Writing horror

What is the course about?

Over six weeks you'll explore the essential components of horror fiction, drawing from classic texts to write in ways that scare, spook and unsettle readers. Ideal for beginners, or for those who have already taken 'Writing horror: a beginner's guide' and are looking to deepen their knowledge of the genre.

What will we cover?

- Horror short fiction
- Horror novels.
- The different kinds of horror.
- The role of social commentary in horror.
- Where next for horror.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

- Plan a short story in the horror genre.
- Write a gripping opening of a short story in the horror genre.
- Write an outline for a longer piece of writing in the horror genre.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

This is an introductory course, although some familiarity with horror fiction will be beneficial.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

Students will be taught through a mix of individual, pair and group work, tutor instruction, in-class writing tasks and text analysis.


All writing courses at City Lit will involve an element of workshop. This means that students will produce work which will be discussed in an open and constructive environment with the tutor and other students. The college operates a policy of constructive criticism, and all feedback on another student’s work by the tutor and other students should be delivered in that spirit.

For classes longer than one day regular reading and writing exercises will be set for completion at home to set deadlines.

City Lit Writing endeavours to create a safe and welcoming space for all and we strongly support the use of content notes in our classes. This means that learners are encouraged to make their tutor and classmates aware in advance if any writing they wish to share contains material that may be deemed sensitive. If you are unsure about what might constitute sensitive content, please ask your tutor for further clarification and read our expectations for participating in writing courses at City Lit.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

Please bring writing materials.

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

City Lit offer a range of genre fiction courses including Crime writing, Writing fantasy stories and Romance. For more information, please browse the writing section of our website.

All students are invited to join us at Late Lines, our regular performance night for City Lit writers. Students are also encouraged to submit their work to Between the Lines, our annual anthology of creative writing. For the latest news, courses and events, stay in touch with the Department on Facebook and Bluesky.