Horror Without Blood: The Art of Quiet Terror 4-Week Writing Workshop with Sage Tyrtle (Zoom) starts on Saturday, June 6, 2026
Begins Saturday, June 6the, 2026
Class will meet weekly via Zoom on Saturdays, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM ET
🌍 Class Times by Time Zone: Los Angeles (PDT): 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM / Chicago (CDT): 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM / New York (EDT): 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM / London (BST): 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM / Berlin (CEST): 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Any questions about this class? Use the Chat Button to talk with us.
About the Instructor
Instructor Sage Tyrtle writes stories unsettling enough for The Offing, yet NPR let them on air. Included in Best Microfiction, Moth GrandSLAM winner, and Pushcart nominee, they've taught 150+ workshops for Smokelong Quarterly and Clarion West, among others. Their work lives at the intersection of literary craft and, "Wait, did they just say that?"
Who is this class for?
This online writing workshop is for fiction writers interested in exploring quiet horror. Whether you write literary fiction, speculative stories, or genre-bending work, if you want to learn how to unsettle readers without relying on graphic content, this class is for you. It is open to all levels.
What to expect:
In Jaws, the real horror wasn't the shark—it was the fin. The unseen monster is always more terrifying than the one you can see. This four-week writing workshop is dedicated to mastering the art of implication. You will move beyond overt scares to build authentic dread, focusing on the potent tools of atmosphere and psychology.
You will learn how to weaponize setting, mood, and sensory details to create an immersive, unsettling foundation. You'll dissect the mechanics of suspense, analyzing what to show and, crucially, what to hide. Your characters' reactions are more powerful than any monster you could describe. A truly skilled writer can transform the mundane—a creaking floorboard, a wrong number, an empty playground at dusk—into something utterly chilling.
In this online fiction workshop, you will polish your own terrifying short piece, armed with techniques to make any reader's skin crawl. Leave ready to send your refined, unsettling fiction out into the world. Instructor feedback is positive and gently constructive, creating a supportive creative writing class environment where writers at every level can take risks and grow.
What are the writing goals?
In this course, students will learn the tools of quiet horror and use them to write one complete quiet horror short story over the course of four weeks. Students will receive positive and gently constructive instructor feedback throughout the workshop.
COURSE OUTLINE
Week 1: Creepy Setting and Atmosphere – Learn how to weaponize setting, mood, and sensory detail to build an immersive, unsettling world.
Week 2: Characters That Ring True – Explore how authentic character psychology channels horror, understanding that a protagonist's visceral reaction is the reader's truest guide into fear.
Week 3: Plots to Scare Without Gore – Dissect the mechanics of suspense and implication, mastering what to show and what to hide to craft plots that terrify without relying on graphic content.
Week 4: Putting It All Together – Synthesize atmosphere, character, and plot into a polished quiet horror short story, ready for submission.
COURSE TAKEAWAYS:
- Master the art of weaving atmosphere into a palpable antagonist, turning the mundane into the menacing through sensory detail and mood.
- Learn to channel horror through authentic character psychology, understanding that a protagonist's visceral reaction is the reader's truest guide into fear.
- Develop a confident framework for building suspense that thrives on implication and the power of the unseen.
- Complete one polished quiet horror short story ready for submission and publication.
- Gain a refined toolkit for crafting terror without relying on blood, gore, or graphic content.
TESTIMONIALS:
"This was a great class. The pace and structure were excellent. Not too much info, while providing some really solid concepts that I had never heard before."
"One of the best classes I have taken. Clear, usable craft principles. What did I find most valuable? The need for an element of risk -- interior or exterior -- which is important for story impact."
"This class exceeded my expectations. A story worth telling includes risk & emotional extremes but needs balance between positive & negative emotions. Sage got these points across magnificently. Highly recommend."
"Sage is so welcoming and so gentle in her teaching. A lovely experience."
“Loved it!"
"This class exceeded my expectations! Sage was extremely knowledgeable and thoughtful and provided meaningful feedback."
"A lovely atmosphere and a great mix of learning from examples and prompt work. Thanks!”
“It was the perfect, chill way to close out the weekend, and I left with workable drafts and many ideas.”
"I loved the number and quality of the in-class prompts."
"The instructor was lovely, encouraging, ehtusiastic and the information well-chosen, and I appreciated her suggestions for exercises."
“When Sage Tyrtle talks, people don’t just listen. They hang on her every word.” – Toronto Star
“As each of us feels more comfortable, we share intimate moments from our lives. It’s different from the stand-up I tried, because, ultimately, success isn’t dependent on making people laugh.” – Now Magazine
“Thank you for giving us a night to remember. You are a true professional, gifted and talented. Thank you for inspiring us, making us think differently and pushing us to be better communicators. The feedback from all the participants was so positive.” – Wendy Kauffman, Vice President, Brown & Cohen Communications and Public Affairs
“We have received really great feedback, some people saying that this is the best session we have had at our KE retreats, so thank you so much for your engaging presentation!” – Rebecca Phillips Konigs, CAMH
- Instructor: Sage Tyrtle
- Begins Saturday, June 6th, 2026
- Class will meet weekly via Zoom on Saturdays, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM ET
- 4 sessions: June 6, 13, 20, 27
- Tuition is $330 USD.