Vanessa Gebbie, the editor of Short Circuit, introduced the book and two of its contributors, Graham Mort and Alison Macleod, who each read from their own chapters.

Short Circuit is the first textbook written by prize-winning writers for students and more experienced practitioners of the short story. The 288 page guide brings together twenty-four specially-commissioned essays from well-published short story writers who are also prize winners of the toughest short story competitions in the English language, including five essays from winners of The Bridport Prize. There are interviews with Clare Wigfall - winner of The National Short Story Award - and with Tobias Hill whose short story collection won the PEN/Macmillan Silver Pen Award.

Each essay picks up on one or more craft or process issues and explores them in context, within the creative practice of the writer. Each writer has given of themselves very generously, exploring what it is that helps them produce strong short fiction, looking at their sources of inspiration, revealing more than a little of what goes on 'behind the scenes'. They share favourite writing exercises, and suggest lists of published stories they find inspirational. Much of the guidance can equally be applied to writing longer fiction. Further details.

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