Dear Reader

TAP HERE TO WATCH A WELCOME FROM THE

The season of the pitch

Autumn House is a US indie founded because

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The Art Newspaper, edited by Alison Cole, covers

Encouraging the future of historical fiction

The Young Walter Scott Prize invites young writers

Branching out

From the Farther Trees is a brand new

ONLINE CULTURE MARKET

Write with Urban Flaiire

Poems for change

Poetry which responds to social change and peace

Don’t Ms out

Mslexia Fiction and Memoir Competition 2020 is inviting

GLOBAL SPECFIC MARKET

Into the ether

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Aeroplane (formerly Aeroplane Monthly), edited by Ben Dunnell,

Lockdown lit

Bounds Green Book Writers are inviting anthology submissions

Big names in crime

The Crime Writing Association has announced its 2020

Hugo victors

The 2020 Hugo Awards, often considered the world’s

ONLINE TECH MARKET

Teach tech techniques

Words and music

Chillfiltr spotlights independent artists from around the world.

Rewarding inclusivity

The Diverse Book Awards longlist has been announced

ONLINE BUSINESS MARKET

Insider insight

Connect across continents

Pangyrus is a well established American magazine publishing

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Prospect Magazine is a political and cultural monthly,

UK BOOK MARKET

Hit the North

Loud and hear

The Society of Authors is inviting submissions for

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Woman Alive, founded in 1982 and formerly known

Promote tolerance and understanding

Original theatre scripts which ‘promote tolerance and understanding

Company lines

Workers Write! is published once a year by

INTRODUCTIONS

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

TH E WORLD OF WRITING

From reclaiming names to aiming for fame, anything goes in the wide world of writing

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

Editorial calendar

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

A little less taxing

(Just for once) Patrick Forsyth applauds a government action

Novel Ideas You say tomato...

... and Lynne Hackles is off to search for a kitchen timer

Briefly…

Patrick Forsyth ponders the necessary length of descriptions

A helping handout

Martin Reed describes how the SoA has been supporting authors through the pandemic

COUNTING THE COSTS

Piers Blofeld says the publishing world is holding its collective breath to see how its fortunes will pan out at the end of this period of change and uncertainty

Ask a Literary Consultant

Is it literary? Is it commercial? Cornerstones desk editor Sarah Rouse helps a writer wondering how she should categorise her manuscript when submitting

BEHIND THE TAPE

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

Internet search engines

Learn how to optimise your online searches with advice from research expert Tarja Moles

MY FATHER, THE WAR HERO

Nicholas Young describes the process of discovering that his father, Major Leslie Young, had been a war hero – and writing a book about it

A life inside books

Jess Thompson talks to Sara O’Keeffe about a career that has taken her from book buyer to commissioning editor and now to literary agent

It all ADDS UP

Maths can calculate your imminent book deal, says Rosalind Moody, as she explains how all those rejections you’ve received in the past are adding up to that ‘yes’ moment

TIME IS TIGHT

Jane Wenham Jones urges a writer with a two-book deal and a tight deadline to celebrate – and get to grips with time management

Under the covers Small and mighty

Gillian Harvey is delighted at the thought of readers discovering her debut in indie bookshops

MAKE POETRY PAY

Is it possible to make a profit from poetry? Simon Whaley chats to two poets about their writing business

THAT’S ME TOLD

Lorraine Mace gets the lockdown knockdown when she grumbles about all the stories the pandemic is producting

THE WOMAN IN CHARGE

Prolific Irish novelist Sheila O’Flanagan tells Tina Jackson how she puts her characters through the ringer in her 25th novel

How I got published

The author of The Wild Way Home describes how she found her writing voice telling stories for children

MICHAEL CRUMMEY

The Canadian poet and novelist highlights the five books that have shaped his personality and work

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 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

NICK PETTIGREW

The author tells Adrian Magson about finding the humour in the front-line job that inspired his debut

CARO RAMSAY

The crime writer tells Lynne Hackles that what looks like a disorganised approach is her way of tackling two entirely separate careers

Creating a village

With examples from two great writers, Margot Livesey looks at how to make the world of your novel manageable – and believable

About time. Story time.

Want to write? Get on with it, says Adrian Magson

WORK IN PROGRESS WORKSHOP

Author James McCreet talks to writer Myszka Matthews about the development of her work-in-progress

The time of your life

Helen M Walters explores how characters at different life stages can work in your fiction

PICTURE THIS!

Amy Sparkes launches the Writing Magazine Picture Book Prize 2020 by celebrating the successes of previous winners

Stories for all SEASONS

Give your stories a seasonal flavour to get into your editors’ favour, suggests Margaret James

I wish I’d known…

‘My mother-in-law used to have a fridge

A load of old trope

Alex Davis begins a series on tropes and how to use them – or avoid them – with a look at fantasy’s most common tropes

Waiting

1st place £200 Ruth lives in Slough and

Age CONCERNS

Explore aspects of getting older in these creative writing exercises from Jenny Alexande r

AN INCLUSIVE APPROACH

Julie Phillips looks at ways for writing groups to handle diversity in their writing

Daughters & domesticity

Judge Alison Chisholm is impressed by the entries to WM’s Wordsworth-themed poetry competition

Little grey cells turn to verse

To celebrate the centenary of Agatha Christie’s first novel, Alison Chisholm launches WM’s Christie-themed poetry competition

A bite of the apple

Alison Chisholm explores a reader’s poem that uses an ideal bite-sized form to suit its subject

Poems in practice

Thinking about form helps shape your poem, says Doris Corti

WRITERS'NEWS

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

ONLINE NON-FICTION MARKET

Get your teeth into this

GLOBAL MAGAZINE MARKET

From Japan to India

GLOBAL GAME MARKET

Hit the NERVE

UK SCRIPT MARKET

Got a film script idea?

GLOBAL LITERARY MARKET

Global magazine market

Smell and sound

Audio magazine Petrichor is looking for previously print-published

Find historic resources

Discover Historic Books is a new online project

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David Wheeler, editor of Hortus quarterly, welcomes articles,

ONLINE LIFESTYLE MARKET

Get stuck into Vice

This prize has got lallies

The shortlists have been announced for the Polari

UK CRIME MARKET

Pride of the North

UK CHILDREN’S MARKET

Pig opportunity

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News stories and features (max 1,400 words) on

INTERNATIONAL ZINE SCENE

The Suburban Review is ‘a literary collective that

Grace Jones wins Caine Prize

Nigerian-British writer Irenosen Okojie has won the 2020

GLOBAL CHILDREN’S MARKET

Capture a sense of wonder

FLASHES

The Scottish Farmer weekly, edited by Ken Fletcher,

Book bonanza

Reading charity BookTrust has handed out 237,000 free

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Such is life

FLASHES

Take a Break’s Take a Puzzle monthly is

UK MAGAZINE MARKET

A van-tastic opportunity 

Welcome...

Dear Reader It has become customary for me

Open competitions

Fill your inkwells and dive into your creative well with a sneak peek at our competition programme for the fi rst six months of 2021

Why I Failed my Online Course The Elements of Realistic Drawing

Our perception of the world depends on light,

Lizards

Michael Callaghan is a lawyer living and working

The Elephant in the Room

This is Tracy’s first win in the Swanwick

THE PRINCE of All Stars

FIRST PLACE £250 KC Finn has won multiple