Yiyun Li

In this workshop, Yiyun will talk about how stories about human relations are made of patterns rather than events and discuss how to apply ‘geometry’ in both a temporal and spatial sense – concepts such as triangulation, mirroring, invisible lines, beautiful symmetry – to create stories that transgress the ordinary.

“Some people hold the view that a story in contrast to a novel is an étude. I resist that notion. A story can be as big, as epic, as symphonic as a novel. And a story is never just a slice, or a sliver of life, but as complex, murky and unresolved as life.

To read a great story is to be absorbed into an entire world that is made of many lives. But a story is limited in its space and its word count.

In my own reading and writing stories, I have come up with a shorthand to distinguish an okay story or good story from a great story.

In every great story, there are at least 3 stories. Sometimes three stories are not enough. Why don’t we say 5 stories? In fact, why don’t we shoot for 7.

It may sound fancy or crazy to work 5 or 7 stories into the space of a single story. But I not only think it is possible. But more importantly, it is necessary if one wants to write a great story.

There are many ways to make multiple stories into one story. I'm going to talk about one way which is to think about geometry in story.” - Yiyun LI

Cost: $100

This craft talk is exclusively for BIPOC writers.

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