As we approach Halloween, you may find yourself coming up with scary writing ideas and wondering how to implement them.
The first thing you want to do is get your idea down on paper so you don't forget it.
But what if you've never written for the horror genre before and you're looking for some advice? You turn to the experts.
There are three levels of horror: The Gross-Out, Horror, and Terror. Stephen King, the 'king' of horror, published an article describing these three levels in 2019. Also, the best way to learn is to read the works of the best horror writers such as Stephen King.
Of course, before King, there was filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock and writer Edgar Allan Poe, who are often studied in writing and film classes. No training would be complete without learning everything you can about these two classics, who paved the way for people like King.
As you're reading books from the horror genre, make note of what you like and don't like, and if you were writing that book or movie script, what you would keep the same and what you would do differently. And it's likely that your mind will be racing with ideas as you read so be sure to write them down.
I discovered I wanted to be a novelist when I started reading The Other Side of Midnight by Sidney Sheldon. By the time I got to the third chapter, I thought, "he writes just like I do." I started analyzing the book from a writer's point of view in addition to enjoying it as a reader. Still to this day, he is my favorite author because of the affinity I feel for him.
Happy writing!
My book isn't in the horror genre, but it has plenty of crime, deceit, backstabbing, and of course, success and love. Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon. It's available in print, on Kindle and on Audible.
