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Mslexia, the magazine for women who write | www.mslexia.co.uk

Greetings!

Welcome to the website for Mslexia, the magazine for women who write. Mslexia is an independent publishing company that provides information and (we hope) inspiration for published and unpublished women in the UK and beyond. In addition to our quarterly magazine and Writer’s Diary, Mslexia runs workshops and events, and a series of high-profile competitions for poets, novelists and short-story writers.

We welcome submissions for every part of the magazine (apart from the Editor’s letter). Explore the website to submit to the magazine, enter our competitions, sample past and current issues – and generally join in with the Mslexia conversation. We look forward to hearing from you.

In the magazine

Explore Issue 53 (Mar/Apr/May 2012)

New Writing: In the year 2212 – chosen by Ann VanderMeer ◊ Negative feedback – how inequality affects women writers ◊ Buried Treasure – novel competition results ◊ Blogaholic ◊ Ann Widdecombe's Bedside Table ◊ Ruth Padel on Making a Poem ◊ Alice Oswald talks to Alex Pryce. Explore this issue » Editorial »

NOVEL COMPETITION

2011 winner announced!

Many congratulations to Rosie Garland, who has won the competition with her novel The Beast in All Her Loveliness, and subsequently bagged a six-figure deal with HarperCollins! Read more »

2012 Children's Novel Competition

is now open for entries. For fiction novels for children of an age to read for themselves of 30,000 words or more by previously unpublished novelists. First prize: £5,000. Judges: Malorie Blackman, Julia Churchill, Julia Eccleshare. Closing date: 10 September.
Read more »

2012 Poetry competition

Now open for entries

The competition this year is judged by Gillian Clarke. First prize: £2,000 plus two optional extras: a week at the idyllic poets' retreat of Cove Park and an afternoon with the editor of premier poetry magazine Poetry Review. Closing date: 18 June 2012 Read more »

PLUS! NEW! Pamphlet Competition

for collections of 20-24 pages of 18-20 poems, by women poets who have not previously had a full-length collection published.Read more »

WOMEN'S SHORT STORY COMPETITION

NOW CLOSED

Winners will be notified mid-May. Good luck!

MSLEXIA BLOG

A lively and informative community for writers

Currently writing for the blog are: Carolyn Jones, a freelance writer making her way in Texas, and sharing her dos and don'ts; Susie Wild, who is taking us through the process of putting a live literature show together; and Rhian Bowley, who is learning to deal with the fact that she can't help but write 'genre' fiction. Plus insights from the Mslexia office and guest editors. Read more »

Your chance to win!

We have five copies of our 2012 Poetry Competition judge Gillian Clarke's brilliant poetry collection Recipe for Water (Carcanet) to give away. Her new collection, Ice, will be published by Carcanet in October this year. To be in with a chance of winning, just answer the simple question by following the link below. Good luck!

CLOSING DATE: 31 May

Enter competition »

What's on for writers

Shoreline Scripts Screenwriting Competition

is for for original scripts in any genre of between 80-120 pages. Prizes: £2,500, £500, £250, plus much more inc. script software and editorial support.

Entry fee: £25 up until 18 April; £35 between 19 April-18 May.
Closing date: 18 May
www.shorelinescripts.com

Magic Cat Press

seeks new writing in any genre to be considered for publication on their website; especially interested in up and coming writers. Accepts: short stories, nonfiction, poetry, novels, novellas, anthologies and chapbooks. See website for full details.

For the very latest literary events, writing competitions, places to submit, courses, retreats and festivals visit the What's on for writers page. For comprehensive listings covering the current quarter, subscribe to Mslexia.

"In male poetry, there is sometimes a waftiness; I wonder if they know about washing underwear and wiping bottoms"

Alice Oswald ◊ Read the Interview

"There’s no recipe for a good short story – in fact, they need to be unexpected, surprising. The most familiar material can be surprising if it’s seen freshly."

Tessa Hadley ◊ Mslexia 2012 Women's Short Story Competition