Short Story Bootcamp: Fix, Polish, Submit!

Please read our booking terms and conditions

Online // 

17th May
 – 18th July

Is your short story misbehaving? Are you stuck, baffled, disheartened, or all of the above? How can you whip your work into shape and get it noticed? This course is all about tackling those difficult short story drafts and taking your short fiction to the next level, so that it stands out – and has the best possible chance of being published or placed in competitions.

As an award-winning short story writer, and a highly experienced reader and editor for short story journals and prizes, Ruby Cowling is ideally placed to show you what readers and judges look for in short fiction, and to help you develop your skills in honing an original, eye-catching story that remains true to your vision as a writer.

This course has two elements. One is a mini-mentorship, with Ruby offering two rounds of one-to-one critical feedback on a story of up to 5,000 words, to help you learn how to redraft, edit, and finesse your work with expert advice. Bring along your problem story: the one that never seems to be finished, or gets rejected, or refuses to do what it is told, and practise working through drafts, problem-solving and polishing up with Ruby’s guidance and encouragement.

The other element is a series of assignments that explore how to write stories that make readers’ eyes light up, how to make good creative decisions and make the form work for you, and how to overcome writing demons and get those stories written and finished. These assignments will equip you with techniques you can apply to future difficult drafts. Throughout the course, you will also be able to share work-in-progress or new material with your peers for feedback if you wish.

Ruby will offer a surgery for short story writers, addressing your questions on writing, editing, submitting work, inside information about the publication process, and anything else you want to know about the world of short fiction.

None of us is guaranteed literary success, but there is a lot we can do to improve our odds!

This course is aimed at those who are serious about their short stories, whether you are yet to be published or already have some publication record. You can read some feedback from writers on Ruby’s previous courses here.

Course Outline

  • Two rounds of critical feedback from your tutor on a draft story of up to 5,000 words
  • Three assignments, including reading material, discussion prompts and writing exercises
  • Discussion of assignments, exercises and work-in-progress (optional) with your peers
  • One set of peer feedback on work-in-progress or writing exercise
  • Story surgery and submissions advice – creative and practical help from your tutor
  • An online writing community, lasting beyond the end of the course

This course is nine weeks long and asynchronous (so you can log in and add to the discussion whenever you want). You will submit a story of up to 5,000 words before the course starts, to receive detailed critical feedback from the course tutor. You’ll have time partway through the course to work on your story, and submit it to Ruby for a second read and feedback. There will be the opportunity to polish your story and share with the group at the end of the course.

Throughout the course, Ruby will upload three assignments for you to work through. These will include texts to read and discuss, teaching from Ruby, and writing exercises. You will also be able to discuss these, and share your work with fellow writers if you would like to.

Course Timetable and Content

Before the course: submit your story by 9th May 2022 for feedback from Ruby

Week 1: Assignment 1: Choose Life – increase energy and dynamism, add freshness and originality, make characters lifelike in your short stories

Week 2: Time to write, share work, discuss the assignment and reading

Week 3: Assignment 2: Get Moving – streamline your narrative options, improve cause and effect, and make your reader work for you

Receive feedback on your initial submission from Ruby

Week 4: Time to write, share work, discuss the assignment and reading

Week 5: ‘Half-term’ week: redrafting and editing time

Week 6: Resubmit your story to Ruby

Week 7: Assignment 3: Stop Suffering – get out of your head, deal with existential doubt, make progress, in spite of the “bats in your hair”

Week 8: Time to write, share work, discuss the assignment and reading; give and receive peer feedback on work-in-progress or your writing exercise

Receive second feedback notes from Ruby

Week 9: Writers’ surgery & submissions advice with Ruby; option to share your polished short story

Learning Online

The course will take place online, in a closed group on a platform called Slack. You’ll need to have internet access, but not at any set times – you can pick and choose when you log in. Slack is easy to use, and we’ll provide you with full instructions and guidance before the course starts. On Slack, we won’t have scheduled live chats. but there will be plenty of opportunity to interact with Ruby and the other course participants in discussion threads, throughout the eight weeks.

Time Commitment

You should allow up to 5 hours per week for this course, for reading, writing and giving feedback to others.

Course dates

17th May
 – 18th July

Course location

This is an online course

Cost

£335

Half-price place

There will be one half-price place available on this course (at £167.50), for a writer who needs it. If you would like to apply, please send a brief note to us at ennis@londonlitlab.co.uk by 10th April 2022 explaining why it would benefit you. We’ll be in touch with successful applicants by 17th April.

For those paying full price, we offer the option of paying in two instalments. If you would prefer to pay this way, please email us at info@londonlitlab.co.uk and we will help.

Further Info

The course will run with a minimum of 8 participants and a maximum of 12. Any questions at all, please drop us a line at info@londonlitlab.co.uk and we’ll be happy to help!

About the tutor

Ruby Cowling has been writing and studying short fiction for ten years, and is Managing Editor of Short Fiction journal. She regularly reads for international and UK competitions, and her own short fiction has won awards including The White Review Short Story Prize and the London Short Story Prize, as well as being shortlisted in competitions from Glimmer TrainAesthetica and Wasafiri. Her collection This Paradise (Boiler House Press, 2019) was longlisted for the 2020 Orwell Prize for Political Fiction and shortlisted for the 2020 Edge Hill Prize. She is passionate about the short story form and keen to unlock its joys for as many other writers as possible.

Short Story Bootcamp: Fix, Polish, Submit!