Big Punch in a Little Package: Creating Short Stories that Sizzle and Sell with KC Grifant

Right now is an excellent time for short speculative fiction, as there’s no shortage of magazine and anthology calls for stories to appease readers’ appetites. Short stories are another tool for authors to hone their skills, discover new audiences, and connect with other writers and publishers. You’ll learn the benefits—and pitfalls—of short story writing, how to create an irresistible hook, ways to make your story stand out from the slush pile, practical exercises to get started, and business tips to keep in mind when submitting your short stories.

This class is geared toward beginning writers or established novelists who want to try their hand at short stories and learn to balance brevity with punchiness.

About the Instructor: 

KC Grifant is a former journalist and award-winning author based in Southern California who writes internationally published horror, fantasy, science fiction and weird west tales. Dozens of her short stories have appeared in podcasts, Stoker-nominated anthologies, and magazines. In addition, she has penned hundreds of nonfiction articles and a horror western novel, Melinda West: Monster Gunslinger (Brigids Gate Press). A member of SFWA and HWA, she co-founded the San Diego Horror Writers Association chapter in 2016.
Website 

This event will be held in Zoom. By registering for this class, you agree to follow the Clarion West Code of Conduct and Zoom policies. 

About Our Community Classes:
 

Community classes are offered at low cost and with additional sliding scale options to enable access to high-quality writing instruction, regardless of your economic circumstance. Please choose the ticketing price that best supports your circumstances.

Our Refund Policy:

Clarion West will refund all class fees if the request is made 30 days before the class date. Refund requests made within 30 days of the class will be honored if we can fill the seat. Any exceptions are subject to approval by our workshop staff.

Limited Free Seating: 

We offer a percentage of seats in every class to People of the Global Majority (Asian, Black, African, Latina/o/x, Middle Eastern, Indigenous, Pacific Islander, and/or have been racialized as ‘ethnic minorities’) for free, regardless of financial need. 

Eligible folks should complete this form to enter the lottery for free seats. If a seat is available, we will email you 7-10 days before the class begins. For more information, see our equity and inclusion policies.