Writing Magazine competitions

RainbowLou

Hi

When entering the competitions in writing magazine, do the manuscripts have to be anonymous and just have the name on the cover sheet, or is it fine to put your name on the manuscript itself?

While I've started this topic I was wondering how many of you have had success with the competitions in the Writing Magazine and do any of you have any tips to share?

Thanks
Louise

Mutley

No name on manuscript - only on cover sheet. I've had a number of shortlistings but never won (yet!)

Jay Mandal

No name on manuscript. I've been shortlisted in one competition - I think I've submitted a total of 7 entries to Writing Magazine/Writers' News. Tips - follow the guidelines/rules; try to make sure your spelling, grammar and punctuation are correct; and avoid repetition. Also avoid too many 'ing' words and, if you have to say who's speaking, 'said' is probably the safest word to use (rather than 'whisper/shout').

dora

Include payment :(

Jay Mandal

And don't overdo the adverbs and adjectives.

Jennymf

I have been short listed once for a story and once for a poem

Nefertari

I've been shortlisted seven times in WM and WN for poems, won the poetry once.
My advice, check and double check your entry for silly errors before sending off. I kicked myself once when I realised I had sent off a poem with a word missing! I don't know how it happened but it did.
Good luck!

Jay Mandal

Perhaps ask someone else to read it just in case there are errors you haven't spotted - such as the main character's eyes being green at the start and finishing up blue.

SusieM

I've entered a dozen or so and been shortlisted three times. I don't mind having a go with WM or WN because they are reasonable (sometimes free if you subscribe) and it gives me a subject to work on.

dora

[quote=Jay Mandal]such as the main character's eyes being green at the start and finishing up blue. [/quote]



sounds like me that, after a night on the razzzzle.

RainbowLou

Thanks, some handy tips there. It's all too easy to have little mistakes. I have handed in a story for an assignment once where the character started out as Nora and ended up as Norma. Scary! and it was a gradual change, not just one error. I must have gone a bit hazy headed when I was writing the middle bit. The thing is I checked it loads, but I bet it took the tutor only seconds to notice. Lesson learned (I hope).

Thanks again and good luck for any more you enter. I'd be smiling for days if I saw my name in the shortlist. Oh and I'm so happy we can enter online now. I won't have to worry about the lack of stamps I usually suffer from, or the endless bank holidays at the minute (and I'm not complaining about the latter).

Jay Mandal

Not red, then, Dora?

Nefertari

Yes and no more copying out what seemed to me to be a long address.

Claudia

[quote=RainbowLou]I was wondering how many of you have had success with the competitions in the Writing Magazine[/quote]

Several years ago I tried a few of the short story comps and 'won' runner-up in the Annual Crime Story comp. It was in the days when the runner-up story was published in the magazine, so I was chuffed to bits.

I sent in an entry just yesterday - first time in yay years. Now that I've looked at the posts about on-line entries I'm kicking myself because I went through the rigmarole of posting it. Could I have entered on-line??

Neph

I entered two or three a few years ago and got short-listed once.

SilentTony

I entered one years ago and came nowhere. Rightly so too as the story was poor and badly written, not that I thought so at the time, but we grow and learn.

Neph

[quote=SilentTony]Rightly so too as the story was poor and badly written, not that I thought so at the time, but we grow and learn. [/quote]

So true. I read some of the first novel I wrote (second draft) I still love the idea, but ouch on the writing.

dora

[quote=Jay Mandal]Not red, then, Dora? [/quote]

no, they get so vibrant though whenever I blink everyone thinks the police have turned up



[quote=Neph]So true[/quote] ... funny how it seems ...

montholon

I've had one win and several stories short listed. Haven't entered for a while, as I've been too busy with other projects, but I certainly intend to get back to it in the autumn.

Carol

I keep intending to enter but then forget and it's too close to the deadline to get entries in.
I must make more effort.

shellw

i've written a poem to enter for the new subcribers comp.
fingers crossed :)

heather

I've entered lots, been runner up once each for poem and story, been short listed for a couple of stories and several poems and am still chasing that elusive win!

doodle

I have been shortlisted twice for short stories - I tweaked one of them and it was published as a runner-up in a different publication. I think that they're good to enter - you have the prompt to get you started and the deadline not too far away so it either flies or fails. I'm a bit like you Carol, I start off with an idea, write the first page and by the time the rest has gelled in my brain the closing date has passed. Must try harder (think I heard that before - my teachers were right about me...) I have just entered the rhyming slang poetry and the 750 - word story so fingers crossed. The main thing is to have stuff 'out there' it's the taking part...

Lou Treleaven

I've entered a few times but never got anywhere. A question to winnners: what happens when you win? Do they contact you in advance or is it a surprise?

heather

When I was runner up I heard about a month after the closing date. I had an email from Richard Bell, asking for a brief bio and a photo, followed by a letter from Writers News and a cheque a while later.

Van

I won one last year and have been shortlisted in another. Like Heather, I had an email from Richard Bell about three weeks after closing date, and they pay on publication, so quite a long wait!