Saturday, October 11th, 2025

Live Seminar Via Zoom 10AM – 1PM Central

Any questions about this class? Use the Chat Button (lower left) to talk with us.

Instructor Amber Sparks is the author of an upcoming novel, Happy People Don’t Live Here, an upcoming short story collection, Did Parents In the Middle Ages Love Their Children? (both from Liveright/W.W. Norton), and four collections of short fiction, including And I Do Not Forgive You: Revenges and other Stories and The Unfinished World. Her fiction and essays have appeared in American Short Fiction, the Paris Review, Slate, Tin House, Granta, The Cut and elsewhere.  

Everyone loves a good ghost story. But much like spotting a ghost in the modern world, it's trickier than it seems.

How can you use the tricks, conventions, and tools that writers from Henry James to MR James to Shirley Jackson made standard, while writing something that's fresh, new, and thoroughly modern?

We'll study the conventions of the gothic story, look at modern ghost stories by writers like Brian Evenson and Carmen Maria Machado and others, and use fun prompts and games to get your brain into gothic mode.

You'll leave with a story draft that's definitely gothic - whether your ghosts are scary, sad, sweet, or funny is up to you.

Can't Make It Live?

No problem! The session will be recorded and available to watch after the seminar concludes.

TAKE THIS CLASS IF:

• You're finding the constraints of your current writing practice too limiting.
• You want exposure to a range of new approaches to bring to your writing practice.
  
• You want an expanded sense of what is possible in your work.
  

TESTIMONIALS:

"I took Amber's Modern Gothic class on a whim after seeing Amber mention it on Twitter. It exceeded my expectations. I come from a very traditional educational background and found Amber's perspective quite refreshing and very useful for my work in progress. Really this class blew my mind. It as exactly the espresso shot my private writing practice needed. I really appreciated the concrete craft lessons. I am at a stage of writing where this is exactly what I need."

"One of the more creative workshops I have ever taken. Amber Sparks really got me to think in different and creative ways. It was the right class at the right time for me."

"I really enjoyed Amber Sparks' workshop on Fractured Narrative! Great list of possible approaches to non-linear story-telling with helpful references to specific author's works as examples. Good exercises. Really enjoyed the chat input from other attendees as well. Great value for the price."

"This class was great. From the powerpoint slides, examples, fun exercises, very short stories to read during class, and Amber's friendly responsiveness in the chat and of course her expertise, I would highly recommend studying with Amber!"

"This was very good. The prompts and the mini-workshop were great. This was my first course. So far, so good. Easy to register and you are very responsive."

ONLINE COURSE STRUCTURE:

This class will meet via Zoom on Saturday, October 11th, 2025, from 10AM - 1PM CST

• Amber Sparks | Live via Zoom

• This class will meet via Zoom on Saturday, October 11th, 2025.

• 10AM - 1PM CST

• Seminar is fully ONLINE and meets via Zoom