Submission Guidelines

THE YELLOW ROOM

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

The Yellow Room aims to be the best literary short-story magazine around for women by women. I am always actively seeking what my friend, Sally, likes to call ‘grown-up stories for grown-up women’ from British female short-story writers.

I do not publish poetry. Some non-fiction articles may be commissioned.

So why do I only publish fiction written by women? Some might say this is an anachronism in the twenty-first century when it would appear that the gender war has been won. I am well aware that many women believe there isn’t and shouldn’t be any distinction and that writing is either good or bad and it makes no difference whether it’s written by a man or a woman but I feel it’s more complicated than that.

Of course both men and women share anxieties about love, money, family, illness, death and all the other delights life throws our way. But there are subtle differences in the way the two sexes interpret such things and they are what we want our stories to explore. What concerns most women on a day to day basis - let’s say the smaller stuff - is often dismissed as trivia and not worth recording.

As the author, Janice Galloway, wrote in the ‘Edinburgh Review’ and quoted in the 2005 Mslexia diary: Simply for a woman to write as a woman, to be honest about it as possible, is a statement; not falling into the conventions of assuming guy stuff is “real” stuff and we’re a frill, a fuck or a boring bit that does housework or raises the kids round the edge.

So everything a woman does, whether she wants to or not is important. Think about a young woman behind her trolley trying to decide whether to buy Bird’s Eye or Tesco frozen peas. Two children bicker and whine at her ankles. She’s worried one may be developing an ear-infection. Should she take him to the GP, a long journey through difficult traffic and there’s always a queue or should she wait and see? Then remembers she’s forgotten to post her mother-in-law’s birthday card and really she wants to go back to work but believes she’s not clever enough because she can’t even remember where she parked the car. She rushes out having forgotten to get the peas which are the only vegetable her youngest will eat. She’s in a state. She slaps both children and then bursts into tears. Is this a good subject for a short-story? Surely not, a man might say. It’s trivial and typical of women – getting into an emotional state over nothing. And where’s the drama? Where’s the deep serious intent, say, politics or war or football? Sorry about that last one; I couldn’t resist it. Where’s the deep psychological insight? Okay, so these details are not matters of life or death. The woman will get over it and the children won’t be deeply scarred for life. But it’s not trivial for that woman at that particular moment,although she may laugh about it afterwards. And that and other seemingly unimportant events from an ordinary life are not trivial to most women. Despite equality and women making up a large proportion of the work-place, women are more likely to be concerned with the small but time-consuming and wearying details of the domestic life. Men laugh about women’s ‘silly pre-occupations’, but such things loom large when you spend 90% of your time within the same four walls with little adult company, washing the same clothes and the same pots and pans day after day. Whether they want to or not, women always end up as the carers and the cement that binds families together. It is mainly women who look after their sick and elderly relatives or neighbours. And even women who hold down powerful jobs – or any kind of paid work – still do most of the housework, cooking and shopping and decide who to invite round for Christmas without having a nervous breakdown or World War Three breaking out.

The point is that women are different from men; their thoughts and concerns are different. And therefore their writing is different. That’s what I want to showcase. We want to publish stories where women’s lives are centre-stage, however trivial, however boring and ordinary.

WARNING

This doesn’t mean, however, I am willing to accept boring, ordinary and trivial writing. One can write about anything in a fascinating way. I am looking for quality. But don’t let that put you off. In fact I am actively seeking new talent and aim to publish many writers whose short fiction hasn't appeared in print before. And whether a writer has published a hundred stories, or none, makes no difference. It’s the quality of the writing that counts with us.

As The Yellow Room prefers stories about women’s lives it follows that the main character is usually female.

What about erotica? I am not averse to something a bit racy but the story must be more than a quick turn-on. It must have all the ingredients of a good short story.

And that means strong characterisation and a plot. Characterisation is not a difficult concept to understand but the ‘p’ word confuses many a writer. By plot I mean something must happen during the course of the story. I don’t necessarily mean there has to be a high body count, car chases or violence. That’s not what I mean. But there must be a shift either in the character’s world or the perception of the writer. Something must change, however subtly. There must be progression and movement even if it’s only inside the head of your characters. The best way for this to happen is to create the sort of person who readers can empathise with and give them some sort of problem. How they solve it or whether they do is the ‘action’ of the story.

In addition, as Raymond Carver has written: “There has to be some tension, a sense that something is imminent, that certain things are in relentless motion, or else, most often, there won’t be a story. What creates tension in a piece of fiction is partly the way the concrete words are linked to make up the visible action of the story. But it’s also the things that are left out, that are implied, the landscape just under the smooth (but sometimes broken and unsettled) surface of things.”

Don’t feel you have to wrap everything up neatly with string at the end. Endings can be enigmatic; things can be seen to carry on much the same as before – but however open the ending, there must have been that progression and readers should be left thinking about the future of the story. There should be some sort of signpost as to what the future holds, even if the reader comes to a conclusion that the writer didn’t envisage.

It’s a cliché, I know, but the old ‘show, don’t tell’ advice should always be borne in mind when writing fiction. Allow the reader space to see, hear, smell and taste the world you are creating. No-one likes being told what to think. A good writer can still steer a reader along the path she has chosen, but it should be a voyage of discovery for both. That’s what keeps a story fresh.

And please, please, no trick endings or twists in the tale. The very best twist stories can make for a satisfying read but usually they don’t work because the twist is arbitrary and doesn’t arise from character and character motivation. When Guy de Maupassant, and more recently Roald Dahl for example wrote stories with a twist in the tale, they never forgot that character is at the heart of a story. Make sure your characters, however ordinary on the surface, are interesting either in what they do or in the words you choose to write about them.

If I have any general criticisms of many of the manuscripts I’m sent, it is that much is first draft material. I’m not just talking about grammatical and spelling errors, I mean fundamental decisions like viewpoint, pacing and structure. I often get the impression that many writers get an idea, sit down and dash off a story, check quickly for spelling errors and then send it off.

This isn’t the time and place to discuss the craft of pre-submission editing, so my good friend, Sally, has written a separate piece called How to Self-Edit Your Story Before Submission. Either click the link or navigate your way to it on the site.

So . . . . we come full circle. ‘Grown-up stories for grown-up women.’ What exactly does that mean? Most of our subscribers are over twenty and have left the problems of puberty behind them. Even these days, women of all ages have to cope with many problems, sometimes at one and the same time. Sexual and emotional relationships, family, motherhood, divorce, coping with aging parents or adolescents, maybe, juggling work and home demands. But women climb the highest mountains, row across the oceans single-handedly, run big businesses. Look through the newspapers and see what’s going on but do exercise some imagination. Women who have chosen to stay at home with their children are not automatically bored, down-trodden and unfulfilled. Business-women are not always cold-hearted bitches with long red nails who eat men for breakfast. Couples who have been together for twenty, thirty, forty years aren’t necessarily bored with each other and never have sex.

If this sounds too worthy, remember we love humour too. Unfortunately we rarely find it in the stories we are sent. Humour is difficult and whilst we all weep at the same things, what makes one person laugh can leave another cold. So if it’s any help, I like my humour to raise a wry smile not instant belly laughs. And please no Benny Hill stereotypes. And don’t think that knocking men for being men is funny. It’s as bad as mother-in-law jokes.

The Yellow Room celebrates women. So, please, not too many stories about women who are dying, abused, misunderstood and generally miserable. I’m not an ostrich. Bad things do happen to women but The Yellow Room wants to celebrate women and their infinite variety. For every Cleopatra, there’s a Portia. For every Titania, there’s a Helena. For every patient Penelope, there’s a Helen of Troy.

When I read a story I want the language to delight me first and foremost. Appropriate and original imagery; sharp dialogue; variety in pace and tone will win every time even if the plot is not all that original.

I am a big fan of Julie Myerson, Maggie O'Farrell, Helen Dunmore, Carol Shields, Alice Munro, Anita Shreve, Anne Tyler, Wendy Perriam, Kate Atkinson, Lorrie Moore, Rose Tremain and Helen Simpson, to name but a few. I also love Persephone books. (www.persephonebooks.co.uk) These once-neglected books by women are a revelation. Perfectly delightful to handle as well as to read. Real grown-up books for grown-up women.

Now the technical bit/practicalities:

Please send your work by hard copy with SAE for return (whether accepted or rejected)to:

Jo Derrick
Editor, The Yellow Room
1 Blake Close
Bilton
Rugby
CV22 7LJ

Please don’t send work by email. I can't stand reading off screen and I'm far too mean to use expensive ink cartridges by the dozen to print off your work! However, if you have any questions prior to submission, feel free to email me at jo.derrick@ntlworld.com and ask away.

If you want a decision on your story, then you must include a SAE. However, I can give my decision by email (but then I'll end up with a paper mountain which won't fit in my small household recycling box), so if you don’t include an SAE, don’t forget your email address!

IMPORTANT DETAILS FOR ALL WRITERS WISHING TO SUBMIT WORK

Word Count

Up to 5,000 words. I don’t accept anything longer even if it is the greatest story ever written. There isn't room in the magazine. Most stories are between 2,000 and 3,500 words, but ‘fillers’ of around 1,500 words are always useful, too. Even shorter pieces are accepted but the shorter the piece, the more stunning it has to be.

Presentation

Double-spacing and indented paragraphs are a must.

Left-aligned. Don’t justify.

12/14 pt. Arial or Times New Roman.

Pages must be numbered and feature title and author's name and be paper-clipped or stapled at top left:

Please include a cover sheet with title, word count, author's name, address, email, telephone even when emailing your story. Please make clear that First British Serial Rights (FBSR) are offered. If you’re not sure what that means, please email me. It has nothing to do with giving up your copyright. This remains yours at all times.

Please include a brief covering letter, but no synopsis. A bit about your writing history is useful but not essential. A short story should speak for itself.

Don't use Recorded or Registered Delivery.

A large self-addressed envelope with sufficient postage is essential if you want your manuscript returned. If you only want to be notified of acceptance or rejection either give your email address or enclose a small envelope.

If you require acknowledgement of receipt of your manuscript, please enclose a stamped postcard.

Can I send multiple submissions?

No thank you. One story at a time, please.

If I submit a story, how long should I wait for a reply?

It depends on how many scripts I'm receiving per week. I aim to turn stories around within a month.

Simultaneous submissions

If you send your story to another magazine as well as The Yellow Room, please say you have done so. If another magazine accepts it before we have had a chance to reply, please let us know.

Do I get any feedback?

Indeed. As a writers myself, I know how unhelpful a meaningless rejection slip can be. I always reasons for rejection. This may consist of one or two paragraphs of what I hope is constructive advice. However, I don’t shrink from plain-speaking and I don’t flatter. That way, if I say nice things, you can really believe them. If you don’t require this service or feel it might upset you (and it has been known) then say so and I’ll give you a straight yes or no.

Re-submissions

If your story is rejected, please feel free to send in something new, but please don’t send an edited version of the rejected story. I’ll tell you if I’d like to see a re-write.

What happens if my story is accepted?

If your story is accepted for publication you will either be sent an email or a letter from editor, Jo Derrick, who will ask you to email the story as an attachment. Along with a few biographical notes. You may have to wait some time before you see your story in print. At present I publish bi-annually. I look forward to reading your submissions.

Jo Derrick
February 2008

email: jo@theyellowroom-magazine.co.uk