Fiction Writing: Voices that Live

(WSP 168)

Jason Compson in The Sound and The Fury. Steven the Dog in Dave Eggers’ short story “After I Was Thrown In the River and Before I Was Drowned.” As anyone who has read these works will attest, a vibrant, engaging voice is often the difference between compelling fiction and prose that falls flat. Of course, a voice must often be “reined in” in order for our stories to reach their fullest potential, and this two-day workshop will examine both the strengths and potential pitfalls of “voice-driven” fiction. We will “try on” a variety of different literary voices, and readings of published texts and essays on craft will be supplemented by short writing assignments designed to jumpstart the creation of lively, gripping characters. Finally, we will discuss several story-opening strategies for our fiction, captivating our readers right from the very first line.

Rusty Dolleman, Former Stegner Fellow

Rusty Dolleman received an MA in English and Writing from the University of New Hampshire. His work has appeared in The Iowa Review and The Beloit Fiction Journal, among others. His short story, “September, 1981” was named in “One Hundred Other Distinguished Stories of 2007” in the 2008 edition of The Best American Short Stories. Dolleman is currently at work on a novel.