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How to Turn a Vignette into a Short Story

Published about 1 year ago • 2 min read

Authors Only

In this episode of, Shannon writes in bed…

I will be honest… I phoned this one in because I have been working a lot, and we had glorious t-shirt weather today. It was delicious. No regrets.

But you don’t need a fancy intro, do ya? Intros are for amateurs! Let’s get to the good stuff…

Lisa Hislop will help you turn those half-baked vignettes into stories and teach you the difference between the two. If you have questions, bring them to Ask Me Anything about Editing with Lisa.

You could also turn those vignettes into impactful scenes, which is the topic of Finnian Burnett’s upcoming workshop. We are experimenting with a few one-day workshops for $49. Let me know what you think of the one-day format.

Upcoming Events

Flash Fiction Playground with Finnian Burnett

Enrollment Closes Thursday

If you want a workshop where you'll explore creative forms and techniques that most flash fiction workshops never touch, this workshop is for you.

Flash Fiction Playground covers the full range of craft, from structure and conflict to tension and imagery, but it also opens the door to experimental approaches that stretch what flash fiction can do. You'll try new forms during the sessions with Finnian guiding you through.

You'll leave with new flash drafts and creative tools you didn't have before.

Workshop Details:

  • WHERE: Zoom
  • DATES: April 12 & 26
  • 6 hours of instruction + lifetime access to recordings
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How to Turn a Vignette into a Short Story

By Lisa Hislop

One of the main reasons short story writers come to me is because a publisher told them their story is more of a vignette than a story, and they don’t know how to fix it. ## What Is a Vignette?

A vignette is a short descriptive piece of writing that details a moment in time. It might be a snapshot of a character or a setting and usually works to establish tone, mood, or theme.

The opening paragraph of William Trevor’s “Bravado” is an excellent example of a vignette that describes a setting:

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