PLEASE NOTE: THIS FORM IS FOR APPLICATIONS TO MATTHEW LANSBURGH'S FICTION WORKSHOP ONLY. ALL MAGAZINE SUBMISSIONS TO THIS FORM WILL BE DECLINED UNREAD.

Tuesdays, 7-9:30pm ET, October 7-November 11, Zoom
Application Deadline: Sunday, August 3rd

Price: $525

Patron Price: $475

Application Fee: $10

This advanced fiction workshop will include a craft component in which we will study several published stories to glean craft lessons you can apply to your own work, and a workshop component in which we will read one story from each student and analyze the craft decisions at play in that submission.

The first three weeks of the class will be devoted to studying stories by writers such as Edward P. Jones, Karen Russell, and Margaret Atwood. During the final three weeks, we’ll turn our attention to student submissions, using the analytical framework we developed in our prior discussions. Our goal in the workshop portion of the course will be to give each student specific suggestions for how to improve their submission in revision.

During our six weeks together, we’ll talk about what makes a great opening; how to use voice, mystery, and details to keep your readers engaged; how to make sure the way you reveal information builds momentum, rather than slowing down the pace of your story; and how to create complex, three-dimensional characters. Specific craft topics to be examined will include: point of view, narrative distance, use of time, narrative arc, character development, use of compelling details, world building, voice, and dialogue.

This class is limited to 10 students and is designed for writers with workshop experience. Tuition includes a 30-minute meeting with the instructor.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:

Matthew Lansburgh’s collection of linked stories,Outside Is the Ocean, won the Iowa Short Fiction Award and was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award and the Ferro-Grumley Award for LGBTQ Fiction. His fiction has appeared in journals such as Virginia Quarterly Review, One Story, New England Review, and Alaska Quarterly Review, and has been shortlisted twice in the Best American Short Stories series. He has received fellowships from the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, the Sewanee Writers’ Conference, Yaddo, and MacDowell. For more information, visit matthewlansburgh.com 

This workshop is open to fiction writers 21 years of age and older. Applications will open on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. The deadline to apply for the workshop is Sunday, August 3 at 11:59pm ET. Please send in your application, which should consist of a personal statement and a manuscript (either a short story or novel excerpt of 5000 words or less) of what you would like to workshop, via Submittable. Note that what you submit will be what you will be workshopping in class. 

We are seeking writers who are looking to hone their craft and are excited to learn from each other and the instructor in an intimate and supportive environment. Workshop participants will be selected based on the strength of their writing sample and personal statement.

Complete application guidelines are available on the application. Please note that you will need to create a Submittable account to apply.

There is a non-refundable $10 application fee.

Please note that to be eligible for the Patron rate, applicants must be an active Patron of One Story as of August 3. Patrons commit to annual donations and receive benefits that allow them to participate in the organization in more meaningful ways. Not all One Story subscribers are patrons. If you’d like to find out more about becoming a patrons, you can do so here.

Applicants will be notified of their status in late August.

Detailed application guidelines follow in this application.

For more information on the workshop policies, please visit our website.