Writing Workshop

Body horror is at its most unsettling when the transformation feels real. Whether it's subtle or grotesque, the fear comes from watching something familiar become disturbingly wrong.

This challenge is all about exploring that loss of control.

Now it's your turn! ✍️

Write a 300–500 word horror scene in which a character begins to notice their body changing.

The transformation could be physical, psychological, or something impossible to explain.

Perhaps they're growing something they shouldn't...

This week, we’re peeling back the skin of horror itself with:

Writing Body Horror & Physicality: Exploring the Grotesque and the Uncanny

From Kafka’s alienating transformations to Cronenberg’s dripping decay, body horror pulls at our deepest fears of mutation, invasion, and losing control over the one thing we thought was ours—our bodies. Inside, you’ll find:

• Key themes of transformation, autonomy, and invasion

• Techniques to disturb without relying on cheap gore

• Writing exercises to craft the grotesque