A satirical guide to writing sensationalist horror, the story follows Signora Psyche Zenobia, who seeks literary fame by learning how to craft a perfect "Blackwood article"—a dramatic, overwrought tale filled with existential musings and imminent death. Under the eccentric guidance of Mr. Blackwood, she attempts to simulate her own death to capture the ideal emotional intensity, leading to absurd and comically macabre results. Poe mocks the clichés and pretentious style of popular gothic publications of his time.