Bristol Short Story Prize deadline looms

Masters of the short form have until the end of this month to submit entries for the annual Bristol Short Story Prize. Bristol24/7 talks pace, plot and perseverance with the Prize’s founders, Joe Melia and Tangent Books’ Richard Jones

How and when did the Bristol Short Story Prize come into existence?

JM: The first Short Story Prize opened in 2007, with the first anthology published and prizes awarded in the summer of 2008. It came about when I met up with a group of Bristol publishers while working at Waterstone’s. We discussed a number of ways of working together, among them a short story prize. We wanted to publish great stories, discover great writers – and support the then-fledgling Bristol Review of Books magazine.

What makes for a good short story, then?

RJ: I was very struck by the comments of a speaker at one of the awards ceremonies, who talked about the importance of a story’s inner rhythm. It’s not possible to maintain that rhythm across a full-length novel, but some short stories have a pace or a rhythm that really carries the reader.

JM: I don’t think there’s a formula or an equation as to what makes a ‘good short story’. It’s not a case of strong, convincing characters + perfectly paced plot + expertly positioned revelation = success, or anything like that. 

So what works for you, Joe?

JM: Having read many hundreds of stories over the last few years, the more memorable stories I’ve read have what I can only describe as a unique atmosphere. You get a sense that the author has really thrown themselves in to the writing, has written without fear, has revealed something of themselves as well as writing a story. 

They have followed the great Bristol-based short story writer Tania Hershman’s suggestion: “Write only what you want to write. Write only what you have to write.” This takes great perseverance and dedication, and a huge amount of courage – but the end result is that great sense of occasion you get when reading something that makes your jaw drop.

What has most surprised you during the BSSP’s lifespan to date?

JM: Often, it’ll be finding out the identity of the writers we publish in the anthology – particularly their gender. Our team of readers read all the stories without knowing anything about the writers. 

Give us an idea of the variety of stories you receive each year. 

JM: We receive an enormous range of styles and genres, and we encourage writers to submit stories in any style or form. One of the great things about short stories is that the form is evolving all the time, and as a result it’s one of the most dynamic and exciting forms of writing.

Deadline for submissions for the Bristol Short Story Prize 2015 is midnight on Thursday, April 30. Stories must not have been previously published or broadcast. For more details, visit www.bristolprize.co.uk