How can writers make traditional monsters non-traditional? How can we find the productive, heroic side of our creations while still making them scary and unpredictable? Although most countries and cultures have various forms of “horror” mythology and folklore, members of those communities have often feared associating their cultures with what they see as mass-market, pulp-fiction monsters. For instructor Jewelle Gomez, however, two quotes are at the core of writing horror:
“We make up horrors to help us cope with the real ones.”—Stephen King
“Black History is black horror.” —Tananarive Due
When creating new and original monsters, it is necessary to step away from the tropes we’ve lived with for generations and look to individual, lived experience to reshape mythology. This workshop will focus on approaches and techniques for bringing new perspectives to favorite monsters and nightmares.
SEPARATE REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. VISIT THE HORROR UNIVERSITY SITE FOR MORE DETAILS.Horror University is Sponsored by Seton Hill University's MFA in Writing Popular Fiction:
http://setonhill.edu/fiction/
