Welcome to winter at the Word Factory: celebrating a second year of brilliant short story readings, classes and the short story club. This month join us for our last salon of the year, back in our home at Waterstone Piccadilly:

It’s All Greek To Me – Masterclass with David Vann – 1.30-4.30pm

We are delighted to welcome the internationally renowned novelist and short story writer David Vann to lead our final masterclass of the year. In this three hour session, David will take a close look at the classical structures that underpin all great writing and ask: why we are still reading and writing according to the ancient Greeks? He will examine dramatic unities, the roles of the protagonist and antagonist; of the chorus; of crisis and catharsis. Drawing on developments in his own work, stories he describes as neo-classical, he will discuss his own inspiration and offer a helpful insight into your own practice.

This masterclass is  for anyone serious about writing short fiction, whether new to the form or published. David will suggest texts to read in advance. No exercises will be set in the class.

Cost: £60 per person with free entrance to the evening reading included. Limited to 20 places. Buy your tickets here.

Short Story Club – 5-6pm

This month: Angela Carter – Peter and the Wolf

At November’s Short Story Club we will be discussing Angela Carter’s Peter and the Wolf. This autumnal story is one of Carter’s many retellings of folk and fairy tales, in which she twists away from the original, riffing on the familiar to satirical and baroque effect. This swiftly told tale is simple in content but rich in language, a style less fashionable in 2014 (it was first published in 1982) but no less powerful for it. Desire, freedom, nature and chaos abide here – an apt story for the turning of the seasons.

Simply email Sophie Haydock for more details and a copy of the story: sophie@thewordfactory.tv

The Word Factory #28 – the intimate short story salon – 6-8pm

Join us for our final salon of the year in November with Ben Okri, David Vann (who will be leading our Saturday masterclass), Lisa Blower and Deirdre Shanahan. After their readings they will join in conversation with Cathy Galvin.

Online tickets – £12 | Concessions – £8 | On the door – £15 Buy your tickets here.