A Writer's View

To anyone still waiting to see their work published I have three words: submit, submit, submit.

I have always enjoyed reading short stories. When as a teen I was expected to read Dickens in school, I turned to John Wyndham short stories for entertainment. There is something entirely satisfying about being able to read a complete story arc in one single sitting. If travelling, I would rather carry a collection of shorts than a novel.

When I began to write I naturally wrote short stories first. I progressed to reading and writing novels as I matured, but short stories remain my first favourite when trying something new or when I want a quick buzz. A novel requires much more of a commitment and investment as a reader and as a writer. Novels are satisfying in a different way.

In today’s fast food culture, we want it quick, sharp and now. A short story can be anything from the tasty snackette of the flash fiction, through to a full meaty meal that is closer to a novella. I see a collection of shorts as a smorgasbord of delights. Sometimes when submitting a short to a competition or magazine, I feel like adding a comment: ‘Do you want fries with that?’

The beauty of writing a short story is being able to create a snapshot world, to address some really ‘big’ issues in an up front manner made necessary by the restricted wordcount. Any experimentation with style, point of view, setting, plot or character can be expressed through the short when it may be difficult to sustain for a full length novel.

If at all possible, I like to beat out the first draft of a short in one sitting. Of course I return to edit and polish the piece, but the bones of it are laid down quickly. In this way I can retain the sense of immediacy and freshness that I like in my stories.

After writing four novels, all as yet unpublished and each one taking up to two years to write, I decided to concentrate on short stories for a while. I scoured the writing press and the Internet, made a list of competitions including wordcount, theme, cost and deadline. I wrote and submitted, wrote and submitted continuously over the summer, ticking them off the list. Each time I posted a story, I forgot about it and moved on to the next. Each deadline I met was a success in my eyes, whether or not I won the competition. I see it in a similar way to applying for jobs and sending out multiple applications. I never submitted the same story twice.

The fruits of this labour are obvious: I now have a bulging portfolio of short stories and have honed my writing skills with experience of working to a deadline and a wordcount. A bonus came in winning one of the competitions, and seeing my story in print (Seven Days short story collection published by Legend Press). I am still writing and submitting short stories, but now that I have a foot in the door, I am more likely to be able to generate interest in my novels. The rambling style which used to be my writing has been replaced by a much sharper, leaner style and that can only be a good thing.

I am a member of several writers’ forums, including writersbeat.com, and find that connections to other writers are a lifeline. They are a place you can go for feedback on your writing, share ideas and gain inspiration. I also believe that they are an invaluable resource when looking for smaller, niche publications and competitions.

I was shortlisted for a major children’s fiction prize and met Michael Rosen, one of the judges. He told me that I had chutzpah, which he explained is a mixture of courage and arrogance that makes a writer continue to send out work regardless of the risk of rejection. Few authors are accepted on their first submission, yet they will become successful by this determined self-belief and lots of stamps. I like to keep my chutzpah going and oil it regularly.

To anyone still waiting to see their work published I have three words: submit, submit, submit. Without entering your writing, you will never know whether it is good enough to be published. You could be the best short story writer the world has seen but how will you know if you don’t send out your story?

Josie Henley-Einion

Josie Henley-Einion is a writer and artist living in Cardiff. She has an MA in Writing and is co-editor of Velvet magazine. Seven Days is her first book publication. Visit her website.

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