The Elegance of Compression Section II [Kirsten Sundberg Lunstrum]

Intermediate/Advanced | Many of the best short stories convey the wholeness and richness of a character’s entire life in only a handful of pages. How? We’ll examine five example stories with narrative arcs that span their character’s life, specifically considering how these stories’ authors use precision in language and pattern in structure, and “turn” rather than “close” to achieve the kind of complexity and fullness often attributed only to longer works. Writing exercises will also be offered as a way for class participants to experiment with their own fiction. Participants should come to class having read all five example stories.