Gothic fiction has long enthralled and frightened readers in equal measure. From Stoker, Shelley and Poe to Jackson Morrison and Oyeyemi, we have read stories of haunted houses, family trauma, ghosts, curses and mysteries waiting to be unravelled. So what is it about this continually evolving genre that has eternal appeal?
Whether you want to share your own deepest fears with readers or invoke the uncanny, this masterclass, led by critically acclaimed author Rhiannon Ward, will take a dive into writing gothic fiction. Rhiannon will look at how writers can explore and play with this genre that allows room for a variety of ideas and themes.
You'll better understand how to write troubled characters that readers both care about and/ or fear for; how to create landscapes with a distinct sense of place and foreboding atmosphere; and how to structure your plot so that you unsettle your reader at just the right moment.
15 minutes will be reserved for a Q&A at the end of the masterclass.
This masterclass will be online, video platform to be confirmed. It will also be recorded so if you are unable to attend live, you'll be able to catch-up and access the recording for up to two weeks.
All attendees will be able to purchase some of Rhiannon's books from our independent bookshop partner DRAKE at a discounted rate. DRAKE is a family run bookshop situated in Stockton on Tees, who champion independent publishers and authors.
This masterclass makes up part of The Writing Process, a series held in collaboration with Book Aid International.
Rhiannon Ward is the author of two gothic historical thrillers. Her first, The Quickening, was a Radio Times book of the year and The Shadowing was a Daily Express critic's favourite of 2021. As Sarah Ward, she is the author of four DC Childs novels set in the Derbyshire Peak District where she lives and she also has written two Doctor Who audio dramas. Rhiannon is a Board member of the Crime Writers Association, Derby Book Festival and Friends of Buxton International Festival. She is Royal Literary Fund Fellow at Sheffield University.
The workshop fee of £30 (incl. VAT) is payable in full online.
This is a live online event which will be presented using video conferencing software. Joining instructions and full guidance will be provided by the W&A Team a week before the event start-date.
Event materials will be made available to attendees for a time-limited period after the event at the speaker's discretion.
Please note that payment instalment plans are available for all W&A events, writing courses and editing services. Contact W&A Admin on writersandartists@bloomsbury.com so that we can find a payment schedule that works for you.
Accessible to All
It’s of real importance to Writers & Artists that our events and courses remain accessible to all.
- At the speaker's discretion, event materials will be made available to attendees after the masterclass.
- A link to a recording of the masterclass will be circulated after the event. This will be made available to event attendees only, and for a time-limited period.
- This event will include written text and visuals. Please contact us in advance so that we can make arrangements to be sure all documents appear in a format that works for you.
- If you’d like to attend but have any questions or concerns regarding accessibility, then please email AccessWA@bloomsbury.com
