The best short stories are ones that, once finished, linger long in the reader’s mind. How can you achieve that in just a few pages? Short stories offer the writer huge creative freedoms but also require discipline and precision. Less can mean more. Together we’ll explore the fundamentals of great story writing: finding ideas, plotting, narrative structure, three-dimensional characters, how to edit and how to end. For inspiration, we’ll look at the work of great short story writers of recent times, including Amy Hempel, Alice Munro, and Joyce Carol Oates. By the end of the week you’ll be writing stories that hook your readers from the opening line. The course will be composed of morning workshops, both practical and creative, and one-to-one sessions with the tutors in the afternoons, as well as plenty of free time for your own writing. A showcase on the final night will present the opportunity to share your work with your tutors and peers, in a fun and supportive atmosphere.

For more information on tickets, tutors, and the guest speaker click here.