Dark Themes in Fiction

Whether you write commercial or genre fiction, love Gone Girl or American Psycho, there are plenty of opportunities to “get dark” in your prose. In this class, we’ll explore the craft of dark fiction. We’ll look at examples including neo-noir, horror, and classic and gothic literature, and we’ll discuss the evolving definition of dark fiction along the way. Through in-class exercises, we’ll experiment with the unique tools that dark fiction writers use to draw readers in, taking our inspiration from drama, the contemporary and classic honchos of horror, and our own experiences. You'll have the opportunity to share your work in class for on-the-spot feedback, with the goal of pushing your stories beyond tropes and getting into the truly dark matter. We’ll be reading, among others, Angela Carter, Octavia Butler, Alice Sola Kim, Edgar Allen Poe, Jorge Luis Borges, Neil Gaiman, and Shirley Jackson.