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 Horror/Scary: December 07, 2016 Issue [#7996] |
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  Horror/Scary This week: What's Up with the MC ? Edited by: Kate - Writing & Reading   More Newsletters By This Editor   1. About this Newsletter 2. A Word from our Sponsor 3. Letter from the Editor 4. Editor's Picks 5. A Word from Writing.Com 6. Ask & Answer 7. Removal instructions 
 
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Create strong characters, mortal, sentient, non-human, zombie, space traveler, go on, engage your own! Both the protagonist and antagonist will need have strong emotional issues that stand in the way of accomplishing their goals. The antagonist in a psychological story need not be a person; instead perhaps the inner demon or alterego of the protagonist fighting to keep him/her from success, and often survival. .
I would interview each main character as well as ancillary ones that appear to either thwart or help the 'good guys' and/or the 'bad guys'. Is there some emotional need or torment that keeps them form accomplishing the need; and why, what's the point of going on? You will not use (tell) up front everything you learn, but what you learn will guide your characters (and your pen) to show the why and how of their need along the journey to success or defeat. 
Plot your tale around the emotional aspect of the story. A psychological story is internal, which means a good deal of it revolves around the turmoil in your lead character's head; what horrifies him/her. The emphasis is on the struggle within the character's mind, more so than constant physical action. Remember, though, that it's brain to hand to cut the line and drop the hapless human into the piranha pool . Now, in the case of zombies, the brain may run not on cognitive functions but neuro-impulses for survival (consumption of energy/food). So the psychology of survival incites action and its respondent re-action. 
What does your character fear. Is it survival, loss of love, loss of 'humanity' or physical existence? Is it capture by aliens, or mutated mortals (zombies and their 'ilk'), or consumption by mutated or newly released super veggies or dragons or faeries. Show us this fear, set it up early in the story and your readers will wait for a payoff you deliver when your character oversomes (or succumbs to) that fear,
