Dust Off Those Drafts
Four weeks of revision exercises & feedback exchange
Dust Off Those Drafts with Anika Carpenter
Four weeks of revision exercises, study stories and feedback exchange.
ABOUT THE COURSE
This asynchronous online course is designed for flash fiction writers who want to spend time focusing on revision, writers with drafts waiting to be coaxed into beautiful story shapes. This could be a collection of long-forgotten tales, freshly emerged flashes, or both.
Dust Off Those Drafts includes a variety of revision exercises. Some explore the 'rules' of flash & how you might bend, break, or if it’s right for your story, totally ignore them. Others encourage playful experimentation away from your WIP. Each exercise comes with accompanying study stories that demonstrate a successful use of the topic discussed. Subjects covered include: titles, endings, openings, structure and more.
Participants are invited to share a work in progress to the forum for peer feedback and close reading from the facilitator. The Flash Cabin is a friendly and supportive space and guidance is provided for anyone new to giving and receiving feedback.
COURSE CONTENT
- 20 revision exercises, one each weekday of the course. Exercises can be done at your own pace and have been designed with busy writers in mind. There is no pressure to complete exercises on the day that they are posted
- 20+ study stories
- Facilitator and peer feedback on one draft (up to 1,000 words)
- A closed forum space on Mighty Networks
NB Dust Off Those Drafts is a repeated course.
This course takes place on an online forum. There is no live element. Exercises can be completed at your own speed.
DATES
May, June or November
COST
£50 or £70
PLACES
8 places available
Spaces are limited to keep feedback exchange and forum chat manageable
TESTIMONIALS
'It’s the best revision workshop! When I took it, I had been searching for something like it for so long. Can’t recommend it enough!' 
'Each exercise is a little gem and the structure means it’s not overwhelming but super practical.'
'It has been full of great ideas, advice and different ways at looking at drafts, I know I will be coming back to the exercises very often.'
'Course has been wonderful, and I’ll recommend to anyone who will listen!'
'The level of craft, story samples, and innovative tools and techniques in this month-long course is superb!'
'So many great exercises in Dust Of Those Drafts, I loved the range and thought that had gone into them!'
'Superb revision tools and techniques which have now become staples in my 'arsenal'’
ABOUT THE FACILITATOR
Anika Carpenter is a flash fiction author and workshop facilitator based in Brighton, UK. Her work has been shortlisted for the Bath Flash Fiction Award and the Bridport Prize, nominated for Best of the Net and Best Small Fiction. You can find her stories in numerous anthologies and online at Gone Lawn, Ellipsis Zine, The Molotov Cocktail, Fictive Dream and Janus Literary among others.
Anika has devised and run a variety of inspiring and playful events, from creative speed dating sessions for artists and poets to drawing & writing games in an empty swimming pool and an orchard-based creative retreat for writers, dancers, filmmakers and musicians.
Anika received a Fine Art MA (distinction) with a Postgraduate Certificate in Education from Kingston University in 2010. She spent two years studying poetry at City Lit, London, UK. As well as running The Flash Cabin she is a rep for Writers' HQ where she hosts the in-person writing retreats in Brighton.
You can find her on BlueSky @StillSquirrel
