A 1-Day Fiction Workshop
Sunday: November 2, 12 - 3 PM
Beginnings and endings in fiction are about much more than merely where a story starts and stops. The beginning contains within it all of the atomic material of the story, setting up its tone and the limits of its universe. The ending of a story can shift the reader's attention, redefine what the story has been about, or create a new image that stands for the whole.
In this seminar and workshop, attendees will explore different techniques for beginning and ending their fiction. Using examples from Olga Tokarczuk, William Trevor, Roberto Bolaño, and others, the instructor will lead a discussion about what beginnings and endings can do, how the two are connected, and how we can implement these lessons in both new writing and revision.
Attendees will use in-class exercises and techniques to revise or generate new beginnings and endings for their own work, with the aim of expanding their imaginative understanding of what these elements of storytelling can do for their projects. Student questions and discussion warmly encouraged.
$90 Members/$135 Nonmembers
Courtney Sender is the author of the linked story collection In Other Lifetimes All I've Lost Comes Back to Me (WVU Press 2023), called "fierce" by Alice McDermott and "miraculous" by Ann Patchett. Her essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, and Slate, and her fiction has appeared in Ploughshares, AGNI, American Short Fiction, and many others. She runs The Craft Lab for Writers online guided writing group, newsletter, and podcast.
ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
All MWPA workshops require advanced registration. We accept registration by phone, mail, and online via our website. We cannot guarantee registration in the final 24-hours before a workshop, and can rarely accommodate day-of registration.
PAYMENT & CANCELLATION POLICIES
If you need to withdraw from a class after registering for any reason, please email or call the MWPA immediately. You may be eligible for a partial refund or credit, depending on how far in advance you cancel. → MORE INFORMATION
QUESTIONS
For any questions regarding this workshop, please contact programs@mainewriters.org.
REGISTER BY PHONE
Call 207-200-7180 and register with your VISA or MasterCard.
REGISTER BY MAIL
If you prefer to pay by mail, please print this registration form (downloadable PDF) and mail it to the MWPA with a check or credit card information.
SCHOLARSHIP
The MWPA is proud to offer one partial scholarship to this workshop for members-only. Scholarships are awarded on a combination of need and merit. Application Due two weeks prior to the workshop start date, at 9:00 a.m.
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MWPA WORKSHOP POLICIES
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