The Art of the Story, with Emily Lackey

No matter what we write—essays, novels, memoirs—story is at the heart of everything. It’s what all strong narrative is built around: what happened to whom and where, how and why.  But writing a compelling story requires skill, and is easier said than done… In this workshop, writers will learn the individual craft elements essential to great story-telling. Each week, we will start with a brief warmup, a craft tip, and a series of prompts designed to add specific craft elements to each writer’s toolbox—setting, dialogue, subtext, conflict, backstory… By understanding and practicing these elements, we strengthen our ability to write compelling stories. This workshop is perfect for writers wishing to hone their skills, or those longing to break through a rut. Appropriate for all levels and all writers of narrative—both fiction and nonfiction!

Mondays, 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.; 8-week session begins June 7 ($325)

Emily Lackey is the Assistant Director of Writers in Progress. Her stories and essays have been published in Glimmer Train, Prairie Schooner, Post Road, Third Coast, The Literary Review, Longreads, The Rumpus, The Huffington Post, Bustle, and Hobart, among others. She was a fellow at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts and an artist-in-residence at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts and Newnan ArtRez. After receiving her MFA from the University of New Hampshire, she taught writing at the University of New Hampshire and in the graduate writing program at Southern New Hampshire University. She is at work on a collection of linked stories and a memoir. 

Emily Lackey