Class

Writing YA Short Stories

Writing short stories for a young adult audience is a great way to develop your voice and your skills as a fiction writer. In this class, we’ll cover the nitty gritty and the nuance of what sets YA short stories apart from others, including those in big name literary magazines with young protagonists. We’ll also dig into craft elements including reader expectations (which, of course, you can break); character stakes and needs; dialogue that doesn’t sound like adults pretending to be teens; and the importance of tension and pacing. Beginnings and endings are especially important here, so we’ll give them plenty of attention. The heart of our class will be reading YA short stories and discussing them: what works, what doesn’t, what you would like to try in your writing, and more. Authors we’ll read include Anna-Marie McLemore, Nina LaCour, Dahlia Adler, Charlie Jane Anders, Kali Fajardo-Anstine, Kekla Magoon, Kelly Link, Matt De Le Pena, Jason Reynolds, and/or other writers. Writers will also have the opportunity to draft their own short stories through generative writing exercises; as time permits, we’ll share in class for first-blush feedback. We’ll also explore magazines, journals, and websites that publish YA short stories.

All Classes listed on the Loft website take place in Central Standard Time (CST); make sure you understand your time zone, and adjust accordingly

Instructions for Accessing This Online Class

In order to access live class meetings, you must have the Zoom application downloaded to your computer. You will also need a WiFi/Internet connection throughout the duration of your scheduled meeting and a computer with audio and video capability. The information to join your Zoom classroom will be provided in your confirmation email upon registration. Please check spam folders if you do not see this email upon registration. For more information on how to use Zoom, please see our training manual here.

Some classes use a supplemental Google Classroom page. Should your teaching artist use Google Classroom, you will be invited to join the classroom via email at least 24 hours in advance of your class (check spam folders if you are not seeing this invitation). Please note that Google Classroom requires a Gmail address to access the Classroom. If you do not have a Gmail account, the email invitation will be sent to the email address we have on file and will prompt you to create a free account or enter an existing account to join the classroom. If we are unable to send an email invitation to your non-gmail account, you will be contacted by a staff member to provide a Gmail address. If you do not have a Gmail account, you can create a free account here. Should you have concerns about this, please contact a Loft staff member at [email protected] or 612-379-8999. For more information on how to use Google Classroom, please see our training manual here.