This is a fiction writing workshop for students who want to focus on craft. Since good writing is entwined with the art of reading closely, we study fiction by great writers such as Grace Paley, Vladimir Nabokov, and Flannery O’Connor. Stories, in one way or another, always reflect the world of the writer, not only through subject matter, but also through matters of style-diction, phrasing, rhythm. We examine how writers use fiction to mirror a particular time and place. In doing so, we pay special attention to aspects of storytelling, such as building tension, constructing character, and creating a voice. To inspire ideas and experiment with different strategies, students write weekly exercises. Working in conversation with master writers, students explore the context and form of their own fiction. This Riggio Writing & Democracy Honors course is open to all undergraduate students.