I’m teaching an online Intro Fiction class this fall at StoryStudio and you should definitely sign-up! We will read brilliant, masterful short stories and rob them of every good technique we possibly can. This is a great class for anyone who has been wanting to write fiction for a while but doesn’t know where to start, or for fiction writers who’d like to brush up on the foundations. Register here. Below is the full description.
You have a story you want to tell, but what exactly makes a compelling story? In this five-week workshop with acclaimed short story writer Sarah Kokernot, you’ll learn the building blocks of writing fiction: character, conflict and plot, dialogue, and point of view. We’ll examine stories that teach us the rules, and stories that teach us how to bend them. By the end of class, students will have one or more stories in development.
Each class session will involve writing exercises and outside readings. Some writing assignments will be peer-reviewed and all assignments will receive instructor feedback. Out-of-class readings will include works by Alice Munro, Jorge Luis Borges, ZZ Packer, Katherine Anne Porter, Clarice Lispector, Anton Checkhov, and Jhumpa Lahiri.
Week 1: Who’s This? Get to know your characters and their world through empathetic and playful writing exercises.
Week 2: What Happens Next? Build conflict and find your story’s beginning, middle, and end.
Week 3: Tell Me About It. Write dialogue that reveals character and energizes your narrative.
Week 4: Out Here, In There. Find a point of view that allows for just the right amount of distance.
Week 5: Everyone Has An Opinion. Receive positive, constructive peer feedback on your work and learn strategies on how to integrate feedback into revision.
This class is open to all genres but readings will focus on literary fiction. Sign-up at StoryStudio.
NOTE: New materials become available each week on Tuesday, but lessons can be completed any time during the week. You do not need to be online at a certain time/date.