Crafting the Short Story with Tina Pisco

“All short stories may be short fictions, but not all short fictions are short stories” Frank O’Connor

This is a 3-day workshop with classes in the morning and afternoon sessions for writing, critiquing, and discussion. This series of three workshops will focus on the craft of writing short stories. Open to both beginners and more experienced writers. The workshops will include writing exercises, prompts and discussions to push the participants further in their writing.

1. The Classic Three Act Structure:

Form is at the essence of what makes a short story

This workshop takes a close look at each part of the classic three act structure to understand what function each part has, and how they interact with each other. We will discuss the “shape” of a story, the need for a satisfying ending, and why you should start at the last possible moment.

2. I/You/She/We: The importance of Point of View:

Whose story is it? What do they have to tell and how will they tell it?

POV is not just about who tells the story. POV is both a lens and an engine. This workshop explores how changing a story’s POV can reveal much to the author. Exercises will focus on how changing the POV can change the tone and pace of a story.

3. Past Present or Future?

He goes. He went. What’s the difference?

Many writers start writing a story in the third person past tense. However, just like POV, a careful choice of verb tense can be revelatory. Imagine rewriting a story in the first-person present tense, or in the second person future tense. How does that change the story?

Colaiste Pobail Bheanntrai is closed for the summer due to building works taking place and so the five workshops – Novel, Crime, Poetry, Threat of Writing and Short Story – will now be taking place in St Goban’s College, Seskin, Bantry. St Goban’s College’s Eircode is  P75 CY26.

Directions: From Wolfe Tone Square, turn into New Street and continue on up the hill past Bantry Library. Turn left onto Chapel Street and continue on this road, with St Finbarr’s Church on the right. The road bends to the right and continue straight. You will see the road on your right leading to Colaiste Pobail Bheanntrai, the usual workshop venue. Do not turn up this road but continue on until the next turning on the right. It is signposted St Finbarr’s School. Turn right here and continue past St Finbarr’s School until the end of the road where you’ll see a row of three houses. The road bends to the right and you will see St Goban’s College car park on your right. Please use this car park. Please follow the signs to the Reception where registration will take place.