The Short Story

The Short Story

In this series of six online workshops, we’re going to read some fantastic short fiction and learn how to write it. Week by week, we’ll play around with character, atmosphere, dialogue, description and tension, thinking about the turn required to land a great short story. This course takes place over six sessions on Zoom on Thursday evenings. By the end, you’ll have written a brand-new short story which will be edited and published in an Inkfish Press anthology. Each workshop session will consist of in-class exercises, periods of discussion and analysis, and time for sharing the work we’re writing. Simple homework assignments along the way will help you develop your story.

During this course, you will learn how to:

  • Craft memorable characters that leap off the page.
  • Build atmospheric and immersive settings for your stories.
  • Create compelling dialogue and character conflict.
  • Structure short fiction using tension and turns.
  • Make your work tight and taut by editing.
What Makes a Good Short Story?

Thurs 19 June 2025, 6-8pm BST

  • What makes a good story?
  • Different genres, tropes and devices.
  • Asking ‘what if’ makes the ordinary exciting.
Crafting Compelling Characters

Thurs 26 June 2025, 6-8pm BST

  • Invent memorable & compelling characters.
  • Good and bad, main and peripheral characters.
  • Whose story is this? Find your POV & voice.
It's All in the Details

Thurs 3 July 2025, 6-8pm BST

  • Dynamic and specific detail.
  • Using observation to create atmosphere.
  • Researching your world.
Plot, pacing, and tension

Thurs 10 July 2025, 6-8pm BST

  • Finding the best pacing for your story.
  • Heighten tension using story beats.
  • Working twists and turns into a plot arc.
Dialogue, Subtext & Conflict

Thurs 17 July 2025, 6-8pm BST

  • Building dialogue ‘icebergs’ with subtext.
  • Conversations that propel your story forward.
  • Dialogue, conflict and character.
Editing & polishing your story

Thurs 24 July 2025, 6-8pm BST

  • How to choose your best story for the anthology.
  • What to look for when editing your work.
  • Questions for current and future projects.

About Your Tutor

Peter McAllister

Peter studied English Literature at The University of Cambridge, was awarded a Distinction for his MA in Creative Writing and now lectures at the University of Hull. He is the editor and co-founder of Inkfish Magazine and a committee member for the Penzance Literary Festival. In 2025, Peter is the Writer in Residence at The Morrab Library.
Peter’s writing builds layers of narrative through linked pieces that result in profound moments of self-realisation or dramatic action. He has been shortlisted and highly commended in several International Literary Prizes for his short-form fiction and poetry. His work has been published online, in print journals and numerous anthologies.