Today on our blog we have a Q & A with writer Finnian Burnett, who is a contributor to our final competition anthology, Swan Song
Can you tell us a little about your story in the Swan Song anthology?
I actually wrote this story in a Retreat West workshop. It sort of fell out in five minutes and I loved it but I felt it needed some work. I took it to Matt Kendrick’s Writing Beyond the Lightbulb class and he gave me some excellent feedback. I loved the final version and I knew I wanted to send it somewhere I care about. Since it started with RW, it made sense to send it there first.
What draws you to entering writing contests?
I like to do a very few contests during a year – mainly ones that publish longlists and shortlists in anthologies. There’s such a thrill in celebrating with other people, sharing the joy and sometimes commiseration that comes with contest announcements.
Can you share some of your favourite writing influences with us?
I thrive in writing workshops. Something about writing in a group spurs my creativity and some of my best stories have come while listening to the click of other people’s keyboards. Beyond that, I read a ton of short fiction. Two of my favorite short story writers are Neil Gaiman and N.K. Jemison. Margaret Atwood’s Stone Mattress is probably the greatest example of masterful POV in the first three stories in that collection.
Where can we find out more about you and your writing?