Flash: Generative Writing Lab [Durham, NC]

from $0.00
sold out

**This class is in-person only. There is no virtual component. Participants must be age 21+

This event is FREE for anyone who would like to participate.

Instructor: Christa Westaway | One-Day | Saturday | February 28 | 5:00-6:30 PM | 719 N Mangum St, Durham, NC

How can you write an entire story in under 1,000 words? What does it take to make characters come alive and a plot believable in just a couple of pages? Whether you’ve read or written flash before or if you’ve been curious, join us on Saturday, February 28th from 5pm-6:30pm for a free workshop centered on flash writing. 

In this workshop, we’ll do close readings of the short-short stories “Foresight” by Lara Ehrlich from her collection Animal Wife and “The End” by Laura Stanfill followed by discussion and in-session writing exercises. Our discussion will focus on literary elements and stylistic choices. Using writing prompts, you’ll practice grounding your story in time and place, developing characters, building tension and plot, and making critical choices about details while in pursuit of brevity.

No preparation is required. You are welcome to read the stories before class, but we’ll have 10-15 minutes to read both pieces (only 1000 words combined) at the beginning of our meeting. We’ll then have ~30 minutes to discuss, followed by 20-30 minutes of writing our own very short stories, and 15-20 minutes to discuss our experience of writing. You are welcome to stay after and share your stories in small groups, too! Make new friends, writing partners, and accountability buddies while trying out your hand at the craft of writing flash.

This class will take place in person in Durham. Night School requires that students refrain from attending in-person classes when sick. For more on our class policies, see our FAQ. Instructors will also follow this policy. If your instructor is sick, class may be moved to online for a session or rescheduled to the week following the final scheduled session at the instructor’s discretion.

Sign Up:

**This class is in-person only. There is no virtual component. Participants must be age 21+

This event is FREE for anyone who would like to participate.

Instructor: Christa Westaway | One-Day | Saturday | February 28 | 5:00-6:30 PM | 719 N Mangum St, Durham, NC

How can you write an entire story in under 1,000 words? What does it take to make characters come alive and a plot believable in just a couple of pages? Whether you’ve read or written flash before or if you’ve been curious, join us on Saturday, February 28th from 5pm-6:30pm for a free workshop centered on flash writing. 

In this workshop, we’ll do close readings of the short-short stories “Foresight” by Lara Ehrlich from her collection Animal Wife and “The End” by Laura Stanfill followed by discussion and in-session writing exercises. Our discussion will focus on literary elements and stylistic choices. Using writing prompts, you’ll practice grounding your story in time and place, developing characters, building tension and plot, and making critical choices about details while in pursuit of brevity.

No preparation is required. You are welcome to read the stories before class, but we’ll have 10-15 minutes to read both pieces (only 1000 words combined) at the beginning of our meeting. We’ll then have ~30 minutes to discuss, followed by 20-30 minutes of writing our own very short stories, and 15-20 minutes to discuss our experience of writing. You are welcome to stay after and share your stories in small groups, too! Make new friends, writing partners, and accountability buddies while trying out your hand at the craft of writing flash.

This class will take place in person in Durham. Night School requires that students refrain from attending in-person classes when sick. For more on our class policies, see our FAQ. Instructors will also follow this policy. If your instructor is sick, class may be moved to online for a session or rescheduled to the week following the final scheduled session at the instructor’s discretion.