The Writing Life Writing a short story collection with Jo Lloyd + Norfolk & Norwich Festival!
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Apr 23, 2021 Jo Lloyd, BBC Short Story Award winner, discusses challenges of crafting a short story collection, US vs. UK markets, and her preference for editing. Also, explores upcoming City of Literature events at Norfolk & Norwich Festival, featuring free online experiences and creative collaborations.
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Alternating Periods Create A Questing Thread
- Jo Lloyd's collection alternates between historical and contemporary settings to create a recurring quest theme across disparate stories.
- The title reclaims an 18th-century extractive mindset, reframing 'the earth thy great exchequer' as fragile and ethically contested in modern context.
Begin With Short Stories For Manageable Progress
- Start with short stories because they're manageable when a novel feels overwhelming; the form builds skill and confidence.
- Jo began with short fiction as a practical entry point and later fell in love with its intensity and precision.
Section Breaks Let Stories Leap Without Losing Momentum
- Jo uses sectional breaks because she gets bored moving characters through conventional transitions and wants swift shifts in place and tone.
- The breaks preserve momentum while allowing quick jumps across time, voice, and perspective.