Home › Writing › - Resources
Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
Welcome to Writers Talkback. If you are a new user, your account will have to be approved manually to prevent spam. Please bear with us in the meantime
How to Write Horror article
A couple of months ago I was approached by Annie Evett, Managing Editor at the excellent online writers' resource 'Write Anything' to write an article on how to write horror. My initial reaction was How? I just do it!
But when I sat and properly contemplated the question I realised that actually, there are of course skills involved in presenting a story that thrills and disturbs in equal measure. But it's a case of balance between method and flow, and ultimately the final edit.
As Write Anything's audience is already made up of aspiring or established writers I decided to present the article as generic advise for writers of all ages and levels of experience who are considering trying their hand at the horror genre.
I peppered it with my own methodology but as someone who dislikes rules would hope readers might consider my advice, but write as themselves - with their own voice.
If you would like to read How to Write Horror by Lily Childs I would welcome your comments. Thank you.
http://writeanything.wordpress.com/2011/03/26/how-to-write-horror
But when I sat and properly contemplated the question I realised that actually, there are of course skills involved in presenting a story that thrills and disturbs in equal measure. But it's a case of balance between method and flow, and ultimately the final edit.
As Write Anything's audience is already made up of aspiring or established writers I decided to present the article as generic advise for writers of all ages and levels of experience who are considering trying their hand at the horror genre.
I peppered it with my own methodology but as someone who dislikes rules would hope readers might consider my advice, but write as themselves - with their own voice.
If you would like to read How to Write Horror by Lily Childs I would welcome your comments. Thank you.
http://writeanything.wordpress.com/2011/03/26/how-to-write-horror
Comments
I realy enjoyed reading that. horror not my scene but some of the things you said make even me want to have a go. Well done on an excellent article
But Lily, your informative and straightforward article has just made me decide I want to have a go now.
Thanks.
I used to have my office down in the cellar with no natural light and I tell you there have been times that I have run up the stairs after a writing session and not wanted to go back down!
Neph - that's a horror story waiting to happen!
I know. There was once I had moved some shelves down there that had been outside for a while and just to hide all the meters and things I hung up some white voile curtains, put these shelves in front of them and put all my stuff on, you know the skulls and candles and stuff. Well one evening I turned around to find the white voile was a heaving black mass of baby spiders, I'm not a big fan of spiders!!
Thank you for spreading your awesomeness in the form of teaching :D
doesn't bear thinking how Lily would deal with us if we were naughty pupils
Depends on what mood youre in whether or not it bears thinking about!
edit forgot link: http://hiveword.com/wkb/search
There's quite a lot I've discovered about Horror from you lot on TB and the TKnC site! I've read quite a lot of work in the horror genre since I was introduced to it by you, Lee and The Colonel and I can tell you it's never going to be my scene! But it's all writing - for good or ill - and I'm interested in that side if nothing else.
The one thing that strikes me so often is the explicit, graphic OVER-writing that gets done. Is this a horror must-have, is that what it's really all about? For me, the subtle understatement that worms its way into my brain and lies there dormant ... until two in the morning when I wake remembering and turn on the light ... that's horror. And that's why I don't like it! The graphic stuff I can deal with and dismiss as just 'shock' written but the mind-games are the memorable ones.
I'm off to have a read now!
Lily you should be doing workshops on this subject. Well done. More!
I'll be watching.
And waiting ...