The Society Celebrates 20 Years

In the first week of April 1996, the members of shortmystery-l-digest voted to become the Short Mystery Fiction Society, with goals of better representing mystery & crime short stories in the public eye.


In honor of the Society's establishment and our twenty years increasing publication and regard for the form, President Jan Christensen has invited members' reflections on joining the Society and why they've remained members and fans of the form.

Jan herself writes:

I've been a member of the Short Mystery Fiction Society since 1999, and it has helped me in the past and continues to help me a lot with my writing career.

If you like to write short mystery fiction stories, there’s no better group around for all kinds of advice, encouragement, and marketing news.

The group is made up of beginning writers, writers who have published a few stories, and many who have published quite a few stories. We discuss reading, writing, especially short storiesm, of course, mysteries, getting published, and sometimes branch out into other areas of interest to the group.

Some of our best discussion, I think, is about the craft of writing short stories. Especially the mysterious kind. We talk about technique, building characters, grammar, point of view, plotting, and many other topics.

We also share our triumphs (getting published and where), new markets, award opportunities and those given out.

You'll get to "talk" to writers who will become very well known to you over time. We have our own "characters" in the group, and reading what they have to say is always fascinating to me.

You'll be able to be part of the Derringer Awards process—submitting your own or someone else's short stories, perhaps judging, then reading the finalists' stories and voting for the winners.

I joined back in 1999, and quickly felt at home. I know you will, too.

Why not give us a try?


Current Society president Jan Christensen has had over sixty short stories, mostly mysteries, published over the years since just before she joined the group. The encouragement and knowledge she's found here is a big part of her success. Visit her website: www.janchristensen.com

Join the celebration: Email G_SO at YAHOO dot COM the text and links to be included in your blog post.