I’m delighted to announce the first winners of this new prize. And I thank all of the writers for their patience when I had to delay the announcement of the results due to personal circumstances.
Thanks also to the readers who helped me choose the long and shortlist - Eleonora Balsano, Jamie D. Stacey and Sumitra Singham. We loved reading all of the submissions and hope that you enjoy the final selection that made it through to the anthology edition.
Many congratulations to all of the writers whose stories you can read below in the 2023 WestWord Prize Edition.
Micro Fiction Winners
1st Place: Flight of the Magpie by Mairead Robinson
We loved the way this micro played with the magpie rhyme to reveal a story of hope when it had seemed to be so bleak to start with. Great mirroring of the magpie’s story with the narrators.
Flight of the Magpie
One for sorrow, two for Joyless in her prison. The magpie’s dull-eyed hunch stares past the dangling mirror, the seed dispenser, the gilded toys. Three for …
2nd Place: Autumn Days by Jane Broughton
Lovely writing and imagery that both work together to really bind together the theme.
Autumn Days
Every morning leads to a fresh reunion. Bittersweet. Your eyes, still sky blue but these days cloudy with uncertainty, widen with delight. “What a lovely surprise!” yo…
3rd Place: Rewilding by John Holmes
Clever, concise, witty writing. Great story with a lovely twist to the tale.
Rewilding
Nobody seemed surprised when she announced: “He’s left me. Walked out.” Australia was mentioned. His wild life of clubbing and heavy rock never aligned to her love of …
Flash Fiction Winners
1st Place: Untethered by Lisa Thornton
Beautifully written and stand-out imagery. We love the repetition of the colours and how the narrator sought to re-tether herself after her world fell apart.
Untethered
The bastard never listens, Debra’s mother says. The receiver is cradled between her ear and shoulder while she pulls the cord taught with two hands. Debra lifts the crayon off the page to make that s…
2nd Place: Collective Nouns for Hares by JP Relph
Surreal, strange and moving, the emotion shines through and it has excellent narrative structure.
Collective Nouns for Hares
I didn’t even want a baby. Nudging forty, I’m content to coddle two collies. Some women were trying for years, had given up. One girl was seventeen. It swept through …
3rd Place: Competition for Scarce Resources by Cole Beauchamp
Lovely details and great visceral writing. We love the unexplained absence of the mother that left lots to our imaginations.
Competition for Scarce Resources
The glutinous wet of the beach house. The certainty that nothing will ever dry. Humid heat, claggy cold, that slick of discomfort coating every inch of you. Stay in one place…
Short Story Winners
1st Place: Currently Listening To by Miranda Campbell
Moving, poignant, and perfectly captures the moment for these characters. Simple and cleanly written, but so evocative of that transient feeling state.
Currently Listening To...
There is a novel that starts, “I like hurting girls. Not physically, but mentally” and even though I find this admission very problematic I also admire how jarring it...
2nd Place: Litter Picking by Alexis Wolfe
Love the voice and the humour mixed with depth and social commentary. Excellent characterisation, and the setting is gorgeously woven into each backstory
Litter Picking
Three weeks community service. Or Community Payback as they call it these days. I’d have to tell our Mikey about that. I was picked up by the supervisor, Mr Cooper —
3rd Place: Rosie and Lotte by Michael Pettit
The voice is brilliant - utterly convincing and unique, and the message of the story comes across with authenticity and emotional impact.
Rosie and Lotte
Hi everyone. I’m Rosemary. My friends call me Rosie and I hope you will too. I’m new to this and haven’t figured how to change my "profile picture" yet. The...
Shortlisted Micros
Kandinsky by Stephen Gallagher
Summer, 2020 by Nicole Desjardins Gowdy
Shortlisted Flashes
Oceanic by Rosie Morris
Somewhere Between the Bear and the Morning by Imogen Rae
The Greenway by Angharad Hill
When Blackthorn Comes into Leaf by Ruth Edwardson
Shortlisted Shorts
Clearing the Sea Mist by Emily Macdonald
The Promise by Rachel Rivett
2024 WestWord Prize
For the 2024 Prize, we have broken it up into categories each with their own deadlines and anthology editions. We have also invited external judges this year.
Micro Fiction / Judge: Tania Hershman / Deadline: 31st March / Theme: Rain
Flash Fiction / Judge: Amy Barnes / Deadline 31st July / Theme: Dream
Short Story / Judge: Nod Ghosh / Deadline: 30th November / Theme: Light
And don’t forget to send your FAITH stories by the 31st January to appear in the April edition of WestWord!
We’re really looking forward to reading your words this year.
You can upgrade to a paid subscription to WestWord and get submissions included, as well as extra posts and workshops to help you develop your craft. See all the scheduled workshops here - you can also book onto them without becoming a subscriber.
With love,