Mslexia

Mslexia, the magazine for women who write | www.mslexia.co.uk

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Contributors' Guidelines

Mslexia welcomes submissions for every part of the magazine. We commission work by prominent authors and artists as well as talented newcomers. For a clear idea of the full range of material we publish, why not take advantage of our 'Try before you buy' offer.

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Meanwhile, we’re inviting submissions for the following regular slots:

New Writing

This is a substantial section of poetry and prose by published and unpublished authors, selected and introduced by our New Writing Guest Editor. Previous Mystery Guests include Fay Weldon, Michèle Roberts, Fleur Adcock and Val McDermid. The themes and deadlines for the upcoming issues are:

Issue 40: The Four Elements

Air, earth, fire and water: a single element, a combustible combination or a stimulating set of all four – choose the most inspiring approach.
Closing date: 19 September 2008

Issue 41: To be announced

Poets, send up to four poems (strictly up to 40 lines each). Fiction writers, up to two stories (strictly under 2,500 words apiece). Please label your envelope 'Elements', and enclose a stamped addessed envelope. Also include a cover sheet complete with your name, address, daytime telephone number and email, the title(s) of the work submitted and a full word count. We promise a response for New Writing submissions within three months of the closing date; our New Writing section pays £25 per poem and £15 per 1,000 words of prose.

PLEASE NOTE: we only accept email submissions from overseas writers. If you are submitting by email, please include your land address and telephone number.

OTHER SUBMISSIONS

Flash Fiction

This is a new literary form that is growing in popularity, especially on the web. The ideal piece of flash fiction tells a complete story in as few words as possible. The theme for your flashes of genius? Balloons. The word limit? 150.

For initial guidance, see our article on Flash Fiction.
Closing date: 14 November 2008

We regret we can only inform you of the fate of your submission if it is accompanied by an SAE. If sending several types of work (eg. two poems, a short story, a flash fiction entry), please enclose an appropriate number of return envelopes.

Autobiography

Curious Incidents is a nonfiction slot that challenges you to mine your memory for true-life events that will touch us or teach us. Issue 40’s topic is Heirlooms – but we will consider Curious Incidents on any autobiographical topic. 800 words only, plus your CV and a brief biog. There is no need to send an SAE. Your piece will be filed, as a sample of your writing. We will contact you if we want to publish or discuss a commission.
Closing Date: 14 November 2008.

Features articles

Ideas for one-off features are welcome, as a 200-word proposal plus a brief CV and a published or unpublished example of your writing. There is no need to enclose an SAE. We will keep your details on file and contact you if we want to discuss a commission.

One I love

Potential reviewers – published and unpublished – are also invited to submit to our One I love feature. Please send a 350-word account of how one book has influenced you as a writer, or as a woman. There is no need to send a SAE. We will keep your details and contact you if we want to publish your review.

Closing dates: 31 October.

Book reviews

If you are a published reviewer, please send a sample review and a brief CV. There is no need to send a SAE. We will keep your details on file and contact you if we want to discuss a commission.

Illustrations

Women visual artists, please send non-returnable examples of your work + CV. We will contact you if we want to discuss a commission.

FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

We invite subscribers to submit to OutNow/How I Did It (240 words). Closing Date: 14 November 2008.

DIRECTORY

Mslexia publishes a comprehensive literature listings section, including the UK, the Republic of Ireland and Further Afield. If you know of – or are involved in – anything that might be of interest to Mslexia readers, please contact us, and we will do our best to include you in the magazine or on the website.

Closing date for issue 39 (OCTNOVDEC): 8 September 2008 for events from 12 October to the end of January 2009.

For a more prominent position in the magazine, why not advertise with Mslexia, or insert your flier?

Send submissions to:

Mslexia
PO Box 656
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE99 1PZ

For further information, contact us. We look forward to hearing from you. PLEASE NOTE: we do not accept email submissions, except from overseas writers.