Last day!

It’s the last day to enter the Positive Words March Mini-competition.

Email or hard-copy entries – details here :

mini themes 2024Download

I realise that with the Post Office closed snail mail entries won’t be marked with today’s date but I do make allowances for this and no one will be disqualified 🙂

Thank you everyone for your support!

Positive Words Short Story & Poetry Competition 2024

Open Short Story – up to 2000 words

Open Poetry – up to 48 lines

Entry Fees :  $4.40 per entry, 4 for $16.00

Closing Date : 23 April 2024

First Prize in each section is $100 and Second Prize is a twelve-month subscription to Positive Words magazine.

For entry form please send SSAE to : The Editor, Sandra James, PO Box 798, Heathcote, 3523 Vic, email positivewordsmagazine@live.com.au or see https://positivewordsmagazine.wordpress.com/

Entry formDownload

Latest Issue

The latest issue of Positive Words magazine is filled with wonderful stories and poems from writers all over Australia, competition winners, new competitions and a topic a day to inspire your own writing. $6 for a single copy, or subscriptions available ($60 for 12, $35 for 6 months) includes postage anywhere in Australia. Send cheque or money order to PO Box 798, Heathcote 3523, Victoria, or message for banking direct deposit details.

Positive Words magazine was started in 2002 and has since published 100s of writers from 6-100. Submissions always welcome – Message or email for further information (positivewords2002@gmail.com)

Subscription and submission information are also at the top of the page 🙂

Family Stories

I recently gave a talk to a U3A group about my writing experiences and, in particular, Positive Words magazine. Afterwards, one lady told me she’d like to write her family history but didn’t know where to start. I suggested she might like to do as I do and write individual pieces about various events and incidents as she thinks of them, rather than attempt it biography-style, starting with birth and trying to keep everything in order. For something intended as a family, or personal record, I think this works well and they can eventually be grouped together, in no particular order, to make a precious family heirloom. How many of us heard stories from our older relatives in our youth but can’t quite recall them in our older years, and once those relatives have passed or can no longer communicate? I often wish I’d taken more notice of the details of family events, that I’d pressed Mum and Dad for more information but now it’s too late. But… not for my children and grandchildren. Every now and then I write a memory when prompted by a writing group topic, or a piece someone else has written, and hopefully, one day my descendants and friends will find it interesting. I am sure there are others out there who would like to do the same, so, starting with the July issue, I will give a prompt on this page to help you (and me) get started, or continue with what you’ve already begun. And… the first topic… WEATHER. Write your weather memories from when you were a child. Did you grow up in a cold or warmer climate? What type of heating, or cooling, did your family home have? Do you remember floods or fires, snow or sunburn? I am sure once you start there will be many things to write about. Prose or poetry. As always, I will include as many as I can in the July issue, so do send them in. (Hard copy only – PO Box 798, Heathcote 3523, Vic)

I hope to be doing more talks and publicity in the coming months. I love meeting new people and we also desperately need new subscribers. If you know anyone… please spread the word!

Submissions wanted

Positive Words magazine is seeking submissions for future issues. Short stories, poetry and fillers for those little spaces at the ends of pages.

Submissions need to be in hard copy (PO Box 798, Heathcote VIC 3523) and all published writers receive a complimentary copy of the magazine; you do not have to be a subscriber although subscriptions and donations are always welcome to help keep the magazine and this publication opportunity, in print. For full submission and subscription details see above.

The first issue of Positive Words was printed in November 2002 and has published hundreds of writers in the monthly issues. There are monthly mini-competitions and two major competitions each year. Positive Words is a labour-of-love and I do not receive any funding or draw any wages etc. The magazine runs on the proverbial oily rag and subscriptions and competition fees (after prizes) help to fund printing and postage (expensive!).

Sample copies are available for the cost of postage, ie $2.40 for one copy, $3.60 for 2. Send unused stamps to the above address or direct deposit Bendigo Bank, BSB 633 000, Account 122203904, SL James.

Positive Words MAY Mini-Competition

Prize: Six month subscription to Positive Words magazine.

Entry Fee: $2.40(per entry) in unused postage stamps. No entry form required.

Entries must be posted or emailed by the last day of the month and the winning entry will appear in a future issue. The winner will be notified.

For email entries the entry fee can be paid via direct deposit (Bendigo Bank, BSB 633-000, Account 122203904, SL James) and entries emailed to pwminicomps@gmail.com)

Send postal entries to: The Editor, Sandra James, PO Box 798 Heathcote, Victoria 3523. Please include SSAE or email address for results.

Mini-Competition for MAY: Write a short story in 100 words or less, or a poem in ten lines or less using the word HAPPY at least once. Plural versions are acceptable. Entries must be posted or emailed by 31 May 2023.

Reminder

The Positive Words SS & Poetry Competition 2023 closes on Sunday April 23. Email or snail (as long as it’s posted by this date) Email positivewords2002@gmail.com or see previous post for details. Cover sheet in lieu of entry form accepted.

Entry numbers are down this year but there’s still time 🙂

Positive Words Short Story and Poetry Competition 2023

Open Short Story – up to 2000 words

Open Poetry – up to 48 lines

Entry Fees :  $4.80 per entry, 4 for $16.00

Closing Date : 23 April 2023

First Prize in each section is $100 and Second Prize is a twelve-month subscription to Positive Words magazine. Email or snail mail entries accepted. (pwcomps89@gmail.com)

For entry form please send SSAE to : The Editor, Sandra James, PO Box 798, Heathcote, 3523 Vic, email positivewordsmagazine@live.com.au or download here :

Entry formDownload

Positive Words APRIL Mini-Competition

Prize: Six month subscription to Positive Words magazine.

Entry Fee: $2.40(per entry) in unused postage stamps. No entry form required.

Entries must be posted or emailed by the last day of the month and the winning entry will appear in a future issue. The winner will be notified.

For email entries the entry fee can be paid via direct deposit (Bendigo Bank, BSB 633-000, Account 122203904, SL James) and entries emailed to pwminicomps@gmail.com)

Send postal entries to: The Editor, Sandra James, PO Box 798 Heathcote, Victoria 3523. Please include SSAE or email address for results.

Mini-Competition for APRIL: Write a short story in 100 words or less, or a poem in ten lines or less using the word PLAN at least once. Plural versions are acceptable. Entries must be posted or emailed by 30 April 2023.

March Mini-Competition

The Positive Words MARCH Mini-Competition closes tomorrow (31 March). Snail mail or email entries. Poetry up to 10 lines, short stories up to 100 words.

Theme word – PAINT.

mini-themes-2023Download

Thank you for all the support – it really does help to keep this publication opportunity going 💛