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If you'd like to keep up to date with my womag sales and other writing news, then take a look at my website.

I also send out an occasional newsletter which you can sign up for. The next one will go out next week.

My Weekly update

The new fiction editor has sent out updated guidelines to regular contributors. If you're eligible to submit, you should have recieved a copy.

At the moment there's no change to the policy of accepting submissions only from those already known to the magazine, nor to the one submission a month restriction. If anything changes, I'll let you know.

Woman's World Fiction Guidelines

The guidelines I posted a few days ago for romance stories weren't wrong, but I've recently received info on crime stories too, which the magazine also publish. 

I thought it'd be easier to repost everything together.

WOMAN’S WORLD

Fiction Guidelines

Romance guidelines:

We buy contemporary romances of 800 words. Stories must revolve around a true-to-life relationship dilemma; may feature either a female or male protagonist; and may be written in either the first or third person. We look for down-to-earth characters (no yuppies or jet-setters) who may be married, single, divorced or widowed. Please think carefully about a story’s setting, mood and plot, and tell the story with interesting action and dialogue that briskly advances the storyline.

We are not looking for stories involving life-or-death matters. When we say romance, what we really mean is relationship, whether it’s just beginning or is about to celebrate its 50th anniversary. The emphasis in our stories is on real life—but real life that sparkles with romantic possibility. We are looking for fresh, original stories driven by appealing, engaging characters. We do not buy fantasy or historical romance.

We pay $800 per romance and purchase all rights to the material created for this assignment.

Solve-It-Yourself Mystery guidelines:

We purchase short mysteries of 700 words—a count that includes the narrative and the solution at the end of the story. Stories should be entertaining, cleverly plotted cliffhangers that end with a challenge to the reader to figure out who committed the crime or how the crime was solved. The key to solving the mystery must always be contained within the story, so that careful readers can solve it without referring to the solution box. Perpetrators must always have a motive.

Robbery, burglary, fraud and murder are acceptable crimes—but no excessive violence or gory detail, please! We are also not interested in ghost stories, fantasy or science fiction.

We pay $500 per mystery and purchase all rights to the material created for this assignment.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

Manuscripts should be double-spaced in a legible size type.

Please email manuscripts to Fiction@WomansWorldMag.com

Be patient: We receive a tremendous volume of manuscripts, our turnaround time may range from two to six months. If you still have not heard from us after that time, feel free to resubmit your manuscript. Please do not call or write us to inquire about the status of a manuscript.

That's Life (Australia) Fiction Guidelines

That's Life is a weekly Australian magazine which carries fiction. They also have a quarterly fiction special called Fast Fiction. You can find the official guidelines for both here. These do change, for example the rules about 'rights and exclusivity' have been updated, so do check regularly.

You can also download a copy of the writer's agreement, or contract, which you'll be asked to sign if your story is accepted.

I haven't been to Australia, so I'm illustrating the post with one of their suggested themes.

Woman's World Fiction Guidelines

Romance guidelines: We buy contemporary romances of 800 words. Stories must revolve around a compelling, true-to-life relationship dilemma; may feature either a female or male protagonist; and may be written in either the first or third person. Characters may be married, single, divorced or widowed; should be down-to-earth (no yuppies or jet-setters); and their dilemma should be poignantly or humorously conveyed. Please think carefully about a story's setting, mood and plot, and tell the story with interesting action and dialogue. (Every sentence, paragraph, and scene of the story should deliver more information about your characters and their situation and/or briskly advance the storyline). 

We are not interested in stories involving life-or-death matters, nor are we interested in fluffy, flyaway-style romance. When we say romance, what we really mean is relationship--whether it's just beginning or is about to celebrate its 50th anniversary. The emphasis in our stories is on real life-which is why we do not buy science fiction, fantasy or historical romance.

We pay $800 per romance and retain First North American Serial Rights for six months after publication.

Get to know us: Please familiarize yourself thoroughly with our romances and mini mysteries before submitting your work.

ADDITIONAL NOTES!

Manuscripts should be double-spaced in legible size type.

Where to send manuscripts: Fiction@WomansWorldMag.com to Patricia Gaddis' attention   

Woman's World does not send rejection notices. If you have not heard from them in four months, assume your story has been rejected.

A lady called Kate Willoughby runs a blog Writing for Woman's World Magazine, which you might well find useful for research purposes. You can also order subscriptions and back issues through the magazine's website.

Update - Kate says "I just wanted to state for the record that neither my blog nor I am officially affiliated with or sanctioned by Woman's World magazine. I'm just a freelance writer who does this on her own. :)"

Woman's World is an American magazine. I haven't been to America so instead, the photo is of a woman with her world! 

The People's Friend fiction guidelines.

As The People's Friend make their guidelines available online, I'm just giving you the link, rather than copying them here - that way you'll have the most up to date version, whenever you look.

The fiction editor also has a blog. If you want to write for this market, I suggest you follow that as there are often hints about what they're currently looking for, clues about why they've accepted certain stories and even warnings about subjects they've had enough of.

This magazine has been going a long time and although it hasn't changed drastically it has changed. If the copies you're relying on for research are a few years, or even decades, out of date get yourself down the newsagent's. That goes for all the magazines, but it's with this one in particular that people seem to assume they know what it's like without having read a recent copy.

In case you're wondering, the castle is Threave - it's in Scotland and it has changed a bit over the years, yet would still be recognisable to those who once lived there.

Ireland's Own Fiction Guidelines

I requested new guidelines from this magazine. The response was as follows -

"General guidelines for contributors to Ireland’s Own are: fictional short stories should be no longer than 2,000 words. Payment is €65/£50 for stories of this length and €50 for shorter stories (eg 1,000-1,400 words). Also, memory pieces are usually one-pagers, 750 words, and also €50 or £40. 

All submissions to submissions@irelandsown.ie please, though I must stress we are not currently seeking fictional submissions. We are inundated at present, and working our way through a backlog of accepted stories. And there are many still to be read! I hope that helps."

I'll leave it up to you whether or not you wish to try, but if you do it seems you should be prepared for a long wait until you hear back - if you ever do.  

Prima Fiction Guidelines

Prima magazine has a monthly fiction slot. It's run as a competition with a £100 prize. Entries, of no more than 800 words, plus a photo* should be emailed to yourwinningstory (at) hearst.co.uk

There's quite a bit of small print, so I strongly suggest you get hold of a copy of the magazine first to make sure you're happy with the terms and conditions.

*I assume they mean of the author, not just something completely random.

If you are interested in other writing competitions, check here for regular links to more which are generally free to enter.

Take a Break's Fiction Feast Guidelines

Below are the current fiction guidelines for this magazine (sent to me this week) Rosie, the editorail assistant says that newer writers are requested to stick to the maximum word counts listed below. 'More seasoned' authors may submit longer work. Email Rosie if you have any queries about this.

FICTION FEAST — GUIDELINES FOR AUTHORS
Thank you for enquiring about submitting stories to us. We are happy to receive unsolicited manuscripts from authors but, for the present, request that these be no longer than 2,000 words. Should you wish to submit longer stories for consideration, Iʼll drop you a line or telephone you. Please donʼt be discouraged, as we are always on the lookout for new talent.
I enclose the Take a Break guidelines for your general assistance with presentation and plots to avoid. The basic requirements of a strong plot and a twist in the tail also hold good for Fiction Feastʼs 1 page (700 words) and 2 page (1200 words) stories. Stories of between 1200+ and 2000 max words neednʼt have a twist in the tail, but must have a compelling plot. Because Fiction Feast has so many stories, weʼre looking for more variety in the type we publish so, whatever the length, mystery, romance, crime, offbeat, macabre, science fiction, spooky tales — just about anything really — is welcome.
We can be flexible about story length, but, as a guide our wordcounts and payment rates are:
1 Page (700 words) £200
2 Page (1200 words) £250
3-4 Pages (2,000 words) £325 to £400
All stories must be from an original idea, all your own work, not previously published in the UK and not currently on offer to any other magazine or publisher. We pay on acceptance.
It can take 6-8 weeks for a decision to be made on Fiction Feast stories, so please be patient. If you havenʼt had a story returned after 10 weeks, please drop a line outlining the plot and Iʼll get back to you ASAP.
I look forward to reading your work.
NORAH MCGRATH (FICTION EDITOR)

GUIDELINES FOR AUTHORS (Take a Break and Fiction Feast)
Basic Requirements: We are looking for contemporary stories aimed at women from their mid-twenties upwards. We require 1100 - 1200 words with a strong plot and a good twist in the tail. The twist should arise out of the story, rather than from a detail kept from the reader. To check your twist, imagine your story were being made into a film and ask yourself - would the surprise still work? We do not have a weekly serial, so stories must be complete.
Subject Matter: We particularly like settings and situations which readers can recognise and relate to, rather than say, country house murders or stories about drugs rings or jewel thieves. Itʼs essential to read several issues of the magazine to get the flavour of the type of fiction we publish before writing a story aimed at Take a Break. Many writers waste a lot of time and effort because they havenʼt done this. Please avoid straightforward romance ie, boy meets girl and they live happily ever after. Also avoid historical backgrounds, science fiction and stories narrated by animals or small children. Take a Break is a family magazine so graphic murders or sex crimes are never acceptable.
Common plots to avoid:
* the heroine/narrator is revealed to be a cat, dog, fox, car (or tree, u-bend...) * the policeman/woman is really a singing telegram
* a characterʼs mysterious arrangements turn out to be for a surprise party
* the woman discovers her husbandʼs secret lover is a man, or vice versa
* the murder victim ends up on a compost heap
* anything to do with poisonous mushrooms or tampering with car brakes
* a shifty antiques dealer dupes an old lady out of what he thinks is a priceless antique and it turns out she is making them by the dozen
* anything to do with twins or nosy neighbours
* someone nervous about a first day at school turns out to be the teacher; or about a wedding, the vicar; or an interview, the interviewer
Because our stories are so short, a maximum of four characters is usually best. The main character — a woman. Stories must be your own idea and original work, previously unpublished and not on offer to any other magazine or publisher at the time sent to us. Should your story be accepted we will probably have to edit it. Presentation: Typed manuscripts are preferred, but if you canʼt get your story typed, write clearly in double line spacing. Please ensure your name, addresss and

telephone number — and an accurate wordcount — are on the title page; and your name and story title on subsequent pages. Please, please include a stamped addressed envelope large enough to hold your story. Self-seal envelopes are especially appreciated. Itʼs advisable to keep a copy your story to guard against the remote chance of loss.
Features and articles should be sent directly to the Features Department with a covering letter. It can take 4-6 weeks before a decision is made concerning your manuscript, so please be patient. If your story has not been returned after six weeks, please drop me a line giving me the story title, a brief synopsis of the plot and the date sent. I will get back to you ASAP.
Should your story be rejected it may be we have already published or have in stock a similar story. More likely though, I feel it will not appeal to our readers. This does not necessarily mean I will not like another of your stories, so donʼt lose heart.
Stories sent for specific issues, such as Christmas, Easter, Halloweʼen etc., must be sent at least three months in advance of the issue date.
Please send stories to me, Norah McGrath (Fiction Editor), at the address below. I look forward to reading your work.
Norah McGrath
Fiction Editor
Take a Breakʼs Fiction Feast Academic House
24-28 Oval Road
London
NW1 7DT 

Yours magazine fiction guidelines

I asked Yours magazine for their current fiction guidelines. They swiftly supplied both these and some non fiction guidelines. I've posted these as I suspect some of you may be tempted to have a go at writing a nostalgia post - am I right?

There's a lot of information here. Do read it carefully before you start work as both their rights requirements and submission procedure are a little different from many other magazines. Some of the advice, particularly 'what to avoid' might well be useful even if you decide not to submit to this particular publication.

Short story (fiction) guidelines

YOURS is always looking for good short stories. Every submission is read but we receive more than a hundred manuscripts a month and are able to publish only one short story per issue.

Please allow up to six months for reply and enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope if you would like your manuscript to be returned. Submissions should be 1000-1,200 words long and not have been published elsewhere before. Manuscripts must be TYPED on one side of the paper and the title page must include the following:

• 100 - 150 word synopsis.
• An accurate word count.
• Your full name (and real name if you write under a pen name), address and telephone number

If we can’t use your submission and you would like it returned to you please enclose a SAE with enough postage to cover the cost of the submission/s.

Know your audience

It is essential that you study three or four published stories in YOURS before writing anything for us.

Many manuscripts are rejected because, although they may be well written, the stories are aimed at a completely different market, such as younger women or a largely middle-class readership.

Read several issues of YOURS. This will give you a good idea of the type of reader you should be writing for and the general tone we use.

Our readers range in age from fifties upwards, with most in their mid-sixties and seventies. They are mostly women, although YOURS is read by some men, so don’t ignore their interests!

Good subjects

Some of the most popular themes with YOURS readers are romance, families, grandchildren, nostalgia and wartime comradeship. A lot of our readers did war work and/or had husbands or boyfriends serving in the Forces. Don’t be limited to these subjects though; the style and tone of what you write about must appeal to our readers as much as the content.

The first line of your story should grab the attention; it is all too easy to start a story with a bang, which quickly turns into a damp squib by the end of the first page. Keep up the reader's interest until the end or they will not bother to get that far - and a brilliant surprise ending will not make them read it in the first place.

What to avoid

Avoid stereotypical images of older people as ill, frail and lonely. Make sure your story is plausible and realistic and do not rely on unlikely coincidences. Try and avoid the hero turning out to be a cat or dog.

Avoid downbeat subjects such as death, widowhood, illness and loneliness, or write about them in a positive way that does not dwell on negatives.

Try not to rely on obvious plot devices such as twists in the tale and memory flashbacks. These are very common and, unless cleverly written, can be predictable. A good story does not always need a surprise.

Remember this

Always think of YOURS readers, not just as older people, but as ordinary human beings who have experienced everything in life - childhood, growing up, starting work, falling in love, friends and family, joy, sorrow, heartache, longing and laughter. YOURS readers have their own interests and needs which match their years of experiences but many of their hopes, fears and dreams are shared by all of us and they still enjoy a good story.

Send your manuscript to*:

Short Stories

Yours Magazine

Bauer Media

Media House

Peterborough Business Park

Peterborough, PE2 6EA

Or by email to: yours@bauermedia.co.uk (Subject: Short Story Submission) – email submissions must include contact telephone number and address details.

All successful submissions are accepted on an All Rights basis that gives Bauer Media exclusive copyright

*PLEASE NOTE: If you would like us to return your submission, please include an SAE with the correct postage amount on it. We regret that any submissions without an SAE will not be returned.

NOSTALGIA NON-FICTION ARTICLE GUIDELINES

Every article is read with interest but the Features department

receives more than 100 manuscripts a month, and is able to

publish only one a fortnight. Due to the number of articles

submitted we aren’t able to reply to everyone. If we are able

to use your article we will of course let you know.

• Submissions should be up to 300 words approx for a half-

page article. It is rare for Yours to read, or to publish any article of greater length than this.

• Manuscripts must be typed on one side of the paper and the title page should include: an accurate word count and your full name, address and telephone number.

• Please try to enclose relevant photographs to illustrate your article, marked with your name and address on the back

• You should include a short CV of yourself, together with a clear, colour head and shoulder picture of yourself

• All photographs should be marked with your name, address and telephone number

• If you would like your manuscript return please state that and include an SAE.

IMPORTANT

• Any article submitted must not have been published elsewhere and, if published by us become exclusive to Yours magazine on an all-rights basis.

• Yours magazine reserves the right to edit, alter or shorten any article submitted and it may not appear in its entirety and it may appear in any of our publications.

• Although all reasonable care is taken, Yours magazine can assume no responsibility for the safety of unsolicited articles or photographs, so it is a good idea to send copies. Please enclose a stamped addressed envelope if you would like your manuscript returned.

Know your audience

Before submitting any articles, it is essential that you study at least six issues of Yours magazine. Most submissions are rejected because the subject matter and/or the style of writing is unsuitable for readers.

Reading back issues will give you a good idea of the sort of person who reads YOURS and the general tone we use - which is informal and chatty.

Subjects

We are currently looking for inspirational stories and adventures to inspire our readers.

Style and tone

Your article should grab the reader from the first sentence. Our style is friendly and warm - after all, your contributions are what makes YOURS the magazine it is! And 400,000 readers a fortnight can't be wrong.

Send your manuscript marked ‘Follow Your Dream’ to:

Non Fiction Submission

Yours Magazine

Bauer London Lifestyle

Media House

Peterborough Business Park

Peterborough, PE2 6EA

Or by email to: yours@bauermedia.co.uk (Subject: Non Fiction Submission)

*PLEASE NOTE: If you would like us to return your submission, please include an SAE with the correct postage amount on it. We regret that any submissions without an SAE will not be returned.

Word counts

I've had a few queries lately about word counts for different magazines. Below is the latest information I have - but do keep checking guidelines as they can change.

Allas (Sweden)

This Swedish magazine count characters not words and will translate any accepted stories into Swedish, so getting it right won't be an exact science for those writing in English.

They ask for either 8,000 to 9,000 OR 12,000 to 14,000 characters. 

I estimate this to be either just under 1,000 words or approximately 1,500 and have been successful with submissions at those lengths.

Woman's Weekly (UK)

Either 900 to 1,000 words, 1,800 to 2,000 words or 2,300 to 8,000 words. 

The cannot use anything between 1,000 and 1,800, so please don't send those.

That's Life (Australia) 

1 page = 600-900 words

2 pages = 1200-1500 words

3 pages = 1600-2000 words

4 pages = 2200-2600 words

"These are approximate and the final word count printed will depend on the design of the page/s. You don't need to overly cut or edit your story to fit the word counts."

People's Friend (UK)

1,200 to 3,000 for the regular magazine. 4,000 words are accepted for the specials. They can also consider 10,000 word crime thrillers.

The Weekly News (UK)

1,200 to 1,500. 2,000 word stories may be used occasionally, but Jill will request these.

Take a Break's Fiction Feast (UK)

Confirmed today - They can be a little flexible but prefer 700, 1,200 or 2,000 words. Although they do publish some longer stories, newer writers are requested to stick to these guidelines. 

I have just been sent the latest guidelines and will post them in a few days.

My Weekly (UK)

Varies according to their needs and this market is currently only open to those who've been previously published by them.

Prima (UK)

It was 800 words the last I heard. I'll check up on this.

Candis (UK)

2,300. Commissioned work only.

You (South Africa)

1,500 words

Yours (UK)

1,000 to 1,200 words - confirmed today.

Woman's World (USA)

Last I heard it was 800 words, but that was some time ago and I've requested new guidelines.

Ireland's Own (Ireland)

Confirmed today 1,000 to 1,400 or 2,000.  Further guidelines will be posted in a few days.

I will post any updates and changes I hear about, but PLEASE check official guidelines yourself before writing and submitting work.

Interview with Womagwriter Glenda Young

Today's guest is Glenda Young (aka Flaming Nora).

1. When did you start writing, Glenda and how did you get into writing for womags?

I can’t remember a time when I haven’t written. Ever since I was a child I have been a voracious reader and have always strung words together to make up stories in my head. I’ve attended lots of different creative writing classes over the years and absolutely love writing. I recently attended a course called Wonderful Words which was run by Sunderland Women’s Centre and that really fired up my desire again to start writing fiction. The course was very nurturing and encouraging and the tutor was over the moon when I told her I’d had a short story accepted.

I started writing online back in 1995 with regular weekly updates of Coronation Street for fans all around the world. This has grown (more on that later in the interview!) and continues to provide a regular creative slot for my brain. I also blog regularly at Flaming Nora.

However, as much as I love watching Coronation Street and have been published because of it, my foray into writing for women’s magazines is very important to me. Having spent much of my writing life writing about a TV show – in effect, telling someone else’s story – it’s a huge, enjoyable challenge to now write my own stories. I wanted to see if I could tell my own story, make up something from scratch and succeed in getting it published.

The first thing I did was go to the library and I took out a book called How to Write and Sell Short Stories. The book was written by Della Galton, a name I would become familiar with when I ventured into the woman’s magazine short story world! I devoured every word of Della’s book and didn’t skip any of the exercises she recommended. When the book said “stop reading and do this exercise”, I did it. I researched the market, read lots of different woman’s magazines over a couple of months and only then did I even think about sitting down to write my story. In my market research I discovered this Womag Blog which has been enormously helpful. Without it, I would have been posting stories on spec in the wrong word length to the wrong people at the wrong magazines.

I’ve since bought Della Galton’s next book Moving On: From Short Story to Novel. However, I haven’t allowed myself to open it and start reading it yet. I don’t want to run before I can walk. I’ve promised myself I’ll start reading it the minute I have my second short story accepted - fingers crossed!

2. You've just had your first acceptance - what's that for?

It’s for The People’s Friend and the story will be published in the spring of 2016. I won’t be using a pen name because I’m very proud of my work and I want the world to see it’s me being published in such a well-loved magazine.

3. How did you feel when you got the news?

I was alone in the house when the email came through to say it had been accepted. I shouted, I screamed and I did a little dance. It’s fair to say I was over the moon! I still am!

4. Are you going to concentrate on writing for People's Friend now, or will you try other markets?

I’ve also submitted stories to Woman’s Weekly and Take a Break magazine but I’m still waiting to hear back from those. Again, on the advice of the Womag Blog, I knew not to submit to My Weekly magazine as they’re not taking stories from any new writers. I’ll continue to submit to People’s Friend and I hope to go on one of their writer workshops this year to help understand their requirements even more closely.

What I have found – and I’d love to know if other writers experience this too – is that writing for woman’s magazines fires me up to take on other projects and write for other markets too. For instance, a story I might write for a woman’s magazine can set off a creative process and give me ideas for another, much darker, story along the same theme. This has happened a few times and I’ve entered some of those darker, more literary stories into competitions. It’s almost like a Jekyll and Hyde way of story writing – and I like the way my brain works doing this.

5. Are you a disciplined writer producing a steady stream of stories, or do you wait until you're in the mood?

I have to wait until I’m in the mood but when I’m not writing I’m collecting – words, phrases, ideas, characters. They all sit in my head until there’s no more space and I have to put them down on paper. Sometimes when I’m in the mood for writing, but not for story telling, I make lists of the types of characters and stories I want to write when the mood strikes. This fires up creativity in itself, I find.

6. What are your biggest inspirations when it comes to writing?

I live in Sunderland, a city on the coast so the sea is important to me. I’m lucky enough to live just a short walk from a beautiful beach and I use the beach, the shore, the sea, flotsam and jetsam, all that kind of thing, a lot. I also use the beach for walking on, usually daily, and for beachcombing too. With the sea crashing and the sand underfoot, the beach is my favourite place to walk and think and create new ideas.

Also, I have to admit I’m terrible for eavesdropping on conversations. I love real-life dialogue and have used snippets that I overhear in my work. Whether it’s in a coffee shop or on public transport, if I hear people in conversation (and I find two old men talking to each other the most interesting!) I will automatically tune in, listen and sometimes even make notes.

7. You're a Coronation Street fan, I believe. Care to tell us about that?
Yes, I am a huge Coronation Street fan and have watched it since I was a child. I set up and edit the Coronation Street Blog which is a fan site that’s been online since 2007. There’s a team of 12 of us who contribute to it and we’re always open to others joining the team if they wish – so if you fancy writing a blog post about Coronation Street do please get in touch!

My love of Coronation Street has led to being published with the following books: Deirdre: A Life on Coronation Street; A Perfect Duet - the diary of Roy and Hayley Cropper;

Norman Bates with a Briefcase - the Richard Hillman Story. I was also commissioned to update the Coronation Street Saga in 2008 and the same book again under the changed title of the Coronation Street Novel in 2010.

As much as I love watching Coronation Street and writing about it, my foray into writing for women’s magazines is very important to me. Having spent much of my writing life writing about a TV show – in effect, telling someone else’s story – it is an enjoyable challenge to now write my own stories.

8. The right writing snacks are very important - what's your fuel of choice?I try not to snack when I’m writing, I just crack on with the task in hand. I do however, love my cups of hot tea and can’t imagine writing, or life, without a good brew.

9. Do you have any advice for other writers who're still waiting for their first womag success?

• Research the market thoroughly – immerse yourself in the woman’s magazine world before you submit anything
• Double check that you’re sending the right stories to the right magazines in the right word length
• Join a creative writing group
• Have someone you trust read your stories before you submit them and ask them for feedback
• Write for the pleasure of it, every day. The more you write, the bigger your creative muscle will be.
• Bookmark the Womag Blog and check it regularly for updates on changes in the woman’s magazine market.   

The Weekly News latest guidelines.

Weekly News Short Story Guidelines

Thank you for your interest in The Weekly News fiction section. I hope you find these guidelines useful. 

The Weekly News has a largely older readership which is evenly split between the sexes, so we are looking for general interest tales — crime, humour (especially), spooky stories (although we’ve had plenty of these recently), or “coffee break” dramas which wouldn’t be out of place in any popular TV soap. 

At the moment, I’m also interested in stories with a bit more “edge” that are slightly darker.

Although an old-fashioned love story may occasionally be appropriate, I’m not looking for “slushy” romantic fiction, or anything “twee”. And although it’s a popular style, I don’t generally take “chick-lit”.
Similarly, I don’t want anything too racy or gory. As The Weekly News is a family paper, I wouldn’t use anything with any sexual content.

Many stories we publish have an interesting twist to surprise the reader, as these seem to be popular. But if your twist is “it was all a dream” or “he/she/it was a ghost”, or the main character is actually a pet, it won’t get through!
• Aim for something light-hearted, perhaps centred around family life or a recognisable situation.
• If your main character is strong enough, you can have them carry the whole story.
• A positive outcome is favoured, but this can be reached by a good bit of double-crossing, or the comeuppance of the “baddie”.
• Be playful – have some fun with your characters at their expense ie in embarrassing social situations.
• I also like sensitive stories which may involve a death, an illness a fear etc. If the situation doesn’t come across as too dark and depressing and has an uplifting end, then it may make it through.

Stories can vary in length from about 1,000 to 1,500 words at most, though we reserve the right to edit them as appropriate.

Also, I rarely accept stories written in the first person or present tense.

Please note that, at present, I use two fiction items at each week and, even if an item is accepted, it could be some time before it is published.
I always have plenty of stories to read through, so it could be a couple of months at least before I can respond to submissions.
Due to time constraints, as of April 2014, I’m now only able to able reply to stories which are accepted.
If you haven’t heard from me within three months of submission, it means you have been unsuccessful on this occasion and you’re free to submit the story elsewhere.

Here are some DOs:
• Use strong, identifiable characters – but remember they don’t always have to be likeable.
• Use natural-sounding speech. I tend to avoid dialect, as we like to be a bit “geographically vague” to add to the universality of the stories.
• Check your historical facts fit your time-frame and characters.
• Be thought-provoking if you want – be topical.
• Read and check your punctuation and paragraphing. The easier your work is on the eye, the easier it is to make an informed decision.
• Work within reality – this is fiction, but it does have to be believable.
• Do include your email address, postal address and phone number on your story.
• Full stories, please. I can’t get enough detail or “feel” for a piece from a pitch or synopsis.

And some specific DON’Ts:
• No murdered spouses, dreams or pet twists.
• No first person or present-tense stories.
• No hard copy.

E-mail is now our only method of delivery. Please send to: jfinlay@dcthomson.co.uk

Thanks,
Jill Finlay,
Fiction Editor.

Woman's Weekly Want Your Words!

The fiction editors at Woman's Weekly have sent out a letter to their 'regular contributers' and as last year I was given permission to reproduce these here I thought I'd pass on the following information about word lengths.

"One-pagers – 900 to 1,000 words

Two-pagers -  1,800 to 2,000 words

Please don't send us stories of 1,100, 1,200, 1,300, 1,400, 1,500, 1,600 or 1,700 words as our layout department don't know what to do with them!

However (just go with this!) we can accept stories of any length between 2,300 and 8,000 words. They are the 'longer' ones which go in Fiction Special."

Woman's Weekly will consider submissions from new writers. If you've not previously been published by them you should submit by post. The address is - Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark Street, London, SE1 0S. Do include a stamped addressed envelope for the reply and expect this to take around 16 weeks although it can be quicker.

Seasonality

If you think about it, it's obvious that magazine editors will need stories in advance of the season in which they're set. Christmas stories are published before the big day, not in the new year and the February issue of the monthly specials are often out before twelth night.







It takes time for the editor to even get around to reading our submissions and making a decision, then she must decide in which issue it will appear. Illustrations have to be found and the magazine laid out, printed and distributed.








How early then should we send our stories? Sometimes editors will provide information regarding the time scale to which they're working, or you can make a guess based on the stories they're currently buying. In the absence of any clues, I suggest aiming for four to six months ahead of when you'd hope the story would be published.





How do you handle the issue of seasonality? Do you write Valentine's tales at Hallowe'en and work on summer ones in the depths of winter? Perhaps you write them at the time they're set and hold onto them until it's time to submit them? Maybe you avoid the issue altogether by producing stories which work year round?


My own method is to write whenever an idea occurs to me, regardless of whether it's the right time, and then ... forget all about it when it comes round to the correct time of year to submit it!