Sahara De Ville, LISP 2025 Flash Fiction Finalist, 'Life Lessons from a Spider'

- When and how did you get into writing?

I always loved writing as a child and teenager but work and life took over for a few decades until I decided to return to literature and creative writing studies during covid. An unexpected love for the short story form developed and I was delighted to be shortlisted and receive an Honourable Mention for The 2025 Edinburgh Writing Awards for my flash piece “Press ‘2’ to Save” and win Andromeda’s General Fiction Award for “The Magpie.” I have several pieces being published in the new year including the “With Teeth Anthology” and “Write! Anthology”. I dabble in poetry and am currently working on my first novel and a short story collection. Being a finalist for LISP has ended my year on an inspired high.

- How often do you write? Do you have a writing routine? And what inspires you to write?

I write whenever I can. My brain is always percolating scenes and characters. I most enjoy the fact that everything inspires me, and I love letting my thoughts and ideas run away with me. That impulsivity isn’t great for structure though!  Routine is certainly not my forte. I think I do my best work between 1-4am. Ideas demanding to be written down usually spring as I’m trying to get to sleep.

- How does it feel to have your work recognised?

 It’s wonderfully affirming and encourages you to keep going. Keep improving.

- What's the best and most challenging thing about writing Flash Fiction?

 All writers are different and so I would say I struggle most with the structure, due to the way I think. I love language and loathe systematic processes, so I’m often working on several pieces at once and it’s easy to get overwhelmed and discouraged. The best thing is to read a sentence which you know you spent so long crafting to perfection that really delivers a penny drop moment or gut punch. That’s really satisfying.

-  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 have an outside writing shed (yes, like Roahl Dahl did) and so there's always plenty of spiders knitting away as I work and I often enjoy the distraction of watching them (I’m Australian, so I have zero fear of the UK’s spiders). Increased hostility towards immigrants alongside the genocide in Gaza were weighing so heavily for so long when this piece came about. I was consumed by how themes of difference and division (the them vs us mentality) were so rife. I believe we should celebrate diversity, we’re all part of the human race, so I was trying to knit some of my own threads of commonality between using the metaphor of something so ordinary as a spider, to speak about something far deeper and cast an alternative spotlight on it.

- Can you please give us a few tips about writing Flash Fiction?

 Feel. Then think. Then edit, edit. Leave it to sautee. Edit some more. Always read it out loud.

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

The best thing is the shared experience of waiting to hear back, competitions can really break up the hard yards of a bigger project, and you then get to read all these amazing pieces at the end as a celebration. The thrill of being shortlisted however, really is so exciting and validating. Being such solitary work, it’s always a huge boost of encouragement when you are recognised.  Sometimes that nod is exactly what is needed to break you out of a writing slump or a period of self doubt.

- Lastly, do you recommend the writers submit to LISP?

Absolutely. I am thrilled by the fact this little thought piece of mine made it through. It’s such an unexpected and lovely surprise to feel it made an impact somewhere along the way.