‘To accept a short story commission, or not, that is the question.’ Writer VANESSA GEBBIE considers the pros and cons of short story commissions. Have you ever been commissioned to write a story? Leave a comment and tell us what do you think.
JOHN SAUNDERS explores the history of the British agony aunt and links the subsequent rise of the hoax letter to the modern day short story.
Join ALISON MacLEOD for a conversation with the author Jane Rogers, and listen to Jane reading her short story ‘Davy Jones’ Locker’.
The debate rumbles on: are creative writing courses worth it? Is ‘creative writing’ in fact something that can ever be ‘taught’? Are the available courses worth the money? GABRIELLE KIMM shares her views.
‘I’ve got a confession to make. It’s quite a while since I’ve been a regular attendee of literary festivals.’ PAULINE MASUREL tells us why she stopped going to literary festivals, and how a new festival in Bristol convinced her to go again.
LYNDA NASH offers a few tips on adding the necessary suspense to a short story.
‘The short story is a glorious form that is evolving and changing before our very eyes; anything seems possible.’ Author JACKIE KAY shares her thoughts on the unique power of the short story.
“Here’s a caution to all short story writers: if the first story in your collection is too good, if it happens to actually be a masterpiece, watch out.” TANIA HERSHMAN, editor of THE SHORT REVIEW, looks at Anthony Doerr’s second collection of short stories.
In his closing remarks at the awards ceremony for the Manchester Fiction Prize, Nicholas Royle, the Chair of Judges, comments on the selection process and on recognising the winning stories.
