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Horror/Scary: January 05, 2022 Issue [#11156]




 This week: Denizens of horror
  Edited by: Arakun the twisted raccoon Author IconMail Icon
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Table of Contents

1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions

About This Newsletter

Quote for the week: "Horror is like a serpent; always shedding its skin, always changing."
~Dario Argento


Word from our sponsor

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Letter from the editor

What makes a character scary? There could be many different answers, depending on the type of story and the reader.

Some characters are frightening just because they are mysterious. Just like people we meet in real life, those we don't know are always a little more frightening than people we are familiar with. Even if someone you are acquainted with is a scary person, at least you probably have some idea what to expect from them. If you want a character in your story to be frightening, keep them a little mysterious, at least until the climax of the story. Occasionally, a character who seemed frightening at the beginning turns out not to be scary at all, but that is part of the fun.

Some people are scary because they are a little too good to be true. Examples include the "perfect" housewives in "The Stepford Wives." On the surface, these characters seem innocent and harmless, but there is also a vague sense that something isn't right.

In some stories, the scariest characters are relatively minor. Examples include the dementors in the Harry Potter series and the ringwraiths in Lord of the Rings. These characters rarely, if ever, speak, but they strike fear into the hearts of other characters and the readers just by their appearance and the legends surrounding them.

The scariest character I can remember is the chauffeur in the movie "Burnt Offerings" based on the book by the same name by Robert Marasco. This character had no lines and only got a total of about five minutes of screen time, but he was by far the most frightening thing about the movie. The chauffeur only appeared in the main character's dreams and flashbacks of his mother's funeral and served as a portent of death and destruction. His skeletal appearance and creepy leer gave me nightmares for months. Over the top scary characters like this one might lose their effect if they were present too often, but their fleeting appearances add to the spooky atmosphere that is an important part of many horror stories.

Some of the most frightening characters keep their faces hidden behind masks. Examples include Darth Vader, Ghostface from Scream, and the Phantom of the Opera. Masked characters are more frightening because their appearance is left to the reader's imagination. Masked characters usually aren't as scary once the mask is removed.

Something to try: Write a horror story based on one frightening character.



Editor's Picks

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The Singer Open in new Window. (13+)
A sniper team is sent to kill a singer whose song soothes those infected with the Bug.
#1959819 by Kotaro Author IconMail Icon


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Mercy Open in new Window. (18+)
The sky is on fire again.
#2233422 by Roseille ♥ Author IconMail Icon


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The End of the Game Open in new Window. (18+)
Catching the beast is easy. But then? Winner of Weekly SCREAMS!!! 11.19.21.
#2262191 by Beholden Author IconMail Icon


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Stone and Mortar Open in new Window. (13+)
Old passages are tempting to explore, aren't they?
#2225478 by Rustika - M.I.A. Author IconMail Icon

 
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Ask & Answer

Question for next time: What subjects would you like to see in future horror newsletters?

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