2026 Supernatural/Suspense/Horror with Michael Koryta

Faculty:  Michael Koryta

This workshop is open to writers working on a suspense novel, particularly one with a supernatural or paranormal element — think Shirley Jackson, Ira Levin, Stephen King, Megan Abbott, and Joe Hill. Our focus will be on the handling of core issues such as character, structure, scene building, and how supernatural suspense is built through grounded stories with emotional realism.

Submission Guidelines  

In a single file, submit up to 25 pages of a novel-in-progress, plus a 1-page synopsis (as p. 26).  Synopsis should include the following: one brief paragraph summarizing the book and status of the project (i.e., unfinished first draft, completed first draft, completed draft which has undergone multiple revisions, etc.). If you are submitting a portion which appears later in the work (for example, pages 25-50), provide a detailed synopsis of the pages prior to your submission (e.g. pages 1-24).

PLEASE NOTE:  We are reading to assess the strength and readiness of the manuscript for workshop.  What you submit here will be what you workshop during the conference.

 

1. Accepting Word document only (.doc or .docx).
2. Page numbers must be consecutive throughout the manuscript.
3. Font must be 12-pt Times New Roman or Arial. 
4. Margins must be 1 inch.
5. All manuscripts must be double-spaced including the 1-page synopsis. All manuscripts must contain a header or footer with page numbers and author’s name.
6. No extra spacing between paragraphs except that which indicates transitions.
7. If you submit more than 26 pages (25 pages of manuscript + 1-page synopsis), only the first 25 pp will be read and considered.
8. Do not include title pages or dedications.
9. Please submit manuscript + 1-p synopsis as a single file (with synopsis as final page).