by Writing Workshops Staff
6 days ago
In fiction, the unspoken yearning often captivates readers more than fulfilled desires. Award-winning author Alyssa Songsiridej's upcoming Zoom seminar, Distance, Intimacy, and the Page: On Longing in Fiction, offers writers a rare opportunity to master this powerful emotional terrain.
This seminar delves into techniques for creating authentic longing that drives character development and narrative tension, taught by a writer whose debut novel was praised by The San Francisco Chronicle as "a riveting tale of romantic longing."
Whether you're crafting literary fiction or genre narratives, understanding how to evoke yearning will transform your writing from merely describing events to creating stories that resonate deeply with readers.
Meet Your Instructor: Alyssa Songsiridej
Alyssa Songsiridej brings exceptional credentials to this workshop as the author of the acclaimed novel Little Rabbit (Bloomsbury, 2022), which was a finalist for both the PEN/Hemingway Award and the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize. Named a Best Book of 2022 by The New Yorker and recognized as a National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 honoree, Songsiridej has established herself as a masterful writer of emotional complexity.
As former managing editor at Electric Literature, Songsiridej has a keen editorial eye for what makes fiction resonate with readers. Her own work has appeared in prestigious publications including StoryQuarterly, The Indiana Review, and The Offing. Her writing has been supported by renowned institutions including Yaddo, the Ucross Foundation, and the Vermont Studio Center.
Songsiridej is particularly noted for her nuanced exploration of desire, intimacy, and the tensions between distance and closeness. In Little Rabbit, she crafts what Carmen Maria Machado described as "a deeply empathetic novel" about artistic ambition and the complex interplay between power and vulnerability in relationships. This expertise makes her uniquely qualified to guide writers through the craft of creating longing on the page.
Why Longing Matters in Fiction
Longing creates the narrative engine that drives compelling fiction. Unlike simple wants or goals, literary longing has a bittersweet quality—simultaneously painful and pleasurable—creating an ache that drives characters and resonates with readers. As award-winning author Robert Olen Butler emphasizes: "Until a character with yearning has emerged from your unconscious, I don't encourage you to write."
The most memorable characters in literature are defined by what they yearn for: Gatsby's unreachable green light, Mrs. Dalloway's regrets for paths not taken, or the unnamed narrator in Little Rabbit navigating artistic ambition and desire. When writers master the art of creating longing, they tap into a universal human experience that transcends cultural boundaries.
Characters who long for something—whether it's love, recognition, freedom, or meaning—create immediate emotional stakes. Their yearning establishes the dramatic question that pulls readers through the narrative: Will they achieve what they most deeply desire? At what cost? How will they change in the pursuit?
What You'll Learn in This Workshop
In this interactive Zoom seminar, Songsiridej will guide participants through practical techniques for creating authentic longing in fiction:
Techniques for Writing Emotional Distance
- How to use physical settings to mirror emotional landscapes
- Creating tension between what characters say versus what they truly want
- The power of subtext and what remains unspoken
- Using perspective and narrative distance to control how readers experience a character's longing
Crafting Authentic Intimacy Between Characters
- Writing physical and emotional vulnerability that reveals character
- Balancing proximity and separation to intensify yearning
- Developing scenes that reveal what characters risk in pursuing intimacy
- How to write connection that feels earned rather than contrived
Exploring Longing as a Narrative Device
- Distinguishing between surface wants and deeper longings
- Creating meaningful obstacles that challenge characters' core beliefs
- How to use longing to drive plot without becoming melodramatic
- Balancing fulfillment and denial to create satisfying narrative arcs
Throughout the seminar, Songsiridej will share insights gleaned from her writing process and examine examples from authors who excel at creating longing. Participants will gain both theoretical understanding and practical tools they can immediately apply to their own fiction.
Authors We'll Explore
The workshop will examine how notable authors create powerful longing in their fiction. Participants can expect to explore works by writers including:
- "The Metal Bowl" by Miranda July (published in The New Yorker) explores intimacy, memory, and the complex emotional landscapes of desire
- "The Frog King" by Garth Greenwell (published in The New Yorker), examining yearning and the tensions between physical and emotional intimacy
- Alyssa Songsiridej's novel Little Rabbit, which masterfully portrays the complex dynamics of desire, power, and artistic ambition
- Solvej Balle's work, with its unique approach to expressing longing through experimental narrative techniques
- Elif Batuman's precise and often witty explorations of intellectual and emotional yearning
- Anne Carson's influential text Eros the Bittersweet, which provides theoretical foundations for understanding how longing functions in literature
By examining these masters of the craft, participants will develop a deeper understanding of the techniques they can adapt for their own writing.
Workshop Details
Date & Time: Live Seminar Via Zoom Sunday, July 27th, 2025. Class will meet 12PM - 2PM Eastern
Format: Live interactive Zoom seminar with opportunities for Q&A and discussion. All participants will receive a recording of the session if unable to attend live, along with a curated reading list and writing exercises to extend their learning.
Price: $75
Who Should Attend: This workshop is ideal for fiction writers at intermediate to advanced levels who want to deepen the emotional resonance of their work. While the concepts will be most relevant to those writing literary fiction, writers of any genre will benefit from learning to create more compelling emotional landscapes for their characters.
Registration: Space is limited to ensure meaningful interaction, so early registration is recommended. Register Here.
Practical Takeaways for Fiction Writers
Participants will leave this workshop with concrete strategies for creating longing in their fiction:
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Character-Building Techniques:
- Methods for developing characters defined by meaningful desires
- How to create internal conflicts between what characters want and what they believe they deserve
- Ways to reveal longing through behavior rather than explicit statements
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Narrative Structure Approaches:
- How to pace revelation and denial to maintain tension
- Using temporal shifts to highlight what has been lost or what remains unreachable
- Structural patterns that enhance the emotional impact of longing
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Language and Style Elements:
- Creating sensory details that evoke emotional states
- Using conditional language and subjunctive mood to express the gap between reality and what is longed for
- Balancing restraint and intensity in depicting desire
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Revision Strategies:
- Identifying where emotional stakes can be heightened
- Methods for layering longing into existing drafts
- Questions to ask about character motivation and desire
What Past Workshop Participants Say
While this is a new workshop, participants in Songsiridej's previous teaching engagements have praised her insightful approach and practical guidance:
"Alyssa's workshop on writing intimacy transformed how I approach emotional scenes in my fiction. She offers both theoretical understanding and concrete techniques you can apply immediately." – Previous workshop participant
"The balance of craft discussion, close reading, and practical exercises made this one of the most valuable workshops I've attended. I left with new tools and a deeper understanding of how to create emotional resonance." – Fiction mentorship student
Related Writing Resources
For writers interested in further exploring the craft of fiction, WritingWorkshops.com recommends these craft books on writing emotional depth:
- The Emotional Craft of Fiction by Donald Maass
- Writing Fiction by Janet Burroway
- From Where You Dream by Robert Olen Butler
Reserve Your Spot Today
Don't miss this opportunity to work with one of contemporary fiction's rising stars on mastering the craft of longing in your writing. Spaces in this intimate workshop setting are limited to ensure each participant receives meaningful guidance.
Note: This workshop will be recorded, and the recording will be made available to all registered participants. If you're unable to attend the live session, you can still register to receive the recording and all supplementary materials.
WritingWorkshops.com offers year-round online creative writing classes in Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction, and Screenwriting led by accomplished instructors. Receive detailed feedback on your writing in a supportive environment designed to help you grow as a writer, wherever you are in your journey.
