SLF Writing Workshop with Gillian Daniels: Horror Short Stories

This event is a fundraiser for the 2026 Salem Literary Festival; all proceeds will be used to fund festival programming.

Whispers in The Attic: Writing Horror Short Stories with Gillian Daniels

This October, climb the stairs to The Attic at the Salem Athenaeum and step into a world of shadows, story craft, and suspense. In this immersive workshop on horror short story writing, author Gillian Daniels will guide participants through the art of building atmosphere, shaping tension, and crafting fiction that lingers long after the final page.

Through discussion, generative prompts, and hands-on exercises, writers will learn how to transform fleeting ideas into fully formed nightmares, drawing inspiration from place, history, and imagination in one of Salem’s most atmospheric settings.

Each participant will receive a complimentary copy of Gillian Daniels’ upcoming book, Jenny Will Eat You Now, releasing this summer.

Perfect for both new and experienced writers ready to step deeper into the dark. Space is limited.

Gillian Daniels' poetry and short fiction have appeared in Nightmare Magazine, Strange Horizons, and Beneath Ceaseless Skies, among more than thirty other publications. She was born in Des Moines, Iowa, grew up in Greater Cleveland, Ohio, and she now writes, works, and haunts the streets in the Boston area of Massachusetts. She also makes comics and zines, searches out little-known horror and indie movies, and definitely wants to see pictures of your cat.

Tuition: $200.00