Genre Writing
Southern Gothic
Southern Gothic blends atmosphere, moral complexity, and regional identity. This certificate program explores setting as character, generational conflict, decay, tradition, and psychological tension rooted in place.
Courses
Beyond Sweet Tea: Writing the South Without Stereotypes
Alana White, Debra H. Goldstein, Jeffrey Philips, Lynn Chandler Willis, Rebecca Butler, and Valona Jones take on Southern clichés head-on. They discuss when familiar tropes add texture and authenticity to a story, when they become stereotypes, and how writers can portray the South with nuance, respect, and originality.
Dark Roots: How the South and Appalachia Shaped American Gothic
Michael Amos Cody traces the journey of Gothic fiction from its European origins to its distinctly American evolution. He explores how Southern and Appalachian landscapes, histories, and cultural tensions reshaped the genre into something darker, more intimate, and deeply rooted in place.
Murder With a Southern Voice
Cathy Pickens, Donna Andrews, Jaden (Beth) Terrell, Kathryn Wall, and Tina Whittle explore what gives Southern mysteries their unmistakable flavor. From voice and humor to rhythm and setting, they discuss how Southern culture and sense of place bring warmth, wit, and depth to crime fiction.
The Many Souths: Expanding the Stories We Tell About the Region
Debra H. Goldstein, John Carenen, Linda Lovely, Lynn Chandler Willis, and Robert Mangeot challenge narrow ideas about Southern fiction. They explore the wide range of voices, cultures, and experiences shaping modern Southern stories, revealing a region far more complex than tradition often suggests.