 Horror/Scary: September 28, 2005 Issue [#630] |
  Horror/Scary
This week: Edited by: schipperke
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It's all in your MIND
This week's Horror/Scary newsletter is brought to you by the quirky mind of schipperke |
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Last month, one of the horror/scary newsletter readers, E. Ericson   , asked if writing psychological thrillers was more difficult. I decided to dedicate this issue of the horror/scary newsletter to the subject of psychological horror stories.
All horror is in our minds. Think about it. What makes you scared has to be coming from your brain processing information about a situation or a person that isn’t quite right. Psychological horror stories take your frightened thoughts and twists them into a tale.
Most psychological horror stories star a character who’s thoughts may be a smidgen off. Picture Pat Bateman, a twenty-something broker living the high life on Wall Street in the 1980's of the graphic novel, American Psycho by Brett Ellis. (Spoiler alert) The entire horrific novel takes place in Bateman’s mind as he worries about what kind of business card to buy, while he is chopping up a nubile co-worker into bits. What I loved about the book was trying to figure out which parts of the story were taking place in real life, and which parts were the morbid thoughts of Bateman. (plus I loved all the detail about life in the 1980's, the clothes, the restaurants, the greed)
Another story similar to Ellis’s is Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk. Shockingly gruesome, Haunted tells the twisted tale of a group of writers on a retreat to try to create a real life horror story. Using their minds, the group manages to accomplish just that, birthing a true life monster, created from their thoughts.
The master of psychological terror has to be Poe. My favorite is The Tell Tale Heart. The story is basically the thoughts of a tortured mind and an obsession with a dead neighbor. I highly recommend you grab a compilation of Poe short stories and enjoy them with the lights on.
Another group of classic psychological horror tales are those penned by Thomas Harris. He wrote the Hannibal Lecter trilogy, including Red Dragon, Silence of the Lambs, and Hannibal. When I read these books I wondered, what kind of mind could think like the diabolical Dr. Lecter? Obviously, Mr. Harris could!
After you read some Poe, and maybe some of Ellis’ work, try your hand at writing a psychological scary story yourself. Will it be harder to write than the usual horror yarn? The answer is no, not if you can delve into your darker thoughts and put yourself in the mind frame of a psychopath. Can you do that?
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Enjoy these picks. They are the cream of the crop.
 |  | Monster (18+)
If you call someone a name often enough they may soon believe it
#259585 by Andrea |
| | Fear (13+)
A Poe style poem. (Edited!) The first poem I ever wrote.
#145254 by Wenston |
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This item number is not valid.
#607041 by Not Available. |
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This item number is not valid.
#999301 by Not Available. |
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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
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My last newsletter was about horror short stories. Some of you had some thoughts about them.
Katie Red
Great news letter!! You should write more often!!^.^
Thank you very much. I have the pleasure of writing this newsletter once a month, and the mystery newsletter also.
Christine L.
Great newsletter! I very much enjoyed your story picks, and have added some new authors to my favorites list! Thanks for the stories and the inspiration!
Peace,Christine
I love finding new authors.
krewsk8er
Edgar Allan Poe is my absolute favorite writer. I love his style, and all of his work.I have searched and collected books published in the 1960s of collected tales. I have a similar style in my stories. Thank you for the great newsletter could use the definitions
You are welcome. I have a collection of his works also.
E. Ericson
Having just seen the movie "Red Eye" I was wondering about what you think about psychological thrillers. Are they harder to write, is it harder to make them scary?
Good question. Thank you for giving me the idea for this newsletter.
billwilcox
Schip!
Loved this newsletter. Short horror is my favorite thing to write. The key for me is to quickly develope a character that the reader will care about. Then spring your tale of horror. Poe and Lovecraft have always been two of my favs.
W.D.
Lovecraft is strange but interesting to read. Thanks for your feedback!
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