Created from Target: Northern Soul
Type: Magazine
Fit: High Fit
Region: North of England, with a particularly strong Manchester / Greater Manchester fit. Also relevant for North West, Yorkshire, Liverpool, Lancashire, Cumbria, Sheffield, Leeds and wider Northern arts/culture angles, but Manchester relevance gives the pitch extra weight.
Website: https://northernsoul.me.uk
Contact: Helen Nugent
Email:
Submission / target notes:
This is a good target, but it needs a thoughtful pitch. Northern Soul is not a mass-review blog. Treat Helen as an editor, not as someone processing a review queue.
Best approach: send a short, personalised email to Helen Nugent. Open with why the book or author belongs specifically on Northern Soul. Then offer one or two clear editorial angles rather than simply asking for a review.
Strong pitch angles could include:
A Manchester-set novel that captures modern friendship, pretence and reinvention.
A Northern author writing commercial fiction without sanding away regional identity.
A feature or Q&A on why Manchester remains such a rich setting for contemporary fiction.
A Pride / LGBTQ+ angle, but only if tied to place, community or representation rather than a generic “it has a gay character” pitch.
A piece about indie publishing from the North, small presses, book discovery, or why regional voices matter.
An author interview tied to a Manchester launch, library event, festival appearance, bookshop event or local media hook.
They also actively invite contributors, saying they are “always on the look out for new contributors”, so a guest article or first-person essay may be stronger than a review request.
What to include:
Short pitch, 150 to 250 words.
Book title, author, publisher, publication date.
Clear Northern / Manchester relevance.
Suggested feature angle.
Offer interview, Q&A, guest essay, review copy, images and excerpt.
Mention whether the author is available for Manchester/North West events or interviews.
Attach or link to press kit only if lightweight. Do not clog the email.
What to avoid:
Do not send a generic national PR blast.
Do not overclaim that the book is “perfect for all readers”.
Do not lead with Amazon rankings or influencer language.
Do not pitch a book with no Northern connection unless the author can offer a genuinely strong arts/culture essay.
Do not ask for “coverage” vaguely. Give Helen a ready-made editorial reason to say yes.
Chance of success:
Medium for the right author or book. This is one of the more realistic and worthwhile regional culture targets, especially for Manchester/Northern authors and indie/small press fiction. It is not guaranteed, but it is much more plausible than a cold pitch to a national books desk.
Realistic rating:
6/10 if the book has a strong Manchester/Northern angle and you offer a review copy plus a feature/interview angle.
5/10 for a high-quality indie novel from a Northern author without a very obvious hook.
3/10 for a generic indie fiction review request with no regional or cultural angle.
7/10 if the author can write a strong guest essay that feels made for Northern Soul.
Internal notes:
A genuinely good Manchester-based arts and culture magazine, founded by Helen Nugent. They run book reviews, author features and Q&As regularly, with a particular soft spot for northern fiction and writers with Manchester connections. Strong fit; they’re more selective than they look but Manchester theatre setting plus comic-novel positioning will likely interest them. Helen Nugent is the editor — northernsoulmagazine.com has contact details.
Email address / contact route:
Primary:
Alternative:
Contact page also lists mobile: 07554 459 600, but I would not use the phone for first contact unless there is a time-sensitive event or you already have a relationship.
Secondary contact:
Bethany Smith, Editorial Assistant
Email:
I would keep Helen as the primary editorial contact and only copy Bethany where the pitch is clearly suited to editorial admin, listings or follow-up.