Read Like a Writer

INSTRUCTOR: Patrick Stockwell

TIME: Saturday, February 4, 2:00–4:00 p.m. CST

PRICE: Early bird price: $45 for members, $60 for nonmembers. The deadline for early bird pricing is Sunday, January 29. Sunday, January 29: $55 for members, $70 for nonmembers. Become a member here. Apply for a scholarship here.

LOCATION: Writespace, 1717 Michigan St, Houston, TX 77006 (map)

LEVEL: All Levels

CAP: 15

In order to write great short stories, it is important for a writer to understand why the best examples of the form are so successful. What is it that keeps the reader connected to the characters? What makes the world of the story feel so richly inhabited? Out of what materials is this beautiful piece of writing made? How do we learn to “see” the architecture of a story so that we can learn to emulate it in our own work?

In this one day class, prize-winning author Patrick Stockwell will lead a focused examination of Benjamin Percy’s “Refresh, Refresh,” a newly minted classic of twenty-first century American short fiction. The conversation will focus on structure, identifying “props,” and the ways the author uses characterization to generate harmony and narrative cohesion.

Students will receive a PDF copy of the story upon registration and will need to read closely before class meets so that we can get right to our analysis.

Host or Publisher Writespace