Unearthing Treasure in Your Stories
The clock's ticking on our GOLD themed submissions for Edition 9, with just 10 days left before the end of May deadline.
But what if you're stuck? What if you've been staring at that blank page, thinking about the precious metal but finding only fool’s good is making it onto the page? Here’s some ideas to help you dig deeper.
Gold isn't just a precious metal. It's the light that shines through darkness, illuminating our shared humanity. The warmth that brings us together when the world feels cold. The glow of beloved faces in firelight, a setting sun, candles on a table.
Finding new stories to tell
Sure, you could write about literal gold — treasure hunts, inheritance disputes, wedding rings — and those stories have their place, and if told with heart and nuance, I’m sure they'll resonate with us. But gold is most powerful as a metaphor for the real truth of the story revealed slantways.
Gold is the moment of understanding between strangers. The thread of compassion running through difficult conversations. The quiet generosity that asks for nothing in return. It’s the ability to see yourself in others and find connection across divides, to recognise our common ground even in conflict.
To help you with discovering new ways to tell stories, I have removed the paywall from the workshop I ran last year.
You can also read my flash story, Golden Glow, that has no literal gold metal in it.
What’s Gold for WestWord?
At WestWord, we want to publish stories that heal – ourselves, each other, our world by creating positive human connection no matter what the theme or storyline. Stories that show our shared humanity in all its complexity, without glorifying hate or violence.
We value nuance, empathy, and compassion so that when stories are about difficult subjects, they still have love at their heart. Stories where the unsaid carries as much weight as what's on the page.
Our readers and I look for those moments when a writer reveals something true about our interconnectedness. The gold might be a moment of unexpected kindness, a bridge between differences, or simply a new way of seeing ourselves in others.
The best writing comes from a place of authenticity though, so don't try to turn a story into something you think we want. Instead, dig deep into your heart and find the gold there. That’s when submissions stand out as they make us feel something in the smallest amount of space. They take an ordinary moment and reveal the extraordinary human connection that was hiding there all along.
Prompts
If you're still staring at a blank page, try one of these prompts:
Someone discovers true value in what others overlook.
A character finds their inner gold after believing themselves worthless, or recognised the gold in someone they previously disliked/mistrusted/believed lacking in some way.
A relationship transformed by seeing things in a new light.
The golden thread that connects strangers who become connected, even if it’s for just a brief moment.
Submission info
We want micros under 300 words, flash under 1000, short stories under 3000. All sent through Submittable, formatted clearly with a 12pt or 14pt font. Previously unpublished only. Everyone selected gets a share of the submission fees and is in the running for our annual nominations for various prizes (Best of the Net, Best Small Fictions, Best Microfictions, etc.).
So get writing — the clock is ticking!
Send us your gold before time runs out.
Deadline: 31st May 2025
