Class Description
Do you have one or two short stories you've been working on that you love, and want to pamper? Do you feel that with just a little special attention, your fiction could be ready for its close-up? This spring, we're making time for some short story self-care. Bring your favorite draft(s) to our Short Story Polish Party, and we'll get them spiffed up, sparkling, and ready for submission!
In this eight-week class, we will study craft elements like structure, imagery and symbolism, building tension and conflict, creating vivid characters and settings, hand-in-hand with revision strategies, and you will have the chance to be workshopped twice—either on two fairly developed drafts, or one draft that you'd like to substantially revise. You'll receive detailed written feedback on your work, so please come prepared to give your peers' stories the attention and care they deserve as well.
Along the way, we will read works from authors such as, but not limited to, Joy Williams, Cristina Rivera Garza, Kelly Link, Helen Oyeyemi, and Flannery O'Connor. Through the careful analysis of published stories, writing exercises, discussions, and workshopping, we'll hone our revision skills, breathe fresh life into our works in progress, and leave with clarity and strategies for where to take our shiny new drafts next.
Driving to the center? For evening or weekend classes, we recommend SP+ Parking at 45 Binford Street for the most affordable parking around. It's about a 10-minute walk to GrubStreet and offers a flat rate of:
$8 after 4pm Monday-Friday
$5 all day Saturday-Sunday
Thanks to the excellent literary citizenship of our donors, scholarships are available for all GrubStreet classes. To apply, click the gray "APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP" button. In order to be considered for a scholarship, you must complete your application at least one week before the start date of a class. Please await our scholarship committee's decision before registering for the class. We cannot hold spots in classes, so the sooner you apply, the better. Scholarships cannot be applied retroactively.
For more detailed information about GrubStreet scholarships, including how to contribute to scholarship funds for other students, click here.
This class will take place in-person at our Center for Creative Writing in Boston's Seaport neighborhood.
Covid-19 Update:
GrubStreet's space will be mask-optional when Boston's Covid-19 Community Level is low or medium. When the Covid-19 Community Level is high, our space will require masks. Please check GrubStreet's Covid-19 page for the latest info on masking and Community Levels before visiting in person.
Space Accessibility:
Our space is ADA accessible with automatic door openers, ADA-compliant restrooms, desk and table spacing, braille signage, and elevator. Our classrooms can be equipped with ALS for hard of hearing individuals. We cannot guarantee a scent-free environment. For more accessibility requests, please contact our Operations team at [email protected] or (617) 695-0075.