speedy rejections.

The rejections are just bouncing off me these days, another back from People's Friend! This time it was back in ten days. Wow, they're getting fast. It must have been really bad.
No, I don't really take it to heart, it simply means that it wasn't right for them, but someone else might like it.
On the subject of speedy respomses, I have just asked The Lady about the wherabouts of a story I sent Jan last year and got a nice email apologising for the delay, but they have had a lot of upheavel lately and it has been taking over a year for a decision to be made.
It was nice of her to reply so quickly, t's just that, when you wait so long to hear about a story, you can't help but take that lengthy wait as a good sign, and then when it is eventually rejected, it is really hard not to feel deflated.( A story with another magazine I had high hopes for came back after eight months with a standard no thanks)
Sigh.

Spikethecat competitions

Just wanted to mention this website. spikethecat It is aimed at helping new writers, there are regular competitions for a £3 fee.
To be honest, I was always put off by entry fees, but now understand that they are a necessary way of raising a prize fund. So once in a while, it doesn't hurt too much.
The winning writer receives £100 and a free copy of the anthology, which is available in e-book or printed book. I mention it as I noticed the last competition had very few entries. It would be a shame if Spikethecat couldn't continue because of a lack of entries.
There is also a blog on there to keep everyone updated.
I entered the last comp and will definately have another go.

100 stories for Haiti anthology

The successful stories have been announced. 100 stories for haiti is a charity anthology, quite a few names I recognise on the list, and such a good idea for charity fund raising. Hope it does really well!
Well done to all those whose stories were chosen!

Give competitions a go!

I've only ever entered four competitions.
One I heard nothing about.
Another was a writers forum one, which came with a very helpful critique from Sue Moorcroft, which was great.
One was for childrens writers academy and didn't come anywhere, but did get a letter asking if I was interested in their writing course as my entry was in the top 300 of 2000. Wasn't really sure whether to take heart in that as the cynic in me suspects that they merely want to sell their course. Which is fair enough. I can't afford a writing course, so merely filed the letter away with my huge file full of rejection letter etc.
I also entered a poem in Animal Antics Comp last year. Didn't win , but my poem has been selected to go in the Crazy for Creatures anthology, which is due out this month I believe. So that feels good, can't wait to see that!
Anyway, I just decided to enter a Spike-the-cat comp found on Sally's Competition Calendar, which I recommend checking out, a brilliant list with lots of info and entry due by dates.
Might as well have a try. Got to be in it to win it as my Mum would say.

Two more rejections

If I was lolling about under the impression that I had People's Friend requirements sussed, I was very wrong. Two more rejections from them this week. The first story was one I had nice comments about twice previously and was with them for 2 months,but it seems it just isn't for them, the second back to me in just a week. Clearly that was a definate no. I thought it was so heart warming as well. That just goes to why show researching your target magazine is so essential, heart warming in itself just isnt enough, they are looking for a certain feel to a story, very gentle, but not 'too weak' as my last one was described as. Ouch.
Try, try, try again...