Writing Short Fiction Workshop

Use your own experience as fuel for the creation of dynamic short fiction.

One of the oldest writing adages is “write what you know,” because great fiction tends to draw on the author’s own life to offer readers that sparkle of the real. Information that the author knows deeply helps invite us into the stories that stick with us long after we’ve finished reading.

But this is easier said than done. We know our days and lives as we experience them-lots to do, lots of routine, punctuated by the occasional high and the occasional low. How do we use our own experiences to create short fiction that captivates?

This course explores answers to that question. Together, we’ll read short fiction by amazing authors like Amy Hempel, Lucia Berlin, Sterling HolyWhiteMountain and Raymond Carver, with an eye towards finding tools and strategies to transmute events from our own lives into vivid short stories. We’ll hold craft talks, engage in informal workshopping, and do our own writing. You’ll leave our three days together with stories you’re excited to share and continue working on. We’ll also discuss the publication process, and how you can cultivate a writing community and a strong writing practice wherever you’re at in your writing journey. All writing levels are welcome!