A collection of short stories inspired by investigations into craft.
As technology changes, so do the ways we read. Audio books, podcasts, and audio journals are examples of literature being consumed in new ways. A continuing education course I developed, Speaking of Short Stories was an investigation into what this means for the ways we write. It encouraged a safe environment for students to have the space to write and develop stories where they find their own voices.
Essential to creative writing is not just the act of pen to paper, but also reading and revision. By incorporating these three elements into weekly workshops we learn how diverse issues can be approached. Listening to examples of excellent short fiction allows us to develop an ear and not just an eye for great writing. With progress made on craft, we work towards recording a piece generated during the class for the course audio journal.
As a course, Speaking of Short Stories focused on improving creative writing skills. What this looked like, in the words of one contributor, is being in a relationship with writing. Weekly assignments from The New Yorker Fiction Podcast were used to inspire, energize, structure, and experiment with the written form.