Shaping Your Story: A Narrative Structure Intensive

Class Description

Great fiction is molded by the plot structures we channel our storytelling through. These structures literally determine the shapes and containers of our fictional worlds and bring them to life from the inside out. In this 6-week generative deep-dive, we'll study and experiment with different ways to build stories, including linear and nonlinear plots, flash fiction, epistolary, fragmented texts, and hybrid/experimental modes. Each week, we'll study representative authors, including Lydia Davis, Kelly Link, Jamaica Kincaid, Caitlin Horrocks, Clarice Lispector, Bhanu Kapil, Shira Erlichmann, and Jamaica Kincaid. We'll get curious trying out these structures in our own writing, toward the aim of generating one story draft per week, each of which will receive supportive feedback from fellow students and the instructor. This fun, boot-camp style course will leave you with the inspiration to continue developing your six story drafts, plus an expanded tool kit with which to craft future stories.

This course is appropriate for all fiction writing levels, though familiarity with basic elements of story such as character, setting, point of view, etc. will be helpful. Students should be prepared for approximately 2-5 hours of work per week.

Class Format

This class will take place in-person at our Center for Creative Writing in Boston's Seaport neighborhood. Please note that proof of vaccination against COVID-19 is required to attend this class. Please submit your proof of vaccination here at least 48 hours before your class begins. Read on to learn more about GrubStreet's vaccine protocol and find information about where to get vaccinated below.

GrubStreet Vaccine Protocol

Please submit your proof of vaccination here at least 48 hours before your class begins. If you are not able to fill out our vaccination form 48 hours before your class begins, please bring your vaccine card (or a photo of it) with you to the building. Please note that if you arrive for class and you have not filled out the form and do not have proof of vaccination with you, you will not be allowed to participate in the class. And don’t forget your mask! In accordance with the City of Boston, masks will be required at all times while inside the building. Click here to read GrubStreet's full Vaccination and Masking Policy.

Need help getting vaccinated? It’s free and easy to receive a COVID-19 vaccine! Please visit Massachusetts’ VaxFinder page to find a vaccination site near you. If you'd like to learn more, you can read the answers to some commonly asked questions about COVID vaccination here.

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.