New York State Writers Institute Writer-in-Residence Elizabeth Benedict will conduct an intermediate fiction writing workshop during the Spring 2002 semester. This workshop will give students who have some writing experience a supportive setting in which to put into practice the elements of fiction writing--style, voice, dialogue, plot--and to learn to read fiction as a writer reads. Course work will include several short exercises, one or more short stories, and reading assignments (text: The Vintage Book of Contemporary American Short Stories, 1994, edited by Tobias Wolff).

The workshop is scheduled for ten Monday nights (March 4, 11, 18; April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29; May 6, 13) from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The class will be held on the University at Albany's uptown campus. The workshop is offered free of charge for non-credit, and will be limited to twelve writers. To be considered, submit fiction manuscripts to the Writers Institute according to the guidelines listed below. Due to the volume of manuscripts received from previous workshops, we must insist that you follow the guidelines exactly.

Guidelines for Workshop

1. All manuscripts must be typewritten, double-spaced.

2. Submit no more than 12 pages of fiction prose (no poetry, plays, or nonfiction) that has been written within the last several years. It can be an excerpt from a longer work, but it should stand alone. Include a brief statement (no more than 250 words) of intent--why you are interested in participating in this workshop and a description of the writing project on which you would like to work. Don't grovel; don't crow.

3. All submissions must include one separate cover sheet with name, address, work and home telephone numbers, and the title of the piece. Do not put your name on any other pages of your submission.

4. Be sure to keep a copy of your work, as your manuscript will not be returned to you.

5. Writers enrolled in a University at Albany writing class for the Spring 2002 semester, whether graduate or undergraduate, and writers who participated in the Schreiber workshop during Fall 2001, are not eligible. Auditing is not permitted.

6. Manuscripts delivered in person will be accepted up until 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 23, 2002. Mailed manuscripts must be postmarked not later than Friday, January 18, 2002. Faxes and e-mails will not be accepted.

7. Notification of acceptance will be by Friday, Februrary 15th. Please do not call regarding the status of your manuscript. We regret that neither Ms. Benedict nor the Institute can comment on manuscripts by writers not selected.

8. Mail manuscripts to: Benedict Workshop
NYS Writers Institute, HU 355
University at Albany, SUNY
Albany, NY 12222