The Anatomy of a Short Story

What makes a story tick? Why is it told the way it is? How do you choose the right ending? In this masterclass, Sheila Armstrong puts short stories on the operating table and looks at what brings them to life. Focusing on intuition rather than formal rules, Sheila will explain her step-by-step process for building a living, breathing short story. This 90-minute masterclass will include the initial spark of inspiration, the bones and muscles of plot, finding the very heart of a story, and the life-giving breath of the perfect ending. Attendees will be asked to read two short stories in advance, and will have the opportunity to share a short fragment of their own writing. * There will be approx. 15 minutes reserved for Q&A at the end of the workshop. If you'd like to submit a question to Sheila in advance, please send it to writersandartists@bloomsbury.com.