This week: What Makes A Good Horror Story Edited by: W.D.Wilcox  
More Newsletters By This Editor 
 
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
So where do the ideas—the salable ideas—come from? They come from my nightmares. Not the night-time variety, as a rule, but the ones that hide just beyond the doorway that separates the conscious from the unconscious.
—Stephen King, The Horror Writer Market and the Ten Bears
When I write, I try to think back to what I was afraid of or what was scary to me and try to put those feelings into books.
—R.L. Stine
I busied myself to think of a story, — a story to rival those which had excited us to this task. One which would speak to the mysterious fears of our nature, and awaken thrilling horror—one to make the reader dread to look round, to curdle the blood, and quicken the beatings of the heart. If I did not accomplish these things, my ghost story would be unworthy of its name.
― Mary Shelley, Introduction to the 1831 edition of Frankenstein
|
| ASIN: B083RZ37SZ |
|
Amazon's Price: Price N/A
Not currently available. |
|
What Makes A Good Horror Story
Strong atmosphere and tone – The setting, choice of words, and imagery establish a tense, creepy, and unsettling mood right from the start.
Suspense and tension – Keeping the audience guessing about what might happen next. Using mystery and thrill to build suspense.
Vulnerable characters – Having empathetic characters that the audience can relate to and worry about when danger approaches.
Creative monsters/villains – Original and frightening antagonists that pose a credible threat without seeming silly or contrived.
Blurring reality – Obscuring the line between the real and unreal to make the audience question what is actually happening.
Slow reveal – Withholding just enough information to tease the audience and make them keep reading to get answers.
Disturbing imagery – Visual descriptions intended to shock, repulse, and frighten, like gruesome death scenes.
Themes of dread – Touching on universal human fears and phobias – darkness, pain, disease, isolation, madness, death, etc.
Shocking twists – Surprising revelations that turn the story in an unexpected direction.
|
Good Horror
| | Behind The Door (13+)
He was on the other side of the door, while the evil laughter echoed throughout the house.
#1171611 by 👼intuey  |
|
Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form
Don't forget to support our sponsor!
| ASIN: B004PICKDS |
Product Type: Toys & Games
|
Amazon's Price: Price N/A
|
|
DEAD LETTERS
Prezzo 
Nice newsletter.
Beacon's Anchor 
Well, you do have a point, I have looked at your newsletter since 2017 and I've enjoyed it. I would want to learn how to write a newsletter one day and send it out to the newsfeed. I do like Horror/Thriller stories but it depends on the book or movie. I hope you keep going with your newsletter and keep writing. Thanks, Beacon.
Beholden 
What is it that makes readers of a newsletter respond? Ask a question. Writers are wiseacres and all too ready to offer their opinion on anything. Use that.
s 
Dead bodies are an interesting subject. As a predominantly horror writer, I use the dead all the time. But I have changed how I use dead people...
Because I found the freshly dead body of a relative and then spent 6 hours with it in the Australian sun on a farm.
Watching the body go through the first start of metamorphosis is enough to make you step back and take a look at what you're writing about.
I still use them, of course... but I am more wary now.
QUESTION FOR NEXT TIME:
Were you scared during Covid lockdowns?
|
| ASIN: B01DSJSURY |
Product Type: Kindle Store
|
Amazon's Price: $ 5.99
|
|
To stop receiving this newsletter, click here for your newsletter subscription list. Simply uncheck the box next to any newsletter(s) you wish to cancel and then click to "Submit Changes". You can edit your subscriptions at any time.
|
Horror/Scary: July 03, 2024 Issue [#12622]
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
