Thrills and Chills: Writing Crime, Suspense and Horror
- Level(s) of Study: Short course
- Course Fee:
£185
- Start Date(s): 20 January 2026, 14 April 2026
- Duration: Tuesdays 6 - 8:30 pm, four weeks
- Study Mode(s): Part-time
- Campus: City Campus
- Entry Requirements: More information
Introduction:
Course dates:
20 January - 10 February 2026, Tuesdays 6 - 8.30 pm
14 April - 5 May 2026, Tuesdays 6 - 8.30 pm
Embark on a psychological thriller, a crime novel, or your very own collection of blood-curdling short stories on this course and chill your readers and raise the stakes.
Over two intensive, fun, and practical days, you’ll be delving into haunting settings and your characters’ darkest secrets, as well as developing tension, crafting creepy moments and effective action scenes.
Whether you're an aspiring or experienced writer looking to delve into the world of dark mysteries, nail-biting suspense, or bone-chilling horror, this course is designed to sharpen your storytelling skills and help you master the art of eliciting fear, intrigue, and excitement from your audience to create truly thrilling and chilling prose.
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You’ll be part of a creative writing community; one that promotes discussion, collaboration, and encourages experimentation and the constant swapping of ideas. -
Benefit from learning with an active, expert writer-tutor who has established links to the profession and significant experience working in a wide range of genres. -
Get published with our student anthology; every term we ask for submissions and print a short anthology of your original creative writing, which you can keep after the course. -
Study Creative Writing in a UNESCO City of Literature. Nottingham is a place of discovery, exchange, ideas and learning for everyone who loves words and stories. Our vision as a UNESCO City of Literature is for a city where everyone is reading and writing their way to a better life.
What you’ll study
Unlock the secrets of crafting spine-tingling stories that will keep your readers on the edge of their seats.
This course will equip you with the skills and confidence to captivate and terrify your readers.
You’ll get writing straight away using a range of exercises using writing prompts to get you going.
You’ll learn techniques for writing dark fiction and look at inspirational work and advice from an exciting range of successful crime, mystery and horror writers.
During this course, you will:
- explore the core elements of crime, suspense, and horror genres
- analyse successful examples of these genres in literature
- develop a deeper understanding of plot, pacing, and tension-building techniques
- create complex and compelling protagonists and antagonists
- delve into the psychology of fear and suspense to understand character motivations
- work on character development exercises to bring your characters to life
- construct immersive settings that enhance the mood and atmosphere of your story.
- experiment with sensory description and world-building techniques
- learn how to manipulate your environment to create tension and fear
- fine-tune your writing style to create a sense of dread, anticipation, and excitement
- learn how to edit and revise your work to maximize its impact
- receive feedback from your peers and tutor to refine your work.
Expect classroom discussions and critiques, combined with a variety of practical exercises.
By the end of the course, you will have a variety of writing projects in development, and a network of fellow writers and potential collaborators with whom you can progress your work further.
You’ll leave with a clearer idea about how to make the most of your characters, settings and plots, specifically when it comes to writing suspense, crime or horror.
- Components of a scene
- Building tension
- Creating convincing settings and a vivid atmosphere
- Engaging with the senses
- Action and interaction
- Creating layered characters
- Villainous heroes and heroic villains
- Exploring fear
- Secrets and plots
- Refining and cutting
- Markets and submitting
How you’re taught
You will receive guidance and feedback in a supportive seminar environment, engaging in classroom discussions, critiques, and practical writing exercises.
This course will be delivered in person on Nottingham Trent University city campus.
98% of previous course attendees were satisfied with the course, received the attention they needed and would consider doing another short course at NTU.
Contact hours
You will receive 10 contact hours of quality tuition with an experienced tutor.
Careers and employability
The course is designed to prepare you to succeed in the creative writing industry; students who have taken this course have gone on to build a portfolio of published work through submitting to literary magazines or self-publishing, progressed onto degree courses and embarked on careers in writing, publishing and teaching.
This course is your toolkit to ensure that you are well-prepared to pursue a successful career in the competitive field of creative writing.
Certificate of attendance and digital badge
Upon successful completion of the course, you will receive a digital certificate of attendance and a digital badge powered by Accredible.
Your digital credential is more than just a certificate – it’s secure, verifiable, and protected against fraud through encryption and blockchain technology.
They also come with detailed metadata, including an overview of the skills you have achieved on the course, evidence of completion, and assessment criteria if appropriate.
Share your achievements seamlessly with friends, customers, and potential employers online, and proudly add your badge or certificate to social media platforms such as LinkedIn, so all the right people can see it.
Are you interested in progressing your writing?
Find out more about our undergraduate and postgraduate courses:
Campus and facilities
You will be studying creative writing in a UNESCO City of Literature, and be based in the School of Social Sciences on the City Campus.
You will find modern teaching spaces and quiet study environments to develop your ideas and writing.
You’ll have access to our library to use outside of your short course; whilst you can’t reserve or take away books, you are welcome to use them as a resource for research and referencing.
You’ll also be invited to join WRAP, our Writing, Reading and Pleasure programme of book groups, meet ups and talks from readers and authors.
You will receive an email one week before the course starts with joining instructions on where to go for the first day.
Entry requirements
Level: Beginner / Intermediate
Entry requirement: No previous writing experience is required, but a willingness to read widely, write and share your ideas, and discuss each other’s writing in an open-minded and supportive environment is required.
You must be over the age of 18 to attend this course.
Fees and funding
The fee for this course is £185.
Payment is due at the time of booking - ask us if you'd prefer an invoice sent to your company.
Your course fees cover the cost of studies and include great benefits such as the use of our modern library and free use of the IT equipment and software on the campus during your course.
You will need to bring with you a notebook, pen, or laptop if you prefer to write using one.
You can read the terms and conditions of booking here.
How to apply
This course is available for the following dates via the NTU online store:
20 January - 10 February 2026, Tuesdays 6 - 8.30 pm
14 April - 5 May 2026, Tuesdays 6 - 8.30 pm
Browse all our creative writing short courses.
Any questions?
Contact the short course team:
Email: creativeshortcourses@ntu.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)115 848 2813