"Long Story Short - Why and How to Write and Market Short Fiction" with Pam Ebel

Pam Ebel, a long-time writer and reader of fiction, will present “Long Story Short – Why and How to Write and Market Short Stories,” from 1 to 3:30 p.m., on three Monday afternoons: June 16, June 30, and July 14, at the East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon, Metairie.

This event is free of charge and open to the public. Registration is not required.

This course is designed to explore the advantages of learning to write, submit and market short stories. “From Flash Fiction to longer works, we will look at six reasons to write short fiction, learn the skills and tools needed to write short fiction successfully, and produce stories to share with each other.” Ebel says.

Participants will need a functioning email account and the ability to create stories in Microsoft Word in order to receive critiques from others.

“Long Story Short – How to Write and Market Short Fiction” is designed to help those who are already writing fiction on a regular basis and those who are expanding their writing expertise. The course will focus on:

• The Six Reasons why one should consider writing short stories;
• The definition of a short story and what genres are available to the writer;
• What types of short stories are waiting to be created;
• What craft/skills one needs to develop or improve on in order to create stories;
• Creating a body of work;
• The markets available for short stories; and
• The “submission processes” for one’s stories and the etiquette required.

Participants will read stories that are created during the sessions or those already written. Critiques will be shared with other participants following a format that provides relevant feedback in a supportive environment.  

Pamela Ebel was born in Northern California and raised by southern women; part of the diaspora created by the Great Depression. She returned to her roots at 21, receiving an M.A. from LSU-Baton Rouge and a JD from Loyola New Orleans. Her careers have included lawyer, university professor, associate dean, and now fiction writer. She is the author of more than 400 short stories, including many that have appeared in literary anthologies and journals. Her poetry has appeared in the Delta Poetry Review and The Five—Two Poetry Crime Weekly. In addition to the above course, she leads a course titled “The Legal Impact of Generative AI on Intellectual Property Rights” at various conferences. 

For more information regarding this presentation, contact Chris Smith, Manager of Adult Programming for the library, at 504-889-8143 or wcsmith@jefferson.lib.la.us.