Short Fiction Mini Masterclass

A quick intro to big little stories
  • Learn how to transform a tiny idea into a meaningful short story
  • Explore characterisation, structure, and how to develop and edit your work
  • Get feedback and support from your friendly neighbourhood writing community
Get this course and so much more
  • Learn how to transform a tiny idea into a meaningful short story
  • Explore characterisation, structure, and how to develop and edit your work
  • Get feedback and support from your friendly neighbourhood writing community
Join monthly
Join annually

A big intro to little stories

This whistlestop tour of short fiction will give you a solid foundation for your story writing. Learn the difference a variety of short forms, discover techniques for harnessing story ideas, and explore new ways of turning those ideas into something tangible.

In this masterclass we’ll delve into all the hows and whats and whys of short fiction, for example:

  • How long is a short story?
  • How do you drill down to the ‘fundamental human truth’ of a story?
  • How do you redraft and restructure and rework an idea until you find the *right* one?
  • How do you make characterisation the juicy, emotive centre of a story?
  • And what’s the secret ingredient to all worthwhile fiction?

PLUS: stellar short fiction examples and expert advice from authors like Paul McVeigh and Kit De Waal, and the support of your friendly neighbourhood writing community, every step of the way.

What's inside the course?

Course Content

The Sacred Writers' HQ Promise

You’ll write your butt off

You have stories in your head and you want to get your butt in a chair and get them onto paper, but life gets in the way. Kids, work, executive dysfunction, the state of the world, important doomscrolling – all these things conspire against you, but you know there’s a better way and you are ready to stop fucking about and start writing. 

Learn how to carve time, prioritise your work, and evolve a deep creative practice
Gain strategies for getting the most out of every writing session
Find ways to love your writing, keep on going and finish your story

What's included

  • Text-based course units
  • Easy to follow exercises
  • Support forums and access to the best writing community this side of the internet
  • Love and validation and more writing-based pep than you can shake a stick at
  • Snacks*

*bring your own snacks

Nice things from nice people

After hanging around as a freebie member and completing the free courses, I was so convinced by the improvements to my writing – and amused by the emails! – I signed up for three months… I’m still here, months later! I’ve learnt so much, from courses like Plotstormers and The First Draft, and from fellow WHQers, I would rather give up cake and chocolate than let my membership lapse! Love you WHQ!

Jan M

Writers’ HQ has honestly been life changing for me! After doing the 14 Days to a Solid Writing Habit course, which gave me a great kick start, I have been doing Plotstormers II to help me edit my novel. How do I say this without swearing? Fuck it, it’s been sodding amazing! It’s helping me so much to edit my novel. I’ve also been doing the Flash Fiction course and a piece of mine is on the Welkin Prize shortlist!

Agnes H

I cannot imagine life without WHQ
I’ve been a subscriber since April 2019 and I now cannot imagine life without WHQ. It’s like my inner sanctum and I bang on about it to everyone all the time. They must get sick of me. In the past when I’ve had to knock other subscriptions on the head because of money, there was never any question of me doing the same for this wonderful organisation.

Lauren P

WHQ is fantastic! I did a free writing course with WHQ at the start of the pandemic and joined up straight after – since then I have had over twenty pieces published, been long and shortlisted in various competitions and won one at the beginning of this year – the tutors, and the encouragement of the forum members, are fantastic.

Claire

A wonderful community. Before I joined WHQ I never dreamed of submitting my work to magazines. Since becoming a paid-up member 5 months ago, I’ve had 6 flash fictions and 2 poems accepted for publication – entirely thanks to the inspiration and support of this wonderful community.

Sarah K

Get instant access when you join the most word-writing, tea-drinking, story-slinging, biscuit-dunking, productivity-boosting, super supportive writing community this side of the internet

Woohoo yeah do it do it yeah woo etc and so on

Freebies

  • Two creative writing courses
  • Flash Face Off and Flash Face Off Live
  • The Secret Retreat forum
  • That's it
  • If you want more you have to upgrade, sozzzz
  • See you on the inside mwa mwa mwa
Come on in

Glorious Writing Beasts

  • Weekly write-alongs
  • Monthly live masterclasses with guest authors
  • Monthly Q&A support group
  • Monthly online retreats
  • Over 25 mammoth creative writing courses
  • Always-on workshop library
  • Flash Face Off, Flash Face Off Live and Introduction to Flash course and workshop
  • Monthly festivals and challenges
Join monthly (£20)
Join annually (save £50)

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Confirm your place at Short Fiction Mini Masterclass.

Once you hit the button, you’ll get a confirmation email, and we’ll send you the Zoom link an hour before the event. 

Yayyyy! You've bagged a place at Short Fiction Mini Masterclass.

We’ve sent the Zoom link to your inbox and we’ll send it again one hour before the event. 

If you don’t get an email, check your spam fist and then wang us a line on help@writershq.co.uk and we’ll leap into action with keenness and speed. 

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