Getting Published isn't easy! but you've just taken the first step by finding the best creative writing community on the web!
We're all about helping each other with publishing short stories, poems and articles and ... getting them paid for!
We do this by publishing our work in progress on the Arena area of the site where other members comment and star rate our efforts.
When our short stories, poems, book chapters or articles get SPOTLIGHTED we can then submit to the RESOURCE section of the site. Selected submissions are published and paid for.
The RESOURCES give us up to date information on paying markets for our short fiction, poetry and articles.
They also list current creative writing competitions including poetry contests, short story contests and non-fiction contests. Many of these also offer publication either on the web or in print.
Mustn't forget our terrific Events Diary listing which has around 20 UK events added on a monthly basis, taking place 6 months ahead so you can get your pitches before editors well before hand.
Oh and did I tell you about the Forums? Our members come from all over the globe and you can chat about a whole range of writing issues and some off-topic subjects too! A great way to get front line help and make new friends too.
Register now as a WRITER to join in all our community activities including full access to the Arena where you can publish your short stories, poems, articles and book chapters for review and critique.
To join us just click the Join The Writelink Community banner at the top of the page and select the WRITER option.
Alternatively, is you'd like to look around first, Register as a READER to explore our community at reader level.
Hope you'll stay around and join the other published authors on the site!
Sue Kendrick
Editor, Writelink
SHAPE SHIFTERS!
If the pounds are piling on during the festivities here’s your chance to turn them to a positive use! Our latest Arena competition calls for a flash fiction story featuring someone who reaps unexpected consequences through attempting to lose weight!
Give your imagination free rein, but keep word count to a maximum of 200! As usual, you can submit as many entries as you like, but post direct to the Arena competition page.
The closing date is 10th January, 2009 and we’ve £20 for the winning entry.
http://www.writelink.co.uk/arena_main.php?cat=a_shapeshifters
HO! HO! HO! HAVE YOU A TINSEL TALE TO SHOW?
This is a flash fiction competition with a difference! Post a 250 word Christmas themed story direct to the contest web page and watch it gain votes and comments from your friends, family and other writers.
The site will generate a top 10 shortlist, but final judging will be by human editor who will cherry pick up to five other entries.
There are cash prizes of £50, £30 & £20 plus other prizes. All entrants will receive notification of when their story receives comments and a daily email detailing their position in the voting.
Entries are limited to 100 so register now and send in your entry before the closing date, 31st December, 2008.
Full details:
http://www.writelink.co.uk/tinseltales
FREE WRITING FOR MAGAZINES e-COURSE
If you are a Writer member of the site you can download this free writing for magazines e-course from our library along with all the other writing ebooks. If you're not a Writer member, it's being offered as a free daily email course up until Christmas. The normal price is £5 so not one to be missed! Read on for details.
MAGS & RAGS to Riches is a super mini workshop, offering tips and tricks on writing magazine articles that sell. Originally a top rate e-course designed as an on-line learning workshop it covers all aspects of writing for the lucrative magazine article market, including pitching, research, query letters and finding markets that pay.
Each lesson is followed by exercises to help hone skill and useful weblinks for further help.
Mags & Rags to Riches is completely free. It is delivered in 6 instalments by daily email. Signup here, but be quick! The offer finishes at Christmas!
http://www.writelink.co.uk/writingmagazinearticles/
YULE SING ME ONE SONG
Do you have a song in your heart? Or to be more precise, a festive poem that would translate into a seasonal song? If so, Yule Sing Me One Song is definitely for you!
Writelink’s latest Arena competition is looking for a suitable poem that one of its expert musicians can set to music and record. As well as receiving £20, the top entry will have their song recorded and see it featured as a screen saver. For the runner up, Courtesy of Nunkie theatre, we’ve got a couple of tickets for Oh Whistle! Featuring two of M R James spine tingling ghost stories, the show is being performed by Robert Lloyd Parry at various venues around the UK over the Christmas period and the early part of the new year. www.nunkie.co.uk
Remember, Writelink has a global membership covering all faiths so the more universal your poem/lyrics, the better your chances!
Poems/lyrics should be no longer than 16 lines including any chorus. You do not have to include any musical notation!
You can enter as many times as you like, but please post direct to the competition page.
http://www.writelink.co.uk/arena_main.php?cat=a_yulesingmeonesong
Last year’s winner was Christmas Rose, written by Beverley Palmer. This is currently being compiled as a screensaver which will be available for free download very shortly. While we’re working on the technical stuff, you can read the lyrics and download previous screensavers featuring Yule Sing Me One Song winners from here:
http://www.writelink.co.uk/screensaver
Closing date, 10th December.
THROUGH THE WINDOW – Latest Arena Competition
We’ve all got them so no excuse for lack of source material, but what do you or your protagonist see through yours? A homeless person looking longingly INTO a dining room window? Perhaps a bedridden old lady looking OUT onto her beloved, but now neglected garden? Or maybe your window is a metaphysical or allegorical window presenting life changing views of other dimensions?
Whatever the scene our latest Arena competition wants you to come up with a compelling piece of flash fiction which tells a complete story in just 100 words, including the title, so you will need to make each and everyone of them count!
As usual there is £20 for the best entry and you can enter as many times as you like.
Entries close: 10th November.
Please post entries direct to the site. All details here:
http://www.writelink.co.uk/arena_main.php?cat=a_throughthewindow
Markets Our markets listings have been compiled by, Sue Kendrick.
All the listings accept freelance submissions and are bona fida paying markets.
All have a web presence and most have on-line writers guidelines.
Competitions Our competition database is continually updated.
All contests are current and offer cash prizes and in many cases publication.
The most recent additions appear on the page but don't forget there are many more in the database!
Just use the search box.
You can also add your own writing contest but please remember, all competitions MUST offer cash prizes.
No prizes in kind, publication only or percentage of entry fees. No listings of contests linking to sites offering adult content!
Events Diary Every month our Events Diary is updated with listings taking place six months ahead.
This is to give you plenty of time to research and pitch ideas for articles to editors who often have a lead time of anywhere between 3-6 months.
This month Maureen Vincent-Northam has compiled our listings.
GETTING IT ON
You've written the best tragedy since Hamlet but no one will know unless you Get it out and Get it on. How does the fledgling playwright do that?
By: katerer - December 14, 2008
Which comes first, the pictures or the text?
Illustrated articles stand a better chance of acceptance as they make the editor's job easier. Sometimes the idea for an article comes first and pictures need to be sourced whilst on other occasions a set of pictures may inspire a written piece. Writing about pictures is also a possibility.
By: buddie84 - December 15, 2008
Rejection? No: A Learning Experience
A personal account of what you can learn from a publisher's 'No thank you'
By: Chausiku - April 23, 2008
Christmas Letters
Why me? Why now? And why can't I....?
By: Liz Smith - December 14, 2008
Nativity 2008
Christmas Eve and three men are travelling together.
994 words
By: hmassey - December 13, 2008
Confounded Commas!
Our latest online quiz will soon have you whipping those confounded commas into shape!
Software Software for writers comes in all shapes and sizes.
Sophisticated plotting tools to help you write your novel or packages simply designed to help you organise your files.
Most allow 30 day free trial and some are completely free.
Publishers All the publishers listed here are main stream publishers.Many specialise in different types of books so check their requirements carefully.
The most recent additions to the database are shown on this page but you can also search for a specific genre by using the search box.
WE DO NOT LIST POD OR SELF PUBLISHING COMPANIES
