 Horror/Scary: September 30, 2020 Issue [#10385] |
This week: Let's Start At The Beginning Edited by: W.D.Wilcox  
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Begin at the beginning, go on till you come to the end: then stop.
-Lewis Carrol, Alice in Wonderland
“But I don’t want to go among mad people," Alice remarked.
"Oh, you can’t help that," said the Cat: "we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad."
"How do you know I’m mad?" asked Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn’t have come here.”
― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland |
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Start At The Beginning
How do I write horror?
Like everything else, you just start. Perhaps one of the more challenging elements of the horror story is the beginning of the story, or the opening lines. You can start your own horror story by first creating a story idea and crafting a strong beginning. You should then revise your beginning pages so they fit with the rest of the story and are as engaging as possible.
Describe something that scares or revolts you. Think about your greatest fear or fears. This could be the fear of losing a loved one, a fear of heights, a fear of clowns, or even a fear of water. You can then tap into this fear and explore it as an idea for your story.
Turn an ordinary situation into something horrifying. You can also take a normal, common situation like going for a stroll in the park, preparing a meal, or visiting a friend and add a terrifying element to the situation. Use your imagination to add a horrifying spin to a normal, everyday activity or scene.
Create an informative, engaging first line. The first line of your story should raise questions in the reader’s mind but also ground the reader in the story. A good opening line will tell the reader what the story is about, have a distinct voice or point of view, and a hint of characterization.
Start in scene. Try to start your story in scene, where your character or characters are moving, interacting, or doing something. Starting in a scene with action will engage your reader right away and hook them in so they are encouraged to keep reading. It will also help to ground the reader in the story and help them to feel carried along by the story.
Introduce terrifying or unsettling details right away. You are writing a horror story after all, so do not be afraid to introduce terrifying or unsettling details within the first paragraph of the story. By the end of the first paragraph, your reader should know the setting and the conflict. Your reader should also have a good sense of terror or fear by the end of the first page of the story, as you want to evoke strong emotions from your reader.
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