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Scary Stories for Spooky Season: Fiction Writing Workshop

Impactful fiction delves into powerful emotions. Horror is a genre that digs into some of our strongest feelings and experiences: fear, grief, anxiety, and trauma—and also extraordinary moments of humor (Widow's Bay, Practical Magic). This workshop will acquaint you with the foundations of horror theory, common horror tropes (and how to subvert them), how fear functions in horror, and craft elements of horror writing. There will be guided writing exercises to round out the workshop. Whether you're new to the horror genre or curious about trying new approaches in your creative practice, this is a jump scare-free workshop. Participants will leave with a list of recommended short stories and novels they can pick up from Kramers after the workshop and a list of horror concepts, themes, and story-types (some that might even surprise you!), plus a deeper appreciation for the genre. Lacey N. Dunham is the author of The Belles (2025), named a Best Book of 2025 by Library Journal and Crime Reads, and the forthcoming Fall of the House of Graystone (2027), both from Atria/S&S. Dunham is a Poets & Writers 2025 Writer to Watch and has received fellowships from the Elizabeth George Foundation, the DC Arts Commission, the Sewanee Writers' Conference, and Catapult. She lives in Washington, DC with too many books, but only two cats. Find her at laceyndunham.com.

October 20 · 6 PM · Kramers

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