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It was never just work; it was truly about celebrating the diversity of South African voices.
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Stefaans Coetzee sent Joanne Hichens a number of questions.
Joanne Hichens, could you please introduce yourself in a few sentences for our readers?
I am an editor and writer. I live in Cape Town, in the surfing village of Muizenberg. I started the Short.Sharp.Stories Awards a decade ago – it’s hard to believe it’s been that long. I also teach writing, always learning myself. I see myself as a bit of a jack of all trades. I don’t stay in my lane, but that makes life rich.
What made you decide to start a short story competition, one which would result in anthologies?
At the time, I was writing crime fiction and had just had a novel published with a co-writer. It was the heyday of South African crime writing, and I thought it would be a great idea to get together a collection of short stories by these different crime voices. Bad company resulted, with contributors such as Deon Meyer, Margie Orford, Diale Tlholwe, Jassy Mackenzie, Jane Taylor and Meshack Masondo (the last two who have both sadly passed away). I was lucky enough, through contacts at International Thriller Writers, particularly David Hewson, to have Lee Child write a foreword as well as a blurb for the book: “They told me there were gold mines in South Africa. Look what just came out.”
I really enjoyed working with the writers and wanted to do another anthology. I had thrilled in getting stories in, with their different takes on crime and justice, as a reflection of the then new South Africa, and so the idea for Short.Sharp.Stories was born. The National Arts Festival agreed to fund the first anthology, as part of their ThinkFest; and so, with the support of the CEO, Tony Lankester, and the COO, Ismail Mahomed, we brought out our first anthology, Bloody satisfied (Mercury Press), in 2013. As another crime fiction collection, it was wildly popular and went into reprint.
And then came Adults only: Stories of love, lust, sex and sensuality (Mercury Press, 2014). The third was Incredible journey: Stories that move you (Mercury Press, 2015). The series was set on its trajectory.
Already in the second year of your competition, Short.Sharp.Stories walked away with a big prize (for Adults only) – did you expect that, and how did it make you feel?
It was indeed a fabulous surprise. Adults only was the NIHSS (National Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences) winner for Best Edited Collection 2017. South African publishers were willing to take risks at that stage that weren’t dared before, due to many years of publishing literature pertaining to the struggle and to apartheid. The fruit of this risk was reflected in the fact that the anthology won the prize. Crime fiction, erotica – it was all part of a burgeoning publishing industry, one that was willing to hear new voices and publish genre fiction that had previously been regarded as less legitimate. The event was held in the offices of the NIHSS; it was a modest affair – the NIHSS was just starting out, with Sarah Mosoetsa at the head.
I was thrilled and grateful, but even more grateful when Fluid won the prize in 2024 for Best Edited Collection. This was an acknowledgement that, as South Africans, we are willing to explore the difficult stories, the stories of our freedom – not only the political, but those of the personal and of gender. Fluid is one of my favourite collections to date, and working with Karina Szczurek was a joy. I think that what we both love about editing and publishing is ensuring that our writers’ work is polished – that they truly shine.
Some of the biggest names are judging your stories. How do you choose them? And do you think that contributes to the success of your competition?
We have had fabulous judges in the past. Judges have included Shubnum Kahn, John Maytham, Niq Mhlongo – it’s a long list of great names of writers and celebrities. I think that perhaps equally important are the writers who have written introductions to our collections: Deon Meyer penned the foreword for Bloody satisfied, calling the book uniquely South African. “These stories are inspired by our idiosyncrasies, our headlines, our fears, but above all, by the imaginations of seriously gifted writers.” This is true of all the collections, that they are enriching in their diversity. Each is indeed a snapshot of South Africa in the year of release.
A host of writers have thrown their weight at the project, which has been invaluable to its growth and evolution. Sindiwe Magona wrote the introduction for Incredible journey, and Yewande Omotoso for Trade secrets. Even Pieter-Dirk Uys came to the party with Die laughing.
However, recently, I have been taking on the job of the introductions myself, and for One life (Tattoo Press, 2024) and Power (Tattoo Press, 2025) the awards have been an in-house decision. We – the people involved, the readers and editors – feel that we know the stories best and are able to decide best. It’s all an evolving process, however.
Your themes are very diverse. How do you decide on them?
I discuss themes with close writer friends, but, in fact, I have a long list of ideas and themes for anthologies in my head. Something takes my fancy, and I imagine the kind of stories that could be written; and then I get excited, just wanting to read the entries and see how cleverly and differently the writers approach the theme. Partly, I wish I could do two anthologies a year, just because of the endless ideas in mind. Power seemed particularly relevant as a celebration of our 30-year democracy, and also our 15th anniversary of loadshedding – which may have eased, but has not stopped, and we are saddled with huge increases of electricity prices. I have a theme ready for the next collection. I can’t wait to announce it!
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I hope someone who reads this becomes the sugar daddy of this project.
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What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced in organising and running the competition, and how have you overcome them?
The biggest challenge is always funding. I believe in paying writers for their work, and so I need quite a large layout of funds in order to do so, and also to produce an anthology. The printing costs are high. Distributors earn a fee, as do booksellers, so the profits diminish with each aspect of the sales. I hope someone who reads this becomes the sugar daddy of this project. The National Arts Festival funded several editions, and the National Arts Council has funded a couple, too. For that I am truly grateful. However, I am always looking for ways to sell books and make a profit in that way.
On a personal level, the unexpected death of my husband was traumatic for me, and due to a sort of post-traumatic stress, I gave up the project for several years. But even as I mourned the passing of my husband, I mourned the loss of the project. I missed the interaction with authors, and I really felt that Short.Sharp.Stories played a role in South African literature. When the opportunity arose to start up again, I was relieved. Having the project back was like welcoming home an adult child. I really believe in the voices of South Africa. I think the project became personal to me. It was never just work; it was truly about celebrating the diversity of South African voices.
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I would really stress to writers – especially creative writers of fiction and also of creative nonfiction – to develop your voice, your style; don’t turn to AI to develop it for you. There is a wooden quality to this sort of prose that’s a bore to read.
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How do you prevent AI from entering your competition?
That is a difficult and relevant question. Difficult, because how can one ever know for sure? But I have noticed, this year in particular, with the entries for Power, a certain monotony and also a perfection to a number of the stories. For me, as a reader, I can almost gauge, on a gut level, when AI has been used or is indeed the author. There are no errors in the prose, there is no variation of the prose, and the texts feel monotonous, almost without energy. It’s like the stories are flatlining. I can see it being a real problem in the future. I would really stress to writers – especially creative writers of fiction and also of creative nonfiction – to develop your voice, your style; don’t turn to AI to develop it for you. There is a wooden quality to this sort of prose that’s a bore to read.
How has your competition grown over the decade? What kind of impact has the competition had on South African literature and writers?
The numbers of entries are consistent, without a lot of advertising. The project has stayed strong. I don’t think the impact can be quantified or measured. I hope that people have enjoyed the anthologies, and I believe it has offered writers a deadline and a theme to work towards. With nine volumes produced, and with a general number of 200 submissions per volume, that brings us to a rough total of 1 800 stories written by writers, with around 200 published. For me, it is really about our anthologies being part of the literary landscape, and celebrating our writers for authenticity and excellence.
We have, over the years, placed stories in other publications, and stories have been taught at various universities. Jarred Thompson’s “What we ride in on” was taught at the University of Pretoria, and Keith Oliver Lewis’s story “Blue Boy Lagoon” at North-West University. Several years ago, Lidudamalingani and Bongani were both nominated for the Cain Prize, and Lidudamalingani’s iconic story “Memories we lost” went on to win. The story has been translated into various languages, including, most recently, Japanese. And so the stories reach people in various ways. Other writers have gone on to have their stories produced as plays or movies.
The competition has been a step in the right direction for a number of writers. Working with editors, and getting their stories into print, is an invaluable experience that many writers grow from and use as a springboard into the next phase of their careers. Juliette Mnqeta debuted with her crime novel If the dead could talk, after being published in One life. Peter-Adrian Altini has twice been published in Short.Sharp.Stories. All these experiences grow a writer in their success. Writers become braver and take on the challenge of writing more stories and larger works – that is my hope and belief.
What do you see as the role of short story competitions in promoting South African literature?
The more, the merrier. The Can Themba Merit Award has just started up for emerging writers of the short story, with an emphasis on producing plays from the stories that make their top ten. Ivor Hartman has just started up an initiative called Zama Short, which publishes single short stories online. Another initiative, one that seems dormant for now but may start up again, is Short Story Day Africa, organised by Rachel Zadok – to give us a taste of what lies further than our borders. All of these initiatives shine the spotlight on South African and African short stories. The more competitions there are, the more opportunities exist for writers to practise their skills and write imaginative and compelling stories.
This also speaks to the popularity of the South African short story – that writers are keen to express themselves in this form, and are being rewarded for their efforts through publication and prize money, which all shows that the short story has a rosy future. That said, more readers need to engage – buy the books, read the stories, grow the love of short stories.
What are some of the most memorable stories or writers that have emerged from the competition?
This is like asking a mother which of her children is her favourite. It’s something one keeps to oneself, if there is a favourite. In this case, I can honestly say I don’t have stories in mind that are more memorable than others. Each story is unique. How can one compare? And yes, I know we choose winners, but there are various criteria for those stories – the level of skill, the “voice” that comes through, the expertise, the originality. I remember working with specific writers, and just like raising children, I am always thrilled to see them progress.
You are a successful writer yourself. When will you tackle something on your own again?
After the death of my husband, I wrote a memoir, Death and the after parties. I’m currently working on a second memoir. Then, I hope to get back to some crime fiction. My character Rae Valentine still, at times, begs me to take her on another romp. Whereas memoir means that I focus on my life, fiction takes me to crazy places in my mind; it’s a way to have fun with writing, and to use my imagination in a way that is creative and totally different from writing memoir.
Where can readers buy the collections?
One life and Power are currently available at Exclusive Books and other good bookstores, as well as directly from Tattoo Press via joanne.hichens@gmail.com. I have literally a few copies left of Trade secrets, Adults only and Incredible journey. So, if anyone wants copies, best you move fast!
What are some of your favourite South African short story writers?
Again, I don’t do favourites. I’m always on the lookout for new collections and am excited by the diversity. My shelf is overloaded with short story collections, South African and by overseas writers. Viva the short story!
What advice would you give to aspiring short story writers?
Read. Write. Read more short stories. Analyse what makes a short story successful. Apply the lessons in your own writing. Read more. Write more. Reading is the foundation of good writing. We need to understand what kind of stories excite us – in their content, in the way they are told, in the surprises the language delivers. Find a mentor or do a course – or a few. Get a writing group together to support you in this journey. Learn the specific skills of short story writing. Writing is not taking dictation from God. Nor is it a download from AI. Bleed, or dance, on the page. Connect to your core. Be dedicated to the process. The success of writing ultimately lies in rewriting and editing. You’ll learn along the way, and you’ll never stop learning.
See also:
Short.Sharp.Stories anthology Fluid: interview with KL Bohle, author of "My name is"
Short.Sharp.Stories anthology Fluid: interview with Vuyokazi Ngemntu, author of “Mirror, Mirror"
The post Stefaans Coetzee in conversation with Joanne Hichens first appeared on LitNet.
The post Stefaans Coetzee in conversation with Joanne Hichens appeared first on LitNet.