Starting with Setting - Short Story Writing Course: A Comma Press Course tutored by Ruth Brandt
This six-week course uses setting – place and time – as a starting point for writing compelling short stories. Rather than beginning with characters and their problems, we will look at the conflicts which settings provide, including social, cultural and physical, and use those to ‘people’ the story.
Whether you are writing short stories set in familiar places, historical fiction, speculative fiction, or simply stories set in challenging environments, what your characters are permitted, required and expected to do will differ. Thus begins your story.
During the course we will be exploring ways of creating vivid story worlds, using sensory and era/time specific details, and will consider how a setting can be used as a metaphor.
You will be provided with regular writing prompts and given feedback and guidance on your work each session. By the end of the course, you will have written at least one short story for e-book publication with Comma Press and gained an understanding of how setting can be used to write impactful short stories.
The course takes place in a supportive, encouraging environment and is suitable for beginners and experienced writers alike.
Weekly topics:
Week 1 – What is a short story? Setting and character
Week 2 – Where are we?
Week 3 – How to incorporate setting seamlessly
Week 4 – Active and Passive settings
Week 5 – Setting as Metaphor
Week 6 – Editing
Each session will have a taught element and a workshop where everyone is encouraged to present a piece of writing they’ve been working on at home.
Dates: 2024: March 7, 21, April 11, 25, May 9, 23, at 7-9pm
Location: The Guildford Institute, Ward Street, Guildford GU1 4LH
Cost: £210.00 Discount Price: £150.00 Low income, or on benefits
Further info
here.
Book your place via
Eventbrite.
Queries? Contact
tutor@ruthbrandt.co.uk