No matter the word count, engaging stories need emotion and substance on the page. What can you do with less?

Nonfiction and Fiction

Live on Zoom | Saturday, July 19 @ 2:00-5:00 pm  EDT

Can an impactful story be told in a few pages? What about a paragraph? A sentence? Absolutely! No matter the length (flash, sudden, micro), short storytelling uses the same tools as longer forms—just compressed. Writing efficiently (and effectively) is a valuable skill in both creative nonfiction and fiction. When every sentence counts, stories become laser-focused and dynamically rich. Writing short can also enhance reader enjoyment—not only by getting to the heart of the story quicker but also by layering nuances for the reader’s contemplation afterwards. 

Using fun prompts and practical worksheets, this seminar offers interactive, hands-on learning. We’ll deconstruct examples and use an editorial checklist to reduce word count without losing meaning. We’ll focus on essential elements like descriptive language, sentence structure, cadence, and the best starting point for your story. 

Throughout the seminar, you will develop a short story and reduce it to essential elements without sacrificing emotion and connection with readers. Capturing quality over quantity with finesse and editing skills, you’ll create a tight, powerful story that sings off the page.

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In this insightful three-hour live seminar, you’ll learn to:

• IDENTIFY and ELIMINATE overwriting habits
• LEARN to focus on a single plot 
• INCORPORATE thematic elements
• DEVELOP writing techniques to pare down verbiage while creating descriptive and concise language
• REFINE your overall editing process
• DISCOVER fun contests and submission opportunities

This seminar is ideal for writers who:

• Tend to throat clear before leaping into action
• Habitually overwrite
• Are word-count obsessed
• Overthink their story 
• Are looking for a new challenge, or want to shake up their writing practice
• Are interested in submitting to contests and journals

Closed captioning is available. ✔
All registrants receive the recording. ✔

ABOUT YOUR Instructor

Kristin Owens, Ph.D., is an award-winning faculty member with over 25 years of university experience. Now a full-time writer in sticky southwest Florida, Kristin has over 100 bylines with celebrated magazines such as Writer’s Digest, Wine Enthusiast, and 5280. Her personal essays have won New Millennium Writing Awards honorable mention, awarded finalist for the New Letters award in nonfiction, and included in RISE!, a Colorado Book of the Year. 

Kristin holds certifications with the Court of Master Sommeliers and Cicerone and travels the world writing about wonderful wines, beautiful beers, and surprising spirits. You can usually find her working and playing on a cruise ship. She is the author of Elizabeth Sails (2024 Rising Action/Simon & Schuster), a Gilda Award finalist.

Testimonials from past students:

“Kristin Owens is a wealth of information and practical advice when it comes to writing, editing, and publishing a novel, essay, or memoir. She is funny, comfortable, and smart in transferring information. I loved the classes and hope you will have more and bring Kristin back.” – Sue

“Kristin truly excels on the mic, coming prepared and demonstrating impressive knowledge that captivates her audience. Her ability to command attention is remarkable and adds significant value to her lectures. Additionally, Kristin successfully facilitated a creative writing workshop that was exceptionally well-attended, further showcasing her talent. We have received excellent feedback from guests regarding her sessions, highlighting their appreciation for her engaging approach and expertise.”  – Cunard

THE FINE PRINT

We understand that life can get in the way of your plans. We want you to be able to get the most out of your course, and our refund policy is designed to balance your need for flexibility with our deadlines and obligations to our teachers.

Before the class, you may request a full refund.

Please keep in mind that no refunds or credits will be issued after class begins.

Questions? Please email Info@writingcraft.com

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