Part Two: They’ve Got The Power: Winners And Finalists Announced

After announcing last week, the results of our ‘Wild Atlantic Writing Awards’ (WAWA) creative nonfiction competition on the theme of ‘power,’ we’re delighted now to announce the finalists and winner of the flash fiction category.

As we did with the creative nonfiction category, we also asked a member of our judging panel to sum up the flash fiction entries as a whole and the overall nature of stories submitted. We hope this provides a comprehensive overview of the entries and acts as a guide for those submitting stories for our future competitions.

As in the creative nonfiction category, the winner of the flash fiction  competition will receive 500 euro in cash, or 1,000 euro off any of our writing retreats this year. And to acknowledge the hard work of all finalists, we’re delighted to announce a 10 per cent discount to them for any of our writing retreats this year, amounting to 265 euro.

Part Two: Flash-Fiction Finalists and Winner

by Kathleen Shine Cain, Ph.D.

Member of the judging panel

Of course gods wield power. But orphans? Insects? Timid women? Helpless lab subjects? 

Entries in this edition of the Wild Atlantic Writing Awards place power in the hands of the most unexpected characters. In an alternative Creation Myth, a god accidentally transforms blue apes into Adam and Eve. Another story features an abused orphan’s escape into a spiritual world. We might expect a spider to have power over other insects, but in one story we share the gruesome experience with the unhappy prey. Other stories turn power on its head: A timid woman gets back at the hulking man spoiling her yoga workout with a quite literal flick of the wrist; the subject of a brutal lab experiment repurposes a plastic utensil to escape the only way she can.  

We might expect to see power in the salon of a spiritual medium or the kingdom of the gods, but other stories place power in unexpected locales: a suburban kitchen, a city park, a holiday home. And while some stories feature power on a grand scale, like a witch governing the life of a medieval knight, others demonstrate power in simple gestures, like running away or hiding a locker key. Just about every story, however, equates power with making choices. Sometimes those choices are cruel, as when a greedy wife leaves her doting husband. And sometimes those choices are life-affirming, as when an ordinary man discovers that living a mundane life was the right choice. 

The best stories avoid issues that distract readers, such as shifting from past to present tense or over-explaining. They don’t bog readers down with long opening paragraphs or extensive use of adjectives and adverbs. They don’t rely on obvious titles.

What all of the most impressive stories share is the use of vivid language. Metaphors transform ragged breathing into a hissing radiator, or unwanted messages into slithering serpents; dialogue brings characters to life; and short, punchy sentences move readers along at a brisk pace. The most powerful stories engage our senses: we hear the “tap, tap, tap” of stiletto heels, we see the dregs of liquid in a crushed coffee cup, or we feel the sting of a jagged plastic fork piercing skin. 

In short, what is the most significant characteristic of the best stories? Power! 

Finalists for the Flash Fiction Category of WAWA

on the theme of 'Power' are: 

Amanda O’Callaghan with ‘Options,’ Caitlin A. Quinn with ‘Hetty’s Choice,’ Catriona O’Connor with ‘Enmeshed,’ Eugene Colin McCann with ‘A Date,’ Helen Elfer with ‘The Yoga Class,’ Jason Ward with ‘The Unreturning,’ Jessica Blackbourn with ‘Insomni-Strength: A 10-Day Inpatient Program Cultivating Sleep Resilience in Low-Stimulation Environments,’ Jim Eigo with ‘Shelter,’ Marianne Daigh with ‘Composition with Wind’ and Martin Barker with ‘The Cloud-Cutter and the Painter of Butterfly Wings.’

And the Winner is: 

Martin Barker with

‘The Cloud-Cutter and the Painter of Butterfly Wings.’

You can also avail of our special discount to have your stories edited by authors who will help you improve your work so it has an even better chance of winning future competitions. See details below.