Why your novel, beautiful as it is, will never get published...

Kay Sexton is a very wise woman. I should try taking some of this advice myself!

Writing Neuroses ... mine are rare, yours may be legion

Thanks everyone!

Many thanks to everyone who shared their ideas on getting writing ideas with me. I've tried to incorporate everyone's, and think I managed to do it!

The October article is now winging its way to the editor, so I can now get on with other writing.

Is there anything you'd like me to address in a future article? Bear in mind that it must link in some way to writing competitions.

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Writing Competitions Calendar

StoryFeedback short story comp

StoryFeedback.com Monthly Short Story Contest

Thanks to Sean at StoryFeedback.com for letting me know about this competition.

Deadline: last day of each month.

First prize: £100, second prize £50, third prize £25. All prize-winning stories will also be published online for a limited time to receive feedback from readers, and will be distributed in an e-book to subscribers to increase your audience.

Entry fee: £5. Online entry is £8 for two stories and £11 for three.

Original short stories in any genre of up to 3000 words are required, and must be previously unpublished. Only First Electronic Rights are asked for, and copyright remains with the author.

Full details at: http://www.storyfeedback.com

StoryFeedback.com, 7 Offley Street, Worcester WR3 8BH.

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Writing Competitions Calendar

Ideas and where to get them

My October WF article is going to be about ideas, and how to get them, mainly in relation to writing comps (but I can use any tips and work them around to comps). So writers, where do you get your ideas from? You can either answer here, or email me at squilford(at)gmail(dot)com. Let me know what name you want me to use, if any.

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Writing Competitions Calendar

Writing Conspiracy Theories

There's a very interesting discussion going on on Womag's Blog about whether or not some writers do better with magazines simply because of their names. I want to stress that the person who suggested this sounds really nice, and that we've all felt that bitterness at times, especially when starting out.

But I thought it was an interesting point to discuss on a blog post.

As I said, when we're starting out writing, we all believe there's a conspiracy theory. It's propagated by the fact that when we're researching magazines, we see many of the same names turning up time and time again. We assume that they must be best buddies with the editor, and/or that they get asked to supply stories, whilst the rest of us are thrown onto an ever-growing slush pile. We look at new novelists, and notice that they're not only bloody gorgeous, they're young. Or they're celebrities (grrrs whilst she thinks of Katie Price). And all these people, we believe, are standing in the way of our success.

Getting published yourself does rather take the sting out of the bitterness. You begin to realise, because it's taken so long for you to get a story accepted, how hard these writers had to work in the first place (needless to say Katie Price, who thinks that no one actually sits down and writes, and her ilk aren't included in this example). They didn't just knock on the editor's door and be accepted with open arms. They worked at their craft, they studied the markets, and just as importantly, they persevered, until they were finally noticed.

That's how it's been with me. I've talked before about how it took ten years for me to get a story accepted by a magazine, then another two years after that to get another accepted. As I've also said, I didn't really try very hard at that time. It was those first couple of successes that made me realise I wanted to feel that good all the time. Then the hard work started. Ironing out all the beginner's mistakes, learning what stories fit a market and what didn't, rather than just slinging everything I'd written at any market.

I consider I've about done my apprenticeship, but as with anything, it's sometimes a case of one step forward and two steps back. Being successful once, doesn't guarantee that you'll get something else accepted immediately.

What of those we see as being successful? Of filling the spots in magazines we feel should be rightly ours? I can name two writers whose names keep turning up in magazines, and I name them because they're my favourite womag writers. Teresa Ashby and Della Galton. Buy any copy of Fiction Feast or other fiction specials, and both writers will generally have more than one story featured. You only have to read them to realise why. There's not a duff story, or 'filler', among them. Each story has earned its place in the magazine by being well-written by a writer who knows her craft.

Either last year, or the year before, Della Galton had 90 stories accepted by various magazines. But she had to write those 90 stories. 90 stories at a minimum of 1000 words each. At least 90,000 words, probably many more. The length of a novel. In fact, unless Della does get everything accepted (and I happen to know she doesn't), she probably wrote, and submitted, a lot more than 90 stories. I've heard (but I don't know if this is accurate) that she writes 3 stories a week. 156 a year. That's as well as being a novelist, columnist and writing teacher. Would you begrudge her her success knowing just how much hard work she does?

Neither is it true that Della or Teresa's names automatically ensure they get everything accepted. Another (very good) writer of my acquaintance, who I shan't name, told me a couple of years ago that at one time she could send five stories to a particular magazine and they'd all be accepted. Now, with so many more of us going after the same magazines, she no longer has that assurance.

One editor did tell me that if she's accepted one story off you, she's more likely to accept others, but as my friend found out 'more likely' is not the same as saying 'definitely'.


It's easy to get tied up in conspiracy theories, but it can also be debilitating for a writer. I'm not exactly blameless. The other week I confided to friends that the reason I won't approach agents with a novel is that I feel I'm too old and not glamorous enough. I feel I'd be wasting my time. In reality, the only thing that's stopping me getting an agent is me. Because I won't even try.

The same can be said if writers get caught up in the idea that all writing competitiona are won by the judge's friends (though I have seen that happen for real, but thankfully it's rare), and all magazine stories are written by the editor's friends, or 'Big Names'.

Ironically this year I cut down on the amount of stories I sent to TAB/Fiction Feast, because I'd convinced myself that Norah McGrath was probably sick of seeing my name (especially as I sent 30+ stories last year!). Had I not had a story accepted this year, I might well have given up altogether, losing any chance I had of having a story published. So then the only person stopping me getting published in TAB/FF would be me, because as this year proved, that one extra story was the one they wanted.

The key to getting over the conspiracy theory really is hard work and perseverence. Always make sure you've got loads of work out there doing the rounds, so that you're not waiting on just one or two stories. The more you have out there, the more chance you have of having a story accepted. Once your story is accepted, you realise that anyone can do it, if they try hard enough.

Research your markets so that the work you're sending is a good fit for the publication. That doesn't mean you shouldn't be bold sometimes. I sent off a story to Aussie mag Fast Fiction that I thought would be far too dark, and they accepted it. However, it was within the right word length for the magazine, and not too far off their guidelines.

Don't let bitterness and envy hold you back from achieving your dream. It's too easy to blame editors, other writers, judges etc for your lack of success. Look within. Are you sending enough work out? Are you writing to the market? Have you actually researched the market? Are you writing enough? Does your writing need a bit more polishing before you send it out?

That's not to say it's always you either. As an editor explained to me recently, a story can be turned down for many reasons. Maybe they've had one similar recently, maybe it wasn't as good a fit for the magazine as you thought. Or maybe the editor got it just after she'd filled her quota and couldn't hang onto it till the next time. If your story is good enough, it's not because she had your story and one by a well-established writer and thought she'd stick with the tried and tested.

I know, as well as anyone, how hard it is to keep at it. I've been in a funk all year, as I've shared with many of you on this blog, and haven't been as productive as I'd like. But when I consider what I'd do if I didn't write, all I can see is a big blank page that needs filling with words, and hopefully it's that feeling that will keep me, and you, trying.

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Writing Competitions Calendar

Silverstreet Publications Short Story Comp

Silverstreet Publications.
Short Story Competition Summer 2009.


At last the summer has arrived. Long, bright evenings. Warm, lazy days and our Summer 2009 Writing Competition. Take some time out of your busy, relaxing schedule and place an entry. Great prizes on offer to the winners, along with the satisfaction of completing your story. It is easy to enter and open to anyone in the world.If you have a story to tell,why not tell it here?
See below for more details.

This year's theme is

Optimism

Entries must be a minimum of 500 words and a maximum of 2500 words and must not have been previously published.

Entries are requested to be sent by email. However, we may accept hard copies by post in certain circumstances but you must inform us of this in advance.

The prize structure for this competition is as follows;

1st Prize: £200.00 (or equivalent Currency)
2nd Prize: £100.00 (or equivalent Currency)
3rd Prize: £ 25.00 (or equivalent Currency)
4th to 10th Prizes: £10 Book token.

Top 15 entries will be further rewarded by being included in a future publication.In addition to prize structure, any material used from writers will be paid for.

Winners will be those who have interpreted the theme most effectively. The judges will be announced nearer to the closing date.

The winner's entry will form the name of a future publication, e.g."Optimism" and other stories and the top 15 stories will be published in that publication. Submitting an entry is taken as your acceptance of this.

The entry fee for this competition is £3.50. Only 1 entry per person is accepted as you can't win more than 1 prize.


We recommend that you enter as soon as possible!

The Closing Date for this competition is Saturday 29th August 2009 at 6pm.

Send your entry to writingcompetition@silverstreetpublications.com

So what are you waiting for? Enter today!
Competition Rules.



For more information contact us. info@silverstreetpublications.com

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Writing Competitions Calendar

How Publishing Really Works: Anti-Plagiarism Day: Friday 17 July

Jane Smith of the How Publishing Really Works blog has declared 17th July Anti-plagiarism day, and is asking that everyone who has a blog makes a special effort to write something on that day about plagiarism (on the basis it's a BAD thing, right?)

More details below

How Publishing Really Works: Anti-Plagiarism Day: Friday 17 July

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Writing Competitions Calendar

West Country Writers Short story comp

The West Country Writers’ Association has launched a new short story competition.
The winner will be invited to the association’s next annual congress – being held in Salisbury, Wiltshire, from April 16-18, 2010 – and receive £50 in cash.
Entry to the competition is open to everyone. Entries can be on any subject or theme but must mention Salisbury at least once. The entry fee is £5 per story. Entries must be between 1,000 and 1,200 words.

Judges will be acclaimed novelist and writing tutor Jean Saunders (aka Rowena Summers and Rachel Moore), and best-selling crime writer Betty Rowlands.

The closing date for entries is December 18, 2009.

For more details and to download an entry form, go to the West Country Writers’ Association website at www.westcountrywriters.com

Entry forms can also be obtained by sending a stamped addressed envelope to Fiona McAughey, Trevean, Yeolmbridge, Launceston, PL15 8NJ.

The West Country Writers’ Association was formed in 1951 to foster the love of literature in the West Country.
Past members have included Daphne du Maurier, Laurie Lee, Christopher Fry and Henry Williamson.
Today’s association also includes many well-known novelists, poets, dramatists and writers for film and television

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Writing Competitions Calendar

Pressure off

I've been working on a mini-novel, which I hope that My Weekly will like. I must say that there's a lot less pressure trying to get to 30k words than it is when I have to try and make a plot fit 90k+. And I think it suits my pacy writing style. So I'm really enjoying it at the moment. I've got just over 3200 words so far. Only another 27K to go!

I'm having a bit of a break now to work on some short story ideas. I don't know if I'll get a short story written today, as hubby is in and out most of the day, making it hard to get a clear run, but I can do some groundwork ready for when I'm alone all day tomorrow.

I bought one of the MW pocket novels at the weekend. A Regency romance, which isn't really my thing (well apart from Jane Austen who was in a class of her own). I can't be done with heroines who take to their beds for three days after having what amounts to a lively, but hardly life-threatening, conversation with the hero. Even Barbara Cartland's heroines had a bit more about them than that, and I certainly hope mine do!

I'm hoping to get hold of one of the more contemporary pocket novels to see if my style might suit. Then again I might just not worry about that at all, and just write what I want to write (with one eye on their guidelines as listed on womagwriter's blog) and hope they like it anyway. It's always good to research, but most of the stories I've sold to womags have been those I wasn't sure they'd take but sent anyway, whereas those I wrote believing they were the perfect womag story, have failed time and time again.

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Writing Competitions Calendar

Must up the ante and setting some goals.

Is it up the ante? Or up the anti (or up the aunty)? Anyways, it's about time I did it, whichever it is.

This time last year I'd submitted around 106 pieces. This year I've subbed 72. It's no wonder my hits are down (then again so are the rejections so it all levels out).

And because I haven't been terribly productive - not counting my WF articles, I've only produced 15 pieces so far this year, I don't have much to sub. So it's time to up the ante and start filling up my story banks.

I'm working on my mini-novel at the moment, more for myself than for anyone else, to get my writing mojo back, but I'm now going to set a goal to write and submit at least one short story a week between now and when my OU courses start in September. That'll be 8 new stories, hopefully more if I can manage it. That and writing the mini-novel at around 500 words a day.

I'll let you all know how I get on!

BTW if anyone would like to help by throwing some prompts my way, I'll try to use as many as possible.

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Writing Competitions Calendar

Good news and update

I woke up this morning to the great news that Aussie Fast Fiction have accepted another one of my stories, which is called Going To the Chapel ... Again. That's two off the shortlist. To make the news even better, two of my friends have also had stories accepted this morning. I shan't name them as I'm sure they'll want to pass on their own good news.

Writing wise, I'm trying to get my mojo back. I'd love to get back to the sort of creativity I had last year, but I'll settle for half of that at the moment. I'm working on a mini-novel (30k words) for the My Weekly imprint. Don't know if they'll like it, but at the moment it's less about selling it and more about me making myself sit down and write something substantial, in the hopes that it spurs me on to write other things. I wrote nearly 500 words yesterday and am going to do some more today. I've decided that no matter how badly I think it's going (and we all feel like that by about chapter ten, don't we?) I'm going to plod on and finish it. Then I can always go back and make improvements.

It's got a very Hitchcockian feel to it, which was my intention. I love stories that hark back to the days of a feisty woman and urbane, handsome man pitted against nazis, spies and all manner of evil-doers. Hopefully that enthusiasm will come across in the writing.

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Writing Competitions Calendar