Monday 6 September
10.00 – 11.00. General introductions, overview of the course, and examination of the form: how it emerged and endured, how it can compact whole worlds into a small space. Technical aspects and structural possibilities.
11.00 – 11.50. Beginnings. Playing with the Book of Ruth, as one of the earliest ever short stories: a look at characters, conflict and time-scale.
11.50 – 12.10: Break
12.10 – 13.30. Openings – where, how, and with whom can a short story begin? Exercise that explores a possible opening to a variation on the Book of Ruth. Ideas and feedback on individual short story projects.
14.00 – 16.00. Writing time
Tuesday 7 September
10.00 – 11.50: The classic form. Examining Chekhov, as one of the nineteenth-century masters, with a particular look at ‘The Lady with the Lapdog’ in terms of voice and style: who tells the story and how? A short practical exercise relating technique to the text.
11.50 – 12.10: Break
12.10 – 13.30: Short story workshop, in which participants read and receive feedback on their emerging story.
14.00 – 16.00. Writing time
Wednesday 8 September
10.00 – 11.50: Modernism and Postmodernism – how did the short story develop into the twentieth century? (Looking at Hemingway’s ‘The Killers’ and ‘Death and the Compass’, by Jorge Luis Borges). Focus on character and dialogue, with a short practical exercise relating technique to one of the texts.
11.50 – 12.10: Break
12.10 – 13.30: Short story workshop, in which participants read and receive feedback on their emerging story.
14.00 – 16.00. Writing time
Thursday 9 September
10.00 – 11.50. From the late Twentieth Century into the present. Looking at Alice Munro’s ‘The Beggar Maid’, with particular focus on narrative structure and time. A short practical exercise relating to the text.
11.50 – 12.10: Break
12.10 – 13.30: Short story workshop, in which participants read and receive feedback on their emerging story.
14.00 – 16.00. Writing time
Friday 10 September
10.00. Deadline for handing in short stories, for inclusion in course anthology.
10.00 – 11.50. Experimentation – how far can the boundaries of the short story be pushed? Some examples with short exercises.
11.50 – 12.10: Break
12.10 – 1.30: Revisiting the works/themes studies studied during the preceding days, looking again at key points and seeing how they can be practically applied. Distribution of course anthology.
14.00 – 16.00. Writing time.