Category: Discussions

Lachenmann told us how his work is all about structure, and really not about emotion or beauty. When Bach wrote his two part inventions, he was concerned with structure and nothing else, said Lachenmann. Yes, I thought, this relates well to short story writing. But do I believe him?

Paul Curd writes: In his first book since the pitch-perfect Brooklyn, Colm Toibin once more examines the great Irish theme of exile and homecoming in his new collection of short stories, The Empty Family.

We are delighted to announce that JAC CATTANEO has won the 2010 Royal Academy of Arts short story competition, sponsored by Litro Magazine.

As a tutor of Creative Writing for the Open University, I can’t shake off a slightly nagging guilt about being paid for immersing myself in a subject I’m passionate about.

Michèle Roberts’ stories are generous and quirky, adventurous and erotic. She writes about things I want to read, moving between France and England, between past and present. The stories are full of sensuality, religious feeling and women’s desires.

Put the bones of the beast together and worry about muscle and skin and soul later. This isn’t about polish or finesse, it’s about the dirty work – short, ugly first drafts.

Congratulations go out to the winners of this year’s Bridport Short Story Prize, Alison Fisher, Wayne Price and Kirsty Logan. The Bridport Competition, which bills itself as ‘the richest open prize,’ with a total prize fund of £14,000, attracted almost 15,000 entries this year in three categories: short stories, flash fiction and poetry.

Some, all or none of the below may or may not be fact or fiction. Or both. Phil Latham takes no responsibility for anyone believing what he says to be true or helpful or entertaining. Ever.