In 2024 SmokeLong hosted our second SmokeLong Workshop Prize competition. Our workshop participants reported almost 300 publications to us before November 1, 2024. In 2025, we’ll be featuring one writer each week from The SmokeLong Workshop Prize long list. It’s an excellent series of interviews, each grappling with questions about workshopping, giving and receiving feedback, and the publication process. If you are a previous or current SmokeLong workshop participant and you have ultimately published something you began in a SmokeLong workshop, remember to enter The SmokeLong Workshop Prize competition. This free-to-enter competition is on our Submittable page.
__________________________
An Interview with Frances Gapper — “How to Adjust to Losing Your Hair” in Splonk
What do you remember about the workshop where you wrote this story? What was the prompt or writing task that led to this story?
It was written during The Smokey Winter Fête, a workshop that lived up to its magical, mystical name. As well as gathering around bonfires, enjoying the performances (including a stand-up squirrel), eating vegan hotdogs and smoking questionable (but probably less harmful than tobacco) substances, people were writing beautiful, amazing stories. Writing task: Christopher Allen’s ‘Drafting from Experience’.
Peer-review feedback is always full of surprises. In general, what kind of feedback do you find helpful? What kind of feedback do you find less helpful?
Helpful: sensitive and intelligent feedback. Less helpful: bossy feedback.
To how many places did you send this story? Can you tell us a little about its journey to publication?
As soon as I’d finished writing and workshopping the story, I sent it to Splonk. I love Splonk! EIC Nuala O’Connor made a few line-edits and it was published in their Fifth Anniversary edition. If only all submission journeys were this easy.
Other members of my SmokeLong workshop small group liked the line ‘Keep thinking you’re being haunted by Diana Princess of Wales,’ so I thought a picture of the wig in question (the Amore Harvest Gold) on its empty-headed stand might go well with the story. Nuala welcomed this suggestion – in fact she’d had the same idea herself already.
What is your advice to someone considering taking part in a peer-review workshop
Can you give helpful and encouraging feedback? Are you able to remain calm and polite? Do you need some friendly warmth and support?
Read“How to Adjust to Losing Your Hair” in Splonk.
_______________________________
Frances Gapper’s stories have been published in four Best Microfiction anthologies and online in lit mags including Atlas and Alice, trampset, South Florida Poetry Journal, Splonk, wigleaf, New Flash Fiction Review, Gooseberry Pie, Forge and Literary Namjooning. She lives in the UK’s Black Country region with her partner, next door’s cat and a storm-damaged cedar.
