Freelance Market News
Volume 16, Issue 8
March 2010
Angela Cox
Editor
Inside: Finding Ideas for Your Writing
s part of your membership
you are entitled to one free
appraisal of either 3,000 words of
prose or 120 lines of poetry per
year. We will review all genres
but please do not send a mixture
of poetry and prose.
A
Each manuscript should be typed
with double spacing (except
poetry) and should state your
intended market so the person
reviewing your work can assess
its suitability for your chosen
market. If you are sending the
prologue of a novel, please also
send a short synopsis showing
the theme of the novel, the
characters and plot.
Send your work with your name,
address and membership number
(you can find this seven-digit
number on the envelope in which
we send your copies of FMN),
along with a SAE/IRCs to Free
Appraisal Service at the usual
address.
You can also send your work
by email (as a single Word
attachment) to:
fmn@writersbureau.com
Please type ‘FMN Free Appraisal
Service’ in the subject line.
Angela Cox
PS We often hear from writers
who are struggling with the
dreaded writer’s block or
who are simply having
trouble finding inspiration
for their next article or
competition entry. So, in this
issue we have printed
Rosemary Gemmell’s article
which will give you plenty of
sources to spark off ideas,
whether you write nonfiction, fiction or poetry.
New Markets
Trek & Mountain
This is a new quarterly
magazine from the makers of
Real Travel magazine. It is
aimed at anyone who likes to get active
on the world’s hills and mountains. It will
cover hillwalking, trekking, climbing,
skiing, mountaineering, mountain biking
and ‘any activity you can do in the
world’s high and wild places’. The launch
issue included features on classic treks
around the world, hillwalking in the UK,
indoor wall climbing, ski touring and a
round-up of the world’s best trails and
areas for mountain biking.
As well as articles it includes outdoor kit
news and reviews, charity challenges,
plus an interview with extreme climber
Leo Houlding.
Address: Chris Kempster, Editor, Trek &
Mountain, Castlemead, Lower Castle
Street, Bristol BS1 3AG.
Tel: 0117 917 5099
Fax: 0117 917 5005
E: chris@trekandmountain.com
www.trekandmountain.com
goodtoknow Recipes
This is a new monthly
magazine from IPC Media. It
includes cheap, quick and
easy recipes and tips to
inspire you in the kitchen. It
looks as though there is little
scope for freelancers as many of the
recipes are from celebrity chefs, but they
do have a reader’s column titled, You’re
the Chef which says,“We all have a
‘signature’ dish, don’t we? A recipe that
we can throw together with our eyes
shut but that gets the thumbs up from
the dinner table every time. Maybe it’s a
kids’ meal that gives them those allimportant veggies or the tried-and-tested
dish you always fall back on when you
have friends coming round for dinner.
Supply us with your recipe method and a
picture (these cannot be returned) and
you might find your favourite dish
featured in a future issue.” Please note
no mention of payment is made.
Address: goodtoknow Recipes, Blue Fin
Building, Southwark Street, London
SE1 0SU.
Recipes can be sent online at:
www.goodtoknow.co.uk/contact
The London Weekly
This is a new free
newspaper which will
cover light entertainment, gossip, politics,
health, music and fashion. The publishers,
GPG UK are also planning to launch
similar titles in Manchester, Liverpool and
Birmingham.
At the time of writing the first issue has
not been launched but the website is live:
www.thelondonweekly.co.uk
Filament
This is a quarterly women’s
erotic magazine which
includes, “intelligent, inspiring
reading, men photographed
for the female gaze, highquality writing and design.” It does not
include fashion, diets or celebrity gossip.
They welcome non-fiction, erotic fiction
and poetry. They say that if an issue
makes a profit it will be shared
proportionally among the writers. Before
contributing you must view a back copy
and their guidelines which are available
under FAQs on the website.
Address: Filament magazine, The Female
Gaze Limited, P.O. Box 65003, London
N5 9AN.
E: hello@filamentmagazine.com
www.filamentmagazine.com
Competition News
Rider Haggard Society Competition
Prizes: There is a first prize of £200 and a year’s
membership to the Society. Five runners-up will
each receive a year’s free membership.
Entry fee: £10 per entry. Cheques should be made
payable to Roger Allen.
Entrants are invited to write a short story based on
one element of Rider Haggard’s story-telling skills.
You are not asked to write like Haggard but you
are asked to meet the following two criteria:
a) A story that reads as if it is being narrated to a
group of friends.
b) Taking the idea from SHE, the possibility of
eternal life, but under the heading HE. The
main point to focus on should be the
advantages of such a discovery.
Stories should be a maximum of 4,000 words.
Address: Roger Allen, 27 Deneholm, Whitley Bay
NE25 9AU.
www.riderhaggardsociety.org.uk
Closing Date: 20th March 2010
Fish Publishing Flash Fiction Competition
Prize: There is a first prize of €1,000 plus
publication in the 2010 Fish Anthology. Nine
runners-up will each receive €50 plus publication.
Entry fee: €12 per online entry, €15 per postal
entry. Cheques should be made payable to Fish
Publishing.
They are looking for a completely resolved and
compelling story in 300 words or less.
Address: Fish Publishing Poetry Prize, Durrus,
Bantry, Co Cork, Ireland.
www.fishpublishing.com
Closing Date: 20th March 2010
Bristol Short Story Prize
Prizes: 1st £500, 2nd £350, 3rd £200, plus 17
runners-up of £50 each.
Entry fee: £7 per entry. Cheques should be made
payable to Bristol Short Story Prize Ltd.
Stories should be no longer than 3,000 words.
Address: Bristol Short Story Prize, Unit 5.16,
Paintworks, Bath Road, Bristol BS4 3EH.
www.bristolprize.co.uk
Closing Date: 31st March 2010
The Yellow Room Spring Short Story Comp
Prizes: 1st £80, 2nd £45, 3rd £20.
Entry fee: £4 per story or £10 for three stories.
Cheques should be made payable to J.M. Derrick.
Stories should be less than 2,500 words.
Address: The Yellow Room Competition, 1 Blake
Close, Bilton, Rugby CV22 7LJ.
Closing Date: 31st March 2010
2 | Freelance Market News | March 2010 | Competition News
Flash 500 Competition
Prizes: 1st £250, 2nd £100, 3rd £50.
Entry fee: £5 for one story or £8 for two stories.
Payment can be made by PayPal or credit card via
the competition website.
Stories should be no longer than 500 words. A
word count must be given at the end of the story.
The title does not form part of the word count.
www.lorrainemace.com/index_files/flash500.html
Closing Date: 31st March 2010
Buxton Poetry Competition
Prizes: 1st £300, 2nd £200, 3rd £100.
Entry fee: £5 per poem. A maximum of three
poems may be sent. Cheques should be made
payable to The University of Derby.
Poems should be no longer than 40 lines and must
be on the given theme: A Breath of Fresh Air.
Send a sae for an entry form to: Christine
Sweetmore, University of Derby Buxton,
Devonshire Road, Buxton, Derbyshire SK17 6RY.
Closing Date: 1st April 2010
The Harry Bowling Prize
Prizes: The winner will receive £1,000 and the
runners-up will receive £100 each.
Entry fee: £10 per entry. Cheques should be made
payable to MBA Literary Agents Ltd.
The competition is intended to encourage new,
unpublished fiction and is open to anyone who has
not had an adult novel published in any genre,
including under a pseudonym. But the entrant may
have published the following: short stories, scripts
for TV and radio, non-fiction and children’s fiction
and non-fiction.
Each entry must be set in London but may be in
any genre and set in any period.
Entrants should submit the synopsis of a novel (of
not more than 500 words) and the first chapter of
the novel (of not more than 5,000 words).
Send a sae for an entry form to: Harry Bowling
Prize, Storytracks, 16 St Briac Way, Bystock,
Exmouth, Devon EX8 5RN.
Closing Date: 31st March 2010
Exeter Writers Short Story Competition
Prizes: 1st £200, 2nd £100, 3rd £50.
Entry fee: £3.50 per entry. Cheques should be
made payable to Exeter Writers.
Short stories should be no longer than 3,000 words
in length.
Send a sae for an essential entry form to: Exeter
Writers, 202 Manstone Avenue, Sidmouth, Devon
EX10 9TL. Entry forms can be downloaded at:
www.exeterwriters.org.uk
Closing Date: 31st March 2010
Drop Us A Line
Star Letter
I was full of pride when I walked into W.H. Smith and saw my
first article published in the December issue of Country Smallholding. A lead I got from the January 2009 issue of FMN.
I approached the editor with my idea in January, submitted my
article in March and it was returned in May with, “not really our
thing” written on it. After phoning the Editor for the return of my
photographs and upon him discovering they had been misplaced,
he commented they had made all the difference and asked me to
send my article back. In October I received an email detailing
some slight changes he had made to the article for my approval to
go to print. I received payment four weeks later.
It was a rocky road but I made it, all thanks to Freelance Market
News, so keep up the good work, you are an inspiration to us all.
S. Bellamy, Devon
While I use the Writers’ &
Artists’ Yearbook for
reference, it is obvious that
there is a wealth of Small
Press magazines out there to
which I would like to have
access. Can I ask if you, or
any readers, have
knowledge of a listing of
such magazines?
D. Morley, Norwich
I’m not aware of any books
which detail Small Press but
online you could try: The AA
Independent Press Guide or
The Poetry Library and don’t
forget the FMN website has
resources too.
www.poetrylibrary.org.uk
www.rimbaud.org.uk/
aaipg.html
www.freelancemarketnews.com
When I joined the WB just
two months ago one of my
apprehensions was “Have I
got anything to say that
people will want to read?”
I am sure this is a common
feeling and I just wanted to
let other beginners know
that following my
subscription to Freelance
Market News, an editorial
suggestion to take a look at
The Lady magazine, lead to
the publication of my first
ever letter on its “Letters to
The Lady” page. A simple
but very encouraging start.
Thank you.
C. Brooks, Suffolk
The Writers Bureau always
encourages non-English
speaking students to write
in their native language as
well as in English. After
studying the first modules
and finishing my
assignment on non-fiction
writing, I have entered some
interesting writing
competitions in Indonesia.
A few weeks ago, my mother in
Jakarta received a call from one of
the biggest publishers in
Indonesia. They told her that I had
won third prize in their nonfiction writing competition. It was
a big surprise because my work
has never been published in
Indonesia’s mass media. It was a
big self-esteem booster and more
importantly made me see the
advantage of not begin a native
English speaker.
T. Listyowardojo,
The Netherlands.
As part of my writing course I had
to review and analyse the contents
of some magazines on the market.
It was interesting to note that the
percentage of pages devoted to
advertising ranged from 14% in
the cheaper mags to 33% in the
glossy reads. Needless to say
Freelance Market News came out
on top with a mere 6% – really
proving it is great value for
money.
Does anyone else resent the high
percentage of adverts in their
favourite read or do you think
they are useful as they keep the
price of magazines down?
L. Prince, Oxon
We want to hear from you
Share your views and opinions with
us. The writer of the best letter each
month will receive £10 in cash. As we
would like to include more letters in
each issue, please keep them as short
as possible (less than 150 words is
ideal). Send your letters to: Drop Us
A Line, Freelance Market News,
Sevendale House, 7 Dale Street,
Manchester M1 1JB or email:
fmn@writersbureau.com Type Drop
Us A Line, in the subject field and
include your full name and address at
the end of your email.
Drop Us A Line | March 2010 | Freelance Market News | 3
Market Notes
Motor Caravan magazine
This monthly magazine
covers all aspects of owning
and touring in a motorhome.
Anyone writing for them
should have specialist
knowledge. It is best to
contact them with a query
and details of your experience
in the first instance. Payment
is by negotiation.
Address: Victoria Bentley,
Senior Editor, Motor Caravan
Magazine, Leon House, 233
High Street, Croydon, Surrey
CR9 1HZ.
Tel: 020 8726 8245
Fax: 020 8726 8299
E: victoria_bentley@ipcmedia.
com
www.motorcaravanmagazine.
co.uk
Aeroplane
This is a monthly magazine
covering aviation history,
mainly from 1909 to 1960,
although they do occasionally
include features on modern
aviation. The editor, Michael
Oakey, will consider short
news items (up to 300 words)
on preserved aircraft and new
admissions to museums and
collections. They say, “Whilst
we welcome digital image
contributions by email we’d
appreciate it if you would
send reduced or lower
resolution preview examples
in the first instance. We will
contact you if we require
uncompressed or higherresolution files for
publication.”
Address: Michael Oakey,
Editor, Aeroplane, Blue Fin
Building, 110 Southwark
Street, London SE1 0SU.
Tel: 020 3148 4100
E: editoraero@ipcmedia.com
www.aeroplanemonthly.co.uk
Model Boats
Paul Freshney, the editor of
this monthly magazine says,
“Feature articles are normally
only commissioned and
obviously the writer has to
have a reasonable in depth
understanding of model
boats, full size boats, the
different types and what they
do and are about etc. This is a
specialist magazine and
therefore it is extremely rare
to have someone from
outside the ‘loop’ as it were.
If you look at the website you
will see typical articles.”
E: editor@modelboats.co.uk
www.modelboats.co.uk
Modern English Teacher
Modern English Teacher is a
quarterly magazine which is
aimed at English language
teachers, directors of study
and school owners. It covers
teaching theory and is
academic in style. Articles
vary in length and depend on
the topic. They are looking for
theory-led articles which are
useful for professional
development and day-to-day
teaching. They want to hear
about the latest developments
and trends in ELT theory and
thinking. The majority of
contributors are English
4 | Freelance Market News | March 2010 | Market Notes
language teachers and
professors.
Address: Dave Francis,
Editor, Modern English
Teacher, Pavilion, P.O. Box
100, Chichester PO18 8HD.
Tel: 01243 576444
Fax: 01243 576456
E: david.francis10@ntlworld.
com
Complete guidelines are
given on their website:
www.onlinemet.com
Knitting
This is a monthly magazine
for hand-knitting enthusiasts.
The editor, Emma Kennedy,
welcomes pictures of people
knitting from around the
world. These should be
accompanied by detailed
captions up to 500 words.
They say, “We are looking for
talented designers and
knitters who can keep our
publication at the forefront of
the knitting world. If your
designs are modern, forward
thinking, unusual, interesting,
complicated, beautifully
simple, pretty or traditional
please write or email the
editor with your portfolio of
recent work. If we like the
look of your ideas, we will
ask to see a sample of your
previous work and then we’ll
discuss scheduling, yarns and
colours suitable for the season
or design.
“We want your interesting
articles about all aspects of
the knitting process, from the
farmed animal or plant,
through spinning and dyeing
to designer profiles and
successful businesses based
on knitwear, or any of the
above.” Articles are usually
up to 1,500 words.
aspect of the sport and
payment is £50 per 1,000
words.
Address: Emma Kennedy,
Editor, Knitting, The Guild of
Master Craftsmen, 66 High
Street, Lewes, East Sussex
BN7 1XU.
Tel: 01273 402824
Fax: 01273 487692
E: EmmaK@thegmcgroup.
com
Address: Mark Bowler,
Editor, Fly Fishing and Fly
Tying, Rolling River
Publications Ltd, The Locus
Centre, The Square,
Aberfeldy, Perthshire
PH15 2DD.
Tel: 01877 829868
E: mark.ffft@btinternet.com
www.flyfishing-andflytying.co.uk
Explore Kent
Cumbria
This is a free magazine which
is published twice a year by
Kent County Council’s
Countryside Access Service. It
includes features on walking,
riding and cycling in the area.
Articles in a recent issue
covered a circular walk in
Egerton, exploring the
countryside near Canterbury,
a nature reserve near
Rochester and exploring with
your dog.
This is a monthly county
magazine covering Cumbria
and the Lake District. They
say, “Each month the
magazine introduces readers
to the characters who shape
this beautiful corner of
England. Every issue boasts a
combination of stunning
photography and informative
articles about the people,
history, countryside and
traditions that give the Lake
District its unique flavour.“
They welcome illustrated
articles between 800 and 1,200
words.
Address: Explore Kent,
Countryside Access Service,
County Hall, Invicta House,
Maidstone, Kent ME14 1XX.
Tel: 08458 247600
E: explorekent@kent.gov.uk
Back issues can be
downloaded from the
website. Go to:
www.kent.gov.uk and search
for “Explore Kent”.
Address: Terry Fletcher,
Editor, Cumbria Magazine,
Country Publications Ltd,
The Water Mill, Broughton
Hall, Skipton, North
Yorkshire BD23 3AG.
Tel: 01756 701381
Fax: 01756 701326
E: editorial@dalesman.co.uk
www.cumbriamagazine.co.uk
Fly Fishing and Fly Tying
This is a monthly magazine
which contains articles, tips
and patterns from highly
respected fly fishing writers
and fly dressers. The editor,
Mark Bowler, will consider
illustrated articles on any
Scotland Outdoors
Scotland Outdoors is a
quarterly magazine which is
aimed at those who love the
outdoors and enjoy
adventure. Regular topics
include walking, running,
climbing, camping, sailing,
mountain biking, wildlife and
conservation. They welcome
illustrated articles and are
particularly interested in
hearing from those who work
outdoors, such as wildlife
rangers, mountain guides and
outdoors instructors.
Address: Richard Rowe,
Editor, Scotland Outdoors,
Big Bend Publishing, 16
Rosetta Road, Peebles,
Scottish Borders EH45 8JU.
Tel: 01721 729876
E: richard@scotoutdoors. com
www.scotoutdoors.com
Karting
They have informed us that
they do not accept work from
freelancers.
www.kartingmagazine.com
Volume magazine
They say, “Volume is a
quarterly magazine that
publishes and promotes
Britain’s new creative talent
across the arts, music and
fashion.” They accept short
stories, poetry, illustrations
and photography. All writing
must be under 2,000 words
and in an .rtf or .doc file.
Send a short bio with your
work and any contact details
you want them to print with
your work. They prefer to
reply to all submissions by
email. They do not pay for
contributions.
Address: Volume magazine,
Studio 1, 22 Marmora Road,
London SE22 0RX.
E: creative@volumemagazine.com
www.volume-magazine.com
Market Notes | March 2010 | Freelance Market News | 5
Market Notes
Maverick
Maverick magazine covers
country, folk, bluegrass and
roots music. It includes
features on artists and
bands, news, tours and
reviews. The editor, Alan
Cackett, has told us, “As a
small circulation niche
market music magazine we
are not able to pay for
freelance contributions. We
do accept contributions from
freelancers, but ask that they
contact us first with ideas
and suggestions of what
they wish to contribute then
we send them a style sheet
and word count if it’s
something we’re interested
in.”
Address: Alan Cackett,
Editor, Maverick, AAG
Publishing Limited,
24 Bray Gardens, Maidstone,
Kent ME15 9TR.
Tel: 01622 744481
E: editor@maverickcountry.com
www.maverick-country.com
Learning Disability Today
This monthly magazine
highlights new
developments and examples
of best practice and what
works in the learning
disability field. It is aimed at
service managers, social care
workers, support staff, day
services staff, housing
workers, community health
workers, students, lecturers
and carers. The editor
prefers to receive an email
with a brief summary of
your proposed article to
ensure it is a relevant topic
that has not already been
covered in a recent issue.
They say, “A successful
article is likely to be
practical in tone and topical
(the subject may be in the
news, or it may concern the
implementation of new
government policy etc).
Contributors should bear in
mind that the readership are
busy frontline professionals
who want information
presented clearly and
concisely (using boxes and
bullet points to break up the
text where appropriate).
Contributors are asked to
include information for a
box to go at the end of their
article pointing readers to
where to go to get further
information about the topic
(to be headed either ‘further
reading’, or ‘useful websites’
or ‘signposting’).
“Authors are asked to
include a short personal
biography with their
articles. Also please email a
head and shoulders
photograph of yourself to be
published with your article.
Generally, feature articles
average 1,200, 1,400, 1,600
words in length, depending
on the layout adopted and
pictures and/or illustrations
used. Research articles are
2,000 words (or 2,400 for 3page articles).”
Address: Janet Snell, Editor,
Learning Disability Today,
Pavilion, Richmond House,
Richmond Road, Brighton,
6 | Freelance Market News | March 2010 | Market Notes
East Sussex BN1 3BL.
E: janet.snell1@btinternet.
com
www.learningdisability
today.com
Rhythm
This monthly publication
has the strapline, The UK’s
Best-Selling Drum Magazine.
They welcome profiles,
interviews and features on
contemporary musicians.
Payment is £110 per 1,000
words.
Address: Phil Ascott, Editor,
Rhythm, Future Publishing,
30 Monmouth Street, Bath
BA1 2BW.
Tel: 01225 442244
E: phil.ascott@futurenet.
co.uk
www.rhythmmag.co.uk
Martial Arts Illustrated
This is a monthly magazine
covering all forms of
oriental fighting and selfdefence techniques. The
editor, Bob Sykes, will
consider well-illustrated
articles on relevant subjects
such as individual and club
profiles, self-defence
features and interviews.
Contact him in the first
instance to discuss your
ideas and payment.
Address: Bob Sykes, Editor,
Martial Arts Illustrated,
Revenue Chambers,
St Peter Street, Huddersfield
HD1 1EL.
Tel: 01484 435011
Fax: 01484 422177
E: martialartsltd@btconnect.
com
www.martialartsunltd.co.
uk/martial-artsillustrated.html
Motorhome Monthly
Motorhome Monthly accepts
articles from freelance
writers on all aspects of
motorhomes. Articles should
be accompanied by high
quality photos. Payment is
around £50 per article with
photos for reproduction in
the magazine only.
Address: Bob Griffiths,
Editor, Motorhome Monthly,
Andrew House, Granville
Road, Sidcup, Kent
DA14 4BN.
Tel: 020 8302 6150
Fax: 020 8300 2315
E: mhm2007@stoneleisure.com
You can also contact them
via the online form at:
www.stoneleisure.com
CRYSTAL
This is an A4, bi-monthly,
subscriber-only magazine. It
includes poems, short
stories, articles and short
fillers. There is no restriction
on lengths or themes.
However, bad language and
erotica are not accepted.
They pay £10 each issue to
the writer of the most
popular piece.
Address: Mrs C. Carr,
CRYSTAL, 3 Bowness
Avenue, Prenton,
Birkenhead CH43 0SD.
Tel: 0151 608 9736
E: christinecrystal@hotmail.
com
http://christinecrystal.blogs
pot.com/2007/11/crystalmagazine-for-writers.html
The Lady
The Lady issues the following guidelines: “Short stories should be around 1,650 words in length, on a
subject suitable for publication in the magazine and, above all cheerful. Articles should be submitted
on a CD, which must be clearly marked with your name and the title of the piece. A clearly printed
paper copy is also required. The article must be your own unpublished work.
“If it is not possible for you to submit work on disk it is perfectly acceptable to send a manuscript,
which should be clearly and cleanly typed in double spacing on white paper. However, if we decide
to accept your short story for publication, we will need you to send us the story on CD or by email.
“The Lady also occasionally publishes poems. These, again, should be largely cheerful. Choice of style
is at the author’s discretion; however poems should be approximately 16 to 25 lines long. These
should be typed using single spacing on white paper.
“Articles should be submitted on a CD, which must be clearly marked with your name and the title
of the piece. A clearly printed paper copy is also required. If it is not possible for you to submit work
on CD, manuscripts should be clearly and cleanly typed in double spacing on white paper. A twopage feature length is 900 words, while a single page article is approximately 800 words long.
“Only high quality, digital colour images will be accepted, at the discretion of the art department.
Please make it clear whether or not photographs are your own or have been obtained from another
source. If from another source requiring payment do not enter into any contract on behalf of The Lady.
Payment is made shortly after publication.
“Please enclose a sae with all submissions, and an additional sae or postcard if you would like an
acknowledgement that it has been received.”
Address: The Lady, 39-40 Bedford Street, London WC2E 9ER.
Tel: 020 7379 4717
Fax: 020 7836 4620
E: editors@lady.co.uk
www.lady.co.uk
Market Notes | March 2010 | Freelance Market News | 7
Fillers & Letters
Take a Break has several filler and letter
opportunities:
Take a Break St. – “Have you got a story for these
pages? Send photos and letters, with all names, ages
and a daytime telephone number.” Payment is made
for all letters and photos used. A recent issue
included 14 funny snapshots. Send to Take a Break St.
at the address below.
E: tab.street@bauer.co.uk
True-life stories – Use the Freepost story form in the
magazine to send them details of your story, phone
020 7241 8074 or email: tab.features@bauer.co.uk
The Brainwaves Roadshow – This tips page pays £60 if
they use your tip with a photo and £30 for other tips.
A recent issue included six tips with photos and five
tips without.
Write to the address below or email:
tab.brainwaves@bauer.co.uk Include your full name
address and telephone number.
Magic Moments – “A precious milestone? A memory
to cherish? A funny story behind a picture? Magic
Moments wants to hear from you. £150 is paid if we
use your story.” Two stories between 260 and 280
words were recently used. Post to Magic Moments or
email: tab.magicmoments@bauer.co.uk
Letters page – They pay £100 for the Letter of the Week
and £50 for all other letters, plus £25 if they publish
your photo.
Send to Letters at: Take a Break, Freepost LON12043,
H. Bauer Publishing, London NW1 1YU.
Star, the celebrity fashion, beauty and gossip
magazine recently gave a Samsung phone, worth
£150, to the writer of the Letter of the Week. This
issue included ten letters which were all around 50
words in length. All covered celebrities included in
the previous issue.
Address: Star, The Northern & Shell Building,
Number 10 Lower Thames Street, London
EC3R 6EN.
E: starmagazine@express.co.uk
Woman & Home welcomes readers’ letters and
recently gave the star letter writer a £70 chocolate
hamper from Benedicks.
Write to: Woman & Home, The Blue Fin Building,
110 Southwark Street, London SE1 0SU.
E: wandhmail@ipcmedia.com
8 | Freelance Market News | March 2010 | Fillers & Letters
Market Newsletter is published by the Bureau of
Freelance Photographers. They welcome letters on all
aspects of freelancing and pay £15 for the star letter
and £10 for every other published letter.
Address: Letters, Market Newsletter, Bureau
of Freelance Photographers, Focus House,
497 Green Lanes, London N13 4BP.
E: letters@thebfp.com
The Sun newspaper pays £50 for the Letter of the
Day.
Address: Dear Sun, The Sun, 1 Virginia Street,
London E98 1SL.
Fax: 020 7782 4170
E: letters@thesun.co.uk
They also pay for true-life stories.
Tel: 08450 863000. Text 63000.
Closer, the celebrity, true-life story and fashion
magazine, welcomes true-life stories about ordinary
people. Payment is £500.
Send brief details of your story in the first instance to:
Closer, Bauer Consumer Media, Endeavour House,
189 Shaftesbury Avenue, London WC2H 8JG.
Fax: 020 7859 8685
E: lisa.burrow@bauerconsumer.co.uk
The Sunday Mirror pays £100 for the Letter of the
Week. Most letters cover news items which have been
printed in the paper. A recent winning letter was
around 70 words in length.
Address: Your Say, Sunday Mirror, 1 Canada Square,
Canary Wharf, London E14 5AP.
They also welcome letters about sport and pay £50
for the star letter.
Write to The Sports Desk at the above address.
new!, the celebrity and real-life story magazine,
recently gave a Nikon camera to the star letter/text
writer. This issue included five letters and six texts.
All referred to the celebrities and real-life stories from
the previous issue.
Address: new! letters, new! magazine, The Northern
& Shell Building, 10 Lower Thames Street, London
EC3R 6EN.
E: newletters@express.co.uk
Text: Write NEWCHAT followed by your message
and send it to 80088
Overseas Markets
Craft Arts International is a well-established
independent journal devoted to the
documentation of contemporary craftwork and
“new art forms” that fall within the broad
categories of the visual and applied arts. They
say, “Contributions are invited. Copy must be
supplied on floppy disk, CD, as laser prints or
via email. Only original material will be
considered for publication; however, contributors
are advised to retain copies as the publisher
cannot accept liability for loss or damage.
Photographic material may be supplied in the
form of transparencies, prints or high resolution
scans on disk or CD and must be accompanied
by relevant details, including name of
photographer, along with a sae for its return.”
Address: Ken Lockwood, Editor, Craft Arts
International, P.O. Box 363, Neutral Bay, NSW,
Australia 2089.
E: info@craftarts.com.au
www.craftarts.com.au
Aquarium Fish International publishes articles
about a wide variety of both fresh and saltwater
topics. They say, “If you have some experience
with the fish you wish to write about, or a
particular type of tank setup, that’s the best place
to start. Long-term success with keeping fish is
great, and a track record of successful breeding
efforts is even better. This type of experience is
much preferred over an author who simply scans
a book or does some brief research on the internet
before churning out an article. Topics could
include a particular fish species, a family of fish,
how-to articles about setting up specific types of
tanks, reef tanks and their occupants, fish
diseases, filtration hints and feeding tips.
“Prices can vary, depending on length and level
of technicality. We generally pay $400 for a 2,000word article, less for shorter pieces; we normally
do not run articles shorter than 1,000 words or
longer than 2,000 words in our monthly
magazine.”
Address: Aquarium Fish International, P.O. Box
6050, Mission Viejo, CA 92690, U.S.A.
E: aquariumfish@fancypubs.com.
www.fishchannel.com/writers-guidelines.aspx
Subtropics is the University of Florida’s literary
magazine. They say, “Subtropics seeks to publish
the best literary fiction, essays, and poetry being
written today, both by established and emerging
authors. We will consider works of fiction of any
length, from short shorts to novellas and selfcontained novel excerpts. We give the same
latitude to essays. For stories and essays,
Subtropics pays a flat fee of $1,000 ($500 for a
short short) for North American first serial rights.
Poets are paid $100 per poem. Subtropics pays
upon acceptance for prose and after publication
for poetry.
“Direct fiction submissions to David Leavitt,
essays to David Leavitt or Mark Mitchell, and
poetry to Sidney Wade. Submit in hard copy by
mail. We respond exclusively by email.
Manuscripts cannot be returned under any
circumstances. Please read an issue of the
magazine before you send us your work in order
to get a feel for the kind of writing we publish.
You’ll see that we don’t publish science fiction,
fantasy, genre fiction, or anything with talking
animals. Submissions are accepted from 31st
August to 1st May.”
Address: Subtropics, P.O. Box 112075, 4008
Turlington Hall, University of Florida,
Gainesville, FL 32611-2075, U.S.A.
Visit the website for complete guidelines:
www.english.ufl.edu/subtropics/submit.html
Brain Child is a literary magazine “for thinking
mothers”. They welcome personal essays (800 to
4,500 words); features (3,000 to 6,000 words),
fiction (1,500 to 4,500 words), debate (900 words)
and parody (800 words). They say, “For features
and debate essays, please query with clips first.
For all submissions, please email the manuscript
in the body of the email with “Submission” and
the department (i.e. ‘Fiction’, ‘Essay’, ‘Feature
Pitch’) as the subject heading. Please do not send
your submission as an attachment.”
They strongly prefer submissions by email but if
you must post your submission the address is:
Brain Child, P.O. Box 714, Lexington, VA 24450,
U.S.A.
E: editor@brainchildmag.com
Complete guidelines are at:
www.brainchildmag.com
Overseas Markets | March 2010 | Freelance Market News | 9
Finding Ideas for Writing
By Rosemary Gemmell
Ask any published author what kind of questions they are
most often asked, and they will inevitably tell you the same
thing: ‘Where do you get your ideas?’ For writers who
struggle to come up with new ideas for fiction, non-fiction
or poetry, the following sources might provide inspiration.
Magazines
Once you have read a magazine for pleasure, go back and
study it in detail. There is often an abundance of ideas within
its pages to spark the writer’s imagination such as the
following:
= The Letters Page contains many real-life situations which
could be turned into a story (for adults or children),
article or poem. Example: a reader wrote about the UK
being a nation of sedentary children. Idea: what might
happen if we stop growing limbs?
= A Problem Page is a good source of relationship ideas for
stories, often with the conflict outlined. Example:
husband and wife hardly communicate, children left
home, wife wants to travel, husband a stay-at-home dad.
= True Stories offer conflict that can be turned into fiction,
with some details changed. Example: young teenager
falls in love with school bus driver, parents separate
them. They meet many years later by accident - now
happily married, or not?
= You and Your Child Problems are a great source of
parent/child conflict for stories or opinion pieces.
Example: child refuses to eat the ‘right food’ – could be
an article or opinion piece about eating habits.
= Travel Articles can provide a good source of settings for
short stories and inspire ideas for your own articles.
Keep the pictures for inspiration.
= The Penfriend/Contacts Page could offer a variety of
character descriptions. Put two or three together to
make a story.
= Pictures are useful to keep for characters.
= Published Short Stories offer several opportunities:
i) Take the first line from a short story or serial and write
your own story following on from this. Change the first
line after completing your story (which should be
completely different from the original).
ii) Study the illustrations accompanying published stories.
Invent your own story to fit the picture.
iii) Look at the captions for magazine stories - do not read
the story. Write your own story to fit the caption and it
10 | Freelance Market News | March 2010 | Finding Ideas for Writing
will be completely different. Or take two captions and
turn them into one story.
Newspapers
= Real-life stories might suggest an idea for a novel
(changing details where necessary of course).
= Cut out and file factual/historical information that could
be used in articles or stories. Look out for the ‘100 years
ago…’ type paragraphs.
= Look for old newspapers or magazines at antique stalls
which have advertisements from the era. They will give
authenticity to historical stories or novels.
= Reports of real crime and criminals may inspire ideas for
crime fiction (short stories or novels), after changing
some of the details.
= Read about science and scientific breakthroughs or
controversies. They are ideal for sparking off ideas for
science fiction and fantasy stories, or opinion articles.
There is no copyright in facts, but you must use your
own words to write your piece.
Old Diaries and Journals
= These are excellent for authentic period detail. Think
‘Diary of an Edwardian Lady’ or similar, and of course,
the diaries of Samuel Pepys and Anne Frank.
= They are also a good source for speech patterns of
specific places and times.
= Professional journals may have information on festivals,
weather and maps.
Postcards and Posters
= Many antique shops have boxes of old postcards and
these might inspire a story set in the past.
= Look out for fashion styles, cars, landscapes and
buildings for period detail.
= The message on the back of an old card might provide a
story or poem idea.
= Old ship and railway posters are good for a sense of
nostalgia and history.
Poems/Songs
= A line from a poem or song might spark off an idea
which could be developed into a story. A while ago, an
enterprising writer wrote stories set around the songs of
Chris de Burgh and they were very well received by the
singer/songwriter himself.
= Last year, I came across a novel which had been inspired
by Walter de la Mare’s poem ‘The Listeners’. The
possibilities are endless.
Old Films
Rosemary Gemmell is a prize-winning freelance writer
of short stories and articles in national magazines. She is
a contributing writer for Suite 101 online and
contributes to The Highlander Magazine in the USA. She
gives talks on market research to local writing groups
and often adjudicates their short story competitions.
Any film might inspire an idea for a story or novel, but old
films are even better as they are set in a different era. They
are usually full of period detail such as fashion, speech, and
manners. There is nothing to stop a modern writer using the
theme of an old film to write a novel or drama for this
century.
Please be aware, however, that for some people awakened
memories can evoke feelings and emotions that are
unwelcome.
= Example: Brief Encounter – this is basically a romantic
film full of unrequited passion. Man and woman meet at
a railway station and are attracted to each other but
both are married. Will they or won’t they ever get
together?
The Bible has been a source for many writers, in poetry,
songs and children’s books. At least one American author
has published novels inspired by Old Testament stories,
setting them in the more recent past.
The Classics
There is something about well-loved old novels that seems
to inspire modern writers to continue the story, or write
from an alternative viewpoint. Many writers have found
fame and publication by taking an original classic and putting
their own twist on it.
= Example: Jane Eyre – one of the best-loved romantic
novels, the story features the ‘mad woman in the attic’
in the person of Mr Rochester’s wife. We learn only the
minimum about her life in this story. However, one
modern novelist has taken this character and written a
whole novel about her in ‘Wild Sargasso Sea.’ There are
many more examples from the classics, including Jane
Austen novels and Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca.
Photographs
Whether it is old photos of great-grandparents or the most
up-to-date images of weddings, christenings and
anniversaries, family photographs provide a visual record of
ideas for stories. Full of emotion, characters, conflict, drama
or dreams, use the imagination to ask the perennial writer’s
question, ‘what if…?’
The Bible
Exhibitions/Shows
Look out for interesting people and stands at exhibitions,
such as crafts, unusual hobbies or trades. There might be
scope for an interview or feature article.
Holidays and Days Out
Everyone travels somewhere in their daily lives, unless a
recluse. Each journey may provide inspiration and ideas.
= A holiday to a different country is an ideal opportunity to
learn about its people, culture and festivals. Speak to
locals whenever possible as it gives colour to an article.
= Be aware of settings for short stories or novels. Take
note of the weather, points of interest, types of shops,
countryside and seaside.
= Collect local newspapers, magazines, tourist information
and postcards. Most Tourist Information Offices have
free leaflets; some have a free newspaper or a CD of the
area.
Childhood Memories
= A day out in your area can be an ideal way to look for
specific ideas for articles. Visit historic buildings and
exhibitions, craft demonstrations, wildlife centres,
gardens and so on. All of these could inspire background
details for a fictional character’s job or hobby.
New writers are often asked to begin by thinking back to
their childhood. An infinite source of ideas for any type of
writing, the trick is to let the mind wander over the most
vibrant memories from the past.
= Keep travel guides as they are excellent for background
details such as places to eat, currency, shopping and so
on. Good for using in a side-bar of information for an
article on a particular venue.
= Explore the emotions, the senses, sights and
conversations they evoke.
= Travelling by train, bus, or aeroplane provides great
scope for making up characters and listening to other
people’s conversation. Subtly note any unusual
characteristics which you could use in a story. It might be
best to make some slight change or use the opposite
gender!
= Inevitably, one memory leads on to another, often
providing inspiration to start writing it down.
= Non-fiction, life-writing, fiction, poetry and children’s
stories, even drama, often evolve from incidents in the
writer’s past.
= Sibling rivalry, death or illness of a parent, the joy of
loving grandparents, childhood pets, school – are all
excellent sources.
The possibilities for finding ideas for writing are endless. It
helps to be observant and to be interested in fellow human
beings, and always carry a notebook and pen. I would
certainly add a digital camera as they are so inexpensive and
easy to use for capturing sights, unusual events and written
information on notice boards. Ideas are everywhere.
Finding Ideas for Writing | March 2010 | Freelance Market News | 11
Competition Winner
Thank you to everyone who entered our travel writing competition. The standard of entries was the highest
we have ever seen for a FMN competition and every entry was worthy of publication.
Congratulations go to the winner, Denise Heptinstall, whose article on the Songkran Festival made us want
to jump on a plane so we could go and join in the fun. Congratulations also go to the close runners-up, Peter
Brough for his article on Cuba and Sally Jenkins for her article on Caldey Island.
Songkran Festival in Bangkok –
The World’s Largest Water Fight!
“We’re going to see what’s going
on”, some lads from my tour
group shouted over to me as they
hurried through the hotel foyer.
An hour later they were back, in
high spirits and drenched with
water, their faces and clothes
dotted with what looked like
specks of clay. It was April 13th,
the start of Thailand’s three day
Songkran Festival, marking the
start of the Buddhist New Year,
and coinciding by chance with our
arrival in Bangkok at the end of a
Thai island-hopping tour.
It wasn’t long before I ventured
out into the dry season heat with
some others from my tour. Our
hotel was obviously situated in the
thick of things as we hadn’t
walked far down the road before
the water throwing began!
Grinning Thais approached us
with bottles to pour water over
our heads, soak us with their
enormous water guns, or gently
daub our faces with a mixture of
chalk and water. As we walked
further, we could hear screams of
delight as strangers chased and
showered each other and opentopped trucks drove slowly past
filled with youngsters spraying
passers-by with hoses. We soon
realised that as tourists we made
very good targets and there was
no point in trying to stay dry or
clean, so we took hold of our
water bottles and joined in the
good-natured fun!
Also known as the Water Festival,
Songkran is a happy time for Thais
who spend it celebrating, giving
thanks, reflecting, making
resolutions, and spending time
with family and friends. For many,
the festival begins with early
morning ‘merit-making’ (doing
good in order to receive good,
according to Buddhist faith) –
visiting a ‘wat’ (monastery temple)
to pray and offer food to monks,
and releasing caged birds, and fish
into rivers and streams. Houses
and temples are cleaned, and
Buddha images washed with
scented water, in order to bring
good luck for the New Year. In the
‘Rod Nam Dam Hua’ ceremony,
young people pay respect to
adults, particularly elderly
relatives, by pouring scented
water over their palms and saying
a blessing.
The water throwing festivities that
take place at Songkran today
originated as a way of paying
respect to people, by capturing
the water that had been poured
over buddhas to cleanse them,
and using this blessed water to
wish good luck to others. The
water symbolises washing away
bad things and starting afresh. The
use of chalk originated in the chalk
used by monks to mark blessings
and is still common in the
celebrations.
The word ‘Songkran’ comes from
the Sanskrit word ‘sankranti’,
12 | Freelance Market News | March 2010 | Competition Winner
Food
Thai food is known for its spiciness, with a
lot of chillies used, but milder dishes are also
widely available. Rice is the staple food –
with varieties such as jasmine-scented rice
and sticky rice, followed by noodles. Other
common ingredients include lime juice,
lemon grass, coriander, fish sauce, ginger and
coconut milk. Cheap and delicious Thai food
can be found at the street stalls in Bangkok.
The trick is to see which ones are popular
with local people.
Food plays a large part in the Songkran
Festival and Thai delicacies on offer include:
khao chae – jasmine perfumed rice with
garnishes; krayasad – made from puffed rice,
oats, peanuts and Thai noodles and
sweetened with palm sugar and coconut
syrup; and kanom krok – coconut rice
pancakes.
Travel and Accommodation
London’s Heathrow Airport offers direct
flights from the UK to Bangkok with Thai
Airways, British Airways, Qantas and Eva
Airways. The flight takes around 12 hours.
Many indirect flights are also available from
Heathrow and other UK airports.
My tour stayed at the 300 room three star
Royal Hotel, Ratchadamnoen Ave, Bangkok,
situated in the area known as ‘Ratanakosin
Island’ in the Banglamphu area of the city. It
was in a great location, the old town of
Bangkok, and situated near Sanam Luang
Park and the Grand Palace, the Chao Phraya
River, National Museum, National Gallery,
and Khao San Road. This and other hotels
throughout Bangkok can be booked through
travel websites such as tripadvisor.co.uk
Good value accommodation can be booked
through hostelworld.com, and if you want to
be at the heart of the noisy celebrations and
water throwing activities in Khao San Road,
see khaosanhotels.com
Denise says, “I work as a pet
sitter in London and am
studying the WB
Comprehensive Writing Course
which I am thoroughly
enjoying. I’ve so far had a letter
published in a women’s
magazine, a couple of articles
pubilshed in Cat and nostalgia
magazines and a few articles
accepted which never seem to
be published!
meaning ‘to pass or move into’,
symbolising the passing of the sun
from the zodiacal orbit of Pisces
into Aries. The festival is
celebrated throughout Thailand as
well as in Laos, Cambodia, and
Myanmar.
Today, many people celebrate
Songkran with lots of water
throwing and music, dancing and
parties. Most Thais take time off
work to be with their families.
The venerated golden buddha
image, ‘Phra Buddha Sihing’ is
brought out of the National
Museum in Bangkok on the first
day of Songkran and paraded
through the crowded and noisy
streets before being displayed at
Sanam Luang Park in front of the
Grand Palace for the three days of
the festival, where it is bathed by
thousands as part of merit-making
rituals.
Our hotel stood opposite Sanam
Luang Park, which, as in other
parts of the city, was filled with an
explosion of noise, celebrations
and activities with folk and pop
concerts, demonstrations of
traditional cooking, arts and
dancing, and Thai massage. The
area was dotted with sand stupas
(a type of pagoda) decorated with
flowers and colourful flags, and
birds were being released from
cages.
That evening after returning to the
quiet haven of our hotel to change
and have dinner, we set out again
and made for nearby Khao San
Road, the backpacker epicentre of
Bangkok. By this time it was dark,
and with a reputation as one of the
best places in the city to take part
in the Songkran celebrations, Khao
San Road was packed with both
Thais and tourists. We walked
along trying not to get drenched
and smeared with clay, but failing!
The road was filled with a party
atmosphere with music and
dancing, providing an exciting end
to our day of fun, or ‘sanuk’, as
Thais would say, a word which
accurately describes the character
of this fascinating country’s people.
Practical Information
Make sure you book accommodation for
the Songkran period several months in
advance.
It is advisable to stay in one place during
the entire festival as transport across the
country gets heavily booked up with many
Thais travelling home to be with their
families.
Bear in mind that banks, offices and public
buildings are closed for the three day
period of Songkran.
Don’t wear your best clothes when
venturing out in some areas during the
festival, and be careful if taking expensive
cameras and equipment. Zip lock wallets
are good for protecting cameras, phones,
watches, wallets etc.
Never throw water at moving vehicles.
If people beg you not to soak them,
particularly older people, respect their
wishes.
Take clothes to cover legs and arms when
venturing out, as visiting temples, and
activities around Buddhist images and
monks require covering up in order to
respect religious beliefs.
The Bangkok Post (bangkokpost.com), the
city’s English newspaper, has information
on what’s on during Songkran.
This Month’s £50 Competition
This month we would like you to write a short story which is based around a sporting event. This could be a major international
event such as The World Cup or The Olympics, or it could be about a primary school sports day or a local football match for
example.
The best story will be published in the May issue of FMN and the winning writer will receive £50 in cash.
Competition Rules
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Any number of entries may be sent.
Stories should be no more than 1,500 words.
The competition is only open to FMN subscribers.
All material must be in English. Stories must be on the
given theme. They must be original and should not have
been previously published.
The writer’s name, address and telephone number should
not appear on the entry but on a separate sheet of paper.
Copyright remains with the author but prize winners must
agree to assign First Publication Rights to Freelance Market
News.
Unfortunately, entries cannot be returned; so please keep a
copy.
8.
9.
10.
11.
We are sorry but we cannot enter into correspondence
about submitted entries or the judge’s decision.
The closing date is 31st March 2010.
Please send a 50-100 word “author biog” with your entry.
The address for entries is: FMN, Short Story Competition,
Freelance Market News, 7 Dale Street, Manchester M1 1JB.
Fax: 0161 236 9440.
E: fmn@writersbureau.com
Type ‘Short Story Competition’ in the subject line.
Include your contact details and biog in the body of your
email and your story as a word.doc attachment.
This Month’s Competition | March 2010 | Freelance Market News | 13
Editorial Changes
Chris George has succeeded
Geoff Harris as the new editor of
Photo Plus, the monthly
magazine aimed at users of
Canon digital SLRs.
Address: 30 Monmouth Street,
Bath BA1 2BW.
Tel: 01225 442244
Claire Irvin has replaced Sian
Rees as the new editor of She
magazine.
Address: National Magazine
House, 72 Broadwick Street,
London W1F 9EP.
Tel: 020 7439 5000
Fax: 020 7312 3940
E: editor@shemagazine.co.uk
Ben Duckworth is the new editor
of Total Politics magazine.
Address: 375 Kennington Lane,
London SE11 5QY.
Tel: 020 7091 1260
E: ben.duckworth@total
politics.com
www.totalpolitics.com
Classic Car Weekly is now
owned by Bauer Media.
www.bauermedia.co.uk
Fiona Phillips is the new editor of
the Hereford Times.
Address: Holmer Road, Hereford
HR4 9UJ.
Tel: 01432 274413
www.herefordtimes.com
Alun Thorne is the new editor of
the Birmingham Post.
Address: Floor 6, Fort Dunlop,
Fort Parkway, Birmingham B24
9FF.
Tel: 0121 236 3366
E: alun.thorne@birmingham
post.net
www.birminghampost.net
Richard Priest is the new editor
of Dundee’s Evening Telegraph.
80 Kingsway East, Dundee
DD4 8SL.
Tel: 01382 223131
www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk
Lorraine Wilson is the new editor
of The Scots Magazine.
Address: The Scots Magazine,
D.C. Thomson & Co Ltd,
2 Albert Square, Dundee
DD1 9QJ, Scotland.
Tel: 01382 223131
E: mail@scotsmagazine.com
Sue Briggs is the new editor of
Tickled Pink, Britain’s first, paidfor gay wedding magazine.
Address: c/o Profile
Communication (UK) Ltd,
11 Road One, Winsford Industrial
Estate, Cheshire CW7 3PZ.
Tel: 01606 888111
www.tickledpinkmagazine.
co.uk
Karen Livermore has taken over
from Jackie Hatton as the new
editor of Woman.
Address: IPC Connect,
The Blue Fin Building,
110 Southwark Street,
London SE1 0SU.
Tel: 020 3148 5000
Fax: 020 3148 8127
Going, going, gone…
The following titles have
ceased publication:
Bratz magazine, BUCK,
Beers of the World,
Ealing Times, Golf & Travel,
Heroes, Muze, Paddles, Piano.
Writers’ Web
Here’s your chance to contact other writers, exchange ideas and tips, or sell books and equipment. Just send details
of yourself or the goods you wish to sell/exchange in no more than 50 words. In addition, provide us with your
name and address. THESE WILL NOT BE PRINTED. We will allocate you a Box Number and the initial contact will
take place through us. If you wish to reply to the entries below, write to the Box Number at Freelance Market News
(usual address) and we will forward your correspondence.
My name is Vaughan Stone and my book of poems is called ‘Life At Large’ (ISBN 978-0-9551 431-0-6). Retail price
is £4.00. I promise that the poems are intelligible and with a discernable rhythm and great variety of structure. Why
not have a go?
Box 8/470
Hi, my name is Tunde Odelade. I live in South East London. I am married with one child and another due. This
email is just to introduce myself and request to be put in contact with other writers for networking and
encouragement purposes.
Box 8/471
14 | Freelance Market News | March 2010 | Editorial Changes
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uarterly short story magazine, writing
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encouraged, free gift to all subscribers, possible
publication on website etc.
For free sample copy send 60p stamps to:
Words (18), P.O. Box 13574, London W9 3FX
or visit: www.wordsmag.com
OF COURSE YOU CAN WRITE
Forget about the doom and gloom. You need
FLAIR NEWS
the positive writing magazine
We’d love to send you a free sample copy
(UK residents only)
Hartlepool 01429 296375
Mobile: 07853 198739
Email: spencedj@hotmail.co.uk
Quantum Leap Poetry Magazine
Quantum Leap now has a four-page Information Leaflet –
including full submission guidelines, competition details,
details of payment, available back issues and subscription
form. Send a stamped addressed envelope or 2 IRCS to:
Guidelines, Quantum Leap, York House, 15 Argyle
Terrace, Rothesay, Isle of Bute, Scotland PA20 OBD.
The New Writer
Cass and Janie Jackson
FLAIR FOR WORDS
14 Leonard Hackett Court
St. Winifred’s Road
Meyrick Park
Bournemouth
BH2 6PR
Bi-monthly magazine established 1996 – short
stories, poetry, features and packed full of
information for writers. Monthly email news
bulletin included in subscription package. The
magazine also organises annual Prose & Poetry
Prizes. More at the website – for recent back
issues send two first class stamps to: The New
Writer, P.O. Box 60, Cranbrook, TN17 2ZR.
Email: flairforwords@aol.com
Take a look at our website:
www.flair4words.co.uk
www.thenewwriter.com
Special Offer for FMN Subscribers – 25% off The Writer’s ABC Checklist
by FMN contributors Lorraine Mace and Maureen Vincent-Northam
This is an easy-to-use comprehensive guide for writers on preparing and presenting their
work to agents, publishers and print media.
Whether you are putting together a submission for a magazine, short story for a
competition, a play or TV script, a novel or non-fiction book, this guide will provide answers
to questions you didn’t even know you should ask.
With its A-Z format, references can be found quickly and effortlessly. Unfamiliar terms are
explained and bullet points at the end of most sections provide a quick reminder of the main items
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To order your copy of The Writer’s ABC Checklist at the special 25% discount price of £7.49 (plus £1.95
P+P to UK) call the order hotline on 01443 710930 and quote the code WB25. Or you can buy online at
www.accentpress.co.uk. For all overseas delivery prices please contact the publisher direct.
Advertisements | March 2010 | Freelance Market News | 15
New Markets
Thriving Family
This is a new bi-monthly magazine aimed at
Christian families. It includes practical advice
on marriage and parenting, helpful tools for
teaching faith concepts to your children, parenting tips for
every age and stage and guides to navigating the world of
entertainment. They welcome work from freelancers for
the various sections of the magazine including:
For Fun – a true-life funny narrative on the dynamics of
marriage, parenting and family life. These should be up to
500 words and payment is $175.
Features – articles that include well-known personalities in
the Christian world. Query first. These are 1,200 to 2,000
words and payment is 25 cents per word.
For Him/For Her – 450-word articles written by a
man/woman offering insight into one marriage or parenting
issue from a male/female perspective. Payment is 25 cents
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Address: Thriving Family magazine, Focus on the Family,
8605 Explorer Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80920, U.S.A.
E: thrivingfamilysubmissions@family.org
For guidelines go to:
www.family.org/sharedassets/correspondence/pdfs/
GeneralInformation/TF_Writers_Guidelines.pdf
Cheshire’s Gardens of Distinction
This is a new magazine produced by the tourism board.
Visit Chester & Cheshire. Copies are available online. As
well as covering the best gardens in the county a recent
issue included articles on visiting Cheshire without costing
the earth, perfect garden gifts, Cheshire’s gooseberries and
a Cheshire food trail.
Address: Cheshire’s Gardens of Distinction magazine. Visit
Chester & Cheshire, Chester Railway Station,
1st Floor West Wing Offices, Station Road, Chester
CH1 3NT.
www.cheshiregardens.com
Book Of The Month
25%
off!
FMN Subscribers
Save 25% on RRP
Please send me a copy of
Writing The Life Poetic
Writing the Life Poetic
Send the coupon or call 0161 228 2362
This book helps anyone build skills and
confidence in their poetic voice. While key craft
issues are addressed, the approach is casual and
friendly, rather than formal and academic. Inside
you will find:
£11.99 – UK and Eire (£15.99 - £4.00 + FREE P&P)
£15.89 – Rest of the World (£15.99 - £4.00 + £3.90 P&P)
Cash/Cheque/Postal Order enclosed
(cheques made payable to Freelance Market News)
= 80 informal chapters/lessons on the poetic life
and craft.
= Practical tips, insights, exercises, guidance
and encouragement to give readers immediate confidence
that they can successfully add poetry to their repertoire.
= Advice on word choice, titles, free writing, metaphors and
similes, stanzas, and using your senses.
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Writing the Life Poetic is normally priced £15.99 but as a FMN
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Please note this is an American book.
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Writing the Life Poetic is normally priced £15.99 but as a FMN
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This offer ends on 31st March 2010
The contents of this Newsletter are copyright and reproduction in whole or part without permission is prohibited.
The views and opinions expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect those of the editor.
Angela Cox, Editor, The Association of Freelance Writers, Sevendale House, 7 Dale Street, Manchester M1 1JB.
Tel: 0161 228 2362 Fax: 0161 236 9440 E: fmn@writersbureau.com www.freelancemarketnews.com
© Freelance Market News 2010