'These darkly comic tales place the author snugly between Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett. Be sure: Chris Fielden is one funny feller.' Allen Ashley, British Fantasy Award winner.
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Contact Christopher Fielden

I’m always happy to hear from anyone who wants to comment or request further information about any of the site’s content. Comments (unless you state that you do not want your comment used) might be published on the site, as long as they aren’t too rude.

I’m happy to hear from writers or publishers or people who are genuinely interested in my website about anything - feel free to ask questions.

Email

You can email me at

Phone

My number is: +44 (0) 777 906 2911.

If you live outside of the UK, please do not contact me by phone / text - I will not be able to reply to you. Please use email. I do use WhatsApp from time to time, but if you contact me on there, I will just ask you to send me an email :)

I am very rude to people who try and sell me stuff I do not want. Only call me if you have a real reason to do so please.

Address

If you're a bit old school and want to send me stuff in the post, please send mail to:

16a Beach Road West, Portishead, Bristol, BS20 7HR, UK

Please DO NOT send any story/blog submissions to me by post. I do not accept submissions to the To Hull And Back short story competition, the writing challenges I run, my proofreading services or guest posts for my blog by post. If you want to submit anything to me, please contact me by email.

If you're a spammer, please save the trees - do not send me stuff I have not requested. It will end up in landfill. Well... in my recycling box. Landfill just sounds more dramatic.

To avoid any confusion, I live near Bristol in the UK. Below is a map that shows you where it is. It's an amazing city, full of art and culture, so perfect for creative types.

Bristol, United Kingdom, map of where Bristol is located in the UK

Chris Fielden's Author Profile Pages

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Claire F
Just wanted to say thank you for this amazing site - it's such a great help! I'm only 16 but aspire to be a writer and without your website I would have had no idea where to begin. I read a snippet of one of your stories and was drawn in from the first paragraph - you're extremely talented! 

Thanks  again :)

Chris Fielden
Thanks Claire!

Graham A
Just been told about your site by my Creative Writing mentor. Looks great.

Chris Fielden
Thanks Graham :-)

Don B
Good morning, I have written several stories and get a great deal of pleasure from writing.  But, I am in the United States  Do the contests in the UK permit American writers?

What you have on this site is very attractive to me and seems like an excellent way for me to measure my abilities.  I have little hope of ever winning but it is the journey and not the destination. 

Thank you for your time.

Chris Fielden
Don, yes, the vast majority of short story competitions accept entries from writers residing anywhere in the world as long as the stories are written in English. There are a few exceptions, but not many. You will have to read the entry rules for each competition to be sure, but 99% of them will accept entries from US citizens.

Best of luck with your writing and stay positive - if you keep at it and refuse to give up, you will see your work published at some point :-)

Jose S
I would like to submit a rather extra-generic story to a competition. Do you have any suggestions? Thank you kindly...

Chris Fielden
Jose, there are loads of short story competitions and short story magazines listed in the writing advice section of the website.

You'll have to do a bit of research and see where your story would fit best. I usually recommend the regular competitions as a good starting point as a lot of them will publish a wide variety of stories which gives most styles a good chance of success.

Best of luck with your writing.

Art J
Hi Chris, any "Christopher Fielden" 2014 short story competitions? Thank you, Art

Chris Fielden
Art, yes, I run a competition. You can find out about it on the competition page :-)

Caroline LN
I'm a budding author and just wanted to thank you very much for all the work that you have put into your website; it's an excellent resource. Thank you!.

Chris Fielden
No problem Caroline - glad you found the site useful :-)

Aiysha R
Hi, I am always writing storys and wondered if I could send you one of them to read.

Chris Fielden
Aiysha, I receive many requests like this and cannot offer to proofread stories for free I'm afraid. I offer a paid proofreading service in the Writing Services section of my website.

I hope that might be of interest to you :-)

Marcin L
Chris, I hope this email finds you well. My name is Marcin. I am a Polish poet, with a big dilemma :) I have just written my first short story.  I got some technical support from Mike  Scott Thompson. I have created my second story, around 800 words. English is not my mother tongue,  so I am struggling with grammar and logical mistakes. I don't want to ask Mike again for help. Would you kindly look at my story briefly and smooth it, please?  If you are too busy to do so, I will understand. Thank you.

Chris Fielden
Marcin, I'm afraid I receive many requests of this nature and simply don't have the time to offer this kind of service for free. However, I do offer a paid service in the Writing Services section of my website. You can find a link 2 comments above.

If that is of interest to you, please let me know.

I wish you the best of luck with your writing!

Vicki G
I just wanted to say it is so refreshing to see that someone regularly updates  their page. Well done! It is a pleasure reading this and the markets you put up for opportunities with writing. Thank you.

Chris Fielden
Welcome Vicki, I'm glad you like the site - always good to hear :-)

Ibomcha K
My first novel - "Enter the king" - aims to enter a big award / contest. I seek your guidance.

Chris Fielden
Ibomcha, the best bet is to research book and novel competitions and see which is best suited to your work. I have a list of them on my site here.

I hope the list proves helpful :-)

William B
Good Day, I am simply a 70 year old, who after two careers, have resorted to writing of my many experiences in the out-of-doors with various friends. They are all in the form of e-mails sent only to my family members and close friends. Some have said I should share some of them with others. I am not a professional writer. Just recording my memories. Nor do I expect anything in return should you desire to print one, other than the satisfaction and perhaps being provided a record of such.

Should you like one I will gladly send it. The one I would like to present is a combination of short to medium e-mails, 12 in total.

Thank you for your time, Christopher.

In this day and age, relief from stress for just a few moments revives the sole in order to press on. Bill

Chris Fielden
Bill, I'm afraid I don't publish other writer's work, except through my short story competition, so I won't be able to help.

I'd suggest you research the competitions and magazines listed on my site (and other sites, like BookTrust) to see if there are any opportunities appropriate to your style of writing.

I hope that's helpful and wish you the best of luck with publishing your work.

Alice L
I have written a short story of 12.000 words. My story is called The Woman In White. This is a supernatural tale. My pen name is Alice Lowe after my great grandmother. I have finished it and would like to send you it in May. I'm confident that my story is good. I write books also.  Two have been published,  and another two I am working on; Stalking Maggie, and Manor Lake.

Chris Fielden
Alice I'm afraid I don't publish other writer's work, except through my short story competition, details of which you can find here.

If you want your work proofread, please see the details in the Writing Services section.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Debra H
I'm not sure where to start... so here I am... I was recently diagnosed with skin cancer... I have written a very short story from the cancer's point of view.

30 Days in the Life of a Skin Cancer - " The Story of Murgatroyd" - my friends have read it... they give it good reviews... it is written with a bit of humour and they say it is interesting... can you point me in the right direction to possibly take this further ..? Thank you.

Chris Fielden
Debra, I run a humorous short story competition through my website, so it might be suitable for that. You can learn more here.

Aside from that, I guess you need to do a bit of research and see which publications might be suitable for your writing style. I often recommend Writers' Forum as they consider a wide variety of genres and styles. It's best to buy the magazine and see if you think your writing might fit with the publication.

I hope that's helpful and wish you the best of luck with your writing.

Nancy W
Please can you tell me why you called your competition and book 'To Hull and Back'? I live in Hull and got your book from the library as I thought it was short stories about Hull. Are you from Hull?

Chris Fielden
Hi Nancy, I'm not from Hull - I'm based in Bristol. I called the competition 'To Hull and Back' as it's a play on words (to hell and back) and that's due to the short story competition I run and the prize. The competition winner's head appears on the cover of the book and then I strap a copy to my motorbike and film it being ridden to Hull and back (it's a looooong way from Bristol!).

I actually filmed the first video last weekend and stayed the night in a little hotel located underneath the Humber bridge. It was lovely - you live in an amazing part of the country :)

2014 was the first year of the competition, so I'm hoping it will become more widely known over time.

I hope you enjoy reading the stories - it's nice to know there's a copy of the anthology in Hull!

Archana D
Hi, I am writing on behalf of my 7 yr old boy who loves story writing and his work is highly  appreciated by his teachers at school.

He scored level 3 in  story writing at his  Key stage 1. He is interested in dinosaurs and always brings them alive in his work.

 I want to encourage him to write in a competition, as requested by his teachers from school. Please send me writing topics that could be entered into competitions for him to write during the summer  holidays.

 Thank you.

Chris Fielden
Hi Archana, the best bet is to research some competitions and look at the themes and styes of stroies they ask for. Then your son can concentrate on writing something for a specific competition. There is a list of short story competitions for children and young writers on my short story competitions page.

I hope that's helpful!

Kerry C
I'm afraid I find it difficult to trust your site when there is a bondage type picture there - "lengthen your healthspan".

Chris Fielden
Hi Kerry, unfortunately I have no control over the adverts that are shown on the site - it is all powered by Google AdSense who have strict rules about the content they provide, so there shouldn't be anything offensive coming up. If you were offended by the ad I can only apologise and report the advert to Google.

The ads are what allow me to provide all the information on this website for free as they generate a small amount of income - enough to cover the basic costs of running the site. As I wish to continue providing information for free rather than charging users, the ads must stay I'm afraid.

I hope that explains everything and that you feel you can now trust my site :-)

Helen W
What a refreshing advice page you have.  I'm constantly bombarded with competitions from all quarters, so to find them listed rationally, orderly and comprehensively is a huge relief.  A humour competition to boot.  They're rare. You will be hearing from me.  Please note, I have curtailed my habit of littering my prose with exclamation marks as per advice given.  However, you didn't say anything about emoticons 😀.

Chris Fielden
Hi Helen, excellent, I will look forward to reading your entry.

Sadly, Outlook decided to mask your wonderful and undoubtedly inventive emoticon usage in gobbledygook. I can only guess what 😀 might mean. I hope it's rude.

Herman T
Dear Mr. Fielden, I trust you are well.

My son, Timon, is a Grade 7 (12-year old) pupil here in Johannesburg (South-Africa). He loves reading - and writing.

I have not been able to locate/source a local writer's guild, for him to join - the only available groupings are for young adults.

Would you permit him to submit essays and/or short stories? I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you.

Chris Fielden
Hi Herman, I only accept published short stories and entries to my short story competition on my site.

You can see my submission guidelines here.

And the details on my short story competition here.

There are quite a few competitions listed on my site for children and young adults. You can find details here.

I hope that's helpful and I wish your son the best of luck with his writing in the future.

Jocelyn G
Hi Chris. Please could you advise - I live in South Africa and am finding it very difficult for anyone to give me some advice. I have written a little love story (personified) between two dogs, and all I want to know is how do I get someone to read it and tell me if it is good enough to get published or if it's a waste of time. I have tried many places and am being shunned from pillar to post.

Your input would be most helpful.

Chris Fielden
Hi Jocelyn

There are a few options you could explore. You can use a proofreading service, like the one I offer. This is a good way of getting detailed feedback, but does cost money.

Another option is to submit your stories to a platform that might gain comments and feedback. I've heard Wattpad is good. I've recently joined but haven't had a chance to use it much yet. So that could be worth looking at.

The other thing you can do is submit to competitions that offer feedback either as part of the prize, or for a low price. I often recommend Writers' Forum for this as they offer terse feedback at a cheap price.

I hope that's helpful.

Jocelyn G
Thanks Chris so much for coming back to me so quickly - much appreciated.

Ana H
Dear Chris, I am a novice writer making my way through the Book Publishing Jungle, and as a novice I have lots to learn and experience to acquire. I find your website very interesting and the fact of finding your picture and email address somehow makes me feel in a secure zone.

I am trying to get as much information as possible about writers and their experiences and you have a variety of articles with tips that can help me as a writer. 

Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

Chris Fielden
Hi Ana. No problem - glad you like the site and find it useful.

You might find my book helpful - the opening section is available for free here.

I wish you the best of luck with your writing.

Jerry W
Hello, Chris. I sense a void in my life that I believe can be filled only by attending a Stokes Croft Writers Talking Tales reading. Are you planning an event for Ocala, Florida? We love stories, although we generally miss the clever bits and always laugh at the wrong places.

Chris Fielden
Hi Jerry. I understand where you're coming from - Talking Tales is likely to fill any void.

Unfortunately, we don't have our tour of the US planned as yet (working on it).

However, you can listen to all the Talking Tales events on the SCW YouTube Channel.

Consider that void partially filled.

Gabe H
Hi, my name's Gabe and I am about 50 pages into a teen-fiction book about a kid becoming apprentice to The Devil - it's pretty complicated. Anyway, I'd eventually like to get it published, but before I do that, I'd like to try my hand at short story writing. I'm only in Year 9, and therefore feel that it would be better to enter teen competitions, so if anyone on this site knows of any competitions aimed at teenagers, then please don't hesitate to contact me.

Chris Fielden
Hi Gabe. There are lots of competitions for younger writers listed on my site.

You can see them here.

Some of those will have categories for your age group.

Congrats on getting 50 pages into your book. It sounds like a great idea. I wish you the best of luck with it :-)

Ernie S
I am 70 years old and a retired electrician, I have written a few poems, some silly. I have also written a few stories. My children think I should try to get them published, although I write for fun as soon as an idea pops in my head.

I recently wrote a poem about war, after remembrance Sunday.

How do I get it published along with my other poems and stories? I am also a Freemason and if they achieve any monetary value I could donate this to a charity.

Please let me know what you think.

Chris Fielden
Hi Ernie. There are a few options to explore regarding publication.

  1. You could try entering some of the competitions listed on this page. Writers' Forum is a good one to start with. You'll find the details in the lists. There are also lists of short story competitions and short story magazines in this section of the website.
  2. You could research poetry magazines and journals etc. and submit to them. I know very little about this I'm afraid, but I'm sure Google would reveal some to you.
  3. You could self-publish using CreateSpace. It's free to use and owned by Amazon, so distributing books and making them available for purchase are easy. However, you'd then have to market the book to generate sales, which is time consuming.

I hope that's helpful and wish you the best of luck with your writing.

Janet J
I'm looking for magazines who want to publish true life stories. I've written many nostalgic memoirs, some happy, some sad, some a bit naughty and some extremely funny. I've had two short memory stories published in a magazine, but would like to expand my publishers, because I have many stories to sell.

Can you help and advise me please.

Chris Fielden
Hi Janet. I'm not aware of any magazines that specifically ask for real-life stories I'm afraid.

I list a lot of magazine opportunities on my Short Story Magazine page, in the Writing Advice section of my website. Many of them accept non-fiction as well as short stories, so that might be a good place to start your research.

I also list a couple of memoir competitions on this page. They might be suitable for you.

I hope that's helpful :-)

Tammy N
I just wanted to thank-you for your website, it's incredibly helpful. The money donated to charity is admirable. It's a pleasure to browse through your website. Your challenges are very motivational to the aspiring writer.

Chris Fielden
Thanks very much Tammy - it's always nice to hear that people find the site useful.

I'll look forward to reading a writing challenge submission from you in the future then :-)

Carla W
Hi Chris, thanks for your website and for all the helpful information that you have provided here. With regards to the Manchester Fiction competition, is it possible to find the winning stories to read? Or would I get that by just signing up with them? Interested in 'A Friend Called Elspeth' for starters at least. Thanks.

Chris Fielden
Hi Carla. Yes, you can read them all on the website.

Here's a link to the 2016 winners.

You will probably find links to previous comps on the pages about those years. That's where I found this one :-)

SF S
There's nothing worse than reading useless and outdated information. As a complete beginner, finding your site has given me direction. Thanks to you, I've grown a pair of balls... although I must say the power of breasts does work at times. Thank you for a great website. Not only is it informative, it is funny and honest.

Chris Fielden
Hi SF. Thank you :-) It's always nice to hear that people find the site useful.

I've never been held responsible for helping anyone grow balls before. I shall be sure to add that to my CV and investigate becoming a doctor.

As for the power of breasts... I think that would make an excellent blog post. Please check out my submissions guidelines.

Arjun K
Hello, Iam the author of the Deadliest Secret of Truth trilogy. It's my debt novel. I wish to have an opportunity to make my novel famous. Can you help? Awaiting your warm response.

Thank you.

Chris Fielden
Hi Arjun. You could try platforms like Inkitt. You will find details of them on this page.

The page also contains details of lots of book and novel competitions, so you could consider submitting to them.

I hope you find that helpful. Good luck with your book :-)

Chris B
Thank you for this site, Christopher. I have always had stories in my head which I find difficult to put down on paper/screen. I've started writing them down at 49. I do wish I had started earlier. Your stories are what I like to read and this has inspired me, realising that competition holders do not dismiss the off-beat story. The judges comments are invaluable and I appreciate you displaying them.

Chris Fielden
No problem, Chris.

Really glad to hear you find the site inspiring :-)

Victoria A
Dear Sir/Madam, I'm interested in selling short fiction. If you're interested, please email me back.

Thank you for your time.

Chris Fielden
Hi Victoria. I don't buy stories - you would have to enter my short story competition or writing challenges if you want me to consider your stories for publication.

Try looking at the short story magazine lists on my site. You might find a suitable publication for your work there.

Sally L
Dear Chris, I wondered whether gently despairing comedy was acceptable for your competition? As in comedy that doesn't produce a lot of laughs, but perhaps a hollow chuckle.

I realise I even look gently despairing in my photo.

I thought, therefore, before I pay my fee, that I should check with you whether gently despairing comedy is possibly a genre, or whether it's just me.

Yours in gentle (but possibly funny?) despair, Sally L

Chris Fielden
Hi Sally, I appreciate all types of humour, so despairing could work.

I strongly recommend that writers read one or more of the previous To Hull And Back anthologies before entering, so they can clearly see which styles the judges prefer. That'll give you a much better chance of submitting a successful entry.

I'll look forward to reading your story - good luck with your submission :)

Sally L
Hi Chris, thanks for your advice. I will give the anthology a go.

Best wishes, Sally

Aoiri O
I hope I get the break I desire from all your useful tips.

Chris Fielden
Thanks Aoiri - glad you find the tips useful. Good luck with your writing :-)

Reena C
Hi, my name is Reena. I am from India. I would like to submit my story, poetry. I think this is the right platform. I like the way you mention all the details. You are straight forward. You are not rude but pure of heart. Whatever you think, you write in detail. Thanks.

Chris Fielden
Hi Reena. Thanks for your kind words.

If you want to submit stories or poetry to me, please take a look at my writing challenges and submit something to one of those.

If you have been using my site to find short story and poetry competitions, then I wish you the best of luck with your submissions :-)

Reena C
Hi Chris. Thanks for replying to me. I'm glad and thank you, I will do that.

But I need your guidance also.

Chris Fielden
Hi Reena. What do you need my guidance on?

Reena C
Hi Chris. Thanks for giving your precious time. Actually, I sent my poetry, articles and stories to many competitions but am always rejected. I don't know what kind of material they want. But I'm still trying and after searching a lot I found your website so I thought, let's try your website... Maybe I have a chance.

So, just asking for guidance.

Chris Fielden
Hi Reena. If you are getting rejected, the best thing to do is ask the people you have submitted to why. Sometimes they will reply with something useful.

Out of interest, do you read back issues of the publications you submit to? Many writers don’t research the market they are submitting to, which is a big mistake. I see it all the time with the short story competition I run. If people read the previous years’ anthologies, they would have a much better chance of writing a winning story.

If you don’t undertake market research, I would strongly recommend starting to do so. It can make a big difference with your success rate.

I hope that’s helpful.

Reena C
Dear Chris, good evening to you.

Thank you, I will do that. I got a lot of information from you and this can help me in the future. Maybe my writing abilities will get better with this kind of knowledge.

Thanks a lot for help.

Chris Fielden
No problem, Reena :-)

Andrew S
I am completely disillusioned by literary competitions. They are nothing more and nothing less than a money grab for the organizers. Artistic talent and good writing skills honoured are a thing of past competitions. Now the winners are selected from a select group of entrants who also buy books, partake in seminars and workshops, or otherwise give free money to organizers of short story and other literary contests. I refuse to ever again participate in such a travesty of supporting talented writers.

Chris Fielden
Hi Andrew. Sorry you feel that way. You could submit to my writing challenges, if that is of interest to you?

No entry fee. No prizes, as it's not a competition, but every entry is published (as long as the very simple rules are followed). Profits from book sales are donated to charity. The challenges are about learning, but also to remind people that writing can be fun. I hope that is of interest to you.

Henry A
Aren't there any international competitions? Everything is restricted to a particular country. Please help.

Chris Fielden
Hi Henry. Most of the competitions I list are international and accept entries from anywhere in the world.

I list the country they are based in, so writers know which global market they are submitting to.

Jim T
Hello Chris, a mate has just recommended your short story competition to me, but how do I pay for my entries?

(Isn't Hull other people? That's what that French bloke reckons.)

Jim T
Oops. Disregard my question asking how I pay for my entries, I've just found the reference to PayPal, etc. Nice one.

Chris Fielden
No problem, thanks Jim.

Look forward to receiving your entry.

Comment text to go here.
Really enjoyed your book 'How to Write a Short Story', Chris. It inspired me to write a story of my own - the wife liked it (bless her) but said it was too short. 858 words. So wrestling with the Demon of Doubt at the moment to see if I can write a longer one.

Chris Fielden
Hi Paul. Really glad to hear you enjoyed the book - thanks for buying it!

Great to hear that you've written a story too. There are plenty of opportunities for flash fiction (stories of 1,000 words or less). You can find more details here.

I hope that's helpful and wish you the best of luck with your writing.

Roz K
Hi Chris. Your website looks very interesting and I have requested a sample of your book. My question is fairly simple: what length short stories tend to be most popular? I am aware Flash Fiction is usually under 500 words, and I need extreme inspiration to come up with anything like that, but I tend to write 900 - 2,000 words normally,  because I am part of a writers group and that length seems to to OK to read aloud. Do you have any views about what's an optimum length?

Many thanks for your help.

Chris Fielden
Hi Roz. I've just sent you the free PDF. Thanks for ordering it.

I don't think there is an optimum length - a story should be as long as it needs to be. That said, most competitions ask for 5,000 words or less. Many are 3,000 or less. Flash fiction is also growing in popularity, so shorter stories are becoming more common.

If you look at my lists of short story competitions and magazines, you can research word limits in more detail.

Really, it's down to you and what you want to write. I hope that's helpful.

Rob I
As a virgin author, I have been truly inspired by you, your books on Amazon and, of course, this website. I hope to be able to enter this year's To Hull and Back competition.

The query I have may be answered somewhere on your website, if so I apologise. As a virgin writer I am keen to get a professional critique of my writing. What is the done thing in my situation?

Should I enter the competition and see how it goes, then once it closes pay you to critique my story? Or is it considered rude or cheeky to have the critique done before submitting the story to the competition?

Like I said, I am an absolute newbie to story writing, though at 62, I have come to it rather late :-)

Thanks for the inspiration and your time.

Chris Fielden
Hi Rob, thanks for getting in touch. It's great to hear you find the site inspirational.

I usually advise authors to get a critique before entering competitions or submitting to magazines. That means they can take any feedback on board and edit their story to make it as strong as possible before sending it in for consideration. It gives you better chance of seeing your work published.

You can use the critique services on my website (see the Services section of the site). I don't undertake the critiques, my team do it. None of them have anything to do with judging To Hull And Back, so that means you can still submit to my competition if you would like to.

If the critique services on my site don't appeal to you, there are other options on this page.

I hope that's helpful and I'll look forward to receiving your To Hull And Back competition entry.

Brian R
Hi Chris, I note your comments about exclamation  marks. Please edit out any you feel are unnecessary.

Chris Fielden
Thanks, Brian - I always do :-)

Masa P
I just wanted to thank you for this site and wanted to ask if I could enter competitions. I'm only 14 and aspire to be a poet. I have a book of my very own poems which I would like to share with the world and pursue my dream.

Chris Fielden
Hi Masa. No problem, I'm glad you like the site. I list a lot of poetry competitions here, including a list for younger writers. Some contests have age limits, but quite a few accept entries from younger writers. You'll just have to research which ones you can enter.

I also list competitions for books, some of which accept poetry entries, here.

I hope that helps and wish you the best of luck with your writing :-)

Masa P
I am very thankful for your help and feedback.

Chris Fielden
Thanks, Masa, no problem.

Rookmin DM
I have a manuscript based on real life experiences and am willing to enter a competition. I am from Trinidad.

Chris Fielden
Hi Rookmin. Well, there are loads of competitions listed on my website in the advice section.

I hope you find one that is suitable for your work - I wish you the best of luck with it.

Bibiana K
I just saw your website and have taken great interest in what you have to offer. I e-mailed you asking some questions about poetry and I do hope I will get a reply soon. Anyway, your works are great, thanks for the help thus far.

Chris Fielden
Hi Bibiana. Great stuff, glad you're finding the website interesting.

I have replied to your email :-)

I will add it here, for others to see, that I do not undertake proofreading / critique work free of charge. If anyone wants a critique of their short stories or poetry, they can find out more in the writing services section of my website.

Paul G
I've just come across this site and I have to say it's hit that sweet spot and created  a lot of excitement. Thank you.

Chris Fielden
No problem, Paul. Great to hear you like the site :-)

Taiwo TP
I am a young poet. How do I get my work published?

Chris Fielden
Hi Taiwo. A good place to start is poetry competitions. I list hundreds here.

Good luck with your writing!

Angelica B
Do you get real publishers or how does it work?

Chris Fielden
Hi Angelica. Sorry, I don't understand the question. How does what work? And what publishers are you referring to?

Pete T
(Verifiably Human) May I submit for your publication some material that originally ran in my Memoirs book a few years back?

Chris Fielden
Hi Pete. Thanks for your message.

If you're referring to the To Hull And Back competition, previously published work is fine. However, that is for short stories, not poetry. Rules and subs guidelines can be found on the main comp page (see link above).

If you're not referring to that, please give some more details of why you're planning to send me stories / poems. I don't run a magazine or anything, so I'm not sure why you'd be sending them to me...

Bobbie B
How can I register on your website and receive updates and newsletter and be part of your community?

Chris Fielden
Hi Bobbie, thanks for your message.

You can sign up to my email list here.

Mason B
I have an entry for 81 words. I always thought I would be terrible at the flash fiction, the odd word was an interesting challenge for me. Thanks for running it.

Chris Fielden
No problem, thanks for submitting Mason :-)

Susan J
Hello, an interesting site you have! Have you heard of a website called The Write Review? There are various comps but when I looked it says in address bar the website 'isn't secure'. Any ideas? Regards Sue Jones

Chris Fielden
Hi Susan. Thanks for your message :-)

I haven't heard of The Write Review, but the 'not secure' warning usually refers to websites that have not updated to https. As upgrading to https costs money, writing websites that operate on low budgets can't always afford to make the move. So I wouldn't worry about it too much, unless a website looks particularly spammy.

That said, I would avoid putting any payment details into a website that isn't secure. Most competitions use PayPal or other payment platforms, so that isn't usually a problem. Platforms like that are secure.

I hope that helps.

Susan J
Hello, yes that explains perfectly thank you! Sue

Robert JB
Hi Chris and thanks for reading this. I am a prolific author from the south coast of the UK with eight books on Smashwords, three of which have been published with Blazing Heart Publishing.

I wrote my short story 'Beneath My Wings' some years ago. My granddaughter, aged 11, suggested I should try and get it published. Since it is only 3,640 words long I never thought it would gain any interest. So, now I am searching for a publisher for this short but heart rending story of how man's friendship with animals continues. I feel it might make for a good read for children and maybe teenagers.

Chris Fielden
Hi Robert. Thanks for your message. Congratulations on your publishing success.

The children's market is a difficult one as it's so competitive. You could keep an eye out for story competitions and magazines that ask for stories aimed at children. There are a few. You can research opportunities using the competition and publication lists on my site.

The other thing you could try is researching publishers using the Writers' and Artists' Yearbook or Mslexia's Indie Publishing Guide.

I hope that's helpful and wish you the best of luck with finding a home for your story.

Sharon P
Good morning Christopher, I hope you are well and that this world madness hasn't affected your prolific creativity. Thank you for the writing prompts email I received this morning.

May I ask a short story question please, as I know you are super-experienced in writing them?

How do you sort out an ending when you know what effect you want to have, but are not sure how to get there. For example, I love research and  tend to write short stories with a problem that I need to research (they tend to be uncommon topics). So far so good. However, my current story involves an ice sculpture in a restaurant and I need to make sure the ending is feasible and not far-fetched (it's a revenge thing). Do you have any tips please?

Thank you.

Chris Fielden
Hi Sharon, thank you for your message.

I usually write a story with the end in mind. I find that knowing how the story is supposed to end means you drive it in the right direction and then the end should seem inevitable when you get there - it's the only ending your story can have. That approach works for me (most of the time...), but it is highly subjective and down to the individual writer.

It also helps to understand the stakes. To define the stakes, you need to answer questions like:

  • Who is your protagonist?
  • What does the protagonist stand to lose/gain through the story's central conflict?
  • How does the outcome affect them?

Sorry that's not a definitive answer, but there isn't one really. You just have to find out what works best for you and the story you are telling.

There is a lot of advice regarding stakes and story endings online. I would recommend reading around the subject to get ideas.

Here are a few links for you to look through:

A lot of the links refer to stakes in novels, but the same theory can be applied to short stories and can make the ending easier to find and write. I hope that's helpful and wish you the best of luck with your writing.

Sharon P
Hi Chris, thank you for your prompt reply. It's kind of you to give me so much help. I really appreciate it.

I tend to meander in to some of my stories and feel stuck towards the end, so I'll try your approach moving forward. Muchas gracias!

Chris Fielden
No problem, Sharon. I hope it works for you :-)

Enock O
I am an eighteen year old poet. l have written lots of poems since I was in high school. l am a Kenyan by origin and am exploring poetry, not just as a means for income, but also as a way to appreciate cultures, traditions and direct the world using the art of creativity and rhyme with deep emotions that uplift us all as brothers and sisters with a strong sensation of common blood.

Can you just counsel me please? l would also be like an opportunity to participate in contests, but l am naive. Please just offer a hand to this soul, I beg you.

Chris Fielden
Thanks for your message, Enock. It's great to hear you feel passionate about writing poetry.

I don't offer mentoring or counselling, I'm afraid. And I am not a poet, so I'd be the wrong person to ask anyway. My area of expertise is short stories.

If you want to enter poetry competitions, you can find hundreds of opportunities here.

I would also recommend searching for and joining online poetry writing communities on the internet. You will probably find some on social media platforms like Facebook too. By joining one, you might find the kind of support you're looking for.

I wish you the best of luck with your writing.

Enock O
Thank you so much! I am greatful for your advice and compassion. May God bless you. I was touched by your advice. I will explore as you suggested.

Chris Fielden
No problem, thank you :-)

Enock O
I am very glad to find such an awesome site that can guarantee one a future and enable one to paint the heart of art in words and to touch on vast ideas exhibited in competitions and touch lives by issues wonderfully expressed in writing. A great site. I am glad I found it.

Chris Fielden
Thank you, Enock :-)

Douglas B
Very nice and engaging website, and quite a career thus far. Kudos.

Chris Fielden
Thanks, Douglas, much appreciated :-)

Michael TH
I am a new writer living in the West Midlands. I've done this sine 2002 and during that time I have had some of my work published in anthologies. I attended creative writing courses with the WEA from 2013-2018, and I have done English courses with The City of Wolverhampton college.

I have been a member of a writing group for some time and I've had poems publsihed on a wedsite called All Poetry. I have performed in public and only last week I had a poem on Ledbury Poetry called 'Hardship'. 

Now, I am looking for a publisher for my short stories. Would you please get back to me on this?

Chris Fielden
Hi Michael, thank you for your message. And congratulations on your recent successes.

I list multiple publication opportunities for both poetry and short stories in this section of my website. If you're looking for a publisher for a book, the best bet is to get copies of the most recent Writers' and Artists' Yearbook and Mslexia's Indie Publishing Guide.

I hope that's helpful and wish you the best of luck with your writing :)

Rudy M
I just came upon your web page. I think I joined the Poetry Society last year. I am of the older generation (old school) but I write all kinds of articles about everything, including poetry.

Chris Fielden
That's great, thanks Rudy. I hope you find the website helpful :)

Hugo L
Congratulations on a fantastic resource. May I kindly ask your thoughts on suitable competitions for 10 year old boys. I have a child that I am keen to divert his attention to creative activity from video games! I suspect I am not alone. Appreciate any suggestions you may have. When he puts his mind to it, he can write poetry, plays and prose. Kind regards. H.

Chris Fielden
Hi Hugo. Thank you for your message.

I have a table specifically for competitions aimed at young writers and children on my short story contests page. I hope that's helpful.

Good luck converting your son's enthusiasm for video games into writing :-)

Mitchell O
Good morning. I am Mitchell from Nigeria, and I've always loved writing. It has kinda been a passion in me. I've not published a book before but am looking forward to submitting this novel. Let me start by appreciating the untiring love and support of my parents, mentors, teachers and friends, for giving me not only courage, but the key to keep moving forward.

My story set in Nigeria, where I write about the illegal selling of human parts. In this novel, we'll find out the dangers of human trafficking, with the plead and hope that it should be spotted, and curbed as soon as possible. If you ask me, I'll say it's not just a novel to be read and kept back on the shelf, but a lesson to be learnt by everyone, not only in Nigeria, but in countries across the globe.

Chris Fielden
Hi Mitchel, thank you for letting me know about your book. Congratulations on writing a novel. It sounds very topical.

I wish you the very best of luck with your submissions :)

Peter S
You have listed a competition called the Devon and Cornwall International Novel Prize.

This is probably a fake. The creator/owner of the comps website is hidden. They can't spell 'Cornwall' or 'international'. There are no contact details. The £15 entry is paid via PayPal with no way of knowing who is being paid. Please check this is not a scam.

Chris Fielden
Hi Peter. Thanks for your message - much appreciated.

I shall contact Glen Reed, the administrator, and investigate your concerns.

In the meantime, here is the email address Glen has been using to contact me: info@dcinovelprize.com

Paul M
Hello Chris, thanks for taking the time to list and link so many publications for short stories. Us struggling and disheartened at times poor souls greatly appreciate your efforts.

Chris Fielden
Thank you for your message, Paul - much appreciated. Really glad to hear you find the site useful :-)

Al A
Dear Christopher, I am an Australian author. I have published a novel named Super Corona. Wondering if I can take part in novel writing competitions. It's a self-published book. I look forward to hearing from you.

Chris Fielden
Hi Al. Congratulations on self-publishing your book.

Many novel competitions do not accept self-published books, but some do. You will have to review the rules / terms and conditions of each contest to see if your book is eligible.

You can find lots of competitions for novels here. I wish you the best of luck with your submissions :-)

Umar U
I'm a poet and I've a strong desire to put my poems into a competition.

Chris Fielden
Hi Umar. Thank you for your message.

I list lots of poetry competitions here.

I wish you the very best of luck with submitting your poems :-)

Christina
Do you have a section for humor for short stories. Thanks and love, Christina

Chris Fielden
Hi Christina. Thank you for your message.

Yes, I do have a post about using humour in short stories.

You can read it here :-)

Christina
Thank you so much, you are the best Chris.

Chris Fielden
No problem, thank you Christina :-)

Ian K
Hi Christopher, hope you are well.

I have written a novel "Bad Ape" and have tried the various routes to publishing but have not been able to engage with any publishing agents beyond pleasant conversations and polite refusals. (The common reason given is that the book fits into the category of "a children's book for adults" which means they don't know whether to place it at the front or the back of the book store).

I have worked with an editor and feel I have toned down some of the more complex philosophical issues to take it closer to the back of the book shop but am still struggling to get a bite. I wonder if there is any aspect of my problems that you could offer any guidance, help or advice for. Any response gratefully received.

Chris Fielden
Hi Ian. Thank you for your message.

Congratulations for completing a novel. And I'm glad to hear you're persisting with trying to sell it. Refusing to give up is important.

I'd usually recommend having someone critique the book, but if you've already worked with an editor - and received feedback from agents and acted on it - then that's probably not necessary.

So, I'd suggest having a look at The Writers' & Artists' Yearbook and / or Mslexia's Indie Publishing Guide. Those books offer up to date lists of agents and publishers. I'd do some research, see which ones represent / publish books like yours and then approach them with your work. If the book continues to be rejected, you could consider placing it on a platform like Scribophile or Inkitt. That would allow you feedback from multiple readers. Platforms like that are not for everyone, but some writers find them very helpful. Or you could look at self-publishing on platforms like Amazon KDP. It's a lot of work, but it can lead to success if you're prepared to sink time into marketing your book (which most publishers would expect you to do anyway).

Really, it depends on how you want to move forward.

I hope that's helpful and I wish you the very best of luck with finding a home for your book.

Ian K
Thank you Chris, that is very helpful. I will revisit The Writers and Artist's Handbook.

Chris Fielden
No problem, thanks Ian :-)

Tenzin C
Hello, I am from India. My name is Tenzin. I am 12 years old but my dream is to become a novelist. If you didn't make your website, I would be suffering till now. Thank you very much, I wish you are happy and healthy. Bye!!

Chris Fielden
Thanks for your message, Tenzin. I'm glad to hear you are finding the website helpful.

I wish you the very best of luck with your writing and realising your dream of becoming a novelist :-)

Maria H
Can I write you a short true story, what happened to me in this 20/20 Covid-19? tragedy.

Chris Fielden
Hi Maria. For the To Hull And Back competition? Yes, it has an open theme, so any story subject is welcome :-)

I don't accept general story submissions for the blog, I'm afraid. Please see my submission guidelines for more info.

Jennifer C
I am hoping to submit my 81-word piece but would first like to know which charities are being supported. Thanks.

Chris Fielden
Hi Jennifer. The 81 Word challenge supports the Arkbound Foundation, a UK charity that aims to widen access to literature and improve diversity within publishing.

Full details can be found on the 81 Word challenge page, including links to their website :-)

Henry C
I must confess that this is a great creative site. I'm Henry. I'm from Nigeria but I live in Vietnam. I have written a couple of poems and I have published one collection of poetry. I am looking forward to entering a poem writing competition. I just need your guidelines on how to go about it on your noble website. Thanks.

Chris Fielden
Hi Henry. Thanks for your message.

I don't run a competition for poetry, I'm afraid. But I do list many poetry competitions here. I hope that's helpful and I wish you the best of luck with your writing :-)

Roger W
Hi Chris, is the 81 word challenge still operational? And if so what are the current writing challenges? Thanks.

Chris Fielden
Hi Roger. Yes, the 81 Word challenge is still open, but it will close very soon - only
10 more stories needed. All the other challenges are open apart from the news challenge. You can find all the details here :-)

Roger W
OK thanks, it should have landed in Bristol by now.

Maria L
Hi. Hope your well. I would like to see whether you could  inform me of the procedure to apply for the short story competition. Many thanks!

Chris Fielden
Hi Maria, thank you for your message.

If you're talking about my To Hull And Back competition, you can find all the rules and learn how to submit here.

If you're talking about competitions in general, each contest will have different rules. You can find lots of open competitions with links to their websites here.

I hope that's helpful and I wish you the best of luck with your submissions :-)

Chaimaa A
Good Morning, hi. Thank you for this amazing site.

I'm the head of foreign language department in an international school in Egypt. We are running a splash fiction competition in Spanish and French  in our school (100 words limit). I would like to send the winning stories to an international competition, can you please advise.

Thank you.

Chris Fielden
Hi Chaimaa. Thank you for your message.

I list many flash fiction writing competitions, so you may find something appropriate there. I also list competitions specifically for young writers.

Most of the competitions I've seen are run for stories written in English. You may find some for Spanish and French, but I'm not aware of any.

I hope that's helpful and wish you the best of luck with your project :)

DCI Long Listed Author
Hi Chris, I'm writing to double-tap a previous comment about the Devon and Cornwall Prize. The folks at DCI have routinely missed their every deadline. They've shifted the goalposts for the long and short list publication (as of today, the site lists that the short list and winner should've been announced in March). 

The number of prizes and the winner's purse has also been revised since entries for the 2020 competition has closed. There has not been any communication with the long listed authors to advise or explain of these changes. It does appear that the folks at DCI are disorganized amateurs (at best) or scam artists (at worst), but I'd love to be proven wrong. The organizers at DCI have been unresponsive to my emails, but perhaps you can follow up?

Chris Fielden
Hi, thank you for your message and sharing this information - very much appreciated.

Glen Reed, who seems to run the comms for the Devon and Cornwall Prize team, asked me to remove their competition listing from my website after I contacted them about the concerns that were previously raised by my users (Peter's above being one of them). You can see the details on my book and novel comps lists, in the history section.

I will add your comments to the history too as other writers may find this useful, especially as the competition seems to be open and running again this year.

In the meantime, I will try and contact them and will let you know if they reply. If you hear back from them, or they do announce a shortlist and start awarding prizes, please let me know. Fingers crossed this is poor management rather than a scam, but if you do feel it's a scam, it should be reported to PayPal so they can investigate.

I'll be in touch if I hear anything. All the best :-)

Angela C
Hi Chris, I found your video's and the prize amusing and awesome so have tried to apply. I paid using PayPal but both my emails have bounced back - it looks like a problem at your end. Can you help? Thank you.

Chris Fielden
Hi Angela, thank you for your message. Sorry to hear the emails bounced. I haven't been experiencing any problems with emails my end, so I'm not sure what happened there. Internet gremlins, I reckon :-)

I've received your To Hull And Back entry safely and replied to confirm receipt of the entry fee and stories. That means we're all sorted, but please let me know if you have any other questions.

Angela C
Thanks so much Chris. Loved the vids! Made my 19 yr old daughter watch one with me - she was not impressed! All the best.

Chris Fielden
Glad to hear the vids have one fan in your household :) I don’t know… teenagers nowadays have no taste LOL.

Helen M
Hi Chris, a really helpful site - I'm doing a master's in creative writing, and one of our tutors recommends your site!

Don't know if you can help me with this, or if it's up your street, but here goes anyway: In a new issue of a magazine I've just bought, I see they've published a story that was previously printed in another magazine, one I subscribe to. Same author, so plagiarism isn't the issue - it's that both magazines have the rule that work submitted/entered in their comps must not have been published anywhere before.

I don't have a dog in this fight, but I don't know what to do. Should I just leave it? Or draw the magazine's attention to it? I don't want to seem mean, it could be an honest mistake, but so many writers take care to follow the rules - what would you do?

Chris Fielden
Hi Helen. Thank you for your message - much appreciated. And please pass on my thanks to your tutor. They obviously have impeccable taste... :-)

That's an interesting one and really it comes down to how you feel about it personally. I'm sure the magazine that published the story most recently would be pleased to hear from you because sometimes these things do slip through the proverbial net and it just helps them improve their checking in the future. However, you may find that the writer in question contacted them about this prior to submitting and they agreed to it anyway. This does happen sometimes...

In fact, it happened to me recently. WolfSinger Publications were putting out an anthology full of stories about dragons. Being a fantasy writer, I had many stories that were suitable, but they'd all been published. So, I emailed the editor and asked if they would accept a submission that had been previously published, but had only been exposed to a select audience (my story had been published by the British Fantasy Society, but had only been read by members - it wasn't publicly available). The editor said it would be fine if I submitted and they have now accepted the story for publication.

My point here is that they may already be aware of it. But I'm sure they'd welcome an email from you anyway. If nothing else, it shows they have some caring, diligent readers :-)

I hope that helps and wish you the very best of luck with your MA.

Helen M
Many thanks, Chris, for taking the trouble to respond, and thanks too for the advice - I'll get in touch with the magazine and just mention it, as you suggest.

Thanks again, Helen

Chris Fielden
No problem, thanks Helen. Please let me know how you get on – it’s always interesting to see what happens in these situations and can help me improve advice I give in the future :) All the best.

Shirley C
Hello, I don't understand why BFSA is listed as free when they charge to join.

I am looking for a one -on-one reader and writer list like Writer Buddies used to be.I found a great buddy but after we parted the site shut down. You may not have heard of it. Is there a forum or web presence for finding one-on-one reader and author set ups?

Chris Fielden
Hi Shirley. Thank you for your message.

I didn't realise the BSFA orbit groups I list required membership. Apologies for any confusion caused. I guess that might have changed since the post you're referring to was written, as it is a few years old now. That said, a year's membership is reasonably priced. If you're in the UK, it's only £29. Anyway, thank you for making me aware of it - I shall update the resource shortly.

I'm not aware of any platforms that offer one-to-one buddying I'm afraid. If that's what you're after, it may be worth joining a writing group and seeing if you can meet someone that way. I list many here.

Sorry I can't be of more help. I wish you the best of luck on your search for a new buddy :)

Shirley C
Hello, I am so grateful for your response. Most often when I bravely comment on such things the email lands in a black hole...

Thank you for your help. I wish you well, Shirley

Chris Fielden
No problem Shirley. All the best to you :-)

Shadman S
Dear Sir, I would be grateful to receive information about members of this site. How can a foreigner like me join you? Best regards.

Chris Fielden
Thanks for your message, Shadman.

There is no membership to this site, it's a free resource. If you'd like to get involved, you could consider submitting to my flash fiction writing challenges (when they are open).

Or, if you're looking for online writing communities, I list some here.

I hope that's helpful. All the best.

Jill F
Hi. I see your formatting service is closed, can you recommend an individual? (In Bristol would be even better.) Thanks, Jill

Chris Fielden
Hi Jill. Thanks for your message.

I'm afraid I don't know of anyone else who does this kind of thing freelance. Silverwood Books is a Bristol based vanity publisher who may undertake this kind of work. You could check them out - they're a reputable company in that field.

You could also have a look through this post written by HR Kemp. In it, she discusses her experiences with self-publishing and mentions an editor who helped her with formatting her books - there are links in the article.

I hope that helps and wish you all the best with your book :-)

Ed C
YouWriteOn. I see you made reference to it. Did it ever appear again? I think Edward, the man who ran it, ran out of steam.

Chris Fielden
Hi Ed. Thanks for your message.

So far as I know, the YouWriteOn website has not resurfaced. There is some more information on my free writing critiques resource where I mention YWO. The info contains links to Paul Samael's website. He's a writer who used the platform and has more information on what happened to it, so it's probably best to check that out.

I hope that helps :-)

Ed C
Thanks. Will check it out. YWO was good. The chatrooms filled up with spam. Thanks for reply.

Chris Fielden
No problem Ed. All the best.

Ariana F
Dear sir. Hello, I am a writer, from a country whose name you may not have even heard, my country's name is Iran, where you are not allowed to think, let alone write, especially for women there is no possibility to flourish! Can you please help me compete with my short stories?

Chris Fielden
Hi Ariana. Thank you for your message. Sorry to hear about the oppression you have experienced in your home country.

It's great to hear you're writing. You can find many opportunities to compete in competitions via my short story competitions list and my flash fiction contests lists. You can also find other opportunities via my list of magazines that accept fiction submissions.

Many of these contests and magazines will accept submissions from writers residing anywhere in the world, but please check the terms and conditions before submitting to be sure you are eligible.

I hope that helps and I wish you the very best of luck with your writing :-)

Ariana F
Dear sir. Your progress is due to your attention to the thoughts of people around the world, and I could not believe that you would hear my voice and respond directly. I appreciate your attention and response. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANKYOU!

Chris Fielden
You are welcome, Ariana :-)

Thank you for your kind words – they’re very much appreciated.

Laurie M
Hi Christopher - thanks for your great contest list. I thought you might want to know that NYC Midnight now runs 100-wd and 250-wd contests that are $25 to enter. The others are all still $45.

Chris Fielden
Hi Laurie. Thanks for your message - much appreciated.

I already list the NYC Midnight flash competitions, on my flash comps page. If you spot any info that is incorrect, please do let me know :)

All the best.

Laurie M
Yes, I know. I wasn’t clear - your info doesn’t mention the less-expensive contest fees. But perhaps that isn’t a problem. Thanks again for compiling the list.

Chris Fielden
OK, thanks Laurie. I've updated it to mention the range of fees so hopefully that makes it clearer. And mentioned micro-fiction too.

Thanks for your help with this, it's greatly appreciated :-)

Neelamani S
This is an awesome site. Thank you for your great help.

Chris Fielden
No problem, thank you Neelamani :)

Noriko
I am "over-the-century-old-non-English-native" person and I'd like to improve written communication skills. My goal is to improve skills needed for constructive criticism and critiques. I am hoping to get brain exercising. I want to gradually develop a free group while I am learning.  I cannot wait to start learning your tips! Thank you for providing such useful tips. Sincerely, N

Chris Fielden
Thank you for your message, Noriko. It's great to hear you're interested in writing. I've had a few of my older website users tell me they use fiction to keep their brains active, so I hope it works well for you. If you're looking for groups, you may find this resource on my website useful.

I wish you the very best of luck with your writing. All the best :-)

Mike
"Chris is a multi award winning..." What are the awards for?

Chris Fielden
Hi Mike, thanks for your message.

The most prestigious writing award I've received to date is Award-Winning Finalist in the 'Fiction: Short Story' category of the International Book Awards, sponsored by American Book Fest.

I've also won awards via short story writing competitions, like Writers' Forum and Laurel House. You can learn more about that in the Short Stories section of the site.

I hope that answers the question, but if you need any more information, please do let me know.

Mike
What awards via short story writing competitions, like Writers' Forum and Laurel House?

Chris Fielden
Writers’ Forum is a monthly UK printed magazine. I have been awarded first place in their short story competition twice, and awarded third place once. More info here.

Laurel House was a creative writing workshops website that ran an annual short story competition in which I was awarded first place. More info here and here.

As per previous, there are more examples in the Short Stories section of my website. You will also find examples in my how to book. You have been sent the free taster. And all the publications I’ve been in are listed on my About page.

Alicia N
Hello Christopher. I'm Alicia, the content manager of Neovel, a digital writing and reading platform. I'm reaching out to you because we launched a writing contest and we'd like to be registered on your writing contests list. Do you think this could spark your community's interest?

Chris Fielden
Thanks for your message, Alicia. I have emailed you about this with a list of information I need to create a listing :)

Elaine P
Please add me to your email list. A friend of mine enjoys getting your emails and said I would too. Thank you.

Chris Fielden
Hi Elaine, thanks for your message and interest in my email list - much appreciated.

You can sign up to my email list here.

All the best :-)

Mun V
A narrative fiction of a daughter's emotional roller-coaster ride facing her estranged and terminally-ill father and his wife she's never met. This novel completes at approximately 72,790 words and may attract readers whose life has been affected by cancer.

May I get a sample work? Thank you.

Chris Fielden
Hi Mun. Sorry, I don't understand your message.

Are you asking about critiques / editing? If so, you can learn about my services here. Please note that I'm not a publisher. If you're contacting me about anything else, please let me know :)

Dustin S
Mr. Fielden et al, I have written a collection of fourteen sonnets, and I know that goes over the limit for number of poems and lines that you have established. Is there any way you would accommodate me?  I hope to receive your critique and insight on my work!

Chris Fielden
Hi Dustin. Thanks for your message.

What I would recommend is having us look at two of the sonnets to start with. Then you can see if the critique style is what you're looking for. You may find that you can take some of the feedback and apply it to all the sonnets, so it could save quite a bit of money too.

I'll email you with more details :-)

Andrea G
Hello Christopher, I hope you are well and having a good week. I wanted to say your page is awesome and the information and advice, especially getting paid as a writer is it taxable, was very helpful to me. I was wondering if I could ask some advice please.

I have written some poems and short stories and wanted to get my work published. I got one published for STAMMA, a charity that helps people with their speech impediments, and mine was about that. I am also an artist and wanted to sell some of my work. I have written to Curtis Brown Literary Agency and heard either nothing or they are not interested in my work. Would you be able to advise me please as to which direction to go in? Thank you for your time.

Chris Fielden
Hi Andrea. I'm well thank you, I hope you are too. Thank you for your message. It's great to hear you find the website useful :)

Sorry to hear that you haven't heard back from Curtis Brown. They're a well-known, prestigious agency, meaning they probably receive thousands of submissions, so you may not hear back from them. It might be better to look at some smaller agencies.

I’d recommend looking at the latest Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook or the latest edition of Mslexia’s Indie Press Guide. They contain a lot of information about agents and publishers, so you can research the market and find the right agent / publisher for your work.

I hope that's helpful and I wish you all the best with your search.

Andrea G
Hello Chris. I hope you are well and having a good weekend.

Thank you for the information, it is very much appreciated. I will have a look at the links provided and let you know how I get on. Thank you for your time.

Chris Fielden
No problem, thanks Andrea :)

Graciela L
Good morning, I am wondering when the short story competition winners will be announced? Thank you.

Chris Fielden
Hi Graciela, thank you for your message.

The To Hull And Back longlist and shortlist will be announced in September. The winners will be announced in October :)