tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post8459358260811418265..comments2023-10-30T15:13:22.680+00:00Comments on Strictly Writing: Sweating the Big StuffDThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11803989273524731892noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-64002636662774970182009-02-22T10:13:00.000+00:002009-02-22T10:13:00.000+00:00And don't we all prefer to read a story that pushe...And don't we all prefer to read a story that pushes the boundaries?I'm writing one with a homeless man as the central character at the moment. Who knows if it will sell, but I'm more motivated about this than several unfinished romances!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-70921293101332395152009-02-20T20:02:00.000+00:002009-02-20T20:02:00.000+00:00And one I've never forgotten was about a woman who...And one I've never forgotten was about a woman who was waiting for her friend to return from Thailand - where she'd spent years in prison for posession of drugs. It was so subtly done, it would have gone over the heads of more sensitive souls (People's Friend readers who'd accidently picked up Woman's Weekly, for instance.)<BR/><BR/>Like you I've had my share of people saying to me that womag stories were all about cheap twists, or simple boy meets girl. So not true.Kath McGurlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02526923882402757423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-77743337566617739552009-02-18T08:31:00.000+00:002009-02-18T08:31:00.000+00:00One of the best women's magazine stories I've ever...One of the best women's magazine stories I've ever read was about a woman remembering the anniversary of a miscarriage. The subject was, as you say, sensitively handled - and it was a good story any way you looked at it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-7880077808329098832009-02-17T10:32:00.000+00:002009-02-17T10:32:00.000+00:00Thanks, folks!Thanks, folks!Geraldine Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01575892095296317266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-20146842365261550852009-02-17T09:35:00.000+00:002009-02-17T09:35:00.000+00:00Excellent advice, Geri.sarahExcellent advice, Geri.<BR/><BR/>sarahAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-61428743513253615732009-02-17T09:14:00.000+00:002009-02-17T09:14:00.000+00:00Indeed they do publish People's Friend, Gillian - ...Indeed they do publish People's Friend, Gillian - or People's Fiend as a friend of mine used to call it when she was going through a period of trying - and failing - to be published by them.Geraldine Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01575892095296317266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-9351057687042094272009-02-17T08:53:00.000+00:002009-02-17T08:53:00.000+00:00I really feel like I've learned something here, Ge...I really feel like I've learned something here, Geri, so thanks for a great post. I had no idea of the diversity of subject matter that's out there now in women's mags.<BR/>And I'm tempted to try out your suggestion....Caroline Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04708248040141519582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-6761597460903154722009-02-16T15:58:00.000+00:002009-02-16T15:58:00.000+00:00Interesting insight into the women's mag market. A...Interesting insight into the women's mag market. Although it's not something I'm familiar with, I do remember sitting in my granny's house when I was young, reading the stories in the People's Friend! Do they still publish it?Gillian McDadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02758782108258244355noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-8089364093986603822009-02-16T09:30:00.000+00:002009-02-16T09:30:00.000+00:00Thanks, Geri, for a gutsy post which has certainly...Thanks, Geri, for a gutsy post which has certainly taught me something (I haven't read a women's mag story for...can't remember, and as Sam says, they were certainly cosy and fairly predictable back then). <BR/>I suppose it's a case of what women read a magazine for: do they want comfort, something they can relate to, challenge, to cheer them up? I guess, different things at different times, and I guess too that any womag editor is looking for a variety of stories in any one issue to appeal to all these?<BR/>SusiexSusie Nott-Bowerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08428000582406338267noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-36787908433541845052009-02-15T23:13:00.000+00:002009-02-15T23:13:00.000+00:00Blimey, shows how long it is since i've regularly ...Blimey, shows how long it is since i've regularly read short stories in Women's Mags - they used to be very cosy. It must have been quite suffocating for magazine writers to stick to the safe subjects the whole time.<BR/><BR/>Have to say i admire the diversity in short story writes nowadays.<BR/><BR/>xAdministratorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13894920115299109640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-67704604874789240382009-02-15T22:22:00.000+00:002009-02-15T22:22:00.000+00:00Well put, Write Woman! I think it's a challenge b...Well put, Write Woman! I think it's a challenge but definitely worth the sweat!Geraldine Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01575892095296317266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-74031962318407387712009-02-15T20:47:00.000+00:002009-02-15T20:47:00.000+00:00Thank you, Geraldine - this is really interesting ...Thank you, Geraldine - this is really interesting and thought-provoking. I wrote for the women's mag market during the 1990s and now that I'm targeting the market again I'm amazed at how much has changed in that short time. I fully admit to being one of those novelists who (previously) thought that the tricky social subjects I might tackle in my novels would never see the light of day in a magazine. This was true 10 years ago but you're right - it's not any more. The difference, as you say, is in the handling of the subject, the language used and, I think, the resolution of the story. The changing market keeps us all on our toes and makes sure the material we produce is fresh and up to date. We have to be ready to keep up!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com