WLT On the Craft of Writing: "Writing the Novella"

“A novella compresses the world with a short story’s focus, but it explores that smaller space with a novel’s generosity.” -Josh Weil, author of The New Valley: Novellas

For this event, we’re partnering with one of our favorite indie bookstores, BookWoman. You can purchase copies of Writing the Novella from BookWoman here: https://www.ebookwoman.com/book/97808...


About Writing the Novella:

While the novella has existed as a distinct literary form for over four hundred years, Writing the Novella is the first craft book dedicated to creating this intermediate-length fiction. Innovative, integrated journal prompts inspire and sustain the creative process, and classic novellas serve as examples throughout. Part 1 defines the novella form and steers early decision-making on situation, character, plot, and point of view. Part 2 provides detailed directions for writing the scenic plot points that support a strong but flexible narrative arc. Appendix materials include a list of recommended novellas, publishing opportunities, and blank templates for the story map, graphs, and charts used throughout the book. By turns instructive and inspirational, Writing the Novella will be a welcome resource for new and experienced writers alike.

Presenter Bio:
Sharon Oard Warner is the author of two novels, a short story collection, and an edited anthology of stories on AIDS. Her craft book, Writing the Novella, was published on March 1, 2021. Warner’s essays and articles have appeared in The AWP Chronicle, The Writer, Writer’s Digest, Studies in Short Fiction, Studies in the Novel and others. Many of those articles went on to be republished in The Year’s Best Writing on Writing, The Writer’s Handbook, Writer’s Digest Yearbook, The Writer’s Guide to Fiction: How to Write, Polish, and Publish Short Stories and Novels, Short Story Criticism and others. From 1999 -2016, she founded and directed the Taos Summer Writers' Conference, one of the largest such gatherings in the country. Warner is Emerita Professor of English Language & Literature at the University of New Mexico and Co-Chair for the D. H. Lawrence Ranch Initiatives. She lives with her husband in Austin, Texas, where she is working on a book about Texas sculptress, Elisabet Ney.