Beginnings [Lori Ostlund]
What is really going through readers’ minds when they read the first sentence or paragraph of one of your works-in-progress? We will discuss beginnings, first lines and paragraphs: what they should do, how much they can demand of a reader, and what creates confusion. We’ll discuss a few first lines and paragraphs from a recent issue of Best American Short Stories. Then, participants will read aloud from the beginning of one of their stories or novel and get feedback from the rest of us. We’ll discuss what our buy-in moment was and try to articulate why. Bring the beginning of a story or novel work-in-progress. If time allows, we can briefly discuss preparing manuscripts for submitting to contests.
FAQ
Complete FAQHugo House will only process refund requests that are submitted 5 business days or more before the class start date. To request a refund, log in to your account, go to “My Account,” select the “Orders” tab on the left-hand side, click the appropriate order, and request a refund for your specific class. Administrative fees apply. Please see our full refund policy here.
Class sessions may be recorded if a session falls on a holiday, or if a student has access needs. Class recordings are not guaranteed.
We do not tolerate racist, sexist, homophobic, ableist, transphobic or any other oppressive behaviors, regardless of who commits them. Please check out our full community guidelines by clicking here. If an instance of community guidelines are violated and not resolved within the classroom, students may let us know by filling out the student incident report.
Classes may be cancelled if less than 5 students are enrolled within 10 days before the class start date. If for any reason Hugo House needs to cancel a class, students can choose between a full credit or full refund.
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