Second Place: The Amazing Company by Kristen Gregg
Kristen Gregg (@kristeniswriting) is a living dichotomy: while she loves to write dark or sad fantasy, sci-fi, and experimental fiction, she will end every text with an exclamation point (or many). She honed her craft with a creative writing degree and now uses her word-magic in marketing at a university press.
What the Judges said:
“The corporate dystopian world you created and the disturbing story you wove through it left me haunted. I could not stop thinking about this story after I read it, and your first/last lines gave me full-body chills. Thank you for sharing this captivating short story with us!”
“I wanted this to be a full novel. The cutting satire, the subtle (and not so subtle) critique of the soul-sucking nature of modern day corporate work life… It was well done. Congrats!”
“Razor sharp dystopian satire that’s so relevant. Love the balance between existential horror and workplace mundanity - darkly comedic and deeply unsettling.”
“Haunting and brilliantly written - amazing story.”
A Chat with the Author:
Tell us a little about your writing background. How long have you been writing? What inspired you to start? What challenges have you faced along the way?
I’ve been writing ever since I sat down at a computer! I’ve always loved the idea of creating something from nothing and was certainly the child who loved to daydream. My writing path has oscillated between creating short stories and novels, and it has been full of pitstops (though perhaps they’re more aptly named “reading-stops”). I’d often lose motivation to write when I didn’t have an idea in mind, but after reading a book or five (and finding a particularly good song), I’ve always found my way back to writing.
How did you come up with the idea for this story?
I actually first wrote this story a few years ago, where I had wondered how workplaces would treat the idea of reanimation. This story always sat on the edge of my mind with a quiet insistence on being revisited, especially whenever I read news about strikes or certain workplace conditions. The chilling images of Benny’s reanimations, which were also the first scenes that inspired me, brought me back to this piece.
What is your writing process like?
While I don’t typically outline, this is a story I knew the ending before the start (even before the requirement of the first line being the same as the last). It was the twists and turns of the in between and leaning into the tension of Benny’s psyche that helped me find the next scene. It also was helpful to get others’ eyes on it, and hear what parts were more believable than others – I love using feedback to see if my writing is achieving the feelings I want to evoke in my readers.
Where can readers find more of your work?
They can find me on Instagram at @Kristeniswriting, which is where I post all of my writing updates and connect with the book community!
What advice would you give writers on writing a great short story?
Tension is everything – if there is an image that makes your muscles clench or your stomach turn every time you think of it, that is definitely the right direction. Every story needs its conflict, but playing with tension even when the conflict is not so forthcoming is where you can hold a reader’s engagement and let your style shine!
