We love short stories for their beautiful compression, how the riveting story of a lifetime can be packed in the same small container as the story of a moment or a day, and wish ourselves to write stories that feel tactile and real. In this masterclass, we will discuss a range of short stories and flash fiction pieces, considering the artistic choices writers make in their pursuit of beauty and verisimilitude. We will read closely, expansively and comparatively, focusing on the formation of scenes and characters, and on the evocation of place and setting.
We will also practice the invaluable art of revision, turning to the writing of our peers as we practice helpful feedback and in-class re-writing. For this purpose, writers would be expected to submit 400 words of flash fiction or short story excerpts prior to this masterclass – these will be reworked as part of our class exercise. You would also be expected to read at least two of the recommended short stories prior to class.
This course has three aspects: a short craft talk; literary discourse/appreciation; in-class annotation/revision + discussions. We will consider the stories of James Baldwin, Edna O’Brien, Tim O’Brien and Lesley Nneka Arimah, as well as a number of flash fiction pieces.