Structuring Short Stories with Julie Koh

Learn how to utilise form and structure in your short stories

Join Julie Koh, one of Australia's best short story writers, in this unique writing course all about form and structure in short fiction.

When it comes to structuring short stories, a high level of precision is required. This workshop is designed to assist beginners who are starting to think about structure in short fiction, as well as emerging writers who want to diagnose and rectify structural issues in their drafts. Participants will engage in a series of writing exercises that will enhance their confidence in creating stories that make readers eager for more.

You'll learn:

  • A number of theories about what makes a good story
  • Techniques for structuring your stories
  • Methods for identifying and fixing structural issues
  • How to apply these theories and techniques to your own work
  • How to develop your own formula for approaching a short story

The course is designed to take you 5-6 hours in total, and can be completed in short stages at your convenience. Scroll down to see the full course curriculum and a list of frequently asked questions.

Read an interview with Julie on structure in short stories here.

You can find Julie's writing course on experimenting with short fiction here.

"Julie provides you with a toolkit and structure but really encourages you to experiment, too. I’ve written my first short story and am very enthused now to write more. I am inspired!"

"I enjoyed and learnt a lot from the Short Story writing course with Julie Koh. Julie is an excellent teacher, providing adequate background, imparting valuable knowledge and setting meaningful exercises. I highly recommend this course with KYD."

"This course is easy to follow and provides simple and effective tools to start your journey of writing short stories."

"Structuring Short Stories with Julie Koh offers excellent tools for analysing your writing and strengthening your stories. I often find my short stories have great promise, but also some niggling flaws that I can't fix. This course gave me new ideas for facing the challenges, and renewed enthusiasm to go back and revise again."


KYD Members receive a 10% discount on this course and all other KYD online courses throughout the year. Become a member here, or contact [email protected] for more information.

Want to buy a course for a friend? Purchase a gift voucher here.


Your Instructor


Julie Koh
Julie Koh

Julie Koh is the author of two short-story collections: Capital Misfits and Portable Curiosities. The latter was shortlisted for several literary awards and led to Julie being named a 2017 Sydney Morning Herald Best Young Australian Novelist. Her short fiction has been published in ten countries and she has represented Australian literature internationally at the invitation of the Australian Embassy in Beijing and the Australian Consulate-General, Chennai. Julie has written radio plays for ABC Radio National and the libretto for the opera Chop Chef. She has been the Prose/Fiction Editor for Westerly and a reader for the Oxbelly Fiction Writers program. She has also delivered guest lectures at universities in Australia, Singapore and China, and has judged more than a dozen literary awards including the Stella Prize 2018.


Course Curriculum


  Welcome
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  A Good Story, Well-Told
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  The Toolbox
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Frequently Asked Questions


When does the course start and finish?
The course starts now and never ends! It is a completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish. We encourage you to approach this material not just as lessons to be finished once and for all, but also as a collection of resources to which you can return time and again.
How long do I have access to the course?
Forever! After enrolling, you have unlimited lifetime access to this course - across any and all devices you own.
Does the teacher provide feedback?
No. If you are interested in receiving feedback on your project, we encourage you to check out KYD's Manuscript Assessment Service: https://killyourdarlings.com.au/shop/manuscript-assessments/
How do I access my course?
All our online workshops are hosted at workshops.killyourdarlings.com.au, via the Teachable platform. You can access your workshop by logging in at that link, or by following the link in your welcome email when you enrol. Please note that as the Teachable platform is a separate website to KYD you will need to create a new account, and will not be able to use your KYD login details.
I'm a KYD member. How do I receive my 10% discount?
Click on 'Enrol in course for $169'. Enter the coupon code that was emailed to you when you became a KYD member at checkout, underneath the tutor's photo.
What if I have another question?
You can email us at [email protected] and we'll be happy to help!

Get started now!