BELLA
They ask for stories with a good twist and strong female main characters. The turn round time is about two months.
Send to: Linda O'Byrne, Bella Fiction, 24-28 Oval Road, London NW1 7DT
|
BEST
No set themes as they take romance, slice of life and twists. Stories must be at least 900 words and up to 1200. The main characters are almost always female. Payment goes up the more stories you sell them. Expect to start at £100. Lead times vary enormously and have been as long as ten months. Send to: Pat Richardson, Best, 72 Broadwick Street, London W1F 9EP
|
TAKE A BREAK
This is a big market as they publish regular Fiction Feast specials, as well as one or two stories each week in the main magazine. For Fiction Feast, story length can be anything from 500 to 6000 words. Subjects are as diverse as straightforward romance, ghost stories, twist in the tale or crime and mystery. Some of the fiction used is surprisingly mean and nasty.
For the main magazine they want a strong plot, often with a twist, and the story must feature a female as either the viewpoint character, or the person who comes off best. Aim for a light, chatty style. Avoid long words and sentences. Turn round times can vary but expect to hear in around three months. Payment is from £200 for Fiction Feast according to length, and £400 for Take A Break.
Send to: Norah McGrath, Take a Break/Fiction Feast, 24-28 Oval Road, London NW1 7DT.
NOTE: No cover letters with magazine submissions - just send the story with a flysheet with contact details.
NOTE AGAIN: Be sure to put FIRST UK SERIAL RIGHTS in caps at the bottom left of each submission - it just means that you can still send these stories to US magazines without breaching any contracts (as long as you put FIRST US SERIAL RIGHTS on those ones!!!)
|
THAT'S LIFE
Stories with sting in the tale. Words length 900 to 1200. Main character female and stories normally written in third person, past tense. Often used themes are ghosts and women getting revenge on someone who has done them wrong. Payment £300.
Send to: Emma Fabian, That's Life, 3rd Floor Academic House, 24-28 Oval Road, London NW1 7DT.
|
WOMAN'S WEEKLY
Uses at least two stories a week - one short (1000 words) and one longer (1800-2000). Also publish regular fiction specials. Welcome stories from male viewpoint. Pay more according to how well they know you. Start at £100, possibly more.
|
