Short Story Writing Short Courses
The Short Story Writing short course enables new and experienced writers to gain confidence in exploring and developing their creativity through class exercises and discussion. You will learn practical writing skills such as structure, characterisation and dialogue and will examine the work of key contemporary short story writers. The aim of this short story writing course is to complete a short story by the end of the course.
Course Information
| Start Date | Start Time | Duration | Cost | Course Code | Apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 5 October 2011 | 18:30 - 20:30 | 10 weekly classes | £220.00 | CE1205 | Apply Now |
| Wednesday 18 January 2012 | 18:30 - 20:30 | 10 weekly classes | £220.00 | CE1205 | Apply Now |
| Wednesday 25 April 2012 | 18:30 - 20:30 | 10 weekly classes | £220.00 | CE1205 | Apply Now |
Tutor Info
Katy Darby's fiction has been read on BBC Radio, and she has published over 30 stories in magazines including Stand, The London Magazine, Mslexia, Litro and Pulp.net as well as winning prizes in several international fiction competitions. Her novella City of Lost Wages was a recent runner-up in The New Writer competition, and received a Special Commendation from the Escalator Literature Awards. Her novel Whores' Asylum will be published by Penguin in 2012. She has a BA in English from Oxford University and an MA in Creative Writing from UEA, where she received the David Higham Award. She also edits the fiction magazine Litro and co-runs the monthly live fiction event Liars' League.
Eligibility
Short story writing applicants must have a lively interest in reading and writing short fiction and an ability to meet deadlines!
Your short story will need to be handed in during the course.
English Requirements
Good written and spoken English.
What will I learn?
- Introduction - Why do we read/write ?
- Inspiration and ideas
- Character
- Dialogue
- Structure
- Sense of Time & Place (Description)
- Narrative & Point of View + Story Workshop 1
- Genre & Style + Story Workshop 2
- Writers' Resources + Story Workshop 3
- What next ? + Story Workshop 4
Course Objectives
- To identify ideas for a short story.
- To understand a series of fictional techniques.
- To apply imaginative and critical faculties to your own and others' writing.
Teaching and Assessment
Students are assessed by their contribution to class discussions and their work on in-class and homework exercises, as well as their submitted short story.Recommended Reading
Books
Carter, A. (1997) Burning Your Boats. London: Penguin.
Carver, R. (1995) Where I'm Calling From: Selected Stories. London: Harvill
Gordimer, N. ed. (2004) Telling Tales. London: Bloomsbury
Lattin-Rawstrone, R. and Blaney, P. ed. (2006) Tales of the Decongested, Volume One. London: Apis Books
Websites
www.theshortstory.org.uk (a wonderful general resource site, plus recent winners of the National Short Story prize)
www.classicshorts.com (classic short stories to read online)
www.short-stories.co.uk (a selection of new and old short stories in a variety of genres)
www.shortstoryradio.com (actors read new stories by up and coming writers: you can read the text or listen to the recordings)
www.duotrope.com (the single most useful site for the short fiction writer submitting or selling their work worldwide)