A good short story? Think of your favourite photo, a snapshot of time, place, people and events. You can zoom in and see everything close up but also leave the background out of focus to create atmosphere. Get the angle right and it’s a memory frozen forever in time. Short stories too are all about capturing the moment.

Join our award winning writers for invaluable insights into how to make the most of your short story, whether you’re nurturing an idea, have a first draft or editing a finished piece. Let your words do the work.

Ross Raisin: Winner BBC National Short Story Award 2024

Rachael Fulton: Shortlisted for The Sunday Times Audible Short Story award

Colin Walsh: Winner RTE Francis MacManus Short Story Prize

Ross won the 2024 BBC National Short Story Award with Ghost Kitchen about a bike courier inspired by the gig economy. He has written short stories for Granta, Prospect, the Sunday Times, Esquire, BBC Radio 3 and 4, among others, and published a book for the Read This series, on the practice of fiction writing. In 2018 he was awarded a Fellowship by the Royal Society of Literature.

Ross has written four novels: A Hunger; A Natural; Waterline; God’s Own Country.

Rachael’s short story Call was shortlisted for The Sunday Times Audible Short Story Award after being highly commended by The Bridport Prize. Every Second Saturday was a BBC Radio 4 short work. My Rebellion won Elle Magazine’s New Talent Award. A reporter for STV Glasgow, Rachael now works as a writer, editor and content producer. Rachael also co- hosted the podcast Mums In The Making.

Colin is a winning short story writer and novelist. Short story awards include the Hennessy Literary Award and RTE Francis MacManus Short Story Prize as well as The Bridport Prize. His debut novel Kala published in 2023 was a New York Times Editors’ Choice. It won the Nota Bene Prize and Irish Book Award for Newcomer of the Year, was shortlisted for the Waterstone’s Debut Fiction Prize and John McGahern Book Prize. Kala was named a book of the year by NPR, the Guardian, Dua Lipa’s Service95 Book Club, GQ Magazine and The Independent.

Run by international creative writing competition The Bridport Prize. Previous winners include Kate Atkinson and Kit de Waal. Discover more at www.bridportprize.org.uk

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Sharpen up your short story!