short story workshops

Hello story lovers,
Welcome to spring! Here’s our roundup of what’s been happening in the short story world over the past few weeks:

Lit Mags, Competitions and Workshops
Stinging Fly’s new editor, Thomas Morris, tells us what he’s looking for in his submissions pile: A Tingling Pleasure. Holdfast magazine’s second issue is published and they are calling for submissions for Issue #3 on the theme of Objects, Artefacts and Talismans. Check out the new issue of Flash magazine, issue 6.2. Short Fiction’s 2014 short story prize is still open for entries, deadline March 31st, and you have until June 30th to submit to the Moth International Short Story Prize.

Live Lit & Short Story Events
The next Hubbub is on March 10th in London and features Zoe Pilger and Liane Strauss. Telltales wants your submissions by March 17th on the theme of ‘Unhinged’ to be read at their next event in Falmouth on March 25th. Stand-up Tragedy’s Tragic Heroes is at the Hackney Attic in London on March 21st.

At In Praise Of Short Stories at the Daunt Books Festival on March 27th in London, KJ Orr will be talking to AL Kennedy, David Constantine and Helen Simpson. And the next Word Factory event, also in London, on March 29th, is a trifecta of short story delights: a masterclass, short story club, then live lit event with AS Byatt, Joe Dunthorne and Will Cohu.

Last Minutes & Gentle Reminders
The Edge Hill Prize for published short story collections is still accepting entries, until the first week of March. Bare Fiction is looking for contributors to its Features and Reviews section. Brittle Star magazine is holding an Open Writing Competition, judged by the excellent David Constantine, deadline March 12th, and The Siren journal is calling for submissions for its first short story anthology, deadline March 15th.

Writing, Publishing & Workshops
The Writers’ Centre Norwich is holding a short story workshop on March 15th & 16th.The creators of On The Same Page have launched a crowdfunding campaign to finish development of the app which will allow you to publish your own creative work as an app.

Happy reading, writing, listening and performing!
Tania x

Not that the story need be long, but it will take a long while to make it short.
– Henry David Thoreau

The short story is a notoriously difficult art to conquer, as anyone who has tried to write one will tell you. It’s a battle of taking things out, and putting them back in again, of paring down the words so only the best remain, of trying to instil the smallest gesture with the clearest motive.

There’s this rather lovely quote from Lorrie Moore on the short story; “A short story is a love affair, a novel is a marriage. A short story is a photograph; a novel is a film.” Sadly, this provides no valuable insights into how to make your short story into a wondrous (or disastrous) love affair or a perfectly timed photo.

And that’s where we come in. Writers’ Centre Norwich runs creative writing workshops (amongst other things like interview training from Media Minded), and two of our new season’s workshops are specifically aimed towards the short story writer. Taught by experts, these workshops will help you develop your writing.

Writers’ Centre Norwich’s Workshop Room

Our first short story workshop is ‘Writing the Short Story’, a weekend course led by Dave Pescod. Taking place on the 15th and 16th March, (£120/£100 conc) this workshop will help you learn new skills, create fresh work, and experiment with traditional and multi-media formats. You’ll also receive impartial, considered feedback from your fellow participants and tutor Dave – the Holy Grail for writers!

The second workshop is led by Philip Langeskov, whose short story Barcelona has just been published by Daunt Books. ‘The Art of the Short Story’ will take place on July 5th (£60/£50 conc) and will use examples of ‘classic’ short stories to inspire and inform your own writing. You’ll not only receive feedback on your writing during the workshop, but will be invited to send your short story to Philip after the workshop to receive an invaluable written critique.

And who knows, after participating in one (or both!) of these workshops you might be able to tell us the exact recipe for writing the perfect short story.

Find out more about Writers’ Centre Norwich.