Interview with our Judge
Annemarie Neary

annemarieneary 2014 was a successful year for our judge, Annemarie Neary. She won the Michael McLaverty short story competition, achieved joint second place in the KWS Hilary Mantel international short story competition, and was joint runner-up in the Sean O’Faolain international short story competition.

Emma Mitchell, senior editor at Hutchinson (Penguin Random House UK), bought world English rights to her novel, Siren, as well as one other book. About Siren she said:

“This brilliant novel grabbed me right from the dramatic opening scene. Annemarie is an outstanding storyteller and builds the tension, page after page, to an exhilarating denouement. I’m delighted to have her for the Hutchinson list.”

Knowing When

Editor’s Note

We now have entry closing dates for reasons explained here. This page simply remains to give a historical context to the development of our Award.

There is an aspect to Bath Flash Fiction Award which sets us aside from any other writing competition. Namely, our deadline date. We don’t have one. Our award closes when we have one thousand entries.

In most writing competitions with deadline dates and big prizes, a large percentage of entries – often more than 50% – arrive during the last two weeks of the entry period. Knowing the deadline in advance means writers tend to wait several months after the competition opens before sending in a submission. We thought it would be interesting to try something different. We want to give entrants ownership of the deadline. “When is the deadline?” becomes “Is my piece ready?”

Bath Flash Fiction Award. Our First Week.

Bath Flash Fiction Award opened just one week ago on the 12th February 2015. Already, we are receiving entries and signing up members from all around the world. The pictogram below shows our opening first week in visitor numbers. We would like to thank all of you for the amazing amount of support and encouragement that you have afforded us over our launch week. We feel confident that, because of you, the Bath Flash Fiction Award community will continue to grow from strength to strength.

launch-week

Membership Explained

Editor’s Note

We no longer run membership for reasons explained here. This page simply remains to give a historical context to the development of our Award.

Membership is a good option for submitting multiple entries. At £5.00 for three months, members can submit an unlimited number of entries for £4.00 each. Membership can also be used to spread the cost of a single first entry between two smaller payments.

Membership reduces the cost of multiple entries

Since membership costs £5 and allows an unlimited number of entries at £4.00 each, the more entries a member makes, the less the total cost per entry. The table shows the savings.

Member cost per entry according to number of entries
Number of Entries	The Maths	Cost per Entry
One Entry	(5+4)/1	£9.00
Two Entries	(5+4+4)/2	£6.50 each
Three Entries	(5+4+4+4)/3	£5.67 each
Four Entries	(5+4+4+4+4)/4	£5.25 each

Membership splits the cost of a single entry

Since the £5 membership lasts for three months, a member can wait a period of time before making a first entry. In effect, the cost of a single £9 standard entry is split in two parts; a £5 membership payment followed by a £4 entry fee up to three months later.

What is flash fiction?

Flash fiction refers to stories 1000 words and under. This very short form has been growing in popularity since the 1980s gathering many names along the way. Some examples are: sudden, micro, nano, smoke-long, skinny, hint fiction and for tiny stories of 100 words and 50 words respectively – drabble and dribble.

In the article The Remarkable Reinvention of Very Short Fiction, Robert Shapard gives some history and possible explanations for this expanding surge of interest. One suggestion is that these days, readers love to be able to read short pieces on phones, tablets and other devices, then forward them to friends.

Attempting to define what flash fiction is, Shapard includes the following metaphor by Luisa Valenzuela:

“I usually compare the novel to a mammal, be it wild as a tiger or tame as a cow; the short story to a bird or a fish; the microstory to an insect (iridescent in the best cases).”

The comparison works for us. Writers and readers say, despite the brevity of flash fictions, the best echo long after reading. To sight an Emperor Dragonfly is a wondrous event. If we can get close to one, even for a moment while it hovers on a leaf, it’s even better – the memory, with its myriad of connections and sensory impact will stay for years.

Annemarie Neary
Our Inaugural Judge

annemarieneary Annemarie is an Irish-born novelist and short story writer, now living in London. Her awards for short fiction include both the Bryan MacMahon and Michael McLaverty short story competitions (Ireland) and the Columbia Journal fiction prize (US). She has also been a prizewinner in the Bridport, Fish, UPP Short FICTION, and KWS Hilary Mantel short story prizes, amongst others. Her novel Siren is forthcoming from Hutchinson (Penguin Random House UK) in Spring 2016.

www.annemarieneary.com
@AnnemarieNeary1