Prompts.
Love ’em or hate ’em, they’re at the center of most flash fiction writing. Whether you’re dealing with a genre (or two), character, object, image, or something else entirely, the competition or anthology you’re submitting to expects you to consider and center the suggestions they’ve given you.
But what does that mean, and how do you do it?
You’re in luck, writers, because for four weeks this summer, editor Rowan’s going to break down a prompted writing competition for you from the judge’s side of the table. First, you’ll learn what prompts are and how competitions choose them. Then, working together, students will select a prompt style and go through all the stages of competition writing, from brainstorming to final edit. Plot twist: instead of having about 12 hours to complete each step, you’ll have a full week. Each week begins with a brief live video tutorial and checkin which will be archived and available to you for review. You’ll also get a handout with that week’s outline and assignment. At the end of the class you’ll come away with a workshopped story of approximately 1,000 words and a few suggestions for where you might want to submit it.
Sound good? Let’s take a look at the syllabus.
Week 1
What’s a Prompt?
Rowan will discuss different prompt styles and what skills are tested by each style. She will also discuss how to analyze a prompt.
Students will vote on a prompt style the same day, and prompts will be released. Working on their own, students will write a story under 1,000 words, due by the end of the week.
Week 2
How do you Beta?
Rowan will discuss critical reading, what beta-readers and editors should be looking for when they’re asked to review a story, and how to give constructive criticism that will be of the most use to the author.
Students will exchange stories and deliver criticism, due by the end of the week. (Yes, you can also beta for your friend, the more the merrier, but you must beta your assigned story, and this is the criticism you will be evaluated on. Everyone will be expected to deliver a thorough critique. Don’t worry! You’ll have plenty of help!)
Week 3
Analyzing criticism
Rowan will discuss trends and specifics of constructive criticism, using examples from the class. This week will be a metacritique: did the criticism say what it needed to? Are there ways it could have been phrased better? Was it adequately in-depth without getting so granular that it would take forever to utilize it?
Students will receive Rowan’s critique of their story at the beginning of this week to add to what they received from the Week 2 assignments. Students will spend this week revising their stories based on the comments and criticism they received.
Week 4
And then what?
Rowan will discuss how to submit to anthologies, what’s worthwhile, and a few pet peeves.
Students will be given personalized suggestions for places to submit their work (this does not guarantee acceptance, but is a market-identification exercise). Students will be expected to exchange their first draft and completed stories this week so that everyone can see the difference between the first and final draft of the story.
We won’t be putting the stories online publicly, to protect your ability to submit to the markets of your choice.
Sign up for Deconstructing Prompts
Schedule
Class runs from August 5 until Labor Day weekend (the last week begins on August 26 and ends September 1, Labor Day weekend, so your camping plans are safe).
Teaching sessions run about an hour and will begin every Saturday at 11 US Eastern Time. You’ll receive your handout the night before so that you can take notes during the session (or just use the handout as your outline). For those who can’t make it to the live session, the video will be archived with commenting open and your questions will still be answered, just not by Rowan’s smiling face. Each week’s assignment is due by the following Friday at noon Eastern time.
Registration
The class is capped at 15 students. Registration opens for YeahWrite Tier 2 members on June 11, and for everyone else on June 18. All registration closes at 11:59 pm July 31.
To register, you’ll need the following:
- A Facebook account (sorry, it’s the most convenient way to run a group forum with archived videos right now without charging students an arm and a leg to take the class)
- A completed registration form (right under this list)
- Sweet cash money: $50 US for nonmembers and YeahWrite Tier 1 members; $45 US for YeahWrite Tier 2 members
- Enthusiasm and excitement
Register now!
(Use the scroll bar at the right of the form to scroll through to the end!)
