Building Your Collection with Patrick Ryan
Self-Guided
$55
$45
This course was a great mix of practical craft advice, industry information, and motivation.
About the Class
This self-guided class designed by Patrick Ryan (Editor-in-Chief of One Story and author of the short story collections The Dream Life of Astronauts and Send Me, and the forthcoming novel Buckeye) will help you hone and refine a cohesive collection of your own work. You’ll learn how to assess each story you’ve written, how to discover thematic connections, how to decide which stories to include (and which to leave out), and how to choose the most strategic order for the stories in your manuscript. You’ll also get tips on taking the next step: preparing your manuscript for submission.
Through short pre-recorded video lectures and exercises, along with testimonials from One Story authors about the process of pulling together their own collections, Building Your Collection will help you prepare your own book-length manuscript of short stories with an eye toward sending it out into the world.
This is a self-directed version of our 2022 course Building Your Collection: A Master Class for Short Story Writers. The content within is the same as that class; however, there is no instructor oversight or discussion element in this version. Students will have access to the content for one year after their date of purchase.
About Patrick Ryan:
Patrick Ryan is the author of the novel Buckeye (forthcoming in August of 2025 from Random House), The Dream Life of Astronauts (longlisted for The Story Prize, named one the Best Books of the Year by the St. Louis Times-Dispatch, LitHub, Refinery 29, and Electric Literature) and Send Me (selected for the Barnes & Noble Discovery Series). His fiction has appeared in The Best American Short Stories. A recipient of fellowships from MacDowell and the National Endowment for the Arts, Patrick is the editor-in-chief of One Story. For more information please visit patrickryanbooks.com.
FAQ
When can I register for this class?
Registration will open soon.
How does the class work?
Once you purchase the class, you will receive an email with a link to access it on Thinkific, our online learning platform. The class is divided into four sections. Lessons are mostly text-based with some video elements and downloadable resources. You will have access to the content for one year after you purchase the class.
Is this class appropriate for beginning writers?
Our classes are suitable for writers of all levels; however, be advised that this particular class is geared toward people who have the intention of publishing a collection of short stories.
Is there homework?
Yes. There will be exercises geared toward assessing your stories.
How much time will the class take?
Plan to spend about an hour per chapter reviewing the lessons and completing the exercises. There are four chapters. Many of the lessons are built around assessing your own work, so it could take more or less time depending on where you are in your project.
Can I take the class on my phone?
Yes, the class can be taken on a phone, but we recommend a computer or tablet to get the most out of the experience.
Can I save the material for later use?
There will be downloads for you to save and keep, but otherwise class content will be accessible only through the learning platform. To prevent distribution of the material without our knowledge, students are not permitted to copy/paste the lessons but are of course welcome to take notes.
Are there discussion boards where I can interact with the instructor and other students?
No, unlike some of our other course offerings, this class is completely asynchronous and does not include discussion boards.
Can the instructor give me feedback on my short story collection?
No. There is no feedback element in this course.
Do you offer financial aid or scholarships for this class?
If the cost of the class is a significant burden, please email edu.support@one-story.com
Troubleshooting FAQ
I paid for the class but never received an email with a class link.
Please visit one-story.thinkific.com/ and enter your email and password. The class should appear on your Thinkific student dashboard. Remember that you will need to use the email address associated with your One Story account. Do not create a new Thinkific account.
I paid for the class but I forgot/don’t know my Thinkific password.
Visit one-story.thinkific.com/ and click “Forgot Password.” Enter the email address connected with your One Story account. Do not create a new Thinkific account.
Discounts & Policies
Our online classes are designed to be safe spaces for all who participate. One Story will not tolerate hate speech, bullying, or harassment directed toward instructors or fellow students, and reserves the right to remove participants who engage in such behavior from our classes.
Patron Discount: In order to qualify for our patron discount, you must be a member of our patron circle at the time of registration. Patrons commit to annual donations and receive benefits that allow them to participate in our non-profit organization in more meaningful ways. Not all One Story subscribers or supporters are patrons. If you’d like to find out more about becoming a patron, you can do so here.
Refund Policy: One Story asynchronous class payment is non-refundable. For questions about the refund policy, or if you are unable to take the class after you have registered, please contact maribeth@one-story.com.
If you have any questions, please contact edu.support@one-story.com.
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