It’s that time again to read and vote for your favourite stories!
The 10 shortlisted stories in the February Monthly Micro contest are now online for voting. You can read and vote until 23.59 GMT on Monday 26th February and the winners will be announced on the 27th. The prompts was LEAVES and we loved how these stories interpreted this. Hope you like them as much as we do!
Online Flash Fest
Sun 3 Mar 2024 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM GMT
Less than 2 weeks now until our latest Online Flash Fest. These days are always brilliant fun, we learn loads and get lots of new words on the page. If you can’t make it live, you can get a Recordings Only ticket, or if you can only make some of the sessions live, you get the replay links for everything too!
Line-Up
10.00 - 10.30: The Online Flash Fest Opening & Writing Sprints with Amanda Saint
We're kicking off the day with a welcome from me and then you'll limber up your pens for the day with some fun writing sprint exercises.
10.45 - 12.15: Five a Day with Martha Lane
Poisoned apples, birthday cakes for those no longer with us, baby's first meal, a prisoner's last... Food can be an interesting way to get to the heart of a story. Whether you prefer sweet or salty there'll be something for you in this 90-minute generative session featuring prompts to whet the appetite.
13.15 - 14.45: Writing Between the Cracks with Catherine McNamara
How crossing borders can enrich our writing and being on the outside can transform us into observers who are equipped with the tools required to write alluring fiction, teaching us to observe, to wait, to listen. To be fearless and clear-minded in the task of creating meaningful fiction. A session where we will think about observation, empathy and the purpose of our work.
15.00 - 16.30 Joy of Randomness with Rosie Garland
Getting started can be one of a writer’s greatest challenges. With fun, easy to access exercises inspired by reading prompts, you’ll get surprising ways to springboard into new writing and discover how inspiration can be found in unlikely places. You’ll get a sense of possibility and renewed connection with your writing. The interactive exercises can be taken away and used again and again.
16.45 - 17.45 Monthly Micro Workshop with Debbi Voisey
A special appearance of the Monthly Micro workshop at the Flash Fest! In the first half of the session, Debbi will dissect prize-winning micros and set writing exercises. Then that month's prompt for the Monthly Micro competition will be revealed ahead of it going live on the website the next day and you'll have time to write and get started on your entry!
Brand new Short Story Club
For the months of April and May (initially - I may run them ongoing depending on how they go), I am holding a new short course for writers who want to develop their short story writing skills. They are limited to just 5 writers each time and there are currently 2 spaces left for April and 4 for May.
Join me to dig deep into the art and craft of short story writing. On the 1st of the month, you'll receive an in-depth craft development essay with a short story reading, writing exercises and a new work prompt. We'll have two Zoom sessions - one to discuss and analyse the short story and the craft elements highlighted in the essay, the other for you to bring the story you have written for developmental feedback from the group.
Zoom Sessions
Session 1: 15.00-16.30 BST 11th April
Session 2: 15.00-17.30 BST 30th April
Other courses open for booking and starting soon
Starting 6th March - Edit Your Novel
This 6-week course will give you the skills and confidence to edit your novel and take it to a whole new level. What you’ll learn can also be used to edit all the novels you’ll write in the future. Share up to 12,000 words of your draft for feedback throughout the course.
It’s based on what I teach in the Novel Creator Course, which has produced 6 published novels so far in the past few years!
Competitions/Submissions News
Closing this month at WestWord is the first ever Hermit Crab Prize - send your stories that have crept into other forms by 29th February to get published and cash prizes.
And next month it’s the deadline for the Micro Fiction category of the WestWord Prize judged by Tania Hershman. Send stories up to 200 words to win cash prizes and get published in the Prize anthology edition June 2024.
The Pitch to Win contest, in which two writers can win a place on our year-long Novel Creator Course starting in September 2024, is live! Pitch by end of March.
The theme for the August edition of WestWord is CIRCUS and submissions are open until 31st May. Send us micro fictions, flash fictions and short stories.
I hope you can join us to dedicate time to your writing and develop your craft! And I also hope to read your work for one of our many submission opportunities.
With love,
If you know of any other writers who would be interested please do let them know and help spread the word of all the great writerly things we have going on!