Brevity as Style: A Flash Fiction Workshop with Sam Asher

This class meets for four sessions: Saturdays, October 4, 11, 18, 25 2:00 - 3:30 PM Pacific

Miss the summer Flash Fiction Groups? Looking to deepen your ability to read and write flash fiction? Want more direct feedback on your work?

Join the editor of The Cosmic Background for a four week journey into the form, including guided analysis of examples, and constructive critique from the instructor and your peers. Students will be given the opportunity develop their skills in the most difficult form in short fiction and feel confident in its construction. 

Over four weeks, we’ll explore:

• Drafting and critiquing opening sentences
• How to read and give feedback on flash
• The exploitation of the senses in flash fiction
• Developing a compelling narrative in brief fiction, and
• Tying it all together in the ending

Attendees will leave with:

• At least two completed, submission-ready pieces of flash fiction
• A new awareness of the form
• A written critique from the instructor for each of their completed pieces
• An optional one-on-one Zoom chat with the instructor to discuss critique (or anything else flash fiction related!)

Participation Requirements: Because this is a generative class with opportunities to give feedback, attendees will be asked to participate via chat, voice, and/or video.

Limited to ten attendees.

About the Instructor: 

Sam Asher is a writer, editor, and teacher from the Middle East, who currently lives in Connecticut. A graduate of the Clarion Writer's Workshop, Sam has gone on to teach short fiction throughout New York City, and New England. Editor of the pro-paying speculative flash fiction magazine The Cosmic Background, you can also find his work in a host of journals, and in his 2024 collection, Really, Shockingly Bad Things. Website

This event will be held in Zoom. By registering for this class, you agree to follow the Clarion West Code of Conduct and Zoom policies. 

Limited Free Seating: 

We offer a percentage of seats in every class to People of the Global Majority (Asian, Black, African, Latina/o/x, Middle Eastern, Indigenous, Pacific Islander, and/or have been racialized as 'ethnic minorities') for free, regardless of financial need. 

Eligible folks should complete this form to enter the lottery for free seats.  If a seat is available, we will email you 7-10 days before the class begins. For more information, see our equity and inclusion policies.

Sliding Scale Pricing:

The Supporting Tuition rate is shown for each class or workshop for folks who can pay it. Paying the Supporting Tuition rate enables us to continue to pay our staff and instructors equitably, as well as support access to classes for others who may be in a different situation. 

The Helping Hands rate is available to folks under more limited economic circumstances, no matter your background.

For more information, see our financial aid policies.

Our Refund Policy:

Clarion West will refund all class fees if the request is made 30 days before the class date. Refund requests made within 30 days of the class will be honored if we can fill the seat.

Any exceptions are subject to approval by our workshop staff.