Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Writing Workshop!

Yes, it's really going to happen.  I'm going to teach a workshop on writing fiction this fall.  I will be concentrating on short stories, but I welcome people who have only worked with long fiction as well. Using short stories as a learning experience is certainly a way to increase the writing skills you have in your tool box. Charles DeLint talks about the short story as the perfect place for experimentation, or as Brian Eno once said of music "It's the only place you can crash your plane with out getting hurt." Or something like that.

Over the course of six Tuesdays beginning the second Tuesday of September, we will cover:
     The anatomy of a short story, how long, how short, etc.
     How to grow your idea into a story with a beginning, middle and an end,
     Plot, character, setting.
     Point of view
     Writing exercises to get your pen moving.
     A reading at the end for friends and family to hear your very best parts.  I'll even bring the  humus      and tea!

So there you have it. I will be holding all this at the Elms Gallery in Flushing (see the flier above, and be impressed that I actually got it onto the blog).  There are ten spots available as of now.

Saturday, July 7, 2012

A little catch up

So far it's been a pretty busy summer. In May we went to Wiscon, which, after missing it for three years, was great. I learned so much and collected so many story ideas it's hard for me to concentrate on what i'm supposed to be working on! It was also great to get out of my life for five days. It was hot, the food was amazing, and the panels were non stop. 

This fall I will be doing a writing workshop at the Elms Gallery in Flushing.  www.theelmsgallery.com It will start on the second Tueseday of September and run for 6 weeks. I will post all the details as I have them, but I really looking forward to it!