What is a short story? What gives a fictional work life and meaning and originality? In this workshop, we'll explore the various forms a written story can take, along with various styles, modes, and sensibilities of diverse women writers. We'll ditch the traditional workshop notion that there is one set of rules for writing a successful story, attempting instead to survey a range of aesthetic possibilities, deepening our understanding of the short story by following what is mysterious and inimitable in each work. Participants will read one story a week and submit an original work inspired by some essential element of the assigned story. In our weekly meetings, we'll discuss the assigned story and workshop participants' submissions in an effort to discover and nurture the mysterious and inimitable in our own work.

This workshop is generative in nature and meant for writers of all levels, whether you're a beginner hoping to explore a new form, an experienced writer trying to shake up your practice, or a stuck writer looking for new approaches to a difficult project.

NOTE: To participate in this workshop, you must commit to 1) attending every session to the best of your ability (April 25, May 2, May 9, May 16, May 23, May 30), 2) reading one assigned story each week along with fellow workshoppers' submissions (up to 50 pgs/week), and 3) submitting up to 1000 words of original writing per week. We'll be sharing original, unfinished work, so consistent attendance and participation is crucial to fostering an atmosphere of trust and respect.

About Meng Jin

Meng Jin's debut novel, Little Gods, is forthcoming from HarperCollins. Her short fiction has appeared or is forthcoming in The Threepenny Review, Ploughshares, The Bare Life Review, and elsewhere. A Kundiman Fellow, she has received fellowships and grants from Hedgebrook, Vermont Studio Center, M on the Bund Shanghai, the Elizabeth George Foundation, the David TK Wong Fellowship, and the Steinbeck Fellowship. www.mengj.in