Writing, Pitching, and Submitting Genre Fiction

Over the course of seven weeks, you'll generate ideas for an original piece of short-form genre fiction (mystery, horror, romance, historical, experimental, etc.) of 1,500-6,000 words, based on provided prompts. You'll workshop that piece to prepare it for being submitted for publication. You'll also learn about the contemporary marketplace for short genre fiction and how to select the best venues for your story.

Each of the first four weeks are dedicated to a different specific aspect of genre writing (worldbuilding, point of view, voice, writing within constraints, homage, and style). You'll read examples of each, engage in class discussions, and then write a short piece (800-1,200 words) with an emphasis on that week's central topic.

Week five will be a thorough discussion of the contemporary short fiction marketplace with regards to genre work specifically, best submission and querying practices, and lessons to take away from rejections. You'll research five potential marketplaces to which you could submit your work after completing the course.

Meanwhile, you'll complete your final assignment — choosing one of the initial four "mini-assignments" as a starting point, write a complete short story between 1,200 and 6,000 words long in your chosen genre. The last two weeks will focus on group critiques and workshopping those stories.

Details

This class can be taken in person or via Zoom.

Class Policies

Instructors or Guides