Calling Short Story Writers, new and old...

If you are a short story writer – old hand or new to the game, pop over to Sally Zigmond’s blog - The Elephant in the Writing Room HERE- for a fab series of articles and discussions. This is a fantastically generous and useful thing to be doing for writers.

Sally will be posting the whole manuscript of the title story of my collection, Words from a Glass Bubble, (prize-winner at Fish, runner up at Willesden Herald short story competitions), and deconstructing the story as part of the series. She is inviting questions and comments from anyone who is interested to participate – do pass on the invite –I will pop in and participate if I can be helpful.

For those who don’t know Sally, she is a very well published and prize-winning short story writer, a novelist, editor and judge of competitions. She finds time to write reviews, and also critiques fiction for reasonable rates. (I know… she has been very helpful to me). Her novella CHASING ANGELS was published in 2006 (HERE it is on the publisher's website)and her novel, HOPE AGAINST HOPE is on the chocks at Myrmidon Books scheduled for 2010.


Here's her page at Fantastic Fiction

ENDORSEMENTS FLOOD IN FOR 'SHORT CIRCUIT'

An essential read. Short Circuit is a collection of essays from writers who are passionate (and successfully!) about short fiction. A real gold mine of insights and ideas for aspiring writers and for those seeking a refresher.

The Bridport Prize

At last! The definitive guide to writing short stories, put together by a team of experts who are passionate about this most elusive, maddening, beguiling and ultimately satisfying of art forms.
Cleverly constructed - a book which you will want to dip into for years to come. And a book which will do much to raise the status of the short story in contemporary fiction.

Carole Buchan, Asham Trust

Once a lover of the short story opens Short Circuit one quickly realises it is indispensable ... to a degree that has one asking why hasn't it been done before? Like all the best story anthologies the essays and interviews are varied in style and structure and possess all the attractiveness and excitement of good gossip.

Pat Cotter, Frank O’Connor Award

How refreshing to have a book on creative writing that is neither abstract theory nor banal 'how to'. What we have instead are insights into the short story from a marvellous variety of accomplished writers; an invaluable resource for anyone tackling this tricky but highly rewarding literary form.

Paul Munden, Director, National Association of Writers in Education

Here is a ‘How To’ book that is hard to put down. If there is anything you still need to know after reading the varied authors here, you probably haven’t read it properly. Read it again. Not that you’d need to, wisdom and insight hop off the page like light on water.
This book lacks the aridity of a textbook. The writers give of themselves and their experience, and information, advice and insight is fortified with example. Respect is given to the process and to the reader.
There is a mystery at the heart of writing. It’s the experience of characters and stories developing lives of their own; of characters arguing with their author and creator, of stories going places the writer did not know about. It is the marriage of this mystical, that a writer must learn to listen to, and the craft that a writer must learn, that makes fiction sing and dance on the page, and one of the joys of this book is the illumination given to this vital process.

Clem Cairns, founder, the Fish Prize

Vanessa Gebbie has compiled an indispensable guide to crafting the short story. The subjects represented here--all written by contemporary authors--will stimulate advanced writers and instruct newcomers. There's nothing like hearing from people who have learned a technique or a way of approaching a problem through experience. These authors are generous with what they know, to our benefit.

Alice Elliott Dark, Writer in Residence at Rutgers-Newark University author of ‘In the Gloaming’ and ‘Naked to the Waist’.

This is rich book- full of insight and interest. 'Short Circuit' will be a essential addition to my undergraduate book list- it is written by those who have first hand understanding of the problems, as well as invaluable knowledge of the craft of writing short fiction.

Gill Lowe, Senior lecturer in Creative Writing, Ipswich University.

This is a generous book, rich in ideas. It’s a practical book, giving a kick start to the imagination with its suggestions for overcoming the tyranny of the blank page, and it’s also a realistic book. Short Circuit updates Chaucer’s advice about life being short and the craft long to learn, without ever losing sight of why it’s worth the effort.
As a teacher of creative writing, I recommend it to students. I believe in the apprenticeship system and this is an excellent manual. As a writer, it reminds me why I write, and why there’s nothing else I would rather do.

Bridget Whelan, lecturer in Creative Writing, Goldsmith’s College

As full of inspiration as it is of sound advice. An invaluable tool-kit of a book for practitioners and scholars of the short story.

Mike McCormack, lecturer, MA in Creative Writing, NUI Galway.

The Short Story on Vulpes Libris

This week, the booky blog Vulpes Libris is concentrating on the short story. Tania H has a feature on Wednesday... why read short stories... that will be interesting!

Today there is a selection of 'My favourite collection/my favourite short story by various.

I am a bit of various

VULPES LIBRIS HERE

REVIEWER FOR PULP,NET

I have reviewed Jhumpa Lahiri's short story collection Unaccustomed Earth - recent runaway winner of The Frank O Connor Award, for Pulp.net.

REVIEW HERE