Dust Collectors

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Anthony Trollope, Bryant and May series, Christopher Fowler, Diary of a Provincial Lady, George Eliot, Jane Austen, Jude the Obscure, Tanya van Hasselt, Woman's Weekly

That’s how my great-aunts dismissed books. Like all households they had Bibles, prayer books, a cookery book or two, and “ready reckoners” with curious rod, pole or perch measurements. The prayer books were miniscule with tissue paper pages and tiny print, but the horrors of childbirth could be imagined from The Churching of Women.

I have my grandmother’s Enquire Within upon Everything should I need to address the Younger Son of an Earl, prepare a potion for my children because I have made them sick with Brimstone and Treacle, or dance a Quadrille.

What did they do for stories? Woman’s Weekly perhaps, but I think it was taken for the knitting patterns. My mother had a collection of Home Chat magazines that might have contained stories, but I remember its “make do and mend” fashion pages.

Himself and I have shelves of dust collectors in every room. When it comes to novels he and I rarely read the same authors. A mutual favourite is the Bryant and May detective series by Christopher Fowler. Having finished The Water Room I suggested it could go to a charity shop. ‘No,’ he said, ‘when I’m old(!) I’ll have forgotten the plot and will read it again.’

I am not a re-reader of novels. (I can spend hours dipping into Enquire Within. I think I need paragraph 1530 Rules of Conduct drawn up by the celebrated Quakeress, Mrs Fry.)

Exceptions to my no rereading rule are Jude the Obscure – but not Tess of the D’urbervilles, too many dramatisations perhaps – and The Diary of a Provincial Lady, maybe the latter as I have a curiosity for outdated domestic detail, engendered by pouring over those early self-helps.

I think I may be alone among my fellow ninevoices. Tanya has declared that she will not read a novel unless she considers it will be worthy of rereading. This is evident from her character analyses of the works of Austen, Eliot, Trolloppe and many more. Often, too, she is reminded of passages from her favourite novels. However, she has inspired me to buy and rediscover Barbara Pym. I probably read library editions before: one way of limiting the dust collectors.

To read and reread, or enjoy the memory of the first experience? which may, of course, be faulty.

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Open up that bottom drawer!

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Across the River, Beaulieu river, Lorraine Mace, Woman's Weekly, Writers' Forum magazine

Does everyone else have a drawer stuffed with short story manuscripts?

I have. These are stories which over the years I’ve sent out to competitions in spasmodic bursts of energy and confidence. When they didn’t win a prize – to be fair this wasn’t actually surprising! – back they went into the drawer.

Sometimes they were pulled out again a few months later. A fresh eye might iron out a few ungraceful sentences, get rid of those sneaky verbal tics,  change the opening sentence.  Now it’s got a new coating of paint surely it’s in with a chance!

But no. The judges in another competition still didn’t like it. This time it’s harder to understand. WHAT IS WRONG with this story? Another tweaking? Maybe, but possibly it hasn’t got the essential bones. No amount of face lifting is going to disguise that.

Yet there is the occasional story in that pile which you are especially proud of.  It’s your favourite and you know you can’t make it any better by fiddling around with it in the hope of pleasing someone else.  Is this when you need to have faith in your own judgment?

Across the River , which won a Writers’ Forum magazine competition and is published in the October issue, is one I first wrote a dozen years ago and has had only tiny changes made to it since then, for it was written with a rare feeling of rightness and is sharp with memories of childhood and the Beaulieu river.

Yet this story failed to impress the judges of several competitions though it was once shortlisted; nor did it appeal to Woman’s Weekly magazine. It’s not until this year that my belief in it was vindicated. Thank you Writers’ Forum magazine and Lorraine Mace their short story judge.

I’m also especially pleased at the way the story has been illustrated with an evocative photo of a boy rowing a dinghy, wearing one of those bulky life jackets that I remember so well. Thanks are due to the magazine’s editor for this perfect choice …

Altogether it’s been worth the twelve years of waiting. Perhaps we should all have another look through that bottom drawer …

 

 

Competitions to enter in May – Something for Everyone!

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Woman's Weekly, Writing Competitions

The Bridport Competition closes on May 31st for Short Stories (up to 5,000 words), Poetry (up to 42 lines) and Flash Fiction (up to 250 words). Prizes are £5,000, £1,000 and £500, plus 10 x £50 highly commendeds for short stories and poetry; £!,000, £500, £250, plus 3 x £25 highly commendeds for flash fiction. Anthology publication for all. Entry fees: £7 per flash fiction, $8 per poem, £9 per short story. Website: http://www.bridportprize.org.uk

The Peggy Chapman-Andrews Award (organised by the Bridport Prize) for the first 5,000-8,000 words of an unpublished debut novel. Prizes £1,000 and mentoring; £500, 3x£100. Entry fee: £20. Deadline 31st May. Website as above.

Liverpool Hope Playwriting Prize. One comedy writer will win £10,000 and the opportunity to have their play considered for production by Liverpool’s Royal court, while up to two Highly Commended awards of £1,500 will be on offer.

Open to anyone over the age of 18 in any UK territory or the Republic of Ireland. There is a £20 entry fee. Deadline 31st May. Details from http://www.playwritingprize.com

Criminal Lines 2016. The first 15,000 words plus synopsis of a crime novel by an unagented, unpublished or self-published author. Prizes: £500 plus ticket to The Writers’ Workshop Festival of Writing. £500 runner-up. Possible representation from agent A M Heath. FREE ENTRY. Deadline 4th May. Website: http://amheath.com/blog/criminal-lines/

Page to Stage 2016. Playscripts of up to 20 pages or 20 minutes. Prizes: total of £300, professional reading, bursary. Entry fee: £10 Closing date 6 May. Website: http://tacchi-morris.com

Frome Festival Short Story.  Short stories 1,000-2,200 words, any theme. Prizes: £300, £150, £75. Winning entrants also published on the website and may be sent to Women’s Weekly for consideration. Closing date 31st May. Website: http://www.fromeshortstorycompetition.co.uk

Yeovil Literary Prize. For novels (opening chapters and synopsis, up to 15,000 words), short stories (max. 2,000 words), poems (up to 40 lines) and ‘writing without restrictions’. Prizes: for novels, £1,000, £250 and £100; for poems/short stories: £500, £200, £100; for ‘writing without restriction’ £200, £100, £50. Entry fee: £11 for novels, £6 for short stories, £6 for one poem, £100 for three ‘writing without restriction’. Deadline 31st May. Website: http://www.yeovilprize.co.uk

Cinnamon Press Short Story Prize. Stories 2,000-5,000 words. Prizes: £500, £100, £50, winners and runners-up published in anthology. Entry fee: £12. Deadline 31st May. Website: http://www.cinnamonpress.com

Writersreign Short Story Competition. 1,000-1,500 words, open theme. Prizes, £100, £50, 3x£10 Highly Commendeds. Entry fee: £3.50, £6 for two. Deadline 31st May. Website: http://www.writersreign.co.uk

Winchester Writers’ Festival. Poems, any subject, 40 lines max for each entry. Prizes £125, £75 and £50. Childrens’: a picture book, up to 600 words, prose or verse, aimed at ages 3-6, or funny fiction up to the first 1,000 words, for ages 8-12, and synopsis of the remainder. Editorial meeting with Little Tiger for first place. Flash Fiction: up to 500 words; consultation with Janklow & Nesbit agents for first placed. Crime: the first 500 words of a short story or novel with a murder thriller theme; prizes, £60, £40, £20. Memoir: up to 2,500 words, self-contained or the first chapter; attendance at a Writers & Artists’ conference for first. Novel: the first three pages, plus a synopsis of 600 words max. (any theme or period); consultation with Little, Brown for first place. Short story: 1,500-3,000 words; Writing Magazine Creative Writing Course for first, critiques for second and third. TV Drama: submit a one-page proposal for a TV drama or comedy series; prizes Final Draft software. Closing date 13 May. Website http://www.writersfestival.co.uk

2016 Raymond Carver Short Story Contest. International entries sought for Carve magazine’s pretigious competition, now in its 16th year. Literary fiction up to 6,000 words. First prize $1,500. Second and third prizes of $500 and $250 and two Editor’s Choice prizes of $125. The winners will be published in the October edition of Carve and winning entries will be read by three literary agencies. Deadline 15th May. Details http://www.writers-online.co.uk/Writing Magazine/

PLEASE check details are correct before entering! Some of the deadlines are SOON.

The Rejection Diaries

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Competitions, rejection, Woman's Weekly

Wouldn’t want you to think I’ve stopped submitting.

I’ve had TWO rejections in the last weeks: a ‘boomerang’ from Woman’s Weekly (back so fast the girl opening the mail probably dealt with it) and a letter from The People’s Friend which took about five weeks to arrive. The latter was actually a proper three-paragraph letter explaining that the story ‘hadn’t met with success because the theme of the plot would be too familiar to our readers‘.

At least it was properly considered, and at least they gave a reason.

I was one of the expeditionary force who attended the Woman’s Weekly Workshop. One of the useful things about the day – apart from meeting a roomful of people serious about their writing – was being given tip sheets. One in particular detailed why stories were rejected. Top of Della Galton’s list  was predictability, with overused theme second. Point duly taken.

Entering competitions not only helps your writing, it cushions you against editorial rejection. I’ve had a win, two shortlistings and a commendation this year, and that saves me from thinking I’m a totally crap writer because a magazine rejects a story.

Woman’s Weekly Workshop

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adverbs, Della Galton, Gaynor Davies, short story workshops, Woman's Weekly

Going to a Woman’s Weekly short story workshop held at their headquarters in Southwark Street, London, might not be the first choice of outing for some of the members of ninevoices, but the four of us who went reckoned that it was a fun day out, even if we didn’t learn anything startlingly new.

Woman’s Weekly fiction editor Gaynor Davies and writer/Writers Forum magazine agony auntie Della Galton talked us through what WW are looking for, what pitfalls to avoid and how to maximise our chances of success when submitting.

Short writing exercises followed, and the roomful of ladies – yes, no men dared to join us – read aloud our scrambled-together sentences. The criticism and praise given by Gaynor and Della was useful if brief – and occasional outbursts of hilarity and the overall atmosphere of non-competitive goodwill made the day a non-threatening experience.

A lot of credit must be given to our two warm-hearted, quick thinking and professional mentors for this; it can’t be easy balancing the varying demands and personalities of so many would-be WW contributors all coming to the workshop with different expectations.

One criticism we might make is that there were too many of us crammed around a very long table, and some attendees probably felt too far away from Gaynor and Della to engage and contribute as much as they might have done.

Would we go again? WW also offer workshops on twist in the tale and crime, so it’s a possibility. But it’s likely that even with these variations it would be basically going over the same ground. We ought to know the rules by now.

I’m glad I went. We all need to try something different sometimes, even if our heart sinks at being told for the nth time to avoid those apparently ruinous adverbs. It’s good to be reminded of what a story should be. And it’s rather inspiring to meet lots of enthusiastic and friendly women all prepared to have a go at something that isn’t as easy as you’d think…

 

 

 

The Rejection Diaries : Fifty Shades of Red

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competitions, Rachel Dunlop, Woman's Weekly

Yesterday brought an old-fashioned brown envelope rejection – it’s usually email or silence these days – to a story I sent to Woman’s Weekly. I’d tried to do the right things: studied the magazine, opted for the first person narrative which they seem to favour, even included an appealing small dog. They obviously hated it. Or did they?

I recently learned that a story I wasn’t happy about has been shortlisted for a competition. It was on a set theme and I found it such a struggle to come up with something appropriate that I ran out of time and put it in the post, warts and all.

So what’s that all about?

Ninevoices have written before about Rachel Dunlop’s must-read blog ‘Butterflies‘ of January 2013 on this subject. She argues that competitions (and, presumably, fiction editors) are like photographers setting up a photo-shoot. They already have a great red dress, a fabulous bag – and only lack a pair of black killer heels and some classy accessories. And what have you sent them? Another red dress. It’s probably a stunning creation, but they’ve got one of those already and moved on.

She adds that competition judges prefer a spread of style/theme for their handful of winners. They clearly wouldn’t want the first, second and third places all to be stories about a one-legged ex-priest, wearing a red dress, who kidnaps and murders female politicians.

Getting Stories into Print – Woman’s Weekly

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Woman's Weekly

There aren’t many commercial outlets for short stories, but Woman’s Weekly actively seeks submissions and offers advice on what they are looking for on their website under Writers’ Guidelines. They also hold periodic workshops – in Manchester and London – chaired by their Fiction Editor. (There are enticing-looking craft and needlework workshops, as well)

We’re not talking about The New Yorker here, but a great many people enjoy relaxing with this magazine and an acceptance does involve a payment cheque.