 Horror/Scary: July 24, 2019 Issue [#9666] |
This week: Writing against horror tropes Edited by: Arakun the twisted raccoon  
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Quote for the week: It is a mistake to fancy that horror is associated inextricably with darkness, silence, and solitude.
~H. P. Lovecraft
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A trope is any commonly used plot element, character type, or setting. Commonly used horror tropes include the dark and stormy night, the creepy little town, and the strange neighbor.
Horror tropes are useful because they are familiar to readers and help evoke a fear response. Some characters, settings, and events work well in horror stories because they are inherently frightening. However, some tropes have been overused to the point where they have become cliches.
Hundreds of horror tropes exist, so listing them all is beyond the scope of this newsletter. Many websites list and explain the most common ones. Some are more common in literature, some in TV and movies, and some in both.
While it is hard to write a story without using some tropes, try to use them in a unique way or turn them upside down if possible. For example, your characters might find something evil waiting for them in a beautiful, brightly lit house and find sanctuary in a creepy dark house.
Read through some of the lists of horror tropes and then try to see how many you can find in your favorite horror stories. Look for ways that your favorite authors have used common tropes in new ways. How many tropes can you find in your own stories? Are there any tropes you have used that you might change to make your story more original?
Tropes can sometimes help set up plot twists. If readers expect a certain character or setting to behave in a certain way based on past experience, it will surprise them if things are different.
Something to try: Write a horror story that uses the opposites of common tropes. |
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