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Category Archives: Guest posts

Should MFA Programs Shirk the Short Story?

In MFA programs, short stories are often given the same weight as novels, screenplays and memoir, but things are different in the marketplace.
Now, I love short stories, and I spent about five years writing a short story collection, but the market for short fiction is extremely limited.
Consider the types of books you buy. Even writers [...]

Posted 18 July 2007 † armand § Markets § Publishing § Teaching § Writing ‡ Comments (19)

After the Workshop, Part 3: Comment Hierarchy

Before you read, you may want to check out the first and second parts of “After the Workshop.” In brief summary, we’ve gone to a short-fiction workshop, had our critique, and gone home to review the obvious places — the hotspots — that need work in our story. And now it’s time for…
Commentary Hierarchy
After I [...]

Posted 19 March 2007 † armand § After the Workshop § Lessons § Writing § Writing process ‡ Comments (0)

After the Workshop, Part 2: Data Mining

In the first installment of this article, we introduced the notion of strategies for tackling your stories after they’ve gone through the standard short fiction workshop.
Finding and Using Hotspots
By the time a workshop ends, I usually have extensive notes. I also have notes (typically written on story drafts) from others. If I’m on my game [...]

Posted 06 March 2007 † armand § After the Workshop § Lessons § Writing § Writing process ‡ Comments (1)