According to H.P. Lovecraft, a horror tale possesses “a certain atmosphere of breathless and unexplainable dread of outer, unknown forces.” He continues: “There must be a hint […] of that most terrible conception of the human brain–a malign and particular suspension or defeat of those fixed laws of Nature which are our only safeguard against the assaults of chaos and the daemons of unplumbed space.” In other worlds, horror fiction dramatizes the sinister destruction of our ordinary, everyday lives. Strange. Why do we like to read and write about such an unpleasant experience? Can we describe the strange, even perverse pleasure we associate with stories of monsters, demons, zombies, mad-scientists, and brain-harvesting aliens? These questions will center our seminar on writing horror fiction. Students should expect a brief survey of classic horror fiction; additionally, students will compose three flash fictions in the horror genre that they can later expand. Students will also receive information about current markets for short fiction in horror.

Please note: This class is an online class. To participate, students must have a stable internet connection with a computer or device with a webcam and microphone.