Tag: Crafting the Short Story

Back to Class

Posted on by joepowersauthor

Just a quick update today to remind you that spring is here, which means it’s time for the next round of online writing classes. Time is ticking, but there’s still time to register for Writing Horror: The Dark Side and Crafting the Short Story. Dark Side kicks off this Monday, April 12th, with Short Story a few days later, starting Thursday, April 15th.

What are these classes all about, you ask? From UNB’s registration site:

“Short story creation is an art form that is often neglected and overlooked. Related to – but entirely separate from – novel writing, short story creation can be a tricky art to master but also fun and rewarding. It has been suggested that writing short stories can even be more difficult than novels. Impossible? Take this course and judge for yourself!

Here’s an opportunity to focus on writing effective short stories, covering many of the basics of short story writing. You’ll learn how to set the scene, create and develop believable characters, avoid common pitfalls, and much more.

With an emphasis on developing the craft through good writing practices and habits, the course offers tips and advice on discovering the joys of short speculative fiction.

The course also covers important topics such as editing and preparing your work for publication. There is a segment that focuses on submitting for publication, publishing contracts, identifying and avoiding scams, and more, to help avoid the worst of the potential pitfalls in the publishing world.”

As for Horror: the Dark Side:

“The word “horror” often conjures images of masked, machete-wielding monsters doing unspeakable things to innocent teenagers. That’s definitely part of it, but there’s a lot more to the story.

Horror is a genre unlike no other. Its purpose is to unsettle, to elicit a strong emotional response from the reader through “safe scares”. It’s also perhaps the most misunderstood genre of all.

Horror is hack and slash, blood and guts. It’s creepy ghosts and haunted houses. It’s psychological thrillers, gothic tales, atmospheric tension, human drama, and of course, monsters. It spans generations and appeals to a wide audience – from Stephen King and Edgar Allen Poe to Neil Gaiman and R.L. Stine, horror brings joy (and scares) to kids and adults alike.

In this course, we’ll dispel some of the myths surrounding horror, and explore the key elements including, what turns an ordinary story into a spooky tale, how to build and maintain suspense, developing strong characters (human and otherwise), how to write an ending with maximum impact, and more.

This course shares some basic elements with Crafting the Short Story, and emphasizes developing the craft through good writing practices and habits.”

Just a few days left to register, but there are still spots in both classes. Just follow the links above. If you or someone you know has an interest in learning the basics of creative fiction writing, or a specific peek into the world of creating scary stories, I’d love to have you come along with me this spring.

-JP

Horror in the Books

Posted on by joepowersauthor

Just a few notes to bring everyone up to date on what’s new in my little corner of the world. We’re mere weeks away from the first day of spring! If you’re in a part of the world that’s still clinging to the daylight savings thing, it happens this weekend.

The inaugural offering of Writing Horror: The Dark Side concluded tonight. I have to say, it went extremely well, even as I worked out the kinks and smoothed out the syllabus. What are the key elements to writing horror? How do you write for maximum emotional impact? At the same time, as with Crafting the Short Story, my emphasis is always on good writing habits and practices. So the challenge is to fit everything in, cover some of the basics while keeping it fresh for those who have already taken the short story course. I was thrilled and very proud as I watched my students, some of whom hadn’t written anything in years, churn out some chilling and creepy stuff. I’m already looking forward to the next session, which kicks off April 12th.

Seventeen Skulls and Old Bones are on the horizon, still working their way through the arduous process of becoming books. Next on the docket: the first draft of the next novel is done, now the process has begun to repair all the fissures and cracks and transform it into something that resembles a finished product. This one’s still several steps down the road before it sees the light of day, but it’s never too early to throw out a teaser!

Finally, thanks to everyone who read my post about the Donnelly massacre last month. It garnered a lot of interest and generated lots of positive feedback. It’s a subject of great interest to me, and a story I always enjoy recounting to anyone who isn’t familiar with the history. I suspect there may be more such entries in this space along the way.

That’s all for now. As always, thanks for stopping by for a visit. Feel free to sign up for updates via email through my contact page. Until next time,

Stay safe, talk soon!

-JP

Winter Semester Starts Soon!

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Winter is in full swing – actually, I take that back… it really isn’t. I have to admit, as Canadian winters go this one has been rather mild, which doesn’t exactly break my heart. It’s still pretty chilly out there, but at least for the time being we’re not eyeballs-deep in snow. I’m speaking solely from my Maritime perspective though, so depending on where you’re reading this from your mileage may vary. If your locale isn’t getting off as lightly as we are here, my condolences.

Nevertheless, the onset of winter does mean the beginning of a new semester of online classes at UNB. And as always, it means Crafting the Short Story (which has moved from Mondays to Thursdays and now run for eight weeks) along with the latest addition to the lineup, Writing Horror: The Dark Side which takes over the long-standing Monday time slot. And the hour is nearly upon us! Classes begin next week, so if you’ve been on the fence about signing up, there’s no time like the present. There’s still room in both classes, so if you or someone you know is interested in learning/improving their writing skills – and filling some of those wintry COVID lockdown hours – you can kill two birds with one stone and come hang out in my virtual classroom.

Lastly, as I frequently do here, I would like to remind you that reviews for Terror in High Water are always welcome on any and all platforms it’s available on. Reviews are always welcome but they’re especially helpful now with not one but two new titles coming soon, to generate and draw interest in anticipation of the forthcoming Old Bones and Seventeen Skulls. Teasers, blurbs, and cover art when available can be seen on my World Castle Publishing author page, here. Also, for updates on new posts and news check out my contact page, fill out a few boxes, and voila! Emailed updates sent right to your inbox.

That’s all for now. Thank you as always for dropping in to see the latest goings-on, or catch up on some of the history around here. Whether you’re a first-timer or daily visitor, I’m always pleased you’ve taken some of your time to spend here with me. Until next time,

Stay safe, talk soon!

-JP

Last One of the Year

Posted on by joepowersauthor

Happy Solstice! The shortest day of the year is now behind us, onward to longer (and, before we know it, warmer) days! It’s the holiday season, and possibly my last post of this crazy whirlwind that has been 2020. I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy, even if you’re in a place where travel restrictions and such have hampered your plans. As of today Ontario has gone into lock down for the next month, most other Canadian provinces are in various stages of restriction, and I understand there’s a new strain of COVID making its way through the UK and possibly into Australia. And of course America is reporting some frightening infection numbers. There may be light at the end of the tunnel, but it’s a little way off still I think.

As for me, I’m recovering from entirely different health woes, having suffered some broken ribs about a week ago. It’s the second time in my life that I’ve damaged myself in this way, roughly twenty years between instances. It’s not any more pleasant this time around, I can tell you. Fortunately for me, the next couple of weeks will bring a light work schedule, which means more time to convalesce here at home.

The time off will give me a chance to put the finishing touches on my new Writing Horror: The Dark Side class, which debuts on January 25th. Meanwhile, Crafting the Short Story moves to its new time slot on Thursdays starting January 28th. It also switches to an eight-week course as noted in this previous post. I’m looking forward to getting back into the classroom – virtual though it may be – this new winter session.

In other news, I wrote a new story this weekend. One of those spur of the moment things where an idea occurred to me and I wrote it down as it was hatching. I guess it wasn’t so much the act of writing the story that was spur of the moment; I wanted to submit something to an open call but had nothing that really fit, so I did sit down with the intention of coming up with something. As for the story itself, I didn’t even have an inkling of what it would be before I started. Sometimes that’s how it works: a little spark of an idea turns into a story right before your astonished eyes. One of the things I tell my students involves a daily writing exercise which can spawn story ideas and, from time to time, actual stories.

Speaking of stories, keep an eye on this space in the new year for a new feature I plan to add to the site. I’ll be adding a section of free content including some stories and the like. For those who have already read some of my work and enjoy it, this is just a little something extra. For those who may not have read anything I’ve done yet, this is your chance to test the waters. Hopefully you’ll like what you see!

In case this is indeed my last post this year, let me thank you for spending some time here with me and my thoughts. Once again I end with the obligatory mention of my contact page, not only for yourself but any of your family and friends whom you think might enjoy what we do here. And what post would be complete without a gentle reminder than book reviews are the lifeline of all authors? Since it’s the season for giving and all, I would happily accept any and all reviews. Primarily and ideally for Terror in High Water, at any or all of here, here, or here. But any of the titles that have included my work would also be welcome. Finally, as always,

Be safe, talk soon!
-JP

Course Correction

Posted on by joepowersauthor

Just a quick update to my (currently online, hopefully not forever) courses: An Introduction to Publishing is no longer being offered as a standalone class. We’ve now consolidated this as part of Crafting the Short Story, which will now have an extra two classes added. This makes more sense than forcing you guys to sign up for a second course to get information you really should have included as part of the main course. So for anyone who signed up for the February 2021 session (and I don’t think there was anyone yet), you should be aware of the change and contact the office to get that sorted.

Also, it’s official: the first run of Writing Horror: The Dark Side is a go for the winter session, beginning on January 25th. The class had already begun to fill up within days of the announcement, which is really cool. I’m really looking forward to seeing some old friends mixed in with the new faces. It should be a fun class.

I realized, as I was looking back at some recent posts, that it seems my writing classes are almost all I talk about lately in this space. I did mention recently the new anthologies with my stories in them, I guess. I’m also currently shopping my second novel, Seventeen Skulls, as well as a collection of my shorts called Old Bones. Hopefully we’ll see one or both of those available not too far down the road.

In a bit of writing/writing class crossover news: in the latest installment of CTSS I decided I would try something new. For the first time since we introduced the course many moons ago, I would write the weekly assignments along with the class. There were a few reasons for doing this, but a large part of it was that I wanted to show everyone that it was indeed possible, even by my own unorthodox methods. So I did write alongside my fellow writers, and shared my work with them as they did with me. It was interesting to see the process from the other side of the glass, so to speak. But in a plot twist even I didn’t see coming, my budding short story grew legs of its own and morphed from standalone story to what I’m tentatively calling ‘chapter one’. Yeah, I did it to myself – took something quick and easy, and turned it into a lengthy project for myself. I already have a few irons in the fire that need tending to, and I’ll get to them for sure. But this is just interesting enough to intrigue me, so I owe it to myself to see what (if anything) can be done with it. I’ll let you know what I find out!

That’s all for today. Just a few quick notes to keep everyone up to speed. As always, feel free to pop over to my contact page and sign up for email updates whenever new posts drop. Until next time, stay safe, talk soon!

-JP

The Dark Side of Writing

Posted on by joepowersauthor

It’s November – early days, but November nonetheless – and it feels like spring out there. Sixteen degrees today, and a reported 20 tomorrow. High teens the rest of the week (That’s mid to high 60s, for my American friends). It’s as if I accidentally slipped into hibernation during last week’s sub-zero temperatures and arose from my slumber to happily discover I’d skipped ahead to April. I suspect these temperate days are destined to be short-lived, but considering what November usually feels like around here, we’ll take it.

On to more writerly matters: as of about two hours ago we wrapped up another successful run of Crafting the Short Story. It was a great group and we had a lot of fun, and everyone really impressed me with the cool stuff they came up with for the finale. It seems like a good time to plug the next offering, which moves to Thursday evenings for the winter session and beyond. The next round kicks off on January 28th and runs through March 25th (no class March 4th).

Why have we shifted to Thursdays after such a long run in the Monday slot? Oh, I’ll still be grinding away on Monday, fear not. But now, I’m pleased to introduce the debut of Writing Horror: The Dark Side. It’s an all-new course which, I’m told, was heavily requested by former and prospective students alike. So the good folks at the CEL asked if I’d be interested in offering such a course, to which I quickly agreed. This will occupy my Mondays beginning January 25th through March 15th (no class Feb. 15th and March 1st). I’m excited for this one – as much as I love teaching CTSS this is right up my alley, more in my wheelhouse, whatever tired cliche works for you.

Just before I go, I wanted to remind you that Scary Snippets – Campfire Edition is now available in Kindle and paperback. It’s my second time working with these publishers, along with Mother Ghost’s Grimm Vol. 2. Unlike MGG, which was written primarily for the little ones, Scary Snippets is aimed at a more mature audience. It’s filled with spooky stories that are on the shorter side (hence the ‘snippets’ thing) in there, including two of mine that are both loosely based on real events.

There, I think we’re mostly up to date now. If you’d like to have the latest blog posts delivered directly to your inbox, drop by my contact page and let me know, and we’ll make it happen. Until next time, be safe, talk soon!

-JP

(Even More) Online Learning

Posted on by joepowersauthor

The unseasonable weather continues here in my little corner of the world, which I find delightful. I’ve heard it said we’re in for a mild winter this year. I freely admit this doesn’t upset me.

Weather-related happiness aside, I wanted to take a minute to let you know about another course I’ll be offering starting this winter. At the request of the college, I’m pleased to announce that “Writing Horror: The Dark Side” will debut in January. It will run simultaneously with Crafting the Short Story, and there will be a few overlapping topics since a big part of the focus is on structure and developing good writing practices. But we’ll also delve deeper into the horror genre specifically. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to offer this class, which along with An Introduction to Publishing brings us to three in total. I’ll fill you in on all the details in the near future.

You know, this writing thing has a lot of ups and downs. But despite the highlights that always end too soon, and the lulls that always seem to go on forever, on the whole there’s never a dull moment. It’s a rewarding experience that continually teaches me as much as I, hopefully, pass on to my students.

Until next time, stay safe, talk soon!

-JP

Scary Snippets, Mother Ghost, and More

Posted on by joepowersauthor

It’s been far too long since I checked in with everyone. I hope you’re all doing well! Summer has come and gone – it’s been unseasonably warm here for this late in the year, but you won’t hear me complaining. A nighttime dog walk in a tee shirt in October? Yes, please. Meanwhile, I see WordPress has changed a lot since I was here last. It may take me a while to get used to how things work again here, so bear with me.

Unlike most years, I kept going with Crafting the Short Story throughout the summer. Normally everyone’s too busy or otherwise occupied to bother taking courses in the summer, but for obvious reasons people were hanging a little closer to home this year. So we decided to offer online classes to help break up the time and give folks something to do during a stressful time when travel and vacations were all but impossible. The latest session started last week, and so far it’s been great. It’s a fun and insightful group, which for me makes it that much more enjoyable.

On top of that, I have been asked to offer a new course beginning this winter. It isn’t listed on the website yet but for those interested, this one will focus specifically on horror writing. Stay tuned for more info as it becomes available.

In other news, the long-awaited and highly-anticipated Mother Ghost’s Grimm Volume 2 is now available in Kindle and paperback. It’s horror for kids, something I hadn’t really done much of before but had fun experimenting with. It’s also something else I’d never done before: the first time sharing a table of contents with my better half, Sheryl. Of the forty two authors who contributed, some are friends, some I hadn’t heard of before, all brought their own unique voice to a very diverse collection of kid-friendly stories.

Finally, I have two stories in the upcoming anthology Scary Snippets: Campfire Edition. They’re shorter pieces, based on real-life experiences, included in what will surely be a very spooky and fun read!

I’ll provide a link when it’s available for sale. For now, here’s a sneak peek at the cover:

I know it’s just a quick note, but for now that brings us more or less up to date. For my Canadian friends, have a safe and happy Thanksgiving next weekend. Be safe, see you soon!

-JP

A Necessary Detour

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This week I had to take a short break from working on my novel. I didn’t want to, necessarily, it just worked out that way. Something I hadn’t seen much of in a while wandered across my path and drew my attention.

Ideas for stories come to me – to most writers, I suspect – in the oddest ways, unannounced and when least expected. In this case I was taking my dog, Daphne, for a late-night stroll around the property. I often talk to her as we walk, and on this occasion something I said sparked a little idea in my head. Just an innocent little phrase, but my mind took it and ran with it into darker places. By the time we came up the stairs and back inside for the night, the basis for a short story had been born.

I came inside, and once everyone else in the house was bedded down for the night I sat down at the computer and decided I needed to get the basic idea down before it got away. I sent a message to a friend that outlined the story in a few lines. I wanted an outside opinion – sometimes ideas that sound cool at first, in my head, make less sense once they go from concept to execution. In this case I got the thumbs up and forged ahead.

It isn’t finished yet, but it’s outlined. In my own vernacular, the skeleton has been assembled, now it just needs meat on the bones. I’ll pick and putter with it for a while until I’m happy with it, put it through my usual routine, and call it done. It’s nice, because after hammering away at novels almost exclusively for the last three-plus years, writing a short story is a recent rarity for me.

So, why was it a “necessary detour”, as the title implies? While I often stress the need to finish projects and not leave them lying around in various stages of disarray and disassembly, sometimes when something you’re working on feels like a struggle a step back can be a blessing. It’s not a long term thing – I’ll go back to the grindstone soon enough. I feel I may have needed a little pause, without pausing. In this case it came in the form of a new project. Just a brief side road to renew my enthusiasm, and maybe a little reminder that I’m still capable of pulling out a short story once in a while.

On a related note, Crafting the Short Story  kicked off this week. I always look forward to working with a new group, and so far this one has a fun dynamic. It should be a good run.

Time to get back to it. Stay safe, talk soon!

-JP

Friday Tidbits

Posted on by joepowersauthor

As another week winds down I wanted to send out another reminder that the next session of Crafting the Short Story kicks off this Monday, May 4th. For me, it’s the first online edition of the class – although I have done online sessions with individuals in the past. So it should be an interesting experience.

I was pleased to learn the platform we’ll be using is Zoom, as opposed to the far inferior option that was initially floated. This allows for everyone to appear on screen simultaneously instead of just a few at a time. My classes tend to be interactive with a lot of class participation so it’s important for everyone to be as involved as possible.

I’m looking forward to the experience, though I’d be lying if I said I’m not eager to get back into the actual classroom. However, until such time as that’s an option it’s great to have an alternative such as this.

In other writing news, my novel is slowly but surely approaching completion. I had initially planned to wrap it up by the end of April, which obviously didn’t happen, but I’m optimistic I’ll be finished a draft that satisfies me sometime in May. I’ll discuss it further in a later post, this is just a little note to let everyone know I’m still plugging away at producing the finished product. Until then, stay safe, talk soon!

-JP