Start writing with me in 2025 using this one simple step
Plus, Cheshire Prize for Literature, BBC Writers digital sessions, The Oxford/42 New Writing Prize, New Media Writing Prize & freelancers needed at new magazine
My dear wordsmiths,
Happy 2025! We made it! Thanks so much for your support during 2024 and if you are new here - hello! I’m Nicola - by day I’m a editor at large regional UK publisher National World (think local newspaper brands) and by weekend I’m a radio presenter at Central Radio North West. I live in the Lancashire countryside (the pheasants say hi) and talk about all of this but mainly this is my journey to getting published as a novelist and the trials and tribulations along the way. Welcome to the madhouse.
I’m just keeping myself accountable so..
Chocolate consumption: 1 million
Trifle consumption: see above
Steps undertaken by day: 3
Twixmas gym sessions: 0
Netflix: Completed it
Novel editing: 0
New novel words: 0
Books read: 4
Let’s move on shall we! Happy new year and all that, how are you all? Feeling perky and determined - or exhausted and wish everyone would shut up about it? I’m somewhere in the middle. To be honest I was fed up of Christmas by December 1 because that is one of the perils of journalism pre-planning. Bah blooming humbug.
This year my car had a festive breakdown on the last full working day which saw me abandoning it at the railway station car park and taking an Uber home. I couldn’t face waiting for a breakdown service in the freezing car park alone in the dark during peak Christmas panic shopping time. So, it’s home now but still wildly unpredictable. If it wants to start it will - if it doesn’t you have to disconnect and then reconnect the battery. Yes, turn it off and on again. Repeat. We learned how to do this on You Tube. Obviously, in the presence of any type of mechanic the car is absolutely fine.
There’s a point to this mundane story.
We have to restart ourselves - no-one else will do it for us. Believe me, this advice is as much for me as you. Whether it be starting at the beginning, writing an outline, re-drafting a chapter, getting the courage to query your MSS, getting that work experience, applying for your first journalism job, or making the career leap. We have to take this small action that will lead to a larger action even if it is out of our comfort zone.
What are you scared of?
But when I say simple step I mean it - I find small changes transform my mindset and take away the fear factor. From tidying my desk, or slightly changing the layout of the room. To setting up a new email address for querying or setting up a spreadsheet to track their progress. To starting to build a portfolio of work. To getting a new pen or setting up a new folder.
But whatever your writing goal, the most important step is to START and get something down. Write 100 words. It can be absolutely anything. A concept, an intro, a query beginning, a request for a placement, a pitch for a story.. just do it. It will probably be absolute grade A poop - or it may be the start of something. You have to be in it to win it as the advertising slogan goes. I will, if you will.
Let’s keep ourselves accountable. I’ll go first. By this time next week I will have re-read my draft and written at least a 100 words on where key changes need to be. I’ll even post them here. Your turn… let me know!
News, events and opportunities:
No Wasteman magazine is looking for freelancers: London-based No Wasteman Magazine is looking for submissions and pitches for articles, art work, photography, poetry and more, for its first print issue launching in 2025. The focus for this issue will reflect the overall theme of its platform: the intersection between sustainability, community and cultural heritage. Open to any works that link to this theme, and acknowledge that this may manifest across variety of topics and mediums. They pay a small fee. Deadline is January 13.
BBC Writers Digital Sessions for BA and Postgraduate Screenwriting Students: The BBC runs online webinars in every academic term with the aim of explaining to screenwriting students what BBC Writers is and how it might help them as they progress their writing careers - specifically in Television Drama. These webinars are appropriate for final-year BA and MA students (or equivalent) who are interested in finding out more about BBC Writers, BBC Drama and the broader Television Drama sector. Details are linked above.
The next dates for this webinar are:
Tuesday 11th February 2025 from 1 to 2pm
Thursday 27th February 2025 from 1 to 2pm
Wednesday 19th March 2025 from 1 to 2pm
Cheshire prize for literature 2025: This prize is one of the few free-to-enter literary competitions and there are five categories, short stories, poetry, children's literature, scriptwriting and new for this year, Flash fiction. There are three age groups: primary, secondary and over 18's. There is no theme but entrants must live or have lived, work or have worked, studied or have studied in Cheshire, Wirral, Warrington or Halton.
The Oxford/42 New Writing Prize is aimed at aspiring playwrights, screen writers or novelists and is open to anyone aged 18 or over living, working or studying in the UK at the closing date for submissions. The winner will receive £1500 along with professional representation by 42. Closing date is April 30, 2025. To enter the competition, you need to submit a synopsis (up to 300 words) and an elevator pitch of no more than two sentences for a work of fiction, along with one of the following (in Word format):
Stage or radio play – a complete script of between 30 and 90 pages
Screenplays – a script of between 30 and 60 pages for episode one of a TV show or a complete feature-length film script of 90 pages.
Novel – the first 10,000 to 15,000 words
New Media Writing Prize (via International Journalist Network): The Media School at Bournemouth University is accepting entries for its New Media Writing Prize (NMWP). NMWP is looking for innovative and interactive storytelling (fiction or nonfiction) written specifically for delivery and reading/viewing on a PC or Mac, the web or a hand-held device such as an iPad or mobile phone.
The winner of the Chris Meade Memorial UK New Media Award will receive £1,000 (US$1,254). The winners of the Opening Up, Digital Journalism and the IDN Social Good Awards will receive £500 (US$627) each. Suitable for bloggers, students, artists and writers worldwide. The deadline is Feb 1, 2025.
That’s it as I have not finished my chocolate stash just yet and I have 100 words to write. Thankyou so much for reading and subscribing - I appreciate each and every single one of you. Here’s to 2025.
Nicola x
"Netflix: Completed it" I chuckled...