This four-week course open to flash beginners as well as those experienced with the genre, will focus on the possibility and liberation created by the form.
This four-week course open to flash beginners as well as those experienced with the genre, will focus on the possibility and liberation created by the form. This is a generative course for writers at all stages of their careers, and will include writing prompts; close readings of flash pieces from writers like K-Ming Chang, Gwen Kirby, and Alina Stefanescu; and discussion. Special topics we will cover include using setting to characterize, playing with time, unusual forms, and creating a strong voice. Conversations and questions about publishing flash are welcome. While there will be no workshopping of student work, there will be some opportunities to share work generated for brief oral feedback in class.
Live video conference: This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, Zoom. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).
In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Writers will read published work and explore the possibilities of writing in the flash form.
- Writers will develop ways to identify sources of inspiration for flash pieces, with special attention to alternative story structures and ideas from other literary traditions.
- Writers will play with forms, voice and time, and explore shifts in these to affect characterization.
- Writers generate at least four new pieces of writing.
Time requirements
- Each class will include discussion of assigned reading followed by one to two generative assignments. Students should expect to have about 5 pieces for reading each week.
- The instructor will also give students optional writing assignments and prompts that they can use to generate drafts on their own time.
Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
Who should take this workshop?
- Flash writers of all levels are welcome.
If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.
