tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681132888977525688.post1899439874319185438..comments2024-03-25T05:17:05.202-05:00Comments on Writing In The Crosshairs: SO YOU WANT TO WRITE A HORROR NOVELRoland D. Yeomanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00338410857990551352noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681132888977525688.post-51298368955442834932015-09-18T11:19:27.436-05:002015-09-18T11:19:27.436-05:00All genres to me require good writing skills. Else...All genres to me require good writing skills. Else why bother, right?<br /><br />Horror is like erotica, huh? Well, you have to be master of the tease that is for certain. The best danger is the one hardly glimpsed but ever present despite that.<br /><br />I have always tried to make my setting an actual character from 1895 Egypt to the barren desolate Badlands to the French Quarter. Setting makes your tale come alive, right?<br /><br />In my research for this post, I came across the need for sex in horror tales, but since a great many of my visitors are ladies, I decided to forgo that option! :-)Roland D. Yeomanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00338410857990551352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681132888977525688.post-4285170200052960722015-09-18T11:14:32.954-05:002015-09-18T11:14:32.954-05:00The last Stephen King I read was DUMA KEY. I enjoy...The last Stephen King I read was DUMA KEY. I enjoyed it so much that I got the audio book of it. Thanks for visiting and staying to talk awhile.Roland D. Yeomanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00338410857990551352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681132888977525688.post-88080644394174659122015-09-18T10:53:31.352-05:002015-09-18T10:53:31.352-05:00Great points! You gotta have suspense in horror. S...Great points! You gotta have suspense in horror. Suspense makes the horror! I don't actually read Stephen King but I can appreciate his wisdom. And yes, for horror there is no such thing as a happy ending.Chrys Feyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11955009490266358041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681132888977525688.post-54162646323890131582015-09-18T08:04:38.158-05:002015-09-18T08:04:38.158-05:00Ah, my favorite and chosen genre! I love horror/su...Ah, my favorite and chosen genre! I love horror/suspense.<br /><br />One element I've become dissatisfied with over the years is the seeming agreement between authors and publishers that horror writing does not require great writing skills. Horror is a bit like erotica, in that the reader must be completely, totally, absolutely immersed in the story. You have to attack from below and drag them into your darkest depths.<br /><br />They cannot expect it. They did not see it coming. They forgot they were reading.<br /><br />So you need characters you care about, as stated. In erotica, you cannot be attracted to dislikable characters, nor can you care if they die in horror.<br /><br />But on top of all that, you need some very powerful writing. I read a post just now on WoW (Women on Writing) that suggested you add Body Parts. I think most of us do this, but it immerses the reader. Instead of saying, She grabbed her gun, say, She awakens one morning with it in her hand, wondering what this piece of metal is for.<br /><br />Wait. You just said that.<br /><br />See? It immerses the reader, but I like that formalization of the idea -- add body parts. She saw becomes Her eyes. He felt becomes His hands. Etc.<br /><br />Same idea as erotica. Immersion immersion immersion.<br /><br />One other thing about horror is that the SETTING becomes a very important character. You understand this already, but it is important never to forget that setting is alive, active, and may even arc as your characters arc. Treat it as a character, let it live and breathe. Again, as with erotica, setting and mood are very important in horror.<br /><br />Man. I've never made that connection before -- horror & erotica are pretty similar. We may have stumbled on a new topic for Roland to tackle up, if I don't take it first!<br /><br /><br /> - EricEric W. Tranthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13842968931062056407noreply@blogger.com