LIMITED CLASS SIZE
The personalized writing course you've been looking for.
Spend eight weeks with Steve and Dani getting hands-on feedback as you plan, write, and revise the best short story you've ever written.
WHAT TO EXPECT
SHORT STORY WRITING BOOT CAMP
An intensive for intermediate and advanced writers ready to take the next step.
By the end of camp, you'll have a polished, professional short story to add to your bookshelf and resume.
PLAN
The first two weeks are dedicated to building your foundation, honing your skills, and developing a solid framework for your story.
WRITE
The next three weeks focus on writing your first draft. You'll get feedback on your manuscript from your instructors as you write.
REVISE
In the final weeks, you'll learn about rewriting versus editing and we'll coach you through revising your second draft.
PUBLISH
Once you have a polished short story, it's time to talk publication. We'll walk you through the process step-by-step.
THE DIFFERENCE
So. Much. Feedback.
Get ready to experience the most critique-filled course Writing Academy has to offer.
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Personal video messages, about the strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement in each and every writing assignment or sample you submit.
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Notes and comments, left by your instructors in every writing assignment and sample to illustrate our feedback and suggestions on your work.
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A line-by-line edit of your revised draft, which ensures your short story is publication-ready by the end of camp.
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A one-on-one call with your instructor, to go over the line-edits to your manuscript and a final critique of your almost-finished product.
What am I going to write?
During this camp, you'll structure, write, revise, and prepare to publish a 1,000 to 7,500 word short story.
What genres can I write?
You can write in any genre you like! Your instructors are familiar with a wide range of genres including:
- Science Fiction
- Fantasy
- Mystery
- Romance
- Narrative Non-Fiction
Tell me more about all the feedback!
You are going to get A LOT of personalized feedback! You'll get:
- A personal video message for each writing assignment you submit (4-8 preparatory assignments, 3 early drafts)
- Notes and comments within every writing assignment
- Written answers to all your questions in the discussion areas
- A complete line-edit of your revised draft
- A 30-minute, one-on-one call with one of your instructors at the end of class to go over the critique and line-edits on your story
What if I would prefer a written critique of my second draft?
That's fine! We can provide a written analysis instead of a one-on-one call if you prefer. But, I promise, we're not scary!
Where am I going to publish?
Students who successfully complete the course will be invited to submit their work to the Writing Academy Anthology. Upon request, we can also help you query 1 to 2 other publishers.
Tell me more about these options...
We're sure you'll be proud of your completed short story, which means we'd be proud to publish you.
The Writing Academy Anthology is a collection of student work curated by Steve and Dani, published as an eBook and paperback. This is a great choice for students who wish to add the credential of published author to their resume right away and experience the gratification of seeing a printed volume on their bookshelf.
If you would prefer to submit your short story to another magazine or anthology, we'll be happy to assist you in querying 1 to 2 publishers.
Writing Academy Anthologies
GET PUBLISHED
Writing Academy Anthologies showcase our students' stories.
Being accepted by the Writing Academy Anthology means you are a published author and can include this in your writing resume.
They are available on Amazon as both paperbacks and eBooks. You'll find everything from romance to science fiction to family drama and comedy.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Tell Me More About this Anthology...
Does this mean I am a published author?
Being published in the Writing Academy Anthology does indeed mean you are a published author! You can list this on your writing resume.
What happens to the copyright of my short story?
Great question. If you choose to submit your work to the Writing Academy Anthology, you'll retain the copyright to your short story so you may do whatever you wish with it in the future (i.e. submit it to other magazines/anthologies, republish it yourself, etc.).
You will just need to sign a release form giving us permission to print your work in the anthology.
Am I going to make any money?
No, sorry. But if it makes you feel better neither are we.
For us, this isn't about profiting from your work, it's about getting you in print and helping launch your writing career.
We're going to price the anthology as low as Amazon will let us. Essentially, it just has to be high enough to cover their printing costs so there won't be any royalties.
Am I guaranteed to be published?
As long as you meet our editorial guidelines, yes.
What are your editorial guidelines?
In terms of quality, to be published in the anthology, your short story must embody the essentials of good writing: a solid story structure, strong characters, well-written dialogue and descriptions, and the principles of Writing Big and Writing Well.
We know you want to be published, but we also know you want that publication credit to mean something. We won't publish you if you're not ready.
In terms of content, we're not here to censor you. Write whatever you like! However, we are a community so we will not print hate speech or pieces detrimental to the safety and security of any marginalized group.
What happens if I don't meet the editorial guidelines?
First, we don't expect that to happen. The camp is designed to help you master all the elements of good writing.
In the extremely unlikely event your short story does not meet our quality standards for publication, you may re-enroll in another session of the short story boot camp at no additional cost.
What if I decide I don't want my work published?
That's fine! It's not a requirement just an option. But again, we're sure you'll be proud of your finished project!
Testimonials
Here's what our previous students have to say...
Ingrine Lyle
Author, "The Man for the Job"
Fall 2020
I’ve tried many writing courses, but the Writing Academy’s Short Story Bootcamp enabled me to fulfill my dream of publishing a well-written short story.
The instruction is clear and concise from idea generation to polished manuscript. No weeding through pages of material to uncover useful examples. Never have I gone through the process so smoothly. Steve and Dani are patient and answer questions with insightful responses.
Short Story Bootcamp is an online course with an in-person feel. Real-time responses from both instructors and fellow students, in-depth video critiques, and a one-on-one video chat make this course a one-of-a-kind mentorship at an economical price. Well worth the time and money spent.
Nicki Boyd
Author, "Rattled"
Winter 2021
This is the best course I've ever taken because I had one-on-one the whole way through. You are a wonder!
I love [the edits] so much it brought tears to my eyes when I got to the end. You have that uncanny ability to build on my words and ideas and make them ten times better without changing the meaning. You rearrange them somehow that makes them shine and you make them flow easily into the story.
The story is everything I hoped it would be and more.
Thank you for all your help. I appreciate it so much and I’ve learned tons from this course with you and Steve.
References and Worksheets
At the end of the course, get a printable version of the camp to use for reference. Return to the quizzes and worksheets whenever you need a refresher or to work through beginning a new project.
WINTER 2023
Curriculum: Lessons and Assignments
Plan, Write, Revise, & Publish
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3 FEB 2023
Week 1 - Craft Skills
BUILDING YOUR FOUNDATION
Learn and practice specific writing techniques while brainstorming your short story idea.
- Introductions
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Brainstorming
Assignment: Defining Your Story -
Character Development
Assignment: Getting to Know Your Protagonist -
Scenes and Sequels
Assignment: Write a Scene and Sequel
HONING YOUR CRAFT
Dive deeper into specific techniques to improve your craft and practice what you've learned.
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Settings
Assignment (optional): Describe Your Protagonist’s Home -
Dialogue
Assignment (optional): Write a Dialogue Scene -
Beginnings and Endings
Assignment (optional): Your Story’s Beginning and Ending
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13 FEB 2023
Week 2 - Preparation
PLANNING YOUR SHORT STORY
Master the nine story structure checkpoints that guide stories from beginning to end and apply them to your short story.
- Plot vs. Story
- Three Act Structure
- Deep Dive: Act 1
- Deep Dive: Act 2
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Deep Dive: Act 3
Assignment: Create the Checkpoints for Your Short Story
Assignment (optional): Revise and Resubmit
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20 FEB 2023
Week 3 - Writing Act 1
Write your first act.
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Viewpoint and Tense
Assignment: Write the First Draft of Your Act 1
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Viewpoint and Tense
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27 FEB 2023
Week 4 - Writing Act 2
Write your second act.
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Conflict
Assignment: Write the First Draft of Your Act 2
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Conflict
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6 MARCH 2023
Week 5 - Writing Act 3
Write your third act.
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Getting to Know Yourself as a Writer
Assignment: Write the First Draft of Your Act 3
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Getting to Know Yourself as a Writer
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13 MARCH 2023
Revising
Take what you've learned from writing your first draft and the notes you've gotten along the way and revise your short story.
- Rewriting
- Editing: Writing Big
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Editing: Writing Well
Assignment: Revise Your Short Story
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20 MARCH 2023
Critique
By now, you'll have gotten multiple critiques from your instructors. But learning how to give a good critique is almost as important for your long term career.
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How to be a Good Critique Partner
Assignment: Critique a Peer's Revised Story
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How to be a Good Critique Partner
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27 MARCH 2023
What Happens Next
FINAL CRITIQUE AND LINE EDITS
Your instructors will review your revision and make line edits. Then, you will schedule time one-on-one with us to go over the final critique.
SUBMIT FINAL DRAFT FOR PUBLICATION
After reviewing the line edits with your instructor, revise again and submit your final draft for publication in the Writing Academy Anthology.
KEEP IN TOUCH
After class is over, join a private Facebook group just for your cohort.
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STILL NOT SURE?
Frequently Asked Questions
When does this Boot Camp Start?
Camp starts July 17th and runs for eight weeks.
Is the Boot Camp suitable for beginners?
This Boot Camp is for intermediate and advanced authors looking to take the next step on their writing and publishing journey. Completing one of our Writing Workshops prior to enrolling in a Boot Camp is recommended but not required.
Is the Boot Camp schedule flexible?
Yes and no.
New lessons open every Monday and the week's assignments are all due by midnight on Sunday. However, you don't need to attend live lectures, so when you choose to log in and complete the lessons and assignments is up to you.
What if I miss an assignment deadline?
We want to give you as much feedback as possible, but in the publishing business it's a fact of life that you're always working toward a publication date; your fellow contributors are depending on you.
So here's the deal: if you submit an assignment after the deadline, we can't 100% guarantee you'll get feedback in time to apply it to the next assignment. We'll get it to you as fast as possible but our priority will be students submitting the current assignment.
But we get it. Life happens. If you're 24 hours late with one assignment it's not a big deal. But if you submit all your assignments the last week of camp... there's only so much we can do for you.
Can I work on a picture book?
We love picture books, but this isn't the Boot Camp for you. The materials are geared toward middle grade, young adult, and adult fiction authors.
But if you are interested in picture books, please drop us a line at dani@writingacademy.com and let us know! There's a very good chance we'll expand our Boot Camp offerings into other genres in the future.
Can I write a non-fiction story?
If you are telling the story of a person, whether it's yourself or someone else, yes. This Boot Camp is the right place for you. Just know you might have to work a little harder and be a little more creative about *how* you approach the story since (unlike fiction authors) you don't have the luxury of being able to change details.
If you're interested in writing an article about the fascinating history of widgets, this isn't the course for you. But if you are interested in this, please drop us a line at dani@writingacademy.com and let us know! There's a very good chance we'll expand our Boot Camp offerings into other genres in the future.
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Orlando, United States
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dani@writingacademy.com
About Us
If you're looking for online classes on how to write well you’ve found the right place.
Steve and Dani Alcorn have helped more than 30,000 aspiring writers learn how to structure novels, and many of them are now in print.
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