Before I talk about fiction submissions, I’d like to say thank you to all our writers and illustrators for continuing to share their talent with us throughout these days and weeks of lockdown. We couldn’t put the magazine together without you!
If you’re a regular visitor to our website, you’ll have seen this piece on submitting during lockdown.
Following on from this, I thought it would be worth giving some suggestions to those published “Friend” authors emailing submissions.
These tips should help the process run smoothly!
- When submitting by email, please include a byline. On the first page of your manuscript, beside the title, please make it clear who the story is by. This can be a pen name, if you prefer. This way we can to attribute each story to the correct author.
- Please don’t send your cover sheet separately. Keeping everything on the one Word Document is helpful.
- Please keep a copy of all fiction submissions, and the date you sent it to us. Even with the best systems in place, emails can go astray. The same applies if you’re submitting by post — please don’t send us the only copy of your work.
- If you’re not in regular contact with your Editor, please contact them before emailing. Although we remain open to submissions, we may not be looking for, for example, 1200-word stories that week. So we may ask you to resend later.
- Please don’t send in stories that are coronavirus-centred at the moment. This is for two reasons, really. Firstly, the situation is very changeable, which could lead to issues as we go to press weeks ahead of “real” time. Secondly, we like the “Friend” to be a little safe harbour in the stormy seas we’ve all been experiencing lately. A welcome breath of fresh air.
- Don’t worry too much about presentation. Any clear font and reasonable type size is acceptable. Double line spacing works well. And our Production team prefer no formatting, please.
- And finally: please do bear with us. Response times will be much longer than usual over the next few months. We’ll do our very best to make sure every manuscript is read and given a fair chance, as promptly as we can.
For more from Fiction Ed Lucy, read her blog here.
Lucy Crichton Better known as “Fiction Editor Lucy”, I am always on the look-out for the very best short stories, poems and pocket novels. As well as sourcing enjoyable content, I enjoy working with our established contributors, encouraging new talent, and celebrating 155 years of “Friend” fiction!
