What makes you fall in love with a story and how can you create that same magnetism on the page? In this hands-on workshop, we’ll explore the craft of effective short-form writing—fiction, memoir, or essay—with a focus on drawing readers in and keeping them engaged. Author, coach, and teacher Audrey Kalman will share practical strategies for recognizing compelling openings and characters, sharpening voice, and generating story ideas with emotional resonance. Participants will write during the session using guided prompts designed to spark the imagination and open creative pathways, leaving with new material and renewed momentum for their writing. Perfect for writers in any genre–even poetry!–beginning a new project or returning after a pause. 

Audrey Kalman is the author of the short fiction collection Tiny Shoes Dancing and three novels, and her short work has appeared in numerous print and online literary journals. She co-created the Birth Your Truest Story online writers’ community, where she teaches classes and leads workshops both virtually and in person including an upcoming six-week series on short-form writing. Drawing on the gentle, supportive approach she developed through decades of experience as a birth doula, she now works with writers as an editor and coach. She lives in Petaluma, California, where she is perpetually at work on another novel.