Writing Magazine

As is customary to say on any recurring occasion, is it really Halloween again already? The last year seems to have flown past, perhaps not a bad thing really: it’s going to be difficult for Halloween to top the horrors of the rest of the year. This

Freelances used to pennies per word tend to get very excited about markets that pay in double figures. Some of us even have tales of the glory days when a single sale to the right market could pay for a bathroom or extension. Novelists are perhaps le

Action is not easy to write because what you leave out is as important as what you put in. It’s a delicate balance between providing enough information to visualise the scene but not so much that the pace slows as a result. Description paints a pictu

Set aside any notions that the countryside is a place of rest and retreat in the novels of Andrew Michael Hurley. The author’s take on folk horror turns the British countryside into disquieting landscapes – harsh places where malevolent forces are bu

The characters in your stories are your creations and are entirely subject to your will. They do whatever you want them do, whenever you tell them to. They sit quietly in the corners of your mind, awaiting their cue to troop onto the stage of your st

I’ve just had feedback from my beta reader and I’m feeling so despondent. I was really excited to see what she thought and while her suggestions make sense to a degree, it’s taking my novel in a totally different direction. It feels like it’s more he

A couple of years ago a journalist colleague of mine posted on Twitter that he was starting to work on his first novel. His tweet prompted a flurry of replies from friends, fellow journalists and followers saying that they too had started on books bu

‘I think my journey to publication is perhaps one that doesn’t get told all that often. You hear all the time about debuts getting their big break and it took me a little longer to get there! So, let me take you on my writing journey. ‘I’ve been writ

£250 TO BE WON People writing to each other is a great way for writers to drip-feed their story, so tell yours via letters, emails, tweets, texts… even smoke signals! The winner will receive £200 and publication in Writing Magazine, with £50 and publ

Want to put down a footprint? It’s easy enough if you’re a creative artist… such as a writer. I’m not talking about a legacy here, although I suppose that is part of it; most people like to think they can be remembered for something that sets them ap

1st place £200 CONTENT ADVISORY: SOME ADULT LANGUAGE ‘Let my native American name henceforth always be coffee-shop-crying-wanker’. She texted me later that evening, apologising. Somehow, I think she felt that she had hijacked our long planned catch-u

Talking to a writer friend a few years ago, I lamented the difficulty with which I ticked tasks off my to-do list – for no reason other than my own excuses. ‘But,’ I carried on, ‘if I don’t put things on my to-do list, I do whatever it is easily. No

Santa Montefiore is a Sunday Times bestselling author. She sent out her first manuscript to agents under a pseudonym because her sister was the socialite Tara Palmer Tomkinson and Santa wanted her book to be accepted on its merits and not because of

Hi Rosemary. What’s your first writing issue? I have written a book based on a young Romanian, renamed Ivan, who we had in our foster care. The first part is a work of fiction from his viewpoint but in the third person and based on how I imagined his

Another car driver cuts you up on a traffic island, you get overcharged in a shop, or perhaps a work colleague is rude to you. Next thing you know, the red mist descends and it’s volcanic eruption time. There are a lot of angry people out there and p

I am returning to writing after a break of around fifteen years. During this time social media has expanded massively and I’m finding it all rather overwhelming. I’m hoping to resume writing some articles for magazines as well as venturing into the w

‘I am just reading through the latest edition of Writing Magazine and thought I’d write to you about my experience with self-publishing my second book, The Pelican Affair,’ writes subscriber Adrian Wagstaff. ‘It all started when my wife and I went on

• FREE delivery direct to your door every month• SAVE money on the cover price• SHOWCASE your success story in our subscriber spotlight pages• EXCLUSIVE access to subscriber-only competitions• DISCOUNTS on our creative writing courses, downloadable P

Bonfire Night is coming up, keenly anticipated by many families, dreaded by many pet owners. Love it or loathe it, it’s a great topic for writing across different genres, so let your creativity sparkle with this month’s free-range writing. There’s ju

£125 TO BE WON SENSES Short Story Competition SEE P67 FOR ENTRY DETAILS, FULL RULES AND ENTRY FORMS Play with texture and style in your fiction by bringing the senses to life in words. Sight, sound, touch, taste, hearing – how will you convey these i

I saw Greta Thunberg. Not properly, but across the College Green I could make her out on the stage, addressing the crowds before her. Thousands of teenagers (some adults too but mainly teenagers) had descended on Bristol upon hearing the news that wo

How do you like your ghosts? ‘November is the most disagreeable month in the whole year,’ said Meg, standing at the window one dull afternoon, looking out at the frostbitten garden. ‘That’s the reason I was born in it,’ observed Jo. Louisa M Alcott,

We live in anxious times full of threat and uncertainty. We know about many of the risks we face and have some idea of how to avoid them, but perhaps the biggest fears are those shrouded in the unknown. A poet’s way of dealing with anything is to wri

We’ve talked a little in these pages about many of the emerging ‘punk’ subgenres of science-fiction, but in the past we’ve only ever touched on one of the ‘originals’ in the form of cyberpunk. While steampunk is renowned for its often more colourful

For epistolary fiction, 1,500-1,700 words, on any theme; entry fee £6, £4 for subscribers; closing date, 15 December. Ref Code: Nov20/epistolary For short stories, max 500 words, any style or theme; entry fee £6, £4 for subscribers; closing date, 15

Your essential monthly round-up of competitions, paying markets, opportunities to get into print and publishing industry news. Freedom From Torture is inviting entries for its first ever poetry contest. The Freedom From Torture charity’s biennial lit

Novelist Rebecca Mascull writes not only as Rebecca herself but also as Mollie Walton. I was keen to find out how leading a double writing life works out in practice, but first of all I wanted to learn how it all started for Rebecca. ‘I’ve always lov

There’s still – just – time to enter The London Magazine Poetry Prize 2020 The London Magazine is the UK’s oldest literary journal, and through its Poetry Prize looks for new voices to publish. The first prize is £500 and there are second and third p

Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre is launching its first Through the Mill Playwriting Prize and there is the offer of £5,000 for the winner and a full production of their play in Autumn 2021. Leading up to this production the winning playwright will rec

Coast, edited by Alex Fisher, is the only national magazine that exclusively covers the coastline of the British Isles. ‘It’s all about a passion for the ocean and coastal life, which can take many different angles,’ said Alex. ‘It’s completely agele

The winner of the Gollancz and Rivers of London BAME SFF Award is The Principles of Moments, Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson (pictured left), with The Reeves’ Guild, Kyla Jardine, in second. The award was launched last year by Gollancz and Ben Aaronovitch in p

Subtropics is a long-established biannual literary journal published by the University of Florida Press. It has a long and honourable list of prize credits and a list of published authors who have had distinguished careers. The editorial team seek ‘t

Priceonomics is a San Francisco based website that ‘turns data into great stories’. The team, led by CEO and founder Rohin Dhar, describe themselves as a collection of writers, data scientists, engineers and analysts that are obsessed with creating a

Confrontation Magazine is one of the rare literary journals which wants poetry and pays well for it. This well established, highly thought of American journal is open for subs each year between 15 September and 15 April. Submit up to five poems onlin

There are no restrictions on genre for submissions of short stories to the Fireside Quarterly autumn 2021 issue and all editors ask is that stories move them, ‘have the power to shape culture’ and ‘contribute to creating a kinder and more inclusive s

Vallum is a Canadian biannual literary journal dedicated to poetry. The editorial team proudly proclaim that ‘Poetry isn’t dead; Vallum is where it thrives!’ They publish poetry, interviews, reviews, essays, audio, video, and letters to the editor al

There are a number of physical items that may help you promote your writing. Taking books as one example these can include: bookmarks, postcards, magnetic stickers – all designed in a way that utilises a cover image. More elaborate things may be invo

Describing itself as a ‘specialist digital publisher’ Third Flatiron¸ based in Ayr, Scotland and Colorado, USA, is inviting submissions of science fiction, fantasy and anthropological fiction for its next quarterly themed anthology. The theme and dea

Three Crows quarterly science fiction and fantasy magazine invites stories of ‘dark and weird fantasy, horror and sci-fi with complex characters making morally ambiguous decisions’. To get a clear idea of what editors are looking for you can read con

Life & Thyme is a print magazine (The Life & Thyme Post) and website devoted to culinary storytelling from contributors all around the world. The title aims to promote enjoyment and awareness of food culture, as well as encourage international cooper

Corpus Press, based in North Carolina, USA is looking for ‘truly terrifying stories that deal with futuristic themes set in the near future or far’ for Volume 3 of In Darkness Delight, to be published in 2021. Stories should concern times preceding a

Cedar Fort is a US publisher of ‘uplifting and edifying books that help people think about what is important in life’. The editorial team seek ‘books people enjoy reading to relax and feel better about themselves, and books to help improve lives.’ Su

Tempered Runes Press is brand new and the editorial team are seeking submissions for their literary magazine Bluing the Blade. They hope to publish ‘an inclusive journal’ of poetry, prose, fiction, and visual art. The first issue will be published in

From its beginnings The Oldie, originally launched by Private Eye’s Richard Ingrams and now edited by Harry Mount, has always mined its slush pile for content. Harry is always happy to consider unsolicited articles, and is particularly pleased to con

Inscape is a well-established and recognised US literary magazine ‘compiled and edited at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas’, publishing fiction, nonfiction, poetry and visual art. Submisssions are open until 31 October for the 2021 issue and the

‘Lynne Hackles describes herself as a butterfly writer.’ I have said that so often. I like butterflies. They’re pretty but do I want to be one? It’s been used as a description of me at the end of articles and short stories because I’ve labelled mysel

Mob Lab is an online ‘global learning and collaboration network’ focused on ‘powering the future of social change campaigns.’ Their team, led by global director Michael Silberman, are looking for stories about innovations in advocacy campaigns, espec

Onwe Press is a London-based independent publisher that launched in 2019 with the intention of presenting diverse voices and stories. ‘Onwe is a multi-genre publisher,’ said co-publisher Kosi Amayo. ‘We publish trade books for a general audience, fro

The Syndrome is an international website and zine with an editorial team whose aim is ‘Empowering women, one laugh at a time’. Their mission is to raise ‘awareness of gender equality issues through humour and satire’. Subs are always wanted of ‘Relev

Melissa Oliver has won the RNA’s Joan Hessayon Award. Melissa’s debut, The Rebel Heiress and the Knight, was awarded the RNA’s £1,000 prize for new writers, which is given to a writer whose first novel has been completed after passing through the Rom

It’s a famous quotation, usually attributed to the quantum physicist Nils Bohr: Prediction is very difficult, especially if it’s about the future. Currently if I simply listed here all the predictions about the course of the Covid-19 crisis that have

Ringwood Publishing is a Glasgow-based independent small press publishing fiction and nonfiction with a Scottish identity. ‘We publish fiction and nonfiction across a range of genres, but all, to some degree, share a Scottish link,’ said submissions

Novelist Gráinne Murphy also works as a freelance editor. ‘It gives me flexibility,’ she says, ‘which is brilliant in some respects but cuts both ways – I end up working a lot of evenings and weekends. ‘If I’m working on a first draft, I like to writ

If I had known when I wrote my first crime thriller that it was going to turn into a series, I would have done things differently. For starters, I would have made more detailed notes on the town where the books are set! I am now writing book six and

Congratulations! You’ve finished a picture book, now you want to polish it and sparkle it before sending it off into the wide world. Whether you are thinking of submitting to the Writing Magazine Picture Book Prize this month, or you are hoping to ho

In this month’s story, Flower Hunters by Lauren Groff, we’re going to look at how the unnamed protagonist relates to other characters in the story. The story is full of a sense of sadness, largely due to the main character’s failings in the way she r

Traditionally, this is the time of year when farmers across the country bring in the harvest. Suddenly, there’s an abundance of food which, if carefully managed, will last through the winter. The freelance writing world is also notorious for its feas