Premise to Publish: A One Stop Short Story Bootcamp with Michael Costaris— September 14

Turn an idea into a finished, submission-ready story—in just three hours.

This fast-paced, practical workshop guides you through every stage of the short story process, from the first spark to hitting “send.”

➤ Phase 1: Find the Right Idea

What makes an idea a short story—not a novel? We’ll start by testing your premise, identifying key differences between forms, and shaping a clear, workable outline.

➤ Phase 2: Write the Story

Learn the most common reasons stories get rejected—and how to avoid them.
You’ll practice:

• Introducing characters readers care about

• Writing dialogue that feels real

• Keeping the pace tight so no one drifts away

➤ Phase 3: Submit Like a Pro

There are tons of tools and resources out there—but which ones actually matter? We will go over the helpful from the time-wasting (and money-wasting) and build a personalized, tiered list of journals that publish writers like you. We will also get your story submission-ready with:

• A polished writer bio and professional cover letter

• Proper manuscript formatting

• Tips for making a great first impression in any editor’s inbox

By the end of this intensive, you’ll be able to:

• Know whether an idea works best as a short story or a novel—and outline accordingly

• Spot and fix the top craft mistakes that get stories rejected

• Create compelling characters and natural dialogue

• Keep readers hooked from first line to last

• Navigate the submission process with confidence

• Build a tiered list of literary journals that fit your work

• Write a strong cover letter and bio

• Format your manuscript to industry standards

Additional info

This workshop will be recorded for the convenience of those unable to attend live. The recorded session will be emailed to participants the following day.

About the Instructor

Michael is a fiction editor at The Adroit Journal. In the past year his fiction has appeared in The Baffler, Maudlin House, Toronto Journal, X-Ray and many more.