Last night I received a nice e-mail from Southport Writers’ Circle to tell me that my rather odd piece, “The Last Words of Emanuel Prettyjohn” had been commended in this year’s short story competition. I’m particularly pleased about this, as it is one of my oddest stories, but also one of my favourites, and it’s taken quite a few attempts to find someone out there who likes it.
If I’d been a judge, I would have been thinking nice things about that one just from the title.
That was exactly my intention! Titles are massively important, aren’t they? Get your title and the opening interesting and you’re already on your way.