About the course

Want to enter the Creative Future Writers’ Award in short fiction and get some feedback on your work first? Over these six online sessions, we’ll be reading each other’s work and giving helpful, constructive feedback on how your story could be improved, and discussing what makes short stories work best. You’ll hone your writing, reading and critique skills through the workshop and peer/facilitator support and discussion. The facilitator will also give you written feedback and make further reading suggestions.

• You must have a completed/draft short fiction piece of up to 2,000 words to sign up for this course. Please send this after you’ve booked to [email protected]. We must receive your piece by Wednesday 22 February.
• You must also be willing to commit to reading and giving verbal (and written if you like) feedback on all the other participants’ work. You’ll need to read these before the session and come ready to discuss them. (2 pieces per session / 11 total).

Please do not sign up for this course if you don’t feel able to fulfil these requirements. We have other current or upcoming courses which might be more suitable.

Who is it for?

This course is for all underrepresented writers – creatives who face barriers to opportunities due to mental health issues, physical health/disability, sensory impairment, learning disabilities, neurodivergence, substance misuse, survivors, working-class backgrounds, and those from the LGBTQIA+ community, Black, Asian, traveller, mixed heritage or other global majority backgrounds.

Dates

Wednesdays, 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 March & 5 April. The course will be held online via Zoom.

Times

6.30 – 8 pm

Cost

£60/£30 concessions for the course

In order to make our resources stretch to more opportunities, we are requesting nominal fees for some workshops this year. The more people who can book at full price, the more we’ll be able to offer this year. Lower price tickets are available for those on benefits, unemployed/underemployed or on low wages. We do not ask for proof that you qualify for the concessionary rate. We also have current/upcoming workshops which will be at lower booking fees—please subscribe to our newsletter to keep up to date.

About the tutor

Matt Freidson has taught writing at Birkbeck, City Lit, the University of Oregon and the University of Wisconsin, where he held a Carl Djerassi Fellowship at the Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing. His work has appeared in the anthology Best New American Voices and in over twenty magazines and journals, and his novel This Side of the River came out in 2021. He has managed the Creative Future Writers’ Award since 2019, including long- and shortlist judging, and has read every entry to the competition for the past five years.

If the course is full, you can sign up for the waiting list by emailing us here.