New York State Writers Institute Writer-in-Residence Elizabeth Benedict will conduct an intermediate fiction writing workshop during the fall 2006 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 a number of short exercises, one or more polished short stories, and short reading assignments from work by Jamaica Kincaid, James Salter, Allegra Goodman, and other contemporary masters.

The workshop is scheduled for nine Monday nights (October 16, 23, 30, November 6, 13, 20, 27, December 4, 11; one additional class will be scheduled at the discretion of the class) from 6 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.

Follow These Guidelines to Apply

1. All manuscripts must be typewritten, or printed from a computer, 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 fall 2006 semester, whether graduate or undergraduate, are not eligible. Auditing is not permitted.
6. Manuscripts delivered in person will be accepted up until 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 14, 2006. Mailed manuscripts must be postmarked not later than Monday, September 11, 2006. Faxes or e-mails will not be accepted.
7. Notification of acceptance will be by Monday, October 9. 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, LE 320
University at Albany, SUNY
Albany, NY 12222