Short Story Prize Anthology
The winning stories of the LIGHT-themed prize
I’m delighted to bring your seven brilliant light-inspired stories that are the finalists and prize winners in the 2024 Short Story Prize. Thank you to our judge, Nod Ghosh for choosing the winners.
WestWord Short Story Prize, Judge’s Report
I’d like to thank to Amanda Saint for inviting me to judge the WestWord Short Story Prize. I have read the shortlisted entries with interest, and extend my appreciation to all who submitted. There would be no competition or anthology without your contribution.
The theme for this contest was Light, which was interpreted in an apt manner by most, without forcing its inclusion into their work.
The entries that placed highest showed well-crafted writing. Language flowed fluently. Those who gave due consideration to musicality and rhythm of words produced the best results. Mixing sentence length, avoiding unnecessary repetition and using alliteration only when it enhanced patterning led to pieces that sounded better.
Stories that featured a well-constructed story arc, those that included sources of conflict or tension and ones using appropriate pacing worked well. Writers produced cohesive work when they referenced earlier elements in their denouement. Thoughtful characterisation where authors handled characters’ emotions in a balanced way led to a satisfying read.
Authors who included speech to show character interactions typically relayed stories more effectively than those who told readers directly what happened. Dialogue worked best where it emulated real spoken words, engaged the reader and revealed emotion.
Simile, where used, worked well when it blended with the tone of the piece. Evoking multiple senses strengthened writing, as did the use of distinct character voices.
Authors who handled time well by chosing tense carefully, using flashback effectively and planning timeline to serve the story produced satisfying results.
Some stories included interesting settings and accurately depicted era. While this is not essential for all writing, a clearer indication of time and place would have enhanced other pieces, provided it wasn’t forced into the story.
With these features in mind, here are the top three stories for this competition.
Winner: Starstruck by Geoff Mead
Beautiful writing depicting an original idea. The dialogue is well executed and brings the piece to life. This author has crafted characters with care. The interplay between protagonist and secondary characters is compelling and heart-rending.
The reader observes the main character evolve from not-quite-normal and sad to destructive bordering on sadistic, yet feelings for the woman he loves endure, even if he misconstrues what exists between them. This moving story includes startling imagery, and evokes the era convincingly. The piece interprets the theme well and resonates long after one finishes reading it.
Second place: The Light, How it Falls by Keren Heenan
Confident writing. This story includes interesting concepts, incorporating an excellent interpretation of the theme. The author includes tactile elements with success.
Third place: Our Mum by Jeff Taylor
A heart-warming story with a moving ending. The balance between the narrator displaying innocence and child-like characteristics and being thrust into an adult situation is managed well. His voice is established early on and maintained effectively. The author makes good use of the theme without forcing it into the story.
Shortlisted
Congratulations to all of the shortlisted authors too.
Sweet, loved that you compiled these for me. Thank you.
I recently wrote a short story and would love to hear what you think. Of course no pressure. Just love connecting with other writers. https://dbtaylor.substack.com/p/hope?r=22o631