The One Day Short Story
Strengthen your understanding of the short story form in this intensive, creative masterclass with acclaimed writer Leone Ross
Level
What do these levels mean?
Location
Length
Write a short story in one day...
The short story is vividly alive today, with many of our most exciting new writers working in the form. Lots of people find writing short fiction alluring but slippery – what to write about, where to begin, what bits to keep? Or, better, what bits to leave out? Is your idea even suitable for this kind of writing?
What's the best way to you improve your understanding of the short story form? The answer is – by writing one.
During this one-day course, you’ll learn how to set important limits from the very beginning, resulting in a quick first draft. We’ll talk about how to best prepare characters for short form prose, as well as the important role played by time frame and point of view.
The course is designed to challenge the short story’s enigmatic reputation and make it feel more accessible and achievable. It offers a series of prompts to take you all the way through a story from conception to ending – and leaves you with a practical toolkit that can be used again and again.
The course is suitable for all levels – writers who have never tried a short story before, writers who have written short stories but find them challenging to control and those who want to just have fun and give it a go!
Schedule
The course will take place on Zoom, using a mix of teaching and discussion time with practical exercises to get you writing.
10.00–11.00
Definitions and debates
We start by sharing ideas in the group about what a short story is – and isn’t. A mini-lecture discusses the different kinds of short story, from classically plotted, to experimental and the debates going on about its contemporary form.
11.15–12.00
Setting limits
Through a series of writing exercises and examples, we explore how and why it is necessary to set limits for the traditionally-plotted short story form. We discuss how to prepare a character for a short story, the important connection between character and plot and guidelines for point of view and time frame.
12.00–12.10
Comfort break
12.10–13.00
The Prompt Exercise
You’re taken through a four-part, guided exercise to plan your story. Writers plan a beginning including orientation and ‘spark’, a middle defined by conflict and an ending that uses change to show meaning.
13.00–14.00
Lunch break
14.00–14.30
Sharing experiences
We discuss what happened during the prompt exercise, what resonated the most for writers, and consider any challenges that arose.
14.30–15.30
Writing a first draft
During this timed hour, you'll write up the first draft of the story you planned before lunch.
15.30–16.00
Reflection and sharing
We talk about what we noticed during the writing hour, what came easily versus what we had to work harder at and we'll share practical tips and techniques we can take into the future.
Leone created a highly enjoyable process which made me believe in my writing and ideas again.
Tutor
Leone Ross
Leone Ross’s third novel, This One Sky Day (Faber/FSG) was published to critical acclaim in 2021. Her first novel, All the Blood Is Red...
More About This TutorFrequently Asked Questions
I'm not a total beginner and have some writing experience – can I still take this course?
Yes, that’s no problem at all – although the course is designed for beginners, it will still give you a boost of confidence and hopefully some inspiration if it’s been a while since you’ve tried short fiction or you’re just feeling like you need a bit of re-energising and guidance.
I'd like to book this course for someone else, is that possible?
Absolutely! Book a place using your own details and then drop us a line at academy@faber.co.uk to let us know the name and email address of the person who’ll actually be attending.
The date I'm looking at is sold out. Can I be put on a waiting list?
Yes, this course is a popular one and does tend to book up pretty quickly! We’re happy to add you to our waiting list – email academy@faber.co.uk for that – but it’s a good idea to also book a future date you can also make to avoid missing out entirely.
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