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2016 is a big year for literary anniversaries – 200

Grumpy Old Bookman: Guiding light

Michael Allen is in enlightened mode as he reflects on

Star interview: Louise Welsh

Like life, literature is about balancing light and dark, Louise

On writing: John Galsworthy

‘Very informal language that is usually spoken rather than written,

How I got published: YA author Lisa Williamson

YA author Lisa Williamson didn’t want to be a writer,

Beat the bestsellers

Tony Rossiter shows how she makes her readers both smile

Subscriber spotlight

Share your writing success stories. If you subscribe to Writing

Circles’ roundup

If your writing group would like to feature here, whether

Crime file: Michael Koryta

Exploring underground caves forced Michael Koryta to take his lead

New author profile: Mike Craven

The former probation officer tells Adrian Magson that he had

My writing day: Guinevere Glasfurd

It’s easier to find writing time than time to read,

E-publishing: Easy ebooks – Going to market

You’ve produced your ebook. Now it’s time to publish, market

Submission Under the microscope

Author and lecturer James McCreet looks at a sample cover

Talk it over: Why no X?

What is that elusive quality that agents and publishers are

Writing holidays: Recharge, refresh, retreat

Research and preparation will ensure you get as much from

Writing courses guide

Plan your literary year with our definitive listing of courses,

Writing retreats: Write away

Whether you follow a guided retreat or just book a

NaNoWriMax

50,000 words in a month? Why stop there? WM creative

Open short story winner

After early years in India and Africa, Sally Pearson grew

Subscriber-only short story winner

Rhonwen Shaw is a retired speech and language therapist from

Fiction focus: Plot engines

What motors your novel’s narrative? It’s important to know so

I wish I’d known…

Novelists tell us what they wish they’d known right at

Writing for children: 10 ways to grow as a children’s writer

In the first of a two-part mini-series, author Amy Sparkes

Crime: Leave it out!

Nothing kills a novel faster than clichéd, clunky dialogue. Get

Fantastic realms: It’s not rocket science

How much science you leave out of your SF is

Article writing: Creating opportunities

In the fi nal part of this series on writing

Going to market

Sell yourself as the kind of writer editors want to

Research tips: The Cold War

Providing material for fiction and non-fiction writers alike, the Cold

Travel writing know-how

Developing and varying writing style will add to the effect

Poetry workshop: Lived experience

A poet’s voice feels authentic as she uses her life

Poetry from A to Z

FOUND POETRY is self-explanatory. A found poem turns up where

Poetry competition: Try a triolet

Enter our competition for short poems with a repeating rhyme

Inspiration: 101 ways to inspire ideas

Whether you’re looking for a warm-up exercise, short story prompts,

Editorial calendar

Strong forward planning will greatly improve your chances with freelance

Ten top tips: Write to the heart

With Valentine’s Day upcoming, Liz Gregory shares ten top tips

Novel Ideas

Don’t stress about being productive, says Lynne Hackles. String your

Inspirations: Change of scenery

In part two of our series on randomly generating ideas,

Beginners: The 3 secrets of successful writing

You already know the three secrets of successful writing, says

Event planning: Library of opportunity

Organise your own library reading or event, with advice from

Festival guide 2016

Plan your literary year with our definitive listing of literary

The business of writing: Productivity leap

With an extra 24 hours coming up next month, Simon

Notes from the margin: To author, with love

One of the delights of being published is getting feedback

Train your brain: Pen pushers

It’s dark, it’s cold, it’s gloomy – the ideal time

Train your brain: Red editing pen

Each month, we give you a few sentences which would

Circles’ roundup: Telling tales

Venture into the deep dark woods with an inspiring exercise

Miscellany

Paperback perfume, sorting out submissions, the pursuit of plots and

Letters

We want to hear your news and views on the

Excuse me officer

Not sure where to go next with your crime novel?

Webbo

Reach more readers on your website and social networks with

Computer clinic

This month, PC trainer Greta Powell helps with hiccups in

Helpline

Email your queries to Diana (please include home-town details) at:

Big rewards for crime first-timers

Entries are invited now for two of The Crime Writers’

Hale not hearty

Robert Hale Ltd, a popular publishing choice for many WM

Africa unite

The Caine Prize for African Writing is open for submissions

UK MAGAZINE MARKET

Britain at War is the UK’s bestselling military history monthly,

Play it write for 503

The biennial Theatre 503 Playwriting Award, which offers a playwright

A literary review

Literary magazine The White Review will award £2,500 to the

FLASHES

Icon, the monthly architecture and design magazine, had a redesign

UK SF MARKET

Tickety Boo Press is a UK small press specialising in

We love Lucy

The Lucy Cavendish College Fiction Prize, for the opening of

Cúirt creative

The Cúirt New Writing Prize 2016 is open for entries

War and peace and incest

Andrew Davies, famed for ‘sexing-up’ the 1995 BBC version of

UK CHILDREN’S MARKET

Leading independent publisher Nosy Crow has put a call out

Paint a (not so) Vulgar Picture

Heaven knows, he must be miserable now. In December The

It’s a Funny Old World

Scandinavia, long prominent in crime writing, saga and fairy tale

FLASHES

Ski + board magazine, the official magazine of the Ski

UK MUSIC MARKET

The motto of UK-based folk, roots and world music magazine

Go the Greenway

Fancy a three-month paid writing residency in Greenway, Agatha’s Christie’s

Art from art

Carlo Pirozzi, Research Fellow at the Italian Department of St

UK LITERARY MARKET

Independent Manchester publisher Dead Ink Books is inviting submissions for

Open House for poets

Open House 2016, literary magazine The Interpreter’s House’s poetry competition,

FLASHES

Simon McGrath is editor of Camping and Caravanning monthly magazine

GLOBAL NON-FICTION MARKET

The Creative Non Fiction Foundation and its In Fact Books

Short form for a big win

The free-to-enter European Haiku Prize invites entries from around the

GLOBAL LITERARY MARKET

Founded in 1857 as The Atlantic Monthly, The Atlantic is

Get lost with Robert Louis in France

Scottish Book Trust is inviting applications for The Robert Louis

And another thing...

‘The problem is that people who like science and technology,

FLASHES

This England and Evergreen are two DC Thomson publications celebrating

GLOBAL SPECFIC MARKET

Shimmer Magazine is an American print and electronic contemporary fantasy

Women writers for literary anthology

The Woman in Black author Susan Hill is looking to

Book Talk

I'm celebrating the publication of my twenty-fifth sir Arthur Rubicon

Introductions

Writing Magazine presents a selection of gardening magazines currently accepting

In the running for big prizes

The shortlists for the 2015 Costa Book of the Year

FLASHES

Swimming Times, the monthly publication of the ASA (Amateur Swimming

GLOBAL FICTION MARKET

The Masters Review is a US-based online and print publication

Starring stories and poems

Literary magazine Brittle Star’s Poetry and Short Fiction Competition 2016

Big winners this month

Coralie Bickford-Smith has won the Waterstones Book of the Year

UK MAGAZINE MARKET

Eye Spy intelligence magazine is unique – it is the

All-white World Book Night

The Sixth World Book Night, to take place on 23

Island of opportunity

Island is a long-running and reputable Australian literary quarterly, publishing

FLASHES

Simon Richardson is the acting editor of Cycling Weekly. Send

UK POETRY MARKET

Oversteps Books is an independent publisher of top quality contemporary

Small story, big prize

Reader’s Digest’s 100-word story competition is back for the sixth

Let your light shine

Writing East Midlands is inviting entries for its inaugural writing

INTERNATIONAL ZINE SCENE

Terratory Journal is an unusual zine founded not by some

Right up our street

Bridgend Writers’ Circle’s open competition for stories on the theme

FLASHES

Patrick Smith is the editor of fortnightly Africa Confidential current

GLOBAL SF MARKET

Splinters is a new project from Netherlands publisher, Quasis Uitgevers

Play with time for gothic anthology

Temporal Discombobulations, an anthology of gothic short fiction, is inviting

Strokes of poetic genius

The Strokestown International Poetry Competition is open for entries to

Keep it under your Malahat

Canadian literary journal The Malahat Review is inviting international entries

GLOBAL NON-FICTION MARKET

Interlink Publishing is an independent US publishing house specialising in

Get fired up for this encouraging comp

The annual Nottingham Writers’ Club Short Story Competition is aimed

FLASHES

The editor of Heart Matters, the free magazine for the

GLOBAL SPECFIC MARKET

Leading Australian science fiction and fantasy magazine Aurealis is now

LOL @ OUP

Oxford Dictionaries have chosen the emoji officially called the ‘Face

Northern pride

Now open for entry, the 2016 Northern Writers Awards from

UK POETRY AND CHILDREN’S MARKET

Patrician Press is a small independent publisher of literary fiction

Get a break in theatre

Oldham Coliseum Theatre’s annual New Writing Festival is set to

Into the abyss

Abyss & Apex, a Hugo Award-nominated speculative fiction magazine, now

Ravens for Ted

Poems for this year’s Elmet Trust Poetry Prize are invited