Meet Our Academicians: Glenis Burgess

Every day this week, in advance of opening our submission window for 2021/22 we are profiling our 6 Academicians of 2020/2021. Meet Glenis Burgess.

I’ve just finished a wonderful six months with the Northern Short Story Festival Academy; I feel I was so lucky in the other people on the Academy. I hope every year’s intake feels the same way.

This year we had people with a wide range of experience, interests, writing styles, life styles and ages which added to the depth of analysis and comment.

Over the six months, I chose to submit work I had already written and which I felt needed something more than I could bring to it. The feedback I got was perceptive and to the point; I have followed many of the recommendations .

As well as comments I received, it was great to feel the comments I made on other people’s submissions were valued – it was one of my aims in applying to the Academy.

For me and my writing future, I am having several short stories published later this year in an anthology, and I aim to submit more to publishers and competitions where I can get feedback, and not just a rejection!

I like the structure of the Academy – it was handleable, and always a delight for me to settle down to read the stories others had submitted. Undoubtedly, applying to the Academy was the right thing for me to do, being accepted onto it was a highlight of lockdown. My responsibility is not to let the time and effort from everyone on this year’s Academy be underused.

You too can join our Academy. We’re opening our submission window on Monday 23rd August. Read more here.