Strange Sparks: Unlocking Stories Through the Uncanny and Supernatural

Break through writer's block and ignite your imagination in this creativity-boosting course designed to spark fresh ideas for your next story, essay, or book.

Through unconventional prompts, close readings of experimental texts, improv for writers sessions, and playful exercises, this course will jolt your imagination and unlock the deeper layers of your storytelling mind.

This autumnal edition of the course centers on the uncanny, the supernatural, and the monstrous.

We'll explore haunted objects, design ancient-style incantation bowls, and dive into the eerie tradition of ghost stories.

Drawing on fabulist readings from Mary Shelley, Kelly Link, and others, students will conjure folkloric fiends, invent cryptids scarier than Bigfoot, and share tales of miracles and inexplicable events.

A guest author specializing in monstrous fiction will join us—and you'll even doodle your own paper monsters into existence (no art skills required!).

This low-pressure course celebrates unbridled invention while offering supportive feedback and community with fellow writers.