Ghost Story - Creative Writing Workshop

Darby Houses
The Old Furnace

Join us for an immersive and inspiring creative writing workshop, led by published author and supernatural story expert, Danny Rhodes.

You will begin the session by exploring the Old Furnace and Darby Houses - sites rich in industrial and personal history - with a guided tour by one of our curators before seeing some of the more unusual items in our collections.

Danny will then share his storytelling and writing tips with the group before it's time for you to transform your ghostly inspiration into a chilling ghost story of your own.

Timings: From 1pm until 4:30pm

Date: Saturday 2 November, 2024

Location: Glass Classroom, Coalbrookdale

Tickets: £35 per person (with a maximum of 15 people)

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This workshop is suitable for both seasoned and beginner authors.

Please bring your preferred writing materials (e.g. pens, paper, notebooks, laptops) with you.

PASS PLUS holders and Friends of IGMT can park in our IGMT car park for free when attending this workshop by validating their PASS PLUS at the front desk when they arrive. 

Workshop Schedule

13:00 - Introduction

After a brief welcome from our team, there will be an introduction to the workshop from author and creative-writing expert,  Danny  Rhodes. 

14:00 - Guided tour of the Old Furnace and Darby Houses 

You will embark on a fascinating and atmospheric visit to the Old Furnace and Darby Houses, drawing inspiration from these historic sites, their industrial history, and the people who lived, worked and died there. 

15:00 - Return 

Once back in the Glass Classroom, you will enjoy tea, coffee and cake, view some of the more unusual Victorian objects from our collection, and put pen to paper.

You can use this time and  Danny’s guidance to create elements of your own ghost stories, including creating a premise, an opening, an ending, or a key scene with a view to developing a contemporary ghost story using local history as inspiration. 

16:30 - Workshop ends 

Following the workshop, you will be invited to submit your completed ghost story to Danny for his expert feedback.

Danny Rhodes

Danny  Rhodes’ debut novel, Asboville, was published in 2006 and was well-received by critics. It was selected as a Waterstones Booksellers Paperback of the Year and has been adapted for BBC Films by the dramatist, Nick Leather.

He continues to write short stories in a variety of genres. His work has appeared in Black Static, Cemetery Dance, Stephen Jones' Best New Horror and The Year's Best Dark Fantasy and Horror from Pyr Books. In 2021 his tale 'Toadstone' was shortlisted for the BBC National Short Story Award.

Danny  teaches Creative Writing at Canterbury Christ Church University and for the Open University.  

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