Putting Pressure on Characters with Becky Mandelbaum
Sunday, October 26, 2025
4-5:15pm ET
Virtual (Zoom)
$25
The next lecture in our 2025 Lecture Series takes place Sunday, October 26, from 4-5:15pm ET with Becky Mandelbaum, author of OS #258, “Say Uncle.” Becky will be lecturing about tension.
Putting Pressure on Characters
Pressure is at the heart of any great story, but sometimes we instinctively protect our characters out of love or laziness. Together, we’ll explore how to increase tension in our work—whether it’s a short story, novel, screenplay, or even creative nonfiction—by applying pressure through plot, interiority, pacing, dialogue, and setting. We’ll take guidance from fairy tales, short stories, and TV shows and lastly consider how pressure is working in our own projects.
This lecture was originally scheduled for October 18. Please note the new date.
This is part of our 2025 Lecture Series. You can purchase the entire series by going here.
About Becky Mandelbaum:
Becky Mandelbaum is the author of the novel The Bright Side Sanctuary for Animals (Simon & Schuster) and the story collection Bad Kansas (UGA Press), which received the Flannery O’Connor Award. Her writing has received a Pushcart Prize and has appeared in The New Yorker, One Story, The Sun, The Georgia Review, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, and elsewhere. She has received support from Hedgebrook, Writing by Writers, The Helene Wurlitzer Foundation, Lighthouse Works, and the Washington Arts Commission. Originally from Kansas, she now lives in Bellingham, Washington.
How It Works
When you register, you’ll be enrolled in a portal on Thinkific, our online learning platform, which will give you access to the Zoom link for the lecture along with any reading you’ll need to complete in advance of the class. This is also where the videos will be uploaded after the lectures take place.
FAQ
When can I register for this class?
Registration is open now and will remain open throughout the year.
Will I be able to interact with the lecturers?
Yes. Students will be able to ask questions and chat with lecturers during the live lectures. There will be no instructor engagement once the lecture concludes.
How much time will the class take?
Each lecture runs between one hour to one hour and fifteen minutes.
Can I take the class on my phone?
Yes, the class can be taken on a phone.
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
Will the lecture be recorded?
Yes. Visit the Thinkific portal to watch a recording of the lecture once it concludes. Students will have access to the portal with the recording for one year after the purchase date.
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.
Refund Policy: One Story class payment is non-refundable after the class’s start date. For this class, refunds are no longer available after October 23, 2025. 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.
