Key West The Newspaper

Every Monday from February 6 to March 27, from 12:00-2:00pm, budding writers will have the opportunity to hone technique and develop critical reading skills in an 8-week short story writing workshop led by author Jessica Argyle set to meet at Fort East Martello.

Argyle, who has an MA in Creative Writing from Concordia University and has published a book of short stories, a novel, and in multiple literary magazines, will provide a series of situational prompts and exercises stressing various elements of writing: plot, setting, characterization, dialogue.

“Ideally students will come away with a greater understanding of what works, and an ability to identify and fix what doesn’t,” she says.

Argyle previously developed and taught the workshop at the Beaconsfield Community Center, a Montreal suburb “after taking a really crappy “journal writing” class that praised everyone’s work equally but offered no constructive advice whatsoever,” she says.

Specifically, students will gain the ability to write first, edit later, receive weekly technique exercises, choose the story they want to write, and how to offer verbal and written critiques of each other’s work. Students can anticipate constructive criticism and honest feedback, and on-site writing exercises and discussion.

“If you take this class, be prepared to put in the work,” she says. “And be prepared to amaze yourself by discovering how much you already know and how quickly you can learn.”

Cost for this course is suggested $160 for members, $200 for non-members, with a sliding scale option for those in need. For more information contact Adele Williams, Director of Education, at 305-295-6616, x115. Your Museums. Your Community. It takes an Island.