This is an online workshop that takes place via Zoom. This workshop is open for K-12 educators and staff. Up to 12 CPE hours are available for this workshop by request.

 Fiction Workshop: The Family Story

Why do we tell stories, and how do we tell them? In this themed fiction workshop for educators, we’ll consider the idea of the “family story.” What is a family? What is a family story? We’ll read published stories about biological families, chosen families, artistic lineages, and more. We’ll consider memory, intergenerational telling, interpersonal conflict, and other frequent patterns in the “family story.”

In this course, we’ll discuss some of the central questions of fiction writing, discussing what makes a short story vibrant, vivid, dynamic, and memorable. We’ll access these larger questions by paying close attention to craft elements: the nuts-and-bolts of storytelling in published fiction as well as in participants’ work. As we read, we’ll think about the choices authors make surrounding plot, character, dialogue, description, place, time, and point of view. We’ll consider the various shapes and structures of stories and look at the ways in which masters of the form use precise description. Coursework will include workshopping of student pieces and in-class discussion of readings. All readings will be provided by the instructor.