1 session, Wednesday, September 23rd, 7-9 pm Eastern
Online
$100
Enroll in this class.
What does a cozy winter getaway look like to someone in a disastrous marriage? What does someone harboring a secret notice at a wild party? Well-defined surroundings are a great way to clue our readers into the emotional depths of our characters. After analyzing fiction that uses place as an insight into its protagonists, we’ll spend this session setting the mood as we craft our own character-driven descriptions of place.
Note: this class is part of the series 5 Authors on Story Craft, though it is designed to stand alone. To learn more about the entire series, click here. This class will be recorded.
Enroll in this class.
About the Instructor
Lena Valencia is the author of the short story collection Mystery Lights (Tin House Books / Dead Ink Books), which was longlisted for the Story Prize, named a Best Short Story Collection of 2024 by Electric Literature, and a Best Horror Book of 2024 by Esquire. Her fiction has appeared in BOMB, The Baffler, Electric Literature, Ninth Letter, Epiphany, the anthology Tiny Nightmares, and elsewhere. Her writing has been supported by the Elizabeth George Foundation and the Convent Arts Fellowship. She holds an MFA in fiction from The New School and lives in Los Angeles, where she is the director of educational programming at One Story.
Student Testimonials
"Writing fiction is like leaping into darkness, reaching for a bar you can’t see. For the first few attempts at a story, you’re pretty much guaranteed to fall, even if you’re an experienced writer. On day one of our workshop, Lena set up a strong, elastic net of trust and support. We all felt inspired to try challenging feats, knowing that when we fell, we’d bounce back up and catch the bar with the momentum to swing to the opposite platform."
"Lena was a wonderful instructor, always a great blend of thoughtful and thorough when reading, as well as insightful during critiques. Our class featured a very diverse blend of voices, styles, and genres, and Lena was able to add value to every submission. She reads and comments with a true editorial eye, and her feedback truly helped improve my work."
“Engaging and informative... Lena provided us with prompts and helpful advice to advance our work.”