AUTO EXPRESS, Britain’s best-selling weekly car magazine, is looking for freelance writers. They write: ‘Can you sniff out a news story before it’s happened? Is your copy sparkling, lively and accurate in a bright tabloid style? If the answer is yes, we’d like to hear from you. No beginners, please.’ Apply with CV to: James Foxall, Assistant Editor (News & Features), Auto Express, Ludgate House, 245 Blackfriars Road, London, SE1 9UX.AQUILA MAGAZINE is looking for short stories aimed at nine- to twelve-year-olds. A fee is payable, but the exact rates are not known. For further information contact: Ronda Armitage, Aquila Magazine, Old Tiles Cottage, Church Lane, Hellingly, East Sussex, BN27 4HA.

QWF (Quality Women’s Fiction) Magazine welcomes unsolicited fiction from both experienced writers and beginners. A variety of story lengths are required, from a few hundred words up to 3,000. Very short stories will probably be used more quickly than longer ones. The word count should be stated on the manuscript and writers are asked to include a brief biography, and always a covering letter stating where they heard about QWF. Writers are strongly advised to study a copy of QWF before contributing. Just because QWF is a women’s magazine does not mean that it publishes only romance stories – in fact, says editor Joanne Good, they are not too keen on that type of story unless the characters and situations are particularly memorable. However, there is nothing wrong with traditional themes as long as they are treated “in an unusual, unconventional way”. Science fiction stories, horror, crime and the cautionary tale are fine as long as the characters are predominantly female and readers can relate to the conflicts and issues. Humorous stories are particularly welcome. Rates of pay are minimal – £10 per story plus a free copy of the issue in which it appears – but there is a chance of winning a £20 prize for the best story in each issue. QWF launched in December 1994 and publishes four times a year. It is in the form of an A5 booklet and features “well-written stories which do not fit the mould, as well as highlighting women’s issues”. Manuscripts, enquiries etc to: The Editor, QWF Magazine, 80 Main Street, Linton, near Swadlincote, Derbyshire DE12 6QA.

EPICUREAN is a new erotic literary magazine aimed at the adult entertainment market. Their target readership is described as ‘couples, women and men of all sexual orientations’. They are inviting contributions of short stories, plays, articles, memoirs, letters, verse, illustrations, ‘experimental text’ and reviews. Payment at present is by complimentary copies, but they hope to introduce cash payments once sufficient funds from circulation have been achieved. Send an SAE for writers’ guidelines to: Jane Skene, Administrator, Epicurean, Monocle Publications, PO Box 161, Newport, NP6 1YQ.

BOOKS IRELAND, a prestigious literary quarterly, which reviews Irish-interest and Irish-author books as well as carrying interviews and articles of interest to librarians, booksellers and the general reader, has added a New Writing section (as we reported it was planning to do in later editions of our last issue). New work by established and lesser-known writers will be considered. Stories, scripts, essays, articles, squibs or interviews (but not book reviews) of 2,500 words or less, or no more than three pieces of poetry at a time, will be considered. Material should be addressed to New Writing, Books Ireland, 11 Newgrove Avenue, Dublin 4. Fees are nominal from £5 to £25 but Books Ireland will adjust the fee if the material is available on IBM compatible disk in ASCII.

SLEAZE NATION is a new London club magazine seeking freelance writers and photographers. Send CV/letter of application and SAE to: MB Media Ltd, 5b Camden Road, Camden, London NW1.

Long-running writers’ magazine FREELANCE MARKET NEWS has been taken over by Manchester correspondence college The Writers Bureau. FMN now incorporates the Writers Bureau’s own magazine, Write Lines. Short articles are invited with a strong market content (eg writing for gardening magazines). Payment is £35 per 1,000 words. Contact: Angela Cox, Editor, Freelance Market News, Sevendale House, 7 Dale Street, Manchester, M1 1JB.

Two other writing magazines, Quartos and Acclaim, are also merging to become THE NEW WRITER. Short stories are not required, as the magazine will be publishing the runners-up from the Ian St James Awards, but poems are invited and will be paid for at a rate of £3 each. The rate for articles will be £20 per 1,000 words, and there will be no payment for news items. Writers’ guidelines are available from: The New Writer, PO Box 60, Cranbrook, Kent, TN17 2ZR. Tel. 01580 212626.

THE THIRD ALTERNATIVE is an attractively produced small press magazine. They publish ‘slipstream fiction’ which would be difficult to place elsewhere. You really need to read the magazine to see the approach they require, but the content includes science fiction, horror, dark fantasy, ‘magic realism’ and so on. They welcome ideas for articles, but do not publish poetry. Payment is negotiable. Write to: Andy Cox, Editor, The Third Alternative, 5 Martins Lane, Witcham, Ely, Cambs, CB6 2LB.

The first issue of HERE! was published in June by German publishers Gruner and Jahr. The magazine concentrates on celebrity features, with the first issue including articles about Kevin Costner, Mel Gibson, the Duchess of York, Dolly Parton and Madonna, and soap stars Susan Tully and Sean Wilson. There is also a ‘Living’ section including fashion, beauty, health and travel articles. Contact: Jane Ennis, Editor, Here!, Portland House, Stag Place, London, SW1E 5AU.

Another new launch from Gruner and Jahr is PRIMA BABY. The first issue, dated Summer 1996, includes a pregnancy planner and advice on health and babycare products. Contact: Lucy Bummer, Editor, Prima Baby, Portland House, Stag Place, London, SW1E 5AU.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY WORLD is a glossy monthly magazine aimed at budding entrepreneurs and people who are running (or would like to run) their own businesses. Articles in a recent issue included Mortgages for the Self-employed, Don’t Let Redundancy Get You Down, and Make Money the US Way (business ideas from America). Contact: Sarah Sendall, Editor, Business Opportunity World, Merlin Publications Ltd, Unit 14, Hove Business Centre, Fonthill Road, Hove, BN3 6HA. Tel: 01273 888992.

CANDIS is a general interest women’s magazine focusing on health matters and relationships. It is not sold in shops but by a network of agents door-to-door. The magazine has clearly hit upon a successful formula, as it has a total circulation approaching half a million. They are happy to hear from freelances, and prefer to see ideas initially rather than finished manuscripts. If you have an idea for an article, or would like to be sent a back issue for market research, contact: David Lloyd, Assistant Editor, Candis, Newhall Publications Ltd, Newhall Lane, Hoylake, Wirral, L47 4BQ.

MELTING POT is a new bi-monthly style magazine for woman aged 19-35. The first issue, cover-dated November/December, is due out in October 17. Editor Caroline Hastings (see her feature on how she self-published the children’s book Marshmallow and the Misfits in this issue of Writers’ Update) says she is looking for “competent writers of upbeat articles, appealing to the 18-35 age-range, and tackling topics involving bi-cultural relationships (at this stage this means mostly, but not necessarily, white women involved with black guys)”. Articles should be around 300-600 words and payment is by negotiation and you are asked to phone first to discuss ideas. Contact:The Editor, Melting Pot Magazine, on 01789 205948. Any letters should be addressed to: The Editor, Melting Pot Magazine, 10 Rectory Court, Woodhouse Road, Leytonstone, London, E11 3ND.

CLUBCARD is a new quarterly magazine from the Tesco supermarket chain. The first issue, dated Summer 1996, includes articles on The Way to a Healthy Heart, A Barbecue Family Feast, Painful Decisions and Make-up Tips. Contact: Clubcard, PO Box 18, Delamare Road, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, EN8 9SL.

SIMPLY HORSES is a new bi-monthly magazine for people who care for horses. Freelance contributions are welcomed. Contact: Horse Line Publications, LMRS, Lochgelly, Fife, KY5 8LY. Tel. 01592 861899.

The Lawn Tennis Association magazine Serve And Volley has been replaced by the younger, brighter ACE. Ace is designed to overcome the genteel image of the game in Britain, and, according to the launch editorial, will be about ‘...wearing what you like, playing hard and consuming food and drink that’s good for the modern athlete.’ Interviews and features on the top players will be produced by accredited tennis journalists. Opportunities exist for freelances with an interest in the game, however – for example in producing articles on club players and humorous pieces. Contact: Dominic Bliss, Editor, Ace, The Lawn Tennis Association, The Queen’s Club, West Kensington, London, W14 9EG.

GOLDLIFE is a bi-monthly magazine aimed at the over-50s. Articles are required on travel, nostalgia and personal experiences, but health and finance are covered in-house. Send a query letter and outline first, but note that finished articles must be submitted on floppy disk. Articles should be between 500 and 700 words, and are paid at a rate of £100 per 1,000 words. Contact: Nimita Parmar, Editor, Goldlife, Affinity Publishing, 2nd Floor, 1–5 Clerkenwell Road, London, EC1M 5PA.

Freelance favourite CAT WORLD underwent a redesign in July, and, with its extra pages, now offers even more opportunities for freelances. Features should be around 750 words in a punchy, lively style, with colour prints or transparencies if available. Personality pieces, features about cats and stories from around the world are always welcome, but they do not require nostalgic tales about beloved cats who have passed away or (at present) poetry. Payment starts at £35 per 1,000 words, but may be more according to the amount of research required. Contact: Joan Moore, Editor, Cat World, 10 Western Road, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, BN43 5WD. Tel: 01273 46200. Fax: 01273 455994.

GREEN FINGERS is a new gardening magazine available through Wyevale Garden Centres and published by the Illustrated London News Group. All aspects of gardening are covered, including fruit and vegetables, pools and ponds, shrubs and trees, lawns, bedding plants and house plants. Contact: Charles Lyle, Editor, Green Fingers, 20 Upper Ground, London, SE1 9PF.

Monthly magazine MODEL BOATS welcomes freelance contributions. Articles should be illustrated with photos, line drawings or sketches. Contact: The Editor, Model Boats, Nexus House, Boundary Way, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, HP2 7ST.

INTERZONE is the UK’s only magazine devoted to science fiction and fantasy widely available through newsagents. Unsolicited manuscripts are welcome, but prospective contributors are asked to study the magazine first. Stories may be between 2,000 and 6,000 words, with payment at £30 per 1,000 words. They also buy book/film reviews, interviews with authors and occasional articles. Contact: David Pringle, Editor, Interzone, 217 Preston Drive, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 6FL.

Stories up to 600 words and cartoons (single or full page strips) are required for a new twice-yearly magazine STRANGE TALES. The deadline for the second issue is 31 October 1996. Writers’ guidelines are available on receipt of an SAE from: Paul Glass, Editor, Strange Tales, 13 Lely Court, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 5LT. Rates of payment not known.

ART MONTHLY covers the visual arts from a variety of perspectives: intellectual, political, historical, social and commercial. Payment rates are £100 for a feature article, £50–£75 for a review, plus expenses where necessary. Contact: Patricia Bickers, Editor, Art Monthly, Suite 17, 26 Charing Cross Road, London, WC2H 0DG.

OBITUARY (magazines which have ceased publication since the last issue of Writers’ Update): Pulp Fiction, National Coupons Magazine, Creative Hands, Creating Your Home, GamePro, International Railway Modelling, Performance and Style International (car magazine), Computing Today, The Onion Bag (football), Build, Business Age, Catering, Estates Times (merged with Property Week), Leicestershire Business Today, Newspaper Focus.

Mainly Short Stories

THE LICHFIELD PRIZE is a competition for a novel set in or around Lichfield in Staffordshire. The winner receives a cash award of £5,000 and the chance to have his/her book published by Hodder & Stoughton. The next closing date is 30 April 1997. For further information, write to: Lichfield Prize, Tourist Information Centre, Donegal House, Bore Street, Lichfield, Staffs, WS13 6NE.

THE WAY AHEAD ANNUAL CREATIVE WRITING COMPETITION.
Closing date September 30 each year. Short story on any subject (except stories for children), maximum length of 2,000 words. There are prizes of £300, £150 and £50, with computer software prizes for the seven runners-up. All ten winning entries and runners-up included in an electronic anthology to be published on floppy disk and on the right here on the World Wide Web. Entry fee £3 per story. Full details and entry forms available from Way Ahead, 27 Woodford Green, Bratton, Telford, TF5 0NS.

BLACK CAT TALES COMPETITION
Closing Date: January 31
Fee: £10, including competition anthology.
Prizes: £250, £50, £10.
Send SAE: Neil Miller Publications, Mount Cottage, Grange Road, St
Michaels, Tenterden, Kent TN30 6EE.

NEW GUILD SHORT STORY COMPETITION
Closing Date: January 31
£300 in prize money.
Fee £5. Length: between 2000 and 3000 words.
Send SAE: New Guild UK Ltd, 5 Cogdean Walk, Corfe Mullen, Wimborne,
Dorset BH21 3XB.

THE FENNER BROCKWAY PEACE PRIZE FOR LITERATURE
Deadline: January 10
Prizes: £500; £300; £200.
Short stories and non-fiction (both up to 1500 words) on the theme of Freedom.
Poems up to 30 lines - under 15s.
Send SAE: Story Cellar, 26 Cippenham Lane, Slough SL1 5BS

EXETER & DISTRICT 1500 WORD SHORT STORY COMPETITION
Closing Date: March 31
Prizes: £150, £80, £50. Fee: £2.50.
Send SAE for more details:
Margaret Finch, Bramblings, Searle Street, Crediton, Devon EX17 2DB.

Mainly Poetry

PLUME POETRY COMPETITION
Closing Date: January 6
Fee: £3. Length 30 lines. Entrants must be over 18.
Send SAE: 2 Moravian Terrace, Victoria Road, Lightcliffe, Halifax HX3
8AL.

URTHONA POETRY COMPETITION
Closing Date: January 15
Fee: £1.50. Length 40 lines
(Urthona is a Buddhist-run arts magazine, named after Blake's archetypal spirit
of the imagination).
3 Coral Park, Henley Road, Cambridge CB1 3EA.

HAWORTH PUBLISHING INTERNATIONAL POETRY COMPETITION
Closing Date: January 21
Poems in any style on any member of the Bronte family, any work by the Bronte
or any location associated with them. For further details, send SAE.
Haworth Publishing, 26 West Lane, Haworth, West Yorks BD22 9DU.

RIPLEY POETRY ASSOCIATION OPEN POETRY COMPETITION
Closing Date: January 31
Fee £2, for up to six poems. Length: 40 lines.
Send SAE: Alison Bennett, 42 Pembrook Road, Bromley, Kent BR1 2RU.

SURREY POETRY CENTRE OPEN COMPETITION
Closing Date: January 31
Prizes: £200, £100, £50, £25; adjudicator: Brian Louis Pearce.
Fee: £1.50, length 50 lines. Maximum number of poems: six.
Send SAE: Vernon Daniel, Flat 9 Heatherbank, Tower Road, Hindhead,
Surrey GU26 6SW.

PEACE & FREEDOM WAR COMPETITION
Closing Date: February 1
Prizes: £75 plus 5 of £10. Length: 28 lines.
Fee: £1.50, 4 for £5 (cheques to P. Rance).
Send SAE: Peace and Freedom Press, 17 Whaplode Drove, Spalding,
Lincs PE12 0TS.HAIKU AWARD 1997
Closing Date: February 15
Fee: £2; £10 for six. Free form and conventional (5-7-5) unpublished Haiku.
Send SAE for details: Editor, Still, 49 Englands Lane, London NW3 4YD.

ENVOI INTERNATIONAL POETRY COMPETITION
Closing Date: February 20
Prizes: £100, £75, £25; 3 Envoi subscriptions.
Fee: £2, £10 for 6 poems. Length: 40 lines.
Send SAE: The Competition Secretary, 17 Millcroft, Bishop's Stortford,
Herts, CM23 2BP.

REDBECK PRESS POETRY COMPETITION
Closing Date: March 21
Fee: £12.50 for a collection of poems, 16-28 pages long; any style on any
theme.
Send SAE: The Editors, 24 Aireville Road, Fitzinghall, Bradford BD9 4HH.QUEER WORDS 1996/97 NEW WRITING PRIZE
Closing Date: March 24
Fee: £1.50 for four poems, run in four heats. Theme: Celtica.
Queer Words, PO Box 23, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, Cymru/Wales SY23
1AA.

BEEHIVE PRESS POETRY COMPETITION
Closing Date: March 31
Fee: £1.50. Length 30 lines.
Theme: celebrating the Millennium; more generally, on the subject of time.
All poems must be titled.
Send SAE: 8 Crescent Gardens, Wimbledon Park, London SW19 8AJ.

BIRKDALE CHURCHES TOGETHER POETRY COMPETITION
Closing Date: March 31
Fee: £1; £5 for six (cheques: Liverpool Road Methodist Church).
Length: 40 lines; theme: celebrating the 1400th anniversary of St Columba's
death.
and the arrival of St Augustine in Britain.
Send SAE: Mrs B. Lee, 40 Croft Avenue, Burscough, Nr Ormskirk,
Lancashire L40 5TB.

The SUNDAY MAIL pays £20 for its lead letter and £5 for all others used. Send to: Sue Marshall, Sunday Mail, Anderston Quay, Glasgow, G3 8DA.

SLIMMER magazine now offers £25 for its star letter, and £10 for all others. A photo of yourself should be included if at all possible. Write to: Slimmer Magazine, 177 Hagden Lane, Watford, Herts, WD1 8LN.

WEIGHT WATCHERS MAGAZINE pays £10 for readers’ letters. Send to: Write On, Weight Watchers Magazine, PO Box 156, Enfield, Middlesex, EN2 8DA. They also invite readers to send in recipe ideas. An ice cream maker worth £39.95 is awarded for every recipe used. Send to ‘Leaders and Readers’ at the address above.

MY WEEKLY pays £50 (plus £5 per photo they print) for readers’ own stories for their ‘Your Own Page’ feature. They write: ‘...has anything exciting or unusual happened in your life? Anything special you’d like to share with My Weekly readers? Maybe you’ve had a holiday you’ll never forget – for whatever reason! Have you an emotional love story to tell? Has there been a crisis in your life, a time when you triumphed over adversity, faced the odds and won? If so, don’t keep it to yourself. Write to us now at Your Own Page, My Weekly, PO Box 305, London, NW1 1TX. Please enclose a photograph of yourself and any other photos that might help illustrate your story.’ My Weekly also pays £30 for stories which they publish in their ‘Me and My Pet’ slot. Stories may be happy or sad, and again photos should be enclosed. Send to: ‘Me and My Pet’, My Weekly, PO Box 305, London, NW1 1TX.

PRIMA invites readers to submit letters or photographs to their ‘You Tell Us’ letter page. They pay £50 for the best and £10 for all other letters and photographs used. Prima also pays £10 for cookery and household tips. Send to: Lindsay Nicholson, Editor, Prima, Portland House, Stag Place, London, SW1E 5AU.

A TASTE OF SAFEWAY invites you to share a household tip or or get something off your chest. A £25 voucher is awarded for every letter published, and £10 is paid for every tip. Send to: A Taste of Safeway, Redwood Publishing, 12-26 Lexington Street, London, W1R 4HQ.

BELLA pays £50 for true accounts of embarrassing moments. Send to: Blush With Bella, 25/27 Camden Road, London, NW1 9LL.

CABLE GUIDE is a listings guide for cable TV viewers. They invite readers to write in with their views, and pay £5 for the best. Send to: The Editor, Cable Guide, Airport House, Purley Way, Surrey, CR0 0XZ.

The sender of the star letter a recent issue of ESSENTIALS received a Muratec fax machine worth about £300. The letter was from a mother concerned that her teenage daughter’s school was putting her under too much pressure to succeed in exams and forcing her to give up some of her leisure activities. Senders of other readers’ letters received a Samsung FF-222 camera, film and case worth £39.99. Letters should be sent to: Essentials Outlook, Essentials, IPC Magazines Limited, King’s Reach Tower, Stamford Street, London, SE1 9LS.

Letter of the week in WOMAN’S REALM wins £25 and a Rowenta compact toaster worth £19.99. A £5 fee is paid for all other letters, household tips and poems for ‘Poet’s Corner’. A £15 fee is paid for the ‘Baby of the Week’ photo, and £25 for the ‘Snap Happy’ photo (in the issue we saw, this was of three beautiful kittens which, according to the caption, had been born to a rescued farm cat with two clubbed paws). Send all contributions to: From You To Us, Woman’s Realm, King’s Reach Tower, Stamford Street, London, SE1 9LS.

Sender of the star letter in OPTIONS receives a bottle of Paloma Picasso Eau de Toilette worth around £22.50. Write to: Options, King’s Reach Tower, Stamford Street, London, SE1 9LS; fax 0171 261 7344; or e-mail: jane_gibbens@ipc.co.uk.

WOODCARVING magazine pays £75 for its top tip and £20 for all others published. Send your tip to: Readers’ Tips, Woodcarving, 166 High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 1XU.

The writers of the two best letters to the COSMOPOLITAN letters page receive a chrome and 22 carat gold Medalist roller ball pen worth £65. Send to Gina Maier, Dear Cosmo, 72 Broadwick Street, London, W1V 2BP; fax 0171 439 5016; or e-mail: cosmo.mail@natmags.co.uk.

READER’S DIGEST is well known as one of the best markets for fillers, and they have recently increased their rates. £200 is now paid for contributions to That’s Life, All in a Day’s Work, Studied Wit and Humour in Uniform. £125 is paid for jokes in Laughter, the Best Medicine. The Digest also pays £50 for short anecdotes and quotations used as end-of-article fillers, and in features including Quotable Quotes, Ways of the World, Points to Ponder, Personal Glimpses and Towards More Picturesque Speech. Send contributions to: Excerpts, Reader’s Digest, Berkeley Square House, Berkeley Square, London, W1X 6AB. Include your name, address and daytime phone number on all items.

TANJEN LIMITED are currently looking for manuscripts of between 20,000–60,000 words in the genres of fantasy, dark fantasy and science fiction. If a manuscript of 20,000–30,000 words is accepted, they normally ask the writer to produce a further story to boost the word count. They will provide illustrations to complement the text (though they are not looking for graphic novels). An initial fee is paid to the author on publication, followed by 5% royalties on sales payable in August and January. Further information and authors’ guidelines are available from Tanjen Ltd, 52 Denman Lane, Huncote, Leicester, LE9 3BS. Tel. 0116 2841178.

In Writers’ Update’s predecessor, New Markets Update, we mentioned the new women’s romantic fiction list planned by Robinson Publishing. We can now reveal that these plans have come to fruition and the series is called SCARLET. The first books under the new imprint have now been published. They are 100,000 words (400 pages) long and sell for just £1.99. The publishers plan to launch four new titles every month, so the door is wide open for new writers who feel that they could produce the type of novel required (described as ‘sexy romances, but not erotica’). Send for their writers’ guidelines to: Sue Curran, Robinson Publishing, 7 Kensington Church Court, London, W8 4SP. Tel: 0171 938 3830. Fax: 0171 938 4214

BLACK LACE is a now well-established series of erotic novels written by women, for women. There are still opportunities for new writers, but for this imprint women authors only are accepted. The publishers are happy to consider synopses and sample chapters as well as finished manuscripts. Writers’ guidelines are available from: Kerri Sharp, Black Lace Editor, Virgin Publishing Limited, 332 Ladbroke Grove, London, W10 5AH. Tel. 0181 968 7554.

NEXUS is the companion imprint to Black Lace. They publish a wide range of erotic novels aimed mainly at men, though both male and female authors are used. For further information contact: Peter Darville–Evans, Nexus Editor, Virgin Publishing Limited, 332 Ladbroke Grove, London, W10 5AH. Tel. 0181 968 7554.

Still with Virgin Publishing, we hear they are planning to launch two new imprints in 1997 and are currently looking for new writers. As the name suggests, CRIME AND PASSION will consist of crime novels with a measure of eroticism unusual in this genre. Virgin have created four detective characters, and authors are encouraged to let them have some fun at the same time as investigating crimes! The other new imprint, VIRGIN WORLDS, will consist of original, brilliantly-written science fiction novels. To obtain a copy of the writers’ guidelines for either of the new series send an SAE (normal size for Virgin Worlds, large for Crime and Passion) to: Fiction Department, Virgin Publishing Limited, 332 Ladbroke Grove, London, W10 5AH.

NOTE – Virgin also publishes various series of DOCTOR WHO novels and non-fiction books. If you feel you could contribute to the growing oeuvre of literature about the itinerant Time Lord, again, send a large SAE to the above address for writers’ guidelines.

HOW TO BOOKS LTD are looking for new authors in the following areas: business development and marketing; sports and leisure; self-reliance in a changing world; and personal development. First-time authors are welcome, but you must be professionally qualified in your field. How To Books are also interested in receiving other ideas for new titles, which must have a broad appeal. Write to: Fil Madden, How To Books Limited, Plymbridge House, Estover Road, Plymouth, PL6 7PZ

WRITE OUT LOUD is a scheme designed to encourage writers in England with a specific interest in writing for radio. Writers have to submit biographical details, samples of published work and an outline of a radio programme they would like to make (which may take any form apart from radio drama or writing for children). Twenty-four successful applicants will be awarded places on one-week residential courses in writing for radio, and will be paid a fee of £250 for taking part. During the course writers will receive technical training, and some are expected to receive firm commissions to go ahead and make their chosen programmes. For further information send an SAE to the Literature Officer of your Regional Arts Board:
Eastern Arts, Cherry Hinton Hall, Cherry Hinton Road, Cambridge, CB1 4DW.
East Midlands Arts, Mountfields House, Epinal Way, Loughborough, Leics, LE11 0QE.
London Arts, Elme House, 133 Long Acre, London, WC2E 9AF.
Northern Arts, 9–10 Osborne Terrace, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE2 1NZ.
North West Arts, Manchester House, 22 Bridge Street, Manchester, M3 3AB.
Southern Arts, 13 St Clement Street, Winchester, Hants, SO23 9DQ.
South East Arts, 10 Mount Ephraim, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN4 8AS.
South West Arts, Bradnich Place, Gandy Street, Exeter, EX4 3LS.
West Midlands Arts, 82 Granville Street, Birmingham, B1 2LH.
Yorkshire & Humberside Arts, 21 Bond Street, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, WF13 1AX.
The deadline for applications is September 30 1996, and the courses are from 3–8 and 10–15 February 1997.

THE SAFFRON EDITIONS is a new publishing venture requiring short stories in all genres for publication in a 240-page paperback titled ‘One-A-Day’. The successful authors will receive a complimentary copy and share 15% of net sales proceeds. For guidelines send SAE to: The Saffron Editions, PO Box 31, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB11 3UU. GO TO SAFFRON EDITIONS WEBSITE

KNIGHT & BISHOP ASSOCIATES are currently seeking authors to produce training and information packs for schools and colleges. Their packs consist of around 20–30 A4 pages, and cover such topics as Decision Making, Designing a CV and Modern History. They do not offer advances, but pay a 17% royalty on sales. Subject areas in which they are currently inviting proposals include economics, mathematics, home economics, politics, business studies and sociology. For more information you should send ‘full details’ (presumably writing CV and samples of work) to: Knight & Bishop Associates Limited, PO Box 222, Huddersfield, HD1 4YX.

Another educational publishing company which welcomes proposals from freelances is FIRST AND BEST IN EDUCATION LIMITED. Their books are published in two ways: on computer disks, and as photocopiable books (optimum length 40-50 pages). They also publish longer books which are conventionally bound. Payment to authors is by 12% royalty on sales. Send large SAE for authors’ notes to: First and Best in Education Ltd, 34 Nene Valley Business Park, Oundle, Peterborough, PE8 4HL.

IMAGINATION is a new quarterly anthology of short stories (maximum 15,000 words) run along similar lines to a competition. Writers wishing to submit work are required to pay an entry fee. As well as publication in the anthology, prizes may be paid to the authors of the best stories. For further information write to: Imagination, Albedo Publishing, 60 Victoria Road, Stowmarket, Suffolk, IP14 5AJ.

Aspiring TV scriptwriters may be interested to hear that a TV film production company, GAIA COMMUNICATIONS, is looking for new scripts. Gaia are based in Eastbourne and work mainly in the Sussex region. Scripts produced to date have concentrated on travel/historical interest, though they would consider a wider field including documentary/drama. Dramas should have a connection with history and a local, regional slant. They prefer to see ideas initially. Contact: Robert Armstrong, Gaia Communications, Sanctuary House, 35 Harding Avenue, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN22 8PL. Tel. 01323 727183 (day), 01323 734809 (evening).

Email wayahead@cix.compulink.co.uk