Hello and welcome to my ‘flash fiction’ blog, To Cut a Short Story Short! My name is Simon J. Wood, I live in Lincolnshire, England, and, unless I clearly indicate that a post is a guest post or a quote from another writer, I am the author of all stories and articles on this website.
See all my posts in the Reader (with pictures)
The blog went public on Monday 22nd August 2016, and was intended for 100-1000 word stories I’d written since September 2015, after taking up writing again for the first time since leaving school (in Hertfordshire, England) over 30 years ago!
Since its genesis I’ve added a lot of new stories, in all genres, and some longer ones too, up to 2000 words, as well as articles on self-publishing and how I write the stories etc.
If you enjoy the stories and articles (and I hope you will!) then please ‘like’ them, and feel free to subscribe to my blog by clicking the blue ‘follower’ button in the sidebar – I publish a new story/article every Monday – so you won’t miss any new posts.
Also, why not share stories/articles that you enjoy with your friends? I’ve currently enabled e-mail, Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus share buttons on every post/page, and further options are available via the ‘More’ button, so it’s very simple and quick to do! There’s also a ‘Print’ option if you’d like a ‘hard copy.’
Also, PLEASE rate the stories/articles. It’s as simple as clicking on the star rating below the title and just takes a second!
As I mention below, I’ve recently published two books – a collection of the best stories on my blog, updated and revised, and with a ‘bonus’ much-longer story (not on my blog). That book has 254 pages, and I also published the longest story previously on my blog (7600 words) as a separate book of 42 pages. Both books have wonderful covers and the paper quality is lovely. Highly recommended, and they make the perfect gift too! 🙂
[8th Nov 2017] I’m very pleased to announce that an audiobook of To Cut a Short Story Short: 111 Little Stories is now completed and available on Audible and Amazon! Shortly it’ll be on iTunes too, just in time for Christmas! Angus Freathy’s ‘voices’ really bring the stories to life!
Also, I’m excited to announce that Angus Freathy is also producing Bound in Morocco as an audiobook. It’ll be released mid-November and promises to be a thrilling rendition!
Angus Freathy audiobooks/samples
Incidentally, the dates on the posts prior to 22nd August 2016 are the dates they were ‘published’ to writing groups etc. One group was TASWG, The Tetford and Salmonby Writers’ Group, based in Lincolnshire, England, and I decided to post the work I did for them, as it may be of interest. I’ve put a note about the assignments with the stories/articles. Also, a big ‘thank you’ to Shirley Muirhead (‘Jane Muir‘) for founding the group and encouraging my writing!
This site is optimized for tablet and mobile view, perfect for viewing in bed or on the train or bus, so I hope you may enjoy the convenience of viewing the site on those platforms too. Whatever, I sincerely hope you will find some stories you enjoy!
Also, I’m very pleased to announce that ‘the best of my blog,’ To Cut a Short Story Short: 111 Little Stories, and a short story, Bound in Morocco, are now both available as paperbacks and Kindle eBooks. Please see Shop in the menu above for full details.
BY THE WAY, IF YOU DON’T HAVE A WORDPRESS ACCOUNT AND WOULD LIKE TO ‘LIKE’ OR COMMENT ON A POST YOU CAN SIGN UP TO THE WORDPRESS ‘READER’ HERE (ALL YOU NEED IS A USERNAME AND A PASSWORD).
https://wordpress.com/learn-more/?v=discover
THAT GIVES YOU EASY ACCESS TO ANY BLOG ON WORDPRESS, WHERE YOU CAN READ ‘THE BEST CONTENT ON THE WEB’!
Best Wishes, Simon.
Don’t forget to check out some of the other stories on my blog. There are over 400!
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This is a great platform you have created here! And you’re quite a prolific writer. I can’t wait to read the rest of your blog, your stories and books. have a blessed week
Thank you, Matilde,
It’s been a labour of love the past two and a bit years but I like the look of the blog now, and I’ll keep it like this – for a while, anyway. I’m just publishing once a week now, on Mondays. Previously it was every five days.
Most of the stories (the best ones) are collected in my two books (see Shop) and they include a few additional stories too. Then, stories published since my last book in December 2018 will be in the Recent Posts sidebar, plus see Blog under the menu for articles etc. that aren’t in the books. The TASWG category has a few interesting miscellaneous pieces too.
That just about covers it!
Thank you for commenting and I wish you well with your own blogging endeavours.
I think you have a great blog so I have nominated you for a blogging award. Follow the link below to find out how to claim it and display the award proudly on your site as a sign to others of your high standard of writing.
https://thisdoorisalarmed.wordpress.com/2018/03/20/the-sunshine-blogger-award
I do not know if you have been nominated for the Liebster award but I nominated your blog. Check it out on Nknighton.com. Thank you for the wonderful content 🙂
Hello Nick, yes, I was nominated for the ‘Liebster award’ shortly after I started my blog. If you look down these comments, it was the first one (mariigold blooms). I googled it and couldn’t find anything about it, other than bloggers nominating each other for it. It didn’t seem to be a genuine award at all. At that time I hadn’t had time to really find blogs i liked and so wasn’t following enough people to do the ‘award.’
Anyway, I really appreciate you liking my blog enough to nominate me, so will re-investigate!
Hi there Simon. I’m Tanya & kinda interesting in jumping on board with writing stories as you explained in community pool.
My blog can be found tlynnhaney.wordpress.com
Look forward to hearing from you.
I’ll be checking out your site while I wait
Xo
Hi Tanya, I sent the info to your e-mail address. Although the rules are fairly simple, it’s too much to send via a contact form, and I also like to send the previous story collections too, which I’ve attached to the e-mail. I hope you’ll be tempted to join us!
Congrats !!!!!
Thank you Yoly, the audiobook is finished now and preparing for retail and the same narrator, Angus Freathy, is just starting on an audiobook of my short story Bound in Morocco. Both will be available later this month (on Audible/Amazon/iTunes). Angus’s narration really brings the stories to life!
Nice, I will be looking for it.
Hi Simon, I’m fairly new to this so I found your tips article really useful and have archived it on my Pocket. I’ve read a few of the stories too of course, that’s why I was really here in the first place before getting distracted by that. Lots to go though, so pressing to follow your blog!
Hi ‘Bryntin’ and thanks for following. I hope you will enjoy future stories. I’ll keep them coming!
I’m glad you liked the tips article, I did a couple of other non-fiction articles, under Blog in the menu. One on how I write and edit the stories, and one on self-publishing, as I published two books from blog content and have an audiobook coming out in November too. That article explains exactly how I did that.
So check them out if interested and good idea to take copies. I always do. I also find that people often give really good additional advice in their responses to comments too.
I just bought Bound in Morocco. I look forward to reading it!
my first ever sale – thank you!!!
I’ve tinkered with flash-fiction, but have been too timid to share more than a sample or two on my blog. I love writing these little fellas though, so following you here might be a good way for me to build up the courage to share.
Hi Gabe, thanks for your comment and for the ‘follow’ 🙂 I’m aiming to publish a new post every five days in 2017, they’ll generally be below 1000 words.
If you enjoy writing FF but are wondering about publishing, I’d recommend joining the fortnightly 300-word story group I run, there’s a readership of about 30 and it gives an opportunity to write on a regular basis, great editing practice and you get to read several other stories too! (also you can join just to read the stories, without committing yourself right away)
Thanks for the invite. Will definitely consider (although I’m clearly not very skilled yet, so may need to keep practicing before I share before audiences)
Hi Gabe, yes, do think about it, and you don’t have to be especially skilled, it’s nice to read a new ‘voice’ and I’m sure you would improve in any case!
Hey Simon, I loved your work and as a person who likes to write short stories himself I really enjoyed your stories. Good work.
Hi, thanks very much for your comments and I will definitely keep them coming!
Hello i really enjoyed reading your short stories! Nicely written👌🏻
Hey, thank you, much appreciated! Thank you for the ‘follow’ and hope you will look in again 🙂
Hi Simon. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed poking around your blog. your short stories are very engaging and I’m amazed by the volume. It’s quite a body of work – follow
Hi! Thanks so much for the feedback and really pleased you enjoyed the stories. ‘Very engaging’ is also a lovely description of them! Thanks for following and do look in again sometime!
Hi, I enjoy your blog and have nominated you for the Liebster Award, take a look! https://marigold262.wordpress.com/2016/09/09/liebster-award/
Thank you so much and I’m very pleased you are enjoying my new blog!