The name Laurie Steed really should ring a bell for you. If it doesn’t you can fill your knowledge gap right here and once you’re up to speed grab your diary. Laurie will be running two workshops:

 

“What’s at stake?” A Beginner’s Guide to Writing Short Fiction
Saturday, 27 October, 1.30 – 4.30pm

For beginning writers, maximum 12 participants

There has never been a better time in history to be a writer of short fiction. In addition to traditional literary print publications, digital publishing through Amazon and Smashwords means any writer now has the opportunity to find an audience for their short fiction.

But how does one actually write engaging short fiction? How do short stories differ from novel or life writing, and what separates good short fiction from those stories submitted unsuccessfully to Australian literary journals every month?

This workshop traces certain elements of quality short fiction including character, setting, conflict, structure, and voice. These elements will then be explored in greater detail, citing examples from both classic and contemporary fiction.

By the end of the course, beginning writers will not only be aware of these elements, they will be able to actively integrate them into all their subsequent narratives, aiding both their reading and writing practice, and in turn creating more vibrant, exciting, and ground breaking stories.

Beyond the first draft: Advanced Short Story Writing with Laurie Steed
Saturday, 10 November, 1.30 – 4.30pm

For intermediate to advanced writers, maximum eight participants

What makes Alice Munro a master of the short form? How does Chekhov defy expectation with The Lady and the Dog? What is the secret ingredient in Peter Goldsworthy’s The List of All Answers that takes it to the next level of storytelling?

Great short fiction requires any number of elements to be in place before it can be truly effective. These elements may include plot, character, conflict and the writer’s choice of perspective, but these elements alone will not guarantee a compelling narrative.

Using exercises and examples from short story masters including Cate Kennedy, Tim Winton and Lorrie Moore, workshop participants will explore more advanced elements in crafting quality short fiction such as interlinking narratives, subtext and non-linear approaches to time within the narrative framework. In each of the elements is a way towards writing memorable, original, and ultimately more publishable fiction.

By the end of this workshop each participant will have either a story idea, a new perspective on an existing story, or a story ready for submission.

For bookings, which are highly recommended, please contact FAWWA