Good writing is supposed to evoke sensation in the reader. Not the fact that it is raining, but the feeling of being rained upon. – E.L. Doctorow
In this course, we shall focus on the short story format, which, in its brevity, is a form that brings into sharp focus the workings of craft. We shall interrogate how characterization interacts with plot, voice, point of view, setting and style, critiquing, alongside our own writing, diverse works from writers such as Junot Diaz, NoViolet Bulawayo, Jorge Luis Borges, Yiyun Li, Greg Jackson, Charles D’Ambrosio and Olufemi Terry, among others. We shall also do short writing exercises. In this way, we shall explore as well as push the boundaries of fiction, honing our craft and fine tuning our own individual pulses and inspirations. Participants will get to share at least one piece of writing for workshop, during which they will receive constructive criticism and feedback from their fellow participants, as well as get to hone their writer’s eye through the critiquing of others’ writing – an invaluable skill in sharpening one’s own work. Other elements to be discussed towards the end of the course include the practice of revision, successfully getting into a writing routine, sending work out for publication and dealing with rejection – something every writer experiences.