MINIATURE WORLDS
Next course starts Monday 19 February - Monday 8 April 2024
Enrolment open now
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Enrolment open now •
MINIATURE WORLDS
Online Short Story Writing Course with Award-Winning Author Huma Qureshi
Miniature worlds, tiny universes, moments that somehow speak of the vastness of a whole life: this to me is the magic of short stories.
Have you ever read a short story and found yourself unable to stop thinking about it? Have you ever turned the pages and wondered how it was written? Have you ever wished you could write a short story of your own that might leave someone else feeling the same way?
Miniature Worlds, my eight-week online short story writing course, is an invitation to discover and absorb my short story writing process so you can apply it to your own work. With my guidance, you’ll learn how to write short stories that linger with your readers long after they’ve turned the last page.
With creativity at its core, the course is packed with thoughtful essays, inspiring writing tasks, original reading lists and audio recordings. By the end of Miniature Worlds you’ll feel rejuvenated as a writer and more confident in your creative abilities. You’ll be ready to approach your next short story with a new energy and a fresh perspective.
‘Miniature Worlds is a dream. Thank you for what you have created. The ideas are swirling.’
Emily
Step into my Miniature World.
Miniature Worlds takes you to the heart of my short story writing process. Press play to find out more:
Miniature Worlds: filmed and directed by Parul Arora
Sophie
‘‘Your teaching has given me the tools and the confidence to approach short story writing in a way that nothing else ever has.’
‘I have now finished two short stories since taking your writing course. Both have been really joyful writing experiences because they felt a lot more intentional and I have had a lot more confidence that they would come out the way I wanted them.’
This course is for you if…
You love reading short stories and would love to write your own, but you don’t know
where to begin OR
You don’t tend to read short stories, but you’re interested in writing fiction and
would like to start somewhere OR
You already write short stories but often leave them unfinished because they fizzle
out or you don’t know how to end them.
Sometimes, when you sit down to write, you feel frozen and can’t think where to
begin.
You want to enter writing competitions but lack the confidence to do so.
You enjoy working at your own pace and are motivated to work on your writing
independently with the right encouragement.
You are looking for a course that’s inspiring, thoughtful and creative rather than
academic or prescriptive.
By the end of this course you will…
Have written at least a first draft of a short story.
Have learnt to read short stories the way a short story writer would, watching closely
for the details and hidden structure.
Have a deeper appreciation and understanding of how it’s possible to say more with
less.
Know how to generate story ideas and have at least three pages of them.
Be more inclined to follow your instinct in writing.
Understand how to craft memorable, moving descriptions.
Know how to create characters with depth and meaning when space is limited.
Understand how to write meaningful dialogue.
Know how to edit your work so it reads effortlessly.
Feel confident enough to enter short story competitions, writing to strict deadlines
and word counts.
‘This is the most intimate writing course I have ever taken. I feel so held and you have been so generous with what you know.’
— Saddal
For The Love Of Short Stories
Short stories have inspired me ever since I stumbled upon the first collection I ever read, bound by a bright pink cover. Within the space of a few pages, these stories moved me beyond measure. I was astonished by how much could be said by so little. And so, my love affair with short stories began.
I spent years longing to write my own, but I was convinced I could never do it as well or as beautifully as other people. I took classes after work where we made character spreadsheets and responded to writing prompts. Although these exercises were useful to an extent, they left me feeling self-conscious and embarrassed. I hated reading my stories aloud in front of people I didn’t know. I found myself looking at the short story collections on my bookshelf, wondering if I could perhaps find another way.
I taught myself to write short stories by reading them, immersing myself in the details and unpicking the threads that made them whole. Over time, I developed a process for gathering ideas and transforming them into a compelling plot with well-crafted characters and evocative descriptions.
Why Take This Course With Me?
‘Qureshi is a dab hand at yanking the rug out from under the reader… she creates gripping plot lines and vividly drawn characters…’
–i newspaper
In 2020, after months of diligently writing short stories, I began entering my work into competitions. That same year, my story, The Jam Maker, won the Harper’s Bazaar short story competition and was shortlisted in the Brick Lane Bookshop short story prize. My then-unpublished manuscript of ten stories, Things We Do Not Tell The People We Love, was also shortlisted for the SI Leeds Literary Prize.
Suddenly, what had once seemed impossible felt within reach. Winning the Harper’s Bazaar prize attracted the attention of literary agents and my collection ended up in a four-way auction, published by Sceptre in November 2021. Things We Do Not Tell The People We Love went on to be shortlisted for The Jhalak Prize and longlisted for the Edge Hill Prize for excellence in a short story collection.
Since then, I’ve been inundated with questions from readers and budding writers wanting to know how I write my stories. They ask about beginnings, endings, narrative technique and craft.
I’ve poured everything I know and love about short story writing into Miniature Worlds.
You’ll learn how to gather ideas and turn them into a plot. I’ll show you how to develop your story with characters, description and structure, and how to edit with a quick, professional eye. We will do this week by week, step by step. Should you wish, the course is structured so you can write a short story from start to finish by working through the weekly assignments.
Miniature Worlds will help you explore your creativity and fine-tune your craft, giving you greater confidence in your own abilities. There is no one size fits all, no recipe for writing, but what I can give you through this course is a simple, fresh and personal perspective with which to consider and approach your own work. Above all, by sharing my love of short stories, I hope to ignite your love for them too.
What’s Included
Eight in-depth essays shared weekly for you to read or listen to in audio format.
Weekly writing tasks to help you form the building blocks of your own short story.
Extra reading so you can immerse yourself in the craft of short story writing.
The chance to submit written questions each week, the answers to which will be
shared with the group so everyone on the course can benefit.
The opportunity to attend a live, online Q+A session with me at the end of the
course.
For an additional fee, the option to upgrade your purchase and receive 500 words of
personal feedback on a story you have written.
Six months access to course material after the course has ended
Course Contents
The course is designed to fit into your daily life around work and family commitments. Each week, essays will go live in the members-only area of my website at 7am, UK time.
These weekly essays can be read or listened to on the go and writing tasks can be completed at your own pace. The more time you can commit to these tasks, the more you will learn and benefit from each one. Like short stories, I hope the essays will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading. You will have access to them for up to a month after the course ends.
Week 1: What exactly is a short story anyway?
Week 2: Paying attention: learning to read short stories closely before writing your own
Week 3: Starting a short story: first find an idea
Week 4: Starting a short story: then find the words
Week 5: Next, develop your short story with characters and description
Week 6: Structuring your short story: the penny drop moment
Week 7: Endings
Week 8: Sending your stories out into the world
You Will Need
You will need some form of device that can connect to the internet, but it doesn’t have to be a desktop or laptop computer. You’ll be able to navigate the course via a phone or tablet.
Throughout Miniature Worlds I use personal examples from my own short stories, taking you behind the scenes to show you techniques I have used in my own work. For this reason, I gently recommend you have your own copy of Things We Do Not Tell the People We Love to hand (and I apologise in advance for any spoilers if you haven’t read it).
What my students are saying
‘Huma is a trusted guide and I am in awe of her ability to captivate her students. ’
— Saddal
‘So much has come into much clearer focus over the past 8 weeks, thanks to your guidance. The biggest thing I've got out of this course is a new way of reading, of seeing life and my writing. Thank you so much - your course has been exactly what I needed, and the greatest creative gift.’
— Sophie
‘Miniature Worlds has been this beautiful bridge between work and writing. I can’t thank you enough. It’s been perfect.’
— Nancy
‘As a time-poor working mum I've never really got on very well with intense writing advice that involves spreadsheets and flashcards and lots and lots of homework, so I love how you teach, like a friend standing behind me at my writing desk with an encouraging hand on my shoulder.’
— Sophie
‘The only way to describe Miniature Worlds is as a balm to the soul. . . I began Miniature Worlds unsure if I could do this, and I now have the bones of a story I can't wait to develop further. Thank you.’
— Emily
‘I loved the way you slowly led me into the course. I loved the live session; being able to have a conversation with you was invaluable. I know I’ll go back to the essays again whenever I need more guidance.’
— Tim
FAQs
How much does Miniature Worlds cost?
The course costs £490. You can make a one-off payment for the full amount or four monthly payments
When does it start/ end?
It starts on Monday 19th February 2024 and ends on Monday 8th April 2024.
Where are the essays?
The essays are in a private, members-only area of my website. While the course is running, they will be released every Monday at 7am UK time. You will be prompted to create a log-in for the member’s only area when you join.
What time commitment is involved?
As with most courses, the more time you can dedicate, the more you will benefit. Some of the essays are longer than others, and some weeks there is a lot to take in. There’s so much I want to share with you, but I have deliberately designed the course to slot into your everyday routine.
It’s not for me to tell you how much you should be writing every day. However, I would suggest one to two hours a week to read and reflect on the essays and extra recommended reading, plus whatever you can manage on top of this to work through the writing tasks. More importantly, you’ll also need and want to carve out time to let everything sink in.
Why are there no live classes?
On the whole, I find a written course gives students time to reflect and refer back to the work in a way live classes do not. That said, there will be a live online Q+A session at the end of the course for all students who can attend. This will typically last 40 minutes and take place on a weekday afternoon.
Can I meet other writers on the course?
I am all for community and I love meeting fellow writers and students at my in-person writing workshops. However, when I am writing, or thinking seriously about writing, I prefer to be on my own. I have designed this course to reflect my personal introverted preferences. If you’re not ready to share your writing journey with others and just want to get on with it in your own space and time, I believe you will feel at home taking one of my courses.
If I have a question during the course, can I reach you?
Absolutely! Each week, you can submit course-related questions through the members-only area. With your permission, I will share your question and my answer with the group, so everyone can benefit.
Terms and conditions: online courses are non-refundable
Discover My Other Courses
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Postcards Home
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The Quiet Words
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