Writing for Mslexia magazine

Mslexia is a great writing magazine committed to promoting women writers. So yes, you have to be a woman to submit.

Mslexia magazine was recently redesigned to widen the  range of submission opportunities. Whether it’s just one sentence about your life, or an entire 2,200-word short story, a rollicking rhyme to read aloud to children or a carefully-crafted villanelle, there's lots in the list below to choose from.

All submission slots are completely free to enter, and they welcome work from both published and unpublished women writers.

Here’s what we’re seeking for our December 2016 issue:

OPEN SUBMISSIONS
The following opportunities are open to all women writers, regardless of whether you subscribe to Mslexia (though subscriptions work out at just £2 per month, posting to a UK address). Except where stated, they pay (modestly) for everything they publish.

Secret fantasy
This is the next theme of the special ‘Showcase’ section – pages dedicated to stories up to 2,200 words and/or poems up to 40 lines, this time on the topic of erotic passion. Requited or unrequited, chaste or salacious, enacted or simply longed for, take a walk on the wild side of your romantic imagination. (Deadline: 5 September 2016)

Rhyme story
Many picture books for children have, at their heart, a narrative in the form of a rhyming text. Send rhyming texts of up to 200 words (preferably fewer), that tell a story to read aloud to a small child. (Deadline: 11 October 2016)

First page surgery
Please submit the title and first page of your novel (any genre, up to 300 words). Our guest industry expert will comment, in the magazine, about how it might be changed to catch an agent’s or editor’s eye. If you’re feeling shy, you’re welcome to use a pseudonym. This is an unpaid slot. (Deadline: 11 October 2016)

Confession
A memoir piece about something you were (or are now, in retrospect) deeply ashamed of (up to 300 words). (Deadline: 11 October 2016)

Pitch perfect
Send a ‘pitch’ (pithy description) for a writing project you’re planning to submit to an agent, editor or producer. The project might be a novel, memoir, biography, theatre play or screenplay, but your word limit is 100. The guest industry expert will suggest ways of making it spark the interest of the people you need to impress. If you’re feeling shy, you’re welcome to use a pseudonym. This is an unpaid slot, but the most recent pitch featured in the magazine resulted in the author finding an agent. (Deadline: 11 October 2016)

Life sentence
One sentence only, of no more than 25 words, describing an interesting (or poignant, or bizarre, or traumatic, or uplifting) event your recent writing life. There’s publication, and a credit, but no payment for these. (Deadline: 11 October 2016)

D is for…
A piece of creative non-fiction inspired by an alphabetic prompt (e.g. ‘H is for hawk’). Up to 300 words. (Deadline: 11 October 2016)

Self-publishing survivors
Do you have a tale to tell about your self-publishing experience? We want to interview people who are prepared to share their triumphs, trials and tribulations – and their advice for fellow travellers. Please send a brief outline. We will contact you directly if we decide to interview you for the magazine. (Deadline: 11 October 2016)

Hindsight
Up to 200 words, in second person, of advice to your younger self, based on your later experience of creativity and life – that might benefit fellow writers today. (Deadline: 11 October 2016)


To submit your work, visit our website and use the online form, or email submissions@mslexia.co.uk.