Sunday, August 4, 2013

Woman's World Mini Mystery Guidelines

We purchase short "solve-it-yourself" mysteries of 700 words--a count that includes the narrative and the solution. Stories should be cleverly plotted, entertaining cliffhangers that end with a challenge to the reader to figure out whodunnit or howdunnit. The solution to the mystery is provided in a separate box.

Robbery, burglary, fraud and murder are acceptable subjects, but spare the readers any gory details or excessive violence, please! We are also not interested in ghost stories, science fiction or fantasy.
We pay $500 per mystery and retain First North American Serial Rights for six months after publication.

8 comments:

Unknown said...

Hi Kate! I have a question about the up-side-down clue box at the end of the Mini Mysteries. Does the writer do that and send in with the story?

Thanks,
Mare

Kate Willoughby said...

I believe so, but I've never had a mystery published.

Unknown said...

Thank you, Kate. :-)

Pat said...

Yes, Mary, the write writes the solution to the mini mystery at the end of the story. It also counts in the word count.

Pat said...

Sorry. that should read writer writes.

Maaja said...

Hi Kate. Do you have the link for the current Woman's World Mini Mystery guidlines? Your wonderful article is from 2013 and I want to know what the current instructions are.

Thanks,

C. Hill said...

Hello. Do you accept stories written via ghost writing?

Colleen Meade said...

I know mystery is coming true
For real or I am dreaming this .