Bulletin - 22/08/2012

Dear All,

Well, can you believe that it's been 14 weeks since National Flash-Fiction Day? That's more than one quarter of a year. And do you know what means? It means that it's time to start thinking about next year!

So, here's where we are at the moment:

First, we are looking at moving the date back a little, towards the shortest day, in June. Partly this is logistical and partly, well... the SHORTEST day... you know? We'll let you know the exact date as soon as we've organised it.

Also, following on from the interest from other countries in this year's NFFD we will also be aiming to make it a much more international event and spread the flash-fiction word around the world. If you're outside the UK and want to get involved, please get in touch.

For the new year we will be revamping the website, updating the content and hopefully adding some new features. If you, or anyone you know, knows how to build/maintain websites - in particular using something like WordPress or a similar Content Management System - please do drop me a line as we could really do with your help!

On the day itself, and in the lead up, we will be aiming to do some similar activities to those that we did this year - including another anthology if the funding is in place - but we also want new events and activities to make it even bigger and better. So, time to get your thinking caps on and come up with some possibilities. Email me with your ideas and I'll start cataloguing them.

Speaking of funding, we are hoping to be able to secure the support of the Arts Council once again, but alternative sources would also be of real help. So, if you are in a position to sponsor the day, or know someone who is, or any bodies that we really should apply to, please get in touch and let us know.

All of the events of NFFD2012 couldn't have been done without the help of hundreds of you who pitched in on the day. We hope you will be able to help out again next year, but NFFD is one of those cases where more is definitely merrier. So, do please keep spreading the word about our Facebook page (at https://www.facebook.com/nationalflashfictionday), our Twitter account (@nationalflashfd), our blog (http://nationalflashfictionday.blogspot.co.uk/) and, of course, this mailing list!

And finally, to keep your appetite whetted, here are some things of note for you:

• The people at CAKE are holding a write-in today and there's still time to join in. Details over at http://cakeshortandsweet.wordpress.com/2012/08/22/wednesday-write-in-1/.
  
• The 2012 NFFD anthology, Jawbreakers, is still available in print from http://www.nationalflashfictionday.co.uk/anthology.html or in Kindle format from your local Amazon.
  
• Jawbreakers co-editor, Valerie O'Riordan's collection, Enough, released to coincide with NFFD is also still available at http://gumbopress.co.uk/books.html or, again, on Kindle from Amazon.
  
• Flashpoints, the site specific writing project created for NFFD is still up, running, and looking for your photos and stories. Check it out and submit at http://nffdflashpoints.blogspot.co.uk/.
  
• The multi-user, Twitter-driven graphic novel 3 Hundred and 65 is still going, and well worth a daily look at http://www.3hundredand65.co.uk/.
  
• Brighton's upcoming Digital Festival have loads of great events, including a Flash Slam on the 16th Sept (including yours truly and Manchester-based flasher Sarah Clare-Conlon) http://2012.brightondigitalfestival.co.uk/event/flash-lit-fiction/ and also an evening of flash from the Quick Fictions people on the 24th (http://2012.brightondigitalfestival.co.uk/event/quick-fictions/).
  
• And finally, in a blowing-your-own-trumpet kind of way, I will shortly be running some online courses, including one in flash-fiction (short stories, life writing and editing being the others). If you're interested (or just kind enough to encourage others who might be) the details are at http://www.calumkerr.co.uk/pp006.shtml.

I'm sure there are many other events and activities going on, so if you are up to anything, be sure to let us know and we will spread the word for you. In the meantime, get your thinking caps on, and let's start looking forward to next year's bigger, brighter and better Flash-Fiction Day!

All the best, and happy rest-of-the-summer.

Calum

--

Calum Kerr

Director, National Flash-Fiction Day

www.facebook.com/nationalflashfictionday

http://www.nationalflashfictionday.co.uk/

National Flash-Fiction Day 2012 is proud to be funded by Arts Council England. 

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