Build a Story from the Ground Up: Short Fiction Workshop

In this course, we will explore not only the craft elements that go into writing short stories, but also the artistic decisions made when shaping fiction.

Each week, students will submit 500 words of a story in progress, revising and incorporating the previous week’s submission as the work grows.

At the end of the quarter, each student will have a complete and polished draft.

We will explore how to transform experience into fiction by manipulating point of view, developing setting, and creating a “ticking clock,” or narrative shape.

We will also look at identifying important objects, images, or props within the story; finding the right age for our main character; creating binaries or opposing forces within a story; and upping tension and stakes to create the story arc.

We will read stories from masters who exemplify each craft point.

You’ll leave with a finished story and the tools to build new ones from the ground up.