Welcome…

How do you follow up one of the biggest books ever?

THE WORLD OF WRITING

This month’s wide world of writing includes grave matters, short stories and the best advice of all: just write it

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

We want to hear your news and views on the writing world, your advice for fellow writers – and don’t forget to tell us what you would like to see featured in a future issue…

Away from your desk

Get out of your garret for some upcoming activities and places to visit Back soon!

Novel Ideas

The reality of writing differs dramatically from the public perception, says Lynne Hackles

Editorial calendar

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

Helpline

Your writing problems solved with advice from Diana Cambridge

WRITERS’ WEB WATCH

WM’s resident webcrawler suggests ways to safeguard your data from ransomware and other malware attacks

GRAND INDESIGNS

PC trainer Greta Powell has advice for writers working with InDesign and other software

It’s all in the numbers

Taking an analytical approach to prose composition, with Michael Allen

From the OTHE SIDE R OF THE DESK

Literary agent Piers Blofeld explains the benefit of keeping things modest

Ask a Literary Consultant

Literary consultant Helen Corner-Bryant hands over the reigns to social media ‘guru’ Julie Gourinchas to answer a query about the importance of an online presence

FOCUS on TYPE

Ensure your book design matches the best on the shelves with layout guidelines from SilverWood Books

CHECK CHECK CHECK

Proofreading is a necessary part of the life of a published writer. Avoid typos and proofing glitches with the help of eagle-eyed Margaret James

I wish I’d known…

Novelists tell us what they wished they’d known right at the start of their careers.

Status update…

Half way through the year is the perfect time to reassess your goals, achievements and resolutions, says Lynne Hackles

THE EDITOR knows best

With a view from both sides of the desk, editor turned novelist Anna Pitoniak offers a unique insight into the mistakes writers make and how to avoid them

Going mobile

Can we write a novel on a smartphone, or edit a short story on a tablet? Simon Whaley connects with four writers who aren’t chained to their desks.

Not quite what we’re looking for

Getting rejection letters is part of a writer’s lot. Jan Snook offers a light-hearted interpretation of what editors actually mean

Remote CONTROL

Forced discipline and internet isolation get Lorraine Mace writing, but at what cost?

CHANGING TRACKS

How do you follow up one of the biggest books of the decade? Do exactly what you want, Paula Hawkins tells Tina Jackson

On writing

Tony Rossiter explores great words from great writers

Daydream believer

Free your mind to fuel your imagination urges Adrian Magson

The style & technique of F SCOTT FITZGERALD

Tony Rossiter examines the writer who epitomised the Jazz Age

How I got published

Julie-Ann Corrigan’s debut psychological thriller, Falling Suns, is published by Accent Press. She shares her path to publication with Dolores Gordon-Smith

Shelf life: THOMAS H COOK

The crime novelist turned travel memoirist shares his five favourite reads with Judith Spelman

SUBSCRIBER SPOTLIGHT

Share your writing success stories. If you subscribe to Writing Magazine and would like to feature here, email Tina Jackson, tjackson@warnersgroup.co.uk

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 TinaJackson, tjackson@warnersgroup.co.uk

CRIME FILE

Chris Simms combines two ongoing series in his latest novel.He explains how, to Chris High

HILARY BOYD

Success was a long time coming for The Lavender House author, she tells Margaret James

MEG HOWREY

LA novelist Meg Howrey shares her writing routines with Lynne Hackles

The Jane game

Imagine if Jane Austen was trying to land a publishing deal in today’s competitive climate as Sophie Beal looks for reasons she might get overlooked

Under the microscope

Author and lecturer James McCreet puts a reader’s first 300 words through a forensic micro-critique

Past tense

A reader worried about setting her novel in the past gets research advice from Jane Wenham-Jones

It’s a mystery

Helen M Walters delves into the secrets of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Japanned Box

All aboard

Whip your crew into shape to delight young readers with tales of adventure on the high seas, with advice from author Amy Sparkes

CREEPY PASTA

Delve into the darkest recesses of the web, and your mind, to indulge in urban legends and faux histories with viral horror advice from Alex Davis

WIN! £500 IN CASH PRIZES & PUBLICATION

We’re not asking for a short story this month, but

Let’s Pretend

‘She said that sort of thing was private and Mrs Mason

BE A DRAMA QUEEN

See your writing play out in front of you with your group’s support in an exercise from Julie Phillips

Red Editing Pen

Each month, we give you a few sentences which would all benefit from some careful use of your red editing pen. As writers, and regular readers of Writing Magazine, you should not find any of these too difficult. But if you would welcome a little help, you can always check out Richard Bell’s suggested solutions below.

WIN!

Whisk us away for this month’s creative writing competition

QUALITY over all

Judge Alison Chisholm highlights the outstanding winners from our unthemed annual Open Poetry Competition

IN THE BAG

A familiar topic, approached from a new angle, in a reader’s poem analysed by Alison Chisholm

Poetry in practice

Experiment with some restrictive forms with advice from Doris Corti

Poetry from A to Z

Poet Alison Chisholm guides you through the language of poetry

Myths & urban legends

Dig deep into folklore, mythology, urban legends and fake news with help from Tarja Moles

A day in the library

A local writers’ event leaves Patrick Forsyth pondering its merits

Seeking new future classics

Your essential monthly round-up of competitions, paying

A rattling good prize

The Brighton Prize is open for entries of short stories

Hello to Berlin

The winner of the 2017 Berlin Writing Prize will be

Third year for Novel Award

Running for a third year, the Caledonian Novel Award

Cafe stories for new contest

The Dinesh Allirajah Prize for Short Fiction is a new

Get Brooksed

The Oxford Brookes International Poetry Competition

UK MAGAZINE MARKET

A right royal commission

FLASHES

Richard Bath is the GARY DALKIN editor of Scottish

GLOBAL MAGAZINE MARKET

Get to know the American Scholar

Winning aesthetics

The 11th Aesthetica Creative Writing Award is now open

Awards for new Scots

Scottish Book Trust’s New Writers Awards 2018 are open

GLOBAL ONLINE MARKET

A buzz about essays

Who Dunnett? Dorothy.

The Dorothy Dunnett Short Story Award is a new prize

It’s a Funny Old World

• Roger Boyes, of The Times, recently came across a

FLASHES

Waterways World monthly magazine about canals and rivers

UK HEALTH MARKET

Challenging received wisdom

Border lines

Amnesty International York group is inviting entries

Turn the heat up on women’s fiction

Female fiction website booksandthecity.co.uk has teamed

GLOBAL MAGAZINE MARKET

Food for thought

Set the bargate high

Soho Theatre is accepting entries for the 2017 Verity

All’s fair in this writers’ contest

The Irish Writers Centre has launched Novel Fair 2018

Start-up for new voices

Entries are invited for the Adventures in Fiction New

FLASHES

Helen Watson edits The Teacher, the official magazine

GLOBAL PICTURE BOOK MARKET

Scrawl away

Young poets, your chance to shine

The Foyle Young Poet of the Year Award 2017 is open

Writing for women

The Hysteria Writing Competition, run by and supporting

Freedom to write

As Hull is this year’s City of Culture, the theme of

GLOBAL POETRY MARKET

Let your poetry be celebrated

A memory tree for Kosta

Short stories on the theme of ‘someone who stands up

New writing for Wasafiri

Entries are now being accepted for the Wasafiri New

And another thing…

‘Has tourism murdered travel writing? I don’t think

FLASHES

Poetry Wales is published quarterly and is edited by

GLOBAL MAGAZINE MARKET

Sharpen up on Broken Pencil

Strangers in Norwich

Norwich Writers’ Circle is inviting entries for its

Poems and prayers

The Manchester Cathedral Poetry Competition 2017 is

A write Swan

The Walter Swan Short Story Prize 2017-18 launches

INTRODUCTIONS

Writing Magazine presents a selection of spiritual magazines currently accepting contributions. We strongly recommend that you familiarise yourself with their guidelines before submitting and check websites, where given, for submission details.

GLOBAL SF MARKET

Get into the Escape Pod

FLASHES

Tim Danton is editor-in-chief of PC Pro monthly magazine

GLOBAL LITERARY MARKET

Launch yourself at Catapult

Into the Alley

Vagabondage Press is a US independent publisher with

World beating

The winners of the British Science Fiction Association

$15,000 prize and publication for ‘professional’ writers

The Drue Heinz Literature Prize is a literary prize

GLOBAL FICTION MARKET

Love is online

World of opportunity

Although most of the magazine and website content is

Young talent stands tall

Ella Standage, from Alleyn’s School, Dulwich, London

Preserving disposable data

We still have writings from ancient cultures, carved

FLASHES

Horse & Hound weekly magazine is edited by Pippa

GLOBAL MAGAZINE MARKET

Fair crack

Identifying that old book smell

Readers have long loved the smell of books, especially

Arty inspiration

The City of Rockingham Short Fiction Awards are hosted

Get the horn for a wild range of poetry

Rhino is an annual poetry magazine, well established

ZINE SCENE

Fireside Magazine is a zine which now has a political

FLASHES

Manor magazine is an aspirational lifestyle quarterly

GLOBAL MAGAZINE MARKET

Despite the instant cultural connection, Life in a

GLOBAL SMALL PRESS MARKET

LCk Publishing is a US independent press, ‘created

Play politics

Welcoming scripts from around the world and from writers

GLOBAL MAGAZINE MARKET

easyJet Traveller is the in-flight magazine for easyJet

Making dreams reality

Patrick Forsyth finds a source of inspiration and advice

FLASHES

Myriad First Drafts Competition is for the first 5

GLOBAL FICTION MARKET

Imajin Books is a Canadian small press offering small

Book Talk

Recently I read a piece about the making of poetry.

Head for Ledbury

An all-star cast ‘from all over the world’ will celebrate

UK EDUCATIONAL MARKET

Brilliant Publications publishes books and other resources

Arsenika asks

Arsenika is a new US online quarterly journal of speculative

Forge on

UK webzine The Forge was founded by volunteers from