Fiction Ed’s Blog: For Our New Authors


Shutterstock / gguy © new authors

We’re delighted that our new Fictions Submissions system has been a success and we’ve been able to welcome new authors to the “Friend” family again.

Debut “Friend” authors, Carol Allison, Carolyn Donnelly and Sally Anne East,  Becca Robin and Jodi Beaver have all featured as our Writer of the Week recently.

If you’ve had – or hope to have – your very first story accepted for “The People’s Friend”, here are some bits and pieces that may be useful to know.

Your contract welcomes you to the “Friend”

Our Terms and Conditions are made clear in our contract.

We ask contributors to read this carefully and sign it before we publish their work.

You retain the copyright to your work at all times

This is an important one for our authors. It’s almost the first question they ask!

An author’s credit will appear beside your story

We are happy to print your story with either your own name or a pen name – whatever you choose.

Payment is on acceptance, not on publication

Payment rates are as follows: £80 for the first six acceptances, rising to £95 on the seventh acceptance. After six acceptances at £95, you move to our top rate of £110 per story.

All published “Friend” authors have a dedicated editor

On your first acceptance, we’ll assign you an editor on the Fiction team. They will always be your first point of contact.

Your story will be accompanied by its own artwork

Depending on what’s most suitable, this will be either a bespoke illustration, commissioned from one of our freelance artists; an illustration from our extensive artwork archive; or an image from a picture library.

We reserve the right to edit your work

This is usually for reasons of available space, or to avoid any name or title clashes with other stories in the same issue.

You reserve the right to republish your work, once we’ve first published it

We retain the right to reuse your story in any format, at any time.

The “Friend” has been encouraging new authors since its very first issue, in 1869

Welcome!


For more from Lucy, read the Fiction Ed’s blog here.

Lucy Crichton

Fiction Editor Lucy is always on the look-out for the very best short stories, poems and pocket novels. As well as sourcing enjoyable content, she enjoys working with our established contributors, encouraging new talent, and celebrating 155 years of 'Friend' fiction!