In this course, we will explore the use of horror, myths, and fairy tales in literary fiction as ways of transcending genre boundaries and raise questions. In each workshop session we will read samples of literary fiction that deploy and rewrite familiar tropes and genres, particularly horror, myths, and fairy tales. How does the experiment with genres allow writers to interrogate boundaries of gender, class, and race? What does it mean to retell a familiar story in a different cultural context? Each week participants will do workshop exercises to explore themes, character, plot, and setting in the context of literature that crosses boundaries. At the end of the course, each participant will produce a short story or a novel excerpt. 

 Week 1:  Questioning boundaries in fiction writing 

In this introductory section we will interrogate assumptions and boundaries in fiction writing, including the dichotomy between genre vs literary fiction as well as assumptions of novelty and originality in fiction writing.  

Week 2: Old stories, new ways of looking 

This workshop session will look at ‘old stories’ told in new perspectives. These old stories can range from local myths (e.g. Asian ghost stories) to stories that are considered familiar or canonical (e.g. biblical stories, Greek tragedy, Shakespeare’s plays).  

Week 3: Feminist Horror 

This week we will focus on feminist horror to explore how writers experiment with tropes, clichés, and categories in genre-bending literary fiction to create surprises or violate expectations. At the end of the session participants will create an outline (or a proposal) of a story that retells a familiar myth/ fairy tale or uses horror to offer new ways of seeing. 

Week 4: Structure and place 

In this workshop, participants will bring their story drafts and work on the topics of structure and place. How do we present, order, and re-order events to create a powerful impact?  

Week 5: Characters and voices that cross boundaries  

This week participants will critically look at their characters and how they sound. We will engage with the following questions: How can we use characters in genre-bending literary fiction to problematise certain assumptions, values, and ideology in our society? How to write complex characters by thinking about bodies, gestures, and voices? 

Week 6:  Revision 

This final session will focus on strategies around revision. Participants will share their revision notes based on discussions in class and feedback given by their peers. We will discuss some guiding questions that will help writers in their revision process.