GALLEY BEGGAR PRESS SHORT STORY PRIZE 2021/22

Our 2021/22 shortlist.

WE ARE DELIGHTED to present the shortlist for the 2021/2022 Galley Beggar Press Short Story Prize.

The quality of submissions was extremely high this year – and before we get to the three chosen stories, we need to say a word about how excellent every single story on our longlist was, and just how hard it was to narrow the selection down to three stories. The shortlist meeting with our judges was wide-ranging, vibrant and intense – and we hope that every writer on the list can take great pride from just how difficult we found the decision-making, and from being part of a longlist of such breadth and excellence. It’s been exciting for us to come across so many new talents, and we are looking forward to hearing more from the writers on this year’s Prize – and, of course, seeing them flourish. We’re grateful to them for entering our competition.

Talking of gratitude, we’re also extremely glad to have had such fantastic judges this year. It’s thanks to their wisdom, insight, careful consideration – and their wonderful ability to listen to each other – that we have now have the Prize’s 2021/22 shortlist. Here’s what they say about the stories.

Erica Wagner on manish chauhan’s ‘The Tree Wife’

“In just a few thousand words, Manish Chauhan builds a whole world, creates entire lives, tracing Sima’s relationships with her family, with her lover, with her cultures, with nature – and the ecological crisis that confronts us all. Yet nothing is heavy-handed, and realism and a little magic blend seamlessly. What a privilege to read and be able to recognize work such as this.” 

—You can read ‘The Tree Wife’ here and our interview with Manish here.

John Self on gurnaik johal’s ‘Arrival’

“‘Arrival’ is an exquisite jewel of a story, both compact and generous. In just 1500 words, Gurnaik Johal creates a funny, surprising world that achieves a rare feat: it leaves you wanting more, while being completely satisfying.”

—You can read ‘Arrival’ here and our interview with Gurnaik here.

Isha Karki on ‘You And The Girls’

“The stripped back language of ‘You and the Girls’, its almost hypnotic repetition, draws you into the complexities of group dynamics, of performing girlhood, desire and sex, class and wealth. Deeply unsettling, the distance created between readers and the main character at the end will haunt you long after. Mathilde Merouani tells a story that is pitch perfect and incredibly powerful.”

—You can read ‘You and the Girls’ here and our interview with Mathilde here.

… Three superbly gifted writers, three exceptional stories. Now we just have the difficult/ next-to-impossible job of deciding the winner.