Tyler Paterson is a three-time Pushcart Prize nominee, holds an MFA in Fiction Writing from the University of New Hampshire, and is a graduate of Second City Chicago. His work has appeared in over 80 publications worldwide including The Saturday Evening Post, The Forge Literary Magazine, The Delhousie Review, Brilliant Flash Fiction, and Fresh Ink. A semi-finalist in the Aura Estra short story contest, his work has also received notable accolades from Lycan Valley, North 2 South Press, and Lumberloft. He spends most nights yelling for his cat to ‘Get down from there!’ Tyler has led writing classes for people of all ages from University students, to local communities, to remote learners. His goal is to build the confidence in writers, give them the tools to build the stories they yearn to tell, and support them along their journey. A number of past students have gone on to get their work published.
Start Date: 5th November, 2025
Duration: 6 Weeks
Fee: $190
3 places remaining
Face Your Fears: The Ultimate 6-Week Online Modern Horror Writing Course
Welcome to the dark side of storytelling! If you’ve always wanted to write horror but didn’t know where to begin, or if you’re ready to dust off those chilling ideas lurking in the back of your mind, this course is for YOU! Over six weeks, you’ll delve into the craft of modern horror writing: exploring tension, atmosphere, character, and the fine art of fear. With steady guidance and one-to-one feedback from your tutor, Tyler Paterson, you’ll complete weekly exercises that help you build confidence and develop your voice as a horror writer. By the end, you could have the beginnings of your first short horror story, a collection of eerie tales, or the foundation of a truly haunting novel.
Expert Guidance and Personalised Feedback
Our experienced tutors are dedicated to helping you grow as a writer. When you enrol in the course, a dedicated professional tutor will be available to provide personalised feedback on your work throughout the six weeks. These one-on-one interactions with your tutor will improve your writing skills and boost your confidence as a budding writer.
Flexible Learning at Your Own Pace
We understand that life can be busy, which is why our course is designed with your schedule in mind. There are no set class times, so you can work through the weekly modules at your own pace whenever it’s most convenient for you. We recommend dedicating 2-3 hours per week to get the most out of the course content and assignments.
A Comprehensive Curriculum
Each week, a new module will be released, covering essential aspects of creative writing. After completing the course, you will have a strong foundation in creative writing, as well as your own original work to showcase your newfound skills.
What Our Modules Look Like
Week 1: The Opening – Perhaps one of the most important moments in any work of horror is the opening scene. How do we hook an audience into our world of terror and hint at everything to come? This week’s lesson will give you the tools to kick off your story in a perfectly terrifying way. Modern horror revolves around human suffering – both physical AND mental – and less about blood and gore. Use this idea to build your opening/world/characters.
Week 2: Clever ways to put your reader on edge – How do you tread the line between a reader wanting to put down your story, while also keep reading your story? A lot of it has to do with the way you use your setting and characters. This week will look at ways to build tension, use minimalist techniques, and bring out an atmosphere that drips with atmos-FEAR. As Ursula K. LeGuin famously said, “Don’t resolve one conflict without first introducing another.”
Week 3: When something not scary becomes scary (and how to do it) – Clever writers know that taking something normal (a coffee cup, a dog, a toy) and endowing it with new properties is a great way to unsettle our readers. Why is the coffee cup levitating? Why is the dog walking backwards in slow motion? Why is the toy suddenly speaking a different language? Taking the every day and twisting it
Week 4: The art and philosophy of the Slasher (and “final girl”) – Archetypes like the scholar, the jock, and the jester exist in most classic slasher films, so how do we take those standards and spin newer, more nuanced tales? Most slashers seek to punish the young for being young, but we’re in a new place that requires a deeper dive. Add a slasher that represents a cultural mindset and we have the recipe for a really compelling horror story. Then, if we ask, “How is the final girl MORE like the slasher than any other character?” we discover deeper truths for our readers to eat up.
Week 5: Creature Feature – Why do we love creatures from folklore, from Lovecraft, from nature? More times than not, these creatures are the embodiment of a larger idea or fear. Most of the time, that fear is a cultural fear. Taking the pulse of our modern world, we will develop new and terrifying monsters/creatures that wreak havoc on our characters
Week 6: The Power of the Ghost Story – Who doesn’t love a good ghost story? They tap into a fundamental question we often don’t speak aloud…What happens when we die? The ghost story at its core is a cautionary tale. The ghost in the woods, the vengeful spirit of the scorned lover, the apparitions with grave warnings – beneath it all is usually a story that’s even darker and more terrifying than the haunting itself. This week will help you build a proper ghost story by understanding how the backstory IS the story.
Step Into the Shadows Today
Don’t miss the chance to unleash your imagination and embrace the thrill of writing fear. Enrol now in our 6-week online Modern Horror Writing Course, and take the first step toward mastering the art of suspense, terror, and unforgettable storytelling.