In this intensive workshop, award-winning author Alan Baxter will break down the conventions and tropes of horror fiction, with a focus on the craft of writing horror.

An overview of story structure will lead the way to a more detailed study of what makes horror so compelling. You will learn the genre fundamentals, the rules you need to know before you break them, and strategies for building powerful and believable stories with a dark and foreboding core. Horror is so much more than slasher movies and thrillers, and we’ll explore as many avenues as possible.

After the workshop, participants will receive a reading list to expand their experience which will feed back into their own practice. All you need is a pen and paper and your imagination. This workshop will include plenty of opportunity for Q&A, to ensure people get the answers they need.

Participants will:

• Gain the tools needed to improve their own horror fiction
• Develop methods for creating believable dark characters and heroes
• Create consistent and accessible dark environments
• Learn supernatural and unnatural components to world-building
• Differentiate expectations for short, novella, and novel-length works.

About Alan Baxter

Alan Baxter is a British-Australian multi-award-winning author of horror, supernatural thrillers, and dark fantasy. He’s also a martial arts expert, a whisky-soaked swear monkey, and dog lover. He creates dark, weird stories among dairy paddocks on the beautiful south coast of NSW, Australia, where he lives with his wife, son, hound and other creatures. The author of more than twenty books including novels, novellas, and three short story collections (so far) you can find him online at www.alanbaxter.com.au or find him on Twitter @AlanBaxter and Facebook. Feel free to tell him what you think. About anything.

—Writers SA members must be logged in to receive the member discount. If you would like to use a workshop credit to book in, please contact [email protected] at least five working days before the workshop commencement date. Our staff don’t work full time and we don’t want you to miss out!

—Registrations will close 4pm on the Friday prior to a weekend event and 5pm the day of for an evening event to ensure all participants have the relevant links and information during Writers SA business hours.

—Members of other writing centres in the National Writers Centre Network can access our member discount. Contact [email protected] with your membership number to make your booking.

Price: Writers SA Member $77/Non-member $115

Venue: Zoom