This workshop is full.
Well-created characters are often at the heart of a story. They are what we remember when the other details of the story have faded. But how do we create such characters? What kinds of characters are most successful at grabbing the reader’s attention and sympathy? How do we complicate characters? How do we show change and growth? How do we use “iceberg theory” to help create complex, believable characters in just a few pages? How do we create sympathy for characters who have qualities that we would shun in real life? How do we, in short, enliven and energize our characters and make them memorable?
In this class, we will workshop student short stories up to twelve pages in length with a special focus on character-building. We will consider the part that characters play in moving the story forward, and how the events of the story influence characters. (Participants will be expected to submit a short story one week prior to the workshop.)