Page Scribblers: Writing Gothic & Supernatural Fiction

Inspired by our latest exhibition, Theodor von Holst: From Frankenstein to the Pre-Raphaelites, create imaginative fiction on dark, gothic themes.

Led by Holst Victorian House curator and prose writer, Laura Kinnear.

This day workshop will explore the strange and spooky tales found in the paintings of Theodor von Holst, currently on show in the exhibition, as a basis for prose writing. We will also delve into 19th-century texts such as Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, which Theodor von Holst first illustrated, as well as modern classics and traditional folk tales.

By the end of the day, you will have produced a short piece of fiction with the option to share it with the group.

Why not book our second workshop, Page Scribblers: Writing Myth and Fairytale-inspired Fiction, and get both for £50? Should you choose to book the second workshop at a later date, simply make sure you use the same name and email address you used to book this workshop, before adding it to the basket. Click the link below to book this one too.

Workshop 2: Writing Myth and Fairytale-inspired Fiction

Practical Details

Small group of eight maximum to enable discussion and the opportunity to share work. The workshops are suitable for those with some prior writing experience. Please contact curator@holstvictorianhouse.org.uk if you have any queries.

The group will meet in the Victorian Drawing Room. There is plenty of space elsewhere in the museum for solitary writing, with a variety of desks, tables and chairs. Please bring your own writing materials, including a laptop and charger if required.

Please bring your own lunch. There is a small kitchen where attendees can eat. There is also a café, Havanas, five minutes’ walk from the museum.

Tea/Coffee and biscuits provided.

We are very sorry, but because of the historic nature of the house, the museum is not wheelchair accessible.

Laura Kinnear is a prose writer specialising in short and long form fiction. Her work has been published in the Stroud Short Stories Anthology (Volumes 1, 3 and 4); Dialect Anthology; Pen Pusher, Aesthetica and Good on Paper. In 2024 she won the Stroud Book Festival Laurie Lee Prize for Writing. She was Highly Commended in the 2026 Gloucestershire Writers’ Network Competition (Prose). She is an alumna of the Curtis Brown Write Your Novel course.

Opportunity Link: https://holstvictorianhouse.org.uk/whats-on/events/page-scribblers-writing-gothic-supernatural-fiction/?occurrence=2026-11-02

w: https://holstvictorianhouse.org.uk

Alt Image Text: A pen and notepad with the words 'Creative Writing Workshops'

Image Credit: Holst Victorian House