{"product_id":"writing-the-novella-fiction-writing-workshop-online","title":"Writing The Novella: Exploring Long-Short Fiction — 6-Week Online Fiction Workshop with Michelle Kicherer Starts Wednesday, June 9th, 2027","description":"\u003ch2\u003eWriting The Novella Workshop: Long-Short Fiction | June 2027 Online\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWriting The Novella: Exploring Long-Short Fiction, a 6-Week Online Fiction Writing Workshop with Michelle Kicherer\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBegins Wednesday, June 9, 2027\u003cbr\u003eClass will meet weekly via Zoom on Wednesdays, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM ET (4:00 PM - 6:00 PM PT)\u003cbr\u003eSix consecutive Wednesdays, June 9 through July 14, 2027\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e🌍 Class Times by Time Zone:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLos Angeles (PDT): 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChicago (CDT): 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNew York (EDT): 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNow Enrolling!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAny questions about this class? Use the Chat Button to talk with us.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInstructor Michelle Kicherer covers books and music for the \u003cem\u003eSan Francisco Chronicle\u003c\/em\u003e and teaches writing classes in fiction and memoir. She is a former ghostwriter of memoir and nonfiction books and a current writing coach and founder of Banana Pitch Press, an indie press specializing in novellas and memoirellas. Her fiction has appeared in \u003cem\u003eThe Master's Review\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eThe Sierra Nevada Review\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eThe Berkeley Fiction Review\u003c\/em\u003e, and others. Her debut novella \u003cem\u003eSexy Life, Hello\u003c\/em\u003e was published in 2025. \u003cem\u003eWillamette Week\u003c\/em\u003e called it \"one of the most compelling short reads of the year.\" Her short story collection \u003cem\u003eHow to Eat a Sub\u003c\/em\u003e is forthcoming Fall 2028. Michelle aims to have one weird new experience every day.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eMeet the Teaching Artist\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/writingworkshops.com\/blogs\/news\/michelle-kicherer-writing-the-novella-interview\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eMichelle Kicherer on Writing the Novella, Voice, and Killing Your Clichés\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWho is this class for?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis online fiction workshop is for writers working on a novella. Each student is in a different stage of their novella project, so all levels of completion and experience are welcome.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat to expect:\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe novella is a great form of literature that fits somewhere between a short story and a novel. In this six-week online writing workshop, we'll read several novellas appreciated for their different tones, topics, and genres and pick them apart at the craft level, asking what each story did to make it successful. With novellas, we have a little more room to advance the plot and explore our characters (but not a \u003cem\u003ewhole\u003c\/em\u003e lot), so how do we take best advantage of our pages?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis course has a special focus on the editing and development of \u003cem\u003eyour\u003c\/em\u003e novella. You'll get several different types of homework assignments designed to strengthen your draft, including a focused look at opening pages and how writing a back-of-the-book summary can sharpen your plot and \"aboutness.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis class is meant to be as helpful as possible, but also fun. We'll learn from each other and build a positive, productive, judgment-free classroom where every writer can share questions and insights.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach class starts with a short writing warm-up using fiction-focused, generative writing prompts. Writing is such a deeply personal endeavor. This online writing class provides a safe space to share your questions and insights so we all feel productive and judgment-free.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease bring a notebook and writing utensil to each class for brief in-class writing activities. Michelle highly encourages pen and paper for the exercises we'll be doing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat are the writing goals?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this course, students will edit and develop their own novella through weekly homework assignments. Each writer will have one opportunity to submit their work for written feedback and discussion. Please plan on reading and providing feedback on your peers' work as well, so we can all support each other equally.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eReadings\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eHarvey\u003c\/em\u003e, aka \"White Noise,\" by Emma Cline\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eWho Will Run the Frog Hospital?\u003c\/em\u003e, by Lorrie Moore\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eThe Old Man and the Sea\u003c\/em\u003e, by Ernest Hemingway\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnd excerpts from novellas by Clarice Lispector, George Saunders, and others\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCOURSE OUTLINE\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/writingworkshops.com\/blogs\/news\/writing-the-novella-exploring-long-short-fiction-an-interview-with-michelle-kicherer\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eRead an interview with Michelle Kicherer on Writing the Novella\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWeek 1: Strong Openings\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter an intro to the novella, we'll look at several examples of strong novella openings, which we'll read and dissect together in class.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWeek 2: Plot vs Aboutness\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this session, we'll outline the plot of \u003cem\u003eThe Old Man and the Sea\u003c\/em\u003e and learn how to reverse engineer an outline so that we can work backward from plot to \"aboutness.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWeek 3: Conflict and Tension\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe always want our reader to be a little worried and curious: how do we give them that \"what will happen next\" feeling? We'll look at Lorrie Moore's \u003cem\u003eWho Will Run the Frog Hospital?\u003c\/em\u003e and pick out where the conflict is and how it's giving us that \"I gotta keep reading\" feeling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWeek 4: Identifying Themes in My Novella\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGeorge Saunders often talks about how he doesn't know what a story is \"about\" until he's written it and gone back in for editing. This week, we'll talk about themes, using some Saunders excerpts and Emma Cline's \u003cem\u003eWhite Noise\u003c\/em\u003e as our inspiration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWeek 5: Character (Development)\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo who is your character? How is this story revolving around them? How can you tweak the story a bit to strengthen their development?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWeek 6: Reading Your Work with an Editorial Eye\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe'll conclude this class by talking about some nitty-gritty of editing. Michelle will include real examples from student work (anonymous, as desired) and lay out some step-by-step editing techniques for you to employ on your work after this class.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCOURSE TAKEAWAYS:\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow to start a novella with an immediate hook\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat other novellas set up for and what the story delivers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow to structure a novella\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat these novellas do (and \u003cem\u003edon't\u003c\/em\u003e do) to make them successful stories\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow to start, climax, end, and edit a novella\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePAYMENT OPTIONS:\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTuition is $445 USD. You can pay for the course in full or use Shop Pay or Affirm to pay over time with equal Monthly Payments. Both options are available at checkout.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eONLINE COURSE STRUCTURE:\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInstructor: Michelle Kicherer\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBegins Wednesday, June 9, 2027\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eClass will meet weekly via Zoom on Wednesdays, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM ET (4:00 PM - 6:00 PM PT)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTuition is $445 USD.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Writing Workshops Org","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45789121249528,"sku":"","price":3054.0,"currency_code":"DKK","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0287\/3917\/4532\/files\/MichelleKichererHeadshot2026.png?v=1782834911","url":"https:\/\/writingworkshops.com\/en-dk\/products\/writing-the-novella-fiction-writing-workshop-online","provider":"Writing Workshops","version":"1.0","type":"link"}