Hosted by Crystal Lake owner and CEO Joe Mynhardt (in collaboration with author Robert Ford), this is a hands-on writing and editing workshop that will transform your short story from a rough draft to submission-ready—with expert coaching, live group training, and a personal feedback session that brings your story to life.
Here’s What’s Included:
Four Weekly Group Zoom Workshops (Live + Replay)
- Week 1: Story goal, theme, structure, tone
- Week 2: Formatting & Story Structure
- Fix pacing issues, get your formatting right, and clean up scene transitions
- Week 3: Dialogue That Flows
- Make your characters sound real, cut filler, and learn how great dialogue drives story
- Strengthen sentence-level writing, remove distractions, and enhance readability
- Week 4: Public Reading & Performance Tips
- Learn how to read your story aloud with impact—at panels, podcasts, or live events
- The dreaded ending
- Editing
At any point during the workshop, you’ll be able to set up a one-on-one Zoom chat with Joe Mynhardt, to either read your story out loud or have it read to you, with live critique focused on pacing, flow, emotion, and word choice.
You can even schedule your one-on-one chat a month after the workshop ends, if you first want to perfect your story. A replay of your Zoom session will be available on request.
Bonus lessons:
· How to research markets that align with your story’s tone, genre, and theme
· Understand that just because a market is open doesn’t mean it’s the right fit
· Tools and sites for submission tracking (Duotrope, Submission Grinder, etc.)
· Red flags to avoid: predatory publishers, no-pay markets, and shady anthologies
· Tips for building a submission plan that works long-term
This Workshop Is For:
- Writers with a short story draft they want to polish
- Anyone struggling with clarity, pacing, or reader impact
- Writers who want real-time, voice-first coaching to hear their story differently
- Short story writers who want to break through to the next level
- Writers who want to become better at live readings on panels, podcasts, or live events
Sign up here!