Register Here for PAAR's Writing Wellness Series Workshop:
Exorcise Your Demons: Healing Through Writing Horror Fiction (*2-Part Workshop)
Wednesday, August 24th 2022 • 6pm-8pm
AND
Wednesday, September 7th 2022 • 6pm-8pm
Location: PAAR Southside Office, 81 S 19th Street, Pittsburgh PA 15203
Description:
Studies have shown that there is a direct link between writing and processing our trauma and other forms of emotional stress. Horror fiction – whether you prefer to get your fix by reading Stephen King novels or watching episodes of American Horror Story – can be a comfort for those of us who enjoy the genre of fear. Writing horror fiction can help you process these emotions and allow you to write the endings you need most to continue your healing journey.
In part one of this two-part workshop, we will define what horror fiction is, learn about some of the subgenres of horror fiction (supernatural, psychological, historical, body, gothic, splatter punk, etc.), look at examples of horror fiction to see how it is created, and use writing exercises to brainstorm ideas for your own short story.
In part two of this workshop, participants will share their short story drafts and we will workshop each other’s stories to provide feedback.
*Participants must be 18 years old and over to attend this workshop. Each workshop will last two-hours. Please bring a laptop, and/or a notebook and your favorite writing tool to take notes and begin drafting your short story.
Michelle’s Bio:
Michelle Renee Lane holds an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. She writes dark speculative fiction about identity politics and women of color battling their inner demons while fighting/falling in love with monsters. Her work includes elements of fantasy, horror, romance, and erotica. Her short fiction appears in the anthologies Terror Politico: A Screaming World in Chaos, The Monstrous Feminine: Dark Tales of Dangerous Women, The Dystopian States of America, Graveyard Smash, Dead Awake, Midnight & Indigo: Twenty-Two Speculative Stories by Black Women Writers and The One That Got Away, and has been featured on The Wicked Library podcast. Her Bram Stoker Award nominated debut novel, Invisible Chains (2019), is available from Haverhill House Publishing. The Spanish language translation, Cadenas Invisibles (2022), is available from Dilatando Mentes Editorial. Her nonfiction can be found at Medium, Speculative Chic, and in Writers Workshop of Horror 2 (2021).