short stories

All short stories Posts

No kite flying allowed here

Writing Prompt March 9, 2018

Story Starter: No Kite Flying!

Writing Prompt March 2, 2018

Story Starter: Jet Plane

A graffiti portrait of Kengo Kuma.

Writing Prompt February 16, 2018

Story Starter: Graffiti Art

Writing Tools: where do you find inspiration

Writing Tools February 8, 2018

Writing Tools: Inspiration

Jill Finlay moving out of Fiction Ed role

Fiction Ed's Blog January 22, 2018

Behind The Scenes: About The Weekly News

Triple tracks in snow

Fiction Ed's Blog January 19, 2018

Story Starter: Snow Tracks

Happy Hogmanay by Eirin Thompson

This Week's Issue December 27, 2017

Fiction Sneak Peek: Dec. 30, 2017 issue

Christmas wassailing in Blessing The Apple Trees

This Week's Issue December 12, 2017

Fiction Sneak Peek: Dec. 16, 2017 issue

Completely Crackers

This Week's Issue December 5, 2017

Fiction Sneak Peek: Dec. 9, 2017 issue

Genevieve and Axel meet in Berlin at the Christmas market.

This Week's Issue November 28, 2017

Fiction Sneak Peek: Dec. 2, 2017 issue

Little black dresses

Writing Prompt November 24, 2017

Story Starter: Party Dresses

Bagging a Black Friday bargain

This Week's Issue November 21, 2017

Fiction Sneak Peek: Nov. 25, 2017 issue

Community Spirit by Marianne Harman celebrates National Short Story Week

This Week's Issue November 14, 2017

Fiction Sneak Peek: November 18, 2017 issue

Friends form Bull Ring Buskers

This Week's Issue October 31, 2017

Fiction Sneak Peek: Nov. 4, 2017 issue

Rooms To Let

Writing Prompt October 27, 2017

Story Starter: Rooms To Let

This ornate ceiling caught my eye.

Writing Prompt October 20, 2017

Story Starter: Looking Up

Mr & Mrs Carnation, well named garden experts!

This Week's Issue October 17, 2017

Fiction Sneak Peek: October 21, 2017 issue

Waiting for a train

Writing Prompt October 13, 2017

Story Starter: I’m On The Train – Or Not

It's the road to freedom for Elisabetta in autumn.

This Week's Issue October 3, 2017

Fiction Sneak Peek: Oct. 7, 2017 issue

Exotic birds of Fuerteventura

Writing Prompt September 29, 2017

Story Starter: Exotic Birds

Word counts explained.

Fiction Ed's Blog September 27, 2017

Behind The Scenes: About Word Counts

What stories could this house tell?

Writing Prompt September 22, 2017

Story Starter: Smithy House

Edinburgh, home to Edinburgh Writers' Club

Fiction Ed's Blog September 11, 2017

Celebrating With Edinburgh Writers’ Club

Writing Prompt September 8, 2017

Story Starter: Nothing Happened Here…

Boy on a tightrope.

Writing Prompt September 1, 2017

Story Starter: Tightrope

novel

Fiction August 25, 2017

The Writing Bug

What is your story. daily serials

Fiction August 24, 2017

Delving Into Daily Serials

editors diary

Fiction Ed's Blog August 21, 2017

Story Writing Workshops – Autumn 2017

All aboard the Royal Scotsman.

Writing Prompt August 4, 2017

Story Starter: The Royal Scotsman

The cruise is booked and Janette's friend has dumped her!

This Week's Issue August 1, 2017

Fiction Sneak Peek: August 5, 2017 issue

No excuse for this photo not offering inspiration.

Writing Prompt July 29, 2017

Story Starter: Delft Blue

A snake reaers up in some luscious woodland.

Writing Prompt July 7, 2017

Story Starter: Snake In The Grass

Cactus in flower

Writing Prompt June 23, 2017

Story Starter: Cactus In Flower

The People's Friend Presents Comic Capers by Mary Kettlewell

Audio May 31, 2017

The People’s Friend Presents… Comic Capers

Daisy and her dad go well-dressing.

This Week's Issue May 30, 2017

Fiction Sneak Peek: June 3, 2017 issue

Happy Days At The Criterion

This Week's Issue May 23, 2017

Fiction Sneak Peek: May 27, 2017 issue

Autumn apples and Easter hot cross buns. How odd!

Writing Prompt May 19, 2017

Story Starter: Windfall Apples

Is he husband material?

This Week's Issue May 16, 2017

Fiction Sneak Peek: May 20, 2017 Issue

Story starter image

Writing Prompt May 12, 2017

Story Starter: Sightseeing In Southampton

Newctke's iconic bridge

Fiction Ed's Blog April 26, 2017

Sightseeing in Newcastle

This Week's Issue April 25, 2017

Fiction Sneak Peek: April 29, 2017 issue

Boy In Striped Suit

Writing Prompt April 14, 2017

Story Starter: Boy In Striped Suit

This illustration has a story behind it.

This Week's Issue April 11, 2017

Fiction Sneak Peek, April 15, 2017 issue

Writing Prompt April 7, 2017

Story Starter: Coffee Or Tea?

A drama set in the 19th Century.

This Week's Issue April 4, 2017

Fiction Sneak Peek, April 8, 2017 issue

Perhaps thios pic prompts a story idea.

Writing Prompt March 31, 2017

Story Starter: Bucket & Spade

Snapshot of a modern family.

This Week's Issue March 28, 2017

Fiction Sneak Peek, April 1, 2017 issue

The People's Friend Presents... Going For Gold by Patricia Clark

Audio March 22, 2017

The People’s Friend Presents… Going For Gold

Will it be a happy ending for our book lovers?

This Week's Issue March 21, 2017

Fiction Sneak Peek: March 25, 2017 issue

Book titles can provide inspiration.

Writing Prompt March 17, 2017

Story Starter: Book Titles

Our land girls serial drama.

This Week's Issue March 14, 2017

Fiction Sneak Peek: March 18, 2017 issue

Writing Prompt March 10, 2017

Story Starter: Bins!

Sarah Holliday makes her People's Friend illustrations debut!

This Week's Issue February 28, 2017

Fiction Sneak Peek: March 4, 2017 issue

Magdalen Green bandstand, Dundee.

Writing Prompt February 24, 2017

Story Starter: Bandstand

This Week's Issue February 21, 2017

Fiction Sneak Peek: Feb 25, 2017 issue

Our latest issue, first story illustration.

This Week's Issue February 14, 2017

Fiction Sneak Peek: Feb 18, 2017 issue

Team Blog February 13, 2017

Creating A Successful Short Story

Writing Prompt February 10, 2017

Story Starter: Corner Shop Till

After so many years, Lynne meets Sean again. Will the St Valentine Day spell strike?

This Week's Issue February 7, 2017

Fiction Sneak Peek: Feb 11, 2017 issue

Serial illustration shows land girls Phylly and Gracie.

This Week's Issue January 31, 2017

Fiction Sneak Peek: Feb 4, 2017 issue

Who can resist gorgeous Alsatian Arnie?

This Week's Issue January 24, 2017

Fiction Sneak Peek: Jan 28, 2017 issue

Thatcher at work.

Writing Prompt January 20, 2017

Story Starter: Thatcher At Work

The People's Friend Presents... Making A Scene by Kate Blackadder

Audio January 18, 2017

The People’s Friend Presents… Making A Scene

Shoe tree with a difference!

Writing Prompt January 13, 2017

Story Starter: Shoe Tree

This scene from the story shows Nick, with Freya and her mum.

This Week's Issue January 10, 2017

Fiction Sneak Peek, Jan 14, 2017 Issue

Carrie reads a letter from her younger self.

This Week's Issue January 3, 2017

Fiction Sneak Peek, Jan 7, 2017 Issue

What might your New Year Resolution be?

Writing Prompt December 30, 2016

Story Starter: Shop Window & New Year Resolutions

The People's Friend Presents Out Of The Dark by Wendy Clarke

Audio December 28, 2016

The People’s Friend Presents… Out Of The Dark

The People's Friend Presents Let Nothing You Dismay by Pamela Kavanagh

Audio December 21, 2016

The People’s Friend Presents… Let Nothing You Dismay

People's Friend Presents Journey's End by Teresa Ashby

Audio December 14, 2016

The People’s Friend Presents… Journey’s End