WELCOME

With talk of lockdown coming to an end,

The world of writing

Overdue books, a long-running dispute, surprise meetings and Mr Men minting it – all the latest from the wonderful world of writing

STAR LETTER

Desk space For the first time since March

On the air

Patrick Forsyth finds one promotional activity is still working well in the crisis

Novel Ideas

Unsticking labels

UK EBOOK MARKET

Shine brightly for this indie

INTERNATIONAL ZINE SCENE

Leavings is a literary magazine publishing poetry, fiction

Descriptions matter

You can’t go anywhere in lockdown but you can shape your skills, says Patrick Forsyth

GLOBAL MUSIC MARKET

Notes from the underground

ONLINE ARTS MARKET

Reach a new Level

Buyer Beware

Martin Reed of the Society of Authors urges utmost caution if you’re considering paying to publish

REACHING OUT TENTACLES

As Jeff Bezos hightails it from Amazon, Piers Blofeld ponders on what its next phase holds for independent authors

Is my age an issue?

Helen Corner-Bryant reassures a writer worried that their age is against them

Politics & international affairs

Research expert Tarja Moles sets out the resources available to ensure you get your political facts straight

Dealing with DIFFICULTY

Caroline Butterwick offers insights into best practices when it comes to writing about difficult experiences

Opening chapters

Amy Sparkes is delighted with the results of WM’s first Chapter Book Prize 2020, and talks to the top three winners

Your writing critiqued

Author and lecturer James McCreet applies his forensic criticism to a reader’s first 300 words

Pro – or anti?

Do what’s right for your book, Jane Wenham Jones advises a reader worrying about the prologue she’s written for her novel

Keeping the faith

Writing a novel can be a long and  sometimes difficult journey but  Margaret James has great advice on  what to look out for along the way

WHAT’S YOUR passion?

Helen M Walters looks at ways of injecting passion into your characters’ lives, with a short story by Alice Munro

The way to a win

What are the chances of winning a writing prize? And how do you increase your chances? Janet Rogers goes behind the scenes and finds out

Do your own thing

Consider what’s the best publishing route for you and your books, urges Adrian Magson

BOOK TO THE FUTURE

Thinking of going it alone? You’re in good company as DJ Bowman-Smith offers a brief history of independent publishing

Why a virtual book launch still counts

Rosalind Moody talks to two spiritual authors about how they made the most of launching their books virtually during the pandemic

Remote Learning

In the first of a two-parter, Alex Davis offers a how-to guide to running your own digital writing workshop

© COPYRIGHT BASICS

As World Intellectual Property Day approaches,  Simon  Whaley   explores how copyright helps our writing business

Poisoned PEN

Lorraine Mace loves getting fan mail, but sometimes it can get... extreme

LEARNING FROM LOCKDOWN

Crime bestseller Peter May explains how he found inspiration close to home for his latest novel. By Tina Jackson

Helen Fisher

MY PATH TO PUBLICATION

CATHY BRAMLEY

The bestselling chicklit novelist shares her fi ve favourite reads

CIRCLES’ ROUNDUP

If your writing group would like to feature here, whether you need new members, have an event to publicise or to suggest tips for other groups, email Tina Jackson, tjackson@warnersgroup.co.uk

SUBSCRIBER NEWS

Opening the door ‘I have been a subscriber

Sarah Lawton

The author tells Adrian Magson how blogging set her on the course that led to her debut thriller  

Joe Heap

The romantic novelist tells Lynne Hackles how he’s had to adapt from writing on the move 

How Tina Turner

turned it round  for Doreen

Going home

SECOND PLACE £50 Jenny Woodhouse began to write seriously after

Let’s get physical

Give your writing group members a creative writing workout with these exercises from Julie Phillips

Earth matters

Consider our relationship with the planet we live

Home Study Course Started A 22-Year Writing Career

Heather Burnside took a home study Creative Writing

The Muse and The Murderer

Historical fiction 1st place £200 Kerriann Speers is a

Funny on the money

SEE P67 FOR ENTRY DETAILS, FULL RULES AND ENTRY FORMS

Clued up

Alison Chisholm celebrated the winners in WM’s poetry competition celebrating the Queen of Crime

LOST CHORD

Alison Chisholm is moved by a poem about the devastation of conflict and the power of music

Poetry in practice

Raise a smile with a short, funny poem says Doris Corti

Behind the tape

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

WRITERS'S NEWS

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

Near the knuckle

Close To The Bone Publishing is a straight-talking

FLASHES

Prizes are £100 and £50 in the Red

Head for Distant Shore

Distant Shore Publishing is a niche publisher with

In the running for romance

The RNA has announced the category shortlists for

Find your channel

Based in Ireland, Channel is a quarterly environmentalist

LEODIENSIAN LEADS

The Leeds Philosophical and Literary Society has Science

Working life online

BBC Worklife is a BBC website that aims

FLASHES

The 2021 international writing competition from Michael Terence

GLOBAL ROMANCE MARKET

Sparkling romance

Full marks

Five Points is a well established literary magazine

Sacks celebrated

Jonathan Sacks, the former Chief Rabbi who died

ONLINE SPIRITUAL MARKET

Balancing faith

For playwriting theatre staff

Experienced Theatre Practitioners Early Playwriting Award is open

UK MAGAZINE MARKET

Hit the right beats 

UK FICTION MARKET Be part of a Legend

Tina Jackson Leading UK independent Legend Press is

GLOBAL LITERARY MARKET

Writing with Consequence

INTRODUCTIONS

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

ONLINE NEWS MARKET

i wants

GLOBAL BOOK MARKET

Brighten opportunity

GLOBAL YA MARKET

Black to school

UK CRIME MARKET

How’s it going, Book Folks?

Dear Reader

Welcome to our biannual competition special. As always,

COMPETITION GUIDE 2021

Pick your favourites and start scheduling your entries with over 800 competitions to enter. This could be the year you win big!