REQUIRED COURSE BOOK:
Sudden Fiction (Continued): 60 New Short-Short Stories
Robert Shapard and James Thomas, Ed. New York/ London: W.W. Norton & Co.,
1996. ISBN 0-393-31342-5
ONLINE FLASH FICTION CLASS Taught by Pamelyn Casto
FAST FACTS
COURSE NAME: Flash Fiction (online class)
FACILITATOR: Pamelyn Casto (p.casto@worldnet.att.net)
DURATION: Four-Week Course
PRICE: $125.00
COURSE BOOK (REQUIRED): Sudden Fiction (Continued): 60 New Short-Short Stories,
by Robert Shapard (Editor), James Thomas (Editor) New York/ London: W.W. Norton & Co., 1996. ISBN 0-393-31342-5 (See link above to order.)
START DATE: November 1, 2010
SIGN-UP DEADLINE: October 29, 2010
WORKSHOP SYLLABUS:
Are you intrigued by powerful and memorable short-short stories, sometimes also called flash, sudden, micro, fast, quick, furious, skinny, or postcard fiction? Have you discovered the difficulty of trying to write them? If you want to learn more about this popular and very marketable type of writing, then this is the course for you.
This action-packed four-week online course will help you understand some effective principles for writing flash fiction. You'll receive lessons and reading assignments, and you'll experiment with exercises. You'll try your hand at analyzing good short-shorts in order to discover writer techniques. You'll learn the value of careful critiquing to help your writer colleagues and yourself. You'll also learn about formatting, market strategies, and finding markets for your work.
Facilitator: Pamelyn Casto
email: pamelyncasto@windstream.net
Week One: Introduction to Flash Fiction
This session is to introduce workshoppers to the flash fiction genre-- what it is, how it is, and why it is. Participants will learn a bit of history on the form and learn who some of the outstanding writers are. Participants will read selected material, will work on a story analysis, and will begin writing stories (from an exercise).
Week Two: A Matter of Simplicity
This session will discuss the concept of simplicity in creating short-short fiction. We will explore various "simple" (but outstanding) stories to discover how so much power can be contained in such a small space as a short-short story. There will be related stories to analyze and related exercises to try.
Week Three: What's In A Myth?
This session will discuss myth (charter myths, aetiological myths, literary myths, etc.) and how to create them or refashion them for flash fiction. Students will have related stories to analyze and related exercises to try.
Week Four: Markets for Flash Fiction
This final week will discuss marketing strategies for your flash fiction pieces and you'll learn about several markets and contests. This week will also include final critiques, final story analyses, and will include room for any unanswered questions workshop members might have.
PREREQUISITE: None, other than a strong desire on the part of workshop participants to learn as much as possible about writing flash fiction.
OBJECTIVE: By the course's end, participants will have gained a greater understanding of some important principles of writing flash fiction. Participants will understand much more about how to write effective short shorts, and will have a greater awareness of the markets for this type of work. Participants also will have created several rough-drafted stories (at least, and probably some ready-to-go stories too) and will have a collection of future flash fiction story ideas.
Comments from past participants:
"I've completed in-person and online writing courses and three factors determine a good writing course: the teacher/course facilitator; the quality of the information, and the level of interaction and support amongst the students.
"Pam, you are a standout as a teacher and course facilitator. You are motivating, encouraging and tireless...Your critiques and analyses teach so much. You have made this the most rewarding online writing course I've taken. I look forward to taking part in more of your courses.
"The quality of the information you offer is excellent. I feel I have a good
grounding in flash fiction basics."
— Emma Munro
* * * * *
"I have loved this course, even the bits I thought I wouldn't enjoy, such as having my work critiqued by other "students". I think the critiquing worked so well for me because you set some very clear ground rules about how to critique, how to respect other writers' work and still be honest, and partly because the other members of the course were ALL so talented and great people to work with
"You certainly are a one woman encyclopaedia (to coin a new phrase - a pamcastopaedia ) of information about flash fiction. I feel I received my money's worth and so much more.... I have already recommended it very highly to several other writers, friends, and family, and I would happily take the same course again because I know I would learn even more on different levels.
"And Pam, thank you so much for your dedication. You obviously really care
about the work you are doing here, and about giving good quality value for
money no nonsense tutoring. I really appreciate that."
— Liz Martinez
* * * * *
"This was both my first online class and my first flash class. I loved it.
I feel like everyone put a lot of effort into it. I felt pushed creatively
and encouraged at the same time. I really appreciated the respect that
everyone showed each other. Originally I signed up for the class because it felt low-risk. The low
cost was definitely motivating. I feel like I got my money's worth ten
times over and am now more willing to invest in other classes because of
this experience. This has ignited an appreciation for flash and
encouraged me as a writer."
— Stephanie Anderson
ABOUT THE FACILITATOR: Pamelyn Casto has run the (free) online FlashFiction-W for twelve years.
It's still as active as ever. She's written feature-length articles on
flash fiction for Writer's Digest (and their other publications) and has a
feature-length article in the recently released The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Writing Flash Fiction: Tips from Editors, Teachers, and Writers in the Field
http://www.rosemetalpress.com/Catalog/Field%20Guide_more.html
She also has an 8,000-word article on flash fiction in Books and Beyond [4 volumes]: The Greenwood Encyclopedia of New American Reading (4 vols). (Edited by Kenneth Womack)
Her flash fiction work has been nominated for a Pushcart Award and Pam is also the editor of Flash Fiction Flash: The Newsletter for Flash Literature http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FlashFictionFlash.
WORKSHOP BEGINS: November 1, 2010
SIGNUP DEADLINE: October 29, 2010
DURATION: Four weeks
TUITION: $125 via PayPal, $130 via check or money order
TO PAY VIA CREDIT CARD THROUGH PAYPAL: Click the button below:
IMPORTANT: Make sure that you give us your name and the e-mail address
that you want us to use for the class!
TO PAY BY CHECK OR MONEY ORDER:
You may pay by check or money order for $130 ($125 plus $5 handling charge) made out to River Road Studios (flashquake.org's parent company) and mailed to:
flashquake
c/o D. Orton
4037 River Road
Schaghticoke NY 12154
If you are planning to mail payment, please be sure to send an e-mail to dorton@flashquake.org to let us know your check is coming. Otherwise, we may close the class before receiving your check. Payment MUST be received and checks must CLEAR before the sign-up deadline in order to participate in this class.
IMPORTANT: Make sure that you include your name and the e-mail address that you want to use for the class along with your check.
REFUND POLICY:
Students may request a full refund (less a $10 processing charge) up to three days after the class has begun. After that date, no refund will be given.