Discovery AND TRANSFORMATION

Author Suleika Jaouad writes from her lived experience about the power of journaling as a creative practice for writers

Green fingers: A WRITER’S GARDEN

A writer for 35 years, my relationship with

Survive – & thrive

Catherine Balavage looks at how to succeed as a writer while protec ting your mental health

PASSION FOR the past

Isabelle Schuler writes about how her second novel was fraught with difficulty, and why she truly believes in writing what you love

SEVEN EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES TO MARKET YOUR PUBLISHED BOOK

Troubador Publishing’s Alex Thompson looks at how you can draw attention to a book that’s already been published

How to enter

DEAR READER

As any good gardener knows, it’s important not

REAL LIFE, great stories

This month, Jenny Alexander looks at using your existing knowledge and skills

CREATIVE CONFIDENCE: COACHING FOR WRITERS

SECRETS OF WRITING COACHING Here are three exercises I use with my clients – and with myself:

Your writing critiqued

James McCreet applies a forensic micro-critique to the beginning of a reader’s manuscript

Description: PART ONE

Writer and tutor Ian Ayris explains the importance of wandering about in the imaginary worlds you create so you can bring them to life for readers

Conversation, overheard

Psychological thriller author Claire Douglas explains why she decided to begin her new novel with someone accidentally eavesdropping on the people next door

Love hurts

Alison Chisholm looks at a love poem with an twist

Eyes on the prize!

Margaret James looks at giving your writing competition entries a winning edge

Five quick questions

1. When and where did your journey

IT’S COMPLICATED

Helen Walters looks at the potential of problematic relationships in your short fiction, with an example story

THE NEXT CHAPTER

Amy Sparkes talks to the winners in the Chapter Book category of WM ’s Children’s Book Prize

LAUGHS IN SPACE

Alex Davis takes a look at writing humour in your science-fiction

ECHOES OF THE PAST

Bestselling historical thriller author Simon Scarrow tells Tina Jackson about his Berlin crime series, the importance of knowing about the past, and writing from the perspective of the underdog

FRANCES MCKENDRICK

The debut novelist took the right route for her book by going with an independent press

A wallpaper dilemma

The decorating can wait until Lynne Hackles has unravelled her plot

SHELF LIFE

JO HARKIN

MARIANNE CRONIN

The uplit author tells Lynne Hackles how she prefers her writing to surprise her

The world of writing

What goes through a writer’s brain? Readers’ letters and dispatches from the wide world of writing

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: YOUR WRITING

Getting you know you

Subscribers’ news

To feature in Subscribers’ News contact: tjackson@warnersgroup.co.uk

Smashing sonnets

Alison Chisholm looks at the attention to detail that made the winners of WM ’s Sonnet Competition the cream of the contest’s crop

MALCOLM AND THE ALIEN

FUNNY SITUATION

BECOMING A PRODUCTIVE WRITER

With World Productivity Day approaching, Simon Whaley explores techniques writers can use to be more productive during their limited writing time

GOVERNMENT WEBSITES

Tarja Moles offers a guide to accessing offical public information for your research purposes

Behind the tape

Expert advice to get the details right in your crime fiction from serving police officer Lisa Cutts

Jessica Woollard

Simon Whaley chats to Jessica Woollard of David Higham Associates about the narrative non-fiction genre of nature and landscape writing.

GET PUBLISHED

You’ve read the advice – now get into print! Find the most up-to-date calls for submissions, writing competitions to enter and publishing opportunities to suit you and your writing in our easy-to-navigate news pages

Go it alone?

Cornerstones’ Monica Chakraverty advises a reader considering self publishing that it can be a really great option rather than a compromise

COMPS WITH MULTIPLE CATEGORIES

Wells Festival of Literature 2025 International Competitions

GENERAL NEWS

Awards round-up By Gary Dalkin Isabel Allende

Cast of Wonders

WRITING FOR AUDIO Cast of Wonders is

Industry merry-go-round

Book fairs aren’t really about writing, but about business, says Piers Blofeld

INDIE MAGS AND WEBSITES ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS

Society for Ritual Arts The Society for

NON-FICTION COMPETITIONS

Southword Creative Non-Fiction Award 2025 The Southword

INDEPENDENT PRESSES

Eye Books Eye Books is a small,

NOVEL COMPETITIONS

First Novel Prize 2025 The competition for

ANTHOLOGIES INVITING SUBMISSIONS

Blue Planet Press Blue Planet Press specialises

FICTION OPPORTUNITIES

Cupid’s Arrow Publishing Cupid’s Arrow Publishing publishes

LITMAGS INVITING SUBMISSIONS

Grain Grain , a journal of eclectic

POETRY COMPETITIONS

Poetry London Prize 2025 The annual competition

SHORT STORY COMPETITIONS

The Astley Prize The new contest from

It’s not just about getting there

Don’t always travel in the obvious way, says Patrick Forsyth