Experiments in Style: Taking Risks with Your Storytelling

So you have a story that needs to be told. But how are you going to tell it? As writers, words are our building materials. The way we put them together — the length of our sentences, the sound of the words we choose, the size of our paragraphs — is what we call style. And a unique style can make a story stand out from the pack. In this generative workshop, we’ll focus in on a different aspect of style each week –– like sound and rhythm, structural constraint, mindful minimalism and maximalism, and formal vs. informal tone. We’ll read a wide range of writers with varying aesthetics (including authors like Noy Holland, Jamaica Kincaid, and Lily Hoang) to inspire and inform our work.

And, since honing your personal style means experimenting with language, we'll put the tools we learn from these stories into practice in our own writing through weekly prompts that get us to think creatively about language. Four times throughout the course of the class, you’ll also have the opportunity to receive feedback on a short piece, to help you figure out how to develop your own style. We’ll come away from the course with a better understanding of the array of stylistic choices available to us as writers, and a newfound understanding of how to apply them to our own work. This class is for writers who are just starting out writing short stories, as well as more experienced writers who are looking to introduce a little flair into their prose.

Class Format

This class will take place using Zoom videoconferencing. About 15 minutes before your class is scheduled to begin, you'll receive an email from your instructor with a link to join the class meeting!

Scholarship Information

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 more detailed information about GrubStreet scholarships, including how to contribute to scholarship funds for other students, click here.