Upcoming Classes
Building the Haunted House
A ghost is an amorphous thing, but a haunted house is a construction. The heavy urns, the veranda, the patterned carpet, the warm fireplace, the blue room, the library’s iron stairs: all make Eleanor Vance feel “like a small creature swallowed whole by a monster” in Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House. How do we make wicked houses come alive in prose? How do we guarantee their physical construction to envelop the reader’s mind? In this one-hour free session, we will discuss the craft of building a haunted house in three parts: the physical construction, how to manipulate the mood of literary space, and finally, how to use contemporary culture or personal experience to adapt the classic framework to your own artistic endeavors. Examples will be given from writers like Gaston Bachelard, Edith Wharton, and Jamil Jan Kochai. Through the hour, writing prompts will be paired with these prose examples, so writers will leave with three generated elements to ultimately revise together into a future haunted house story. This is a supportive and relevant class for anyone writing the mood of an unhappy or evil domestic space. Prose writers of all genres are welcome.
when? October 24th, 4:00pm-5:00pm
where? online with Blue Stoop
writing vibe? free, gothic, dimly lit hallway
details? Thursdays on the Stoop is a free virtual writing workshop hosted by Blue Stoop, an inclusive literary community based in Philadelphia. The session is open to adult writers of all educational backgrounds and experience levels. Please RSVP via Blue Stoop to receive the link.
Spells, Spirits, & Scribes
As we enter the fall season, it’s time to turn within and connect with the magic of the dark. What are you ready to harvest? What are you ready to shed as you plant new seeds for the next chapter? Let your creative fire lead the way with this writing + tarot workshop at Dearly Studio.
Bridging the power of tarot and creative writing, this generative workshop will help you embrace your intuition and channel your own poetic messages from the other side. With Death, the Queen of Wands, and the Ace of Pentacles as our guides for the evening, we will dive deep into the lessons they each have to share. Your instructors Zinnia and Lauren will prompt you to write and reflect from the heart, with inspiration from a live group tarot reading, poetry, and writing prompts to evoke the spirit of the season. Whatever wisdom comes through, you are invited to alchemize it on the page to help you feel energized, uplifted, and empowered.
By the end of the class, you’ll leave with a triptych in your pocket and a deeper knowledge of tarot. Each ticket comes with a drink from Dearly Studio’s bar, and we’ll take a 20 minute break to stretch our legs and refresh. Bring pen + paper. Writers are welcome to bring a small object to offer to an autumnal altar to help shape the space.
when? November 15th, 6:00pm-8:30pm
where? Dearly Studio @ Bow Market (1 Bow Mkt Wy, Somerville)
writing vibe? november nights, generative, alchemy
details? this class will be co-taught with Lauren of HeronKind. we’ll read and write together with a 20 minute break to stretch our legs. drinks (boozy + non alc.) are available to purchase at Dearly’s bar, and there’s plenty of food in the market. price comes with 1 free drink. Tickets can be purchased at Dearly’s site.