Brian Lockwood - First Place, Magicfest 2026

We interviewed the Magicfest First Place Overall winner, Brian Lockwood!

WW: What encouraged you to participate in Magicfest?

BL: I submitted pieces for the Writer's Games in two different years. I enjoyed the challenge, but weekends are a difficult time for me to find time to write. All-day or out-of-town plans can develop fast, and I didn't want to abandon premium family time for the sake of the Games. When Magicfest was announced as a competition that took place during the week, I was excited by the opportunity to really focus on quality rather than slap something together I wasn't all that proud of. I believe that shows in these works. I was confident that this time I was able to really smooth out details and give each story the attention it deserved.

WW: What were you worried or nervous about in the beginning?

BL: Since I had more time for Magicfest than I do during the Games, for me it was about finding typos after the fact. I was also worried I hadn't done "enough" when it came to expressing a character or concept to the judges' satisfaction. That self-conscious worry evaporated after placing third in Event two. I thought "oh, even with these mistakes I can still place in the top five?" That made me a lot more confident to stop second guessing my technique and focus on story.

WW: How did life's challenges affect your writing?

BL: The difference is really subject matter. In my high school days, it was about high adventure and grand worlds. Whether it was magic or starships, I reveled in showing talented and confident heroes pit themselves against the dangerous villains. As I became more seasoned as a person I noticed a shift in focus. The inner battles of my characters became just as important as the outer obstacles to overcome, and sometimes more difficult. The lens zoomed in on individuals rather than the world-sized scale. I also discovered my lead characters aged with me, which came as a surprise. It taught me that even older people and characters still have plenty to learn and grow through, and weren't just there to encourage young heroes. I feel now that I can give well-rounded characters of many ages and backgrounds, which in retrospect is only natural.

WW: Which Event did you have the most fun with?

BL: The first Event, aptly named "Choose Your Adventure," allowed me to literally choose my own set of prompts. Throughout the Writer's Games I enjoyed the prompts I was given but there was always a defined goal while including certain elements. This time, my own choice of elements allowed me to define a goal for myself. It felt like more of a "hands off" prompt and I relished the opportunity to try and surprise the judges. On top of that, I was excited that the stories for this particular Event could be vastly different from one another, giving the illusion that there was almost no prompt at all. We all had the opportunity to feel unique. Of all the prompts I've gotten through The Writer's Games and Magicfest, here I felt I had the most freedom to explore and show what I could create with little guidance.

WW: Which Event was more challenging for you?

BL: The final Event, "Surviving Alone," hinged on the idea that the main character is avoiding love. As I imagine many of the participants did, I instinctively gravitated to romantic love. I have little practice writing romance and was not sure I could pull it off. Then the phrase "a form of love" jumped out at me and I realized I could use love of another kind. Once that clicked I felt much more confident in my attempt. For this one, I also set myself some personal challenges; I wanted my main character to have no magical talent of their own, to surprise the reader with non-romantic love being the endpoint, and to shift out of my go-to style of first-person narration. I even changed between two different narrators, which for short stories is something I've never attempted due to the necessity of focusing on a single concept. Lastly, I started with the goal of having it be a comedy. I didn't wind up writing a knee-slapper but it did come out light-hearted and meaningful in ways I didn't expect.

WW: What inspires you?

BL: In my opinion this question can be put right alongside "what do you want for dinner?" Like food, inspiration comes in different flavors and on some days we crave pizza despite mom's home-cooked meal being right in front of us. What inspires me one day could give me absolutely no drive on another. Or heartburn. In general, however, I can usually trace key elements for what I want in a story back to the wonder of space and magic. Exploring a setting and how my characters react within it has always been at the core of my work. Short fiction has allowed me to challenge myself to find the key details within characters rather than spend all my time coming up with a world. And really, what good is a world without people in it we can love and root for?  

WW: What advice would you give to writers?

BL: Find the form you're most confident with first. I went to college because I wanted to write novels. I wound up excelling in writing plays instead because dialogue is my biggest strength. Work within what you feel you can already do well, then set challenges to yourself, expanding beyond your comfort zone one story at a time. Short fiction is an excellent way to test yourself because with such a small amount of words to get your point across, you can focus on exactly what you want to do and not be distracted by what you think you should have. It's excellent for in-depth character work, fine tuning a key concept, and even testing ideas that you might insert into a larger work later. Also, never write with a thesaurus next to you. You'll get so distracted by trying to make all your words be more complex that you'll lose sight of the natural flow of your story. You can always go back and "thesaurusize" it later when you do editing. Lastly, always be willing to accept help. There's a certain pride in knowing the whole story came from you, but never trade that pride for your sanity. If you're stuck, realize that you're stuck and ask for fresh perspectives.

Responses are published as received.

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About Brian Lockwood:

Brian is a graduate of SUNY Oswego's creative writing program. He has been active within the Twitch writing community for the past six years, and participated in the 2021 and 2025 Writer's Games. Growing up in a theatrical family has given him an excellent ear for dialogue, and he hopes to pursue publishing novels within the science-fiction and fantasy genres.