The Forever Workshop

The Forever Workshop

Career

How a Wigleaf Top 50 Editor Really Chooses Stories

Q&A with Shome Dasgupta

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shome dasgupta and The Forever Workshop
Jul 02, 2026
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Hey there, welcome to The Forever Workshop.

First time? Read this.

Back again? Here’s what we’ve got for you today…

A workshop for:

Short fiction writers who dream of seeing their work in the Wigleaf Top 50 (and want to peek behind the curtain to find out how it all happens).

Your instructor:

Shome Dasgupta — former Wigleaf Top 50 series editor and author of 13 books

Takeaways:

  • How the Wigleaf Top 50 actually works, from reader nominations to the final shortlist

  • What one series editor looks for: opening lines, language, and rhythm—and why the first line isn’t a dealbreaker

  • What reading thousands of flash pieces taught Shome about his own writing

  • Why the Top 50’s annual release brings Shome to tears every year

Few people have seen the Wigleaf Top 50 from both sides. In this Q&A, Shome Dasgupta gives us a peek behind the curtain. You'll walk away with a clearer sense of what the selection process asks of a story, and what the literary community asks of all of us.

So, without further ado, over to Shome…

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A guest post by
shome dasgupta
Shome Dasgupta is the author of The Seagull And The Urn (HarperCollins India), and most recently, Cajun South Brown Folk (Belle Point Press). He lives in Lafayette, LA, and he is represented by Teffanie Thompson of Falkin Literary.
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