“Grab ‘em with your first sentence!” If your short story or novel demands to be heard, our First Page Competition could be the place for you. Your first page is crucial if you want to grab the attention of a time-strapped editor or agent. Whether you write horror, sci-fi, or literary fiction, make your opening snag our judges’ attention, and you could be our first ever First Page winner. Entrants […]
Flash Fiction Slam
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On Saturday 26th October, The Northern Short Story Festival is proud to present not one, but TWO acclaimed horror writers in conversation at FRIGHTFEST. Alison Littlewood, a Shirley Jackson Award winner, will be in conversation with Lucie McKnight Hardy, whose book Water Shall Refuse Them is out now, from Liverpool independent Dead Ink Books. Don’t miss this spectacular and spooktacular event. Tickets are £6, and as well as hearing these […]
The boys call her Wardy, like she’s one of the lads, a bit of a laugh. Maybe she’s leading a double life; they all fancy her anyway. They just ignore me, most of the time. Same goes for the teachers. Jane Ward’s intelligent and independent. I’m invisible. I do everything with my best mate, Carmen. We walk to school and tennis club and Guides and that keeps us on the […]
Did you ever have a day when you were just sick of your own face? It comes out of the blue: you see some random stranger and the face they wear is so perfect in proportion, complexion, structure, that you realise your face is a clunky mess in comparison: a Picasso to their Rossetti. And for half an hour, half a day, half a moment, you wish you had someone […]
So, you’re all set. You’ve got your ticket booked for our Flash Fiction Slam, you’ve got your story written, your nerves are set to ‘steel: strongest possible’, and you’re ready to compete for prizes that include publication, books, and a detailed critique from Strix editor SJ Bradley, not to mention a coveted place in our Flash Fiction Hall of Fame. Our Festival Team spoke to this year’s judges, Benjamin Judge […]
This year, we are incredibly proud to be bringing back our Flash Fiction Slam for the third year in a row. Take our challenge, and maybe you could end up in our Flash Fiction Hall of fame! This year, our slam judges are the legendary Tania Hershman, and brilliant Flash Fiction writer & performer Benjamin Judge. The rules are simple. Each contender has 5 minutes to read a complete story. […]
At The Northern Short Story Festival Flash Fiction Slam, flash fiction writers compete to win prizes, glory, and the respect of their peers, by reading their shortest stories of 5 minutes or under, out loud to an audience. Winners get a bundle of books, publication on the Northern Short Story Festival website, a detailed story critique by Strix editor SJ Bradley, and a coveted and hotly-contested place in the Flash […]