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Event: The Subtle Art of Short Fiction with David Hartley, Sarah Schofield and Jonathan Taylor
March 24 @ 19 h 00 min - 20 h 00 min
Tuesday 24 March 2026, 19:00-20:00 GMT (20:00-21:00 CET)
Join us to celebrate the launch of The Subtle Art of Short Fiction with a craft-oriented online discussion with acclaimed authors David Hartley, Sarah Schofield and Jonathan Taylor. Expanding on their essays from the new anthology, each will be sharing valuable insights on the complexities of short fiction writing, from voice to structure, humour to subtext. Whether you’ve published short stories widely or are just beginning to experiment with the form, this free event should provide a fascinating glimpse into what makes short stories tick.
The Subtle Art of Short Fiction (Fly on the Wall Press, 2025), edited by Isabelle Kenyon, explores the power of short fiction in today’s fragmented world. Renowned authors and critics offer advanced techniques for crafting nuanced, impactful stories. Learn to master short story structure, subtext, micro-tension, and sensory minimalism. Ideal for experienced writers seeking to refine their skills in this sophisticated art form, or those who love short fiction, and want to learn about the craft behind it.
“A revelatory and engaging read.” – Irenosen Okojie
David Hartley is a writer, performer, artist, editor and tutor whose short fiction has been published widely. He is the author of two short story collections, Incorcisms (Arachne Press, 2021) and Fauna (Fly on the Wall Press, 2021), which was shortlisted for the Edge Hill Prize, and is the editor of Obscura: New Uncanny Tales (Comma Press, 2023). He gained a PhD in Creative Writing from The University of Manchester in 2021. He lives on the edge of the Peak District and can be found online at davidhartleywriter.com.
Sarah Schofield’s stories have been published in Lemistry, Bio-Punk, Thought X, Beta Life, Spindles, Conradology and The New Abject (all Comma Press), Wall: Nine Stories from Edge Hill Writers (EHUP), Best of British Short Stories 2020 (Salt), Spilling Ink Flash Fiction Anthology, Back and Beyond Arts Publication, Litfest’s The Language of Footprints, Synaesthesia Magazine, Lakeview International Journal, Woman’s Weekly and others. She has been shortlisted for The Bridport Prize and the Guardian Travel Writing Competition and has won the Orange New Voices Prize, Writer’s Inc and The Calderdale Fiction Prize. Sarah is a Lecturer in Creative Writing at Edge Hill University and runs writing courses and workshops in a variety of community settings. Her debut short story collection, Safely Gathered In, is published by Comma Press.
Jonathan Taylor is the author of two short story collections, Kontakte and Other Stories (Roman, 2013 and 2014) and Scablands and Other Stories (Salt, 2023). Scablands and Other Stories won the Arnold Bennett Prize 2025. He is also the co-editor of the anthology High Spirits: A Round of Drinking Stories (Valley Press, 2018), with author Karen Stevens, which won the Saboteur Award 2019 for Best Anthology. He is Associate Professor in Creative Writing at the University of Leicester in the UK, where he directs the M.A. in Creative Writing.
This event will be chaired by ENSFR member Joe Bedford. Joe’s short stories have been published widely, including in 3:AM, Evening Standard and Litro, and have won numerous awards including the Bridport Prize 2024. His debut novel A Bad Decade for Good People was published by Parthian Books in 2023.
Teams link below.