News from the Propelling Pencil case. It's au revoir for now (well it will be in March). Thanks for all the stories and good company since we began way back in the Autumn of 2021. Time for me to focus on new things - but please keep writing! thepropellingpencil.com/propelling-p...

Congratulations to the Winners of our Charity Flash Competition, judged by @judehwriter2.bsky.social. Commiserations to our shortlisters whose stories weren't picked (they were all FAB!) and thanks to all who entered thepropellingpencil.com/spring-2025-...

Our Spring 25 competition Shortlist is live! Well done to all the stories that are here and good luck to those that were left out this time - we know they'll find great homes soon Please celebrate anonymously while @judehwriter2.bsky.social does her judging! thepropellingpencil.com/spring-2025-...

Heres' the LONGLIST OF Spring Charity Flash Competition in aid of @cftrustuk.bsky.social Please celebrate without revealing which story is yours if you're featured. Sorry to those not included and thanks to all for your support! thepropellingpencil.com/spring-2025-...

If you've not booked already - what are you waiting for?! There are even some free places (accommodation not included) for marginalised writers. Take a look and get yourselves booked before all the spots are gone!

Audrey Niven@nivenaudrey.bsky.social · last yr.

For any writing chums who aren't yet aware and are either flash fiction fans of flash-curious, this is the place to be this summer. A whole weekend of tiny tales and wallowing in the most original, kind and generous community. Only a few places left www.flashfictionfestival.com

And that's it for this round, folks. Our Charity Flash Competition closed at midnight and the readers have all your wonderful stories in hand. Lonlisting will be towards the end of the week of 12 May so keep your eyes peeled 👀 Thanks to everyone who entered!

Six hours to deadline, people! Send us your <500 word story, support @cftrustuk.bsky.social and maybe win a prize! Readers are standing by. Details of how to enter are below: £5 or free + if you send an extra £5 our readers will give you feedback. @judehwriter2.bsky.social guest judging. Details ⬇️

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Scramble! Come on folks - this is your non-running way to raise money for charity today. Don't miss your chance! We're open until midnight BST.

Audrey Niven@nivenaudrey.bsky.social · last yr.

Good luck if you're running #londonmarathon or #manchestermarathon today. Everyone else - you have until midnight tonight to enter our charity flash fiction competition and raise money for @cftrustuk.bsky.social. £5 or free to enter. £5 for Reader feedback, £170 in prizes. What are you waiting for?

Flash Fiction writers - you have TWO DAYS left to get your <500word story to us, support @cftrustuk.bsky.social and maybe win a prize of £100. £5 or FREE to enter, £5 for Reader Feedback on top which people have found to be an excellent bargain. Details below ⬇️

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Counting down the days to the deadline (Sunday 27 Apr) to enter our Spring Charity Flash Fiction Competition in aid of @cftrustuk.bsky.social £170 in prizes @judehwriter2.bsky.social guest judging. £5 or FREE to enter, £5 for feedback from our readers. What's stopping you? details below

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It's sunny and the entries are rolling in for our Charity Flash Fiction Competition. You might as well join in! £170 in prizes, @judehwriter2.bsky.social guest judging, proceeds to @cftrustuk.bsky.social And you can get feedback from our superb readers for an extra £5. £5 or free to enter. Details⬇️

Holy moly it's Hump Day. Thank heavens. We'll be looking out for you at our free online writing retreat this Saturday, 10am-4pm GMT. Bring whatever project you like and drop in/out aorund your other commitments. Details and sign up are below

Jude Higgins everyone! What a legend of flash fiction. Please send her your stories. Our first entries are already in the pencilcase!

Jude Higgins@judehwriter2.bsky.social · 2y ago

Honoured to be judging! Send stories to make me laugh (or cry, if you must) or to marvel at Or all of these things together…

Happy Monday! For those feeling sad they're not writing today, worry not! We're hosting another free writing retreat on Saturday 28 March from 10am-4pm GMT. Grab yourself a spot - deatils and sign up are here forms.gle/GikDGYqY7A9M...

The Propelling Pencil Free Online Writing Retreat

Saturday 28th March 2025 10am-4pm GMT via Zoom Complete the form and put the date in your diary. We will email you the Zoom link before the workshop.

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Great news - our Spring Charity Flash Fiction competition is now OPEN! @judehwriter2.bsky.social is our Guest Judge and our charity for this round is @cftrustuk.bsky.social 500 words, £170 in prizes, deadline 27 April Details are here thepropellingpencil.com/spring-2025-... Send your best!

Final Call to sign up for our free writing retreat tomorrow on Zoom. We'll be scribing from 10am - 4pm with cheering encouragement from EIC and Creative Coach, Audrey Niven (me!) Sign yourselves up by 10pm this evening. thepropellingpencil.com/workshops-re...

Sorry Not been much on socials but next SATURDAY you can join us for our free online writing retreat. Bring any project you like. 10am check in, wrapping up at 4pm. It's magical - knowing others are in a zoom window focuses the writerly mind. Sign up here thepropellingpencil.com/workshops-re...

Three weeks today (how did that happen?) we'll be hosting our FEBRUARY FREE Online Writing Retreat. Pack your pencils, prep your project, daydream about the snacks you'll be earning and book yourself a space. Details are here. 15 Feb, 10am-4pm GMT thepropellingpencil.com/workshops-re...

Hello! We're back in action with a FREE online Writing Retreat on Saturday 15 Feb from 10am-4pm. Join us for a no-pressure, friendly-faced few hours of accountability and quiet companionship while you write your socks off. Details here thepropellingpencil.com/workshops-re...

Happy New Year, writer pals! Let's kick this thing off with our January retreats - online on 4 Jan and our first ever IN-PERSON Central London retreat on 18 Jan. All the details you need below. Write yourself the year you want!

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Exciting times ahead. You can now book your spot at our first IN PERSON writing retreat in Covent Garden on 18 January. And if that's not soon enough, you can join us for our next FREE online retreat on 4 January. All the info you need is here thepropellingpencil.com/workshops-re...

Hey writer buddies in London/London adjacent. We are hosting our first ever in-person writing retreat in Covent Garden on 18 Jan, 10am-4pm. Mark your calendars and stand by for booking info!

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Hello - in case we haven't made enough noise about this (we haven't made much at all, TBF) we are running a FREE online writing retreat Saturday 7 December 10am-4pm Info and sign-up details are here BYO writing materials, snacks, drinks, blankets. thepropellingpencil.com/workshops-re...

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Hot on the heels of Issue 2, we're thrilled to announce our first ever Pushcart Prize nominations. Congratulations @drewgum.bsky.social @jprelph.bsky.social @juliaruthsmith.bsky.social @judehwriter2.bsky.social Sue Pearson and Debbi Voisey (if they're here, pls tag them!)

What a delight - at the end of a difficult year - to publish Issue 2 of our journal, a selection of 9 shortlisted stories. These are our EIC, Audrey's, pick. We hope you enjoy them. thepropellingpencil.com/issue-two/

What a joy to host @stephaniecarty.bsky.social book launch for A Safe Place this evening. Thanks to everyone who came, to Stephanie for sharing so much valuable insight into her writing process and everyone who asked such great questions. You can buy your copy here www.amazon.co.uk/Safe-Place-B...

Sign-ups for our FREE Online Writing Retreat on Saturday 7 December 10am-4pm GMT are here. thepropellingpencil.com/workshops-re...

Hello to any and all who've followed us back after a bit of Flash/Short Fiction Starter Packing. We are small but mighty. We run a charity flash fiction competition twice a year and will be programming more journal issues in 2025. Watch out for our first ever nominations this week!

Hello - we're here and still over there, but hopefully mostly here! Please send your writerly friends our way for the following TREATS

Oh and if you're not coming to our helpful FREE flash fiction workshop to help you finesse a story for our charity competition - who even are you? Bag yourself a spot here thepropellingpencil.com/workshops/