TUTOR: Kerry Hadley-Pryce has had three novels published by Salt Publishing: The Black Country (Michael Schmidt Prize); Gamble (shortlisted for The Encore Award) and God’s Country. Her fourth novel, Lie of the Land, is due for publication by Salt Publishing in 2025. She has a PhD in Creative Writing from Manchester Metropolitan University, teaches creative writing, and has contributed to Palgrave’s Smell, Memory & Literature in the Black Country anthology. She has had short stories published in Best British Short Stories 2023, Takahe Magazine, Fictive Dream and The Incubator and read by Brum Radio.
Start Date: 11th March, 2025
Duration: Six weeks
Fee: $320
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Welcome to the Dark and Uncanny Fiction Writing Course: Unleash Your Creative Power
Are you ready to elevate your writing? Our online course in Dark and Uncanny Fiction is your chance to either embark on or enhance your journey in crafting haunting narratives that resonate with readers long after they’ve finished. With immersive lessons, thought-provoking prompts, and constructive feedback, you’ll explore dark themes, unsettling characters, and eerie atmospheres. Whether you’re a newcomer excited to dive into the genre or a seasoned writer seeking to refine your voice, this course provides the tools and inspiration to create gripping, chilling tales. Join us as we venture into the shadows of imagination, where your most intriguing ideas can flourish.
Personalised Guidance from Dedicated Instructors
Our skilled instructors are committed to offering personalised feedback each week. By submitting your work for review, you’ll receive valuable insights to elevate your writing.
Global Accessibility & Lifetime Resource Access
This course is open to aspiring writers worldwide. Plus, you’ll enjoy lifetime access to all course materials once you complete it, so you can revisit lessons whenever you need inspiration.
High Demand & Early Registration Encouraged
Due to the high interest in our Dark and Uncanny Fiction Course, we recommend registering early to secure your spot. Don’t miss this opportunity to hone your writing skills and unlock your storytelling potential.
Course Overview
This six-week online course provides a flexible and engaging learning experience designed for busy schedules. With no fixed class times, you can explore weekly modules at your own pace, dedicating 2-3 hours each week to enhance your writing craft.
Each week, you’ll delve into new topics and explore the nuances of creative writing. Through interactive exercises, you’ll sharpen your fiction writing skills and expand your storytelling toolkit.
Week by Week Module Breakdown:
Module 1: Feeding your Fears to Fiction?
In this first module, we’ll look at what is meant by ‘Dark Fiction’ and start considering
starting points and ‘narrative springboards’ that aim to excite and entertain your
reader. We’ll explore how to convey the thrill and begin our journey into darkness.
Module 2: Unlikeable Characters
Compelling characters don’t have to be likeable – in fact unlikeable characters can often
provide much more narrative drive, as well as developing a shudder-worthy story. We’ll
tackle creating characters you might not want to be friends with in real life, but who will
be utterly memorable.
Module 3: Location Location Location
Where you set your story is a vital element to creating the right kind of atmosphere and
tone of the piece. We’ll experiment with those places – real and imagined – that can
inspire the kind of feeling you want to evoke.
Module 4: The Uncanny
We’ll examine what is meant by ‘the uncanny’ and how we can imbue our writing with
elements of the weird and the eerie. We’ll look at some contemporary themes and how
the everyday can be conveyed as bizarre in uncanny fiction.
Module 5: The Hook
We’ll learn about and practise ways of hooking our audience into our stories and of
maintaining their interest. We’ll pull them into the darkness of the story using a variety
of writerly techniques and styles.
Module 6: Putting it Together
In this final module, we’ll work on structure and endings. We’ll tackle the brutality of
editing and how this can really sharpen up that sense of foreboding and we’ll hunker
down on polishing an unsettling, powerful, dark story that will entertain and chill the
spines of our readers.
Begin Your Writing Journey
Embark on an unforgettable adventure to discover the writer within you. Sign up for our Writing Dark and Uncanny Fiction Course today and watch your imagination soar!