The Forever Workshop

The Forever Workshop

Fiction

Four Ways to Build a Short Story Collection

Lessons from former Wigleaf Top 50 editor Shome Dasgupta

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shome dasgupta and The Forever Workshop
Apr 22, 2026
∙ Paid
Art by Mariam Chagelishvili

Hiya, welcome to The Forever Workshop.

First time? Read this first »

Back again? Here’s what we’ve got for you today:

A workshop for:

Short fiction writers looking for insights, guidance and practical tips on putting together a collection of their work.

Your instructor:

Shome Dasgupta — author of 13 books and former Wigleaf Top 50 series editor

Takeaways:

  • Explore four approaches to building a collection — and how each suits your work

  • Navigate the logistics: word count, story order, and landing on the perfect title

  • Understand the publishing process, from finding the right home to handling setbacks

  • Learn from Shome’s transformative experiences with four very different collections

By the end of this workshop you’ll have a clearer idea of what to expect from creating a short story collection, with prompts and exercises to help you shape your own.

Four Ways to Put Together a Short Fiction Collection

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A guest post by
shome dasgupta
Shome Dasgupta is the author of The Seagull And The Urn (HarperCollins India), and most recently, Cajun South Brown Folk (Belle Point Press). He lives in Lafayette, LA, and he is represented by Teffanie Thompson of Falkin Literary.
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