A Fiction Workshop
Level: All Levels
Have you ever opened the Word document of your work-in-progress with dread, knowing (even before your critique partner, or your agent, or editor told you) that the work needed substantial revision? Have you wondered if you could do it?
Writers often get stuck in a loop of reading, retracing, deleting, etc—solipsistic approaches to revision. What if you could energize the revision process by determining a reading path forward, solving the problems of your manuscript by reading other writers? In this course, that's precisely what we will map out.
Using an extensive bibliography provided by the instructor (drawn from varied writing 'manuals' and interview resources, from the Glimmer Train and Tin House craft workbooks, to Annie Dillard and Alexander Chee), we will analyze and describe the types of problems that commonly arise when writing a short story. Then we will build a strategy for finding examples of how other writers solve these problems, and for examining specific story excerpts. The "revision notebook" concept will be discussed, and students will participate in several "reading to revise" exercises that will form the foundation for an independent revision notebook going forward.
+ PLEASE NOTE This workshop will occur online via Zoom. Students do not need to create an account to participate, but should test out Zoom before their class if they are first-time users. On Thursday, February 11, from 5:30pm to 6:30pm, MWPA’s Hannah Perry will offer a test session on Zoom. Students are strongly encouraged to participate in the test session, which usually takes only 5-10 minutes, and those who do not are responsible for ensuring that they are able to use Zoom on their own. The week of the workshop, students will be emailed a link that they may click to enter the test session and the class.
+ REQUIRED EQUIPMENT A reliable, fast internet connection (broadband wired or wireless (3G or 4G/LTE), speakers & a microphone (built-in or USB plug-in), and a webcam (built-in or USB plug-in).
If you would like to quickly and easily test your internet connection and your computer’s compatibility with Zoom, click HERE. Full details on supported Operating Systems, internet browsers, and more can be found HERE. To download and familiarize yourself with Zoom, click HERE.
Chaya Bhuvaneswar is a practicing physician, writer and PEN American Literary award finalist for 2019, for her debut story collection WHITE DANCING ELEPHANTS: STORIES. Her work has appeared in Narrative Magazine, Tin House, Electric Literature, The Millions, Joyland, Large Hearted Boy, Chattahoochee Review, Michigan Quarterly Review, The Awl, jellyfish review, aaduna and elsewhere, with poetry in Cutthroat, sidereal, Natural Bridge, apt magazine, Hobart, Ithaca Lit, Quiddity and elsewhere. Her work was recently selected for inclusion in Best Small Fictions. She has been widely anthologized including in podcasts and selected for women's book clubs (The Wing, Rebel Women's Lit). Her poetry and prose juxtapose Hindu epics, other myths and histories, and the survival of sexual harassment and racialized sexual violence by diverse women of color.
ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
All MWPA workshops require advanced registration. We accept registration by phone, mail, and online via PayPal. We cannot guarantee registration in the final 24-hours before a workshop, and can rarely accommodate day-of registration.
PAYMENT & CANCELLATION POLICIES
If you need to withdraw from a class after registering for any reason, please email or call the MWPA immediately. You may be eligible for a partial refund or credit, depending on how far in advance you cancel. → MORE INFORMATION
QUESTIONS
For any questions regarding this workshop, please contact Hannah Perry at hannah@mainewriters.org.
REGISTER BY PHONE
Call 207-228-8263 and register with your VISA or MasterCard.
REGISTER BY MAIL
If you prefer to pay by mail, please print this registration form (downloadable PDF) and mail it to the MWPA with a check or credit card information. Please note that mail delivery to the MWPA office is currently experiencing extensive delays, so please email hannah@mainewriters.org first if you would like to register by mail.
SCHOLARSHIP
The MWPA is proud to offer one full scholarship to this workshop for members-only. Scholarships are awarded on a combination of need and merit. Application Due on February 1 at 9:00 a.m.
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MWPA WORKSHOP POLICIES
Registration in any MWPA workshop, program, or event constitutes your agreement to our terms and conditions. → MORE INFORMATION