Writers Online

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Perfect your craft in 2020 How to find a creative writing course If you want to study creative writing, the variety and number of courses can be confusing. It’s important to find the type of course or group that suits you. READ TOP TIPS Master Your Creative Writing Craft at Manchester Metropolitan University Join our MFA/MA Creative Writing programme at one of the UK’s largest and most successful literary centres, Manchester Met’s Manchester Writing School. Our Masters programme in Creative Writing will help you to develop your writing skills through a blend of writing workshops and reading units, allowing you to explore the techniques and styles of modern and contemporary literature. You’ll have the option to follow a specialist route in Novel, Poetry, Writing for Children & Young Adults, Scriptwriting or Creative Non-fiction, and complete your own full-length manuscript with editorial input from one of our internationally-renowned writers. The MA/MFA is available to study on campus, or from anywhere in the world via online distance learning. A Postgraduate Excellence Scholarship worth £2,000 is available for eligible students for MFA/MA Creative Writing. Find out more here. Applications for MA/MFA Creative Writing, as well as other masters offered by our Department of English including MA English Studies and MA Publishing, are now open. APPLY NOW Do You Want to be Published and Paid? Yes?  Then The Writers Bureau’s Creative Writing Home-Study Course Can Help! Learn to write articles, short-stories, novels, scripts and more, plus, HOW TO SELL YOUR WRITING.  Includes 20 marked assignments with a professional writer as your tutor.   Ideal for beginners - this course can cut your writing apprenticeship by years. Earn while you learn. Full Refund Guarantee. 15-day trial. Visit our website to request your free prospectus. FIND OUT MORE Last chance to claim 20% OFF a creative writing course Payday is finally here, and a perfect time to invest in your writing with 20% off all of our creative writing courses. Study at home, at your own pace to fit around your schedule with a professional writer at hand to set your assignments based on your current projects. "Writing Magazine’s Short Story course is filled with a tonne of resources and information; paired with the professionalism of Lesley Eames and her wealth of experience, the course is a must-have for any writer looking to enter the world of short fiction." Mary Fletcher VIEW COURSES FOLLOW US! Email: webhelp@warnersgroup.co.uk  /  subscriptions@warnersgroup.co.uk (include your name & postcode) Tel: 01778 392482, Mon-Fri 8am-6pm, Sat and Bank Holidays 9am-5pm Writers Online is brought to you by Warners Group Publications The Maltings, West Street, Bourne, Lincs. PE10 9PH. Registered in England: 2572212

5 Top Tips for the Self-Publishing author Writing Magazine subscriber and Amazon bestseller CT Mitchell offers advice based on his own successful experience of self-publishing  After thirty years of procrastinating about becoming a writer, I finally started in February 2015 to write my first fiction book. Procrastination cannot be classified as a strength but it’s certainly something that grips most would-be authors, preventing most potential literary giants from ever joining the writing world... READ TOP TIPS The essential guides for aspiring writers – now in its 113th edition! Packed with practical advice, guidance and inspiration about all aspects of the writing process, the Yearbook is the essential resource for budding writers and artists. With thousands of publishing industry contacts and a wealth of advice articles covering everything from the dos and don’ts of self-publishing to getting your book stocked in high-street bookshops, the Yearbook is a helping hand in navigating the path to publication. A guide for authors and illustrators across all genres and markets: those looking for a traditional, hybrid or self-publishing route; a writer of fiction or non-fiction, poets and playwrights, writers for TV and radio, newspapers and magazines “Essential reading.” – Kate Mosse “An indispensable companion for anyone seriously committed to the profession of author.” – David Lodge “A must for established and aspiring authors.” – Society of Authors “The wealth of information is staggering.” – The Times ORDER TODAY Matador starts on top…   Self-publishing service Matador is starting the new decade on top, having been ranked for the second year running as the best self-publishing service out of 80 evaluated by The Independent Publishing Magazine, ahead of competitors like Amazon and IngramSpark. MD Jeremy Thompson said, “Quality and excellent customer service are what drives us; that seems to resonate with our authors. Rankings are based in part on customer feedback, so this is all the more welcome.” FIND OUT MORE The Self-Publishing Partnership If you’re thinking of self-publishing, or are considering how to publish a book, we can provide all the services, guidance and support needed to produce your book to a high standard. SPP is an established independent provider, with a personal touch. We’ll talk through the options with you and advise on what might be best for your particular work. And because every book is different, we’ll provide a specific quote reflecting your preferences. Please get in touch to discuss it. GET STARTED TODAY Complete ‘done-for-you' self-publishing with SilverWood Books Want to self-publish but don’t have time to learn all the processes? SilverWood Books offers self-publishing with a difference. Our complete ‘done for you’ self-publishing service ensures you have a professionally-produced, retail-quality book you can confidently market to your target readership.   The friendly expert publishing team at SilverWood will support you throughout – from copy-editing, proofreading and book cover design, through to trade distribution, sales, and hand-formatted ebook editions. FIND OUT MORE FOLLOW US! Email: webhelp@warnersgroup.co.uk  /  subscriptions@warnersgroup.co.uk (include your name & postcode) Tel: 01778 392482, Mon-Fri 8am-6pm, Sat and Bank Holidays 9am-5pm Writers Online is brought to you by Warners Group Publications The Maltings, West Street, Bourne, Lincs. PE10 9PH. Registered in England: 2572212

Opportunities to WIN BIG and get your work published  Want your writing competition entries to impress judges and win prizes? Here are some helpful hints for writers with their eyes on the prize READ OUR TOP TIPS SHORT MYSTERY COMPETITION The Margery Allingham Short Mystery Competition is open until 29 February The Crime Writers' Association's mission is to find the best unpublished short mystery – one that fits into legendary crime writer Margery’s definition of what makes a great story ENTER NOW SHORT STORY COMPETITION  The Exeter Writers Short Story Competition Exeter Writers runs an annual short story competition. The competition began in 2009 and is very popular, receiving entries from all over the world. The 2020 competition is now open. Prizes of £700, £250, £100, and £100 for best Devon entry are offered.  FIND OUT MORE FLASH FICTION COMPETITION The Fish Flash Fiction Prize is an opportunity to attempt one of the most interesting and rewarding tasks – to create, in a tiny fragment, a completely resolved and compelling story in 300 words or less. ENTER NOW WRITING FOR CHILDREN COMPETITION  The Kelpies Prize was launched in 2004 to find the best new Scottish writing for children. Since then, it has gone from strength to strength, with many of the winners and shortlisters going on to have sparkling writing careers. In 2019, they changed the format of the prize to reflect their new aims of nurturing and developing children’s writers in Scotland, asking entrants to submit a selection of writing samples as opposed to a complete manuscript. In addition, they introduced an all-new prize package including a year of mentoring with their experienced editorial team. FIND OUT MORE SHORT STORY COMPETITION The Scottish Arts Club Short Story Competition is open to writers worldwide. They are seeking original and engaging stories on any topic up to 2,000 words. Their new chief judge is Andrew O’Hagan, multi-award winning author and editor-at-large of the London Review of Books. ENTER NOW FOLLOW US! Email: webhelp@warnersgroup.co.uk  /  subscriptions@warnersgroup.co.uk (include your name & postcode) Tel: 01778 392482, Mon-Fri 8am-6pm, Sat and Bank Holidays 9am-5pm Writers Online is brought to you by Warners Group Publications The Maltings, West Street, Bourne, Lincs. PE10 9PH. Registered in England: 2572212