Overview

In this workshop, we will explore and experiment with the essential elements of fiction. How do writers create compelling, nuanced characters? What distinguishes conflict from tension, or stakes from plot? How can setting shape a story, and how might a different point of view alter a narrative’s outcome? How does an author develop a unique voice, and why do some stories feel propulsive while others stall? How can dialogue complicate character and drive plot forward?

Together, we will read and respond to one another’s work, identifying each story’s strengths and potential while discussing how to make each piece the best version of itself. Assigned readings will include fiction by Ling Ma, Amy Hempel, Joy Williams, Denis Johnson, and Kazuo Ishiguro, with close analysis revealing craft techniques that can be applied to your own works-in-progress.