Horror Writing Workshop: The Internet Horror of Creepypastas
Monday evenings at 7:30pm, October 19th to November 30th

Join writer and professor Alexandra Dos Santos in this 6-week Olio workshop where you'll take inspiration from class readings and workshop your own horror stories. Each session will include lively discussion of the story, and a dedicated group workshop for each writer.

The creepypasta is a type of internet horror story that rose to prominence in the early days of the internet. Users would “copy/paste” these stories to spread them, creating a new genre with the iconic name “creepy pasta.” These tales blurred the line between fiction and real life; some were immersive, pulling the reader to participate and respond online, while others rose to fame as modern urban legends.

Each week we'll discuss a different creepypasta, digging into what made them so spine chilling and how we can pull inspiration from them for our writing and our daily lives. We’ll explore their unique elements, focusing on how this medium is ripe for terror.

In the second half of class, we'll workshop stories by our peers.
These stories can be inspired by the creepypasta genre, or written as general horror fiction. Either way, we'll pay tribute to the collaborative nature of the creepypasta by creating, editing, and imagining together.

Each writer will have dedicated time for the group to closely analyze their work and discuss possibilities for revision. You’ll walk away with a better understanding of your premise, the heart of its fear, and the style with which to tell it.

Why write horror? Horror gives us the tools to express complex metaphysical questions; the genre inherently questions reality as we see it, and gestures to the unseen, the creeping, the inescapable. It is the most potent genre to both transcend our humanity and dig deep into it.

This class is for everyone: horror fanatics, speculative writers, or those looking to try something new for spooky season. You don’t need a writing background to join—just the courage to express your fear through the act of writing. Whether you’re a seasoned horror writer or new to the genre, you’ll feel supported in your writing in this passionate group.

Intimate Class of ~15 participants

Monday, Oct 19 - Introduction to Creepypastas; In-class reads: “Smile Dog.jpeg” and “Have you Seen this Man?”; Writing prompts and partner feedback.

Monday, Oct 26 - Innocence Perverted: “Candle Cove”; 3 workshops

Monday, Nov 9 - Rituals Pastas: “The Midnight Game” 3 workshops

Monday, Nov 16 - This is a True Story “Psychosis”; 3 workshops

Monday, Nov 23 - The Uncanny Valley “Anasi's Goatman Story”; 3 workshops

Monday, Nov 30 - Urban Legends of the Internet: “The Russian Sleep Experiment” 3 workshops

About Your Instructor:

Alexandra Dos Santos is a writer and College Writing instructor based in Astoria, New York, with an MFA from The Writers Foundry at St. Joseph's University. Her work spans horror, the esoteric, and the speculative, appearing in Electric Literature, Lithub, Flash Fiction Magazine, and Vol. 1 Brooklyn, among others. She's led creative writing workshops throughout Brooklyn and received fellowships from Wildacres Writers Retreat and the Disquiet International Literary Program.

*Writers of all levels are welcome here!