I was very excited yesterday when I was flicking through Prima magazine, only to find a story I’d written in it. I’d obviously remembered my first attempt at a magazine story had been accepted for their November issue, but hadn’t realised that was the issue I was reading!
The loveliest part of it was seeing the illustration – my story brought to life. Just like when you first receive your new book’s cover art, you realise someone has taken the time to become familiar with your characters, and create a visual representation of them.
So, here, for this blog, I thought I’d share what I know about which UK magazines accept fictional stories. Fewer do now than ever before, but there are still some out there.
Prima – publishes one 800 word story per month in their ‘reader’s fiction’ feature. Payment is £100 per story. Of course, it’s unlikely that once you’ve had one published, you’ll get another any time in the near future. Audience I would say is women 35+.
My Weekly – A slightly older audience, I would say females 45+, My Weekly is full of fiction. However, you can only submit if you have published a My Weekly Pocket Novel. Pocket Novels are 50k words and are generally sweet romances, either modern or historical.
They accept unsolicited submissions for the Pocket Novel and pay a one-off £300. This doesn’t sound a lot for that amount of words, but is worth considering if you have a suitable manuscript for which you’re seeking a reputable home. Regular contributors to Pocket Novels tell me that you can earn a fair amount from ALCS payments www.alcs.co.uk.
Woman’s Weekly – Long considered the Holy Grail of short story authors, Woman’s Weekly has attracted a lot of negative publicity recently regarding the issue of authors’ rights. It may therefore be wise to think carefully before you submit. https://www.societyofauthors.org/News/Blogs/SoA-Blog/August-2018-(1)/On-Womans-Weekly
The People’s Friend – I have heard positive things about the way this magazine treats their authors. This much-loved magazine has a much older audience (I’d say men and women 50+), and is well-known for its fiction. They accept unsolicited submissions. Content is sweet and uncontroversial.
If you decide to submit – the very best of luck!
