Application Deadline: 1 May 2025

The era of the sad girl novel has hit us (praise!) but grief is the starting point for rage. If you want to viscera-max your prose and see what it takes to make a sad girl go bad, this workshop is for you.

About the workshop

In this workshop, you’ll learn how to create nuanced characters with vivid intensity by examining their emotional wounds as the starting points for development. We’ll also explore ways to think vertically within a scene to create emotional, psychological, and physical depth.

Structure

For the first three months, we will examine death, sex and the psychology of killing, through fiction and non-fiction narratives as well as theoretical writings on the grotesque, desire, and violence. You’ll get in-class prompts to develop your approach and generate work. Over the last three months, each participant will submit a manuscript of up to 20 pages to be workshopped and you’ll also provide feedback to your peers.

During class, you’ll get individualised support in a 1:1 session with me to discuss your writing process, career goals and receive practical tips on navigating the publishing industry.

Dates

1 June - 6-8pm UK / 1-3pm EST
29 June - 6-8pm UK / 1-3pm EST
20 July - 6-8pm UK / 1-3pm EST
24 August - 6-8pm UK / 1-3pm EST
21 Sept - 6-8pm UK / 1-3pm EST
19 Oct - 6-8pm UK / 1-3pm EST

Dates and times are subject to change.

Why sign up? 

• Enhance conflict in your fiction by examining drives for death and desire

• Develop your characters’ depth by pinpointing their emotional wounds and alchemize them into the narrative

• Learn narrative tools such as tension, juxtaposition, and pacing to create vivid scenes

• Get practical, repeatable exercises and tips to add texture to the most important moments in your story and construct sentences with visceral precision

• Leave with polished work and developed skills you feel confident about

Who should apply:

This is a fiction-oriented workshop that is open to both literary and genre. You will get the most out of this workshop if you are interested in the development of your prose.

We will be discussing difficult topics, likely around some of the worst horrors humanity has to offer. Assume every class will have a content warning. You’ll be expected to handled these kinds of discussions with respect.

Applicants should aim to be available to attend class and prepared to give feedback. For the first three months we will read several assigned books for discussion and for the last three months you will read up to five manuscripts of up to ~20 pages each and provide written feedback as well as discuss in class.

Cost: £600

If your application is accepted, you pay a £100 deposit up front, and full payment is due by the first class. Financial aid is available on a limited basis which reduces the cost of the class. Class fees and deposit are not refundable.

Application results will go out on the 10th of May, 2025. Class starts June 1.