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Secrets of the Short Story


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Description: In this intermediate-advanced class, our goal will be to write and submit one completed short story. In pursuit of that goal, we will read short stories from the past fifty years until present, analyzing each story for its craft components, including narration, structure, and strengths and weaknesses. The stories will range from the classic Tobias Wolff short story "Bullet in the Brain" to Clare Vaye Watkins' "The Thing We Need." We'll also read companion essays from Francine Prose's Reading Like a Writer to help us analyze these short stories. Each student will workshop, revise, and re-workshop one short story, as well as identifying a magazine or literary journal to which they want to submit the story. We will spend substantial time in class on revision and polishing techniques. On the last day of class, each student will submit their completed story to their magazine of choice. This class is ideal for students with substantial experience in Redbud classes or other creative writing courses who want to take one of their short stories to the next level and/or want accountability in completing and submitting a piece.