Seán McNicholl, London Independent Story Prize 3rd Round 2024 Flash Fiction Finalist, 'Crossing the Ruse-i-con'

London Independent Story Prize 3rd Round 2024 Flash Fiction Finalist, 'Crossing the Ruse-i-con' Seán McNicholl

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

I am a GP from County Armagh in Ireland, who is  lucky enough to be married to the most incredible and supported woman. She has blessed me with two daughters.

- When and how did you get into writing?

I started writing in 2022 and was immediately bitten by the bug, and haven’t stopped since!

I have been fortunate to have over thirty stories published in a variety of magazines, including Intrepidus Ink, Belfast Review, Raw Lit, Frazzled Lit and Beyond Words, amongst others. I have also been lucky to have been twice nominated for the Pushcart Prize, as well as Best of the Net 2024 and Best Microfiction 2025.

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

I try to scope out time every day for writing, which isn’t easy with a busy schedule.

Unfortunately I’m a night owl, and my creative brain kicks into gear around 11pm. I have tried writing first thing in the morning however I ended up writing utter gibberish!  I think it’s very useful to be aware of when you’re most creative and to maximise that time, as best you can.

I can’t say what inspires me to write, but it’s something I feel I need to do - to get something out of me and into the real word, to make the internal real and tangible.

- How does it feel to have your work recognised?

Whilst recognition is not why I write, it’s a phenomenal bonus! To know something you’ve created has resonated with another person, moved them in someway, is both humbling and gratifying. And it is something I will never get used to.

To have made it to a finalist position in LISP is a very special feeling, have the piece published is just icing on the cake!

- What's the best and most challenging thing about writing a Story?

The best thing about writing a story, for me, is completing it - having a piece of work that you have created, completed, and ready to go. (However, I don’t believe a story is even truly complete!)

I find the most challenging thing about writing a story is knowing when it’s finished, when the editing it done, when the tinkering can stop!

-  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?

My LISP story was originally written for a different flash competition which had to be based on a prison-break.

I had been listening to Parklife by Blur, and was admiring the opening lyric and decided to just write “confidence is a preference” on the page. Before I knew it the whole flash piece had come tumbling out, and was finished within about twenty minutes, which isn’t the norm! The rest of the work was tweaking lines for flow, but the bones and bulk of the story was completed in those twenty minutes.

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

The only tip I have is this: WRITE THE STORY!

Put words on paper. It doesn’t matter if the first draft is rambling, it doesn’t matter if the first draft is dull, it doesn't matter if the first draft doesn’t make sense!

All that can’t be fixed and edited. But you can’t edit what isn’t there.

So write the story.

Believe in yourself, trust yourself, and write.

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

Absolutely!

LISP have been fantastically supportive, and really care about writers. Their prestige precedes them, but doesn’t hinder them, and they do their best to promote writers.

Such a wonderful crowd to be associated with!