Shutterstock / oatawa©Phew! 2022 fairly zoomed past, didn’t it? There were so many fabulous things happened in 2022, the main one being our return to the office. We’re not all in each day, but we’ve certainly embraced hybrid working and the familiar rhythms and routines came back like we’d never been apart.
We were blown away by another year of fantastic fiction in the “Friend” and we had a record number of new authors which shows that short stories are here for ever!
If you’ve still to have a story accepted by us or you feel you’ve gone off the boil slightly, we have some advice for submitting to The People’s Friend in 2023.
Study The Magazine
Yes, we know that we say this all the time, but how else are you going to know about tone, content etc. Take an analytical look at each story in an issue and make notes. Break it down into sections like “Storyline”, “Characters”, “Dialogue” and “Setting”. What makes each story work? How have your unsuccessful stories compared to these? Do the characters have a back story? Do they overcome some sort of challenge?
Respect The Readers
We know exactly what our readers want. They tell us all the time and we’re very lucky to have brilliant feedback. That’s why the “Friend” will reach her 154th birthday soon! Our readers don’t want stories that are lurid, violent or upsetting. The “Friend” is all about a safe place to escape and read wonderful fiction. Whatever your personal views are on things, please don’t bring it to your stories.
Submit Properly
If you’re submitting a period story to The People’s Friend, please state the year it’s set at the top of your manuscript. Remember to provide a title, your name and contact details and don’t forget the word count. We don’t publish stories that are under 1000 words. The only novels we publish are the “People’s Friend Pocket Novels” and please don’t try to write a serial until you’ve had short stories accepted. Our Friend Fiction email address for submissions is for short stories only. Seasonal stories must be submitted around six months before. So while you’re shivering through winter, that’s the time to think about summer stories!
We don’t have time to give detailed feedback due to the number of submissions we receive, but perhaps this may help as it explains the most common reasons for rejecting a story.
Think Outside The Box
You can still have an engaging and gripping story within our guidelines. Stories can be set anywhere in the world at any time and have characters of any age. The opportunities are endless. Try to avoid clichés like anyone over the age of 60 being hopeless with technology. We see this crop up a lot and we know it’s far from the truth!
Good luck and please take a look at our guidelines. We have a wealth of information and writing tips on here too. You can read Abbie’s New Year writing goals too!
Tracey Steel Having worked on a number of magazines over the years, I have found my perfect place on the “Friend” as I’m obsessed with reading and never go anywhere without a book! I read all of our stories with a mug of tea close by and usually a bit of strong cheese too!
