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Featured Online Flash Writing Workshop

In a Flash - Writing and Publishing Dynamic Flash Prose, 5-week workshop with Melanie Faith

In a Flash: Writing and Publishing Dynamic Flash Prose by Melanie Faith

START DATE: Friday, July 1, 2022

END DATE: Friday, August 5, 2022

DURATION: 5 weeks

LOCATION:  Private Facebook group and email

FEEDBACK:  Instructor feedback and critique on all assignments

COURSE DESCRIPTION: Flash is a dynamic, fun genre that more and more editors seek. Both flash fiction and flash nonfiction share many of the same qualities, from characterization and setting to conflict and dialog.

In this five-week workshop, we’ll explore this eclectic art form and everything you’ll need to have a lively flash-writing practice, from where to get ideas and drafting to editing and submitting your work. We’ll discuss practical tips and techniques along with inspiring exercises from our text, In a Flash! Writing & Publishing Dynamic Flash Prose, by Melanie Faith. Students will submit drafts weekly for constructive and supportive instructor feedback. There will be a private group for students to discuss the literary life and for sharing of literary resources, such as markets and quotations about the writing process.

Topics covered will include: Begin Where You are; To 'I' or Not to 'I?'; Quotation Power!; "Flash," You Say? Four Tips for Compressed Dialogue; Villains and Vamps: Crafting Realistic Antagonists; Writing Private People; The Big Cs; Snapback: Incorporating Details of Era and Setting; I See You: The Value of (Re)Connection; Spark, Spark, Light! The Inciting Incident & You; Mixed-Emotion Station; Descriptive Ruts; Attributes: Adventures in Style and Syntax; Idiomatic Time Travel and All that Jazz; The Advocate: Personality Types and Your Protagonist; The Whiplash Compliment; FOMO: Fear of Missing out & Your Characters; Tight-Roping: Balancing Self-Revelations with Self-Protection; Joy Bombs: How to Write Happy without Turning Your Reader against You; Playing Genre Ping-Pong; The Strategically-Shattered Plate; Dynamic Settings on the Skinny; The Too Timid and Tame; Plucking Posies from a Flash Bouquet: Submission Tips, and much more.

I highly recommend the writing courses offered by Melanie Faith. She is one of the most engaging instructors I’ve ever worked with—her passion for her craft, and for nurturing other writers, is evident from the very first contact, and she maintains that level of energy and engagement throughout the course. Her feedback is superb; her praise is specific and helps validate the choices I make with my writing, and her suggestions for improvement are gentle and equally specific. Either way, her suggestions and comments always make my work stronger, and increase my confidence that perhaps I do have something to say after all. If you have a chance to take one of Melanie's courses, by all means do it! I'll be back for another one as soon as I can. ~ Karen V, North Carolina (Previous WOW In a Flash! student)

Five Star review for Melanie Faith's In a Flash class! I learned a great deal from her book In a Flash, and feel more confident than ever to take the leap and try submitting work. Melanie offered thorough, encouraging and constructive insight and guidance. I'm looking forward to more! ~ Lynn H. Powers

I enjoyed Melanie’s 5 week class very much. She was always encouraging, helpful in the grammar area, and gave great plot suggestions that I will use from now on in my future writings. Throughout the course she listed excellent submission suggestions. She makes the course worth every penny. I highly recommend e-course: In a Flash. ~ Marilyn W (Previous WOW In a Flash! student)

Melanie Faith’s “Spark and Sizzle Flash Fiction Class” lives up to its title. The sample stories provided were examples of good writing and served as models. Melanie’s prompts came at a rapid pace and kept my pen on the page every day. Her critique comments were sharp and encouraging and challenged me to be the best writer I could be. She is easily available for questions or discussions during and after her classes via her personal email. This is the third class I’ve taken with Melanie and I am looking forward to taking many more in the future. ~ Renee Cassese

I decided to try Melanie Faith’s WOW! poetry class because writing and creating in different genres helps my writing. I am so glad I did! Melanie is upbeat, inspiring, supportive, professional and an incredible instructor and writer. Now I see poetry as always being a part of my life. I don’t know how she does it with all the demands on her professional and writing life, but Melanie makes you feel like you are her only student. Her comments are always on point and she strikes the right balance of teacher and colleague. Months after the class has ended she continues to answer questions and cheer on us budding poets. She has an amazing and giving spirit. I will take another writing class from Melanie, no matter what the subject. She has so much to offer on so many different levels! ~ Kate Bradley-Ferrall

Melanie has always shown great insight into my work. Often times, she is able to pull out deeper meanings, that even I wasn't consciously aware of while writing. Her constructive criticism has moved my writing into new directions. I find that I feel more confident and prepared as a writer by having her constant editing eye. I respect that she critiques my poetry honestly, letting me know areas that are weak as well as strong points. I wouldn't be able to grow as a writer if she always told me my poems were great. It's from her perspective of my work that I grow. I enjoy learning through her and appreciate her sharing tricks of the trade that she learned in her masters program. I'm thankful to know Melanie and hope we remain friends and a poetry support system for the rest of our lives. She's the type of person and writer that anyone would feel lucky to know. She is a great mentor and holds a wealth of knowledge in the written language. Her achievements and constant pursuit as a writer inspire so many. Her determination and skill will go very far and I suspect she'll leave a lasting imprint in the written world. She already has. ~ Courtney Burger

Melanie has been a total joy as a teacher and guide. I found her feedback, critiques, and comments to be extraordinarily helpful and insightful. And the daily prompts and positive reinforcement made this writing class a wonderful experience! ~ Mary Purdy

Melanie’s class taught me economy of words by using strong verbs and nouns, implying and showing rather than telling, and exploring topics outside of my comfort zone. Her feedback is prompt, detailed and constructive. ~ Rajni Gupta

Melanie knows how to offer on-the-mark suggestions for writing improvement while also being extremely encouraging (and a joy to work with). I've taken many classes with her, including the flash class, and I plan on taking many more. ~ Marilyn Fahey

The course was great. I did not want it to end. I have taken several college level creative writing courses, as well as, attended many writer’s workshops, but I have enjoyed this course the most. I really appreciated that Melanie would also critique our re-writes which was very, very helpful. This course has really helped to motivate me creatively. ~ Barb Cramer

WEEKS AT A GLANCE:

Friday, July 1, 2022: class begins

Friday, July 8, 15, 22, 29, and August 5, 2022: student drafts due for instructor comments

Week One: The Three F’s: Fast, Flexible, Fun; Begin Where You are, To ‘I’ or Not to ‘I?’; Quotation Power!; “Flash,” You Say? Four Tips for Compressed Dialogue; Villains and Vamps: Crafting Realistic Antagonists; Impressionistic Leapfrog: A Prompt in Naming; Brava, Pecunious, Grapple, Skulk: Jazz up Your Writing; Color Magic: The Power of Hue Imagery; Shrug Your Shoulders. Toss Your Hair; Stuck in Muck; and Spontaneous Song

In a Flash! Text Reading:

  • Introduction “Why Write Flash? From Flashbulb to Snapshot on the Page,” and all of section one: pages 9-53.

Assignment: Write a flash based on a prompt of your choice from the end of any chapter.

Week Two: Spotlight on Nonfiction—The Pivotal Moment; That’s a Wrap!: Closure in Creative Nonfiction Flashes; Introvert Meets Extroverted Art; Birthday Twin; Caught or Not? Reconstructing the Pieces; Amalgamation Station: Writing Private People; The Big Cs; Snapback: Incorporating Details of Era and Setting; I See You: The Value of (Re)Connection; Tender Underbelly; On Commemoration; It’s [Not] Over; Scent: The Little Sense that Could; Wobbly Tree; Snap Judgments & Reversals; Emerald and Ruby Gelatin Cups: The Wants and Gimmes, and More.

In a Flash! Text Reading:

  • Choose ten or more short chapters from Section II, “Get Real, Crafting Flash Nonfiction,” pages 53-143.

Assignment: Write a flash based on a prompt of your choice from the end of any chapter.

Week Three: Spotlight on Fiction I—Spark, Spark, Light! The Inciting Incident & You; Mixed-Emotion Station; Bye-bye-bye; Cleaning-Sponge Cakes and Other Misinterpretations; Shine Light on Broken Glass: Descriptive Ruts; Attributes: Adventures in Style and Syntax; Idiomatic Time Travel and All that Jazz; Keystone: The One that Got Away; Correspondences; Your Protagonist’s Treasure; The Whiplash Compliment; Distinctive Oddity; and Archival, the Remix

In a Flash! Text Reading:

  • The first twelve chapters of Section III, “The Liars- who-Tell-the-Truth Club Flash Fiction,” from “Spark, Spark, Light! The Inciting Incident and You” through “Archival, the Remix,” pages 144-188.

Assignment: Write a flash based on a prompt of your choice from the end of any chapter.

Week Four: Spotlight on Fiction II—There’s Knowing and Then There’s Knowing, Cue the Doom Music, Inked, Retro-tastic Smalls, Ooh-la-la! How Intentions Deepen Character Development, The Advocate: Personality Types and Your Protagonist, The Whiplash Compliment, FOMO: Fear of Missing out & Your Characters, Tight-Roping: Balancing Self-Revelations with Self-Protection, Motley Crew: Six Questions for Your Protagonist's Pals, Beautiful Contradictions, and The Cool Side of the Pillow

In a Flash! Text Reading:

  • The rest of Section III, “The Liars-who-Tell-the-Truth Club Flash Fiction,” from “There’s Knowing, and Then There’s Knowing” to “The Cool Side of the Pillow,” pages 189-229.

Assignment: Write a flash based on a prompt of your choice from the end of any chapter.

Week Five: Spotlight on Editing and Submitting Flash—Tiny, Tinier, Tiniest: Tricks of Compression; Idiosyncrasies, Tangents, and Themes, Oh My!; Joy Bombs: How to Write Happy without Turning Your Reader against You; Playing Genre Ping-Pong; The Strategically-Shattered Plate; Dynamic Settings on the Skinny; The Too Timid and Tame; Plucking Posies from a Flash Bouquet: Submission Tips; Accountability Partners; Where to Submit: Market Ideas for Flash Prose; Self-Publishing and You; You Name It: Tips for Pen-Name Success; Rejection Station; Fear of Acceptance?; I Get Knocked Down, but I Get up Again; and Forever Forward: Balloon Days

In a Flash! Text Reading:

  • All of Section IV: “How to Edit and Where to Send it,” pages 229-292.

Assignment: Write a flash based on a prompt of your choice from the end of any chapter.

OR

Students may submit a revision of one of the previous four flashes you've penned during this course.

Materials needed: Students will need a copy of: In a Flash!: Writing & Publishing Dynamic Flash Prose by Melanie Faith (Vine Leaves Press 2018). This text is currently available in print and e-book copies online at Amazon. Also, signed copies are available from the instructor—please contact writer[at]pa[dot]net if interested.

Melanie FaithABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: Melanie Faith holds an MFA from Queens University of Charlotte, NC. Her writing has been nominated three times for the Pushcart Prize. Vine Leaves Press has published her craft books about numerous writing topics, including her latest books, From Promising to Published: A Multi-Genre, Insider's Guide to the Publication Process (May 2022), a book about crafting a reference book that sells (April 2022), and a book about creating an online creative-writing class (February 2022) as well as books about writing and editing flash fiction and nonfiction, her craft book about writing poetry, and Photography for Writers. She’s also a published photographer and frequent doodler who loves reading graphic novels. Her instructional articles about writing techniques have appeared in The Writer and Writers’ Journal, among others. Her full-length, historical poetry collection set in the 1918 flu epidemic, This Passing Fever, was published by Future Cycle Press. She is also the author of a series of narrative poems, set during WWII, called Catching the Send-off Train (published by Wordrunner eChapbooks), as well as a Regency novella under a nom de plume (Uncial Press), entitled Her Humble Admirer. To learn more about Melanie's writing, teaching, and photography, please visit: www.melaniedfaith.com.

COST:  $200, which includes e-mail critique and positive feedback on student writing, and access to a private group for student interactions.

BUY NOW:  In a Flash: Writing and Publishing Dynamic Flash Prose by Melanie Faith (5 weeks, starting 7/01/2022) Limit: 10 students. Early registration is recommended.

This class is now closed. Please check here for our current schedule.

Notes: Upon successful completion of payment, your name, email address, and contact info will be submitted to your instructor. She will contact you via email so you can get started.

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Additional Testimonials for Melanie Faith:

I took the nature writing class a few weeks ago and it was one of the best courses I've even taken. Melanie Faith is an excellent instructor. ~ Jean Forsythe

Your course has jump-started me back into writing. I have missed it. Thank you. ~ Melissa Healy

Melanie knows how to offer on-the-mark suggestions for writing improvement while also being extremely encouraging (and a joy to work with). I've taken many classes with her, including the flash class, and I plan on taking many more. ~ Marilyn Fahey

Melanie has always shown great insight into my work. Often times, she is able to pull out deeper meanings, that even I wasn't consciously aware of while writing. Her constructive criticism has moved my writing into new directions. I find that I feel more confident and prepared as a writer by having her constant editing eye. I respect that she critiques my poetry honestly, letting me know areas that are weak as well as strong points. I wouldn't be able to grow as a writer if she always told me my poems were great. It's from her perspective of my work that I grow. I enjoy learning through her and appreciate her sharing tricks of the trade that she learned in her masters program.

I'm thankful to know Melanie and hope we remain friends and a poetry support system for the rest of our lives. She's the type of person and writer that anyone would feel lucky to know. She is a great mentor and holds a wealth of knowledge in the written language. Her achievements and constant pursuit as a writer inspire so many. Her determination and skill will go very far and I suspect she'll leave a lasting imprint in the written world. She already has. ~ Courtney Burger

The course was great. I did not want it to end. I have taken several college level creative writing courses, as well as, attended many writer’s workshops, but I have enjoyed this course the most. I really appreciated that Melanie would also critique our re-writes which was very, very helpful. This course has really helped to motivate me creatively. ~ Barb Cramer

Melanie demonstrates particular qualities in a writing teacher/coach that I would recommend for anyone looking for focused attention to help move their writing forward.

I had not taken an on-line course previously, and didn't know what to expect, but Melanie melted the distance, was always accessible, and never missed a beat with out on-line communication. I always felt like I had Melanie right here around my writing table, or knocking on my door saying—“I had a few thoughts..." She provided a wealth of resources and provided us with course materials that were tuned to our course level.

Her insight into my work, in terms of critique, were extremely thoughtful, thorough, and eye-opening. I feel that working with Melanie has allowed me to be braver with my writing and editing—as she was supportive of experimentation and taking chances with style, vocabulary, and theme. She provides serious critique in an atmosphere that, well, just makes me want to keep on writing!” ~ Mary Ellen Sanger

I have taken three courses from Melanie and in each course I grow tremendously as a writer. The texts she uses as well as the handouts and daily writing prompts all contribute to what she refers to as “the writing life” and in her courses that’s exactly what it becomes. Her comments on the pieces go way beyond grammar and punctuation. She delves into the content and clarifies what is good and what can be adjusted to make the piece stronger. I can tell she spends time reading what I write and is prompt in returning the assignments so I always have plenty of time for revision. She treats me, and everyone in the class, like a writer. Her classes are a joy. If there is a course offered by Melanie and I can fit it in, I always take it. ~ Holly Helscher

I have the normal anxiousness of sharing my work while so excited to have Melanie Faith’s critical eye read my writing. It is always reviewed with an eye to improvement and an eye to the thoughts the words contain. This is the first computer class I have ever taken and want to take many more. I also look forward to many more classes with Melanie Faith. ~ Benita Cervantes

Because I love memoir writing, I have taken two memoir/personal essay classes from Melanie. I can’t believe this, but because I enjoy the teacher herself and her method of teaching so much, I’ve even taken a poetry-writing class. I’ve always steered away from writing poetry of any kind ever since I wrote a poem in college (an assignment, not a by-choice piece) and the class laughed because I wrote about a controversial topic and was so naïve that I didn’t even know it was controversial. Every time I’d mention to Melanie that I’d never write a poem, she’d encourage me to take her class, assuring me that I’d be successful. I took the class, and sure enough, I was successful, thanks to Melanie’s velvet critiquing, encouraging comments, and thoughtful suggestions, many times seeing in my writing what I couldn’t see for myself.

I have to rein myself in every time I see in the WOW classes list that Melanie is teaching another essay class. And why is this? In all of my education (B.A. in English and M.A. in English), I never took a writing class. When I was in college, writing was taught only in Freshman English; after that class, we were just expected to know how to write. I learned to teach writing myself by reading books about writing. How refreshing and educational to find a teacher/mentor who exhibits the characteristics that I know an excellent writing teacher has: the creativity to come up with topics that students want to write about, the ability to critique without finding fault, the desire to encourage students to keep on writing even when the juices aren’t flowing. Believe me . . . she’s an excellent teacher. In addition, she became my friend through being my teacher. To be a friend AND a teacher takes real talent. ~ Sandy Young

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Questions? Email Marcia & Angela at:
classroom[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com


 

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