Mslexia magazine
Tue, 2014-04-01 18:35
#1
Mslexia magazine
I got snailmail today inviting me to subscribe to Mslexia today by direct debit and they will include their free gift of the 2014 diary. I doubt if this is linked to my writings on Abc, it is probably because I have subscribed in the past and then stopped.
Although the idea of a literary mag 'for women who write' with competitions and practical advice on writing and finding the right market for your work is very good, and it has been going for at least 10 years, Mslexia never quite ticked all the boxes for me. Also I felt it was a little pricey in terms of the quality and quantity of material provided.
Any other subscribers to it either past or present. Any points of view?
I subscribe. I confess. That may be because it's a newish Christmas present. It's pricey. It's stylish and special special. And that's the allure of it. The front page makes you swoon when it flip flops through your door. Your fingers sweat slightly unwrapping it, massaging the potential within.
It's full of beauty and gorgeous fonts and crisp pages that smell of the promise of future good writing. And I've got the diary, Elsie.Christ, I'm a shameless Mslexia bum. Am also buying a subscription for a friend. Yes. I know. Impressionable, easily lead and don't have much literary knowledge, so I'm their 'Bingo, got the dense cow!' demographic audience, I guess.
On the up side, it's good quality fiction and poetry, current competitions and submissions are up to date and in order, gives you some fabulous inspiration, some very practical advice from writers I usually respect, it provides writing exercises and knocks out articles on topical things - self publishing/co-writing/last issue was on MA Creative Writing should I/shouldn't I. Of course, I got better no-frills advice for free from Celticman on the forums here.
On the down side, it's flimsy and thin in terms of volume. It's pricey. Think I'm repeating myself. It won't improve your writing unless you write or enter. But it makes you feel gooder than a good thing. Or am I just a magazine lush?
Sorry to go on, Elsie, but the diary is lovely. It has tips and quotes, exercises to do, photographs that make you go poetic. Now I know you're a woman that loves a quote or two.
Vera, I am glad that we can agree to differ as this gives other Abc-ers the chance to decide for themself.
Diaries; my own choice is a basic pound shop diary backed up by the beautiful William Morris calendar on my bedroom wall. This gives me the lunar cycle and also every religious festival imaginable plus environmental advice.There is also a chart on all thirteen pages giving me the sky at night. I like to think of myself as an organised person, although I am sometimes a bit overconfident with bus and train timetables, and I enter all my work and leisure dates and times on both diary and calendar.
The only date that appears to be omitted from both diary and calendar is St Swithun's Day 15th July. Why? I visited the Meteorological Office in Exeter yesterday with my over 50s social group. The Met office is famous locally for regularly getting the Exmouth forecast wrong although we are only 8 miles away. We got a chance to play at forecasting in their broadcast room. Obviously I put in a very favourable forecast for July 15th this year.
As for quotes, I use my poetry books and extracts from songs I like.
You're far more thrifty and sensible and organised and inspired, you see, Elsie.Mslexia subscriptions are a mug's game.
Maybe they could bring out a mug and a Mslexia T-shirt. Might sell. And maybe you could work for Mslexia. You like the mag and you are a very able writer. Go on, tell them they need you.