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Competitions everywhere! And that’s just my desk. Yes,

The world of writing

Controversy, creativity, flogging a dead horse and flogging a million dollar word game – your monthly roundup of all the lit tattle from Miscellany Manors

LETTERS

S TA R L E T T E

Editorial calendar

Strong for ward planning will greatly improve your chances with freelance submissions. Here are some themes to consider for the coming months

Novel Ideas

Do it properly

Think green

Travel writing will be affected by the changing climate, says Patrick Forsyth

From the OTHER SIDE OF THE DESK: PUBLISH AND BE DAMNED

Piers Blofeld argues that the Kate Clanchy episode shows that publishers need to take responsibilty

Draw attention the write way

Make your submission appeal to agents by following Helen Corner-Bryant’s advice

Reference material

Tarja Moles runs through essential reference works for any writer

Behind the tape

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

IN IT TO WIN IT

Want to give your writing comp entries a winning edge? Searchlight Awards founder Kim Donovan has the insider info you need

FOR Dressing success

Jess Morency delves into the book cover requirements for the main romance genres and sub-genres

LET’S HEAR IT FOR WORLD BOOK DAY

With its 25th anniversary the day this issue of WM comes out, Rosalind Moody explores the power of World Book Day, and why this year is so important

Taxing writers

As the 2021-2022 tax year draws to a close, Simon Whaley explores the tax implications of being a writer

Clock-watching

Gillian Harvey is evolving a whole new theory of time based on waiting to hear how her manuscript is faring

The first five pages: Peach Blossom Spring

Melissa Fu analyses the first five pages of her debut novel, which looks at 20th century Chinese history through the story of one family

SET IN STONE AGE

Since time immemorial it’s been essential to keep stories exciting, says Adrian Magson

Your writing critiqued

James McCreet applies his forensic gaze to the first 300 words of a reader’s manuscript

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

What do you need to make the best possible job of your writing? Amy Sparkes fills you in on the knowledge you need

Making up history

Margaret James considers the creative possibilities of writing novels set in the past

I wish I’d known

‘When I teach my students about plotting, I

About time

Helen M Walters explores a short story by O Henry to look at how you can use the passage of time in your short fiction

Scary shorts and super creeps

A guide to writing short horror fiction from Alex Davis

My kind of happy ever after

Carefree on the surface, Cathy Bramley’s books require thought, planning and hard work, as Tina Jackson discovers

Kate Mildenhall

The Australian author of The Mother Fault describes how her writing journey began after her daughter was born

SHELF LIFE

The bestselling Scottish psychological thriller author picks fi

HARRIET TYCE

Photo by Rory Lewis ‘My next book is

CIRCLES’ ROUNDUP

If your writing group would like to feature

Clerkenwell Writers Asylum

Clerkenwell Writers Asylum has published its fourth anthology

SUBSCRIBERS’ NEWS

SHARE YOUR NEWS To feature in subscribers’ news

Stephanie Sowden

The crime-writing chef tells Adrian Magson how she cooked up her debut in lockdown

Jill Steeples

The feel-good writer tells Lynne Hackles how her day pans out after the essential early-morning cuppa

Phoebe Morgan, Kate’s UK editor at HarperCollins:

‘I loved T he Mother Fault from the

COMPETITIONS GUIDE 2022

Pick your favourites and start scheduling your entries, with over 800 competitions to enter – surely something for every writer!

Fantastic beast

Let your imagination take flight in these unicorn-themed creative writing exercises from

SUPERNATURAL SHORT STORY COMPETITION

IN CASH PRIZES & PUBLICATION

Beauty?

Having always been a reader rather than a

Blinded by the Light

As a long-term WM subscriber Dianne Bown-Wilson has

DOING TIME FOR THE WRITE CRIME

Writing group members are in for a long stretch with these crime-related exercises from Julie Phillips

PLAY TIME POEMS

Alison Chisholm is delighted with the playfulness and skill in the entries for WM’s Childhood Games peotry competition

GETTING STUCK IN

Alison Chisholm examines the process from observation to finished poem

A visit to the villanelle

Alison Chisholm launches WM’s latest poetry competition with advice on crafting the form

Be the best for the Bridport

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

GOOD EGGS

The Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition is open

Dark skies, big prize

The Lindisfarne Prize for Crime Fiction 2022 is

Don’t brick it for this comp

The Brick Lane Bookshop Short Story Prize 2022

ONLINE NON-FICTION MARKET

Home for new ideas

MAKE TIME FOR #BOOKTOK

Let’s talk about #BookTok. Face it, if you’re

Rewarding emerging writers

The 2022 Mairtín Crawford Awards are inviting entries.

CRITICAL SENSIBILITIES

The new Women Poetry Prize contest is for

FLASHES

Win a £4,000 first prize for a 900-word

GLOBAL LITERARY MARKET

Head Southword

Literary sports writing wanted

Sports themed poetry, fiction and non fiction is

IT’S ALL A FABLE

Inviting you to write a 21st century fable

UK OUTDOORS MARKET

Outdoor activity

CRANK THEM OUT

Non-profit making publisher Cranked Anvil Press’s quarterly short

FLASHES

Win £1,000 in the Globe Soup 2022 Short

UK SPORTS MARKET

The match is on

NORTHERN STAR

Sally J Morgan won the 2022 Portico Prize.

MIDNIGHT AT THE OASIS

DarkLit, from Horror Oasis. is a small indie

GLOBAL SPECFIC MARKET

Raven’s call

SHOOT FOR THE TOP

New indie Head Shot Press is dedicated to

ONLINE TECH MARKET

Tom’s Guide wants tech writers

ONLINE CULTURE MARKET

Entertain the kids

A music blog market

Billing itself as a blog which offers ‘insights

NOT TO BE SNEERED AT

Snarl is a new print and online journal

UK SPECFIC MARKET

Horror finds a home with Bones

SCAM WATCH

New scams targeting writers are highlighted attention by

Make a play for diversity

Plays written in either English or Italian on

FLASHES

Ware Open Poetry Competition 2022 has £600, £300

UK HEALTH MARKET

The Breakdown breakdown

ONLINE HEALTH MARKET

Write for a world gone mad

Write for Rhys

The 2022 Rhys Davies Short Story Competition is

Cluck about this prize for older women

The annual Grey Hen Press Poetry Competition for

INTRODUCTIONS

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

UK SPECFIC MARKET

Diverse horror wanted

FLASHES

The inaugural Indigo Open Poetry Prize from Indigo

ONLINE NARRATIVE MARKET

Active and dramatic narrative stories

GLOBAL SPECFIC MARKET

Three Crows call

Nothing fishy about this competition

The Fish Poetry Prize invites entries of original,

GLOBAL LITERARY MARKET

Tramp looks for new lit voices

Relate the human experience

Typehouse is a different form of US literary

How it started, how it’s going

The theme of this year’s Creative Future Awards

FLASHES

The Washington Post is seeking ‘diverse perspectives on

GLOBAL LITERARY MARKET

Go with the Grain

Grease writing

The editors of Unsettling Reads call themselves ‘Just

TAKE A LEAP

The winner of the Frogmore Poetry Prize 2022

Sow the seeds of a prize poem

The Plough Poetry Prize 2022 is inviting entries.

INTERNATIONAL

ZINE SCENE

FLASHES

Ware Open Poetry Competition 2022 has £600, £300

GLOBAL ROMANCE MARKET

Lucky chance

Everything to play for

The Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting 2022 is inviting

GLOBAL NON-FICTION MARKET

Flowing writing wanted

GLOBAL SPECFIC MARKET

Give it heart and soul

GLOBAL LITERARY MARKET

Arkansas bound

FLASHES

Ver Poets Open Poetry Competition 2022 is for

UK NON-FICTION MARKET

Publishing’s September song

Fit in to get on

Patrick Forsyth recommends a pragmatic approach to getting commissions

Welcome...

Dear Reader

Writing Magazine Competitions, 2022

Get a creative start and start polishing early with a sneak peek at our competition programme for the rest of 2022

Kamali

FIRST PLACE £1,000 Carrie works as an editor

Grace’s Index

1989 Stars in the milky way: 100 thousand