News

New Short Story: “The Boyfriend Trap”

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I’m thrilled to start of 2022 with a new short story. “The Boyfriend Trap” is now available in the January/February issue of Asimov’s Science Fiction.  Order the print or digital issue via the Asimov’s shop.

In the story, a young woman and her boyfriend visit a cabin to hash out their plans for the future. Instead, they discover the dark heart of their relationship–and their own secret desires.

“I felt guilty for reaching for him out of anxiety, not affection. Though they’re not so separate, maybe. Like reaching for your date when the monster appears on the screen. Who do you want to be close to when you’re feeling afraid?”

Read the full story.

Update: Read my reflection on the writing of this story on the Asimov’s blog.

“The Genius and the Devil” Now Online

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This was what I agreed to: For exactly one night and one day, I would sit by her corpse, refusing entry to all visitors except Karla and the sister. In exchange, I would inherit enough money to buy a year of time, time all to myself, to paint. To—maybe, finally—paint my own masterwork.

“The Genius and the Devil,” my new story about friendship and envy, creativity and commerce, and the genius of wanting the right things is now online at Catapult Magazine.

woman paints birds

First 2022 Book Preview

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It’s not news to horror fans that we’re living through a horror renaissance right now. The past few years have given us an embarrassment of riches when it comes to horror and gothic lit, and this particular train shows no sign of slowing down. 2022 is right around the corner, and with it, a huge and exciting slate of new books.

Tor/Nightfire included Saturnalia on their preview of “All the Horror Books We’re Excited about in 2022.” So excited to see all the great company I’m in for fall of next year.

Winter 21-22 Classes for Novelists

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This winter, I’m excited to bring back my one-day intensive and four-week bootcamp, both for aspiring and dedicated novel-writers.

For aspiring novelists who who have an idea but don’t know how to start, Laying the Groundwork tackles the fundamentals of character and conflict; the elements of a satisfying narrative arc; and practical strategies for completing that first draft. Our time together will include presentations, guided writing, and discussion. In the end, you’ll leave with fresh ideas and concrete plans for your novel, as well as three worksheets to apply to this and future writing projects.

Solve Your Novel’s Structure takes a more in-depth approach. Over four weeks, we will use written guides, writing exercises, assigned stories, and discussions to move from idea to detailed synopsis, identifying universal principles that will make your distinct story a satisfying read. Writers will leave with outlines for their works-in-progress and a toolkit of strategies for future projects. The course is designed for both students who have yet to start writing and those who are revising full-length drafts.

Read more about Laying the Groundwork for Your Novel Intensive and Solve Your Novel’s Structure Boot Camp and/or ask me a question.

Read more and sign up via Catapult.

 

August 14: Readercon (Online)

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I’m excited to join this year’s virtual Readercon! On Saturday, August 14, 11am-noon EST, I’ll be moderating the panel “Reading Fantasy Through a Motif Lens Index,” which includes speakers Katherine Crighton, Jeffrey Ford, Karen Heuler, and L. Penelope.

Folklorists use motif indexes to catalog and analyze folk tales from around the world. The existence of TV Tropes suggests the need for new motif indexes that fit new forms of literature, but we can also apply folklore motif indexes to 21st-century fantastical fiction. Which motifs have had staying power for hundreds of years, and what other expected or unexpected patterns do we find? What does treating fiction as folklore bring to the reading experience?

Register here for the weekend event. Recordings will remain available for members for six months following the convention.

Oct. 16: One-Day Novel Workshop

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I’m looking forward to leading my three-hour intensive “Laying the Groundwork for Your Novel” again on October 16. Join us online to tackle the fundamentals of character and conflict; the elements of a satisfying narrative arc; and practical strategies for completing that first draft.

Students of all levels are welcome to participate, though this class is best-suited for folks who have their first novel idea but aren’t sure where to go next. Our time together will include presentations, guided writing, and discussion. In the end, you’ll leave with fresh ideas and concrete plans for your novel, as well as three worksheets to apply to this and future writing projects.

Read more and sign up here.

Summer 2021 Online Classes for Novelists

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This summer, I’m excited to launch a new, one-day intensive and bring back my four-week boot camp, both for aspiring and dedicated novel-writers.

For aspiring novelists who who have an idea but don’t know how to start, Laying the Groundwork tackles the fundamentals of character and conflict; the elements of a satisfying narrative arc; and practical strategies for completing that first draft. Our time together will include presentations, guided writing, and discussion. In the end, you’ll leave with fresh ideas and concrete plans for your novel, as well as three worksheets to apply to this and future writing projects.

Solve Your Novel’s Structure takes a more in-depth approach. Over four weeks, we will use written guides, writing exercises, assigned stories, and discussions to move from idea to detailed synopsis, identifying universal principles that will make your distinct story a satisfying read. Writers will leave with outlines for their works-in-progress and a toolkit of strategies for future projects. The course is designed for both students who have yet to start writing and those who are revising full-length drafts.

Sign up for the three-hour intensive and receive a 10% discount on the boot camp.

Read more on Laying the Groundwork for Your Novel Intensive and Solve Your Novel’s Structure Boot Camp and/or ask me a question.

Spring Online Class: Structure Your Novel Bootcamp

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I’m excited to bring back my four-week “Structure Your Novel” boot camp, via Catapult. Through reading assignments, exercises, and discussion, you’ll find your story’s central conflict, establish a satisfying arc, and expand your outline. The course is designed for writers in both the drafting and revision stages. We’ll meet Thursday evenings over Zoom.

Read more and sign up here and/or ask me a question.

People are natural storytellers, yet writing a compelling story isn’t always intuitive. This four-week course recognizes that a good story requires technical skill, but that finding that organic and individual story also requires reflection, practice, and conversation.

This course—open to those who have yet to start writing, and those who are revising full-length drafts—guides you in developing a complete story structure for your novel. It provides tools for outlining new projects and finding fresh insight into stalled projects.

In this course, we will use written guides, writing exercises, assigned stories, and discussions to move from premise to detailed synopsis, identifying universal principles that will make your distinct story a satisfying read. Writers will leave with outlines for their works-in-progress and a toolkit of strategies for future projects.

 

New Editorial Services

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After six years of teaching and editing, I’m excited to offer a suite of editorial services to new clients, including:

  • full and partial novel reviews,
  • short story critiques,
  • coaching sessions for beginning, evaluating, and jump-starting fiction projects,
  • and query letter editing.

My goal is to help you identify your story’s core, develop character and conflict, and create a complete and satisfying arc. I want you to walk away with a concrete plan—and renewed excitement—for the revisions to come. I read both literary and genre (and genre-bending!) fiction.

I think of editing as a conversation. I love a back-and-forth over email, phone, or video; dialogue can unearth our greatest insights. I’m also happy to create custom packages to fit your needs and budgets.

Here’s a little more information on my experience, my philosophy, and my rate.

If you’d like to discuss working together, email me at sbf AT stephaniefeldman.com with some details on your work—what it’s about, where you are in the process–and what you hope to gain from a consultation.

With excitement for all the new stories to come in 2021–

Stephanie

Ten Minutes with the Coode Street Podcast

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Thanks to Gary Wolfe and the Coode Street Podcast for inviting me to discuss my favorite recent books and reading and writing during the pandemic. You can download the episode here or find it on your favorite podcast app.

Ten minutes with… is a special series presented by Coode Street that sees readers and booklovers from around the world talk about what they’re reading right now and what’s getting them through these difficult times.

Crawford Award winner Stephanie Feldman joins Gary to talk about the unexpected complexities of virtual Kindergarten; writing about young adult characters and their attraction to the unknown; the appeal of short fiction by Daphne Du Maurier, Joan Aiken, and Angela Carter; the rewards of reading nonfiction; and her recent story “The Staircase” (published in the July 2020 issue of F&SF).

Books mentioned include: