In praise of Mslexia

The long promised post on why you should subscribe or at least a copy of Mslexia. It's a quarterly magazine based in Newcastle on Tyne aimed at women who write (but men may read too.)
There are regular columns, opinion, pieces, poems and short stories and listings. And lots of interesting ads, some verging on the vanity publishing but mostly clearly so labeled. They have a try before you buy offer if you live in the UK.

In the Jan/Feb/Mar issue there was:
- Letters (not all fawning endorsements)
- a feature on Welsh women writers, fiction and poetry
- competition to design a Mslexia cover, deadline 27 Feb, prize £500
- An interview with Maggie O'Farrell. The interviews traditionally feature a 'How to write a book' list by the writer.

Get excited when a character turns to you and says, "Actually, I'm not going to do that, I'm going to do this!"

- Article on grant applications
- Interview with Amanda Ross, the buyer for Richard and Judy
- One in a series with a poet on how they wrote and revised a poem, this time by Ruth Padel. Always interesting to get an insight into how someone else's thought process works.
- A writing 'workshop' by Bernadine Evaristo on the importance of beginnings in a novel.
- One in a series of going from a first draft to the published version of part of a nove. The before and after process and thinking behind it is great.
- Poetry workshop by Colette Bryce about a submitted poem before she workshoped it with the poet and after.
- article on duologues on the radio
- writing exercises
- Curious incidents. Mine your memory for true life events that touch or teach the reader.
- Flash fiction
- Poems and short stories in the theme of the Four Elements with a commentary by Lavinia Greenlaw
- How to write a bestseller using Cecelia Ahern as an Example
- Reviews including Debut novels (these don't get reviewed many other places) and Crime
- Literary landmarks. Ground breaking works in the history of Women's literature.
- Profile of an independent press, this time Beautiful Books, imprints Burning House and Bloody Books.
- Out Now books by Mslexia subscribers
- Article on comedy writing with websites
- listings, mainly UK based. There have been Irish ones from time to time so if you run an Irish writing competition/festival/whatever, there's no harm in letting them know. A good deal of time ahead of time.