Writing Gothic Fiction: What Makes It Gothic?

What actually makes a story Gothic? It’s more than haunted houses, ghosts, dark corridors, and things that go bump in the night. In this live, interactive class, we’ll look beneath the familiar trappings of Gothic fiction to explore what makes a story truly Gothic. Using examples from classic and contemporary works, we’ll examine how Gothic fiction uses setting, secrecy, power, uncertainty, the past, and what lies hidden beneath the surface to create unease and meaning. Then we’ll put those ideas into practice. Through discussion and short writing exercises, you’ll learn how to identify what your story is really about, develop a setting that actively participates in the story, use secrets and incomplete knowledge to build tension, choose motifs with purpose, and think about what you want to leave lingering with the reader. By the end of the class, you’ll have a clearer understanding of how Gothic fiction works, practical tools for writing it, and the beginnings of a Gothic story of your own, or new ways to develop a story you’re already working on. Prerequisites: None. This class is suitable for writers at any stage, including complete beginners. You don’t need any academic knowledge of Gothic fiction or previous experience writing it. Bring something to write with and, if you already have a story or idea you’d like to develop, bring that too. If not, you can create one during the class.