The world of writing

WELCOME

We often talk, in Writing Magazine, about the

LETTERS

STAR LETTER A LESSON FOR TEACHER Now then,

Editorial calendar

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

Glad eye

Sometimes another view really helps, says Patrick Forsyth

QUARTER MSS

Quarter Press is a tiny press. The editorial

Novel Ideas

You do you

Unfair FIGHTS

A book’s failure can leave an author wondering how to fight their corner, says literary agent Piers Blofeld

Second chances

You’ve published though a small press, or self-published, but now you want to take your work to traditional agents and publishers. Sarah Conkerton, Cornerstones’ assistant editor with an agency background, looks at the practicalities

Maps

Using maps can help you find out about much more than getting around, says Tarja Moles

Behind the tape

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

KEEPING TIME WITH STORY

Understanding story is vital to crafting the internal mechanism of your creative writing, says author James McCreet

Your writing critiqued

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

(Re)Telling tales

Existing myths, legends and tales can provide a brilliant source of material for new stories. Two authors share their experiences with Amy Sparkes

Scene on screen

Helen M Walters explores how TV can play an effective role in your short fiction

THE TROUBLE WITH TIME TRAVEL

Alex Davis explores one of sci-fi’s most problematic concepts

MAKING FRIENDS

Margaret James looks at the role of friendship in your fiction

Words are a way through

Is writing therapeutic? Snowflake author Louise Nealon describes how putting words on the page helped her more than therapy

Lingering EFFECTS

Author Lesley Thomson explores the way things that leave impressions in life affect you as a reader and writer

THE WIDER WORLD OF WORDLE

If you’re sick of the normal daily grid, Rosalind Moody presents a new game for every wordaholic this summer

NUMBERS ADD UP

There are very good reasons why you’re never too old to write, says Adrian Magson

ALL PLUSES, NO MINUSES

How can Amazon’s A+ Content help self-published writers? Simon Whaley chats to two authors who explored its promotional opportunities

NOTHING little ABOUT IT

No need to be modest about our writing achievements, says Gillian Harvey

Dark star

Crime bestseller Stuart MacBride explains how he writes dark tales with a light touch to Tina Jackson

Louise Mumford

Facing a big birthday forced the psychological thriller writer to focus on her ambition of getting into print

Shelf life

New York Times-bestselling popular fiction author Susanna Kearsley picks her five favourite reads

SUSANNA KEARSLEY

© Wendy McAlpine TAP HERE To read an

SUBSCRIBERS’ NEWS

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ROGER STELLJES

The bestselling crime thriller author and practising lawyer tells Margaret James about writing what he knows

Lucy Van Smit

The author and writing guide tells Lynne Hackles that making space for creativity comes first

PLASTIC PLANET

With Plastic Free July on the horizon, try these eco-writing exercises from Jenny Alexander

Toeing the Line

FIRST PLACE £200

HOME TRUTH

Think about what home means in these writing group exercises from Julie Phillips

“REALLY?”

FIRST PLACE £100 ‘T his wasn’t supposed to

Five quick questions 5

• When and where did your journey as

See for yourself

Patrick Forsyth finds new idea inspiration on his first holiday in two years

A WOOF LIFE

Alison Chisholm explores a persona poem written in the voice of a dog

WRITERS’ NEWS

Best for Bedford

SHORT FIC FOR SÉAN

The Séan O’Faoláin International Short Story Competition from

Poems for prizes please

The McLellan Poetry Prize 2022 is inviting entries.

Get flashing

One of the Scottish Arts Trust Story Awards,

Time for changes

This year’s Hammond House 2022 Literary Prize is

GLOBAL SF MARKET

Infinite possibilities

Remembering Hamnet

The first memorial for Hamnet and Judith, the

Poe winners

The winners of the 2022 Edgar Allen Poe

Open access for this comp

The Perito Prize is an international contest that

Get to know The Vincent Brothers

The Vincent Brothers Review (TVBR for short) is

FLASHES

The Leicester Writes Short Story Prize 2022, from

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Catch the tide

UK MAGAZINE MARKET

Ageing gracefully

Writing can get stuffed

The Literary Taxidermy Writing Competition 2022 is inviting

UK BOOK MARKET

A safe space with Leamington Books

CRANK UP YOUR STORYTELLING SKILLS

The latest quarterly prompt contest from Cranked Anvil

Young eyes look back

The Young Walter Scott Prize is inviting entries

FLASHES

The Farnham Flash Fiction Competition from Farnham Fringe

ONLINE TRAVEL MARKET

Write about destinations you really know

GLOBAL SMALL PRESS MARKET

Natural selection

ONLINE NON-FICTION MARKET

Write with a fresh angle

SEASIDE GOTHIC

Seaside Gothic is a British magazine published ‘from

Place first

Lea Ypi has won the 2022 RSL Ondaatje

FLASHES

The Hysteria 22 writing competition from Linda Parkinson-Hardman

GLOBAL BOOK MARKET

CLASH CITY WRITERS

In defence of poems

The Soldiers Arts Academy International Poetry Competition 2022,

GET BUZZY WRITING POEMS

Win a first prize of £600 for poems

ONLINE ART MARKET

Know your art

GLOBAL NON-FICTION MARKET

Fresh Chicken Soup

FLASHES

Win a £2,000 first prize in the Troubadour

ONLINE TECH MARKET

Get to know The Information

GLOBAL SMALL PRESS MARKET

Optimistic SF wanted

Quiet but lovely

The Quiet Man Dave Prize 2022 is inviting

INTRODUCTIONS

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

GLOBAL LITERARY MARKET

Catch a current

FLASHES

The next edition of the quarterly Henshaw Press

GLOBAL NON-FICTION MAGAZINE

Go against the flow

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Celebrate the greats

ONLINE HEALTH MARKET

Face drugs head on

GLOBAL BOOK MARKET

Make an impression

FLASHES

Secret Attic’s monthly free-entry short story contest closes

UK CHILDREN’S MARKET

Magazine for brilliant young minds

FOR WORKING CLASS WRITERS

If you consider yourself to be a writer

A JOFFELY GOOD PRIZE

The winner of the Joffe Books Prize 2022

INTERNATIONAL ZINE SCENE

If you like experimental horror ergot. calls itself

FLASHES

The quarterly Bath Flash Fiction Award offers a

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Opening the floodgates

GLOBAL SPECFIC MARKET

Speculate here

THIS CUBICLE HELL

The Covid pandemic has certainly made an impact

GLOBAL GENRE MARKET

Something odd here

GLOBAL SPECFIC MARKET

Rap on Three Ravens’ door

UK BOOK MARKET

Do the groundwork for Graffeg