Author interview no.19 with supernatural mystery/horror/scriptwriter Julia Kavan

Welcome to the nineteenth of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, directors, bloggers, autobiographers and more. Today’s is with supernatural mystery/horror/scriptwriter and fellow Litopian Julia Kavan. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate the author further. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here.

Morgen: Hi Julia. Please tell us something about yourself and how you came to be a writer.

Julia: I have always been very quiet and as child found I was far more confident as a writer.  I enjoyed challenging people’s ideas on paper. This changed a little when I was a teenager – and I challenged people with my appearance and attitude, I never could fit in. My experience of life and the way I thought meant I was outside the safe zone in which my peers existed. Most people where I lived didn’t know what to make of me – and they probably still don’t! I calmed down when I was twenty. Marriage and children followed and I finally returned to writing around ten years ago. I have worked as a creative writing tutor for most of those years and, although I have pursued publication on and off during that time, it is in the last couple of years that I have really applied myself.

Morgen: Me too, I dabbled for a while then realised that it was actually (pretty much) all I could think about (OK, all, even during the day job). What genre do you generally write and have you considered other genres?

Julia: I usually write horror and supernatural mystery. I also write screenplays – one of which is a fantasy comedy drama. I’ve just started experimenting with other genres – but anything published outside of horror will be under a pen name.

Morgen: Good plan. Once your readers get to know you they expect the same genre from you (which is why Ruth Rendell also writes as Barbara Vine; Joanna Trollope as Caroline Harvey etc.). What have you had published to-date? How much of the marketing do you do?

Julia: My first story to be published is Dreaming, Not Sleeping – an erotic horror short published by Etopia Press and available on Amazon for Kindle. It will also be available as part of an anthology later in the year. I’m still finding my feet when it comes to marketing… getting to know what works and what doesn’t.

Morgen: I think most people are… especially electronically. Are your books available as eBooks? If so what was your experience of that process? And do you read eBooks?

Julia: Dreaming, Not Sleeping is only available as an eBook at the moment and any future publishers I approach are likely to be ePublishers. I have a Kindle and love being able to download books at any time. I read a lot of samples – and I love that option of being able to try before you buy.

Morgen: Like hotel shampoo sachets. What was your first acceptance Julia, and is being accepted still a thrill?

Julia: My first acceptance for publication for was a real thrill – I was very tentative about submitting Dreaming, I was unsure of the recept

ion it would get – so I guess I was thrilled and relieved! Each time I submit something new I’m nervous. I have a couple of WIPs almost ready to go – I’m sure I will be just as excited if they make the grade.

Morgen: Have you had any rejections? If so, how do you deal with them?

Julia: I’ve had more rejections as a screenwriter – simply because I have approached more production companies than publishers. However, I’ve always had really good feedback and now have two scripts with a production company in London. Of course I’m always disappointed if something is rejected – but you just keep going, taking on board any useful comments.

Morgen: You do. What are you working on at the moment / next?

Julia: I am finishing a supernatural mystery novel – and experimenting with some new shorts.

Morgen: I love shorts (though not in the trouser sense of the word, my legs are too pale). Do you manage to write every day? What’s the most you’ve written in a day?

Julia: I try and write every day. I work in a hospital in the mornings, edit and work on internet related bits and pieces in the afternoons and write in the evenings. I would probably write into the early hours – I very often have to make myself go to bed.

Morgen: Bed? Oh yes, that rectangular thing in the other room. Do you plot your stories or do you just get an idea and run with it?

Julia: Sometimes I have a rough idea of where a story is heading – but often find myself going in a different direction. I can also be a bit of a jigsaw puzzle writer. I can be in a particular frame of mind and write scenes which come easily at those times – I then end up with some random passages which are linked into the main story later on in the writing process.

Morgen: Yep, sounds like me. Do you have pieces of work that you think will never see light of day?

Julia: Yes. Good stuff it is too…

Morgen: Maybe you could sneak it out somewhere when no-one’s looking. What’s your favourite / least favourite aspect of your writing life?

Julia: Writing is a solitary affair. I like my own company and enjoy shutting myself away to write, but it can sometimes feel lonely – although I’m never really alone thanks to the community of writers I’ve discovered online. There are often writers I know on Twitter and Facebook – and it’s nice to say hi to someone doing the same as you when you think you are on your own.

Morgen: I love being alone, but yes it’s great having people online, especially when they know what we go through. What advice would you give aspiring writers?

Julia: Seek honest feedback – but don’t try to change to suit everybody. Trust in your own voice. Don’t worry too much about the rules.

Morgen: Rules? What are they? What do you like to read?

Julia: Horror – mostly psychological. Aside from that… anything that makes me think or question what I believe I know. If a writer can leave me unsettled or unsure about something I thought I knew about myself they’ve done a good job. I like to be surprised and/or shocked…or maybe even made to fall in love!

Morgen: A good story provokes a reaction and/or makes people think for a while afterwards. Are there any writing-related websites and/or books that you find useful and would recommend?

Julia: Stephen King’s Danse Macabre and On Writing.

Morgen: Ah yes, On Writing again. A very popular choice; maybe I should buy some shares. Are you on any forums or networking sites? If so, how valuable do you find them?

Julia: I have been a member of Litopia Writer’s Colony (http://www.litopia.com) for two years – that’s where you are most likely to find me lurking (as Seneca) when I’m writing. It’s a brilliant place to spend time with writers from all sorts of genres – and I don’t think there is a better site to get feedback on your writing.

Morgen: It is isn’t it? I just wish I’d found it months before I did. Where can we find out about you and your work?

Julia: You can read about me, and find excerpts from Dreaming, Not Sleeping and other work on my website (http://www.juliakavan.com), and Twitter (http://twitter.com/Seneca24) is where you’ll find me rambling in the evenings.

Morgen: Thanks Julia, lovely to ‘meet’ you again. As Julia mentioned, we know each other through the online radio station ‘Litopia’ (http://litopia.com); c. 60-90 minute live author panel / chatroom shows every Friday 8pm (UK time) and phone-in / Skype-in / game / chatroom shows every Sunday evening 6.30pm (UK time). We have such fun and it’s writing-related so do come by… and you never know we could be chatting for real on a Sunday night (it doesn’t take much to get me to Skype in… and I was their first video guest last Sunday).

If you are reading this and you write, in whatever genre, and are thinking “ooh, I’d like to do this” then you can… just email me and I’ll send you the questions. You complete them, I tweak them where appropriate (if necessary to reflect the blog ‘clean and light’ rating) and then they get posted. When that’s done, I email you with the link so you can share it with your corner of the literary world. And if you have a writing-related blog / podcast and would like to interview me… let me know. And/or you can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything… and follow me on Twitter where each new posting is automatically announced.

You can also read / download my eBooks and free eShorts at Smashwords, Sony Reader Store, Barnes & Noble, iTunes Bookstore, Kobo and Amazon, with more to follow. I have a new forum and you can follow me on Twitter, friend me on Facebook, like me on Facebook, connect with me on LinkedIn, find me on Tumblr, complete my website’s Contact me page or plain and simple, email me.

Unfortunately, as I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t review books but I have a feature called ‘Short Story Saturdays’ where I review stories of up to 2,500 words. Alternatively if you have a short story or self-contained novel extract / short chapter (ideally up to 1000 words) that you’d like critiqued and don’t mind me reading it / talking about and critiquing it (I send you the transcription afterwards so you can use the comments or ignore them)  on my ‘Bailey’s Writing Tips’ podcast, then do email me. They are weekly episodes, usually released Monday mornings UK time, interweaving the recordings between the red pen sessions with the hints & tips episodes. I am now also looking for flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays and poetry for Post-weekend Poetry.

 

Author interview no.18 with writer Philip Neale (Neal James)

Welcome to the eighteenth of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, directors, bloggers, autobiographers and more. Today’s is of novelist/short story writer Philip Neale (a.k.a Neal James). If you like what you read, please do go and investigate the author further. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here.

Morgen: Hello Philip. Please tell us something about yourself and how you came to be a writer.

Philip: I am an accountant turned writer and began the ‘evolution’ in 2007. I’m 59 this year and loving every minute of the new skills I’ve discovered. I’m married (34 years) and have two grown up children. The writing began with an international competition sponsored by a local newspaper – my story finished in the top ten entries.

Morgen: Well done, I bet you were chuffed. What genre do you generally write and have you considered other genres?

Philip: Novels are, for the moment, crime, but the next one will be science fiction (I’m an avid fan of Asimov). My short stories, however, cover not only these, but also fantasy, horror, romance, humour and adventure.

Morgen: Great to have variety to capture a wider audience (and I love short stories – thank you for sending ‘Rose Cottage’ through; I really enjoyed it). What have you had published to-date? How much of the marketing do you do?

Philip: Three books: ‘A Ticket to Tewkesbury’ (ISBN9781905809349), Short Stories Volume One (ISBBN9781905809608) and ‘Two Little Dicky Birds’ (ISBN9781905809936). I do all of the promotional work myself, and have a database of contacts which I target on a regular basis.

Morgen: Do you have an agent? Do you think they’re vital to an author’s success?

Philip: No, I don’t, and it’s not for the lack of trying. Large-scale success is heavily dependent upon a professional agency approach.

Morgen: It certainly can be and yes, you have to keep plugging away. Are your books available as eBooks? If so what was your experience of that process? And do you read eBooks?

Philip: Not at the moment, but my publisher is currently going down that route with other titles. I read them when I can get my hands on my son’s Kindle………..

Morgen: What was your first acceptance and is being accepted still a thrill?

Philip: ‘A Ticket to Tewkesbury’, and yes, just writing to you about it three years after the fact makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. It’s something that you just never forget. It’s just the same every time.

Morgen: Ah… I still remember receiving the cheque from Woman’s Weekly for my short story (a beautiful coloured cheque which was so nice I never cashed it; a colour photocopy wasn’t the same… and no, I’m not that mad or rich, it was £10 for a 60-worder!). Have you had any rejections? If so, how do you deal with them?

Philip: Not from my publisher, but not one agency accepted anything I sent to them.

Morgen: What are you working on at the moment / next?

Philip: I have a number of novels at the ‘finished’ stage. ‘Threads of Deceit’ is with the publisher as we speak and is due out in July. ‘Full Marks’ will be next, in 2012. Then will come ‘Day of the Phoenix’, the sequel to ‘A Ticket to Tewkesbury’. Then ‘The Rings of Darelius’, the sci-fi novel I mentioned earlier. Finally, for the moment, ‘Dreamer’, a trip into the paranormal. I also have a second volume of short stories ready and waiting to go.

Morgen: Do you manage to write every day? What’s the most you’ve written in a day?

Philip: No, not every day. The most? Probably three chapters (about 8,000 words), and that was when ‘Day of the Phoenix’ started to take off.

Morgen: That’s good going. Mine’s only just a bit more (9337 – yes, I’m nerdy enough to have an Excel spreadsheet to refer too… oops I’m talking to a former accountant. OK, scratch that bit. ) but that was a http://nanowrimo.org day and I had to catch up. What is your opinion of writer’s block? Do you ever suffer from it? If so, how do you ‘cure’ it?

Philip: It is real. I don’t suffer from it, as I tend to have several different styles on the go at the same time. If it gets to be a problem, I simply pit the writing aside for a while.

Morgen: I’ve had a few people say that. Writing a variety does sound like a good idea. Do you plot your stories or do you just get an idea and run with it?

Philip: The idea comes first. I then decide how to draw it out. Do I start with the end and figure out how to get there? Do I start with the ‘meat’ and run it both ways? Do I just invent a plot and see where it takes me? It’s a mixture.

Morgen: Do you have pieces of work that you think will never see light of day?

Philip: Just the one: ‘Talk About Laugh’ – a very personal trip through our family life, covering over 30 years.

Morgen: People love autobiographies, although I can relate to a project I did which was too personal (good therapy at the time though). What’s your favourite / least favourite aspect of your writing life?

Philip: Favourite: The thrill of finishing a book and seeing it in a shop or on a library shelf. Least Favourite: The struggle for a correct word or phrase.

Morgen: But you get there eventually hopefully. What advice would you give aspiring writers?

Philip: Keep the faith, trust in your ability and never forget what is motivating you to try.

Morgen: If they’re realistic, passion over money. What do you like to read?

Philip: Crime (Patterson, Wingfield, Deaver), Sci-fi (Asimov, Frank Herbert), Horror (James Herbert, Poe), Humour (Jasper Fforde, Pratchett)

Morgen: You’re my Red Cross shop’s perfect audience. Are there any writing-related websites and/or books that you find useful and would recommend?

Philip: Emerald Dragon, Critters, New Writers UK, Writing East Midlands, and, if you can invited, The Crime Writers’ Association, of which I am a member.

Morgen: I hear such good things about the CWA but I don’t write crime – I’m not sure I could write something clever enough to be believable or original… but I like reading it so I know I’ll try one day. In which country are you based and do you find this a help or hindrance with letting people know about your work?

Philip: England. The internet means that is no longer the barrier that it once was.

Morgen: Absolutely, isn’t it great! Are you on any forums or networking sites? If so, how valuable do you find them?

Philip: I am on a number: Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn. Their value depends upon how much I am prepared to put into each one. I am not a full-time writer, have a regular ‘day job’ as an accountant.

Morgen: You’re still an accountant… oops. Definitely scratch my earlier ‘nerd’ comment. Where can we find out about you and your work?

Philip: You asked for it:

Morgen: I did.

Philip: www.nealjames.webs.com, http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1541515015 and www.pneumasprings.co.uk.

Morgen: That was painless. Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

Philip: All of my three books to date are freely available in UK libraries, are stocked by Waterstone’s, and can also be obtained via WH Smith, Amazon and, in the USA, Barnes & Noble. I have given numerous talks to reading and writing groups, and September will see me at the Walsall Central Library. In the meantime ‘Threads of Deceit’ will be the main focus of a BBC Radio Nottingham interview at 2.15pm on Tuesday 30th August.

Morgen: Yay! I’ll try and catch it – I hope it goes well. Thanks Philip, it’s been great reading your answers and thanks again for taking part.

If you are reading this and you write, in whatever genre, and are thinking “ooh, I’d like to do this” then you can… just email me and I’ll send you the questions. You complete them, I tweak them where appropriate (if necessary to reflect the blog ‘clean and light’ rating) and then they get posted. When that’s done, I email you with the link so you can share it with your corner of the literary world. And if you have a writing-related blog / podcast and would like to interview me… let me know.

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything… and follow me on Twitter where each new posting is automatically announced. You can also read / download my eBooks and free eShorts at Smashwords, Sony Reader Store, Barnes & Noble, iTunes Bookstore, Kobo and Amazon, with more to follow. I have a new forum and you can follow me on Twitter, friend me on Facebook, like me on Facebook, connect with me on LinkedIn, find me on Tumblr, complete my website’s Contact me page or plain and simple, email me.

Unfortunately, as I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t review books but I have a feature called ‘Short Story Saturdays’ where I review stories of up to 2,500 words. Alternatively if you have a short story or self-contained novel extract / short chapter (ideally up to 1000 words) that you’d like critiqued and don’t mind me reading it / talking about and critiquing it (I send you the transcription afterwards so you can use the comments or ignore them)  on my ‘Bailey’s Writing Tips’ podcast, then do email me. They are weekly episodes, usually released Monday mornings UK time, interweaving the recordings between the red pen sessions with the hints & tips episodes. I am now also looking for flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays and poetry for Post-weekend Poetry.

***** Want to free up time for writing? Too busy to create or run a blog? Not sure how to? I can do it for you  from £50/$75: http://icanbuildyourwritingblog.wordpress.com *****

 

Writing-related websites

There are LOADS of good writing-related websites but here are a few that I’ve come across (or been recommended to me)…

• www.bookviewcafe.com is a “cooperative run by a group of professional authors who post their own work online and blog (journal) about their writing. Content includes short stories, flash fiction, poetry, episodes of serialised novels and occasional podcasts”.
• www.writershub.co.uk is a website for writers and readers of literature. Writers’ Hub aims to provide a platform for such voices, publishing selected new fiction and poetry from established and debut writers as well as previously unpublished talent. In addition, Writers’ Hub is a both a forum for the discussion of developments in literature, writing and publishing and a writers’ resource – featuring news, reviews, interviews, articles, blogs and podcasts on all aspects of the craft, by writers at all levels of the industry. Writers’ Hub is also a community. Members are able to submit work for publication on the site, comment on and discuss published pieces, make contact with other writers and readers and upload short biographies about their own writing lives. The April issue features new fiction, poetry and reviews and much more. Writers’ Hub is based at Birkbeck, University of London, and edited and managed by staff, students and alumni from the Creative Writing Programme.
• www.ipoems.org.uk is 57′s website – “designed as a dynamic electronic catalogue – with special audio, audio-visual & interactive features – hosting the new iPoems system – & the world’s first Poetry Video-Jukebox – along with the original Poetry Jukebox – which remains FREE – please enjoy!”
• Short story author / tutor Joanna Barnden (www.joannabarnden.co.uk ) says: “Some of you may have seen Sally Jenkins writing in the magazines and reporting in Writing Magazine and she is now doing a great blog that I’d really recommend. Find it at: www.sallyjenkins.wordpress.com.”
• http://www.jbwb.co.uk is one I refer to often and contains great market information (competitions, submission opps etc).
• The new edition of The Glasgow Review is now online at www.glasgowreview.co.uk: an interview with John Burnside, articles on The Revolutionary Left in the UK and working class poetry as well as reviews of Louise Welsh and Rob Mackenzie part of the Literature Scotland group www.literaturescotland.com.
• www.isnoop.net/toys/magwords.php, Mslexia says “is an excellent creative tool of procrastination for anyone who loves to play with words. Enjoy free range over words provided on the interactive fridge, making up phrases and poems of your own as well as using your influence over the handiwork of others”.
• www.lulu.com is recommended by Writers’ News magazine as a free self-publishing service which gets paid when you do. I’ve heard mixed reviews (e.g. on LinkdedIn forums) about Lulu but it is a way for the non-agented (or agented for that matter) author to get their work out there inexpensively.
• www.pubmatch.org, Mslexia says is “a unique matchmaking website that aims to form literary matches made in heaven. Authors, illustrators, agents and publishers can all join for free, advertise their needs and connect with one another, making this an ideal platform from which fledgling writers can launch their publishing careers”.
• Sarah’s Writing Journal: Lots of writers blog, and for different reasons. For most, the motivation is shameless self-promotion – nothing wrong with that, of course, writing’s hard, it’s lonely out there, most of us are broke, bitter, paranoid, twisted, feel ignored, etc … but Sarah Salway’s posts are unique. They’re only about her in a self-effacing, poking fun at herself way – they’re never grandiose, narcissistic, or miserable. She’s the most generous writer, she shares prompts, she promotes the work of other writers, she shares wonderful insights into the creative process. She is, in short, a hero. Her posts aren’t about ego – they’re about being kind, and recognising the writer’s life is often frustrating, but that it’s worth doing, for its own sake. Join the devoted following at www.sarahsalway.blogspot.com.
• www.shetribes.com is a “cross-generation website covering a wide range of issues important for independent women in the 21^st century. Writer’s workshops and message boards allow the sharing of readers’ ideas and work.”
• Spilling Ink Review is a new, quarterly e-journal. “Although SIR is a recent addition to the e-ranks we aren’t going to let that deter our search for quality prose. We’re a troupe of professional writers and readers that shares a passion for the written word as well as compassion for new and established writers looking for an innovative platform. The aim is to create an environment where the unexpected can thrive, where the serious and the humorous can sit comfortably side-by-side, and where we can celebrate both the process and the product of creative writing.” See http://spillinginkreview.com.
• http://tregolwyn.tripod.com gives small publishers/new authors an opportunity to have the books reviewed.
• Founded in the 1980s www.truereviewonline.com offers succinct reviews of sci-fi, fantasy, horror, mystery, biography, self-help, young adult, children’s and other books.
• www.verbotomy.com, Mslexia says “is a must for language-lovers, this witty site encourages web surfers to create their own words to fit the amusing definitions provided each day”.
• Bi-monthly ezine www.visionforwriters.com contains publishing info, articles and book/website reviews.
• www.wordhippo.com is a fantastic site. You can look at ‘what’s another word for’ (e.g. thesaurus / synonyms), ‘what’s the opposite of’ (antonym), ‘translate the word’ (from any language to any language), ‘find words starting with/ending with/containing’ (perfect for crosswords) and find sentences with the word. If you’re suffering from writers block, this site may help you just by putting in a random word.
• www.wordlenet, Mslexia (Apr-June 2010) says is a “fantastic idea. Simply enter your collection of words, whether a story or random selection, and create a word cloud. The site allows for words to be weighted differently, affecting their size and shape on the page. Visit the gallery for inspiration, and create your own piece of textual art.”
• The editors of www.worldstart.com/writers-guidelines seek tips for the ‘computer tips and techniques’ newsletter, a daily email to 125,000 readers aimed at the “average computer user”. Payment is a healthy US$45 for 1 page (c. 400 words), US$55 for 2 pages and US$65 for 3 pages (for all rights).
• www.lovehoney.co.uk/erotic-story-competition/erotic-writing-help.cfm has a few tips on writing erotica and points you in the direction of other sites that can help.
• www.londonin2014.org is the website of a committee’s bid to bring the World Science Fiction Festival to London’s new International Convention Centre in 2014.
• www.short-stories.co.uk does what it says on the tin.
• www.archteypewriting.com helps writers develop the psychology of their characters with plenty of information on disorders, research, assessments, shrinks and technical words. There are sections on ‘ask the psychologist’, articles on genre writing, characterisation, using psychology in fiction and a muse which provides idea generators and visual prompts.
• The Literary Platform (www.theliteraryplatform.com) is dedicated to showcasing projects experimenting with literature and technology, bringing together comment from industry figures encouraging debate.
• And for something a bit different… www.ukvoices.co.uk often advertises in the national press and say they “need male and female voices of all accents to record scripts for TV, radio and phone services.” See their website, call 0800 019 6493 or text ‘voice’ to 81814. Obviously I can’t vouch for them, but it may be a way of making some money.

 

Other writing-related opportunities (UK and overseas)

• “Are you an aspiring author looking to upload your work, start or continue to build your readership, sell your books online, join a community of like-minded people, connect with readers looking for new stories, receive feedback to help you prove and improve your writing? iWriteReadRate is here to help you in your quest, to support you on your journey, and to give you a place to call your own. We’re writers just like you, so everything we’re doing is with your best interests at heart. We’re here to help you navigate the waters of eBook publishing, and we’re based in the East Midlands as well!” See www.iWriteReadRate.com for info.
• Dahlia Publishing, founded in 2010 and based in Leicester, aims to push the boundaries on creativity and diversity and engage BME readers. They’re keen to work with regional writers and talented young people to open the door to a career in publishing. If you’re writing a book or are a writer based in the region. Their submission guideline page (http://dahliapublishing.co.uk/submission-guidelines) says their looking for ‘Chick lit, Crime, Historical, Romantic, Multicultural, Young Adult and Children’s’ but not ‘Sci-Fi, Weird, Erotica, Horror, Gothic’. They ‘happy to accept poetry and short stories, when presented as a coherent collection’ and are ‘keen to publish first time authors’. They say though they ‘aim to publish around five to seven titles in 2011/12 so please don’t be disheartened if we send you a rejection letter’.
• www.writingeastmidlands.co.uk/services/opportunities is a great list of opportunities.
• http://womagwriter.blogspot.com has some great information including magazine guidelines.
• A free entry monthly short story competition: winners are published in one of our collections of short stories – details see www.openingeditions.co.uk/#/fiction-authors/4550912811.
• The Aesthetica Creative Works Competition has three sections: Art & Photography, Poetry and Fiction. Winners and finalists are published in the Aesthetica Creative Works Annual. Winners of each category receive £500 prize money plus other prizes. Entry to the Creative Works Competition is £10. The entry fee allows the submission of 2 images, 2 poems or 2 short stories. The deadline for submissions is 31^st August. The guidelines for submission can be found online at www.aestheticamagazine.com/submission_guide.htm.
• Check out all the current UK poetry competitions at www.poetrylibrary.org.uk/competitions.
• www.flashfictiononline.com is a 500-1000 word site that is free to subscribe / read, free to submit to (www.flashfictiononline.com/submit.html, although they’re currently closed while wading through their slushpile). Payment is via donations with 60% going to the author and 40% going to the site so there’s no way of knowing how much (if anything) you’d earn but another opportunity perhaps.
• I received an introductory email from American magazine Interlitq and their submission and contact page is http://interlitq.org/contact_us.php. They say: “Interlitq accepts submissions for short fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. We do not accept any unsolicited material that has been previously published. If the material appears anywhere online, including your personal blog, we cannot consider it for publication.”
• www.circalit.com Circalit “enables novelists, screenwriters and playwrights to showcase their writing to film producers, book publishers and literary agents”.
• http://spillinginkreview.com/submissions “welcomes previously unpublished fiction, flash fiction, prose poetry and creative non-fiction. We read year-round. While we are interested in discovering quality prose from around the world, at this time, we can only accept work written in English.”
• US-based Flashquake is a quarterly ezine publishing flash fiction/non-fiction (max 1000 words) and short poetry (max. 35 lines). Email submit@flashquake.org, web: www.flashquake.org. Submissions not accepted in February, May, August or November. Payment is US$5 to US$25.
• www.antigonishreview.com details the submission guidelines for Canadian print magazine ‘The Antigonish Review’. Poetry in any form (preferably 3-4, 8 max – payment US$30 per page), articles (1000-4000 words – payment US$100 flat rate) by post (Bonnie MsIsaac, Office Manager, PO Box 5000, St Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada B2G2W5. Fiction (500-3000 words – payment US$100 flat rate) can be emailed (TAR@stfx.ca).
• www.arabesques-editions.com/journal/guidelines.html is an Algerian-based magazine publisher but takes a variety of English submissions.
• Australian literary magazine ‘Island’ publishes “quality short stories (Aus$100), poetry (Aus$60), extracts from forthcoming novels, and articles and essays on topics of social, environmental and cultural significance (Aus$100 per 1,000 words).” Details from www.islandmag.com.
• Litro accepts short stories, flash fiction and creative non-fiction (to a maximum word count of 3,000). See www.litro.co.uk/index.php/submissions for more information.
• Interactive fiction is now available on mobile phones. Mobile books or ‘moooks’ are designed for instant viewing across a wide range of mobile networks worldwide, with first service availability in the UK.  This new interactive storytelling concept is the brainchild of mifiction; a Surrey based company with a mission to introduce interactive books, ‘moooks’ across the mobile platform. The interactive nature means that the reader has the power to decide what happens in the story. At a number of points within each chapter, the reader has a choice of options to determine the outcome, giving an immense number of possible story variations. With more interactive fiction books in the pipeline, mifiction is keen to receive submissions from budding new authors, who can obtain further information by emailing contact@mifiction.co.uk. To find out more about mifiction go to www.mifiction.co.uk, where an example chapter of “The Three Tears” is available for anyone to try for free; simply enter your email address, create a password and explore interactive fiction for yourself.
• Quarterly US print/electronic magazine ‘Ocean’ welcomes non-fiction stories, articles, essays, poems about the ocean (scientific, creative, environmental, recreational and spiritual). See www.oceanmagazine.org for more information.
• Poland-based New Europe Writers (http://new21.wordpress.com) welcomes unpublished fiction and poetry based on set themes (see the website). Max 4000 words.
• Founded in 1988, New Welsh Review is Wales’ leading literary quarterly and welcomes poetry and fiction submissions. They pay £28 per poem (6 max per 6-month period) or c £80 per short story (one per 6m). Post to Kathryn Gray, Editor, New Welsh Review, PO Box 170, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion SY23 1WZ or email submissions@newwelshreview.com. Feature proposals to editor@newwelshreview.com. Allow up to 3 months for a reply. Their website is www.newwelshreview.com.
• US-based online magazine www.thepedestalmagazine.com/submitguidelines.php welcomes poetry of any length or form (max 6 submitted at one time) – payment US$40 per poem – and fiction max 4,200 words (one story per submission) or flash fiction (1,000 words max) – payment for fiction is US8c per word. Subscriptions to the magazine are free (currently c. 16,000 site visits per month). Genres covered include science fiction, horror, mystery and romance especially if character driven. Response c. 4-8 weeks. Pedestal publishes 4-5 times a year and includes c. 4 stories, 15 poems, reviews and interviews.
• Irish broadcaster RTÉ invites contributions of original radio essays, reportage, appreciations, memory pieces, travel writing, personal accounts of events/happenings, and occasionally poetry for ‘Sunday Miscellany’, a radio and web programme. See www.rte.ie/radio1/sundaymiscellany for details.
• 189 year old American bi-monthly magazine ‘Saturday Evening Post’ welcome anecdotes/photos, non-fiction (on home, pet finance, 45+, how-to topics) and fiction (preferably light humour), ideally 1,000 to 2,000 words. Payment from $25 to £400+. Target audience is mainstream middle-aged American. Simultaneous submissions accepted. Response time is just 3-6 weeks. Further information including guidelines on their website: www.saturdayeveningpost.com.
• Norfolk-based annual literary magazine ‘The Savage Kick’ seeks submissions that will “make readers sit up and listen”. Short stories/novel excerpts (<6000 words) or articles/interviews (<3000 words). Response times are quick (aim <2 weeks!) but payment rates low £20 stories / £15 articles/interviews. They recommend you read the magazine before submitting – see www.murderslim.com for more info.
• California-based www.threepennyreview.com welcomes fiction (max 4000 words) and poetry (max 100 lines). Payment US$400 per story/article, US$200 per poem plus year’s free subscription.
• Canadian www.tinhouse.com is looking for fiction (one story per submission), poetry (five poems max) and ‘economical, cultural and environmental’ non-fiction. Simultaneous submissions accepted.
• www.tnq.ca is the website of Canadian publication ‘The New Quarterly’ which takes submissions of short stories, poems, essays etc. See website or write to The New Quarterly, c/o St Jerome’s University, 290 Westmount Road North, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G3.
• www.untiedshoelacesofthemind.com is an online magazine that acquires fiction in many genres and pays USc3 per word (up to US$30). Submissions via the website’s form only, not by email or post.
• Xenith is open to “most forms and genres of writing: poetry (5 max per submission), fiction (max 8000 words), flash fiction (5-500 words), plays, creative nonfiction, graphic novels, comics and comic strips, unsent letters, experimental, sci-fi, literary mainstream, whatever”. Essays, articles and columns also welcome. Submit by email (no attachments) to patrick.nathan@gmail.com. See www.xenith.net.
• www.grassrootsmag.com/wrgu.html has the guidelines to submitting for New Love Stories.
• www.joannemerriam.com/seven-by-twenty is a great opportunity for anyone who enjoys writing flash fiction – the maximum is 140 characters… about 20-25 words!
• Fiction Magazine & Journal is calling for contributions: will publish work from leading writers, nationally and internationally, both established authors and first time writers. See www.frictionmagazine.co.uk.
• www.profwriting.com is a site similar to www.youwriteon.com where you upload your own writing for critique by other writers, amateur and professional. The site also has news and advice areas. Another similar site is http://enovella.co.uk founded by University of London student Jack Lenox.
• ‘The Moth’ is a quarterly arts & literature magazine features poetry, short fiction and pictures by established and up-and-coming writers and artists from Ireland and abroad. It costs c. £20 for 5 issues (gift subscriptions available) and the latest issue is called ‘The Moth’ including Matthew Sweeney’s ‘The Insects’ – shown on the home page of http://www.themothmagazine.com.

Not wishing to be glass half empty, I can’t personally vouch for all the competitions and submission information I bring you so please do ensure that you are happy that they are genuine before parting with your money and more importantly your creations.

 

Short story competitions and submission opportunities

Every other Monday evening I provide my critique group with a handout of useful bits of information; here are some of tonight’s:

• A free entry monthly short story competition: “winners are published in one of our collections of short stories” – for details see www.openingeditions.co.uk/#/fiction-authors/4550912811.
• Last call (30^th June) for www.bridportprize.org.uk, www.lightshippublishing.co.uk, http://www.wbcompetition.com, www.creativeprintpublishing.com/publishing/10-best-short-stories-competition.php, www.the-village.co.uk/tedwalters.htm, www.writers-village.org (1^st July) for http://ifancahelenejames.wordpress.com and http://spillinginkreview.com/competitions/2011-spilling-ink-short-story-prize and (4^th July) for http://laurelhousecreativeworkshops.webs.com.
• Laurel House Creative Workshops are running a short story competition. Each story entered will receive a 400-word critique. The winner will receive £100, a full LHCW critique with suggested markets, an online tutorial and publication in the first LHCW anthology. The deadline is 4^th July 2011. See http://laurelhousecreativeworkshops.webs.com/index.htm.
• Tenby Arts Festival Writing Competition is open to anyone living anywhere. Closing date 15^th July. There are two categories: short story and poetry. The prizes are the same for each category. The first prize is £150, the second prize £70, and third prize £50. In addition, there are prizes of £25 for the best story and the best poem entered by writers resident in West Wales. Short stories entered should not exceed 1,500 words. Poems maximum length of 40 lines. Entry fees: £4 for each short story, £4 for a single poem, £6 for two poems, and £8 for three poems. The competition judge this year is Simone Mansell Broome. Simone is a published poet, organiser of literary and broader creative events, and is active in a variety of poetry societies and writing groups. See http://www.tenbyartsfest.co.uk.
• Hissac Annual Open Short Story Competition of the Highlands & Islands Short Story Association. £400 first prize. Closing date 31^st July. 2,500 word max. Entry fee: £5 per story or £12 for 3. No connection to Scotland required, either by entrant or theme. Entries can be posted or submitted on-line. Full details on the website or send SAE to 20 Lochslin, Balintore, Easter Ross IV20 1UP. Payment by cheque of Paypal via the website www.hissac.co.uk.

• Iota is publishing its first fiction/non-fiction issue and welcomes submissions of short fiction in any genre, including life writing and memoir for consideration for the second fiction issue. Please send short stories of between 2000 and 6000 words. All stories must be the original work of the author. We accept translations as long as they are identified as such. All work must be typed and double spaced. Please also send proposals (150 words) for features or essays. We also accept new fiction, biography and life writing for review, and copies should be sent to the Fiction Reviews Editor at the address below. Please email submissions and proposals to fiction@iotamagazine.co.uk. Closing date for submissions to the third Fiction & non Fiction issue is 31^st July. See www.iotamagazine.co.uk/Submissions.html.
• www.solliterarymagazine.com takes poetry, nonfiction, and fiction. Although Mexican, you don’t have to be.
• New online literary magazine http://www.dogweed.org seek poetry, fiction, and non-fiction.

 

Poetry competitions and submissions

Every other Monday evening I provide my critique group with a handout of useful bits of information; here are some of tonight’s:

• Final call for 30^th June competitions: www.bridportprize.org.uk, www.unitedpress.co.uk, www.winningwriters.com/contests/margaret/ma_guidelines.php, www.the-village.co.uk/tedwalters.htm.
• The Leeds Independent Presses Festival Poetry Competition ends 14^th July – see www.lippfest.co.uk for details. Cost £4/3 for £10 with £550 total prize pot.
• Tenby Arts Festival Writing Competition is open to anyone living anywhere. Closing date 15^th July. There are two categories: short story and poetry. The prizes are the same for each category. The first prize is £150, the second prize £70, and third prize £50. In addition, there are prizes of £25 for the best story and the best poem entered by writers resident in West Wales. Short stories entered should not exceed 1,500 words. Poems maximum length of 40 lines. Entry fees: £4 for each short story, £4 for a single poem, £6 for two poems, and £8 for three poems. The competition judge this year is Simone Mansell Broome. Simone is a published poet, organiser of literary and broader creative events, and is active in a variety of poetry societies and writing groups. See http://www.tenbyartsfest.co.uk.
• Buzzwords Open Poetry Competition 2011. 1st Prize £600, Runner up £300, 5 x Commended £50 each. The Gloucestershire Prize, for Gloucestershire residents only £200. Sole Judge Alison Brackenbury, who will read all the entries. Closing date 31^st July. http://buzzwordspoetry.blogspot.com/p/2011-competition.html.
• Check out all the current UK poetry competitions at www.poetrylibrary.org.uk/competitions.
• www.solliterarymagazine.com takes poetry, nonfiction, and fiction. Although Mexican, you don’t have to be.
• New online literary magazine http://www.dogweed.org seek poetry, fiction, and non-fiction.