Loop and Spiral: Flash Fiction Through Poetic Forms 2-Week Zoom Seminar, Saturday, November 1st and 8th, 2025
Saturday, November 1st and 8th, 2025
Live Seminar via Zoom on Consecutive Saturdays from 11:00AM - 1:00PM EST
Now Enrolling!
Any questions about this class? Use the Chat Button (lower left) to talk with us.
Instructor Sage Tyrtle writes stories unsettling enough for The Offing, yet NPR let them on air. A Moth GrandSLAM winner and Pushcart nominee, they've taught 150+ workshops for Smokelong Quarterly and Clarion West among others. Their work lives at the intersection of literary craft and, "Wait, did they just say that?"
This course is for fiction writers interested in using poetic format to create flash fiction prose.
Flash fiction thrives on precision, momentum, and depth - qualities also found in structured poetry. This workshop challenges advanced writers to craft flash fiction using the repetition-driven frameworks of a pantoum and a sestina, pushing their prose toward unexpected resonance.
Through guided prompts, participants will first explore the pantoum's circular structure, layering meaning with each repeated line to evoke memory, obsession, or shifting perception. Next, they'll tackle the sestina's spiraling pattern, using its six recurring words to build narrative tension, emotional echoes, and surprising pivots.
By embracing constraint, writers will unlock new ways to manipulate language, deepen emotional impact, and discover narrative possibilities they might not have otherwise considered.
In this course, students will generate at least 2 complete pieces of flash fiction, based on poetic forms.
COURSE TAKEAWAYS:
- How repetition and structure can create compelling fiction.
- Strategies for adapting poetic forms into narrative prose.
- Two completed flash fiction drafts rooted in a pantoum and a sestina.
- A new understanding of how form shapes meaning.
COURSE TEASER:
Day 1 Focus: Pantom
Day 2 Focus: Sestina
COURSE TESTIMONIALS:
"This was a great class. The pace and structure were excellent. Not too much info, while providing some really solid concepts that I had never heard before."
"One of the best classes I have taken. Clear, usable craft principles. What did I find most valuable? The need for an element of risk -- interior or exterior -- which is important for story impact."
"This class exceeded my expectations. A story worth telling includes risk & emotional extremes but needs balance between positive & negative emotions. Sage got these points across magnificently. Highly recommend."
"Sage is so welcoming and so gentle in her teaching. A lovely experience."
“Loved it!"
"This class exceeded my expectations! Sage was extremely knowledgeable and thoughtful and provided meaningful feedback."
"A lovely atmosphere and a great mix of learning from examples and prompt work. Thanks!”
“It was the perfect, chill way to close out the weekend, and I left with workable drafts and many ideas.”
"I loved the number and quality of the in-class prompts."
"The instructor was lovely, encouraging, ehtusiastic and the information well-chosen, and I appreciated her suggestions for exercises."
“When Sage Tyrtle talks, people don’t just listen. They hang on her every word.” – Toronto Star
“As each of us feels more comfortable, we share intimate moments from our lives. It’s different from the stand-up I tried, because, ultimately, success isn’t dependent on making people laugh.” – Now Magazine
“Thank you for giving us a night to remember. You are a true professional, gifted and talented. Thank you for inspiring us, making us think differently and pushing us to be better communicators. The feedback from all the participants was so positive.” – Wendy Kauffman, Vice President, Brown & Cohen Communications and Public Affairs
“We have received really great feedback, some people saying that this is the best session we have had at our KE retreats, so thank you so much for your engaging presentation!” – Rebecca Phillips Konigs, CAMH
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Saturday, November 1st and 8th, 2025
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Live Seminar via Zoom on Consecutive Saturdays from 11:00AM - 1:00PM EST
If you have questions, please use the Chat Button or contact us via email HERE.