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Ron Carlson Writes a Story: Tips from a Master of the Craft
“A master of the short story” discusses every aspect of the writing process, from story structure to staying focused, in this candid essay collection (Booklist).
Ron Carlson’s short stories have been featured in The New Yorker, Harper’s Magazine, and elsewhere, while his numerous collections have won critical acclaim. In this series of personal essays, Carlson explores his own process, inviting the reader to watch over his shoulder as he creates the short story “The Governor’s Ball.”
“This is the story of a story,” Carlson tells us. But as he crafts a tale, he also offers practical advice for writers, covering everything from the first glimmer of an idea to the final sentence. Carlson urges the writer to refuse the outside distractions—a second cup of coffee, a troll through the dictionary—and attend to the necessity of uncertainty, the pleasures of an unfolding story.
“The Governor’s Ball”—included in its entirety—serves as a fascinating illustration of the detailed anatomy of a short story.
Ron Carlson’s short stories have been featured in The New Yorker, Harper’s Magazine, and elsewhere, while his numerous collections have won critical acclaim. In this series of personal essays, Carlson explores his own process, inviting the reader to watch over his shoulder as he creates the short story “The Governor’s Ball.”
“This is the story of a story,” Carlson tells us. But as he crafts a tale, he also offers practical advice for writers, covering everything from the first glimmer of an idea to the final sentence. Carlson urges the writer to refuse the outside distractions—a second cup of coffee, a troll through the dictionary—and attend to the necessity of uncertainty, the pleasures of an unfolding story.
“The Governor’s Ball”—included in its entirety—serves as a fascinating illustration of the detailed anatomy of a short story.
122 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 24, 2023
16 people are currently reading
11 people want to read
About the author
Ron Carlson
84 books127 followersRon Carlson is an American novelist and writer of short stories.
Carlson was born in Logan, Utah, but grew up in Salt Lake City. He earned a masters degree in English from the University of Utah. He then taught at The Hotchkiss School in Connecticut where he started his first novel.
He became a professor of English at Arizona State University in 1985, teaching creative writing to undergraduates and graduates, and ultimately becoming director of its Creative Writing Program.
Carlson also taught at the University of California, Irvine.
For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Carlson
Carlson was born in Logan, Utah, but grew up in Salt Lake City. He earned a masters degree in English from the University of Utah. He then taught at The Hotchkiss School in Connecticut where he started his first novel.
He became a professor of English at Arizona State University in 1985, teaching creative writing to undergraduates and graduates, and ultimately becoming director of its Creative Writing Program.
Carlson also taught at the University of California, Irvine.
For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Carlson
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
February 14, 2026
At times repetitive, but a great way to overcome imposter syndrome as well as analysis paralysis and a lack of focus in writing.
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