Judge David Rawlings’ comments on the winning stories

Today we bring you the 2021 winning stories in the Short category (500 words or less) and the comments of our 2021 judge David Rawlings. (Psst…less than two weeks to Feedback Month!)

First: My Shadow by Ruth C Hall

A real window into a topic that carries the silent echo of taboo more than it should. Powerful writing.

Second: Just in Time by Colleen Russell

Lovely use of style in dialogue. A real insight into painting characters through how they speak. 

Third: Lessons from Toilet Training by Dienece Darling

Wonderful use of descriptive language to flesh out a short story without bulging the boundary of the word count.