Where do you feel a sense of belonging?

For many, spaces of belonging centre on the home: a physical location which—through its sturdy walls and locked doors—protects us from the dangers of the outside world.

However, in the modern world, technology and devices can open new doors into our homes. The spectres of history and society can enter whether they are invited or not.

In this chilling workshop we will look at horror fiction of the page and screen, questioning who and what belongs in the home. We will then put pen to paper and reclaim what belonging means to us, as we explore how horror can help us to confront and understand our anxieties in a creative way.

The workshop will include discussions and guided writing activities. No previous writing experience is necessary, and there’s no pressure to share anything during the workshop.

Bring something to write with / on if you like but we will also have some pens and paper. 

Workshop facilitators: Dr Mark Yates (Lecturer in English Literature, University of Salford) and Alex Herod (PhD Candidate, University of Salford)

Facilitator bios: 

Dr Mark Yates is a Lecturer in English Literature, working within the School of Arts, Media, and Creative Technology at the University of Salford. His research focuses on the Gothic and horror across a variety of media, and he teaches a variety of modules centred on the Gothic texts produced between the eighteenth and twenty-first centuries.

Alex Herod is a writer, counsellor, marketer and facilitator. As a Creative Writing PhD candidate at the University of Salford, she is researching the therapeutic potential of horror writing. Her work has been published by Dark Speculations, Wild Ink, and in Alternating Current’s global ‘Best Small Fictions 2025’ anthology.