Home » Calendars » Events » Event

ONLINE: Story Arc Design for Short Fiction

Date:

With:

Cate Kennedy

Rating:

ALL

Summary:

Every story needs an effective propulsion system. ‘Narrative arc’ often generates an architectural perspective in our approach to writing, yet a story can be more than a passive design for an ambling reader. A story arc can instead be a vehicle to propel the reader through an experience. The writer can better understand how a narrative arc can generate an explosive fusion of character development through integral plot elements, allowing our stories to have power and lasting impact.

A portrait of Cate Kennedy

Details

This workshop will be delivered online. Detailed instructions for participating will be provided.

Included in this course:

  • 2.5 hours of information, education, and guidance on developing story arcs in low word counts
  • An annotated reading list to contextualise your learnings
  • Writing exercises to help hone your craft and reinforce your new skills
  • 1 hour interactive webinar for questions, clarifications, and skills extension
  • Personalised feedback from Cate Kennedy on a piece of writing up to 500 words 

Learning Outcomes:

  • An understanding of efficiency and power in story design.
  • Distinguishing essential narrative elements, such as narrative plot from story arc.
  • A better feeling for the craft involved in developing propulsive narrative systems.
  • Identifying ways momentum can be generated in character development.
  • A practical knowledge of a productive writing process for short stories.

Schedule for the Day:

  • 10 - 11:15am: First webinar with Cate Kennedy
  • 11:45am - 1pm: Second webinar with Cate Kennedy
  • 3 - 4pm: Interactive webinar for questions, clarifications, and more casual instructions based on your experiences
  • 500-word pieces provided to Cate Kennedy for feedback

About Cate Kennedy

Cate Kennedy is best known for her short stories, although she has also published three collections of poetry, a novel, and a travel memoir about her time volunteering in a Mexican microcredit cooperative. 

Her 2006 collection Dark Roots was shortlisted for the Australian Literature Gold Medal and the Queensland Premier's Awards and her most recent collection, Like a House on Fire, won the Queensland Literary award for a short story collection in 2013. 

Her work has been published both in Australia and internationally, and she teaches as part of the fiction faculty on the low-residency MFA program at Pacific University, Oregon.  Both her short fiction collections are currently on the VCE syllabus, and she has been enjoying talking with Year 11 and 12 students across Victoria who are currently studying the themes and techniques of her stories.

Cancellation Policy

Venue:

Contact:

Phone:
Email:

Registration for this event ended on 15 May 2020 - 4:00
Scroll to Top