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Novel Ideas

It’s important to remember when things go right, says Lynne Hackles Lynne Hackles
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Writing Magazine
February 2022
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Masthead
WELCOME
Happy new year! And welcome to the fi
Regulars
The world of writing
As the relentless grind of technology drags Miscellany Manors kicking and screaming into the 21st centur y, find out why we won’t be printing WM in binary any time soon
LETTERS
STAR LETTER REACH FOR THE STARS In April
Editorial calendar
Strong for ward planning will greatly improve your chances with freelance submissions. Here are some themes to consider for the coming months
Which way forward?
Be clear about what you want publication to achieve, urges Patrick Forsyth
Short and sweet
Succinct descriptions can work wonders, says Patrick Forsyth
Ask the Experts
All about the edits
Helen Corner-Bryant explains the different levels of editing a manuscript needs before it’s published
Waking up & smelling the coffee
Publishing has learned a lot from lockdown about office life, says Piers Blofeld
Youth culture
Tarja Moles helps you get your head around finding accurate information about young people
Behind the tape
Expert advice to get the details right from police officer Lisa Cutts
Writing Life
HOW TO get discovered
Anna Davis of Curtis Brown Creative tells you how to write the introductory letter and synopsis that will give you real agent appeal
Dyslexia unbounded
Writing with dyslexia brings rewards with its challenges, says Alice Dunn
Promo post
Simon Whaley chats to three authors who use promotional email newsletter services to boost their writing business
TOP TIPS FROM THE AUTHORS
• Alison Morton: ‘Regard it as a marketing
A SPOONFUL OF SUCCESS
H as anyone got a spoon? As I
Creative Writing
Your life on the page
Would you like to start writing your own life story? Acclaimed memoirist Cathy Rentzenbrink offers a guide on how to get started on life-writing
Has it got legs ?
How do you know if your work-in-progress is hitting the mark? Adrian Magson provides some pointers
Your writing critiqued
James McCreet applies his forensic criticism to the first 300 words of a reader’s manuscript
THE LAST GOODBYE
How do you create an effective ending in fiction? Margaret James has advice on how to wrap up your stories
I wish I’d known
‘Just shut up and keep writing. ‘This is
The power of three
Helen M Walters explores the possibilities of the number three in fiction, with a short story by Andrea Lee
The ROOTS OF fantasy
Alex Davis explores the journey of the genre from its origins
A BOOK FOR EVERY CHILD
Amy Sparkes talks to three children’s authors about the vital importance of celebrating difference
Interviews and Profiles
HAUNTED BY THE PAST
Swimming against the tide comes naturally for supernatural crime bestseller Stuart Neville, as he tells Tina Jackson
Are you ready for romance?
Is being a romance author the ultimate romantic dream? With Valentine’s Day looming, Rosalind Moody prays the answer is ‘yes’
Saba Sams
The author of debut short story collection Send Nudes remembers how writing set her free as a teenager
SHELF LIFE
Prolific bestseller Diane Chamberlain shares the fi ve books that have made the greatest impact on her
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
SUBSCRIBERS’ NEWS
SHARE YOUR NEWS
From fact to fiction
‘I think there must be something contagious about
Comedy duo
‘Two years ago, I was delighted to be
A light-hearted view
‘As a volunteer at our local museum I’ve
Hasta la fiesta!
‘It had always been a far-off dream to
Sarah Bonner
The new psychological thriller author tells Adrian Magson how she profited from the pandemic
Lori Ann Stephens
The author and professor tells Lynne Hackles about Paris, Texas, and how she writes best in the comfy chair
Competitions and Exercises
Find your happy
Jenny Alexander urges you to embrace positivity Are you finding winter a bit bleak? in these creative writing exercises
Someone I Used To Know
Amanda Fennelly is a radio producer and presenter with RTÉ, Ireland’s national broadcaster, and has a degree in journalism. She has dabbled in creative writing since she was a child, doing a number of courses over the years, and has tried her luck in WM competitions a few times but until now was only shortlisted once. She was on the verge of taking a break from creative writing so this achievement has given her confidence the boost it needed to keep working towards her dream of one day having a novel published
ABRACADABRA!
Cast a spell over your writing group in these magic-themed exercises from Julie Phillips
Coffee Ghosts
FIRST PLACE £1,000 WINNER: ALASTAIR CHISHOLM Alastair Chisholm
Poetry
SETTING IDEAS free
Alison Chisholm explores a well-crafted poem with a sculpture theme
Let love in
Alison Chisholm launches Writing Magazine’s annual
Writers' News
Emerging novelists, make a splash
The Bath Novel Award 2022 is inviting entries.
Books of the century
Last October The New York Times decided to
STAR SUBMISSIONS
Fiction, flash fiction, creative non fiction, poetry and
In the aftermath
The theme for the 2021/22 Never Such Innocence
Tune in to Popular Science
Popular Science was launched in the US in
Snowed under with submissions
There are categories for poetry and fiction in
NORTHERN EXPOSURE
The 2022 Northern Writers’ Awards are open for
FLASHES
The quarterly Bath Flash Fiction Award is inviting
Let Live Novel bring your story to life
Live Novel calls itself ‘an audiobook for your
Enigma variations
Enter writing on the theme of ‘Enigma’ for
A sustainable prize
Cheshire Prize for Literature 2021 is inviting entries
Understanding today’s work issues
With a focus on reported narrative features Worklife
Branch out
Published in print and digital formats three times
Win and develop your theatre piece
The 2022 Neukom Institute Literary Arts Awards for
More Weird Tales
Submission details aren’t available yet, but the classic
FLASHES
The annual Flash 500 Short Stories Competition has
Cat talk
Fun speculative fiction stories about cats are invited
Make an impact
Puncher & Wattmann is an Australian publisher of
Rewarding indies
The international Rubery Book Award 2022 is for
Times for news solutions
The New York Times publishes an ongoing series
Watch out for this poetry prize
The Sentinel Literary Quarterly Poetry Competition, from the
Searchlight on children’s stories
The Searchlight Writing for Children Awards are inviting
FLASHES
Win £1,000 for 1,000-word short fiction in the
Dame on
Dame Magazine is an independent US news, politics
Costa shortlists
The shortlists for the 50th Costa Book Awards
History to the Pugmill
The Pugmill Press Hidden Gem Prizes is a
Making History
Published quarterly, History Magazine is published by Moorshead
UNICORN PUBLISHING GROUP
Unicorn Publishing Group is a leading independent publisher
A rare beast in the book world
Royal Museums Greenwich, Royal Armouries, Notting Hill Editions,
FLASHES
A one-woman press specialising in ‘intimate, visceral and
Have your play published
Original Works Publishing is a publishing and licensing
Make for Steerforth
US publisher Steerforth Press was launched in 1993,
Way out West Country for poets
The Teignmouth Poetry Festival Poetry Competition is inviting
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
Dream on
Lucent Dreaming is a British biannual print and
A tight screw
The Screw Turn Flash Fiction Competition, The Ghost
FLASHES
Lovetovisit.com is a new travel website launched
London literary agency
Darley Anderson Literary, TV and Film agency has
Into the Knight
Small indie Knight Writing Press has a founder
Quick, Rescue
Open for submissions until 15 January, Rescue Press
Buzzy book coverage
Farrah Penn, editor of Buzzfeed Books, a section
Your story could blow up
Word Balloon Books is a modern hybrid press
Writers help writers
The Writers’ Co-op grew from ‘a small group
FLASHES
Win a £500 prize for 21st century fables
Neverending Chicken Soup
The editors of the Chicken Soup anthologies want
Right up your street
A US annual literary anthology, Upstreet is open
Read this, please
The Borough Press is inviting submissions for bestselling
ZINE SCENE
McCoy’s Monthly is a zine with a team
FLASHES
Wildfire Words New Voices First Pamphlet Competition 2022
Subs open all year at Black Lawrence
Black Lawrence Press is a US indie publishing
A new way to tell a story
Writers interested in AI technology and what it
Political pulse
Novara Media is a UK multimedia outlet founded
Queer and here!
The new PFD Queer Fiction Prize 2022 has
FLASHES
The Baen Memorial Short Story Award for short
Stories, previously untold
Pugmill Press is a new independent non-fiction publisher
Write for Rosemary
The Rosemary Goodacre Memorial Short Story Competition is