Jo Gatford
@jmgatford.bsky.social
Write-abouter | editor | scriptwriter | fiction all over the shop | Shakespeare nerd | writing thoughts & workshops @ The Joy of Fixion https://www.jogatford.com https://fixioning.substack.com
So, so excited to be judging the next @bathflashaward.bsky.social (deadline 4 Oct). I want to read your flashes! www.bathflashfictionaward.com/2026/08/q-a-...
Q & A with Jo Gatford, Judge 34th Award
Jo Gatford is an award-winning writer, editor and mentor. Her short fiction has been selected for the Wigleaf Top 50, Best Small Fictions, Best Microfictions, and published in 70+ anthologies and l…
bathflashfictionaward.com
Love "the same smallsome girl" and that last line and just ALL this sumptuous language.
The Welkin Press@welkinpress.bsky.social · 5d ago🫀🫁🦴 WINNER of the Body Prize, "Dear Walt Whitman" by @sarahillswrites.bsky.social A lyrical, emotionally taut gem of a micro in epistolary form: www.mattkendrick.co.uk/welkin-stori...
Yes, yes, yes, more joy in flash! Especially like this.
The Welkin Press@welkinpress.bsky.social · 2d ago🌻🌈😀 WINNER of the Joy Prize, "Spring, Seven Years Later" by Amy Luxton Such a beautifully-crafted and evocative scene the swells towards a wonderful realisation of happiness: www.mattkendrick.co.uk/welkin-stori...
Producing a lit mag of such consistent high quality (& with such enthusiasm) is a huge feat of literary love. Not to mention creating a platform for so many fantastic books over the past few years. Thank YOU for publishing The Woman's Part and putting so much into the lit community.
Stanchion@stanchion.bsky.social · last wk.Officially announcing the end of Stanchion Magazine, providing context as to why, answering some questions, and saying thank you. 🖤🤍 www.stanchionzine.com/post/the-end...
This month's #FromTheCoursesMouth features brilliant-sounding things from @stillsquirrel.bsky.social @jmgatford.bsky.social @smokelong.bsky.social @rgvaughan.bsky.social @bendinggenres.bsky.social @sagetyrtle.bsky.social @marthawrites.bsky.social: fromthecoursesmouth.substack.com/p/august-sep...
August / September 26: Upcoming courses, workshops & events
Here’s what’s coming up from your your friendly neighbourhood freelancers, lit mags and awesome independents over the next couple of months.
fromthecoursesmouth.substack.com
Poets (and scientists) love the moon, but how does the moon feel about it? Delighted to have my weird little micro on the @welkinpress.bsky.social shortlist! 🌒📸
The Welkin Press@welkinpress.bsky.social · 2w agoShortlisted in the History Prize, "First Photograph of the Moon — John William Draper, 1840" by @jmgatford.bsky.social www.mattkendrick.co.uk/welkin-stori...
Who’s in the work-in-progress trenches right now? Need a little camaraderie? A good ol’ angsty vent? A kick up the motivational butt? Come along to my fortnightly hangout on Weds 29th July, 6pm (BST) to shoot the writing shit with a handful of lovely writers: www.jogatford.com/workshops-co...
Last call for today’s workshop! Gonna be closing up bookings an about an hour…
Jo Gatford@jmgatford.bsky.social · last mo.Feeling a bit creatively meh? I have a workshop for you! Unfuck Your Writing — a practical breakdown of how to unlearn stagnant writing habits, follow your creative instincts, and reclaim your flow. Tues 25 July, 2pm BST (replay available): www.jogatford.com/workshops-co...
Heyyyyy my Unfuck Your Writing workshop (AKA “The Great Unfuckening”) is happening TOMORROW, Saturday 25th July at 2pm (BST). Be there or stay fucked, I guess? 🤷♀️ www.jogatford.com/workshops-co...
This is me tromping through the woods talking to myself because I’m running my UNFUCK YOUR WRITING workshop on Saturday and apparently the algorithm demands face-based content 🤪 🤡 🤦♀️ So if you’re feeling creatively stuck or meh or arg, come and get unfucked with me: www.jogatford.com/workshops-co...
P.S. If you book a place and still want to be entered into the prize draw I will refund you if you win!
Jo Gatford@jmgatford.bsky.social · 4w agoHey folks, I’m giving away one free place on my Month of Stories course in August for a writer on a low income (or otherwise couldn’t afford the full shebang). Click below to enter your details and I’ll pick a winner at random on 27th July! www.jogatford.com/workshops-co...
OOooohhh! I have a micro on the shortlist! And am deeply in love with a whole load of those story titles... Can't wait to read 'em all. Thanks, lovely @welkinpress.bsky.social readers and judges!
The Welkin Press@welkinpress.bsky.social · 3w agoAnnouncing the brilliant shortlists for this year's Welkin Genre Prize. Congratulations to the writers of these wonderful pieces. If you're on the list, please feel free to celebrate wildly, but don't say which title is yours as judging is still ongoing: www.mattkendrick.co.uk/welkin-press...
So. Um. Some exciting news that I haven't been able to scream about for the past 6 months but now... <deep breath> LOOOOOK, IT'S MY FACE! www.bbc.co.uk/writers/blog...
Hey folks, I’m giving away one free place on my Month of Stories course in August for a writer on a low income (or otherwise couldn’t afford the full shebang). Click below to enter your details and I’ll pick a winner at random on 27th July! www.jogatford.com/workshops-co...
Do you want to see one of my favourite books? Let me show you one of my favourite books... (and a hypothesis on why objects are more human than most humans) The Joy of Catalogues: fixioning.substack.com/p/the-joy-of...
The Joy of Catalogues
Part 1 of probably a lot
fixioning.substack.com
Did I spend waaaay too much time making this video? Yes. Was I supposed to be writing? Also yes. But could AI procrastinate like this? I think not. Anyway, join me for the UNFUCK YOUR WRITING workshop on 25 July and let’s find more (human) ways to create stuff: www.jogatford.com/workshops-co...
Well this sounds brilliant and I’m in. Any of my fellow writerly pals want to join too?
Jo Gatford@jmgatford.bsky.social · last mo.Draft and edit 4 new pieces of flash fiction in a month — with weekly writing exercises, craft insights, personalised feedback from a professional editor, a community forum, and end-of-month sharing showcase! Join me for A Month of Stories, starting 3rd Aug: www.jogatford.com/workshops-co...
Draft and edit 4 new pieces of flash fiction in a month — with weekly writing exercises, craft insights, personalised feedback from a professional editor, a community forum, and end-of-month sharing showcase! Join me for A Month of Stories, starting 3rd Aug: www.jogatford.com/workshops-co...
‘Difficult decisions’ is almost always code for ‘punching down’. Fucking STOP IT. The arts sector in the UK is worth £8.5bn per year. That is (just numerically, quite apart from anything else) a FUCKING PRIORITY, you flailing cretins.
priority.you
Arts Professional@artsprofessional.co.uk · last mo.Performing and creative arts university courses will no longer receive funding from a government teaching grant as part of “difficult decisions” about spending priorities, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has said.
Perfect Circle, @uncertainstories.com's new anthology, is out now — featuring my (titular!*) story along with pieces by Eva Carson, @daveyfrankel.bsky.social, @kathyhoyle.bsky.social, @lynseymay.com & Lauren O’Donoghue, beautifully illustrated by Lucy Scott: www.uncertainstories.com/books/anthol...
Feeling a bit creatively meh? I have a workshop for you! Unfuck Your Writing — a practical breakdown of how to unlearn stagnant writing habits, follow your creative instincts, and reclaim your flow. Tues 25 July, 2pm BST (replay available): www.jogatford.com/workshops-co...
Oh wow, the loveliest news to discover this morning! Thanks for publishing my little 6 word love story @gooseberrypielit.bsky.social and thank you to @sudhab.bsky.social and the @wigleaf.bsky.social readers for including my piece. Now to trawl this treasure trove of stories... :D
Gooseberry Pie Lit Magazine@gooseberrypielit.bsky.social · last mo.Congratulations to Mikki Aronoff Jo Gatford Sarah Lynn Hurd @kiptain.bsky.social for having their work selected for Wigleaf Longlist 2026. Links to their stories in Gooseberry Pie are in the post. gooseberry-pie.com/wigleaf-top-...
Zack Polanski at the British Chambers of Commerce conference asks, If we can always find money for wars Why can't we always find money to end inequality
On the hottest day of the year, instead of going to the beach like an insane person, I spent the afternoon in a nice, quiet, *cool* basement museum beneath Brighton Town Hall.
