 Horror/Scary: November 26, 2014 Issue [#6676] |
  Horror/Scary
This week: Write Horror Like The Best Edited by: W.D.Wilcox  
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Write Horror Like The Best
In one of my favorite Stephen King interviews, he talks at length about the vital importance of a good opening line.
“There are all sorts of theories,” he says, “it’s a tricky thing, but there’s one thing I'm sure about. An opening line should invite the reader to begin the story. It should say: Listen. Come in here. You want to know about this. But remember, you can’t forget that the opening line is important to the writer, too. To the person who’s actually boots-on-the-ground. Because it’s not just the reader’s way in, it’s the writer’s way in also, and you’ve got to find a doorway that fits us both."
Excellent advice. As you orient your reader, so you orient yourself, pointing your work in the direction it needs to go. Now King admits that he doesn’t think much about the opening line as he writes, in a first draft, at least. That perfectly crafted and inviting opening sentence is something that emerges in revision, which can be where the bulk of a writer’s work happens.
Revision in the second draft, one of them, anyway, may necessitate some big changes. And yet, it is an essential process, and one that hardly ever fails. Below, I bring you King’s top ten rules from On Writing. About half of these relate directly to revision. The other half cover the intangibles—attitude, discipline, work habits. A number of these suggestions reliably pop up in every writer’s guide. But quite a few of them were born of Stephen King’s many decades of trial and error and—writes the Barnes & Noble book blog—“over 350 million copies” sold, “like them or loathe them.”
1. First, write for yourself, and then worry about the audience. When you write a story, you’re telling yourself the story. When you rewrite, your main job is taking out all the things that are NOT the story.
2. Don’t use passive voice. Timid writers like passive verbs for the same reason that timid lovers like passive partners. The passive voice is safe.
3. Avoid adverbs. The adverb is not your friend.
4. Avoid adverbs, especially after “he said” and “she said.”
5. But don’t obsess over perfect grammar. The object of fiction isn’t grammatical correctness, but to make the reader welcome and then tell a story.
6. The magic is in you. I’m convinced that fear is at the root of most bad writing.
7. Read, read, read. If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write.
8. Don’t worry about making other people happy. If you intend to write as truthfully as you can, your days as a member of polite society are numbered, anyway.
9. Turn off the TV. TV—while working out or anywhere else—really is about the last thing an aspiring writer needs.
10. You have three months. The first draft of a book—even a long one—should take no more than three months, the length of a season.
I think we need to talk about fear.
H.P.Lovecraft believed 'fear' was the essential element to any good horror story, but he also thought that atmosphere should be stronger than the actual action within the tale. If you read his works, you'll see how he incorporates his weird descriptions and odd territories to allow the 'fear of the unknown' to become plausible and believable.
Speaking of fear, let's discuss it a little further. Thirteen sounds like a good number of things that could scare you, don't you think?
 The look on the face of your doctor who is about to tell you the results of your test.
 The confirmed reality that your spouse is having an affair.
 The call in the middle of the night from the police regarding a car accident involving your son or daughter.
 The realization the person peeking through your windows is someone you know, or worse, someone you don't.
 The feeling in your gut when you awake and realize your newborn hasn't stirred all night.
Dark places!
The low growl your dog makes when you are in the house alone.
The need to keep both feet covered while you sleep.
Heights!
Ground zero...
Taking a test.
A police car in your rear view mirror.
Spiders!
Real life horror. Yet something is missing from each of those scenarios. You won't find a vampire or a vengeful mummy in real life. Hideous beings from another world aren't hiding under your bed. Six-foot slugs aren't eating your loved ones right out of their final resting places. Look as far as the eye can see, you still won't find flesh-eating zombies coming toward you.
When writing horror stories, make them plausible. Make your readers believe in your tale with vivid scenarios, strong characters, realistic dialogue, and terror so real they won't question it. They know the story is fiction, but they'll accept that it could happen. That's what storytelling is all about. Make them beg for more.
We've discussed common fears that haunt us in the world today. If you want to write horror, think about the things that really scare you. Think about all the stuff that makes your mouth go dry and your insides shake uncontrollably. Go deep inside, so deep it scares you. Go to that place you refuse to bring to light because it makes you ill to think about such things. When you get there, grab onto those unspeakable fears and talk about them. Those are the stories horror writers need to tell.
Why? Horror is changing because horror readers are changing. They've grown weary of reading the same stuff with different names and different towns. They want to be scared to the point of no return. The only sure way to do that is to show them their real fears.
If you want to show the reader what scares him, then show him what scares you. Go deep and face your fear. If you're like me, it's an ugly face.
Until next time,
billwilcox
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DEAD LETTERS
Andy~hating university
 Comment:
Loved the newsletter, and thank you for including this newbie's Hallowe'en flash piece.
- You are so welcome!
LJPC - the tortoise 
 Comment:
Bill - Yes, the times are changing and probably not for the better. But there's no reason not to have fun while waiting for the world-killing asteroid or the zombie apocalypse. Have a great Halloween! 
~ Laura
- Love ya, Laura
Quick-Quill 
 Comment:
I love this. In movies the good guy has a gun or something to fight back with. Grisham's, 'Grey Mountain' is full of politics. Writing is putting your fear into a real situation. Zombies are crazy and you can have them do anything. Watch the new Geico commercial about the kids making poor choices in scary movies. Every time I see it I'm reminded on the perfect way. To write scary stories. Make poor choices.
- A poor choice is actually being IN a horror story.
writetight
 Comment:
Thanks for plugging my "The Last Halloween" in your Horror Newsletter, Bill.
- YOU THE MAN!
BIG BAD WOLF is Howling 
 Comment:
Life is full of craziness.
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