Do you enjoy the depth of women’s fiction yet don’t shy away from a bit of grit? Prefer your crime novels with a helping of flawed characters and fractured relationships? Domestic Noir, Suburban thrillers, chick lit with grit – whatever label you want to place on it, the subgenre has come of age since Gone Girl exploded onto the market a decade ago, and represents far more than sinister stories about men behaving badly. If you’re a fan of Sally Hepworth or Liane Moriarty, some of you may be reading the subgenre without realising it.

This workshop will demystify Domestic Noir, discuss how it differs to crime or women’s fiction in tone, structure and theme and explore tips and tricks for how you too, can set your conflicts in the breeding ground where the greatest struggles unravel – suburbia. 

You will leave this workshop with a better understanding of how to blend the best of crime – mystery, suspense and intrigue, with the richly detailed focus on relationships women’s fiction is known for, to craft an amazing story. Or perhaps, you may prefer to learn more about how to enrich your chosen genre by adding a sprinkle of suspense, or darkness.

Topics explored include unreliable narrators, multiple points of view, when and how to use humour in suspense and twisting time to your plot’s advantage in this interactive, casual but craft-heavy workshop.

Discounted Early bird price: $35 (to May 14)

Non-discounted price: $40 (from May 15)