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WEEKS WOMEN’S WRITING Nove l School Join a group of lively and supportive writers for five days of workshops, feedback and support in the comfort of your own home 10-14 July 2023 Mslexia Novel School is for writers embarking on a novel, or rethinking a work in progress. Four leading tutors will each focus on a single aspect of the novel writing craft, creating a varied week of high-quality workshops. Tutorial groups are small, to ensure you get the personal attention you need Novel School tutors: Claire Hynes Lesley Glaister Jane Rogers Margaret Wilkinson Because this is Mslexia, we know how important it is to nurture the whole writer. So as well as topflight tuition, we’re also including motivation workshops, drop-in counselling, and informal social time when you can get to know your fellow writers. Whether you experience a breakthrough with your work-inprogress, dissolve the roadblocks on your creative journey, or meet writers who will be part of your life long after the course is over, this promises to be a game-changing week for your writing. But don’t take our word for it. Here’s what participants said about our previous course in July 2022: ‘A totally immersive hug, and a taste of what it feels like to accept myself as a writer’ ‘My book feels like it actually exists now, and is not just a collection of random ideas’ ‘Now I know how to move forward with a book I’ve been struggling with for 14 years’ ‘I feel as if I have been guided out of the undergrowth’ postbag@ mslexia.co.uk +44 191 204 8860 www.mslexia.co.uk/shop/womens-writing-weeks 2 CONTENTS / Mslexia / Jun/Jul/Aug 2023
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As editor, I’m able to control a lot of what goes into Mslexia. But I can’t control exactly what our regular columnists are going to write about, nor what our guest judges will select from all the submissions we send them. But sometimes it feels as though many of us have been tapping into the same niche of the zeitgeist. And in this issue, that niche is occupied by benign paranormal influences. Introducing the poems and stories on the ‘ghosts’ theme in Showcase, Rebecca Tamás comments that the phantoms are mainly sad or loving, or simply lost – not frightening at all (p36). And what could be more benign and paranormal than the new genre of ‘romantasy’ – a combination of fantasy and romance – that’s making waves in the publishing world (p28)? Kathryn Wheeler and Elizabeth Kim both write about the mysterious influences of the moon’s cycle on our creativity (p57 and p53), while Jenny Moore has fun imagining a feminist ‘nan in the moon’ (p74). And in her witty subversive fable, Debbra Mikaelsen writes of the resolve a mother experiences as a result of the irrepressible spirit of her unborn baby (p73). It’s this mysterious and inspiring spirit that we’ve tried to reflect with our gorgeously spooky cover image. DEBBIE TAYLOR is the founder and Editorial Director of Mslexia. She has written for Oxfam, UNICEF, Anti-Slavery, WHO and others about women and social issues. Her many books include My Children, My Gold (Virago), a travelogue about single mothers, and The Fourth Queen (Penguin), a novel set in a harem in 18th-Century Morocco. Her latest novel is Herring Girl (Oneworld), a paranormal historical murder mystery. MAINSTREAM PUBLISHERS ARE HAVING TO PITCH TO AUTHORS, RATHER THAN THE OTHER WAY AROUND KATY GUEST, P8 ‘as a country, we are constantly brushing the shameful bits of our history under the carpet’ LIZ BERRY P23 ‘in a story, you have only a very few brushstrokes, and they have to be precise – it’s hard’ STEPHANIE BOXALL P16 Forum 5 Mslexia poll; Writing nest; Bear necessities; Blogability 6 What you’re saying; Mslexia Salon 7 #amwriting: Amélie Padfield on writing with grief Agenda 9 Breaking through: Katy Guest on the democratisation of literature Craft 15 Writing exercises and warm-ups; It works for me with V V Ganeshananthan; Poet Laureate 16 Does size matter? Stephanie Boxall on short stories vs novels 18 The story of your life with Catherine Cho 19 Poetry challenge, selected by Linda France 20 Timepiece; Flash challenge with Meg Pokrass; Editing a poem by Hannah Lowe Interview 23 Polly Clark talks to Liz Berry Reading for writers 27 Breaking the mould with Yvonne BattleFelton; Books about writing 28 The Knowledge: ‘Romantasy’ with Julie Vuong 30 What’s new in poetry by Ellora Sutton 31 Indie in the news: Arachne Press 32 What’s new in short stories by Terri-Jane Dow 33 Indie in the news: Galley Beggar Press Showcase 36 Rebecca Tamás presents her selection of poems and stories on the theme of ‘ghosts’ Creativity & Wellbeing 53 Occult inspirations with Elizabeth Kim; Stef Penney’s Achilles’ heel 55 Memoir and self- healing with Lily Dunn 56 Writing lifebelts with Anna Vaught 57 Go with the flow: Kathryn Wheeler on creativity and menstruation Career 59 Social media muses with Alice Slater 60 The right retreat: E R Murray helps you choose the best one for you 62 Proud to place with agent Sophie Lambert; My portfolio career 63 Orna Ross on creating high-quality books in different formats 64 Noticeboard Opportunities 66 Open for submissions; Insight: Searchlight Writing Awards 67 Three of a kind: running magazines 69 Insight: The Drusilla Harvey Access Fund 71 Insight: Kate Shaw’s manuscript wishlist Off the page 73 The world’s wife; Eyeverse 74 Bedtime story; Breaking the mould with Cecilia Knapp; Mslexia moths with Molly Naylor 76 Screen shorts, with Lucy Rose Events 77 Events and courses 78 Getting a gig: Word Space And finally 81 Andi Oliver’s bedside table 82 Submitting and subscribing to Mslexia 98 c o n t e n t s 3 CONTENTS / Mslexia / Jun/Jul/Aug 2023 ‘many studies have found a rise in self- esteem and confidence at this stage in the menstrual cycle’ KATHRYN WHEELER P57 ‘some writers achieve impressive wordcounts while others experience a complete brain freeze’ E R MURRAY P60

As editor, I’m able to control a lot of what goes into Mslexia. But I can’t control exactly what our regular columnists are going to write about, nor what our guest judges will select from all the submissions we send them. But sometimes it feels as though many of us have been tapping into the same niche of the zeitgeist. And in this issue, that niche is occupied by benign paranormal influences.

Introducing the poems and stories on the ‘ghosts’ theme in Showcase, Rebecca Tamás comments that the phantoms are mainly sad or loving, or simply lost – not frightening at all (p36). And what could be more benign and paranormal than the new genre of ‘romantasy’ – a combination of fantasy and romance – that’s making waves in the publishing world (p28)?

Kathryn Wheeler and Elizabeth Kim both write about the mysterious influences of the moon’s cycle on our creativity

(p57 and p53), while Jenny Moore has fun imagining a feminist ‘nan in the moon’ (p74). And in her witty subversive fable, Debbra Mikaelsen writes of the resolve a mother experiences as a result of the irrepressible spirit of her unborn baby (p73).

It’s this mysterious and inspiring spirit that we’ve tried to reflect with our gorgeously spooky cover image.

DEBBIE TAYLOR is the founder and Editorial Director of Mslexia. She has written for Oxfam, UNICEF, Anti-Slavery, WHO and others about women and social issues. Her many books include My Children, My Gold (Virago), a travelogue about single mothers, and The Fourth Queen (Penguin), a novel set in a harem in 18th-Century Morocco. Her latest novel is Herring Girl (Oneworld), a paranormal historical murder mystery.

MAINSTREAM PUBLISHERS ARE HAVING TO PITCH TO AUTHORS, RATHER THAN THE OTHER WAY AROUND KATY GUEST, P8

‘as a country, we are constantly brushing the shameful bits of our history under the carpet’ LIZ BERRY P23

‘in a story, you have only a very few brushstrokes, and they have to be precise – it’s hard’ STEPHANIE BOXALL P16

Forum 5 Mslexia poll;

Writing nest; Bear necessities; Blogability 6 What you’re saying;

Mslexia Salon 7 #amwriting: Amélie

Padfield on writing with grief Agenda 9 Breaking through:

Katy Guest on the democratisation of literature Craft 15 Writing exercises and warm-ups; It works for me with V V Ganeshananthan; Poet Laureate 16 Does size matter?

Stephanie Boxall on short stories vs novels 18 The story of your life with Catherine Cho 19 Poetry challenge,

selected by Linda France 20 Timepiece; Flash challenge with Meg Pokrass; Editing a poem by Hannah Lowe Interview 23 Polly Clark talks to

Liz Berry Reading for writers 27 Breaking the mould with Yvonne BattleFelton; Books about writing 28 The Knowledge:

‘Romantasy’ with Julie Vuong 30 What’s new in poetry by Ellora Sutton 31 Indie in the news:

Arachne Press 32 What’s new in short stories by Terri-Jane Dow 33 Indie in the news:

Galley Beggar Press Showcase 36 Rebecca Tamás presents her selection of poems and stories on the theme of ‘ghosts’ Creativity & Wellbeing 53 Occult inspirations with Elizabeth Kim; Stef Penney’s

Achilles’ heel 55 Memoir and self-

healing with Lily Dunn 56 Writing lifebelts with

Anna Vaught 57 Go with the flow:

Kathryn Wheeler on creativity and menstruation Career 59 Social media muses with Alice Slater 60 The right retreat:

E R Murray helps you choose the best one for you 62 Proud to place with agent Sophie Lambert; My portfolio career 63 Orna Ross on creating high-quality books in different formats 64 Noticeboard Opportunities 66 Open for submissions; Insight: Searchlight

Writing Awards 67 Three of a kind:

running magazines

69 Insight: The Drusilla

Harvey Access Fund 71 Insight: Kate Shaw’s manuscript wishlist Off the page 73 The world’s wife;

Eyeverse 74 Bedtime story;

Breaking the mould with Cecilia Knapp; Mslexia moths with Molly Naylor 76 Screen shorts, with

Lucy Rose Events 77 Events and courses 78 Getting a gig: Word

Space And finally 81 Andi Oliver’s bedside table 82 Submitting and subscribing to Mslexia

98 c o n t e n t s

3 CONTENTS / Mslexia / Jun/Jul/Aug 2023

‘many studies have found a rise in self- esteem and confidence at this stage in the menstrual cycle’ KATHRYN WHEELER P57

‘some writers achieve impressive wordcounts while others experience a complete brain freeze’ E R MURRAY P60

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