No, I am not here to talk about the movie The Sixth Sense although it does have merit.

Most of us are born with the basic five senses: touch, smell, hearing, taste, vision. For those who are missing one or two senses, the other ones enhance. Some say that all of us are born with a sixth sense. Do you believe it to be true? I do. Except, sixth sense isn't just about seeing ghosts. It is so much more! It has to do with your intuition, your personal connection with your mind, body, and soul. It's connected to superstition, old wives tales, your beliefs. Entwined with your other five senses so completely that you don't even realize that you're using it.

Horror is many things and sixth sense plays a major part in it. What we see, what we don't see, what we believe in, and even the things we don't believe in can manifest themselves. At times your voice of reason will not let you believe in certain things because, well, they simply seem impossible or are so far fetched that even as you create something in your mind, you'll dismiss it as imagination. But is it?

From weird creatures to aliens and monsters, from ghosts to dragons, it is part of your imagination, but where does that come from? Where do these vivid images come from? Many think that sixth sense is weird and a connection to the world beyond, the world where ghosts dwell. There's so much more to that.

I am no expert on this matter by any means but I've learned to open my mind to all the senses by sitting quietly, closing my eyes and listening. I have done this many times simply to clear my head, to get rid of the constant noise. I believe that a writer is a good a subject as any to connect to that special sense. It mingles along with the others and when you're open to it, you'll sense it. It will manifest itself in different forms. It won't be a shocking revelation to you. You won't get excited about it. It's part of you.

A certain familiar smell will drift to you or you'll walk in a room, the same room you've walked through a million times, and you'll smell it, close your eyes, take it in, smile, and move on. You won't give it a second thought. You won't dissect it and inspect it at that moment. Only later will you remember it, take it and understand it for what it was, and move on.

The goosebumps you get at random without a particular reason. Where I'm from they'd say that someone just walked across your grave. A light, comforting touch that came out of nowhere from no one in particular because you're alone. Or while you're drifting off to sleep and you dismiss it as pure imagination. Hearing a voice and then thinking you've imagined it. Seeing something familiar or even unfamiliar that is gone with the blink of an eye. Déjà vu. This is all part of it.

Have you ever been told that you have a wild and crazy imagination? Is it just imagination? Where does it come from? On what basis do these ideas present themselves, fill your mind? I cannot tell you where you soul goes once you die but I do know that the body stays. Have we seen more before this lifetime? Will we see more?

One thing is for sure, writing is creating a story for the reader to be immersed in it, to escape their reality and dive into the one you create. In horror, words create emotions to play a trick on the reader. if you engage sixth sense, that what seems to be beyond us, will trigger emotions quicker, better. The one thing you want to do is to keep them reading even as fear tickles the nape of their neck. Use your extra sense to give them the same.

'til next time, my scary friends!
~ Gaby

Comments to my previous "Horror/Scary Newsletter (May 31, 2023)" :

W.P. Gerace wrote:

Greetings Ms. Gaby,
I do hope you are doing well today. As always you write such an awesome newsletter. I truly agree with putting the work in and feel since coming back to Writing.com this time around I have been more active with posting stories and all and it is helping me I feel. I also absolutely love Stephen King I have been reading him since I was like 12 and have watched all his movies. I remember reading Salem's Lot then watching the movie as a kid man that movie still freaks me out till this day. LOL. But honestly Stephen King gave me my inspiration to get into writing. I even read his book on Writing that he wrote a few years back which is also a good read. Thanks again for always providing inspirational, terrific, newsletters you rock. I am still rusty with my writing judging on some reviews I have recently received sad to say but I am trying to get better. Thanks again. Have a wonderful day. :) :)
Yours Truly,
Bill G.


Thank you, Mr. Bill! You're not alone when it comes to rusty writing. We might be on the same boat but we'll reach our destination eventually. Life is nothing if not a learning curve.

I've read a decent about of King's books, but definitely not all of them, and of course, those I've read I also saw the movies but prefer the books. Not to mention, his book On Writing. It has some great points, is also helpful - at least it helped me - but it made me realize that we need to stop writing to please the crowds. Sometimes reviews clash with that opinion but I'll keep chugging along. I hope you do, too!