Friday 5 February 2010

Take a Break

I popped into my newsagents this morning to get my copy of TAB and as I usually do whilst standing in the checkout queue, I turned straight to the back pages looking for the author of this week's fiction.
Imagine my shock to see (or rather NOT see) any fiction anywhere. Now, granted, I've sold very few to the weekly over the years but this is one of the best paying markets at £400 for around 800 words. Is it a one-off? Has anyone heard gossip? Is it a cost saving thing? Will there be an empty promise to bring it back if their readers object? Let's face it, their fiction writers are the only ones likely to put pen to paper so I'm not optimistic. Sigh! Another one bites the dust.

6 comments:

Karen said...

That's worrying - I hope it's a one-off. Unless they're only going to take stories for the Fiction Feasts in future?

Julie P said...

The same thing happened a couple of weeks back and I blogged about it too - but the next week it was back in so I assumed it had been a blip! But now I'm not so sure - are they experimenting to see if anyone contacts them and complains that there's no fiction?!

It's very worrying. I wonder if they're planning to stop it and just have Fiction Feast.

Julie xx

Sheila Norton said...

Let's all hope it's not yet another avenue being closed to fiction writers. (Not that I've EVER yet managed to get an acceptance there! - but that's my hard luck!). As you've all said, it's possible they're going to restrict fiction to the F.F. But it'd be good to know, one way or the other.

Geraldine Ryan said...

That IS worrying. I'e only ever had one story in TAB as I can't seem to write those very short twist-in-the tale ones - I even have trouble stopping at 3000 words!!! But as you say, it pays very well. Might be worthwhile asking what's occurring?

Kath McGurl said...

Ooh er, not good. We'd better keep an eye on it. Hope it's just a one-off, or two-off given what Julie P said...

Sue Houghton said...

So long as they keep the Fiction Feast going I'm not too worried ;0)