a reliable source, I can confirm that this is the case for Yours magazine, and that after many years Marion Clarke is to lose her job as fiction editor there. I didn't sell many stories to that market, but Marion's name is one of the first which I wrote on the A4 envelopes I sent out my first submissions in. I'm sure that, like me, all those who've worked with her wish her well for the future. 

This news is very disappointing for writers - and seems unfair to readers too.

My source (very credible but currently wishing to remain anonymous - which makes me feel like a proper journo!) says that they believe Take a Break will continue to accept new submissions. I certainly hope that's the case!

Anyone got any good news to share?

Summer's here!

How are you enjoying the weather? Personally I like it hot and sunny, as long as I don't need to be too active. It can be draining though. If you're finding it hard to write at the moment, here's an idea which might help.

Free entry writing competition news

Green Stories are running another short story competition. The theme is microbes and the top prize £500.

A tip for entering any competition with a theme, prompt, genre requirement etc – make sure it's obvious you've written your piece to fit the requirement. One of the entries in my local writing group's short story competition was disqualified by the judges because they didn't feel it fitted the brief. That's a shame as the person concerned is a good writer and had created the piece specifically for the competition, it simply wasn't clear to the judges that was the case.

Btw, the winning entry (mine!) was praised for its layout, grammar lack of filler words and the fact an original title (as opposed to the competition theme) was used. Obviously the actual story is the most important element, but it's worth paying attention to the details because if two or more entries are close, as I'm sure they were in this case, that might well make the difference.

Other publication opportunities

Stand magazine is a new to me, although well established, paying market, which considers poetry and short stories. The style seems to be more literary than womag – does that appeal to any of you?

Womag news

Angela Gilchrist has been replaced as editor of The People's Friend by Stuart Johnstone, who has previously been a My Weekly editor. More details here.

The new fiction editor at My Weekly has been announced. She's Kirstyn Smith. 

I don't yet know what difference, if any, these change will make. 

This isn't really news, just a clarification. It's YOURS FICTION which is currently on hold with an uncertain future. The regular YOURS magazine is continuing without change, so you can continue to submit work there.

As YOURS FICTION had a policy of, if you've not heard in three months then it's a no, I think it's safe to assume anything submitted there won't now be used. Submission to the regular YOURS should all eventually get a reply. That can take up to six months, although do sometimes come more promptly.

My news

I'm using my website more now. If you're interested in reading about my writing life, take a look.

For those wondering about the TAB FF story of mine accidentally credited to another author – I have received an apology and payment. My guess is there was a change round when the magazine was laid out and switching the author name got overlooked.

The next scheduled post is 15th July. There may be travel photos!

Over To You

 Do you have any womag news?

Any market news? Are you researching, writing, subbing? Had any acceptances or rejections? Still waiting to hear back on outstanding submissions? Do you have a question? Can you offer tips or encouragement to other writers?

Any other writing related news, questions and comments are also welcome.

Feel free to use these photos as picture prompts. If you'd like written writing prompts, short exercises and story/scene suggestions then you might find this book useful.

Calls for submissions

Fanatical are looking for "unpublished sci-fi, fantasy and horror stories of between 2,000 and 6,000 words." They pay £20. That doesn't seem a lot for the amount of work involved!

Free entry competition news

On the Premises are running another competition. This time there's a picture prompt (see that and other rules by clicking on 'guidelines'. The prize is $250

Thanks to Sheelagh for mentioning a different competition to me. I'm not posting a link, as it had a $75 entry fee – something we both initially missed. Has anyone seen a higher entry fee, and would you consider paying that amount?

Womag/competition news

Thanks to Sharon Boothroyd for this – The regular Yours mag have launched a short story story comp. Details are in the mag. 

Max 850 words, and it's an open theme and genre. 
Closing date, July 3rd and it's free to enter. 
The only drawback is that they take the rights to all entries. So you lose the rights to your story just by entering.

I hate the way some competitions become rights grabs in this way. There's no need for it – they don't take all our rights when they publish stories they buy from us, so why would they want them for failed competition entries?

My news

I've had a reply about my story which was accidentally credited to the wrong person in TAB's Fiction Feast. No one at the magazine has responded, but ALCS have agreed I can still claim through them in the normal way.

Edits on my cosy mystery novel, Disguised Murder In Little Mallow, are going well, and I have a new short story collection out. Days To Remember is available as an ebook, paperback or to be read through kindle unlimited. As I hope the title suggests, the 24 stories are about special days in the lives of the characters. (The first story is set in the same location as the novel I'm working on.)

A reminder – I regularly post on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of each month but, as you may have seen from my last post, I'll add in extras if something interesting, important or urgent pops up in between (and I'm able to get it uploaded.) Any guests posts would also go between those dates. When I know an extra post is coming up, I'll try to let you know on the previous one.

Thanks to everyone for your comments. As well as allowing us all to share information, help and encourage each other, comments also show editors, competition organisers and others that the blog is read and will therefore be more likely to provide information for me to share with you.

The next scheduled post is 1st July.

Loads of womag info and a few free writing competitions

Unless you're new to the blog (if you are hello and welcome), you were probably expecting to see loads of photos from my recent trip. You probably will eventually, but I'm still not caught up with everything. I think there's enough info in the blog for you to forgive me fobbing you off with a pile of rocks - even if the larger part of it was kindly written by a writing buddy.

Free to enter writing competitions

This short story competition offers a £1,500 prize.

If you know anything about the Czech and/or Slovak republics, this competition could be for you. The prize is $400.

And if you know about contemporary art but haven't written a lot about it, you could be in with a chance of winning £1,000 here.

Thanks to Fiona for sending the link to this free to enter poetry competition with a £70 prize fund.

Thanks to Sharon for the link to this halloween competition. You have 2,500 words and until the end of August to come up with a spooky tale and be in with a chance of winning the £20 prize.

There's a wide range of prizes on offer there. Those with the lower amounts on offer might well attract fewer entries, but don't be put off trying those with larger prizes because you think you'll have no chance - someone really will win, and if you can write what they want, it might well be you.

Other submission opportunities

Here's a call for submissions of short stories and essays. They pay £110 per accepted piece.

Womag news

Massive thanks to Sharon Boothroyd for the following very detailed and comprehensive information – 

Womag wonders

A lot of aspiring writers say there's no point trying to break into the womag market, as there's too many closed lists.

There's only three magazines I know that hold a closed list. 

These are My Weekly, Take a Break's Fiction Feast and Best. TAB also publish a new story in their monthly special. 

Stories from FF are sometimes re- printed in their monthly Fate & Fortune mag – writers aren't paid for these. A short story also appears in the monthly and seasonal specials of That's life! mag. (UK version). I think it's the same situation there.

Also, published stories are re- printed in That's life! the Australia weekly magazine.

Here's my list of paying magazines that hold an open list:

Ireland's Own Max length: 2, 300 words.

They haven't issued any actual guidelines, but from my experience they like the kind of story The Weekly News used to accept. They quite like ghost stories scams and twists, too. 

They publish various seasonal specials and hold an annual short story competition - it's around £7 to enter. They also publish children's fiction and pay for this.

Pay: around £40 - £50

They don't give out rejects, so after 4 months, assume it's a no. If your work appears, they send a complimentary copy of the magazine via snail mail.

Woman's Weekly 800 words & 1, 700/ 1, 800 words. 

Take all rights. Stories are now being re- published in Woman mag (Writers don't receive any more for this). 

A 4 month wait for a decision. If you don't hear, it's a no.

Pay: It varies. The lowest fee that I know of is £75.

Monthly 'Best of WW fiction' magazine  750 & 1, 500 words

The fiction ed requires pitches for unwritten stories, but if the story is already written, it's ok to send it in. Needs chasing for decisions.

While most stories are re- prints, it's good to see that fresh material is being included, and more womag writers have been added to their list. 

Pay: £75 for a 750 story and £150 for a 1, 500 story.

They take all rights.

The People's Friend and their special - various lengths from 1,000 to 9, 000. They have introduced a '5 stories submission' rule for some of their published fiction writers.

Fiction guidelines are available on their website:

https://www.thepeoplesfriend.co.uk/guidelines

They have an email submissions system for their unpublished story writers.

They also publish poetry in their mags, plus poetry and fiction in their yearly fireside and friendship books.

Pay: £80 for a newbie writer but this is raised after so many sales (I think it's 7) eventually reaching £110. £15 per poem. 

(From Patsy – Lucy Crichton, fiction editor at The People's Friend, has sent me an update with more information. I'm currently travelling, but will post it as soon as I can.)

The regular Yours – 950 words. 

Pay: £100.

They also publish poetry in their letters page, which is a paid slot.

They publish an annual year book and need stories and poetry for this. Payment for accepted poetry is now a £10 cheque.

Yours only give out rejects, but from experience, a yes arrives within 3/ 4 months. Same with the Yours special.

The Yours fiction special 450 – 2, 700 words

They sub- head their fiction slots which helps us aim for a particular theme.

Both magazines require a short synopsis of the story.

Guidelines for the magazines can be found here:

https://www.yours.co.uk/life/home/writing-for-the-yours-fiction-special

Pay: It varies from £25 upwards, depending on how many pages your story takes up.

The August issue is the last one for this year and after that,the future of the mag is uncertain - that's from the ed. So no dec one with xmas stories in.

Woman's World, USA - take all rights.

Fiction guidelines are available on request. 

They publish a 700 word 'solve- it yourself' detective murder mystery. They like a main detective and an aide. No gory violence.

At the end, your story should include the brief solution (In other words, who committed the murder and why). 

This solution is featured at the foot of the story page. 

These are quite difficult to write, especially in such a short story! I know womag writers who have attempted these detective mysteries, and subbed, but they weren't successful. But they managed to length their stories and sell them to UK mags.

They also publish an 800 word cosy romance. 

They have an active private FB group that focuses on fiction, and the fiction ed regularly posts call- outs for what they require. Search on facebook for 'WW writers'.

Pay: Again, it varies but it's about £250 – £500 (It could be more, depending on the exchange rate). 

I know 2 lucky womag writers who have sold their romances here. They were over the moon. The fee was around £500, but they haven't managed to repeat their success. 

Bear in mind that some published stories are discussed at length in the Woman's World U.S writer's websites. That's not something I'd relish!

Your Cat monthly magazine

No guidelines as such but from experience, I'd recommend that your story features some form of cat care. A 3/4 month wait for a decision, but the ed needs chasing.

Max 1, 500 words

Pay £100

Spirit & Destiny monthly magazine SADLY, THIS CLOSED IN APRIL 2023

Max 1, 500 words.

Pay: I recall it was around £100/ £150

They took all rights. Be aware that a newbie could be bombarded with a lot of unnecessary forms to fill in. This also happened to a new writer at TABFF in 2022. 

I refused and fought my corner to be paid. I didn't write for them because of that reason.

Best magazine run an ongoing themed short story competition. It's free to enter and the writer keeps their rights. 

£500 is awarded to the first place winner and £200 is given to the two runner- ups. Womag writers have won this competition and have clinched runner- up status too, so it's worth a go.

NOTE: They regularly publish fiction but have a closed list. I'm an experienced womag writer and I can't get on it. I've tried several times, all with different stories but I've had no luck.

Prima run an ongoing 800 words monthly short story competition. 

It's free to enter. The prize is £100. 

But be warned - they take all rights to all entries in their competition, so even by entering, you lose the copyright to your own short story.

Plus, there's the pocket novel market for longer fiction. (Up to 50,00 words). 

The two titles are from My Weekly and The People's Friend (37-39,000 words).

Anyone can submit a pocket novel for either title. If a MW one is accepted, you will be able to join the closed MW story writer's list. 

However, I've heard of people who've had a PN accepted, and asked to be included on the MW list, but not received a reply.

The best way to learn how to crack it is to read and study the short stories in the magazines you want to write for. 

I know this isn't always possible with the overseas magazines, but if you become involved with a womag writing community in some way, you'll find others are often prepared to help.

Good luck!

This is greatly appreciated, Sharon, especially as I've not had time to update my submissions database lately. I will as soon as I get the chance, and will use this to help.

I've had some relatively swift responses from The People's Friend for stories I withdrew after they'd been waiting a loooong time and then resubmitted. Writing friends are reporting the same thing, but not hearing back on those submitted last year, or the year before. In some cases when they've queried they've discovered the stories have got lost in the system. However it does seem that the backlog is reducing and things are improving.

There was a mix up at TABFF with one of my stories being credited to another author. I blogged about it on my website. It's the first time something like that has happened to me - and hopefully the last. TAB haven't yet responded to my email, but it's only just happened. I'm sure they will in time, and they'll pay the right author. Unfortunately I'll probably miss out on the ALCS payment, but I'll make enquiries.

Over To You

Do you have any womag news?

Any market news? Are you researching, writing, subbing? Had any acceptances or rejections? Still waiting to hear back on outstanding submissions? Do you have a question? Can you offer tips or encouragement to other writers?

Any other writing related news, questions and comments are also welcome.

My womag news

Sharon Reid who usually edits Yours Fiction has bought a story from me to go in a Yours Easter special pull out thing (possibly not the official description.) This sale is extra to those in the regular magazine. Maybe they'll be doing more of that kind of thing, perhaps a coronation special as Elizabeth suggested in the comments of the last but one post, so the temporary halt of Yours Fiction won't be such a blow?

Free entry competition news

Thanks to Fiona for sending this link for a short story competition with publication and $500 as the top prize. On the home page it states entries must be unpublished.

And this is from Vivienne Moles  – Fictionette is looking for subs and competition entries.  Lipstick and Lies is under this umbrella.

There's a lot included in the subs - short story, flash, micro, poetry and novellas. 

Competitions are varied according to the schedule, currently 'flash' - 150-700 words by 31.3.23

Feel free to use these photos as picture prompts. If you'd like written writing prompts, short exercises and story/scene suggestions then you might find this book useful.

Don't forget to check the submissions database for details of which magazines publish fiction under what terms, and how to submit.

For those who didn't see my comment on Thursday's post –   I have a policy of only giving out information which is already available online (even if it's usually hard to find) or which the editor or whoever has given me permission to share.

In some cases there may be value in sharing information that can't be obtained elsewhere, but on balance I feel this blog can be most useful if those suppling me with information trust me only to share what they want shared, or which is already 'out there'. I'm not just protecting editors. If I, for example, happen to learn your pen name or any personal details, I wouldn't pass those on to anyone without your permission.

Thanks to everyone for your comments. As well as allowing us all to share information, help and encourage each other, comments also show editors, competition organisers and others that the blog is read and will therefore be more likely to provide information for me to share with you.

The next scheduled post is 1st April.

Over To You

Over to you posts are back! They're primarily intended as a way to share womag market information and to help and encourage each other with our writing, but questions and comments on any writing related subject are welcome on any post.

If lots of us share information this could become a valuable resource for us all and I'll continue to post them on the third Saturday of every month. I'm also trialling posting links to free to enter competitions and other writing news and opportunities on the first Saturday of the month. Again I'll make a decision on whether or not to continue based on the response each one gets. This does mean that some things would become out of date before I can share them. (I'll try to post them on the womagwriter twitter account.) If there's breaking news I feel needs to be shared, and I have time to do it, or there are guests posts or anything else which doesn't fit into one of the two regular posts they'll come out on a different Saturday, but generally I'll only be posting on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month.

When time (and internet connection when I'm travelling) allow, I'll reply to blog comments, but this might not always possible. Please do continue to answer any questions raised here if you can, and generally respond to other comments in the way some of you have been doing and keep this a useful and positive community for all those writers who value it. 

So, over to you...

Do you have any womag news?

Any market news? Are you researching, writing, subbing? Had any acceptances or rejections? Still waiting to hear back on outstanding submissions? Do you have a question? Can you offer tips or encouragement to other writers?

Any other writing related news, questions and comments are also welcome.

Womag news from me –

You may have seen news reports of job losses and title closures at DC Thomson. That's unpleasant news for all those involved. Fortunately, as far as I've been able to discover The People's Friend and My Weekly aren't directly impacted.

Feel free to use these photos as picture prompts. If you'd like written writing prompts, short exercises and story/scene suggestions then you might find this book useful.

Don't forget to check the submissions database for details of which magazines publish fiction under what terms, and how to submit.

My news

I've had a couple of rejections from stories submitted last year to Yours – not the response I wanted of course, but so much better than waiting years for a reply, or never hearing back at all.

A story submitted to The People's Friend has been passed onto the next stage. I'll try to be patient about that one! I've also had an acceptance from TAB.

Thanks to my cake fuelled research, mentioned in a previous post, I'm making good progress on my latest cosy crime novel.

Nine of my ebooks are currently available to download for 99p (99c) from Amazon.

Singing the blues

The sky is still a cloudless blue, the sea an invitingly cool blue, and some of the prettiest flowers in my garden right now are blue. I'm not blue myself – just a smidge exasperated with some aspects of this writing lark.

Free entry competition news

Wasafari are looking for, "critical essays of an exemplary standard, which constitute the most exciting academic work happening today across the field of international contemporary literature." There's a £250 prize, plus other benefits for the best entry.

I've never written anything like that, and doubt I ever will (not enough of a blue stocking?) How about you?

Thanks to Alyson for reminding we about this competition from Comma Press. £500 is on offer for a short story with the theme of Music. All shortlisted entries will be published in an anthology.

Womag news

Nothing much to report! I'm not getting acceptances, or rejections. It feels as though everything I submit is slithering into a heap behind a metaphorical sofa out in cyberspace.  

I have had an acknowledgement of a submission and a response, but not an actual answer, to a query about long outstanding submissions. 

Yours have stopped sending the automatic responses, so now we don't even have the reassurance that our story arrived safely as we wait for a response which might not come. The website states Yours Fiction don't send rejections, but Yours does. They no longer provide a cut off period past which you may assume your story will not be used.

Email subscriptions to this blog

To the right of this post is the option to sign up for email blog updates. Some people have reported that it doesn't work very well, or that they're unable to add their email to the list. I'm sorry about that, but don't know how to fix it. If anyone does know, please tell me! 

If you do subscribe, you should get a confirmation email with a link to click to activate your subscription. You may also get scary warnings about it not being secure!

Sorry, I can't add anyone myself. That's probably a data protection thing. I do have a newsletter you can sign up for, which does seem to work, but that's not news about my writing, not blog updates.

I've added a link to an alternative way to subscribe, just in case that's helpful. If you try it, please let me know if it works!

Sorry not to be better and more professional with the technology side of things. 

A quickie about stuff

Hi. Just a quick post today as I'm busy with 'stuff'. Writing of course, but also gardening and getting ready for adventures in the van - we'll be staying in at least five different locations and three different countries before the end of the month and it all starts today.

Womag news

I've still not heard anything from Stylist magazine, nor do I know of anyone who has. I did spot that they've changed their submission requirements a little.

Lipstick and Lies have temporarily closed to submissions. They've contacted everyone who has had work accepted. Were you one of the lucky ones! (I hadn't even decided whether or not to sub when I discovered they'd closed.)

My womag news

This kind of thing doesn't happen often, but I currently have a story in Yours, The People's Friend and People's Friend special.

Free entry competition news

This competition is for literary novels over 30,000 words and offers £1,500 plus publication to the winner.

Any questions?

If you have any womag or other writing related questions I'm very happy to try to answer them – provided you do it as a comment on this blog.  Sorry but I simply don't have time to answer individual queries by email and social media. Often more than one person asks the same thing and even when it's just one person the chances are that someone else was wondering. If you ask on the blog, not only can others benefit from the answer, but more people will see the question so you're more likely to get a helpful reply.

Whether you have questions or not, please do leave a comment if you find the blog useful, interesting or otherwise worth me taking time out from all the other 'stuff' I have going on!

Here's how to leave a comment. (It's free and you don't need to create an account.)

Over To You

Womag news

My womag news – Over the last week I've sold to My Weekly and Yours. All sales are good of course, but I'm especially pleased about these as it's been a long time since I had an acceptance with either of them. In the case of Yours that's partly because I didn't sub for quite a few years (due to them taking all rights during that period). With My Weekly I obviously just wasn't sending quite what the editors wanted.

Do you have any womag news?

Are you researching, writing, subbing? Had any acceptances or rejections? Any other news?

Feel free to use the as a picture prompt. If you'd like other writing prompts, short exercises and story/scene suggestions then you might find this book useful.

Free entry writing competition news

There's still (just) time to enter the BBC National Short Story Award. The prize is £600 – for runners up! Top prize is £15,000.  The rules refer to 'the extreme volume of entries' so our chances aren't high, but somebody has to win, don't they?

I have sent a few entries but no successes to report. 

I'd love to hear your competition news, if you have any.

Call for submission

The Black Spring Press are inviting poems for an anthology to raise money for Ukrainian refugees.

Other stuff

Do you have writing tips to share, questions to ask, or suggestions for this blog?

Yours and Yours Fiction rejection policy

Recently I've seen a few comments from people who've submitted to Your or Yours Fiction and after not hearing back for a few months are wondering if they should consider their stories to have been rejected. 

This is from their official guidelines.

"Rejection policy 

For short stories submitted to Yours magazine, you will receive a rejection slip if we are unable to use your story. 

However, for short stories submitted to Yours Fiction, because of the volume of submissions, we are unfortunately unable to provide individual letters of rejection. If you would like your posted short story returned to you, you are welcome to include a Stamped Addressed Envelope with your submission. Please note, however, that it may take up to six months to return these stories."

When you make a submission, you'll get an auto response, which includes this –

"Our review period is x6-12 months. As a result, if you haven't heard from us by the end of 12 months, it's safe to assume we haven't been able to use your submission. 

Space in the magazine is very tight, so please don't take it too badly if we haven't been able to publish your submission."

So, we need to wait 12 months with either publication, unless we get a rejection before then. Just to add to the confusion, it's not uncommon for a story to be passed from one editor to the other. I'm not sure if that story would then jump the queue, or if there could be a further 12 month wait.

Usually the response, if there is one, takes less than 12 months but I don't think it's safe to assume that what has usually happened in the past will necessarily be the case for current submissions.

Winner announcement and womag updates

The winner Eirin picked to recieve a copy of I Know I Saw Her by E D Thompson, as offered in this post is – CHARLIE. Congratulations! Please email me (address on the questions and contact page) and I'll put you in touch with Eirin to arrange delivery.

Womag news

I've recently updated my guidelines database. I hope you find this useful. As ever, if you learn of any changes, or hear of other potential markets please let me know. For those either leave a comment to any post, or email me using the address on the questions and contact page.

Yours and Yours Fiction have new guidelines, which you can find here. These guidelines explain their rejections policy. Thanks to Pamela Gough for bringing them to my attention.

For Yours the guidelines state – "We also publish longer stories that are serialised over three issues. These should be approximately 3,000 words long and the first two parts must end on a cliff-hanger so that readers will be eager to find out what happens in the next issue."

It's not clear to me if they mean 3 x 1000 words or 3 x 3000 words. Anyone know?

Susan Watson will be returning as My Weekly's fiction editor in September. Claire Gill, who covered her maternity leave, will be remaining with the magazine working on virtual events and digital content. The magazine is currently (still!) closed to unsolicited submissions.

My News

My short story collection Coffee & Cake is now available as an audiobook, as well as in paperback and ebook formats. The paperback can be ordered through your local bookshop, or library, if you prefer not to use Amazon.