In-Person Series: “Your Next Short Story: From Start to Finish” with John Pipkin
October 10 2026 1:00 PM - October 24 2026 4:00 PM CDT
$150.00 – $270.00
This Event is for Members only.
Click here to learn more about benefits of membership
$150 for Members
$270 for Non-Members
Ready to write your next short story?
This two-part class will help you begin and finish your next short story. In class 1, you’ll look at strategies for focusing your creative energy in brief, fast-paced writing sessions to produce the beginnings of 8 new stories. We’ll also discuss structures and approaches to narrative, plotting, and character in-between prompts. With two weeks to write before our next meeting, you will pick the draft that you feel has the most potential, and you’ll work to complete a draft. In class 2, we’ll work through revision exercises for polishing the final version of one of those stories.
This class series will be held in-person at the Munday Library (3001 S Congress Ave Building LIBR, Austin, TX 78704) on the St. Edwards College campus across two Saturdays. It will not be recorded, or made available online. There will be paid parking ($6/day) available onsite. More details will be provided prior to the first class date.
Individual Class Details
Class 1 (October 10 from 1:00-4:00 PM CT):
Ready, Set, Short Story: We will make use of a variety of different writing prompts and write intensely for 15 minutes on each prompt. The goal is that by the end of the first class, you’ll be exhausted, but you’ll also have the foundations for 8 new stories. We will spend time before each prompt discussing structures and approaches to help you think in terms of narrative, plotting, and character. Your homework will be to pick the draft you feel has the most potential and write towards a complete draft.
Class 2 (October 24 from 1:00-4:00 PM CT)
Revise to the Finish Line: Using your draft written from the first class, we will look at some step-by-step strategies for developing and polishing the final version. If time permits, we’ll share some of the stories that you’ve come up with. You’ll also be able to take all of the writing prompts and revision exercises with you to use over and over again.
TAKE THIS CLASS IF:
- You’re looking for new story ideas.
- You feel like you’ve run out of story ideas.
- You want to find a way to generate stories from almost anything.
- You waste time worrying about what to write instead of just writing.
- You just want to spend some time with fellow writers being inspired and well, writing.
- You sometimes get stuck at the revision stage.
- You want more efficient and effective methods for revising and polishing your writing.
The deadline to register for this class is Friday, October 9 at 5:00 PM CT.
CONTINUING YOUR WRITING JOURNEY
SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION
The WLT is committed to making our classes accessible to all writers including writers who do not have the financial means to pay for programming. Five (5) seats in this class have been set aside for scholarship recipients to attend free of charge. Please note: two (2) of these seats will be reserved for students of St. Edward’s University.
Please fill out this application no later than 2 days prior to the class to be considered for one of the scholarship seats. We do not ask for any corroborating documents; we only ask that you help us understand your situation. If you are selected for one of the available seats you will be notified via email (from wlt@writersleague.org) no later than 24 hours before the start of the class. Please note, each writer is limited to no more than four (4) total scholarship seats per catalog season.
Instructor
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John Pipkin is the Director of the Undergraduate Creative Writing Program at the University of Texas-Austin and also teaches in the low-residency MFA Program at Spalding University. Originally from Baltimore, he holds a Ph.D. in 19th-century British Literature and is the author of the critically-acclaimed novels: Woodsburner (Nan A Talese/Doubleday 2009) which won the New York Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, and The Blind Astronomer’s Daughter (Bloomsbury 2016). He has received fellowships to MacDowell, Yaddo, Dobie-Paisano, and the Gullkistan Center for Creativity in Iceland. He is also the recipient of the 2021 Harry Ransom Award for Excellence in Teaching at UT-Austin.
Before purchasing, please read all policies as noted below and on our Accessibility and Policies page.
If your browser has difficulty with our website store, or if you prefer to mail in a check, click here for a class registration form. The document provides instructions on where to mail it. If you prefer this option, please email wlt@writersleague.org with a copy of the form as well to ensure we add you to the class roster as soon as possible.
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Class & Event Registration Policy
Once a purchase has been made, registrations are not refundable and cannot be transferred to a different class or event. No exceptions will be made. If you purchase a registration and then find you cannot attend the class or event, someone else can attend in your stead. Simply contact us at wlt@writersleague.org and let us know the name and contact information for the person who will be using the registration so that we can update the class or event roster.
Newsletter Opt In
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Anti-Harassment Policy
The Writers’ League of Texas is dedicated to providing harassment-free spaces for everyone, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, race, age, or religion. We do not tolerate harassment in any form. Violating these rules may result in expulsion from WLT programs without a refund at the discretion of the WLT staff.
Harassment includes, but is not limited to:
- Comments that reinforce social structures of domination (related to gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, race, age, or religion);
- Sexual images not appropriate for the specific subject of the public discussion;
- Deliberate intimidation or stalking;
- Harassing photography or recording;
- Sustained disruption of discussions or other events;
- Unwelcome sexual attention;
- Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behavior.
Enforcement
Participants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately. If a participant engages in harassing behavior, event organizers retain the right to take any actions to keep the event a welcoming environment for all participants. This includes warning the offender or expulsion from the event with no refund. Event organizers may take action to redress anything designed to, or with the clear impact of, disrupting the event or making the environment hostile for any participants. We expect participants to follow these rules during all events and event-related social activities.
Reporting
If someone makes you or anyone else feel unsafe or unwelcome, please report it as soon as possible. Reports can also be made via email at wlt@writersleague.org. We’ll handle any and all reports as respectfully as possible. You won’t be asked to confront anyone, and we won’t tell anyone who you are.
Accessibility Policy
Closed captioning is available for all online classes and special events.
The WLT is committed to making its programs & services accessible to all writers. Please contact us at wlt@writersleague.org or at 512-499-8914 for more information or to discuss accommodations you may need.
Credit Card Transaction Handling Fee Policy
All credit card transactions will incur a 4% handling fee. If you’d prefer to pay by check for membership, a class, or an event, you can use the provided forms on the membership or event pages and mail to: WLT, P.O. Box 14355, Austin, TX, 78704.
Writers’ League of Texas classes and workshops are also funded in part by the Texas Commission on the Arts – Investing in a Creative Texas. For more information, go to www.arts.texas.gov.