Tag: how to write horror

FEAR: Why Humans Crave Stories That Disturb Them

Fear is, in all likelihood, the single most complex human emotion. Our fears can keep us up at night, but they can also be the only thing that keeps us alive. They can save us, strangle us, liberate us or even destroy us. Like fire, fear can be mesmerizing and for sound reasons. We understand …

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How to Unlock Raw Power & Write Stories Readers Love

Monday we brushed the surface of speculative fiction and why it can be such a powerful and world-changing genre when executed well. In my opinion (based on years of experience with new manuscripts) this genre shares a lot of the same pitfalls as literary/character-driven novels. If we aren’t careful, world-building—while vital—can take over and obscure …

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How Horror Fiction Can Make Us Better Writers

Since we are coming up on Halloween, I’d like to take a moment to talk about my favorite genre—horror. I can’t get enough of it. It is a genre that fascinates me simply because I believe it is the most difficult genre to write. Sure it was probably easier back in the days that movie …

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Asking "What If?" & Exploring the Unknown–A Final Word on Writing Horror

Fear is the most important tool in any writer’s toolbox. Fear is the beating heart of conflict, no matter the genre. Fear of death. Fear of losing love, not finding love, not recognizing love. Fear of change. Fear of remaining the same. In Cormac McCarthy’s Pulitzer Prize-Winning Novella “The Road”, the story was less about a fear of death and more about the fear of survival at the expense of one’s humanity. In “The Joy Luck Club”, Amy Tan explores the fear of continuing generational curses.