  Horror/Scary
This week: It's all in your head Edited by: Arakun the twisted raccoon  
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Quote for the week: “Believe only half of what you see and nothing that you hear.”
― Edgar Allan Poe |
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You've probably heard that true horror is in the mind, but what does that mean?
Horror does not begin on the first page of your book, or the first page of any horror story, no matter how good it is. Horror begins in the mind of the reader, before he or she ever picks up the book.
Horror is in the reader's mind, because readers, like writers, are blessed with imagination. Imagination can transform a branch scratching at the window into the claws of a demon, or a nice quiet neighbor into a monster. Horror fans pick up a novel or short story hoping to be scared out of their wits. The writer's job is to make sure they are not disappointed. Here are some ways to take advantage of your readers' imaginations in order to give them the scare they want.
Give them a taste of fear near the beginning. Even if the main characters are not going to meet the villain or object of terror for a few chapters, you might want to give the reader a small hint of what is to come. You could show somebody or something is watching the main character, without giving away who or what it is. Maybe just show a small thing out of place, such as a window or door that should not be open.
Don't try to explain every detail. You need to explain enough to show the reader what is happening, but resist the urge to spell everything out for them. Consider the following scenario:
Mary lies in bed at 1:00 AM, worrying because her husband, Tom, a police officer, is an hour late coming home from the evening shift. Just as she is ready to pick up her phone and call him, she hears footsteps on the front porch and the sound of a key in the lock. Sighing with relief, she decides not to let him know she is awake. She knows he loves his job and doesn't want to burden him with her worries. From the kitchen, she hears the refrigerator door open and the sound of the cap being removed from a beer bottle. Just as she drifts off to sleep, her phone rings.
"Hello," she mumbles.
"Honey, I'm sorry to wake you up, but I'm still at the station. I lost my car keys somewhere. Could you please come and pick me up? Sorry for being such an idiot. All my keys were on that ring. Mary...are you still there?"
There are several ways to write this story, but resist the temptation to overexplain the events or tell the reader every thought that runs through Mary's mind during this exchange. Let her actions and words show how she feels, and the reader's imagination will do the rest.
Shadows are your friends. Why do so many horror stories happen at night or in the dark? Our primitive ancestors survived because they were wary of what might be lurking in the dark. That instinct is still with us. Shadows distort reality and also give the bad guys a place to hide. Any monster or villain is creepier in the shadows. Shadows allow you to show just brief glimpses of a face, a hand, or a tentacle, and the reader's imagination can do the rest..
Misdirection I used to work in a community haunted house every Halloween. I am too short to be a monster standing up, so I was inside the coffin in Dracula's room. When patrons came in to the room, I leaped out of the coffin. When they were distracted (and probably laughing at the tiny ghoul who seemed to be the only monster in the room), Dracula and his wife came up from behind and scared the daylights out of them!
Experienced horror readers may think they know what is coming as your characters get into tense situations. Turn the tables on their imaginations by getting them to focus away from the true horror, and then when they least expect it....GRRRRAAAHH!
Don't gross them out. Nothing ruins a good story like overdoing the blood and guts. When it comes to grossness, less is more. If gore is needed, just give the readers a hint, and their imagination will do the rest. In the hands of a talented writer, a single drop of blood can be far more frightening than a whole room full of gore.
Something to try: Write a horror story that leaves the ending to your reader's imagination.
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Horror/Scary: November 12, 2014 Issue [#6654]
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