After a decade as a short fiction editor, I’ve seen countless stories faltering with the same few, fixable technical points. I know what makes an editor pause, and what makes them pass. More importantly, I know how to mend the issues that hold back so many writers from levitating their work from the rest of the submissions pile.

This quick-hit workshop distils that decade of editorial insight into a practical, empowering shortcut designed to strengthen the core pillars of your short fiction. Dramatically improve the clarity and impact of your stories – and the chances of catching an editor’s eye. We’ll move beyond guesswork and focus on the craft that makes a story impossible to ignore.

In this course, we'll cover:

Story Structure Basics: Build your story on a foundation of solid, satisfying architecture – the kind that signals a confident, skilled writer.

Organising Ideas: Learn how to shape a scattered brainstorm into a compelling, coherent narrative arc.

Turn Telling & Backstory into Scenes: Discover the precise method for converting flat exposition into the vivid, immersive scenes that truly hook a reader.

Improve Prose: Polish your sentences for clarity, rhythm, and impact, ensuring your prose is a pleasure to read from the very first line.

This is the practical, behind-the-desk wisdom that can supercharge your writing above the other hundreds of submissions small presses receive each month. You’ll get a targeted exercise for each unit, plus a core assignment. And in my favourite part, I’ll provide personal feedback on your work – the same constructive, clear-eyed insight I’ve given to a slew of writers, helping you refine your story to its strongest possible version.

Let’s sharpen your craft and give your next short story the best possible chance to shine.

This is a focused, one-week workshop designed to make you reassess not just a single short story, but the entire way you nurture your stories from root to tip.

Each unit pairs a core concept with a straightforward writing exercise, guiding you to immediately apply the insight to your own work. The goal is not just to learn, but to integrate – sending you away with reinforced skills and a tangible plan for your story.

Beyond the four core units and practical exercises, your enrolment includes personalised guidance. This feedback will focus on your application of the course principles, offering my editorial perspective on what's working and where you can further strengthen your story's foundation.