Author Interview: Nik Perring

I'm thrilled to have author Nik Perring here today! Nik has recently released the short story collection Not So Perfect.

Having grown up reading Canadian short-story writers Alice Munro and Alistair MacLeod (The Lost Salt Gift of Blood is one of my all-time favourites), I've always been a massive fan of short stories.

Nik's success proves that publishers do embrace quirky and unique writers and that they are willing to publish talented writing (can writing be talented? hm). Read on to find out more!

You’ve gone from writing a children’s story to creating a collection of short stories. Talk us through that journey.

Thanks for having me here!

Um, I guess that’s quite a journey and one that, now I think about it, I was ALWAYS going to make. When I started writing fiction (c 2003) I wrote short stories. And not because I considered them to be easier to write than a novel, but because that length was what felt natural and comfortable.

After I’d had a few published I developed an interest in children’s literature and ended up writing a children’s book (again because that felt natural – I think there’s pattern developing here...!) which was published in 2006. What’s interesting to see now is that the children’s book isn’t so much a short novel but a series of linked short stories which just happen to be called chapters!

A year or so after the children’s book was published I returned to short stories. Again that felt the natural thing to do. And at some point in 2007 I discovered the short story collections Leading The Dance, by Sarah Salway; Willful Creatures, by Aimee Bender and The Bus Driver Who Wanted to be God by Etgar Keret – and in reading those I knew exactly what I needed to do: write the stories I always wanted to.

So I did. And here we are!

What is about the short story that makes it so appealing? Have you ever written (or would you ever write) a novel?

I say this a lot (so apologies to those I’ve taught or to those who’ve read me talking about this in other interviews): I firmly believe that stories are as long as they are. Some are long (ie novels) and some are short. The most important thing, as a writer, is to tell the story in the way it naturally should be told – and length is a big part of that.

So, yes, I wouldn’t not write a novel.

I must say though that I’m not sure I’d have the patience to write something so long. I do like that the first drafts of short stories can often be written very quickly (and yes, that’s forgetting the weeks of editing them to make them good!). Another thing I find appealing is that short stories tend to be about moments and they’re often as long as the moments they’re telling; and like those moments, which are often so short, they can, if done well, stay with you for a long, long time.

I know nothing about flash fiction. What is it? Why do you think it’s so ‘trendy’ right now?

That’s okay. We can still be friends! Flash fiction, or short-short stories are simply very short stories. They’ve been around for a long, long time (see: folk and fairytales and fables). Vonnegut wrote them, as did Hemingway. Kafka wrote some truly wonderful ones. O Henry did and Ray Bradbury did too. Among others.

I think the internet’s had a lot to do with their growth in popularity. They can be read quickly and for free which, I think, is a brilliant thing because it’s exposing people to them; and people have to read them to know if they like them or not. And it would appear that a lot of them do.

They’re also the perfect size for the way many of us live. They don’t take all that long to read so can be consumed on the go.

I like that they’re trendy – it’s not something I’m associated with very often at all!

You’ve done a great job promoting ‘Not So Perfect’. How do you balance that with your writing?

Thank you! Err, to be honest, I’ve not. Not really. I made the decision a while ago that when the book came out I’d take a break from writing so I could be available to promote it as best as I could. And I think that’s a good and healthy thing because it means I’m able to concentrate on answering fabulous questions like these without worrying or feeling guilty about neglecting this story or that. And as I’d been writing non-stop since 2007 I thought I was due a bit of a break!


What’s one thing you wished you knew about publishing before you got published?

That publishers are on your side. And that you really, truly, honestly CAN write the book you want to write.

I’ve seen so much bad advice over the years: ‘publishers don’t like books of xyz length’; ‘publishers don’t publish short story collections’; ‘publishers don’t like books written in the first person/present tense/about this, that or the other’ and mostly it’s utter nonsense.

Fact: publishers like good books because good books (usually) sell. So while it’s important to know the market, audience and the industry, the most important thing any aspiring writer needs to do is write a bloody good book – and be prepared to realise that that might take them a few attempts.

But yes, publishers DO love good books.

And finally: donuts or cupcakes (you must choose one!)!

Well, now – that IS a tough one. Depending on what was inside the donut (it’d have to be filled with something tasty) it’d be donuts every time. Though I must confess to being particularly partial to cookies and muffins. So, yes, donuts please – that’s very kind of you to offer.

And thanks so much for having me here!

Thank you, Nik! Nik has had a rather trying week, so please show him some comment love! :)

Nik Perring is a writer, and occasional teacher of writing, from the north west of England. His short stories have been published widely in places including SmokeLong Quarterly, 3 :AM and Word Riot. His debut collection of short stories, NOT SO PERFECT is published by Roast Books and is out now. Nik blogs here and his website is http://www.nperring.com/. Nik also tweets here.