Author: KC Grifant


  • Catnip For Editors: Subverting Tropes In Your Short Story

    “Subverting tropes—if done well—is one of the best ways to make your story fresh, and it’s kind of like catnip to editors.” Award-winning author and anthology editor, KC Grifant, shares why and how to subvert tropes in your short story to make it irresistible to editors.


  • Why Write A Short Story? KC Grifant Answers The Question.

    Watch this excerpt from one of award-winning author KC Grifant’s workshops for Reach Your Apex, “Creating Horror Short Stories That Sizzle And Sell.” KC answers the question, “Why write a short story?” And, bonus, she shares the reasons NOT to write a short story.


  • Write Weird West Fiction By Reexamining Old West Mythos – KC Grifant

    Watch this excerpt from one of award-winning author KC Grifant’s workshops for Reach Your Apex, “Creating Weird West Short Stories That Sizzle And Sell.” KC talks about how Weird West fiction is an opportunity to reexamine the myths we’ve been told about the Old West. She also provides guidelines for assessing if your story is…


  • Crafting A Chilling Hook For Your Horror Short Story – KC Grifant

    Watch this excerpt from one of award-winning author KC Grifant’s workshops for Reach Your Apex, “Creating Horror Short Stories That Sizzle And Sell.” KC talks about why the hook deserves your deepest attention, what makes a good hook, and how to craft one.d


  • The Power of Fear: How Short Horror Stories Can Jumpstart Your Writing

    Black and white photo from the 1930's featuring a smiling young lady having tea with a skeleton.

    Think horror stories are just campy gore-fests? Think again: short horror fiction can be an incredibly effective way to enhance your writing and share meaningful messages in a powerful package. Writers often sideline short stories in favor of novels, but short stories offer many benefits. They can help writers bolster creativity, hone razor-sharp crafting skills,…


NEWEST Workshops

Writers Webinar: Worldbuilding From The Inside Out - Weave Rich Unique Environments And Societies Into Your Stories. April 18, 2026 - Saturday. 3pm ET | 2pm CT | 1pm MT | 12pm PT | 19:00 UTC 
$49 Live / $39 VOD.
reachyourapex.com/wbio
Writers Webinar: Ready. Set. Go! How To Write Perfect Openings. May 23, 2026 - Saturday. 1pm ET | 12pm CT | 11am MT | 10am PT | 17:00 UTC. $49 Live / $39 VOD. 

reachyourapex.com/RSG

CARE TO DRABBLE WITH US?
Sign up to join our weekly drabble. Each week, receive a new theme. Submit your drabble, and we’ll share it on ReachYourApex.com and our social media. It’s a great way to keep writing even if you have precious little time. And it’s fun!






Care to drabble with us?

W E E K L Y
D R A B B L E

JOIN OUR WEEKLY DRABBLE. EACH WEEK, GET A THEME BY EMAIL. SUBMIT YOUR DRABBLE. REAP GLORY.


We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

For Writers
Essays On Craft