Joe Wedgbury, London Independent Story Prize 3rd Round 2024 Short Story Finalist, 'Where the Light Had Once Been'

London Independent Story Prize 3rd Round 2024 Short Story Finalist, 'Where the Light Had Once Been', Joe Wedgbury

Can you please tell us about you and your daily life?

I grew up in the Midlands, and I’ve been living in Bristol for the last decade, where I work in children’s social care.

Much of my free time is dedicated to sitting, idling, looking out of the window. I like to think that indolence makes room for a certain kind of contemplation - that's probably not as true as I’d like it to be, but it’s a comforting thought.

When and how did you get into writing?

I'd struggle to remember exactly. One thing that sticks out is the first time I read Killing Yourself to Live by Chuck Klosterman. I was probably 14 or 15. If you haven’t read it, it’s not unlike On the Road - only if Kerouac had idolised Van Halen instead of George Shearing. I think it was the first book that got its hooks into me in a way that made me think ‘Okay, that's how it's done - maybe I could do that’.

How often do you write? Do you have a writing routine?

I like to start early, around 5am. There’s a strange advantage to being awake before anyone else – it feels like you can sneak up on things more carefully. It takes the pressure off, somehow. 

I’m not too precious about hitting a word count, but if I can get two or three pages in before I go to work, then I’ll feel pretty easy for the rest of the day. I like to quit while I’m ahead, too - if I’ve got a good place to jump in from on the following day, all the better.

And what inspires you to write?

I’m never really sure if it’s inspiration or compulsion. I’ll feel better if I write and anxious if I don’t. So that’s a driving force in itself. But I’m curious about people and I think that helps. I like to know what they’re up to, what they think, how they might behave behind closed doors. It’s like coming home at 2am and seeing your neighbours’ light is still on - you want to look through their windows, see how they’re living.

How does it feel to have your work recognised?

It goes a long way to making you feel better about that stack of rejection letters. Even when you’ve embraced the reality that rejection is an inescapable and necessary part of writing, it’s hard to silence ego and self-doubt entirely. And recognition can shield you for a long time. It’s heartwarming. I think everyone who tries their hand at this deserves the experience at least once.

What's the most challenging thing about writing a short story?

Recognising when to stop can be a challenge. You don’t always know when a story is finished, and the answer is almost certainly going to be ‘never’. There will always be a thread to cut, a hole to patch, and these things are often only noticeable with a shift in time and perspective. It’s the difference between recognising your work as good, and good enough. You have to be comfortable in knowing when to put something out in the sun to dry.

How did you develop the idea for your LISP-selected story? Is there a story behind your story? And, how long have you been working on it?

I think I had the opening line worked into a poem from 6 or 7 years ago before I wrote the story. I’d struggle to remember how the story formed around it. The characters are all taken from real people, in part at least. I like to write about folks whose flaws are a little less concealed - you can take those blemishes and nurture them, stretch them, make them a little more monstrous. It’s nice to get inside the head of a lunatic, sometimes. I suppose more than anything the story is about trauma and that when it comes to living with it, there's more than one way to shake a carbuncle.

Can you please give us a few tips about writing a short story?

Learn to accept that the first draft of anything is going to be flawed – terrible, even. If you can do that, it kills your inhibition. Writing a first draft is like digging up ugly hunks of clay; you can sculpt them into something pretty later on, but for the time, just keep digging.

What's the best thing and the most challenging thing about competitions?

I’m one of those people who benefits from a deadline. I can be lazy to the point of slobbishness, so it’s a good thing to have a fire lit beneath me every once in a while.

As for challenges, I think the financial aspect can be a disadvantage for many people. But there are some great competitions out there that subsidise or waive entry fees for low income writers. Places tend to be limited, so you have to stay organised and act fast, but it’s good to know that there are systems out there to level the playing field a little.  

Lastly, do you recommend that writers submit to LISP?

I do. What’s most interesting about LISP is the measures they take to promote and publicise all of their finalists, as well as the overall winners. I haven’t seen much of that before. Writers are competitive, but it’s reassuring to know that organisations like LISP do their part in fostering a sense of community. I’d like to thank them for this kind opportunity.