Writing Magazine_Aug 2022

most famous videos on the concept Between the real and the unreal along with the circumstance when
of liminality is The Backrooms, which someone we knew so well is gone. Grief
you can view here – https://writ.rs/ This brings us neatly to the way that is something that has a powerful effect on
backrooms – and which has spawned horror can use liminality as a more the human mind, and is a very striking
a sort of mythology around it. Watch supernatural mechanism. We have motif for horror to boot.
even a few minutes and tell me it’s not explored real-world liminal spaces, but
unnerving to think of being stuck there horror is replete with examples of worlds If I was going to predict the next
yourself, wandering corridors that simply and dimensions that exist between our big liminal mental space for the
seem to go on forever… world and something else – the frayed genre, I think it will be that of gender
edges where the supernatural can meet transitioning – something more and
Of course there is plenty of horror the natural. Event Horizon remains more people around the world are
that does use familiar spaces and inject a favourite example of this for me, doing, and a liminal space between
the disturbing into them – the concept exploring something between the depths genders that to this day evokes prejudice
of the home invasion is a testament to of space and the depths of hell, and the and discrimination, with visceral and
that – but it’s often seen that stories very underrated Anguish features one negative reactions from certain quarters.
uproot characters in some way. How of my favourite scenes of otherworldly As the act of transitioning becomes ever
many books and films have we seen with liminal space ever (which I won’t spoil more common and prevalent, I feel that
characters dropping by the archetypal here). You could easily argue as a more horror will reflect related anxieties and
‘cabin in the woods’, or encountering famous example that Lovecraft’s R’lyeh possibilities in its stories going forward
some sort of horrifying difficulty on is a fabulous example of liminal space, – after all, horror has always very much
a long trip from one place to another, with its strange angles and inexplicable held a mirror up to society.
or inheriting/buying a strange and geometry. You can find plenty of great
unfamiliar house that proves to be its horror in these transitional zones between I’ll do my best not to leave you
own ‘between state’? the world we inhabit and a world very hanging in an inbetween space – after all,
much inhabited by something else. you’ve set out from the introduction and
Employing the liminal we’re now reaching our destination, the
Liminal mental spaces conclusion. Liminality and liminal spaces
You could argue a case that using the have been an academic concept for some
liminal physically is something that much The value of liminality within horror time, but the notion is now entering the
horror does already, and often without certainly doesn’t stop there, and I’d argue mainstream ever more through various
deep thought or awareness of the concept the concept comes into its own even means and media. It can of course be
itself. One thing I feel helps the liminal more within our characters rather than incorporated into all sorts of different
really come to the fore – as you will see around them. Horror is loaded with genres, but for me horror feels like its
in The Backrooms – is to use it as a space characters who are in transition from one natural bedfellow, being loaded with
that becomes inescapable. The character is thing to another, and that enables the uncertainty, isolation and emptiness.
in that space because they want to reach sort of vulnerability and self-doubt in our
what is ‘next’, that destination they are protagonists that is central to so much of It’s not a new concept for horror,
striving for. When they come to realise the genre. A character who is fully secure but what we do have in 2022 is a
that is an impossibility, they may seek and confident may not be rattled by a developing understanding and an
to return to their setting-off point – but strange encounter, or that noise emerging ever-expanding canon of work that we
when they learn that is also unachievable from downstairs – a character who is can see using liminality to enhance its
then you enter a true realm of terror. unsettled, uncertain and between places scares. As writers, there are many ways
in life will be far easier to induce fear we can use this to strengthen our fiction
Liminality often goes hand in hand within. – by presenting spaces themselves as
with isolation, which is what makes it so liminal to provoke unease in characters
effective in a horror context. When spaces Some we have discussed already – and readers alike, by trapping our
are truly inbetween, it can mean that they characters who are in the process of protagonists in liminal spaces both real
become unoccupied, ie that train station getting divorced or experiencing a bad world and otherworldly, and employing
or airport that’s virtually abandoned with break-up are very much in a liminal the concept of liminal mental spaces to
only the last arrival to come, or perhaps mental space, unsettled between different enhance the mood and atmosphere by
completely finished until the next day. relationship statuses. Many horror stories allowing us to crank up the fear that
Even large buildings like universities or have looked at the darker side of moving the character is feeling. There’s plenty
office blocks late at night so often leave home, very much a liminal space to exist of fascinating reading out there on the
you alone in a vast warren of empty in both physically and psychologically. topic, and now there is a unification of
rooms, stairs and long corridors. Liminal sorts around the idea I expect you’ll be
spaces are a great way to pull characters One of the biggest I think that horror reading plenty more – both fictional
away from support, away from help and does particularly well is that of grief, a and non-fictional – about this idea in
perhaps entirely away from the world as liminal space between an unwillingness the years to come.
we know it. and a willingness to accept death, and
also all of the uncertainty that comes

www.writers-online.co.uk AUGUST 2022 51

POETRY WINNERS

tFheeelloinvge

;-22)6 PFLIRASCTE %PMWSR 'LMWLSPQ’s heart is set
Deborah Tomlin all a-flutter by the winners of WM’s
Lovers £100
love poetry prize

Her toes peep from the plaster,
gently he puts on the sock.

Go carefully, he had said, T he challenge in the love make a statement.
taking her hand. Slippery leaves. poetry competition A number of the entries featured
Still she went down. was to add something
They heard the snap fresh to the world’s lists – a good device for poetry, but
like the crackle of a bonfire. gargantuan hoard of in most cases the list needs some
love poems, and Writing Magazine moulding to form the poem, rather
She tells me all over again poets rose to it magnificently. A than simply appearing as a handful
while Dad pops to the shops, bumper mail-and-email bag proved of phrases, giving it the air of a
buys a few bits for lunch. that there’s plenty of love in the air, shopping list.
He comes back, makes more tea, and it’s worth celebrating.
answers the phone, gives her an aspirin, Occasionally the balance needed
alert to her every grimace, sigh, look. Entries covered romantic love, attention. Some poems used over-
The ambulance man family love, the love of pets, mobile long scene-setting, so that the main
brought my glove round you know. phones, the periodic table, sink theme of the poem was squashed
Yes, Mum, I say. Lovely of him. plugholes, reverse industry, wartime into the last few lines rather
love, mythology, guitars... all showing than occupying the bulk of the
In the kitchen Dad tells me how this enigmatic emotion affects text. Others communicated their
how he fears his cancer; us. The forms covered were equally information, then had additional
loss of dignity, pain, how he will die – wide ranging, with sonnets and lines or stanzas as the poets wrote
leaving Mum behind. free verse, rondeaus and villanelles, themselves out of the piece, or
I take out the rubbish, cry into the list poems and calligrammes, extra stanzas that had little to say or
dustbin. mirror poems and ballads. There repeated the main content.
was occasional humour, torment
Are you talking about me? or quirkiness, fear, exuberance An excellent shortlist emerged,
My toes are still cold, or resignation to be found in the with poems that were traditional
she calls as I step back inside. poems. There was heart. and highly contemporary, followed
He rolls his eyes, grabs another sock warm expected or eccentric routes, but all
from the radiator. Better? She nods. Inevitably, some poems put shared the quality of remaining fixed
He leans towards her; they touch noses, themselves out of the running in the mind for days after the initial
smile into one another’s eyes, through difficulties that could have reading. The winner is Lovers by
kiss again and again been addressed with more careful Deborah Tomlin of Bath, a beautifully
as if in an old black and white movie attention to the crafting. Several observed and perfectly paced account
set for a happy ending. entries were fuelled by fascinating of an enduring love story.
ideas, but stymied by a lack of
I don’t want to leave her, sentence structuring, inappropriate Writers are always advised to
he whispers when she sleeps. or missing punctuation, inversions Show, don’t tell, and here we are
I want to stay and hold her hand. and archaisms or grammatical shown a relationship that is blessed
awkwardness. An untitled poem has not just with deep affection but
surrendered a useful opportunity to with respect, caring and duration
– this last evident in the fact that
the narrator is the adult offspring

52 AUGUST 2022 www.writers-online.co.uk

of the two protagonists. Within the rhyme in pops / shops. In fact, it’s worth the poem echoes a brief exchange

short length of a poem, then, we see reading this poem aloud just to revel in with the girl in the box office. The

how a fall has created extra work for the sounds it creates. ordinariness of she’s nice and Have they

the father, himself suffering from a This joy of hearing the poem spoken got seats, and the familiar springs to

terminal illness, nursing the mother is shared by the piece in second place. mind, contrast with the more elegant

who seems to be in the early stages of Petals on a Pool... is a beautifully wording of a declaration of some kind

dementia, suggested by She tells me all turned sonnet by Roger Dunn of and that featured piece therein. These

over again. In the spirit of true love, Dartmouth, Devon. The lovers here tiny contrasts help to underline the

Dad voices fears about his condition, are at the opposite end of the romantic uncertainty of the situation, a wavering

but builds up to the major one – that timetable, in the planned invitation to between the casual and the formal.

he will be leaving Mum behind. The a first date. The narrator is thinking it Roger Dunn has applied the form

poem ends with simply expressed raw through, planning a suitable outing, with meticulous care. The wording

emotion, in Dad’s whisper of I want to and deciding on a concert rather than flows and fits perfectly into the

stay and hold her hand. a dance, dinner or film. There’s a neat required iambic pentameters. There’s

Simplicity is one of this poem’s link running alongside. The title is one especially interesting facet of

greatest strengths. The narrative is a from the opening lines of the song the rhyming here. The poet has

story, starting with the simple caring that springs to mind for the narrator, taken the brave step of using two

act of putting a sock onto a broken And this is my beloved from the 1953 very similar sounds as the opening

foot. There’s a flashback to a specific musical Kismet. The progress of rhymes in the poem, with mine / line

account of the accident, then a list any romance to come is a fate to be and kind / mind, using the plaintive

stanza showing how Dad has taken over decided; and fate determines that the -i to advantageous effect, echoing

the household duties. There is dialogue, concert will feature the Borodin music in assonance with I, nice, I’d and

the warmth of a kindly gesture on the used for the song. final. The sustained nasal consonant,

part of the ambulance man, and the Those deliciously interwoven factors -n, makes it impossible to clip the

unburdening of Dad’s fears. There’s a work perfectly in the pattern of a last words, even when the sound is

hint of very human exasperation where sonnet, with its web of sound; and followed by the plosive -d. Sound

Dad rolls his eyes, and in two lines a the fourteen lines of the form are complements meaning.

summing up of the unquenchable exactly right for the weight of content. A good love story never ends. As long

romance the protagonists share, where There’s a conversational aspect to this as we continue to add to the world’s

they smile into one another’s eyes, / kiss poem, too, as the narrator is clearly supply of love poems with pieces of this

again and again. Their age is hinted thinking aloud, and at the heart of calibre, it will go on for ever.

in an old black and white movie and

there’s a horrible dramatic irony in set
for a happy ending. The heartwrenching 6922)6 94

truth – unstated but inevitable – Roger Dunn SHORTLIST

concludes the tale. Petals on a Pool… Also short listed

The piece reads with conversational in WM’s Love

fluency, but there are plenty of poetic First date… I hope. She’s nice and were she mine, Poetry competition

elements to ensure that it is, indeed, a I’d make a declaration of some kind. were: Janet

true poem. Its free verse is controlled The song from Kismet (Fate) whose final line Berenson, Hatfield,

through natural line breaks that work ‘And this is my beloved’ springs to mind. Hertfordshire;

with the phrasing of the text. The Penny Blackburn,

poem is full of imagery, such as in the And so – a dinner; dance or movie show? Wallsend, Tyne and

second stanza where touch/texture Though maybe she’d prefer the Concert Hall. Wear; Jan Clare,

and sound are evoked, alongside a Before suggesting that, I need to know West Bridgford,

simile that adds a hint of scent via what’s on. Have they got seats? I make a call. Nottingham; Mark

bonfire, and in the fifth stanza where McKerracher,

the dialogue indicates sound through ‘A Classical Soiree. Seats? Still a few.’ Southampton,

spoken words, touch in still cold and The ticket-office girl reels off the list Hampshire; Val

the warmed sock, vision in the shared of items to be played. Fate’s featured too, Ormrod, Alvington,

smile, and taste in the kisses. presented in a way I can’t resist! Gloucestershire;

Slant rhymes abound in the sound Angela Pickering,

similarities of peep / plaster, carefully / We’re going! And that featured piece therein? Ely, Cambridgeshire;

slippery, snap / crackle, buys / bits, phone The Second String Quartet by Borodin! Sim Smailes,

/ aspirin and the hint of internal full Braintree, Essex

AUGUST 2022 53

%PMWSR 'LMWLSPQ explores the joys of a meta-poem

WHERE DID YOU FIND
THAT LOVELY POEM?

I found it in a very murky place.
Stirring sludge I dredged it up,

dripping.

I found it in the branches of the trees,
shreds in hedges, rags in branches,
flapping.

I searched around for pieces that would match,
in the cupboards where I’d stored them,
waiting.

I let it tell me what it had to say.
It came alive. I felt its pulse
beating.

I stacked it up, hacked it up,
added bits, moved it round,
changed it, rearranged it.

I chiselled it to slenderness,
trimmed it, thinned it,
let the wind in it.

I let the wind blow half of it away,
cherished fragments, in the distance,

vanished.

At last I stood quite still and held my breath
to see
if
it
was

finished.

POETRY WORKSHOP

Meta poems – poems about poetry – are particularly constructed. So the rhythms of the poem are well attuned to
satisfying to write. After all, it’s a subject close its content.
to every poet’s heart; if it weren’t, we would not
be doing it. There’s a lovely feeling of everything Some free verse poems give the impression that the
clicking into place when a poem starts to sing. So wording has not been subjected to careful thought and
the song of a poem about poetry is all the sweeter, and the selection. That is definitely not the case here. The poet’s
clicking into place all the more distinct. precision has found words that are concrete and layered. The
beating at the end of the fourth stanza is both the action
Elizabeth Heaton, who lives in Derby, is a mechanical of the heart and a suggestion of metre. In the next stanza,
engineer as well as a poet. A day job that involves detail hacked is closely followed by bits – both words that refer
and precision seems the perfect match for a labour of love to the physical body of the poem, but also both words that
that also requires detail and precision. These elements are are associated with the computer on which the poem is
demonstrated throughout the poem. From the neat division produced. While fragments are small parts of anything, the
into three-line stanzas and the pleasing harmony of sound in literary fragment is specifically an unfinished part of a poem,
the wording to the tidily tapered conclusion and symmetry whether very brief or longer such as Coleridge’s ‘fragment’
of presentation, Where did you find that lovely poem? shows Kubla Khan.
the writer’s control and her confidence.
Two significant words are repeated in close proximity in
Poets are usually advised against centring the poem on the poem, a device which is always interesting to explore.
the page. Although the appearance is attractive in certain Of the branches of the second stanza, Elizabeth wanted to
contexts, such as within a greetings card or when the piece emphasise the word, explaining: ‘I found it in the branches of
is made into a poster or picture, it’s not the easiest pattern the trees pleased me and hints at the way poems sometimes
in – say – a collection, when you are reading a lot of poems arise and shape and reshape themselves when I am outdoors,
at once, as it tends to be tiring on the eyes. There’s always walking or cycling, as well as the way they are made with
an exception to prove the rule, and this is it. The random found shreds’. Later we read that (I) let the wind in it and let
strands of thought could appear too regimented in the usual the wind blow half of it away, and the double action of the
left justified presentation, and the poet’s aim was to create wind, to air and refresh and also to remove, gives another
a slender and shapely piece. The final stanza, with single pleasing image.
words on the last four lines, indicates the precariousness of
the whole process. The poet describes how her poem lived up to its theme
by taking some hacking and moulding into its final version,
The idea for the poem came when Elizabeth had sought while the honing of each stanza needed a lot of work. She
feedback on some of her work, and the comments made had to follow Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch’s often quoted
her think much more carefully about the process of making advice to writers to Murder your darlings, and lost some
a poem, especially the concept of shaping it, and removing cherished phrases. She says: ‘I was very pleased with dripping
excess material. It was a short step from these thoughts to and flapping because they produced just the effect I wanted,
writing on the theme. so I tried to end every stanza with a -pping word. After a lot
of contriving involving tripping, tapping, slipping, slopping
The poet points out that: ‘I had the beginning of this etc I decided it wasn’t helping; a looser scheme was needed.’
poem, I found it in a very murky place, for a long time Making decisions like this contributes to the overall quality
before I wrote the rest of it. It amused me to describe my of the writing. It may hurt, but a poem that may be around
own mind as murky, and the rhythm felt quite strong’. for years – for centuries – has to be right.
Whether the mind is murky or not, that’s an incredible
word to choose, and qualifying it with very produces a lovely The poem took a while to produce. A number of hours,
unaccented rhyme. reckoned in double figures, were spent at the computer,
interspersed with plenty of thinking time; but Elizabeth
The fact that the rhythm felt strong is due to the use felt that her endeavours were worthwhile, saying ‘I think
of iambic pentameter. Free verse poems have no metrical it was worth the effort, as this one hasn’t left me with that
requirement, but this most natural pattern of sounds in the unsatisfying “not quite right but I don’t know what to do
English language automatically builds a strong rhythm. It’s about it” feeling’.
used in the first line of each of the four opening stanzas
and the final two. The fifth and sixth stanzas move away Admitting that she doesn’t write a lot of poems,
from iambic pentameter, and create a more hectic rhythm. Elizabeth accepts that she doesn’t have much time for the
In addition, the rhymes come close together in a thrust craftsmanship needed to tidy and tighten the poem. She also
of energy that takes your breath away when you read it acknowledges that sometimes an idea invades her mind and
aloud, and the whole poem speeds up. This coincides with won’t leave her alone until she’s worked through it. She is
the area of content where the actual building of the poem wise enough to know that when that happens, the need to
takes place. There is bustle and urgency, subsiding back write must be satisfied. As a consequence, we get poems of
to the more measured beat when the first draft has been the calibre of Where did you find that lovely poem?

www.writers-online.co.uk AUGMUASYT 2022 55

POETRY LAUNCH

Run free
Alison Chisholm launches WM’s
competition for free-verse poems

It has been said that free verse is the easy option in Assonance, consonance, alliteration, eye-rhyme and other
poetry. Anything goes. Put your thoughts down on
separate lines instead of writing in paragraphs, and near rhymes may not arrive during the poem’s first draft,
there’s an instant free verse poem.
The reality is that free verse is actually much more but can be woven into the text during the revision process.
difficult to write well than poetry in traditional forms.
Traditional forms offer a template, so you know that if you These devices will help the emerging piece to sound like a
have the right number of lines, the right pattern of rhymes
and the right metre, your poem will follow the requirements poem, further moving it away from the ‘feel’ of prose.
of the form. A competition win still has to be fuelled by an
inspired idea, but you are already a step closer to it if the The winner will be crafted into lines that each have
technicalities are in place. These comforting guides are not
there in free verse. There’s no set length, rhyme or metre. something to say, and that work alongside the phrasing of

The free verse poem that will win a competition must be the poem. So the lines will finish on significant words, and
fuelled by an interesting theme, a superb treatment of that
theme, and enough poetic devices to provide absolute proof line breaks will be at the end of a natural phrase.
that this is, indeed, a poem.
It’s up to the poet to decide on the best layout for the
Coming up with a fresh theme or treatment, preferably
something to make the reader think, gives your poem an poem. Try out your idea in different formats to see which
edge. If it’s controversial, quirky or unexpected, it will
have the built-in quality of being memorable, and that’s an seems to suit it best, as a solid block of text, or divided into
advantage. If it doesn’t have such an exciting outlook, it can
still be a winner if it’s written with flair and panache. Even stanzas of regular or irregular length. Use both the eye and
the most familiar themes, such as the changing seasons,
nostalgia pieces, or poems about pets are potential winners the ear to assess the effectiveness of different patterns. It’s
if the energy and quality of the writing are sustained.
surprising how hearing the spoken word can bring subtle
When you are happy with your choice of subject, it’s
important to decide on the tone the poem will take, the changes to the effect of the wording, and also how seeing a
tense you will use, and the person through whose viewpoint
it will be told. Most poets have a default stance to which poem written as a chunky block of lines seems very different
they gravitate, but it’s worth experimenting by trying a
few lines in this persona or that to see how the different from the same words in a lengthier format but with very
approaches will sound.
short lines. Which works better for your subject matter?
The winner will use figurative language in a vital fashion.
It will be written in specific, concrete terms rather than The revision of free verse, as with all other poems,
abstract or waffling phrases. It will usually be backed up by
the inclusion of vivid images, so that the senses are stimulated works best if you have been able to leave a little time after
while the poem is being studied. A reader should come away
from the poem with a pin-sharp image in their head, not a producing the first draft, maybe a week if the deadline
woolly vagueness about where the poem was going.
allows. It concentrates on three areas: idea and its execution,
It will be full of slant rhyme, with sound similarities
not just at the line endings but scattered through the text. word selection, and layout.

Ask yourself some questions, and answer them honestly. Is

the basic idea behind the poem original, and/or effectively

treated? Is every word of the poem pulling its weight to

convey the message, build up an image, or enrich the

reader’s experience? Does the appearance of the poem on

the page give the reader confidence in the poet’s ability to

handle the flow of language?

Make any adjustments that will enhance the piece,

and then put it away again before repeating the process.

Repeat the rest and revise practice as many times as

you need to before you look at

the poem on two consecutive £S1eE0pn0t.teParrnibzdye£s15a50re.
occasions and find there’s nothing Forsefuellpd6e2tails
more you want to alter. Then
you will be ready to submit
secure in the knowledge that your
competition entry is as good as it
can be. Good luck.

56 AUGUST 2022 www.writers-online.co.uk

NEW AUTHOR PROFILE

ALISON
STOCKHAM

The new domestic thriller writer tells %HVMER 1EKWSR
how all her efforts paid off with a sister-themed debut

This month’s featured author certainly chose an you’ve never quite got round to. It helps to inspire and
intriguing premise for her debut novel – a domestic encourage as well as picking up techniques and getting to
thriller – The Cuckoo Sister (Boldwood Books, July). know the market you’re working towards.
Using the strap line, You want your sister to have
everything, but what if she wants your children? it ‘The Cuckoo Sister was partially a pandemic book. It was
explores whether your sister is your best friend or your drafted before the pandemic hit, but querying, editing,
worst enemy – or both. going out on submission and editing again has all been
done against the backdrop of lockdowns, home-schooling
‘I don’t actually have a sister,’ explains Alison, events and the ongoing challenges of Covid. In fact everything has
coordinator for the Cambridge Literary Festival. ‘But, as been done by Zoom and email.
the only generation in four of my family not to have one, I
wanted to explore the dynamic involved.’ ‘I submitted to a small handful of agents, and had a few
full MS requests. Then I was lucky when my lovely agent,
‘The first draft of the book was written in 2019, after Marianne Gunn O’Connor said that she wanted to work
NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) gave me the with me to get the book ready. We worked on it together in
push I needed to get started in late 2018. It really helped late 2020 into 2021, then she signed me and we went out
me to define my writing as important and the value of ring- on submission in mid-2021.
fencing the time needed. You will find things not to do in
favour of writing, but if you give yourself permission for ‘I don’t know exactly how many publishers it went to
that, it makes it easier. before Boldwood offered me publication as I didn’t keep
too close a track for my own sanity. All I know is, it’s
‘That first draft took from January-July. I left it over important to keep going. I try to take rejections as both
August, and edited from September-December. My part of the process and an opportunity to learn. That’s after
youngest was at home and pre-school at the time, so I I’ve had a cry and some consolatory chocolate as I’m only
wrote as and when I had time around family and other human. Then I get going again.’
commitments. In 2020 I began querying after it was long
listed for the Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize. Alison’s next book, due in mid-2023, has the working
title, Comfortable Silence, and explores how well we really
‘I’d written several short stories – one of which was know the people in our lives.
included in the LJ Ross anthology in support of Shelter,
Everyday Kindness, published in November 2021 – and Twitter: @AlisonStockham
various children’s stories. I also have a historical fiction work
in progress as well, which I’d started while on a Faber Write ALISON’S TOP TIPS
Your Novel course in 2020.
• Read as widely as you can, in your own genre and outside.
‘It is so helpful to have a supportive and understanding • Find your tribe. Writing is solitary and hard on the emotions.
group of people who relate to the extreme highs and lows • Give yourself permission. It can be really hard to justify
that writing can create. I am lucky to have a wonderful Faber your writing when there are so many other demands on your
group as well as friends who are working as writers already. time, but this matters.
• Persist. There will be lots of rejections throughout the
‘It also helps that I’ve loved books for as long as I can process, but keep going.
remember, and have always wanted to create characters and
their lives and write their stories. I also believe in reading
widely, whether new releases or classics, and the books

www.writers-online.co.uk AUGUST 2022 57

Mmeodniuemy

Can writing for online platforms generate a useful income?
Simon Whaley reviews his first year on Medium.

In August 2012, Evan Williams, Mario Lopez-Goicoechea is the publication, which means if they’re
who founded Blogger and author of Cuban, Immigrant, and open to submissions from other writers
co-founded Twitter, launched Londoner, a reflection on life and you can submit your work directly
a new online writing platform: culture in the UK, the English to them. If it’s accepted, they will
Medium.com. It’s grown into a language and writing in English from a publish it under your name but on the
platform where writers can write non-native speaker’s point of view. He publication’s feed. This means, besides
about almost anything and get paid joined Medium in 2015, primarily to your followers seeing your latest work,
for their content. Payment, though, improve his writing skills, having been they will also bring it to the attention
depends upon how many of Medium’s on Blogger for almost ten years. of the publication’s followers. Some
subscribers read their work. So, can this Medium publications have tens of
be a useful income stream for writers? ‘It was the opportunity to build thousands of readers.
on my blogging experience to access
A lot has happened over the ten high-quality writing and to develop For writers new to the platform,
years since Medium launched, and my writing skills,’ he explains. ‘In getting work accepted by publications is
some writers who’ve created content addition, getting paid for writing, even one of the best ways to build a following.
on the platform for many years if it was pennies at the start, was not to
frequently earn four-figure monthly be scoffed at.’ Some writers use the site like a
payouts. For the majority, it’s much personal blog, writing whatever takes
less than that. In September 2020, He’s also noticed other benefits, too. their fancy, while others treat the
Medium identified that only 6.4% of ‘I believe that in order to be a good platform like a virtual newsagent
writers on its platform earned more writer, you have to be a good reader and write material specifically for
than $100 a month. first. Because I am an omnivore when publications.
it comes to reading, Medium fills that
I joined the platform in July 2021, gap for me. The offer is wide. I’m also Subscriber share
and as I add more and more material editor of a couple of publications,
to the site, I’m seeing my monthly which means I’m constantly reading The Medium.com business model
Medium payments increase. But from new material.’ currently avoids external advertising.
a business perspective, writing on This makes reading articles a pleasing
Medium isn’t just about money. Blog or publication? experience. The website is uncluttered,
and when readers click on an article, all
Skill development There are two ways you can publish they see on their smartphone or tablet
on Medium. The first is through your are your wonderful words and images.
In some ways, Medium is no different own account. You can write about
to any other online platform that anything you like and then publish it Medium calculates earnings daily,
allows creators to monetise their under your name, just like you would based upon the number of Medium
content. The most successful content a blog. Your followers will see your subscribers who read your work.
producers are those who regularly article in their feed. Some dedicated Medium allows everyone to read up to
create content, have many followers, followers may sign up to be notified by three articles a month for free. After that,
and have a large body of work email every time you post something. they need to subscribe, which currently
available. Producing regular content costs $5 per month or $50 a year.
means they’re also further developing The other route is through
their skills. publications. The Medium platform Like all these platforms, there are
allows anyone to set up their own many algorithms at work. You’ll also
find many articles on the platform

58 AUGUST 2022 www.writers-online.co.uk

THE BUSINESS OF WRITING

interpreting how these may or may not new lease of life on Medium. BUSINESS DIRECTORY
work. (There are thousands of articles
about Medium on Medium!) Experiment opportunity • For more information about Medium
visit www.medium.com
Essentially, there are several factors Medium is also a place for
at work, including the number of experimental writing. • For details about getting started,
subscribers reading your material, and its Partner Programme, and how to
how long they spend reading your work. ‘I still use Medium as a place to try submit to publications visit
ideas out,’ says Mario. ‘My recent series help.medium.com
You can check your statistics daily, of Urban Diary columns have been
although as I’ve discovered, it’s better published mainly in a publication called new rules, which means new writers
if you focus on writing more content The Shortform. There’s something about won’t earn money for their writing
than becoming obsessed with how the challenge of writing no more than straight away. To join Medium’s Partner
many page views you’ve had in the last 150 words per post that I welcome. It Programme, writers need to secure 100
24 hours! keeps me on my toes. And of course, followers on the platform, and have
with a book out, I’ve used the platform published at least one article.
Having said that, Medium’s statistics as a marketing tool in conjunction
allow you to explore which type of with Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and This can take time. It’s designed to get
articles work well. They break down LinkedIn.’ new writers to engage with other writers
the information based upon the total on the platform. In reality, it means
number of views an article has had, There are pros and cons to Medium, posting several articles, because readers
how long people spend reading that and those who succeed financially are are more likely to follow a writer who
material and whether those readers the writers who invest time and energy produces content they enjoy reading.
were internal Medium subscribers or into the platform.
external views. New writers can apply to join the
‘There’s a feeling of community on programme once they’ve met the
Google player the platform,’ suggests Mario. ‘We get follower threshold. Besides payment for
paid for writing and there’s a wide range the number of times your articles are
What frustrates some writers is that of topics for readers to choose from. read, if a reader subscribes to Medium
Medium only pays out based upon The cons are that there are far too many through your referral link, you’ll
the number of Medium subscribers articles about writing at the moment. I also receive fifty per cent of their $5
who read your work. Thousands of know I have made a small contribution monthly subscription, for the lifetime
non-subscribers can read your writing, to those, but I try to keep my output of their subscription.
because Google ranks the Medium on that topic to a minimum. A lot of
platform highly in search results. If these posters make preposterous claims. So can Medium become a useful
you’ve written an article on Medium I read a piece today where the writer income stream for your writing
about a topic someone is searching for claimed he’d made $600 a day from an business? Mario recommends being
on Google, your article may appear article that had gone viral. So, expect realistic. ‘Go for it, but don’t expect
near the top of Google’s returned your first Medium millionaire any to hit the jackpot overnight. You have
search results. If those readers haven’t minute now.’ to put a shift in, write regularly and
used their three-free-article quota for connect with other writers.’
this month, they’ll have full access to Social situation
your piece, even though it’s behind His advice is spot on. My first year
Medium’s paywall. Medium allows readers to leave on the platform has seen my monthly
comments on other writer’s work, which earnings increase each month, as I add
Therefore, it’s possible for an article means the platform has a social element more content to the platform.
to go viral outside of Medium, yet earn about it. It offers a sense of community,
very little from Medium subscribers. and I’ve made many more writer Spend $5 to subscribe for a month
friends with similar interests on the (you can cancel at any time), and get a
However, some writers use Medium platform, whom I wouldn’t have met on feel for the market, just like you would
for this very reason. It can put your other social media platforms. It’s also any print publication. Follow writers and
work in front of thousands of readers, wonderful when readers recommend publications whose content is like yours,
so if you’re promoting your latest your articles to other readers. so you can see how other writers do it.
book, you could see a financial boost
via book sales, or an increase in people But just like other social media And who knows? Medium might be
subscribing to your mailing list. platforms, it’s subject to inappropriate the perfect home for your material that
comments, which you can block. hasn’t found a home yet. Or it might
There are publications that allow you However, this isn’t something I’ve come be the perfect place for the features or
to submit the first chapters of your novel, across during my first year. stories you’ve always wanted to write, but
while others will publish short stories and not found the right print publication.
poetry. Writers who’ve sold stories and Partner programme
poems to magazines, but still retain some I make money on Medium. You can,
electronic rights, can give their work a In January 2022, Medium introduced too. How much is down to you.

www.writers-online.co.uk AUGUST 2022 59

TransportRESEARCH TIPS

Have fun on your research journey into ways of getting around
with advice from 8EVNE 1SPIW

Over centuries our human race has come always check their website in advance to find out what
up with all sorts of ways to move from kind of material is offered and whether you need to
one place to another: from walking make any access arrangements.
to using animals, from pedal power
to motor vehicles, from sea travel Also check if the site has research guides and/or
to flying. Researching different modes of transport reading lists. If you’re able to use curated sources, your
is not only relevant to nonfiction writers focusing research process will be much more efficient and the
on historical railways or the latest electric cars, but information you explore will be more reliable than
fictional stories may also require transport-related finding something haphazard online.
research. Just think how important the topic of
travelling and transport were for Jules Verne when he An example of a museum with a library is the
wrote, for example, Around the World in Eighty Days. London Transport Museum (www.ltmuseum.co.uk/
collections/library). It has 15,000 books, journals,
As with any research, doing a preliminary search articles, maps and other items covering London’s
online can help you map out what’s accessible public transport and its history, architecture, art and
instantly. This could be text-based sources, videos, design. It also has information for family history
images or audio material. Local libraries are useful too researchers: if your ancestor was connected in
as many are surprisingly well stocked with books on some way to the city’s public transport, it’s worth
transport and travel. Before you head to your nearest exploring the museum’s records. In fact, you can
library, use their online catalogue to find out what download its family history research guide by going
they can offer. to https://writ.rs/ltr, clicking the ‘Family history’
tab, and then pressing the pink button labelled
If you need to dig deeper, here are a few of ideas of ‘Family history research’.
where to go and how to expand your research:
The National Railway Museum’s library and
Museums, specialist libraries and archives archives (https://writ.rs/nrm) have, among other
Museums are ideal places to find historical information things, books, periodicals, magazines, newspapers and
and get a more tangible feel of your chosen topic. There drawings relating not only to railway engineering and
are numerous transport museums in the UK, covering industry but also to the social history of railways.
a wide variety of modes, such as the National Maritime
Museum (www.rmg.co.uk), the National Motor To find museums that suit your research
Cycle Museum (www.nationalmotorcyclemuseum. needs, browse Wikipedia’s list at https://writ.rs/
co.uk) and the Helicopter Museum (http:// transportmus or use a museum search engine at
helicoptermuseum.co.uk). www.museums.co.uk. Alternatively, you could use
the ARCHON Directory (https://writ.rs/natarc)
Larger museums tend to incorporate specialist and/or the Scottish Archive Network (www.scan.org.
libraries and archives that cater for researchers. In uk) as both will help you locate archives and other
addition to books, they often hold journals, trade record depositories.
magazines, maps and various historical records. Some
of the material may also be digitised and available In addition to bricks-and-mortar museums
online. When you’re planning to visit a museum, and archives, explore whether there are any
virtual ones that are relevant to your research.
For instance, Online Transport Archive (www.

60 AUGUST 2022 www.writers-online.co.uk

onlinetransportarchive.org), a charity preserving Behind the tape
transport-related photographs and moving images,
is worth looking at. It has a collection of over 2 Expert advice to get the If you have a
million images in the form of slides, negatives, details right in your crime lqisuseaencrdyutifttosrbenyLqiesumai,arpiiellesta@ose
prints and postcards and more than 4,000 hours fiction from serving police
of film footage of all forms of transport around officer 0MWE 'YXXW gmail.com
the world.
Q I am familiar with the criminal justice system in the US,
Experts where I live, but am working on a police procedural set in
Interviewing experts is a great way to find more York. I will be travelling there in the autumn to do research and
in-depth information. They’re likely to be able to plan to speak with the North Yorkshire Police as well as the York
help you discover further resources and answer any Minster Police (since one of the murders will take place there).
questions you may have. And if they don’t know the
answers themselves, they’re most likely connected to Do you have any suggestions of what kinds of questions I
people who do. So, don’t shy away from establishing should be asking and other resources I should be consulting to
and cultivating knowledgeable contacts. The more ensure that I am accurately representing policing in the UK in
you can connect with other people, the more general and York in particular?
support you’ll have during your research.
Julie Ciccarelli via email
There are a number of ways in which you could
approach experts. You could search for relevant A Your trip sounds like a great one. Yorkshire is beautiful. I’m
professional and trade organisations or find online not familiar at all with York Minster Police but I hope that the
forums that are used by enthusiasts. You could following will help in some way:
contact historical societies that focus on a specific
mode of transport, such as the Railway and Canal Many forces throughout England have corroborated to share officers
Historical Society (www.rchs.org.uk). There are also and resources, especially for major incidents. Some of it works well and
events, like vintage car shows and steam engine fairs, some puts a drain on departments. To make sure you have the set up
that are attended by experts and enthusiasts. correct for your police procedural, I’d ask for clarification of what that
set up is, and who they would be likely to call upon for search teams,
Experiential research police dogs, response officers, detectives and other resources. It should
A more experiential approach is ideal when you stop you making any errors and link in with how York Minster Police
need to convey the feel and the experience of a works with them.
specific type of transport to your readers. Although
this may not always be possible – for instance, in Presuming that your novel relates to a murder, ask the North Yorkshire
the case of space travel – there are lots of transport Police to talk you through what happens from the initial
modes you might be able to try: there are places call of a body being found and how it is coordinated
where you can learn to drive a horse carriage or be via the control room and the first response. Depending
a passenger on a hot air balloon or ride a penny- on where their incidents rooms are – as they will have
farthing. To find experiences that suit your research a number – will determine where the officers are based
needs, search online. and work out of. From there, the officers will be able to
give you an idea of who forms part of the Major Crime
It’s also worth bearing in mind that using a team, such as Senior Investigating Officer, Deputy SIO,
certain mode of transport may offer a very different exhibits officer, officer in the case, investigating officers
experience depending on where the travelling and many others who make up the incident room.
takes place. For example, think about riding a bike
in rural Cornwall and compare it to cycling in Another aspect you may want to cover is the police’s
Amsterdam or in a Chinese mega-city – it’s clear working relationship with the Crown Prosecution
that there’s much more to the cycling experience Service. If and when someone is arrested, CPS would be
than the actual physical action of pedalling. contacted to ask whether there is enough evidence to
charge the detained person. It possibly isn’t something
Further resources you would cover in detail in a police procedural, but it
would be useful to cover whilst you’re in the UK.
The Institute of Historical Research lists
numerous transport history resources at Ask the police to give you some idea of timescales of
https://writ.rs/transporthist how long they have to detain someone in custody and
the importance of PACE. Again, it’s not something you’d
need to use in great detail, but I know the US is vastly
different to the UK. Our laws in England and Wales also
vary from those in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Lisa Cutts is a crime fiction author and retired detective sergeant, having spent
most of her career within the Serious Crime Department. She has returned to
work as an Investigating Officer on historic crimes. Her novels are published by
Myriad and Simon and Schuster.

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Short stories with a ‘love’ theme, For dark short stories, 1,500-1,700
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£5 for subscribers; closing date, 15 subscribers; closing date, 15 August.
September. Ref Code: Jul22/Dark

Ref Code: Aug22/Love

• Free verse competition (see p56) • Science fiction short story
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date, 15 September. words; free entry, subscribers only;
Ref Code: Aug22/free closing date, 15 August.
Ref Code: Jul22/SF

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on any unsuitable material. NAVIGATLSJERLoFss-PoUn hBoLwISshHeIbNeGcame a INTERVIEW
Each issue of Scribble contains 82 Extended deadline: ESENSATION How information contact:
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www.writers-online.co.uk AUGUST 2022 63

Your essential monthly round-up of competitions, paying markets,
opportunities to get into print and publishing industry news.

Make a splash Search out these comps
with your
children’s The Searchlight Writing
writing for Children Awards is an
international competition with a
Bath Children’s Novel Award 2022 is inviting entries. mission to support and champion
The international £3,000 annual prize is for unpublished and aspiring writers for children. In
addition to cash prizes, winning
independently published writers for children. and shortlisted entries are featured
The winning author will receive £3,000 and all shortlisted writers will in the Winners Collection, which
is sent out to literary agents, and
receive feedback on their manuscript. One longlisted writer will win a place the annual Searchlight Awards
worth £1,800 on the online Edit Your Novel the Professional Way course Anthology, and the Searchlight
from Professional Writing Academy and Cornerstones Literary Consultancy. Winners’ Gallery.
This year’s judge is Amber Caravéo, co-founder of Skylark Literary Agency.
Entries are currently invited for:
Writers may be unpublished, self-published or independently published. • Best Novel Opening for Children or Young
Entries may be in any age-category of writing for children: picture books Adults 2022. The first prize is £1,000. Send the first
(500-600 words), chapter books (6,000 to 10,000 words), middle grade 1,200 words of a novel for readers aged seven to 18.
(40,000-60,000 words) up to YA (50,000-70,000 words). Manuscripts don’t need to have been completed.
The judge is Amber Caravéo of Skylark Literary. The
To enter, submit the first 5,000 words and a synopsis. Picture book entry fee is £14.
writers may submit the text for two books for a single entry fee. • Best Children’s Picture Book 2022. The first prize
is £500. Enter the text of a story, no longer than 500
The entry fee is £29. There are sponsored places available for writers on words, suitable for a young child. Illustration notes are
low incomes. not included in the wordcount but should be kept to
a minimum. The judge is BBC Children’s writer and
The closing date is 30 November. director Kayleigh Keam. The entry fee is £9.
Website: https://bathnovelaward.co.uk/childrens-novel-award/ The closing date for both these Awards is 22 August.
Website: www.searchlightawards.co.uk/

20k up for grabs

CALL OUT FOR CALEDONIA The Kindle Storyteller Award 2022 is inviting entries.
The £20,000 prize is open to writers who publish their work
The Caledonia Novel Award is an international prize given for the
best novel manuscript in any genre for adults and young adults. through Kindle Direct Publishing.
The competition is for original books in any genre first published
All entries must be original novel manuscripts at least 50,000
words long by unpublished or self-published writers. through Amazon’s KDP programme between 1 May and 31 August
2022. Books have to made available in ebook and print formats for
Enter the first twenty pages and a 200-word synopsis. Longlisted sale through Amazon.
writers will be invited to submit their full manuscript by the
beginning of December. The first prize is £1,500. The award shortlisting is based on customer feedback. A panel
of judges, this year including Adam Kay, last year’s winner Rachel
The entry fee is £25 per novel manuscript. A number of McLean and Mel Sharratt, will then select the 2022 Kindle Storyteller
sponsored places are available for writers on low incomes. Award winner. The first prize is £20,000 and a merchandise package
to support the book on Amazon.co.uk. Each finalist gets a Kindle
The closing date is 1 November. oasis e-reader.
Website: https://thecaledonianovelaward.com/
Books must be at least 24 pages long, and must have been
published anywhere before, in any language.

Entry is free.
The closing date is 31 August.
Website: https://writ.rs/kdp2022

64 AUGUST 2022 www.writers-online.co.uk

WRITERS’ NEWS

ONLINE SPECFIC MARKET Proto-retro-future

A new dawn The Celestial World Discover’d: Or, Conjectures Concerning the
Inhabitants, Plants and Productions of the Worlds in the Planets is a
Gary Dalkin book by Christiaan Huygens published in 1698, a copy of which was
discovered at an antique valuation event in Moreton-in-Marsh in
Solarpunk Magazine describes itself as a new ‘bimonthly Gloucester. The volume, which was due to be auctioned on 5 July and
online publication of radically hopeful and optimistic is expected to fetch £2,000-£3,000, discusses the possibilities for alien
science fiction and fantasy’. life in light of the scientific knowledge of the late 17th century.

For fiction the editorial team, led by co-editors-in- Book valuer Richard Spencer told the BBC that the book seemed
chief Justine Norton-Kertson and Brianna Castagnozzi, ‘almost comical’ due to the limited understanding of the time when it
are interested in works that stir readers with themes of was published. For example, the author discounted the possibility that
defiance, change, and achievement. They say, ‘This effect animals much larger than those which currently then existed might be
isn’t likely to come via high concept utopias alone, but found on other worlds, dinosaurs not then having been discovered.
rather, from vibrant characters whose struggles affect
the reader.’ Speculative elements should be apparent but Spencer said, ‘It’s fascinating to think who turned these pages in
not dominant, and disbelief must be suspended not by 1698, what they must’ve felt when reading these descriptions of life on
necessity, but immersion. Any genre of science fiction, Jupiter or Saturn before gazing up at the night sky.’ He added, ‘And
interstitial fiction, magic realism, or fantasy will be who knows how our own thoughts on these matters will appear to
considered. people looking back in 324 years.’ Huygens concluded that there must
be life on other planets, for would God not have made them ‘just
Fiction submissions should be between 500-7500 to be looked’ by humanity. He also decided that aliens everywhere
words. For poetry you can submit up to five poems or five surely had hands and feet. Afterall, ‘What could we invent or imagine
pages of poetry, whichever is shorter. Poems can be formal that could be so exactly accommodated to all the design’d uses as the
or free verse, and editor Darusha wants, ‘the speculative Hands are? Shall we give them an Elephant’s Proboscis.’
element to feel inherent to the poem, rather than a tacked
on notion or shallow backdrop.’ Talk up to this contest

No simultaneous submissions or unsolicited reprints. All submissions for the Frank
Translations considered if not previously published Moffett Mosier Fellowship for
in English. No multiple submissions within the Works in Heightened Language
same category, but you can enter once per category must have a minimum of 60%
per submission period. Payment is 8¢ per word for heightened language and you may use such as ‘metre, verse, rhyming
fiction (minimum payment $100), and $40 per poem. schemes, pidgins, creoles and code switching’ to achieve this.
Submissions can be in any form of English: American,
British, Canadian, etc. The contest is organised by Synecdoche Works, a not for profit
organisation based in Alameda, California which ‘supports and
Non-fiction essays, articles, reports, interviews or promotes art education, creation, performance, and/or exhibitions
reviews should be 1,000-2,000 words and are paid at a by under represented or under served individuals’. It also provides
flat rate of $75. Think in terms of ‘some cool science funding to allow playwrights, actors, authors, and musicians to grow
or technology that’s going to help us rewild the world, and practice their art.
remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, or clean up
our agricultural act.’ No manifestos or articles discussing The Fellowship is designed to give actors a challenge and English
what solarpunk is or isn’t. language submissions from around the world are welcome. The
winner will receive $3,000 for a play with a minimum running time
The next submission periods are September 1-14 of forty minutes. The award entails the writer participating in a brief
and November 1-14. The editors are also accepting rehearsal resulting in an online video reading of their work. This may
submissions for a Lunarpunk themed issue. If submitting be an online process but the reading is not guaranteed.
for that issue put the tag #lunarpunk in your cover letter.
No submissions should be currently attached to a theatre or
To make your submission use standard manuscript production company or have had a previous development cycle
format and save your file as a doc, docx or pdf file. You outside of an educational programme. Translations or adaptations of
will find a link to send your work on the very detailed works in the public domain may be submitted.
guidelines page at https://solarpunkmagazine.com/
submissions/. Your cover letter should include a brief Submit your play before the deadline of 31 August using standard
paragraph telling the editors a little bit about yourself and script format either by uploading to the Google form on the website
why you love solarpunk. or emailing as an attachment. Include a maximum 200 word bio and
you may include an optional CV or resume.
If you haven’t received a reply within 45 days find the
relevant department at solarpunkmagazine.com/contact Email to: [email protected]
and send an email of inquiry. You can send general Website: www.synecdocheworks.org/announcing-fellowship/
enquiries to [email protected] and download
a free special 24 page micro issue of Solarpunk Magazine Double plus good
at www.patreon.com/posts/micro-issue-1-65675629
The shortlist for the Orwell Prize for Political Fiction 2022 has
been announced as: Cwen, Alice Albinia; A Passage North, Anuk
Arudpragasam; Assembly, Natasha Brown; The High House, Jessie
Greengrass; Small Things Like These, Claire Keegan; The Colony,
Audrey Magee; Appliance, JO Morgan; there are more things, Yara
Rodrigues Fowler; Sterling Karat Gold, Isabel Waidner.

The winner of the £3,000 prize will be announced on 14 July along
with the winner of the Orwell Prize for Political Writing.

Website: www.orwellfoundation.com

www.writers-online.co.uk AUGUST 2022 65

WRITERS’ NEWS

FLASHES GLOBAL LITERARY MARKET

Short stories up to Wide open submissions
2,500 words and
poems up to 40 Gary Dalkin
lines could each
win £250, with £50 Shenandoah is a semi-annual online should be under 8,000 words. and what it’s like to be in the middle
for runners-up, in literary journal edited by Beth Staples says she loves writing that of a big project.
The Hastings Book Staples and Brenna Womer and stretches her imagination and way of
Festival 2022. All published by Washington and Lee thinking, surprises, makes her laugh, All submissions must be previously
entries should University in Virginia, USA. In moves her, is formally interesting or unpublished. Simultaneous
be original and its 72 years it has published such challenging, defies genre, explores submissions are acceptable, but
unpublished. writers as e e cummings, Dylan the confusing or uncomfortable, please notify right away if accepted
The entry fees are Thomas, WH Auden, James Merrill, introduces her to new writers, elsewhere. Reading time is up to six
£7.50 for one, £13 Ezra Pound, William Faulkner, and ‘thinks globally, has a distinctive months, after which if you haven’t
for two and £20 for Flannery O’Connor, and Tom Wolfe voice, cares about the world, and heard anything please send an
three.The closing was a former editor. does not assume white people are enquiry to [email protected]
date is 31 July. literature’s default characters.’
Website: www. The current editors say they Payment is $100 per 1000 words
hastingslitfest.org aim to showcase a wide variety of You can submit either one short of prose up to $500, $50 per page for
voices and perspectives in terms story or up to three flash fictions comics up to $500, $100 per poem,
The Horror Writers of gender identity, race, ethnicity, each no longer than 1,000 words. all for first North American Serial
Association has class, age, ability, nationality, Up to five pieces and no more than Rights. Rights revert to the author
launched a new regionality, sexuality, and educational ten pages will be considered by after publication. Submissions must
mental health background. They are ‘excited editor Lesley Wheeler. be made via the submissions engine
initiative ‘intended to consider short stories, essays, at https://shenandoah.submittable.
to promote excerpts of novels in progress, Novel excerpts under 8,000 words com/submit
positive mental poems, comics, and translations of from works in progress will be
health, foster the all the above’. They love publishing considered ‘with great enthusiasm’. This is open for comics all year
concept of hope, new writers, and recommend reading Staples plans to publish an excerpt round, but keep checking for all
and challenge the the current issue to get a sense of from a novel-in-progress during each other reading periods and these are
stigma of mental the kind of work they like. All issues issue of Shenandoah, with a note regular but variable and will close
illness in the from the last ten years are free to from the author about their process again once 800 submissions have
horror genre’. The read at: https://shenandoahliterary. been received.
ongoing project will org/issues/
have a dedicated
webpage on the Short stories and creative non-
HWA website, a fiction (essays and memoirs, etc.)
newsletter, articles,
blogs, a monthly No Msing entries For junior Kermodes
column in its
newsletter and For its 2022 competitions, Are you young and want to write about
a downloadable Mslexia is inviting entries film?
anthology of from women writers for
poems, fiction the following fiction A magazine for, and written by those
and reflections on prizes: under the age of, fifteen, Film Stories Junior
mental health by was launched in July 2019 and covers
members of the • Novel (Children’s and Young Adult): The first prize is everything from interviews, reviews, the
HWA. Find out £5,000. The judges are Cressida Cowell, Imogen Russell Williams film industry and its people to advice on
more at https:// and Chloe Seager. Finalists will receive feedback from The Literary making your own films.
horror.org/hwa- Consultancy and introductions to literary agents in partnership
mental-health- with New Writing North. Enter the first 3,000 words of a novel The magazine follows the ethos of its
initiative/ manuscript by an unpublished novelist (at least 20,000 words) for adult Film Stories magazine to pay all
children and/or young adults. Longlisted writers will be asked to contributors. ‘We fundamentally believe in
The winners of produce the full manuscript. The entry fee is £26. the value of words and writing and have
the 2022 Jhalak seen the confidence boost that getting
Prize for writers of • Short Story: The first prize is £3,000. Three additional paid writing work can give,’ says editor
colour are: Jhalak finalists will each get £100, and the winners and three finalists Simon Brew. Children’s payment will be a
Prize: Sabba Khan, will be published in Mslexia. The winners and eight shortlisted book token or a gift voucher for your local
The Roles We Play; titles will be published in an ebook anthology. The judge is cinema.
Jhalak Children’s Diana Evans. Enter original, unpublished short fiction up to
andYoung Adult 3,000 words in any genre for adult or young adult readers. The If you are under fifteen years of age and
Prize: Maisie Chan, entry fee is £12. would like to interview film makers, go
Danny Chung Does behind the scenes of your local cinema
Not Do Maths. • Flash Fiction: The first prize is £500. Three additional or you have an idea for a feature or an
finalists will each get £50. Winners will be published in Mslexia, opinions on cinema you are invited to
I find the idea of and winners and eight shortlisted entries will be published submit an idea saying what you’d like to
starting to write in an anthology. The judge is Audrey Niven. Enter original, write about. Include also a little about
and ‘seeing what unpublished flash fiction up to 300 words. The entry fee is £6. yourself.
will happen’ a
terrifying idea. I All entrants to the Mslexia contests must self-identify as a Submit ideas to: [email protected]
spend a lot of time woman. Website: www.filmstories.co.uk/film-
preparing a book. stories-junior-magazine/
The closing date is 19 September.
Alan Hollinghurst Website: https://mslexia.co.uk/competitions/

66 AUGUST 2022 www.writers-online.co.uk

WRITERS’ NEWS

UK NON-FICTION MARKET

Get the picture?

Tina Jackson

Korero Press is an independent publisher about the US boxing underworld – a hard- from artists, photographers, collectors, or
specialising in art, design and illustration boiled tragedy told in syncopated rhyming cultural historians. As a bonus, especially
books. couplets, for which we commissioned the for artists and photographers looking to do
Dutch artist Erik Kriek to illustrate.’ a monograph, it is advisable to have a large
‘We lean heavily toward comic illustration social media following and a mailing list.
and pop culture’ saud publisher Yak El Yak and his team are interested in original One of the things we most enjoy is working
Droubie. ‘At the heart of everything we do is ideas that are off the beaten track. ‘We with and getting to know so many talented
a love of lowbrow and Kustom Kulture.’ are always looking for something new or people from around the world. There are
forgotten. We love introducing things we some fantastic artists out there who don’t get
Korero Press started producing its own like to a much wider audience. We like the the credit they deserve.’
books back in 2007. ‘It started as a side offbeat and the slightly subversive.’
project while we continued working for The easiest way for prospective authors to
some of the big boys, Dorling Kindersley, Exciting projects are in the pipeline. ‘We submit is via email. ‘Tell us a bit of yourself,
Quatro Books and Guinness Publishing, have some great projects lined up next year, including all your social media details, and
but eventually, it took over,’ said Yak. ‘Our including a big book about Estrus Records. make sure you have some great visuals. We
first book was about the art of pinstriping, We have developed some great connections are happy to hear ideas – it doesn’t have to
something I was personally into at the time. with European artists in the last few years be a completed project. But please, spare us
Spotting a gap in the market led us to where that have opened up a treasure trove of your novel, unless it is a graphic novel.’
we are today.’ amazing art we want to show everyone.’
Yak warns prospective authors that
Korero Press publishes around three to Even though Korero Press doesn’t publish publication won’t mean instant riches.
six books a year. ‘It doesn’t sound a lot, but novels, 90% of the submissions Yak receives ‘Artbooks are expensive to produce, making
we are a small team supported by a group the margins quite small on short print runs,’
of regular freelancers,’ said Yak. ‘It allows are for fiction. ‘It’s quite he said. ‘What we pay varies from book
us to do the books we really like and give annoying,’ said Yak. ‘I to book depending on what the author
them the attention they deserve. We usually suggest people do their is bringing to the table. We tend to do a
have about ten to twenty ideas and projects research. Check out royalty deal on monies received with a small
bubbling away in the background. Not all our website. Follow advance. For books funded on Kickstarter,
of them will see the light of day. Some take us on social media. we have a share of profits deal.’
several years to go from an idea to landing Leave a few comments.
in your local bookshop, like our reprinting Get to know who we Korero Press publishes in various formats
of The Set-Up, a long narrative poem are. That way, you’ll depending on the needs of the project.
know if we are a good
fit. The submissions Details: email: [email protected];
we accept tend to be website: koreropress.com

Interzone goes online Out of this world

Launched in the spring of 1982, Interzone has been the leading The Science Fiction and Fantasy
British magazine for speculative fiction for forty years. Now editor Writers of America (SFWA) announced
Andy Cox is adding a complimentary online only version companion winners of the 2021 Nebula Awards
title. Interzone Digital will feature both original fiction and classic as: Best Novel, A Master of Djinn, P
reprints and is currently open to original, unsolicited, previously Djèlí Clark; Novella, And What Can We
unpublished submissions of science fiction and fantasy stories up to a Offer You Tonight, Premee Mohamed;
maximum of 7,000 words. Novelette, O2 Arena, Oghenechovwe
Donald Ekpeki (Galaxy’s Edge); Short
Use standard manuscript format and include you contact email, Story, Where Oaken Hearts Do Gather, Sarah Pinsker
approximate word count and page numbers. Save as a doc or pdf file (Uncanny).
and email to [email protected]
The awards were given during the 2022 SFWA
Include a brief cover letter just introducing yourself and mentioning any relevant Nebula Conference, which also included several special
credits you have. awards: The Andre Norton Award for Middle Grade
and Young Adult Fiction went to Darcie Little Badger
No multiple submissions, and don’t send stories that have previously been rejected for A Snake Falls to Earth, and Mercedes Lackey was
by any title published by Third Alternative Press. Payment is 1.5 euro cents per word. this year’s recipient of the SFWA Damon Knight
You can send enquiries to [email protected] Memorial Grand Master Award.

Full guidelines are at: https://interzone.digital/submissions/ AUGUST 2022 67
Do read an issue of the print magazine first to get an idea of the sort of stories
Interzone publishes.

www.writers-online.co.uk

WRITERS’ NEWS

FLASHES

Anthology Poetry GLOBAL LITERARY MARKET
Award 2022 is
inviting entries Free thinking wanted
of original,
unpublished poems Galileo Books was founded in PDR Lindsay-Salmon reprints or multiple subs. Non-
on the theme of 1979 by Julia Wendell and Jack fiction may be ‘Hybrid, personal,
‘Dreams’, up to Stephens, and the editorial team one crescendo, and novels to build off road, music/art criticism, tragedy
forty lines. is still steadfastly independent. to two or three. They prefer for queen essays,’ just tell a story
The winner will Currently open to subs they short story collections to take between 1,000 and 4,000 words. For
receive €500 want submissions of full length place in/around the same year. fiction, let the team ‘hear the voices
and have their collections of poems, essays, Poetry collections should be 52-80 in the wind.’ Any style or subject is
work published stories, novella, novel, memoir, or pages. welcome, but ‘try to create images
in Anthology hybrid (but not 4-colour art/text without using objectifying language’.
magazine, plus a hybrids). Indicate in the title of • The Galileo Books team also Limit fiction to 500 to 4,000 words.
year’s subscription. your submission which genre you produce Free State Review, a print The poetry editor’s guidelines are
The entry fee is €10 feel best describes it. literary journal publishing poetry in the form of a poem. Read it and
up to 31 July, then and prose, and ‘a few recurring note, ‘No more oyster poems, please.’
€15.The closing The team want ‘vivid imagery beats such as the Remembering
date is 31 October. and the balance of abstract to portfolio, one minute plays, and Response time is ‘reasonable’.
Website: https:// concrete imagery,’ they like ‘the book reviews and author doings Payment is $200-$500, along
anthology- capacity to surprise, an elastic written as poems.’ with twenty copies, and standard
magazine.com/ syntax, pace, and music’. They royalties, distribution, and
want ‘thematic cohesiveness and Subs are currently open for work promotion, for First North
The six novels the emotional range and maturity,’ which is ‘literal, transitive, and American Serial Rights and the right
shortlisted for the which means ‘deft handling of associative all at once’. They like to publish the work on the website
Theakston Old highly charged emotion, use strong and textured characters, but for up to six months. A portion of
Peculier Crime of wit, humour, and…use of not character-driven pieces ‘blithely sales are donated to a charity chosen
Novel of theYear extended metaphor.’ overwhelming the plot they find by the author.
2022 are: The themselves in’. Their favourite style
Night Hawks, They like novellas to build to is ‘totally limited omniscience’. Website: https://freegalileo.com
Elly Griffiths;
True Crime Story, Simultaneous submissions are
Joseph Knox; allowed for the magazine but not
Daughters of Night,
Laura Shepherd Nice for the Nibbies Remains by William McIlvanney
Robinson; Slough and Ian Rankin
House, Mick The British Book Awards, aka the Nibbies, are annual
Herron; Midnight awards run by The Bookseller to celebrate books and • Book of the Year: Fiction
at Malabar House, the people who create them. The 2022 Nibbies award debut: Open Water by Caleb
Vaseem Khan, and winners are: Azumah Nelson
The LastThing to
Burn, Will Dean. • Overall Book of the Year: You Are A Champion by • Book of the Year: Non-fiction:
The winner will Marcus Rashford with Carl Anka Narrative: Empireland by Sathnam
be announced Sanghera
on 21 July on the • Author of the Year: Marian Keyes
opening night of • Illustrator of the Year: Dapo Adeola • Book of the Year: Non-fiction: Lifestyle: The
theTheakston Old • Book of the Year: Fiction: Sorrow and Bliss by Lyrics: 1956 to the Present, Paul McCartney
Peculier Crime Meg Mason
Writing Festival. • Book of the Year: Pageturner: Small Pleasures by • Book of the Year: Discover: Keisha the Sket, Jade
Clare Chambers LB
The first South • Book of the Year: Crime and Thriller: The Dark
Warwickshire • Book of the Year: Children’s Non-fiction: You Are
Literary Festival A Champion, Marcus Rashford with Carl Anka
will take place in
Fenny Compton • Book of the Year: Children’s Illustrated: Hey You!,
on 24 September. Dapo Adeola
The programme
includes creative • Book of the Year: Children’s
writing workshops Fiction: When the Sky Falls, Phil Earle
as well as author
events. • Book of the Year: Audiobook:
Website: www. Non-fiction: Windswept & Interesting,
southwarwickshire written and narrated by Billy Connolly
literaryfestival.com
• Book of the Year: Audiobook:
‘To write as oneself, Fiction: Wizards of Once: Never and
in one’s own voice, Forever, Cressida Cowell, narrated by
and to never mind David Tennant.
about pleasing
others, is the only
way forward.’

Hanif Kureishi

68 AUGUST 2022 www.writers-online.co.uk

GOING TO MARKET

ONLINE SPECFIC MARKET

Orion’s Belt opens for flash

Gary Dalkin

Orion’s Belt is a literary speculative fiction online magazine which Reboot,
publishes one flash fiction story per month. Editor-in-chief Joshua resell
Fagan is looking for ‘the strange and poignant and awe-inspiring,
stories that have a cosmic scale and intimate personal stakes’. Find ways to revive neglected
pitches with Patrick Forsyth’s
The current reading period closes on 1 September. Submissions
must be no longer than 1,200 words. Use standard manuscript advice
format, save your story as a doc or pdf file and email to
[email protected] It seems (and I hope still does by the
time this appears) that, while Covid
You may make up to two submissions per month during the still needs some care and caution, life is
reading period. Payment is 8¢ per word. If after two months you getting back towards normal. For some
haven’t had a response, send an enquiry to joshuafagan14@gmail. writers the last two years or so have been
com. It is essential to follow the extensive guidelines at www. difficult. People report that they were
orions-belt.net/submissions and you are advised to read some of unable to settle to anything and wrote less
the stories in the free archive at www.orions-belt.net/archives than usual. For others – including myself
– there has been time freed from other
For women writers activities, forbidden by regulations, and
they have written more than usual.
Aiming to empower and encourage women writers of an undefined
‘certain age’ the blog style Grande Dame Literary Journal invites But opportunities to place material
unpublished fiction of all genres in addition to memoir. Editor were affected too. I can’t be the only
Kare Becker says she is looking for ‘vibrant voices’ and selects work person to have had a book publication
for publication on the basis of ‘the strength of the story, the solid postponed, with a publisher apologising
arc of characters and potential appeal to our readers’. Selections and muttering about it not being the right
from the journal can be read online. time ‘at present’. Publishers have been
difficult to contact, many offices having
Fiction submissions should be 1,500-3,000 with a title of under long periods when they were virtually
five words and a strong first sentence. The word count for memoir empty as people worked from home (as
is 50-3,000 words and wanted are ‘pieces that leave us thinking the letters WFH went into the lexicon).
because they end on a solid note and make for emotive poignant reads’. Many a writer has had suggestions put
off or rejected, or decided simply not to
Simultaneous submissions will be considered with the usual proviso. Not wanted is any make them. Editors have been extra busy,
piece that is discriminatory or promotes division. Graphic description of abuse or abusers is things have been difficult and, in the case
definitely not wanted. of magazines, many have been publishing
in reduced sizes meaning they require less
Guidelines suggest that language, grammar and spelling errors could well lead to material.
rejection. To help avoid this you can sign up for the Journal’s newsletter to receive a
free gift of the Baker’s Dozen Pre-Submit Checklist. You may also request a two page Now, as all that begins to change, it is
Editorial Critique of your work and/or a detailed Structure and Style comment/suggestion surely a good time to review what you
development and line edit. have been up to. How many ideas did you
have, stillborn or falling on stony ground
Submit using the Submittable link on the website: www.grandedameliterary.com/ at the time, that are ripe for resurrection?
guidelines Also check: are you in danger of losing
touch with anyone who was a good
Lefty satire wanted contact? Perhaps you might have a regular
client with whom you have not had
A free bimonthly comedy and culture zine, Functionally Dead is much contact recently. Memories can be
short. So think back and see what ideas
looking for submissions of ‘short left leaning political satire, non lie neglected, and editors too – don’t let
them forget about you. Time for a reboot,
political comedy that speaks to the current moment and earnest I think.

non comedic essays from a Leftish perspective’. Short fiction and AUGUST 2022 69

poetry are not usually considered unless editors feel it fits their

voice.

Completed pieces are not wanted and you should submit a pitch JUNE 7, 2022//VOL. VII, ISSUE 5

with a brief summary and a title. There is no limit to the number of pitches you can make

but it is suggested a maximum of five might be about right. Simultaneous submissions will be

considered and if this is the case it should be mentioned in the body of your submission email.

Pitches are looked at the week after an issue is released and if your ideas is liked you will be

contacted by the Thursday and asked to submit a first draft by the Sunday. Published pieces

are typically less than 1,200 words. ‘This tighter turnaround helps keep each issue fresh and

current,’ say editors.

Due to Patreon contributions the zine is able to pay contributors $50.

Email with ‘Submission’ in the subject line and your pitch in the body of the email, no

attachments, to: [email protected]

Website: https://functionallydead.com/submissions/

www.writers-online.co.uk

WRITERS’ NEWS

FLASHES GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL MARKET

Win £1,000 first Channel opens
prize, and an
Arvon course, in Gary Dalkin
the annual poetry
competition from Currently up to its sixth issue, Channel is an Irish literary fiction, reportage, commentary
Ledbury Poetry print magazine born out of the climate crisis, publishing and criticism, should generally not
Festival. Second poetry and prose with an environmentalist perspective. exceed 6,000 words, or 1,500 words
and third prizes are It is edited by Cassia Gaden Gilmartin and Elizabeth for the blog.
£500 and £250. Murtough and supported by the Arts Council. The
The competition editors say, ‘Our goal at Channel is to provide a space Channel welcomes international
is for original, for literary work that fosters re-connection with the submissions, including those in
unpublished poems natural world.’ As such they publish work from Ireland translation. Send your essay as a doc
up to 40 lines. and around the world that displays and celebrates the attachment to essay@channelmag.
This year’s judge relationships between plant and animal life, landscape and org. If you have a pitch for an essay
is JoelleTaylor, humanity. or an interview, email it to the same
winner of the 2022 address with a brief description of
TS Eliot Prize. While there are reading periods for fiction, the next one your proposed piece. Essays which
The entry fee is likely to begin in November (check the website at https:// explore a particular issue in current events or explore a
£6 per poem.The channelmag.org/submissions-channel/ for updates, community-based environmental project are particularly
closing date is 24 which also includes fiction and poetry guidelines), essay encouraged for blog publication.
August. Website: submissions for both the print magazine and the Channel
www.poetry- blog are open year round. Essay submissions will be accepted on a rolling basis,
festival.co.uk regardless of the dates of other submission windows. Dive
The editors accept both completed essay submissions into the current issue of Channel at https://channelmag.
The winners of the and proposals. Finished essays, including creative non- org/current-issue/
Manchester Writing
Competition, given GLOBAL BOOK MARKET
for unpublished
writing, are Peter Dundurn writing
Ramm with
Landfall for the PDR Lindsay-Salmon
Poetry Prize and
Leone Ross for Dundurn Press is ‘one of Canada’s fiction and literary non-fiction such introductory email first and attach
her short story largest and leading independent as memoir’ as well as biography, ‘at least three sample chapters’ or
When We Went trade publishers’. They produce ‘high history, especially Canadian and proposal as a doc file. For fiction
Gallivanting the quality, award-winning books across social history, public policy, politics, send a completed, well edited
Fiction Prize. Each multiple genres... which reflect the business and economics, true manuscript and full synopsis.
wins £10,000. world, satisfy curiosity, enlighten, crime, self-help and well being,
and entertain.’ the supernatural, Canadiana and Response time is ‘within six
Sui Annukka local interest, travel, sport, music months’. After that assume the work
is the winner They publish ‘numerous genres, and culture, city building and is rejected. Rights and royalties are
of this year’s from literary and genre fiction, to architecture, social science and discussed with the contract.
Discoveries, the lifestyle, memoir and biography, popular science’.
talent development history and public policy, and Details: Dundurn Press, email
programme from middle-grade and teen fiction’. For non-fiction send an subs to: [email protected];
the Women’s Prize website: www.dundurn.com
Trust. Sui entered Rare Machines is Dundurn Press’s
her novel-in- new literary imprint. It’s been created
progress Thursday, for those writers who are ‘rare
and wins £5,000 machines for producing rare books’
and representation and welcomes emerging writers. They
from Curtis Brown. publish ‘literary fiction and poetic
non-fiction that is playful, unusual,
Leeds Lit Fest has daring, or innovative’.
won Best Literature
Festival in the 2022 The Dundurn Press team seek
Saboteur Awards subs of trade fiction and non-fiction.
for the second The team is also accepting ‘literary
time, after winning
the same award in These (not so) foolish things
2020.
The Fool for Poetry International Chapbook have previously published poetry books. Both winners
‘Part of writing Competition from Munster Literature Centre is open to will have their chapbook published by Southwold
is not so much new, emerging and established poets worldwide, and is Editions and receive 25 copies. They will also be offered
that you’re going inviting entries of manuscripts of collections of between three nights’ accommodation and a reading at the Cork
to actually write 16 and 24 poems. International Poetry Festival.
something every
day, but what you The first prize is €1,000 and there is a second prize The entry fee is €25 per collection.
should have, or of €500. One of the winners will be a poet who has not The closing date is 31 August.
need to have, is the previously published a collection. The other winner may Website: https://munsterlit.ie/fool-for-poetry/
possibility.’

Alice Walker

70 AUGUST 2022 www.writers-online.co.uk

WRITERS’ NEWS

UK FICTION MARKET

A rebel voice for minority languages

Tina Jackson

3Times Rebel Press is a new independent psychosis, and from prostitution to abuse possible in the literary world.’
publisher of books by women originally within lesbian relationships.’ 3TR aims to publish at least five titles
written in minority languages.
3TR will be launching its first two titles per year, and Bibiana is happy to consider
‘We aim to bring to the attention of the on 14 July. ‘But this project, my dream, relevant manuscripts.
English-speaking world overlooked gems started long before,’ said Bibiana. ‘I have
written in minority languages, with high- drawn this dream at the same time as I ‘At the moment we have focused on
quality translations always produced directly was re-tracing myself. I have learnt to be publications that are already published in
from the original language,’ said publisher the architect of my identity in a world their homeland,’ she said. ‘But we are open
Bibiana Mas. in which being a woman, a partner, a to receive manuscripts and discover new
mother, a daughter, a caregiver, a creative, talents. However, they must be originally
3TR is a publisher with a mission. ‘At an entrepreneur (and a thousand other written in a minority language, and the
3TimesRebel Press we focus exclusively nouns and adjectives) is impossible to manuscript must be accompanied by a
on books written by women, empowering achieve without fearing failure. Without small sample of the book translated into
and giving the opportunity to top talented feeling guilt for not achieving everything. English. And, the most important thing: we
women’s voices from minority communities Without feeling invisible, whatever one’s only accept manuscripts written by women.’
across the world to reach a massive audience personal situation may be. Now, after this
by being translated into English,’ said long journey, I’ve opened my eyes and Bibiana urges women who speak a
Bibiana. ‘All work published by us seeks to I see that it’s possible to do things in a minority language to be proud of writing
inspire deep, challenging conversations. We different way. That it’s possible to lead a in it. ‘If you are part of a community
have the belief that fiction can transform project from what I am, not from what where you speak a minority language, be
our perception and judgement about the they want me to be.’ brave and write in that language. And if we
other, by furthering our empathy for the decide to publish you, we are committed
characters and stories we read. Our stories The stories published by 3TimesRebel to helping you find a publisher in your
feature disruptive narratives, aimed at Press feature disruptive narratives. minority language, so your book can be
shaking our prejudices and spark debate ‘They’re aimed at shaking our prejudices published simultaneously in your own
around the key issue of contemporary and sparking debate around the key language and in English.’
society, from abortion to post-natal issues of contemporary society,’ said
Bibiana. ‘It doesn’t matter what the tone Submit manuscripts by email. 3TR
of the book is, it can be dark or ironic. publishes in print and digital editions.
What we really want is for these stories
to push us out of our comfort zone. We Details: email: [email protected];
want to be challenged. We aim to make website: www.3timesrebel.com
the invisible, visible.’

Bibiana wants to establish 3TimesRebel
Press as one of the most vibrant
independent publishing houses in the
UK. ‘Our aim is to become a space of
reference for disruptive and open-minded
conversations and to show that fair trade is

GET INTO THE GUTTER Give good face

Print journal the or undermine the merit. Send only one For The Face
Gutter is a magazine status quo and push piece of a maximum Project, artist
of new Scottish and the boundaries of form 3,000 words per issue. Tamar Chatterjee
international writing. and function’. All is creating a series
It is published twice a submissions must be A maximum of five of 28 oil portraits
year in February and previously unpublished poems totalling a 120 of faces, one of
August and has editors in print and online. lines may be submitted in which will be
who feel the need for a single text document. posted online each
‘an energetic ambitious Non-fiction essays week up to the
magazine dedicated are invited for the Submit a docx or closing date.
to the best in Scottish Scance section, its name rtf document online.
writing published in an taken from a Scots Payment for published The Face Project
international context’. word for ‘all things work is a flat fee of £25, is inviting writers and poets to create a story
investigative, exploratory payable by cheque, no or poem about any or all of them. One entry
The magazine has conversational and matter what the length will be chosen to accompany each painting in
poetry and prose from unbelievable’. There or style. Contributors a published volume.
writers born or living are no restrictions on will also receive a
in Scotland and invites subjects for these essays complimentary copy of Each entry must be no longer that 1,000
submissions which and the only criteria is the magazine. words and must relate to a particular portrait.
‘challenge, re-imagine that they have literary
Website: www. Entry is free.
guttermag.co.uk/submit The closing date is 4 September.
Website: www.artam.ar/the-face-project

www.writers-online.co.uk AUGUST 2022 71

WRITERS’ NEWS

FLASHES GLOBAL HORROR MARKET

The next round Folk horror for all
of the quarterly
free-entry Anansi PDR Lindsay-Salmon
Archive Writing
Awards are inviting The editorial team of Nosetouch Press like to publish tangled, grasping roots.’
entries. all kinds of weird and unusual fiction. They specialise With a deadline of 31 July, the team seek stories, 3,500-
There are three in folk horror which conjures up ‘visions of terror
categories: bound up in twisted morality forged in isolation within 7,000 words, which will terrify. Email subs as doc or rtf
• Poetry, up to 500 unforgiving landscapes’. This isolation ‘summons forth files to: [email protected]
words.The prizes great evils at the fervent hands of human beings held
are £20 and £10. captive by forces they can neither entirely comprehend Response time is ‘reasonable’. Payment is 6¢ a word.
• Flash fiction, up nor fully control’. Website: www.nosetouchpress.com
to 500 words.The
prizes are £20 and The third anthology in their series, Fiends in the
£10. Furrows III: Final Harvest, needs submissions of folk
• Short fiction, up horror from around the world – ‘from Britain and
to 3,000 words.The Ireland, to continental Europe, to North and South
prizes are £50 and America, Africa, Australia, and Asia’. They want writers
£20. ‘to explore the wanton wilderness of folk horror, while
Entry is free. honouring the elemental essence of this subgenre’s
The closing date
is 31 August. UK FICTION MARKET
Website: www.
anansiarchive. Go for something special
co.uk/
competitions/ Jenny Roche

The £10,000 2022 On sale every third Wednesday the People’s Friend Specials Friend magazine. They should not however include
Oscar’s Book Prize feature travel, cooking and craft, recipes and puzzles in anything controversial or contentious and there should
was won by author addition to twenty fiction stories plus an
and illustrator extended long read in every second issue. be no violence, bad language or intimacy and
Chris Haughton basically nothing which will offend.
for Maybe... The Story lengths vary from one page 1,000
Oscar’s Book Prize word stories to lengths of 2,000, 3,000 and Payment rates start at £80, rise to £95 for
was set up by 4,000 words and less regular lengths between a seventh successful submission, £110 for
James Ashton and these. Long read lengths are 9,500 words. subsequent published stories and £300 for long
Viveka Alvestrand read stories.
in memory of All stories should be a ‘good read’ and end
their son Oscar, positively. The reader should be kept in mind Format your story without headers, footers
who died at three and you should think about what they would or any formatting in a doc file.
and a half of an enjoy reading and feel comfortable with. The
undiagnosed heart Specials are open to submissions of stories If you have not been published by The
condition. It is which may be more challenging or involve more ‘modern’ People’s Friend previously email your piece as an
given for magical situations than would be found in the weekly People’s attachment to: [email protected]
stories for children. Website: https://writ.rs/pf2022

River Cottage at Russian author under fire Heralding new
Great Barford in
Bedfordshire, the Russia has put bestselling science the war! Admit short stories
former home of fiction writer Dmitry Glukhovsky, that this is a war
Barbara Cartland, author of the Metro 2033 series, against an entire Willesden Herald Short Story Competition
has been awarded on a wanted list for spreading ‘false nation and stop is back for 2022 with a £300 first prize.
a Blue Plaque. information’ about what it calls it!’ For this and
River Cottage its ‘special military operation’ in other statements The Willesden Herald Short Story
was home to the Ukraine, or translated into reality, he is charged Competition is an international contest for
grande dame of denouncing the Kremlin’s war with committing original, unpublished literary (not genre)
romance between crimes against Ukraine since its a crime under Article 280.3 of stories between 1,000 and 7,000 words.
1941 and 1949, and invasion on 24 February. the Criminal Code of the Russian
the bedroom is Federation. This covers ‘public The winner will receive £300 and a
decorated in pink in Dmitry, whose Metro novels actions aimed at discrediting the one-off Willesden Herald mug. There are
her honour. proved so successful they have spun use of the Armed Forces of the second and third prizes of £200 and £100,
off into a popular computer game, Russian Federation’. and seven runners up will each get £50.
‘You can’t just sit All ten winning stories will be published in
down and wing it. is wanted for The author is the first major Willesden Herald: New Short Stories 12. This
Those ideas have criticising the author to be put on the Kremlin’s year’s judge is novelist and short story writer
to be developed invasion on wanted list, and Instagram has Jarred McGinnis.
through time, and social media, itself been listed as an extremist
the best way is to including organisation by the Putin The entry fee is £5 per story.
just live your life writing on government and banned in Russia. The closing date is 31 August.
but tend to the Instagram, ‘Stop Website: https://newshortstories.
work mentally.’ wordpress.com/

Ocean Vuong

72 AUGUST 2022 www.writers-online.co.uk

WRITERS’ NEWS

INTRODUCTIONS
Writing Magazine presents a selection of current web submission calls. We strongly
recommend that you read back issues, familiarise yourself with their guidelines before
submitting and check websites for submission details.

WhatCulture.com is a Listverse publishes list- Buzzfeed accepts freelance
UK-based website that based content in the and contributor pitches
covers film, TV, gaming, areas of bizarre (creepy, for well-researched, entertaining and eye-
music, history, science, mysteries, weird stuff ), entertainment (arts, catching pieces. What they’re looking for can
technology, comics, sport gaming, film and TV, pop culture, music), vary, but recently they’ve been welcoming
and literature. Its monthly audience is more general knowledge (books, facts, history, pitches for pieces on LGBTQ+ stories,
than 10 million and hundreds of pieces are misconceptions), lifestyle (food, health, trending stories, travel, beauty, lifestyle, K-Pop
posted each week. Original, list-driven pieces sport, travel), science (human, animal, space, and K-Drama, personal finance, pop culture,
(min 1,500 words) are always welcomed, technology), and society (crime, politics sex and love and anime. To pitch, include the
particularly on the key topics of film, TV, and religion). each list should be unusual, title of the proposed piece and a couple of
wrestling, gaming and comics. Accepted interesting, written in a humorous style, a sentences about it/points from your proposed
standard list-format pieces are paid £40. minimum ten items, with two paragraphs per list. Buzzfeed pays for all published pieces and
Prospective contributors need to register with item. Offbeat, quirky lists are the ones most rates vary.
the site to get started. likely to appeal. Accepted lists are each paid Website: www.buzzfeed.com
Website: https://whatculture.com/write- $100.
for-us Website: https://listverse.com/ Transitions Abroad is an online
travel publication and information
Writers Weekly is distributed If you understand finance and can write source that provides inspirational
weekly to freelance writers authoritatively, finance blog Elite Personal and informative advice for people
and authors, and accepts Finance is always on the lookout for talented who want to work, study, live
articles covering different aspects of how writers who can share guest posts. Topics or volunteer abroad or undertake immersion
to make money from writing and how to that are of interest include personal finance, travel or travel respectfully off the beaten
market a book. It is not interested in ‘how business, making money online, saving, loans, track. At the moment, pitches relating to
to write’ articles – all content must be based credit cards and identity theft. Posts should be virtual learning, teaching, volunteering, etc are
around making money from writing and between 1,000 and 3,000 words and should all welcomed. All content must be in-depth
helping writers support themselves financially, avoid promotional links. In the first instance, (1,250-3,000 words), journalistic, information-
ie, writing for specific markets, marketing get in touch with a suggested title for a post. based and gained from first-hand experience.
a particular genre, self-publishing tips, etc. Each accepted guest post is paid $300. Pieces on sightseeing or destination travel are
Feature articles (600 words) and marketing Website: www.elitepersonalfinance.com not wanted. Payment is between $75 and
secrets pieces (600 words) are both paid $60. $150 per accepted piece.
Website: https://writersweekly.com/ Website: www.transitionsabroad.com/

GLOBAL LITERARY MARKET

Beyond pulp

Gary Dalkin

Pulp Literature is a quarterly Canadian print and digital magazine enough in itself: ‘A story is about a person, not a
currently up to its 34th issue. The editorial team, led by editors-in-
chief Jennifer Landels, Mel Anastasiou and Genevieve Wynand, are plot twist.’
looking for any genre or between-genre work of literature, or visual
art (black and white for interiors, colour for covers) up to fifty pages Each issue of the magazine features around
in length. These can be short stories, novellas, poetry, comics or
illustrations. No non-fiction, memoir, or young adult or children’s a dozen stories, including one novella between
stories.
15,000-20,000 words. Stories under 5,000 words
The editors say that ‘pulp’ refers to the ‘cheap pulp paper of
dimestore novels and digests of the past’ and they ‘want our magazine have the best chance of being accepted. The
to include a balance of all genres, including fantasy, romance, mystery,
literary, etc’. The add, ‘We receive so many brilliant but depressing editors want both plot and character, some action
stories that we must pass on all but the best gems. We strive for
emotional balance in each of our issues, and want our readers to leave along with intriguing personalities, and characters
feeling challenged yet refreshed.’
that grow and change throughout the story arc.
They appreciate clever and poetic turns of phrase, but first and
foremost want a story readers can sink into late at night before they Follow the full guidelines at https://
go to bed, that stretch readers’ minds, but not give them a headache.
They also note that while a surprise ending might be clever, it’s not pulpliterature.com/submissions/submission-guidelines/ then submit

your story through the link on that page as a doc(x) file. If your

story is longer than 10,000 words only submit the first 10,000. Only

submit one story per three-month period.

Payment is Can5-8¢ per word up to 7,000 words, 3-6¢ for 7,000-

10,000 words, and 2-4¢ per word over 10,000. Poetry is $25-$50,

graphic novels and cartoons, $25-$75 per page. Reprints considered at

half-rate.

Website: https://pulpliterature.com

. AUGUST 2022 73

WRITERS’ NEWS

FLASHES GLOBAL POETRY MARKET
Vegetarian Alcoholic wants poems to change lives
Prizes are £1,000,
£200 and £100 PDR Lindsay-Salmon
in the next
instalment of the Vegetarian Alcoholic has an editorial team who love pages of art or
biannual Oxford poetry and that is what they mainly publish. Spend poetry’. Writers
Flash Fiction Prize time at the website reading what they publish as their should send their
2022, for original, guidelines are terse. This team believe that books have work by email
unpublished short the power to change lives and they seek poems and or post. Make
stories no longer prose which they hope will do so. Often the team sure that the
than 1,000 words. choose to publish work ‘by authors often overlooked work is creative,
The entry fee is £6 by traditional outlets, authors whose words we believe different, forward
for one entry, £10 will inspire and benefit those who read them’. They looking and
to two and £14 for hope for a better future and invite readers ‘to read the non-traditional.
three.The closing Would it inspire and benefit anyone? Response time
date is 31 August. future.’ is ‘slow’. Rights, royalties, etc, are discussed with the
Website: https:// Currently open to contract.
oxfordflashfiction
prize.com/ submissions, the team Details: Vegetarian Alcoholic, VA Poetry, 643
seek ‘finished creative South 2nd Street, Milwaukee, USA WI 53204;
The African writing manuscripts email: [email protected]; website http://
Speculative Fiction of no less than 10,000 vegetarianalcoholicpress.com
Society (ASFS) words for prose or 24
has announced
the shortlist for Stoker success
the 2022 Nommo
Awards, for works The Horror Writers Association In That Endlessness, Our End,
‘by Africans (HWA) has announced the winners Gemma Files; Anthology, When
as defined by for the 2021 Bram Stoker Awards as Things Get Dark: Stories Inspired by
the ASFS and follows. Shirley Jackson, ed Ellen Datlow;
Nommo Awards Non-Fiction, Writers Workshop of
Guidelines’. Superior Achievement in a Novel, Horror 2, ed Michael Knost; Poetry
Nominated Best My Heart Is a Chainsaw, Stephen Collection, Tortured Willows: Bent.
Novel titles are: Graham Jones; First Novel, Queen Bowed. Unbroken, Christina Sng,
The Madhouse,TJ of Teeth, Hailey Piper; Young Adult Angela Yuriko Smith, Lee Murray
Benson; The Gilded Novel, The River Has Teeth, Erica and Geneve Flynn.
Ones, Namina Waters; Long Fiction, Twentieth
Forna; The Library Anniversary Screening, Jeff Strand; Jo Fletcher, Nancy Holder, and
of the Dead,TL Short Fiction, Permanent Damage, Koji Suzuki each received a Lifetime
Huchu; Son of the Lee Murray; Fiction Collection, Achievement Award.
Storm, Suyi Davies
Okungbowa; They More Morley The great escape
Made Us Blood
and Fury, Cheryl Building on the success The 2022 Berlin
S Ntumy; Far of last year’s inaugural Writing Prize is
from the Light competition, The Morley inviting entries.
of Heaven,Tade Prize for Unpublished
Thompson. Details Writers of Colour The theme for
of all categories from Morley College is the international
at https://writ.rs/ inviting entries. prize this year is
nommo22 ‘Escape’.
Eligible entrants are unpublished and unagented UK writers
Multidisciplinary of colour. The winner will get a three-week residency at
artist Nicky the Circus Hotel in Berlin from 2 to 22 January
Peacock, whose The winner will receive £500, a discount on a Morley 2023. This will include an apartment, breakfast
creative practice College course of their choice, a manuscript review and a vouchers and €100 in travel costs towards their
involves working meeting with a literary agent from RML. They will also be travel to Berlin. Two runners-up will get a two
with the written invited to discuss theit work on Pamela R Haynes’ Island Girls nights at at Circus Hotel for the prize-giving
word and podcast. event in January, and a travel budget of up to
images, has been €100. The winners and runners up will have their
appointed writer Writers entering the Morley Prize must not have previously pieces published on the SAND Journal website.
in residence at the published a novel or novella. Seven runners-up will receive goodie bags.
Brontë Parsonage
Museum. To enter fiction, submit the first thirty pages of the Enter original, unpublished prose fiction and
manuscript plus an outline no longer than three pages. To enter non-fiction up to 3,000 words on the ‘Escape’
‘So much of my non-fiction, submit a detailed summary not longer than thirty theme.
writing day feels pages, including a table of contents, and a 3,000-word sample.
like well-digging. The entry fee is €10.
Sometimes I dig Entry is free. Each writer may submit one entry. The closing date is 15 August.
200ft down before The closing date is 29 July. Website: www.thereaderberlin.com
coming back up, Website: www.morleygallery.com/morley-lit-prize-
dry. Every day I applicants
search for water.’

Yaa Gyasi

74 AUGUST 2022 www.writers-online.co.uk

GLOBAL BOOK MARKET
All genres wanted

Jenny Roche

Having published fiction and non fiction titles Novel
they are passionate about for over thirty years, Ideas
California based Bancroft Press publishes Daydream
diverse titles in all genre and include such as believer
political memoirs, illustrated picture books
and suspense thrillers. Examples of current There’s so much to be gained
titles are The Gene Police, The Half Life of from staring into space, says
Everything and The Five People You’ll Meet in
Prison. 0]RRI ,EGOPIW

For fiction submit a completed manuscript or as many chapters as you have written. Ishall always be grateful to my teacher at
Include a cover letter saying who you think the audience is for your book together with a junior school, Miss Tipper, who allowed
resume of your writing experience. me to daydream for five minutes during
lessons. She said daydreamers go far.
Non-fiction submissions can be a completed manuscript or at least five sample chapters. She didn’t put me down by telling me to
A cover letter should be included detailing the audience for your book, how marketable you stop daydreaming and get on with my work.
think it is and any marketing experience you may have had. Include also a CV/resume. When I was staring into space she didn’t
disturb me by asking questions but, once my
Submit using the online form or email with either fiction or non fiction in the subject line five minutes was up, I had to rejoin the class.
to [email protected]
My beloved teacher would have agreed
Website: https://bancroftpress.com/submissions with Tony Buzan’s comment that ‘Children
are trained to think linearly instead of
Encore recognition imaginatively. They are taught to read slowly
and carefully, and are discouraged from
Francis Spufford won the Royal Society for Literature’s 2022 Encore Award for Light daydreaming. They are trained to reduce the
Perpetual. The annual Prize of £10,000 is awarded for best second novel of the year and was use and capacity of their brain.’ She certainly
first awarded in 1990. approved of the opposite way of teaching
which is why I still think imaginatively and
The judges, Sian Cain, Paul Muldoon and Nikesh Shukla, said, ‘Light Perpetual is a bold and still daydream, which is okay because it’s
poignant novel, one that encourages the reader to fully comprehend that the lives of others, necessary for writers to do this.
even people they have not and will never meet, are as vivid and filled with meaning as their
own; a remarkable work of empathy. This is an assured second novel from Spufford, who has When we daydream, we come up with
fast become one of Britain’s most exciting fiction writers after his debut Golden Hill.’ ideas, sort out plot problems and create
characters. Freud agreed. He said a piece
100 not out of creative writing is a continuation or
substitute for the play of childhood. He calls
Young writers, Now in its fourth year, the Page 100 Competition from the writer ‘a dreamer in broad daylight’. That
independent publisher Louise Walters Books invites means it’s fine for me to talk to the teddy
look back entries of p100 of a novel or novella manuscript. bear sitting in my writing room, doesn’t it?

The Young Walter Scott Prize is The competition is for unpublished novel and ‘You get ideas from daydreaming. You
for stories by writers aged 11-19, novella manuscripts of a minimum 20,000 words. get ideas from being bored. You get ideas
set in a time before they were Shortlisted writers will be asked to send their full all the time. The only difference between
born. manuscripts. writers and other people is we notice when
we’re doing it,’ said Neil Gaiman.
Stories should be between The winner will receive mentoring for six months.
800 and 2,000 words, and may The winner and two runners up will each receive a box When we are bored our minds do wander.
take any form, ie prose, poetry, of Louise Walters Books titles. When we are doing mundane tasks our
drama, fictional diaries, letters or minds are free to go where they choose.
reportage. The entry fee is £6.50. Free entries are available on When my eyes glaze over while I’m lying on
request for working class/low income writers. the day bed, I am not being lazy. I am being
Winners in two age categories, creative and now I have a quote to prove it.
11-15 and 16-19, will each receive The closing date is 30 September.
a £500 travel grant to explore Website: www.louisewaltersbooks.co.uk It’s from Deepak Chopra. ‘Daydream,
historical places in the UK, and a imagine, and reflect. It’s the source of
two-day trip to the Borders Book Stories that go bump infinite creativity.’
Festival. Winning stories will
be published in a special YWSP in the night AUGUST 2022 75
anthology.
Now in its sixth year, the Christmas Ghost Story
Entry is free. Competition from Scottish independent publisher
The closing date is 31 October. Crowvus is inviting entries of original, unpublished short
Website: www. spooky fiction.
walterscottprize.co.uk/young-
walter-scott-prize/ Winning stories will be published for Christmas, in
the tradition of telling chilling tales as seasonal fireside
entertainment. The winner will receive £100 and there are
second and third prizes of £75 and £50.

Enter original, unpublished supernatural stories up to
4,000 words. Each author may enter up to two stories.

The entry fee is £3 per story.
The closing date is 30 September.
Website: www.crowvus.com/competition

.

WRITERS’ NEWS

FLASHES GLOBAL SPECFIC MARKET

The Anthology Get Inkd
Short Story Award
is inviting entries PDR Lindsay-Salmon
of short fiction up
to 1,500 words Inkd Publishing is a new press with an editorial team transpire, etc.’ Find a novel way to
on the theme of getting started by publishing anthologies. They hope to express the theme.
‘Courage’. The build a stock of enjoyable reads ‘focused in the fantasy
winner will receive and SF genres’. The team want ‘an engaging story
€500. publication with well-developed characters and
in Anthology Their first book was an anthology, Hidden Villains, the deep emotion.’ The deadline is 31
and a year’s free first of a series. Now they want subs for the second, ‘bold, August. Submit online a story in the
subscription. The imaginative fantasy, horror, and SF sculpted to thrill genres of fantasy, horror, or SF, up to
entry fee is €15 per and entertain readers with the bizarre, or delve into the 7,000 words.
story.The closing shadows’.
date is 31 August. Check out the first anthology and
Website: https:// As the first book has established some hidden villains read the guidelines carefully. There are restrictions about
anthology- now they seek stories about the rise of the hidden villain. editing. Response time is ‘reasonable’. Payment is ‘at least
magazine.com/ Think about the word ‘Arise’, which means ‘to appear, 5¢ per word’ plus a copy.
emerge, come to light, surface, befall, ensue, stand up,
The winners of the Website: https://inkdpub.com
2022 Society of
Authors’ Awards SHORT STORIES MATTER
include: ALCSTom-
GallonTrust Award The 2022 Exeter Story Prize and words. will receive £200. Each contestant to
for a short story: Trisha Ashley Award is inviting The first prize is £500, and there the Exeter Story Prize will receive a
Kanya D’Almeida entries. few lines of feedback from the judges.
for I CleanedThe...; are second and third prizes of £250
BettyTrask Prize The annual international short and £150. The Trisha Ashley Award The entry fee is £12 per story.
for a first novel by fiction contest from Creative Writing is given for ‘humorous, engaging and The closing date is 31 August.
a writer under 35: Matters is for original, unpublished quirky’ stories which are chosen by Website: www.
Will McPhail for stories on any theme, up to 5,000 the contest’s judges, and the winner creativewritingmatters.co.uk
In:The Graphic
Novel; Chomondely GO OVER THE EDGE
Awards for a body
of work by a poet: Brink is a print literary journal with an editorial team one medium to tell a story, and
Menna Elfyn, ‘dedicated to publishing hybrid, cross-genre work of both looks and feels different on
David Kinloch, both emerging and established creatives who often the page.’ Work must ‘engage the
Tiffany Atkinson, reside outside traditional artistic disciplines’. They’ve theme of each issue as well as the
Gerry Loose, got a zine attitude about ‘being primed to instigate new idea of being on the brink.’
Maggie O’Sullivan; ideas’. They try to ‘foster dialogue and collaborative
McKitterick Prize community across disciplines and cultural divides’. The Read the detailed guidelines
for a first novel by team like diverse voices and ‘creatives of all races and for each genre at the submissions
a writer over 40: ethnicities and gender identifications’, and support the page and follow them. No
David Annand for ‘emerging to established and a wide range of ages’. It’s a reprints, multiple or simultaneous
Peterdown; Paul fascinating read. submissions. Read the samples of
Torday Memorial work given public access at each
Prize for a first Brink is currently open for submissions on the theme issue’s webpage to see what the team like to publish.
novel by a writer of ‘Reverence’. The deadline is 31 July for ‘a variety of
over 60: Jane creative work from non-fiction to fiction, from poetry Response time is ‘slow to reasonable.’ Payment is $25
Fraser for Advent; to translation.’ They love hybrid work that falls into per poem, $50 for work under 1,500 words, $100 for
Queen’s Knickers the cross-genre category they call ‘Evocations’. Give work over 1,501 words, $50 for 1 to 3 images/artwork,
Award for an them ‘work that presses boundaries, uses more than $100 for 4 or more images/artwork.
illustrated book for
children aged 0-7: Website: www.brinkliterary.com
Alastair Chisholm
and David Roberts DREAD ZONE
for Inch and Grub.
The Dread Machine is a great noisy community with a and the guidelines, and read what’s
Lucy Stapleton has blog and podcast, ‘where horror and SF writers, poets, published.
won the 2022 Lucy and enthusiasts can share, rate, and discuss dreadfully rad
Cavendish College fiction and poetry.’ The team like to ‘make cool creative The team want ‘well-written stories
Fiction Prize for her projects accessible to those who will love them.’ Email which avoid clichés. ‘Not every ending
novel BlueTears. them with queries for longer work, just make sure it’s ‘a has to be dreadful. We welcome dark
cool creative project.’ stories with wholesome and happy
‘Mark into your conclusions, too!’
diary each week The Dread Machine team publishes ‘futuristic dark
which hours you fiction, speculative fiction, cyberpunk, slipstream, and Stories, no more than 5,500 words,
will spend on science fiction’. Submissions are open all year round, with 7,000 words for reprints, and poetry, no more than
writing and how simultaneous and multiple submissions of up to three 50 lines, are published on the first Monday of the month.
many pages you stories are okay, in three separate subs, and reprints.
expect to get done.’ Stories must stand on their own, ‘apart from the writer’s Response time is ‘within two months.’ Payment is 5¢
notoriety and achievements’. Check out the website per word for original fiction, 1¢ per word for reprints,
Maeve Binchy and poetry $10 per poem.

Website: www.thedreadmachine.com

76 AUGUST 2022 www.writers-online.co.uk

WRITERS’ NEWS

INTERNATIONAL

ZINE SCENE PDR
Lindsay-Salmon

The Plentitudes The Class Collective for serious writers’. They aim
is a quarterly is an online publisher to be ‘a literary magazine for
international literary of literature and fiction, no more than 6,000
journal with an politics. New to the scene, the editors words, and personal essays’.
editorial team who like to publish ‘captivating ‘seek subversive writing that challenges the Submit work ‘that celebrates
short stories, personal essays, and poetry from status quo’ to publish in the Class Collective the joy of reading and writing across different
diverse voices’. The team ‘believe in the power zine. The annual zine ‘illuminates the class reading preferences’. The team fear that the
of writing – in its plentitudes of forms, styles, struggle(s) hidden in the shadows of our commercial marketplace can divide readers
and modes of exploration – to move the spirit, culture’ and encourages both new and and want ‘to make a space for more diversity
shift the gaze, and offer new perspectives.’ experienced writers to submit their work. of interest, of authorship, of meaning’. Submit
International indeed, the team are proud to be Currently they want short fiction and poetry, personal essays, literary fiction or literary
‘truly global... and represent an international as well as ‘essays and commentary on culture, genre fiction, well-written genre-writing,
and multicultural blend.’ They seek ‘works politics, and everything in between’. The team especially mysteries, SF and westerns’.
that approach the human condition from want ‘writing that has a class based perspective Submit a pdf or doc file by email:
a mix of critical and creative approaches’ on politics and culture’. Check the detailed [email protected]
and they like ‘exigent narratives, and guidelines to see exactly what’s wanted. Response time is slow. Payment is $100 for
counternarratives relating to the spectacular Email subs of poetry, 1 to 5 poems, as North American Serial Rights.
as well as the spectacularly mundane’. Read single spaced, one poem per page. Visual Website: www.riddlebird.com
what’s published on the website. poetry should be submitted in PDF format.
Open to subs until 31 July, the team seek Fiction should be no more than 5,000 words. The AutoEthnographer is one of those
submissions of ‘poetry, short stories, and Pitch for essays with a paragraph description magazines which could only exist as a zine.
personal essays’. Work must be original, and of the essay’s direction. If the essay is complete The editorial team are ‘dedicated to presenting
unpublished, and no multiple or sim subs attach a 1-2 page sample Commentary on all the creative side of autoethnography’, which
please. Marginalised voices are welcomed, and relevant topics – politics, culture, film, and is ‘a qualitative research method uniting
encouraged to submit. more – should not exceed 1,200 words. ethnography and autobiography’ and it does
Submit online personal essays of 1,500 Submit all work as an attachment, to: so ‘utilizing lived experience as evidence with
to 5,000 words, fiction in the form of short [email protected] which to explore cultural phenomena’. They
stories of no more than 1,500 to 5,000 words, Response time is ‘within 2 to 4 months’. invite unpublished, unsolicited, evocative
or poems, up to five poems or no more than Payment is Can$10 for poetry, Can$20 for stories, which may be ‘textual, audio, visual,
ten pages in one document. Response time fiction, essays, and commentary. or multimodal... crafted in conjunction
is reasonable. Payment is $50 for all works Website: www.classcollectivemag.com with autoethnography’ which ‘celebrate
for First Rights  the intersection of personal expression and
Website: www.theplentitudes.com The editorial team at Mythaxis cultural inquiry.’
has always been focused on
ryga is a zine produced by the fiction, with, they are They ask would-be contributors to read
the faculty and creative proud to claim, ‘as little review their current articles before submiting
writing students in the distraction as possible – no anything.
English department at ads, no clutter, just words on the page to
Okanagan College, USA. transport the reader somewhere else.’ Subs Open to subs the year round the team
This is a zine for beginners and new writers are open in July, October, January and April, seek work which is ‘literary and expressive’,
as the editorial team seek ‘submissions of always from the 23rd to the 30th, for fiction not academic or scholarly. They like to see
previously unpublished poetry, prose and 1,000-7,500 words. Check out the website, evocative expressions in expressive works of
short plays from emerging writers only.’ read the work published, the team have any medium. Check the detailed guidelines
Writers submitting must not have had more catholic tastes, but they want quality. The for what is needed, especially for the creator’s
than ‘three previous publications in other team welcome new writers, beginners and memo. The team welcome pitches for
journals or magazines, and must not have the experienced. They accept simultaneous columns and ongoing features. Fiction or
published any book-length works to date.’ Do submissions but not reprints or multiple subs. non-fiction and flash fiction is welcomed.
check out the website and the work published. Submit a doc, docx or odt file by email: There are no length requirements but 1,200-
Submissions are currently open. ‘Prose [email protected] 1,500 words is preferred. Longer works may
and play manuscripts must not exceed 6,000 Response time is an acknowledgment be serialised. Submit doc(x) files.
words, and should indicate a word count on within 24 hours then fourteen days for a
the first page.’ Poems should be the length decision. Poetry or lyrics should be in a collection of
they need to be, ‘within reason’. Payment is $20 for ‘first print and digital 3 to 10 pieces.
Submit by email as an attached doc or rtf rights with a six month period of exclusivity’.
file, to [email protected]. Response Website: https://mythaxis.co.uk Submit work anonymously. Response time
time is ‘within four weeks, but will vary is ‘generally within 14 days’. Payment is $25.
according to the volume of submissions.’ Riddlebird is a brand new zine opening to
Payment is $50 for First North American submissions in September with an editorial Website: https://theautoethnographer.com
serial rights and non-exclusive web rights. team eager to get writers aware of them and
Website: www.rygajournal.ca the zine. They call themselves ‘Serious fun

www.writers-online.co.uk AUGUST 2022 77

WRITERS’ NEWS

FLASHES GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL MARKET

The Scribble Address the burning issues
Annual Short Story
Competition 2022 PDR Lindsay-Salmon
is for short stories
up to 3,000 words Scorched Earth Press is a small publishing house and zine is a craftsperson – they love cooks – ‘with a belief in the
on the theme of distributor ‘dedicated to radical political ecology’. They liberatory power of that craft and a gift for explaining the
‘Neighbours’. publish ‘work that reclaims “nature writing” from a settler how and why to do it.’ They also like authors who write
There are prizes perspective’. They like ‘deep histories of place that enable ‘a decolonial field guide, microhistory, cartography, or
of £100, £50 and us to better reckon with where we are... theory that organising guide that helps us root ourselves in our local
£25.The entry fee troubles colonial distinctions between natural and cultural patch of scorched earth.’
is £5 per story.The language learning resources’.
closing date is 1 Academic writers with a gift for writing their speciality
November. They firmly believe that ‘books can be tools for in popular terms are also welcomed.
Website: www. claiming power’ and look for ‘authors who are imagining
parkpublications. a new kind of “nature writing”: decolonial, anti-capitalist, Submit a query email or use their online contact form.
co.uk/ and expansive in its vision of what nature is, or was.’ Response time is ‘quick to reasonable.’ Terms, rights,
competitions.html As well as publishing non-fiction the team publish payments etc are discussed with the contract.
anthologies and collections of essays. Details: Scorched Earth Press, email queries to:
After Covid- [email protected]; website: www.
enforced For non-fiction the team seek scorchedearthpress.com
postponement certain types of authors. They
in 2021, the third want authors who ‘know a lot
biennial Anglesey about a certain berry, pathogen,
Writing Festival is moth, weather pattern, or waterfall
set to take place on and are writing its cultural and
8 October. political biography.’ Or authors
Workshops will writing ‘the natural history of a
be facilitated by highway, snack food, shade of red,
local and national neighbourhood…’ Or the author
authors, with some
in Welsh, covering FIRST LEFT
topics including
poetry, writing for Protean has an editorial team geared explicitly to the anti-capitalist interested.
wellbeing, memoir producing what they like to call left. Please take this into strong Submit all work by email as
writing, short ‘cutting-edge print and digital consideration when submitting.’
stories and much media for the discerning leftist, sans doc file attached to the email. For
more. Full details advertisements.’ The team’s mission No reprints but simultaneous articles and essays and prose work
are on the website: is ‘to promote high-quality criticism, and multiple submissions are fine. include ‘a short bio, past bylines,
www.gwyl literature, and art for the political Submit by email being careful to use and other relevant information in
angleseyfestival.uk left’ and be ‘The finest purveyor the appropriate email for the genre. the pitch email.’ Fiction and poetry
of left-wing art and culture right For critique, essays and reviews may be submitted as completed
Shortlists for now’. The Protean Collective is a the team look for ‘criticism, news works. Response time is ‘reasonable.’
the Kelpies Prize distributed group of leftist writers, analysis, essays, or film or book Payment is $30 per poem and $100
for Writing are: journalists, academics, and artists who reviews’. Pitch by email or submit a for fiction. $200 for criticism, news
Louisa McLennan, operate as a democratic collective draft as an attached doc file. Work analysis, reviews, and essays and
Fran Moldaschl, and a leftist non-profit operation. should be between 1,700 words and $150 for interviews.
Catherine Ogston, The team ‘focus is on the quality of 4,500. Fiction is welcomed, short
Vee Walker. the work, not the size of their profit stories between 1,000 and 3,000 Details: Protean, email prose
Entrants were margins.’ Once a year the team words ‘need not be explicitly leftist, subs: submissions@proteanmag.
asked to provide publish a print magazine but ‘puts but it’s preferable’. com; or fiction: fiction@
writing samples out online content year-round.’ They proteanmag.com; or poetry:
suitable for need work for the weekly zine in the Poetry, up to five poems, again [email protected]; or art:
children which form of essays, fiction, and poetry. need not be explicitly leftist, but it’s [email protected];
showcased Submitters beware, the zine is a preferable. Art and illustrations are website: https://proteanmag.com/
their range and leftist publication: ‘We publish work welcomed. Email a bio and a link to about-us
creativity. The a portfolio. The team will review the
winners, to be work and will be in contact if they’re
announced at
the Scottish THE SPOOKY OLD WEST
Storytelling Centre
on 1 September, The Timber Ghost Press editorial team are producing excessive gore ‘just for the sake of it’. Submit online
will receive another of their spooky anthologies, called Along using their system. Strictly no reprints but multiple subs
nine months of Harrowed Trails. The editor wants horror stories set in up to three poems, one flash and one story are allowed,
mentoring with the Old West. Give him ‘well-crafted stories and poems as are simultaneous submissions. Format work in a
Floris Books and that are creepy, disturbing, and weird that embrace the standard publishing format like Shunn’s and save work
£500 cash. Old West aesthetic from around 1800-1900’. as docx, doc, or rtf files. Response time is ‘reasonable.’
Payment is $10 for poems, $15 for flash and $35 for
‘Far rather would The deadline is 31 August for poetry, flash fiction short fiction.
I never publish of no more than 1,000 words and short fiction of
more, than publish 1,001-6,000 words. Be original, think quirky and avoid Website: www.timberghostpress.com
anything inferior to
my first effort.’ www.writers-online.co.uk

Charlotte Brontë

78 AUGUST 2022



WRITERS’ NEWS

UK BOOK MARKET
Spreading branches

Tina Jackson

Neem Tree Press is an independent publisher committed to producing Submissions are welcomed for both adult and young reader
books that broaden their readers’ outlook. imprints.

‘We publish books that entertain, spark curiosity, challenge the ‘For our Neem Tree Press collection fiction, we’re looking for
status quo, and invite us into worlds we might not have otherwise moving, superbly written books that introduce us to strong characters,
explored, both near and far,’ said Neem Tree’s publishing executive Lisa different worlds, and new ideas,’ said Lisa. ‘If a manuscript is
Cohen. humorous or witty, this makes it even more of a standout. For non-
fiction, we’re open to receiving full manuscripts or detailed proposals,
‘Our Neem Tree Press collection’s 2022 titles reflect this ethos,’ and we seek passionate, expert voices that give us insight into
continued Lisa. ‘We’ve got a dark and playful tale that traverses absorbing subject matter.’
Europe at the turn of the 18th century by a celebrated Romanian
author; a lyrical memoir about life with multiple sclerosis written by Manuscripts aimed at young readers should be vivid and engaging.
a Palestinian-Kuwaiti professor; an eye-opening account of the Ebola ‘For our Seven Seas collection, we are looking for upper middle-
epidemic and its effects on maternal medicine by a London-based grade/young YA fast-paced adventures with strong plots and intriguing
obstetrician who volunteers with Médecins San Frontières; and more. and relatable protagonists.’
In addition to those points, when acquiring a book Neem Tree
Neem Tree also has an imprint for younger readers. looks for authors who will be proactive participants of the marketing
‘Under our Seven Seas collection we publish fast-paced middle-grade and publicity campaign ‘Willing to engage with social media, help
adventures,’ said Lisa. ‘This year we will be publishing an eco-thriller coordinate events, reach out to contacts to spread the word about the
set in Scotland by an award-winning Scottish author and an art-meets- book, etc,’ said Lisa. ‘If you have a strong platform, that is a huge plus.
adventure series that traverses present day London, Viking England It is important to note that we only take on books that will not require
and Xian’s underground Terracotta Warriors complex.’ a heavy edit, so do invest in an excellent freelance editor, and make
Archna Sharma, the founder of Neem Tree Press, decided to sure your manuscript is polished before submitting.’
combine her love of reading with her previous experience as an All submissions should be made through the website.
investment banker and set up the publishing house a few years ago. Neem Tree Press publishes in print, digital and sometimes audio
‘From day one, Archna’s aim was to find unique stories and exciting formats, and pays an advance and royalties.
voices,’ said Lisa. ‘In the early days of our press, her editorial eye was Website https://neemtreepress.com/
partly informed by her two boys: trying to find stories for them, and
other children, that weren’t already on the market. Slowly, Neem
Tree Press grew, and our vision of publishing books that “change and
broaden perspectives” crystallised over time.’
Neem Tree Press will be publishing six titles this year. ‘Having
recently expanded the company to four full-time employees, we will
be growing our frontlist to ten titles next year, and this number will be
increasing each subsequent year,’ said Lisa. ‘Our team has been eagerly
acquiring new books, with a view to building our list over the next few
years to reflect the company’s expansion. With more hands on deck,
we’ll be able to not only publish more books, but also continue to give
each book and author the full attention and enthusiasm they deserve.’
Neem Tree Press hopes to be known for publishing varied books
that offer adventurous readers plenty of entertainment and food for
thought. ‘Developing a loyal readership is one of our main goals; we’d
love for readers to come to know, trust, and celebrate our books and
authors with us,’ said Lisa. ‘We hope to stand out in the crowded
market with our thoughtful publications, excellent cover designs, and
high-quality author care. And of course, we aim to win a Booker and
other literary prizes and a few more English PEN awards!’

Martian wants Drabbles

Martian is a zine for SF drabbles and humanity sucks,’ or ‘We accidentally called Attach the work as a doc, docx, or rtf
the team publish new ones twice a week. the aliens who are invading us because of file by email: [email protected]
Drabbles are very short stories of exactly some silly reason.’ They like humour but
100 words (excluding title) and they are not silliness. They will ‘respond within two weeks
tricky to write. Read what’s published with either a rejection or hold request’.
here to see how other writers do it. Submit drabbles in every subgenre of Payment is 8¢ per word for original
The editorial team want more drabbles science fiction but they must be complete fiction, 4¢ for reprints for ‘first-time world
dealing with cyberpunk, SF, horror, stories stories with a beginning, middle, and at electronic rights for original fiction and
with tech, starships, holograms, stories least hint at the end. The editorial team non-exclusive reprint rights for reprints.’
involving other planets, dark SF and ‘are not interested in thoughts or feelings
characters making a decision. They don’t without action or characters that don’t do Website: https://themartianmagazine.
want to see, ‘Twist stories where the twist anything.’ Currently open to subs the team com
doesn’t change the way we view the story,’ will accept reprints and simultaneous subs
or, ‘We caused the apocalypse because and up to three multiple subs, each in a
separate email.

80 AUGUST 2022 www.writers-online.co.uk

MY WRITING DAY

Ian McMillan

The well-loved writer and broadcaster tells
Lynne Hackles about the benefits of an early start

I an McMillan is a broadcaster who has worked ‘I’ve been writing full-time since 1983 but that
extensively in radio and television. He currently includes running workshops, doing gigs solo or in
presents The Verb on BBC Radio 3 and appears bands or duos, presenting radio and TV shows, doing
as a regular on Coast, BBC Breakfast, Countryfile, voiceovers, touring all over the place as a working poet.
Pick of the Week, Last Word and The Arts Show. I’m really as much a performer as I am a writer; I love
He’s written comedy for radio and plays for the stage, it. In the last year, post pandemic, I’ve decided to come
And there’s more. He is also a poet and journalist. It’s off the road but I still do lots of community art work in
little wonder he wakes early. South Yorkshire. My advice to writers is to always say
yes because it leads to exciting adventures.
‘At 4.30,’ he says. ‘I then try to create something
from language before I get up at 5. The world feels full ‘At school I knew I wanted to be a writer. It felt
of promise at that time of day and I feel at my most glamorous, exciting, bohemian, unpredictable and so
creative. I turn whatever I’ve thought of at 4.30 into a risky. And it is! I’m lucky to have had the life I always
tweet. It could be a joke or an observation or a fragment wanted.
of a poem. Once I tweet it I feel that my writing day has
begun. I love Twitter and it’s as essential a tool for my ‘My Sand Life, My Pebble Life is fifty essays of around
writing as my notebook is. 1,000 words each about the coast. The original plan was
to stay over after I’d done a gig anywhere near the coast
‘I go for my early stroll at 5.20 until 6.15 and try to and then explore it and write about it, mixing in a few
do two writerish things at once – I try to observe things memories, but when the pandemic happened all my gigs
on my stroll (which is always the same stroll and the fell off a cliff and I realised that if I went to the coast
task is to see different things every day) and I try to it would just be a few people in masks so I decided to
think about whatever I’m writing at the moment. Once reach further and further back into my memory, and
back home I tweet my early stroll tweet. People seem to that’s more or less what the book has become. I would
like them and a few of them have been set to music. I sit in that little bedroom surrounded by books and
then start writing properly. I have a few regular things attempt to write another coastal memory.
that I have to write – a weekly column for the Yorkshire
Post, a fortnightly column for the Barnsley Chronicle, a ‘Currently, I’m thinking about song lyrics for my mate
monthly column for The Dalesman, a weekly intro for Luke Carver Goss and I’m creating a text/neon piece
my Radio 3 show, The Verb. At the same time I’ll usually for Rotherham with my artist pal Patrick Murphy and
have something else to write. that just has to be one perfect line, so that helps me
to think hard. Like all freelancers, I like the joy of the
‘I carry on writing during the morning and later go unexpected thing.’
for my afternoon stroll, still thinking about the things
I have to write. Because I’m up so early this is the time Website: www.ian-mcmillan.co.uk
I start to slump so to keep myself going I’ll read things
that I have to read for The Verb. In the evenings I’ll WRITING PLACE
go for my evening stroll and plan the kind of writing
I need to do. I’ll nod off on the settee and go to bed, ‘I used to like writing at the dining room table, surrounded by
ready for the next day. the noise of life and pooh-poohed the idea of a study as an
affectation. Lockdown changed that. I had to record my Verb
‘I like my routine, particularly the early strolls. show from home so put the recording equipment on a table
They provide a comforting scaffolding for the day in the spare bedroom, surrounded by millions of books. I liked
and they work as a lab for me to think in. I also like it and then wrote My Sand Life up there. The piles of books
interruptions, particularly from the grandkids, because sharing the table with my laptop totter and fall every now and
it means my writing can carry on in the back boiler of then. I have the window open so that I can catch the traffic
my mind while I’m being Spiderman and when they’ve going by and wave to Dennis the window cleaner when he
gone, any writing problems I have may well have comes round.’
resolved themselves.

www.writers-online.co.uk AUGMUASTY 2022 81

UNDER THE COVERS

It’s a heartache

Having a book turned down hurts
your heart – until you find the perfect
partner, says Gillian Harvey

‘It’s not you, it’s me.’ same things. (Well, she laughed. I kind of shrieked along in a
Recently I’ve realised just how much book rejection hysterical, self-conscious type of way.) Everything seemed to
feels like romantic rejection. be going well. I began to wonder whether I’d receive an offer
Once you do the translation that is: there and then, or perhaps later that day.
It’s not you, it’s me: I loved the book, I just didn’t quite feel
enthusiastic enough about it… But then she delivered the most awful sentence: ‘Well,
I’ll take this to the team. It’ll probably be 2-3 weeks before
I’m sorry, I’m already in a relationship: I enjoyed this book, you hear.’
but it’s too similar to another on our list.
Excuse me, now? 2-3 weeks?
My family doesn’t approve: I took it to the team and ‘OK,’ I said, ‘have a lovely weekend!’ And went to shut my
unfortunately not everyone was on board. head repeatedly in the door.
I managed to get through the nerve-wracking wait. Just
Anyone who’s been on sub will be familiar with this type of about. (And if my husband’s reading this, I promise, it’s now
let-you-down-easy rejection. The rejection where the publisher safe to return home.)
takes the time to let you know just how tantalisingly close you Two weeks later I did, at last, get an offer. I received a
were to being snapped up, but that you fell at the final hurdle. contract, which was then painfully (but professionally)
No prize, but a runners-up certificate. negotiated by my agent.
After being lost in the wilderness of subbing for what
Don’t get me wrong: these type of rejections are a million seemed like forever, I finally found a new home.
times better than form rejections (or ghosting). But let’s face I’m being published again in September by the wonderful
it, they’re still ultimately rejections. There are no silver or Boldwood Books.
bronze medals in this game: it’s gold or nothing. It hasn’t been an easy journey. Since my last novel was
published, I’ve written three others. One similar to my first
But, if you’re lucky, somewhere in this storm of rejection, two which had some positive rejections but no actual bites.
self-doubt and endless straw-clutching (she liked my writing, Another that landed me a call with an editor who wanted to
maybe she’ll like my next novel!), you will eventually find that support me with editorial feedback, but then left the publisher
ray of light. by the time I resubmitted.
The third – a novel set in France; the one I wrote in just
An expression of interest. over a month – turned out to be the charm.
A holding email. Although I still feel a little sad about the novels that were
A little note to say that someone is reading and enjoying lost along the way, the hopes and dreams of almost a year on
your work. sub that were raised and dashed; the almosts and the nearlies
Sadly, these rays are sometimes followed by deafening that had me on tenterhooks… I now know that CS Lewis was
silence. So like most pessimistic, world-weary authors I take right: ‘Failures are finger posts on the way to success.’
each with a pinch of salt until something more concrete I clawed my way back into a contract by keeping going.
manifests itself. And although sometimes I felt that I might go insane (and the
Back in 2018, this came in the form of an offer via email. jury’s still out on whether that’s actually happened or not), I
This time? This time I got a request to meet an editor got here in the end.
via Zoom. And actually, it wasn’t until I wrote this column that I realised
Which was nothing short of terrifying. I should maybe be a little bit proud of myself, right?
Like most of us, I’m no stranger to a Zoom call. I can cope
with the format, just. But the idea of talking to someone who
may or may not offer me a book deal afterwards was nerve-
wracking in the extreme. What if I said something wrong?
What if she was completely put off by my mannerisms, or
personality, or inability to form a coherent sentence when
under pressure?
After a terrifying week of waiting, I found myself on Zoom.
Luckily, the editor and I got on really well and seemed to
be on the same page about my novel. We laughed about the

82 AUGUST 2022 www.writers-online.co.uk

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Throughout the course you will be tutored by a professional writer, who will
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work outside of my comfort zone, and When you enrol, your full course is available online so you can get started straight
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considered. Although it’s only been nine months since I

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Simon Miller EE822
24 HRS
“During my studies I learnt writing
techniques that have stood me in good www.facebook.com/thewritersbureau 33Writers Years of Members
stead as an author and copywriter. I am www.twitter.com/writersbureau Success NAWE
now lucky to be earning a living doing Bureau
something I love, and it all started when
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Heather Burnside Find out what sort of writer you want
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“It was with The Writers Bureau that I been designed to help you explore what
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Today I am the ghostwriter of a series of

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