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This one-week online course with award-winning author Roanna Gonsalves enables participants to enhance their understanding of the short story form and to refine their craft in order to create engaging and delightful short stories. Participants need to start the course with a draft of a short story (500 to 2000 words) for workshopping.

Is this course right for you? Read our FAQ >>

Each lesson within the course is designed to work on developing specific skills, including the shape of short stories and the use of language, leading participants through the process of refining an early draft of a short story. Be prepared to ‘kill your darlings’ and to do lots of writing.

This course involves submitting short writing exercises, and giving and receiving peer feedback, as well as receiving some brief tutor feedback. For more extensive feedback, please consider enrolling in our Online Feedback courses.

This interactive online course has limited places. Book early to avoid missing out. 

Expected Learning Outcomes

Participants will learn:

1. How to think about the shape of short stories
2. How to use fresh language and avoid clichés
3. How to refine an early draft of a short story

Participant Requirements

Participants must have a draft of 500 to 2000 words (of a short story or or an excerpt of a longer story) to workshop during the course.

We’ve designed this online course to meet your learning needs. You can work through the lesson material, ask questions, and engage with fellow writers throughout the course. Internet access and confidence using basic computer software are essential for this program. Please read our FAQ before enrolling.

Please expect to spend a minimum of six hours on the course, noting that the amount of time needed to read, respond to discussions, write, revise and critique will vary from person to person. We recommend allocating an hour a day to the course while it is running. By setting aside this time, you will get the most out of the course, and be able to engage with other participants and the tutor.

You do not need to log into the course at a specific time and there are no live meetings. You will receive an email with an invitation link to join the online classroom by 10am on the day the course starts.

• Participants will work through several lessons, which will open sequentially over the first few days of the course (see course dates in the blue box above).
• You can complete the lesson material in your own time.
• This course includes short writing assignments and the opportunity to give and receive peer feedback and some tutor feedback

More from Writing NSW

Check out our full range of in-person writing courses in Sydney, our online writing courses and our feedback programs to see how we can help you on your writing journey. Find out about our grants and prizes, as well as writing groups across NSW, and sign up to our weekly newsletter for writing events, opportunities and giveaways.