creative writing horror unit

Thrills! Chills! Using Scary Stories to Motivate Students to Read

• Resources & Preparation
• Instructional Plan
• Related Resources

This lesson taps into students' desire to read scary stories and, at the same time, helps them explore story structure and develop critical thinking skills. Students examine story elements (e.g., character, setting, plot) through teacher read-alouds and independent reading. Reader-response journals and graphic organizers prepare students for the culminating activity-the creation of their own scary stories. While this lesson uses the Goosebumps series as a model, it can be conducted using any scary story. Goosebumps books should be an easy read for most students at this level, so even struggling readers can actively participate in this lesson.

Featured Resources

• Interactive Venn Diagram : Students will use this interactive tool, along with their completed Character Descriptions Organizers, to help them compare and contrast the main character and villain.
• Interactive Story Map : Students will use The 5 W s of Scary Story Writing to identify and describe the story elements (i.e., character, setting, conflict, resolution) and then type their responses into the interactive tool.
• How to Write Your Own Scary Story : Students will use this handy sheet to brainstorm ideas for a story plot, choose a villain, and write a surprise ending for their own scary stories.

From Theory to Practice

• Children choose to read scary stories for pleasure, and the new juvenile horror genre has become extremely popular in the past decade. The Goosebumps books, in particular, deliver an emotional punch; they have fast-paced plots, suspense, and dramatic power.
• Teachers can use students' expressed interest in scary stories to engage them in worthwhile instructional activities, such as the study of various story elements and structures.
• After analyzing the key elements of scary stories, students can apply their knowledge by writing their own scary stories.
• Studying scary stories in class can help students employ the skills and strategies they are learning, while at the same time, increase their reading competency and their desire to read.

Common Core Standards

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

State Standards

This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.

NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts

• 1. Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
• 3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
• 4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
• 5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
• 6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.
• 12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

Materials and Technology

• Class collection of Goosebumps books
• Chart paper and markers
• Folder for each student
• Overhead projector and transparency paper
• Journal Rubric
• Writing Rubric
• Goosebumps Anticipation Guide
• Scary Story Characteristics Web
• Character Descriptions Organizer
• The 5 Ws of Scary Story Writing
• Journal Assignments
• How to Write Your Own Scary Story
• Reflections On My Scary Story
• Literature Guide Questions
• Scary Stories Booklist

Preparation

Student objectives.

Students will

• Activate prior knowledge about scary stories by completing an anticipation guide and characteristics web
• Develop an understanding of scary story elements and strengthen critical thinking skills by listening to a read-aloud and examining the story's setting, characters, plot, and ending
• Recognize descriptive word choices and details that contribute to the effect of a scary story and apply those descriptive elements to the writing of their own scary story
• Respond and make personal connections to a story by completing a written reader-response journal
• Make reading and writing connections by demonstrating their understanding of scary story elements through the writing of their own scary story
• Apply the writing process by brainstorming, prewriting, peer editing, revising, and publishing their scary story

Instruction and Activities

Introduction

• Distribute folders and the Goosebumps Anticipation Guide , and have students complete the before column with a partner, then share their responses with the class. At the end of the lesson, students will return to complete the after column. Have students place the anticipation guides in their folders. This is where they will keep all of their work during the lesson.
• Activate prior knowledge by asking the class: "What scary stories have you read?" "Which were the scariest?" "Who are some authors of scary stories?" "Why do you like to read scary stories?" "What makes them scary?" Point out that scary stories also include mysteries, adventure stories, and survival stories.
• Have students brainstorm the characteristics of a scary story while you write their responses on the Scary Story Characteristics Web you prepared earlier. Discuss why plot, setting, descriptive writing, characters, and suspense are important to a scary story.

Exploration of Story Structure Each day read several chapters aloud from your selected Goosebumps book. As you read, stop intermittently and think aloud about how various story elements affect the scariness of the story. Refer to the Literature Guide Questions and encourage students to discuss and think critically about the setting, characters, plot, and mood of the book to determine what makes it scary.

Setting and descriptive words

• Tell students that authors of scary stories often use setting and word choice to create a disturbing mood or atmosphere.
• Set up a chart paper with two columns. As you come to words or phrases in the text that describe the setting, write "when" words (e.g., Halloween, midnight) on the left side and "where" words (e.g., basement, haunted house) on the right side. How are these words clues about the setting?
• On a second sheet of chart paper, start a list of descriptive words and phrases that convey fear in the story. This list may include words and phrases that describe the sounds, places, things, or people in the story (e.g., a face in the window, a stormy night, creaky stairs, people wearing black). How do these words and phrases add to the mood of the story?
• Continue reading aloud, stopping intermittently to identify key descriptive words or phrases that convey a scary setting or mood, and continue to model by thinking aloud how these words contribute to the scariness of the story.

Character description

• Tell students that much of a scary story's suspense is conveyed through the characters' thoughts, words, actions, and reactions to events and other characters.
• Continue modeling as you read the book, this time focusing on descriptive words about the characters. Have students draw conclusions about the main character and villain by using the thoughts, actions, and words of each character. Have students add these words to the ongoing descriptive words list.
• Distribute the Character Descriptions Organizer , and help the class identify the characteristics of the main character and villain on an overhead transparency. Students should keep their copies of the organizer in their folders.
• Take the class to the computer lab or have students work at classroom computers. Have students use their completed Character Descriptions Organizers to help them compare and contrast the main character and villain using the interactive Venn Diagram . Remind students to print and place their Venn diagrams in their folders.
• As you read aloud, have the class notice how the plot unfolds and how the author creates suspense.
• Distribute The 5 W s of Scary Story Writing and help students identify the story's details on an overhead transparency. Have students add the completed 5 W s organizer to their folders.
• Have students use The 5 W s of Scary Story Writing to identify and describe the story elements (i.e., character, setting, conflict, resolution) and then type their responses into the interactive Story Map . Have students print and place the story maps in their folders.
• Before reading the final chapters, have students predict what they think will happen.

Once you have finished reading the scary story, lead the class in a discussion and review using the After Reading section of the Literature Guide Questions .

Independent Reading and Journal Assignments

• Ask each student to choose a Goosebumps book from your classroom library to read independently. Encourage students to browse BookHooks.com: R.L. Stine reviews to aid in the selection of their books.
• Have students preview their books by examining the front and back covers. Ask them to make predictions about their books based on the preview.
• Allow students time to read their books independently. Adapt a timeframe to fit your students' needs and abilities. Ask students to read a minimum of 30 minutes each night. Also provide 10 to 15 minutes of independent reading in class each day so you can monitor their reading.
• Distribute and explain the Journal Assignments Journal Rubric so that students will know how they will be evaluated before they complete the assignments. Students should complete one to two journal entries each night after they read, or work at their own pace to complete the journal assignments.
• Each day, promote discussion through the use of cooperative groups. Allow students to talk about what they are reading and to share their journal responses with their groups. Ask volunteers to read excerpts from their books that support their responses.

Writer's Workshop

• Have students read "How to Write Your Own Give Yourself Goosebumps Books" on the R.L. Stine website.
• Discuss how authors' ideas usually come from real life. Discuss interesting "what if" situations from your students' lives. What would be a good idea for a scary story that happened in real life?
• Review the descriptive word charts that are displayed around the room and the graphic organizers that you completed during the read-aloud. Students should also review their individual journal assignments.
• Distribute and discuss the How to Write Your Own Scary Story worksheet and the Writing Rubric so that students will know how they will be evaluated on this part of the lesson. Walk around the room and monitor students' progress as they brainstorm ideas for a story plot, choose a villain, and write a surprise ending.
• Provide class time for students to write their own scary stories. Remind students daily to review the various charts and organizers from their previous work to aid in word choice and plot development. Help students as needed by providing feedback and suggestions for improvement.
• Divide the class into pairs and have students evaluate their stories using the Writing Rubric. If students are unfamiliar with the peer-editing process, suggestions are available in the ReadWriteThink lesson, "Reciprocal Revision: Making Peer Feedback Meaningful."
• After the peer-edit session, students should revise their work as necessary.
• Ask student volunteers to read their scary stories to the class. Turn the lights down and play spooky music while students read aloud.
• Put students' scary stories into a class anthology and share them with other classes.
• Have students read another Goosebumps book and use the interactive Venn Diagram to compare and contrast the two books.
• Visit the Poe Museum to introduce other mystery books, authors, and genres to extend reading.
• Have each student write a short review of the book he or she read during the lesson on an index card. Reviews should include the book title, a brief description of the story without revealing the ending, and the student's opinion of the book. Students can then share their reviews with their classmates.
• Have students visit the R.L. Stine website to learn more about the author. Provide a writing activity, such as listing facts learned about the author.
• Have students use the Mystery Cube to practice identifying mystery elements from the book they read for this lesson or another mystery. They can also use this tool to plan the plot of their own mystery.

Student Assessment / Reflections

• Have students complete the Reflections on My Scary Story sheet.
• Have students complete the after column on the Goosebumps Anticipation Guide , and compare their before and after responses. Did any of their answers change? Go over the correct answers with the class. All answers are true, except #4 and #5.
• Collect students' scary story folders to evaluate their graphic organizers, worksheets, and prewriting notes.
• Use the Journal Rubric and Writing Rubric to assess students' work.
• Calendar Activities
• Student Interactives

The Story Map interactive is designed to assist students in prewriting and postreading activities by focusing on the key elements of character, setting, conflict, and resolution.

This interactive tool allows students to create Venn diagrams that contain two or three overlapping circles, enabling them to organize their information logically.

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The Teachers' Library

English language arts resources and practical strategies, gothic horror complete unit.

We begin by analyzing the historical context of the genre, as well as identifying common Gothic Horror motifs.  We focus heavily on identifying and interpreting uses of imagery, and using mentor sentences to write descriptively.  To hit on some grammar objectives, we also use the mentor sentences to expand simple sentences into compound and complex sentences, with a focus on punctuating simple, compound, and complex sentence  accurately.

As a summative assessment, students workshop their own creative writing piece inspired by Gothic Horror to showcase what they have learned about the motifs and conventions of the genre.

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*Note: Many of these 18th and 19th century texts have copious sophisticated vocabulary, so if you plan to have students reading these texts independently, try this handout for reading for vocabulary .

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Frights and Fiction: How Columbia Teaches Horror in Creative Writing

With the work of early trail-blazing authors such as Bram Stroker, Mary Shelley, and more recently Stephen King, the horror genre has carved its own path in the literary world for centuries. “Even though horror writing is sometimes dismissed as so-called ‘genre writing,’ we know at Columbia that when it’s done well, horror writing can be just as literary as any other kind of writing,” says Tony Trigilio , Professor of English and Creative Writing at Columbia College Chicago. 

We asked some of our faculty about the importance of horror in Columbia’s curriculum, and for some of their frightening favorites. 

Kathie Bergquist , adjunct faculty, English & Creative Writing  

"I'm glad Columbia embraces genre writing such as horror; writing and reading horror stories tunes developing writers into the use of pacing, narrative tensions, and suspense, which are useful for all prose (and script) writers. It doesn't hurt that there's also a seemingly insatiable appetite for scary stories in books, movies, and television. When it comes to reading scary stuff, I love the eerie and uncanny more than slasher or shock horror. 

A good haunted house story will get me every time, which is why I strongly recommended Jac Jemc's creepy novel, 'The Grip of It,' which is as much a contemporary psychological thriller as it is a classic haunted house story in the tradition of Shirley Jackson."

Richard Chwedyk , adjunct faculty, English & Creative Writing  

"Horror is an important element of our education because if we know ourselves fully, we must recognize and acknowledge what we fear. I get closest to this topic in my teaching when my classes discuss something like 'Beowulf.' We may not know much about Anglo-Saxons who lived 1,500 years ago, but we know what they were afraid of — monsters, like Grendel, attacking the heart and social center of their world. In 'Frankenstein' the monster is a reflection of Victor's inner turmoil, his alienation and abandonment, manifest in the form of a creature. We shall know these people by their monsters, as they would know us by ours. Literature and the arts allow us to examine this aspect of human experience without risking (usually) being torn from limb to limb."

Devon Polderman, adjunct faculty, English & Creative Writing  

"A couple of more contemporary writers who are bringing some new ideas to short story horror include Kelly Link and Maria Carmen Machado — both write outside of horror, too. Also, and I'm thinking of him because he just passed, Peter Straub's 'Ghost Story' is an excellent horror novel, published in 1979."

Polderman says Columbia's horror writing class is a popular choice among students every spring semester, as are most of the college's commercial fiction classes, such as Fantasy Writing, Young Adult Fiction, and Science Fiction Writing.

Katrina Kemble, adjunct faculty, English & Creative Writing  

"One of my favorite novels to read and discuss at Columbia College is Mary Shelley’s 'Frankenstein.' Frankenstein explores feelings of loneliness, loss, grief, and fear and helps us come to understand some of these emotions within ourselves. Gothic literature offers us an opportunity to explore some of the darker emotions we may feel and allows us to connect more deeply with the human experience."

Tony Trigilio , Professor, English & Creative Writing  

"I’m very happy that we give serious attention at Columbia to the horror genre. Even though horror writing is sometimes dismissed as so-called 'genre writing,' we know at Columbia that when it’s done well, horror writing can be just as literary as any other kind of writing. I’m proud that our curriculum is open-minded enough to welcome horror writing alongside all other kinds of literary writing in our creative writing workshops. Good writing is good writing—no matter what the genre. I know that not all schools approach writing this way, but I’m grateful that we do."

Trigilio is in the process of finishing book four of a multi-volume, hybrid poetry/prose experiment in autobiography based on the 1966–1971 ABC gothic soap opera,  Dark Shadows . His series, published by BlazeVOX Books , is crafted into verse or literary prose, with one sentence for each of the 1,225 episodes of the show.

Brendan Riley , Associate Professor, English & Creative Writing  

"Horror gives us room to tangle with the dark side of life, to ask questions about who we are, and thrill at the subversive. It also gives us crucial information about how to recognize and fend off vampires, werewolves, and zombies. 

Teaching about horror at Columbia has been a treat! As we examine and discuss popular texts like zombie films, we open doors to conversations about philosophy, art, ethics, community, and life itself. We also get a bit of insight into who we might be when the undead come knocking."

Riley's five horror recommendations: 

• The Boys from County Hell (Irish vampire movie with really interesting vampires) 
• “The Autumnal” (horror comic about a malevolent forest spirit) 
• Slaxx (low budget comedy horror movie about demonic jeans) 
• “Lake of Darkness” (1920s Chicago serial killer novel w/ a hint of Lovecrafty goodness) 
• [REC] (Spanish found-footage zombie movie that's pretty dang scary) 

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Creative Writing Unit Plan for Gothic Fiction, Dark Romanticism, and Horror

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Save time without sacrificing rigor in the high school Creative Writing classroom with this low-prep, Common Core-aligned unit plan and these all-inclusive resources for engaging students fully in the narrative writing process. Materials are delivered in both Word Document and PDF formats. Included are the following:

• A detailed, standards-based unit plan articulating the unit’s transfer goal(s), essential question(s), enduring understanding(s), learning target(s), academic vocabulary, formative assessment(s), summative performance task(s), and learning plan(s).
• A PowerPoint presentation addressing the conventions of Gothic literature.
• A formative research activity designed to build student knowledge in regard to the historical context of Halloween
• Representative Gothic narratives by Edgar Allan Poe (“The Black Cat”), H.P. Lovecraft (“The Outsider”), and W. W. Jacobs (“The Monkey’s Paw”).
• Worksheets to facilitate analysis of representative literature.
• Detailed directions.
• A comprehensive outline for student planning.
• A document to facilitate the editing process.
• A comprehensive rubric for evaluating student writing.

With these materials, students will do the following:

• Develop greater understanding of the conventions of Gothic literature and the horror genre.
• Analyze how famous authors of Gothic literature used characterization, description, and various literary devices that are consistent with the horror genre. The featured texts are Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Black Cat,” H.P. Lovecraft’s “The Outsider,” and W. W. Jacobs’ “The Monkey’s Paw.”
• Conduct brief research on aspects of Halloween’s history and synthesize knowledge gained to draft an original narrative consistent with the conventions of horror writing.
• Organize initial ideas in a coherent manner.
• Engage the reader with a compelling exposition that establishes an eerie setting.
• Use many appropriate narrative techniques (dialogue, dialect, description, pacing, etc.) to enhance plot.
• Draft a coherent, cohesive, and appropriate narrative that builds toward a particular tone and outcome (a sense of mystery, suspense, etc.)
• Use precise words and phrases, active verbs, and sensory language to convey a compelling story
• Draft an unrushed conclusion that resolves conflicts and implies a theme
• Show mastery of the conventions of standard English grammar, usage, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.

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Crafting Short Horror Stories to Promote Creative Writing

Khristina russell.

• October 20, 2021

What is a Short Story?

I’ve recently started to enjoy podcasts, as I’m sure many have during the pandemic. Mainly, I’ve found that true crime podcasts keep me riveted. Episodes last anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes, on average, but some can spill over an hour by 30 minutes or so. Experienced podcasters know how to take a plot line that is heavy with information and break it up into multiple episodes.

Short stories are much like that. As a student, I was taught that short stories were originally created to entertain people and were meant to be read in one sitting. The idea was to capture the reader quickly. Over time, as the authors developed and presented their styles, short stories became longer and more intricate. Not to be confused with essays, which are short works designed to deliver information on a specific topic.

Why are Horror Stories Engaging to Students?

Once upon a time, stories told around a campfire only had to have a mildly jarring element to scare someone. An eyeball rolling from under the bed, a skeleton in a closet, or even a loud “bang!” were enough to get hearts racing and illicit full-body chills. Over time, as beliefs have changed around the ideas of spirituality, ghosts, and all things supernatural, so have the reasons why students find these types of stories engaging; they crave the sense of suspense , thrill, and excitement that comes with a surprise. In movies and podcasts, suspense is built around music, lights, and various sounds.

In short stories, it’s all in the execution of words . Carefully placed symbols, artfully executed details, and careful character development gently pull readers into a plot. Of course, all students won’t engage with this type of material, but they can. All students won’t necessarily find horror stories entertaining, either. Still, they can identify the specific creative elements that drive the story and make them different from a fairy tale, for instance. The nature of horror stories allows students to call upon a different set of details when crafting the plot line.

Elements of a Short Story

All short stories, from fables to horror stories, have similar elements. At the bare minimum, they should have a setting, characters, plot, and theme. It is the details about these elements that drive the differences in the story. A typical short story follows the general plotline: exposition, rising action, conflict, falling action, and resolution. If it’s an outstanding story, there may even be a denouement, which are details presented after the resolution of the conflict. All stories definitely don’t follow this same pattern.

In horror stories, very often the conflict (sometimes identified as a turning point) will present earlier in the story. This writing choice offers opportunities to build suspense and create tensions between characters. This also provides opportunities for multiple shifts that can add elements that are commonly found in horror stories, such as fear of the unknown, mystery, gore, and the element of surprise. The ability to create delight and joy are common experiences; generally, people exist in the world and practice those abilities. The ability to illicit fear, doubt, and horror is a real feat of creativity. It allows a writer to tap into a completely different creative plane, call on a different set of details, and push the traditional limits of short story writing.

Short Horror Stories to Explore

Recently, I discovered The Wife’s Story by Ursula K. Leguin . It was my first time reading this particular story, and I’ll admit my mouth dropped open. I was unprepared for what ultimately happened and immediately poured back through the text for the details I had overlooked. I’m so glad I had that experience. I haven’t experienced that kind of abrupt shock while reading a short story in a very long time.

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson is another story that makes me uncomfortable every single time I read it. Consider everything you have ever thought about a lottery and completely throw it out the window. The element of surprise in this story will have you questioning what the word “lottery” is even supposed to mean.

Roald Dahl has a story titled The Landlady that turned my stomach. Once I realized what I thought was happening, I was on pins and needles trying to rush through the words. I desperately wanted to be wrong about my assumption and even paused a couple of times because I wasn’t ready for what would come next.

If you’re going to read a story that includes supernatural elements combined with a character’s ability to be malicious, but doesn’t have any heavy gore, consider reading The Open Window by Saki . This quick read will leave the reader feeling uneasy and traveling back through the text to check the details.

Finally, and surprisingly: have you ever read anything by The Brothers Grimm ? Those are not your average fairy tales. Designed to scare children into following the rules, some of these stories will causally throw the reader into a loop of horror and fixation.

What I appreciate most about horror stories is there aren’t always happy endings. They present some of the foul and callous parts of life, allow us to feel our feelings, and make us wonder about things we hadn’t even considered. And that’s life. There are many horror stories twisted into fairy tales around the world, even; the idea of art imitating life can be found in so many of the best creative writings.

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Genre Tips: How to Write Horror

As you may remember, I crafted the series around the five major genres to which I felt I could bring value (those being  Fantasy ,  Romance ,  Historical ,  Mystery , and  Literary ). One major genre I did not feel qualified to write about, simply because I don’t read or watch much of it, is Horror. In response to my mentioning this in the series’ opening post, Horror aficionado Oliver Fox stepped up to go deep in a guest post on this popular genre.

Today, I’m happy to share with you  a thought-provoking and thorough examination of this archetypal genre. 

In the post, Oliver talks about  important tips and tricks for structure and theme in Horror, as well as the symbolic “character triad” of the Haunted House, the Average Joe, and the Monster.

Keep reading for more!

Horror may be the least understood and most maligned genre. It is usually portrayed as revelry in violence, gore, and nihilism, and thus something immoral—perhaps even wicked. Or horror stories are thought of as loose narratives punctuated by a series of jump-scares. Sadly, these are accurate portrayals of many stories that have become mainstream in the horror genre. However, it’s worth considering whether glorying in the darkest human tendencies is necessary or even desirable in horror.

My aim is to determine the essence of horror and explore it using stories that provoke our deepest fears without relying on our reactions to surprises, deformity, and death. I believe great horror aims for more lingering types of fear brought about by experiences of the Uncanny and the Unknown, unsettling us and filling us with dread. Thus, equipped with a more nuanced understanding of horror, this article will explore how to write horror.

Now that we have a better idea of what isn’t necessary to horror, let’s consider what the genre’s essential qualities are and how to write horror using the Big Three of storytelling as our guides: Character, Plot, and Theme.

3 Tips for How to Write Horror

Character triad in horror: the haunted house, the average joe, and the monster.

The Haunted House

In this article, I’m treating the setting as a character , which isn’t unprecedented; the idea of setting as character has existed for a while. Like a human character, a setting that is a character has a past with consequences that linger into the present. Through an understanding of the setting’s past and present, we get hints how it might interact with the characters within—what it might “do” to them in the future.

The archetypal horror setting is the Haunted House. The setting doesn’t have to be a literal house—it could be anything: a derelict research lab, a stranded spaceship, or an arctic research facility. What’s most important are a few key features.

The Haunted House must be:

• Disempowering
• Evoke a sense of Lingering Dread because of some terrible past events that occurred there—although often that past isn’t immediately apparent.

The horror setting is haunted by its past, perhaps metaphorically (in that there are still hints and vestiges of said past) or perhaps literally (by something monstrous tethered to it, actively stalking its corridors).

For Example: In the film Alien, there are two Haunted Houses. The first is the planet where the Nostromo ’s crew lands to investigate the source of a signal. There, they discover a collection of unsettling tableaux: a crashed spaceship, within it a fossilized humanoid alien, and a room full of large, leathery eggs. Nothing is actively stalking the setting, but the Nostromo ’s crew can tell this was the site of some horrific event. While on the planet, one of the crew members foolishly tinkers with the eggs and becomes host to a parasite which injects him with an embryo. Soon the embryo gestates, bursts from the unfortunate crewman, and begins actively haunting the Nostromo , picking off the crew one by one.

Alien (1979), 20th Century Fox.

The Average Joe/Jane

In many genres, the protagonist is someone extraordinary , whether in capabilities or because of some special origin and destiny. However, this trope doesn’t work for horror. In horror, the protagonist ought to be exceptional only in a lack of any capabilities or resources. This is to emphasize their vulnerability as they navigate the Haunted House and face the Monster, increasing the audience’s concern for their safety. Think about it: a story about Thor going up against a Japanese ghost girl inspires zero tension, no matter how spooky the ghost is. To build tension, we need to be acutely aware of the protagonist’s helplessness.

For Example: In the book and film Rosemary’s Baby, Rosemary is a young stay-at-home wife pregnant with her first child. Rosemary has recently moved into a new building where she knows no one. Virtually everyone marginalizes and disenfranchises her: her new neighbors gaslight her whenever she raises concerns about strange goings on, her doctor insists she ignore her instincts about her pregnancy, and even her husband abuses her. Rosemary is disempowered in every way imaginable and has no one to turn to when she realizes she and her child are at the center of a cultic conspiracy. With the odds stacked against Rosemary, we can’t help but fear for her safety.

Rosemary’s Baby (1968), Paramount Pictures.

The Monster

The Monster is the central figure in all horror stories. According to horror philosopher Noel Carroll, a horrific monster is anything outside the natural order.

It is unnatural because it is a:

• Fusion of opposites (eg., vampires, who are simultaneously dead and alive).
• Fission. This indicates oddly paired or sequenced elements (e.g., werewolves, who are humans most of the time but can change into creatures capable of indiscriminately murdering loved ones).
• Formlessness . These are misshapen (even shapeless) creatures, which break down our established categories (e.g., a sentient blob or mist consuming everything in its path).

But Monsters can’t be just unnatural; they must also be morally impure deviants. Deviant Monsters willfully upend moral values by indulging in harmful taboos, such as acts of violence toward the self and others. Such moral monsters are the perverse mirror image of a hero. Just as heroes represent an idealized vision of humanity who sacrifice their own desires for the needs of others, deviant monsters are vicious in every way, sacrificing the needs of others for their own desires.

For Example: One film that features a Monster in which all three categories are combined into one terrifying creature is The Thing . The Thing is a fusion of opposites: an alien virus that perfectly replicates the infected host at the cellular level, so the resultant hybrid organism is convinced it is still whatever it was originally… until the dormant virus feels threatened. That leads us to fission. The Thing usually appears as a perfect doppelgänger of the organism it has infected, but if it fears it has been found out, it will rip apart the host and repurpose body parts as weapons or extra limbs so it can escape. Third, when the Thing dismantles its host, the person’s appearance becomes misshapen to the point of formlessness. Finally, the Thing is morally impure because it inflicts violence on its victims at every level of their being by invading their bodies, destroying them, and co-opting their constituent parts to serve its own purposes.

The Thing (1982), Universal Pictures.

Story Structure in Horror: Tension-Release Cycles

When writing horror, the temptation is to dive headlong into the action, to throw the Average Joe into the Haunted House straight away and cut loose the Monster. However, the audience needs time to connect with the protagonist, to unravel steadily the mystery of the setting’s dreadful past, to wonder what kind of monster lurks just out of sight. That may all sound counterintuitive, but consider this: if you don’t know the characters well enough to care about them, are you going to worry when a Monster stalking them from the shadows of the Haunted House? If we know all the gruesome details about the setting’s past from the get-go, it’s like working a puzzle with detailed instructions on hand; we won’t get the sensation of dawning comprehension—we don’t experience the chilling realization, “Oh, _______ happened in this room. This place was for _______!” If we are familiar with the Monster too early on—its appearance, methods, and intentions—it is demoted to the status of a typical villain.

To create tension, skilled horror writers set up the expectation of something terrible happening while ensuring the audience can’t predict when it will happen. The buildup to a scare is as important as the scare itself. Let the audience do the work of building tension for you during the long, quiet moments by filling these stretches with false threats: moving shadows, deceptive images in mirrored surfaces, background noises, etc.

Okay, so build tension, then let all heck loose and keep it coming nonstop , right? Nope! Just as it is essential for tension to build to a breaking point in horror, so too should we ensure the audience is given time to recuperate and catch their breath before introducing the next scare. Otherwise, you risk exhausting them until they are emotionally spent by the time you reach the final confrontation with the Monster.

For Example: Stephen King’s IT brilliantly shows each aspect of the tension-release cycle in horror. The story opens by introducing each member of the Loser’s Club, giving you time to get to know them enough that you care about their safety. We then see a brief encounter with the monster, IT—just enough that we have some sense of what he’s done, but not to where we fully understand the extent of ITs intent and capabilities. Then we move on to the next member of the Loser’s Club. This cycle occurs for each character, creating emotional peaks and valleys. The setup for a new character’s story functions as the emotional valley for the previous character’s tension-release cycle.

Theme in Horror: Facing the Monsters Within

Writing Your Story’s Theme (Amazon affiliate link)

For me, all these elements come together to suggest that horror, at its best, holds up a mirror to the audience, helping them consider a central thematic question: what is monstrous within themselves and how can they overcome that monstrousness?

The horror protagonist is ordinary, as are we, allowing us to  empathize with them. They become our avatar. The Haunted House represents self-reflection, a place wherein we feel alienated, isolated, and disempowered because we are alone with ourselves. The Monster is an embodiment of the worst aspects of ourselves, the things we keep hidden from the rest of the world out of shame; these are our darkest desires run amok, haunting our conscience.

If we apply this theory at every level while designing our Horror story, we can create a truly rich narrative. For example:

• The Average Joe character is haunted by a deep moral flaw and/or selfish past action (or failure to act)  that they find monstrous about themselves.
• Both the Haunted House and the Monster evoke that flaw, embodying it so the protagonist cannot ignore them.
• The story climaxes when the Average Joe enters the Haunted House and faces the Monster who embodies their own flaw.
• The ending tells us something about the destructive nature of the moral flaw the Monster embodies, or at least the danger of waiting too long to face it.

For Example: The Twilight Zone episode “ The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street” is a masterclass of the horror model described above. Strange things happen in a quiet, isolated suburb, prompting a little boy to draw comparisons between the strange events and a story he’d read about alien invaders. Some of the other citizens buy into the boy’s alien invasion theory and, fueled by old personal grudges, begin accusing one another of being alien monsters. The accusations devolve the situation into an all-out witch-hunt; the citizens of the neighborhood commit atrocities against those they fear are monsters. The theme that unfolds can be described as: “When we ignore our prejudice for too long, that prejudice grows into outright fear, then hatred—a hatred which demonizes others to where we can justify even the most evil actions taken against them until we become something demonic ourselves.” This terrifying premise unfolds with no jump scares and few depictions of violence.

The Twilight Zone (195-64), CBS.

Contrary to popular belief, great horror stories are not just exercises in violence, gross-outs, and gore. At their best, they are apt, timely, and frightening social commentaries and self-reflections filtered through the lens of metaphor. True horror might even be the most moral genre, thanks to its uncompromising depiction of monstrous evil as horrifying. I hope you find this article insightful, interesting, and helpful as you write your own horror stories!

Previous Posts in This Series:

• How to Write Fantasy
• How to Write Romance
• How to Write Historical Fiction
• How to Write Mystery
• How to Write Literary Fiction

Wordplayers, tell me your opinions! Have you ever written in the horror genre? What are your thoughts on how to write horror? Tell me in the comments!

References and Further Reading

• Monsters Within . . . “The Horrific, Moral, and Transcendental”   by D. Breyers
• Monsters Within . . . “Victorian Horror Novels”   by J. Cognard-Black
• Christian Horror: On the Compatibility of a Biblical Worldview and the Horror Genre by M. Duran
• Supernatural Horror in Literature . by H.P. Lovecraft
• Horror Protagonists – How Ordinary Characters Make Scarier Games – Extra Credits by J. Portnow
• The Beast Macabre – What Makes a Monster Scary? – Extra Credits by J. Portnow
• Shiver with Anticipation – How Horror Games Create Tension Cycles – Extra Credits by J. Portnow
• Places of Horror – The Secrets of Scary Settings – Extra Credits by J. Portnow
• The Twilight Zone – What Do We Fear? | Video Essay by Screened
• Monsters Within . . . “Psychological Horror Films” by E.O. Williams

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Oliver Fox earned his BA in Creative Writing from the University of Memphis (’15) and his MFA in Creative Writing from the University of New Orleans (’21). He has worked as an editorial assistant for The Pinch literary journal (’16) and as a manuscript analyst for The Spun Yarn . He is a regular contributor to Writers Write and the author of The Fantasy Workbook .

what no audio file? I really enjoy listening to those…

Glad you enjoy the audio versions! But, no, not today. I don’t record audio for guest posts. I think it would be weird to have my voice for other people’s words. 🙂

Thanks for sharing with us today, Oliver!

Thank you for the opportunity to share, Katie!

Excellent summary — thank you Oliver.

This really does bring horror together, to show how the monster is only the second-most-important part of it. The classic complaint against weak horror is “Yes, an okay threat, but it didn’t make me care about the *people* in it,” and people who dislike it write it off as all chills and no character. The characters have to be the center of it.

So “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street” captures it perfectly. In the best horror, the greatest terror isn’t the “monster” — it’s what people will do to escape it.

Thank you, Ken!

I agree–without an empathetic protagonist to root for, Horror stories devolve into a weird betting game about who will survive the longest.

That really sums it up — and we’ve all seen stories or crowds where fans *did* devolve into that.

This was great! Thank you! I am not a horror reader, but I do love Victorian Gothic literature, which is the predecessor of modern horror, and the reason I love it is because it tends toward all the excellence that you pointed out as good horror; strong sense of morality, an exploration of the darkness within people, the fact that it is normal (well, normal Victorian) people facing down the monsterous and depravity (sometimes -often- their own), the atmosphere….

I’m so glad you enjoyed the article, Grace!

You’re exactly right: Victorian Gothic literature is such an important forbear of contemporary Horror, along with many classic Folktales and Fairytales (believe it or not).

Wow! Thank you for your insights! I didn’t realize how complex horror could be. The Thing is one of my favorite movies, but I always thought of it more as dark scifi. I can see now how it totally fits into the horror genre. I love that episode of Twilight Zone too.

I’m so glad you found the article insightful; thank you for reading it!

Some have suggested that Horror is the oldest genre, so it makes sense that proverbial “well” goes as deep as it does.

Great post on horror! I hadn’t thought about it that deeply before. Intriguing!

Thank you, Eric–I’m grateful you found the article intriguing. 🙂

I never thought of horror as a genre that Christians were allowed to read. Although I still may not like it, I now understand that it has the potential for good. Thank you Oliver!

Thank you for sharing, Christopher!

I’m delighted that the article shed a new light on Horror for you, giving you a fresh perspective on its potential.

I once assumed there could be no such thing as Christian horror, simply because one assumes if there was a demon, a Christian protagonist would make the like the Apostles and exorcise it. Similar to how most horror movies would be short if characters had a gun and/or a cell phone 🙂

But! In high school I stumbled across some of Frank Peretti’s horror novels, and he added a twist. The novels are written from a Christian POV, and the situations usually involved a town threatened by the machinations of demon-aligned people. You sometimes see the story from the POV of the demons influencing people, people who may or may not be “bad” but just “susceptible.” For example, in one case the state of “Complacency” is personified by a titular demon who attaches itself to a non-villainous character.

The recurring characters in the novels are a squad of angels, who patrol the towns where the stories are set. They are ready to kick butt and take names, but they can’t do anything until they have a sufficient “prayer cover” to intervene. However, the human protagonists, if Christian, may not be aware there’s evil afoot.

Other characters may be atheists or ex-Christians. All of them struggle with flaws, fears, or a need for atonement in some cases. And all of them have to twig to the evil conspiracy and get on the same page before the angels can get their “prayer cover.” Note Paul’s exhortations to pray for government leaders if you want to live a peaceable life, so the coverage conceit works.

Just another data point for horror as a vehicle for exploring moral themes. Good horror scenarios often test faith, they test virtue. Someone — da Vinci? Einstein? Once said “adversity introduces a man to himself.” Horror is as good a crucible as any for exploring that idea.

I read Peretti’s novels and never considered them to be horror, just clear images of the actual battle between Good and Evil.

Hey, Jamie– thank you for sharing!

It sounds like I might need to check out Peretti’s work. 🙂

I don’t usually comment on the posts but I felt compelled to respond your comment. Not to regurgitate what Oliver said, but there is a lot of potential for religious horror. “The Exorcist” is the obvious answer, as are most of those types of movies. You have the priest (or some other morally-focused character) who’s trying to lead the right life. Maybe they have a dark past or sins they’re atoning for. They’re faced with a monster/demon who represents everything they’re fighting against. Maybe they become possessed themselves. In “The Exorcist” the priest commits suicide to save the daughter and prevent himself succumbing to the same sins. You could even write a Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde type story where the main character struggles to maintain their own morality (a character I’m developing is doing just that). Just as the main character must choose to be moral no matter what, we have a moral obligation to do the same. I’m not religious but I definitely see potential for some interesting stories.

I totally agree, Chris–“The Exorcist” is peak example of what Horror is at its finest.

Thank you for this! I’m working on my first novel and it’s horror. Since it’s my favorite genre in books and on the screen, it just made sense. Plus, I feel there are a lot of horror authors who are really working to make horror more accepted, and I think it’s working. I’m referring to the literary successes of Sylvia Moreno-Garcia and Stephen Graham Jones. I’m hoping horror as a genre will become less and less maligned over time.

Thank you for reading, Michelle!

Best of luck on your novel–and may you join the ranks of such authors in bringing a deeper appreciation of Horror to the wider world. 🙂

Well said. Your points on great horror and examples are spot on and provide excellent templates for future works. Thank you!

Thank you for reading, James!

I hope the insights you gathered from this article serve you well as you approach writing future works.

Thank you for such a spooky yet inspiring post. I read a few books that are bordering on horror, but not terrifying and won’t keep you awake at night. Some of Daphne du Maurier’s novels, such as Rebecca and House on the Strand are scary, but I realize they don’t actually qualify. When I was a teen, I picked up a copy of Stephen King’s “Carrie” and didn’t realize it was horror. Somehow when I got to the end and read of the girl unleashing her fury on the town, I was puzzled. Back then I didn’t recognize any obvious hints of what was to come. I wonder what your opinion is on that particular novel. I watched the movie “The Shining,” which was pretty creepy. I wonder how King’s novels compare with his books.

Hi, Coco, I’ll be honest–I’m a late-comer to King’s work, so I have focused on the high points of his career to get caught up: I’ve read Salem’s Lot, The Night Shift, and the Shining so far. Carrie is next on my list, though! And, if you enjoyed the film version of The Shining, the book is still definitely worth checking out as the two stories share little in common. The movie is creepy for sure, but the book is an enthralling, heart-wrenching look at the effects of addiction, generally, and alcoholism, specifically.

Ooh I love this! And thank you for providing a reading list. Writer’s Digest has “How to Write Tales of Horror, Fantasy & Science Fiction,” which has essays by Ray Bradbury and Dean Koontz, among others.

For this post I especially liked the point about monsters as representatives of “Chaos” as opposed to Logos , the natural order of things. And you’re describing the kind of horror I do appreciate, and elements I want to incorporate in certain stories I have rattling around in the attic of my brain. Instead of gory nihilism, good horror like the kind you describe here can be … inspiring, oddly enough. It’s often about Light struggling against Darkness, and a test of virtues, and I appreciate you showing how to do justice to such a story.

Hi, Jamie, I think you are spot on that, “good horror can be inspiring”–especially for stories wherein the protagonist prevails over the source of Horror. I mean, what’s more inspiring than an Average Jane facing and overcoming the Monster embodying her greatest fears and deepest vices, right?

Thank you for this post, Oliver. I’ve never been a fan of horror, but I realize now that it’s because I never understood the genre. Thank you for this insightful, interesting, and helpful article! I enjoyed it!

Hi, Joan–thank you for taking time check out the article despite not being a Horror fan. I’m delighted the article afforded you a deeper understanding of Horror. And I’m right there with you: the more I learn about the underlying symbolism of a particular genre, the more I come to appreciate it!

I think I agree that perhaps horror scares us because we fear what we might be capable of under the right (or wrong) set of circumstances. I recently finished two short stories with a sort of morality compass theme, one a haunted statue-type figure and the other a ruined building which resurrects itself to lure someone inside – surprisingly the protagonist in both survive and I wonder if this is classified as horror. The protagonists both go through a journey of self discovery, but are not harmed and neither is anyone else on the contrary several people are saved though the paranormal is in stong evidence in both stories.

Hi, Sylvia,

You summed it up, beautifully: “…perhaps horror scares us because we fear what we might be capable of under the right (or wrong) set of circumstances.”

Horror is so unsettling because it shows us characters confronted with the gap between their self-conception/public persona and how they act when desperate and alone. And this forces us to consider how wide that same gap might be within ourselves.

Thanks so much, K.M.

I enjoyed this piece. Horror is treated like the embarrassing step child sometimes when it’s really the crazed aunt in the attic who was locked up for telling uncomfortable truths. I liked the concept of the haunted house as just as much of a character as the villain and the hero. Rich vein to mine.

“Horror is treated like the embarrassing stepchild sometimes when it’s really the crazed aunt in the attic who was locked up for telling uncomfortable truths.”

Wow! That’s a brilliant and powerful quote, sir. I’m going to be reflecting on that for some time.

This is great. Whether I’m reading a book, watching a movie, or just waking from a bad dream, I keep asking myself what makes it scary. This is the best explanation I have found so far.

That’s an essential question to ask if we want to be great Horror writers. It reminds me of a quote from Henry James:

“A writer should strive to be someone on whom nothing is lost.”

Thank you, Oliver. This was helpful. You made horror fiction approachable. In effect, my appreciation of horror fiction is constantly increasing. Specially when you realize is more than just the monster.

Hi, Ingmar,

Thank you for your kind words. 🙂

Approachability is what I strive for!

Thanks for sharing this. I loved it and now have some revisions to do in my MS.

Thank you, Alice. 🙂

Happy revising!

Sometimes horror stories hide in other genres. “Alien”, as mentioned above, is a haunted house movie disguised as science fiction – but so is “The Terminator”, a classic creature feature in which the undead monster can be fought off, outran, even taken out for a time… but never stops coming.

Hi, Andrew, I never thought of “The Terminator” as an undead creature feature, but I can absolutely see it now that you mention it! The Terminator could even be interpreted as a modern take on Frankenstein’s monster, more specifically.

Oliver has the essence of the genre but does not have a real feel of the bitter backdrop of a great horror tale. As I was reading this article, I suspected that I was Olivers worst nightmare, and that turns out to be true. Before I start saying other things “Oliver” knows what he is talking about, he gives useful information, and I would recommend this post. But…. And there is a huge “but” here. He is young and handsome. Well educated. Seems to me a nice fellow. A talented writer. Capable. So, what is my problem? You ask? There is no problem. It is just that horror needs an edge. Ghost stories have been done before. Please never let us never see another zombie or vampire novel. Lol- they have all been done to death. Perhaps you ask my credentials for this criticism. Perhaps editing four horror fiction magazines for thirty years may suffice. The “new” is all that is wished for. The “Different” merges sometimes. Worked with twilight (lol- I turned that down). Daybreakers, warm bodies. My apologies, Oliver, for this but I must turn down writers every week. You meant well and gave good advice.

Thank you for your professional insights as an editor, sir! I have no doubt you’re right that editors often get the same cut-and-paste horror stories, and that we writers need to work hard to ensure we aren’t just educated in the genre’s tropes, we also need to find fresh premises and a fresh approach to writing them.

Thats the thing Oliver, you have it spot on, “the fresh premise”. To a certain extent you can ignore all else. If we get a haunted house story it doesn’t get by the boy on the desk. It could be the best haunted house tale ever, but it never gets to a “reader” the same applies to vampire tales. (Only two printed in four mags over the last five years one because it was a social vampire (narcissism)). The other was a genetic strain of vampirism created for interstellar space travel as they are immortal. We printed a zombie tale a couple of years ago about “Health, social care and housing for zombies during an epidemic”. Very clever. Should the local council provide homes for Zombies? Do they need help from carers? What are the sanitary implications? Should they be allowed pets? We are a caring society after all. I do not mean to suggest that there cannot be a good tale about Vampires, Zombies or a haunted house just that it has been done so often that to horror readers it is very dated and dull. To keep a magazine, especially a print magazine running today, it has to be clever and new all the time. Sorry for lecturing. It is something I feel passionate about.

Thank you for this insightful series and tips! I wonder about the fairytale genre. Do you talk about it anywhere? It is the most archetypal one and digging deep in the realm of the inconscious. I’ve always been fascinated by it, without being able to put words on my impressions. But I realize I most naturally write with symbols and events that have a marvelous feel to them, even when they seem prosaic.

I haven’t talked about it specifically in this series, but it would fall under the umbrella genre of Fantasy, which I do talk about here .

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• Scriptwriting

How to Write Horror — Horror Writing Tips for Fiction & Film

• Best Horror Movies of All Time
• Best Christmas Horror Movies
• Best Zombie Movies
• Best New Zombie Movies
• Best Vampire Movies
• Best Jump Scare Movies
• Best 1980s Vampire Movies
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• Best Underrated Horror Movies
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• What is Horror
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• Giallo Films Explained
• Horror Movie Tropes
• Found Footage Filmmaking
• What is a Grindhouse Movie
• Best Free Horror Movie Scripts Online
• Best Horror Movie Scripts
• How to Write Horror
• Scary Story Ideas
• Midsommar Script PDF Download
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S o, you want to learn how to write a good horror story? Whether you want to know how to write a horror movie or how to write a horror book, the four steps outlined in this guide will get you started on the appropriate course of action and help you to align your creative goals. Writing horror isn’t all that different from writing for other genres, but it does require the right mindset and a creepy destination to work towards. Before we jump into the first of our four steps, let’s begin with a primer.

How to write horror

Before you get started.

The steps outlined in this ‘how to write horror’ guide assume that you already have a grasp over the fundamentals of writing. If you do not yet understand the basic mechanics of prose, screenwriting , or storytelling, then you might not get everything you need out of this guide. Luckily, we have a litany of informative resources that can bring you up to speed on everything you need to know.

If you intend to tell the  horror story  you have in mind as a screenplay, then the best way to fast track your screenwriting education might be to read through some of the  best screenwriting books  or to enroll in one of the  best online screenwriting courses .

Our guide to writing great scenes  is another good place to start, and our  glossary of screenwriting vocabulary  is a great resource if you encounter any unfamiliar terminology. When you’re ready to start writing, you can get going for free in  StudioBinder’s screenwriting software .

Now, we’re ready to jump into step one of our how to write horror guide. But, be warned, if you don’t already have a basic story concept in mind, you should consider that Step Zero.

There’s no concrete way to generate story ideas, but you can always look to creative writing prompts  and  indie films to kickstart inspiration .

HOW TO WRITE A HORROR MOVIE

Step 1: research and study.

Writing horror often begins by consuming great horror . We look to the stories of the past when crafting the stories of the present. Someone who has never read a horror novel or seen a horror film is going to have a much harder time writing horror than someone who is a voracious consumer of horror stories. By watching and reading, you can pick up plenty of tips for writing scary stories.

Before writing your opening line, be sure to do your research. It can be worthwhile to explore all manner of horror media. But for the purposes of this step, it’s best to focus in on the type of material you wish to create.

If you want to learn how to write a horror novel, then read as many horror novels as you can get your hands on. Our list of the  greatest horror films  ever made is a good place to conduct your research if you plan to write a horror screenplay. You can also check out our rundown of  underrated horror films for even more research.

Here are tips on how to write horror from the master himself, Stephen King. And, while you're at it, might as well catch up on the best Stephen King movies and TV based on his work!

How to write good horror  •  Stephen King offers horror writing tips

It’s important to go beyond simply reading and watching horror and to begin to analyze the material. Drill down into why certain decisions were made by the writer and try to figure out why certain elements work or don’t work. It can often be worthwhile to explore material you consider bad as well as what you consider good, so you can learn what not to do.

Check out our analysis of Midsommar   below for an example of how you can break down and explore the horror films that inspire you. You can also download the Midsommar script as a PDF to analyze the writing directly. You should check out our Best Horror Scripts post for more iconic script PDFs.

How to Write Horror  •   Read Full Midsommar Script

When consuming material to learn how to write a horror story, pay particular attention to the pacing and structure of the stories you’re inspired by. For example, if the style you find yourself most drawn to is slow-burn horror, then you might want to aim for a much slower pace than average with your story as well, but the build-up will become even more important.

Horror story writing

Step 2: decide your type of horror.

So, you’ve decided you’re writing horror, congratulations, you’ve settled on a genre. Now, it’s time to pick your sub-genre (s) and to decide on the specific avenue of horror to explore. There are many horror sub-genres to choose from. Just take a look at our ultimate guide to movie genres for quick rundown. And, check out the video below to see horror sub-genres ranked.

Ranking subgenres for inspiration  •  Horror story writing

Keep in mind that genres and subgenres can be mixed and matched in a multitude of combinations. For example, The Witch blends together the horror and historical fiction genres. From Dusk Till Dawn fuses action, crime-thriller, and vampire elements. And Shaun of the Dead fuses the horror and comedy genres by way of the zombie subgenre.

Our video essay below offers insights into Shaun of the Dead director Edgar Wright’s creative process. Check out our ranking of Edgar Wright’s entire filmography if you want even more.

How Edgar Wright writes and directs his movies  •   Subscribe on YouTube

Step Two is also the time to decide on the specific avenue you will exploit when writing horror. By “avenue of horror,” we mean the primary source(s) of tension and scares. Witches? Zombies? Cosmic horror? Body Horror ? Social Horror? These are all different avenues that your horror story can take on, and just like with genres and sub-genres, mixing and matching is encouraged.

A horror story that exploits kills and gore as its avenue of horror will be written in a much different manner than one that focuses on a sense of creeping dread and leaves more to the viewer or reader’s imagination.

Related Posts

• What is a Giallo film? →
• The Best Christmas Horror Movies →
• How to Master a Storyboard like Jordan Peele →

Step 3: Mine your fears and phobias 

You have decided on your genre and your avenue of horror, now it’s time to get more specific and drill deeper. For Step Three, go beyond asking what makes a story scary and instead figure out what makes your story frightening.

Depending on what you chose in Step Two, this might already be baked into your sub-genre and avenue of horror. For example, the home invasion sub-genre by nature mines a very real phobia that many people share.

The best home invasion films

However, if you chose to go with the zombie subgenre for example, you may need to work a little harder to discover what it is about your story that will scare audiences. Zombies on their own certainly hold the potential to be frightening, but audience overexposure to them throughout the years has gone a long way to lessen the scary impact they once had.

For examples of how to do it right, check out our rundown of the best zombie films ever made . And, for a different yet equally effective take on the sub-genre, check out our list of the  best zombie comedies .

How to write a horror story  •  Exploit common phobias

The above video breaks down the statistics surrounding a number of phobias. One common piece of writerly wisdom is “write what you know.” When writing in the horror genre, we can tweak that advice to, “write what scares you.” Mine your own fears and phobias when crafting your horror story; there are sure to be others out there who get creeped out by the same things.

This is also the step where you should try to discover your X-factor. What is it that sets your story apart from similar horror stories? If the answer is “nothing really,” then it might be time to take your concept back to the drawing board.

How to write a horror story

Step 4: keep your audience in mind.

From this point on, you are ready to start writing your horror story. Much of the writing process will be carried out in the same way as you would write a story in any other genre. But there are a few extra considerations. Put all that research you did in step one to work and ensure that your prose or screenwriting is well balanced and doles out the scares at a good pace.

You will want to find a good middle ground between sacrificing story and character development and going too long without something to keep your audience creeped out.

Narrative pacing is important in every genre, but horror writers also need to worry about pacing their scares, similar to how someone writing an action film needs to deliberately pace out their big action sequences.

How to write a horror story  •  Keep pacing in mind

Decide on who your target audience is from the jump and keep them in mind while you write. There can be a significant difference between horror aimed at teens vs. horror aimed at a mature audience. In film, this can mean the difference between shooting for a PG-13 rating instead of an R rating.

In fiction, this decision might manifest as a plan to market directly toward the young-adult crowd. Horror aimed at children, like Frankenweenie or The Nightmare Before Christmas , is drastically different from other types of horror aimed at older audiences.

Use your target audience as a guiding star that informs all of your narrative decisions as you write. Now, it’s time to put everything you just learned about how to write good horror stories to use.

The Greatest Horror Movies Ever Made 

If you are stuck on step one and looking to find some inspiration, our list of the greatest horror films ever made is a great place to look. You are sure to find something to get your creative juices flowing within this lengthy list. Writing great horror starts with consuming great horror, coming up next.

Up Next: Best Horror Movies of All Time →

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How to Write Horror: The Basics of Crafting Terror

by Stuart Conover · Published April 12, 2023 · Updated April 11, 2023

Welcome, brave authors, to the thrilling world of horror writing! While it might seem like a dark and twisted genre, it is one that has captivated readers and audiences for centuries. Horror has found its way into literature, movies, television, and even video games, proving that the appeal of being scared is not only universal but also enduring. As an aspiring horror writer, you have the unique opportunity to make your readers’ hearts race, their palms sweat, and their minds race with chilling questions.

One of the keys to writing successful horror stories lies in understanding the psychology of terror. By delving into the depths of human fears, you can create gripping and immersive narratives that resonate with your audience on a primal level. This article will serve as your guide to the basics of crafting terror, providing you with the essential tools and techniques to make your stories truly unforgettable.

As you venture further into the realm of horror writing, remember that you are not alone in your journey. Countless authors before you have faced the challenge of instilling fear into their readers, and their timeless works continue to inspire and instruct new generations of writers. So, let us begin our exploration of the art of horror, and may your creative spirit soar as you breathe life into the nightmares that will haunt your readers’ dreams.

The Psychology of Fear and Terror:

Fear and terror are complex emotions that are deeply rooted in our human psyche. To craft an effective horror story, it’s important to understand the various psychological aspects of these emotions and how they can be used to captivate readers.

Innate and Learned Fears:

Innate fears are hardwired into our brains as a result of evolution. These include fears of the dark, heights, and dangerous animals, among others. Learned fears, on the other hand, are developed through personal experiences and cultural influences. As a writer, you can tap into both types of fears to create a well-rounded horror experience.

• Example: H.P. Lovecraft’s “The Call of Cthulhu” plays on innate fears of the unknown and cosmic insignificance, while Stephen King’s “It” capitalizes on common learned fears, such as clowns and childhood traumas.

The Fear of the Unknown:

Uncertainty and unpredictability are major drivers of fear. By keeping readers in the dark about certain aspects of your story, you can build anticipation and dread, making the eventual reveal more impactful.

• Example: Shirley Jackson’s “The Haunting of Hill House” creates an atmosphere of uncertainty around the supernatural occurrences, leaving readers questioning whether the events are real or imagined.

The Power of Imagination:

Often, what we imagine is far scarier than what we actually see. Playing with your readers’ imaginations by providing subtle hints and suggestions can make your story more terrifying than if you were to describe everything in detail.

• Example: In “The Turn of the Screw” by Henry James, the ghosts are never explicitly described, allowing readers to conjure their own horrifying images.

The Role of Empathy:

Readers become more invested in a story when they can empathize with the characters. By creating relatable, well-developed characters, you can make your readers feel more connected to their fears and experiences.

• Example: In “The Shining” by Stephen King, Jack Torrance’s descent into madness is made all the more terrifying because readers can empathize with his struggles as a father and husband.

As a horror writer, understanding and exploiting these psychological aspects of fear and terror can help you create a truly immersive experience for your readers. By tapping into universal fears, manipulating the unknown, allowing readers’ imaginations to run wild, and fostering empathy for your characters, you can evoke powerful emotions that will make your story unforgettable.

The Art of Atmosphere:

In horror, setting and atmosphere are crucial elements that help create an immersive and unsettling experience for the reader. A well-crafted atmosphere can evoke a sense of dread and unease, making the story feel more realistic and heightening the impact of the terrifying events that unfold. Here, we’ll discuss the importance of setting and atmosphere in horror, along with tips on how to build tension and unease through description and mood.

Choosing the Right Setting:

The setting is the backdrop against which your story takes place and can significantly influence the overall mood and tone. When crafting a horror story, consider selecting a setting that lends itself to suspense, isolation, and vulnerability. Classic horror settings include haunted houses, desolate landscapes, and remote locations.

• Example: In “The Woman in Black” by Susan Hill, the isolated Eel Marsh House, surrounded by treacherous marshlands, enhances the sense of dread and vulnerability.

Descriptive Language and Imagery:

Use vivid descriptions and sensory details to paint a picture of your setting, enabling your readers to visualize the environment and feel like they are part of the story. Be mindful of your word choices, opting for adjectives and phrases that evoke a sense of unease, darkness, or decay.

• Example: Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” features rich, gothic descriptions that contribute to the story’s eerie atmosphere.

The Power of Weather and Time:

Weather and time of day can be used to heighten tension and create an ominous atmosphere. Stormy weather, fog, and darkness can all contribute to a sense of foreboding, making events in your story feel more menacing.

• Example: In Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” the stormy weather and nighttime scenes add to the sense of danger and impending doom.

Subtle Foreshadowing:

Incorporate subtle hints and foreshadowing to build anticipation and keep your readers on edge. This can be done through descriptions of the setting or through the characters’ observations and feelings. Be careful not to overdo it, as being too obvious can detract from the suspense.

• Example: In Shirley Jackson’s “We Have Always Lived in the Castle,” the ominous atmosphere is built through subtle foreshadowing and the narrator’s unsettling descriptions of their family home.

Pacing and Rhythm:

The pacing and rhythm of your narrative can contribute to the atmosphere and tension in your story. Slower pacing allows for more detailed descriptions and a gradual build-up of tension, while faster pacing can create a sense of urgency and disorientation.

• Example: In “Psycho” by Robert Bloch, the pacing and rhythm contribute to the story’s suspenseful atmosphere, keeping readers on edge as they uncover the dark secrets of the Bates Motel.

By carefully considering your setting, utilizing descriptive language and imagery, employing weather and time to create tension, incorporating subtle foreshadowing, and managing pacing and rhythm, you can craft an atmosphere that is both haunting and unforgettable. Remember, a well-crafted atmosphere can significantly enhance the horror experience, making your story all the more chilling and memorable.

Crafting Unsettling Characters:

Characters play a crucial role in any story, and in horror, they can be the driving force behind the terror and intrigue. Both heroes and villains have important roles to play, and crafting multi-dimensional characters can make your story more engaging and emotionally resonant. In this section, we’ll discuss the roles of heroes and villains in horror stories and provide guidance on creating characters that evoke sympathy and dread.

The Role of Heroes:

Heroes, or protagonists, in horror stories often serve as the reader’s anchor in the unsettling world you create. They are the ones the readers root for, identify with, and fear for as they face horrifying obstacles. A well-developed hero should be relatable, vulnerable, and flawed, which allows readers to empathize with their struggles and feel emotionally invested in their journey.

• Example: In “Rosemary’s Baby” by Ira Levin, the protagonist, Rosemary, is a sympathetic and relatable character who finds herself caught in a terrifying web of conspiracy and supernatural danger.

The Role of Villains:

Villains, or antagonists, are the source of the horror and conflict in your story. They can be supernatural entities, deranged humans, or even manifestations of psychological trauma. An effective villain should evoke fear and dread, while also being complex and intriguing. By providing your villain with a backstory or motivation, you can create a more nuanced and compelling character.

• Example: In “Silence of the Lambs” by Thomas Harris, Dr. Hannibal Lecter is a captivating and terrifying villain whose intellect and cannibalistic tendencies create a chilling sense of dread.

Balancing Sympathy and Dread:

To create truly unsettling characters, strive to strike a balance between evoking sympathy and dread. Give your heroes flaws and vulnerabilities, which make them more relatable and intensify the reader’s concern for their well-being. For your villains, consider adding elements of humanity or understandable motives, which can make them more complex and disturbing.

• Example: In “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley, both Dr. Frankenstein and his monstrous creation evoke a mix of sympathy and dread, as their actions stem from relatable emotions and desires, yet lead to horrifying consequences.

Character Development and Arcs:

Both heroes and villains should undergo development throughout the story, making them feel more dynamic and real. This can include facing their fears, overcoming personal obstacles, or succumbing to the darkness. Creating compelling character arcs not only makes your story more engaging, but it also intensifies the emotional impact of the horror.

• Example: In “The Exorcist” by William Peter Blatty, both the possessed Regan and the doubting priest, Father Karras, undergo significant character development, making their struggles all the more harrowing.

By crafting multi-dimensional heroes and villains that evoke both sympathy and dread, you can create a more immersive and emotionally charged horror experience for your readers. Remember, your characters are the heart of your story, and investing time and effort in their development will make your horror story all the more powerful and memorable.

The Power of Suspense:

Suspense is the feeling of anticipation and uncertainty that keeps readers on edge and emotionally invested in a story. It plays a vital role in horror storytelling, as it heightens tension and makes the eventual scares and twists more impactful. Suspense keeps readers hooked, turning the pages to find out what happens next, while also fostering a sense of dread and unease. In this section, we’ll explore techniques for building suspense in your horror story through pacing, foreshadowing, and misdirection.

Pacing is the speed at which your story unfolds and can greatly influence the level of suspense. By varying the pacing of your narrative, you can control the intensity of the suspense and keep readers engaged. Slower pacing allows for gradual tension-building and deeper character development, while faster pacing can create a sense of urgency and escalate the stakes.

• Example: In “Bird Box” by Josh Malerman, the pacing alternates between the tense present-day narrative and slower-paced flashbacks, creating a balance of suspense and character development.

Foreshadowing:

Foreshadowing is the technique of providing subtle hints or clues about future events in your story. When used effectively, foreshadowing can build suspense by creating anticipation and making readers eager to find out what happens next. Be cautious not to make your foreshadowing too obvious, as this can diminish the impact of your story’s twists and scares.

• Example: In “Rebecca” by Daphne du Maurier, the opening line foreshadows the story’s dark and tragic events, creating a sense of foreboding that permeates the novel.

Misdirection:

Misdirection involves leading readers to believe something will happen, only to reveal later that something entirely different has taken place. This technique keeps readers guessing and heightens the suspense by making them question their assumptions and expectations. Misdirection can be achieved through unreliable narrators, red herrings, or unexpected plot twists.

• Example: In “Gone Girl” by Gillian Flynn, the story employs misdirection through its dual narrative structure and unreliable narrators, keeping readers uncertain about the truth and constantly guessing what will happen next.

Cliffhangers and Unresolved Tension:

Ending a chapter or scene with a cliffhanger or unresolved tension can effectively build suspense by leaving readers eager to find out what happens next. By withholding crucial information or resolution, you encourage readers to continue reading and maintain their emotional investment in the story.

• Example: In “The Haunting of Ashburn House” by Darcy Coates, the author employs numerous cliffhangers and moments of unresolved tension, keeping readers on edge and eager to uncover the house’s dark secrets.

By mastering the art of suspense through pacing, foreshadowing, and misdirection, you can create a truly gripping horror story that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Suspense is a powerful tool in horror storytelling, and when used effectively, it can elevate your story from a simple scare to a chilling and unforgettable experience.

The Use of Unpredictability and Surprise:

Unpredictability and surprise are key elements in horror storytelling, as they can keep readers engaged, heighten suspense, and create memorable moments of shock and terror. By subverting expectations and introducing surprising twists, you can keep your readers guessing and make your story more impactful. In this section, we’ll discuss the importance of unpredictability and surprise in horror and offer tips on how to subvert expectations and create shocking twists.

Subverting Tropes and Clichés:

One way to create unpredictability in your horror story is to subvert established tropes and clichés. By deviating from the expected norms of the genre, you can surprise readers and make your story feel fresh and original. Consider taking familiar horror scenarios or character types and putting your own unique spin on them.

• Example: In “The Cabin at the End of the World” by Paul Tremblay, the author subverts the classic “cabin in the woods” horror trope by introducing unexpected elements and an ambiguous, thought-provoking plot.

Unreliable Narrators:

Utilizing unreliable narrators can be an effective way to create unpredictability in your story. By having a character whose perspective or account of events is not entirely trustworthy, you can keep readers guessing and lead them to question what is truly happening in your narrative.

• Example: In “The Silent Patient” by Alex Michaelides, the use of an unreliable narrator keeps the reader uncertain about the truth behind the protagonist’s actions and the events that transpire, ultimately leading to a shocking twist.

Unexpected Plot Twists:

Introducing unexpected plot twists can not only surprise readers but also increase the emotional impact of your story. When crafting plot twists, ensure they are well-executed and logical within the context of your narrative. Be cautious not to rely too heavily on twists, as this can make your story feel gimmicky or contrived.

• Example: In “I’m Thinking of Ending Things” by Iain Reid, a series of unexpected plot twists leaves readers questioning the nature of the story’s reality and creates an unsettling sense of unease.

Shifting Perspectives and Timelines:

Experimenting with different narrative perspectives or non-linear timelines can add an element of unpredictability to your horror story. By revealing events or character insights out of order, you can keep readers on their toes and create a sense of disorientation or confusion that complements the horror elements.

• Example: In “Slade House” by David Mitchell, the story unfolds through multiple narrative perspectives and time periods, gradually revealing the horrifying truth behind the mysterious house and its inhabitants.

By embracing unpredictability and surprise in your horror storytelling, you can create a more engaging and memorable reading experience for your audience. Whether through subverting tropes, employing unreliable narrators, crafting unexpected plot twists, or experimenting with narrative structure, the element of surprise can elevate your horror story and leave a lasting impact on your readers.

Balancing Gore and Psychological Horror:

Horror fiction often grapples with the balance between graphic violence and gore, and more subtle, psychological horror. Both can be powerful tools for evoking fear and unease in readers, but their effectiveness depends on the story you are trying to tell and the preferences of your target audience. In this section, we’ll discuss the role of violence and gore in horror fiction, provide guidance on when to use graphic imagery, and explore the benefits of leaving some things to the reader’s imagination.

The Role of Violence and Gore:

Violence and gore can serve various purposes in horror fiction, from shocking and repulsing readers to underscoring the stakes and consequences faced by the characters. Graphic imagery can create a visceral, immediate response in readers, heightening the impact of a scene or plot point. However, it’s important to use violence and gore judiciously, as excessive or gratuitous depictions can desensitize readers or detract from the story’s emotional impact.

• Example: In “American Psycho” by Bret Easton Ellis, the graphic violence and gore serve to illustrate the protagonist’s descent into madness and the horror of his actions.

Psychological Horror and Imagination:

In contrast to gore, psychological horror relies more on suggestion, atmosphere, and the power of the reader’s imagination. By leaving certain elements ambiguous or unexplained, you can create a sense of unease and dread that lingers in the reader’s mind long after they’ve finished your story. Psychological horror often explores themes of fear, isolation, and the darker aspects of the human psyche.

• Example: In “The Turn of the Screw” by Henry James, the psychological horror stems from the ambiguity surrounding the supernatural occurrences and the reliability of the narrator, allowing readers to draw their own conclusions about what is truly happening.

Striking the Right Balance:

When deciding whether to use graphic violence or psychological horror, consider the tone and theme of your story, as well as your intended audience. Some horror stories benefit from a focus on gore, while others are better served by subtler, psychological elements. Be mindful of your audience’s preferences, and use gore and violence to enhance your story, rather than relying on shock value alone.

• Example: In “The Shining” by Stephen King, the author strikes a balance between visceral horror and psychological tension, combining graphic violence with the exploration of the protagonist’s deteriorating mental state.

When to Use Graphic Imagery:

Use graphic imagery when it serves a purpose in your story, such as highlighting the consequences of a character’s actions or intensifying a scene’s emotional impact. Avoid using gore for shock value alone, as this can be off-putting to some readers and may detract from your story’s overall effectiveness.

• Example: In “Carrie” by Stephen King, the graphic violence during the climactic scene serves to emphasize the tragic consequences of the protagonist’s unleashed power and the culmination of her torment.

By understanding the roles of both gore and psychological horror in storytelling, you can strike the right balance for your specific narrative and audience. Remember, horror is a diverse genre that can accommodate a wide range of styles and preferences, and the key to crafting an effective, chilling tale lies in finding the approach that best suits your story and resonates with your readers.

The Importance of Theme and Subtext:

In addition to evoking fear and unease, the most memorable horror stories often explore deeper themes and subtext, adding layers of meaning and resonance to their narratives. Themes and subtext can provide a foundation for your story, giving it substance beyond surface-level scares and allowing readers to connect with the narrative on a more profound level. In this section, we’ll discuss the role of deeper themes and subtext in elevating horror stories and offer examples of common horror themes and how to incorporate them into your writing.

The Role of Theme and Subtext:

Themes and subtext are the underlying messages or ideas that permeate a story, adding depth and nuance to the narrative. By exploring themes relevant to the human experience, you can create a horror story that transcends mere entertainment and encourages readers to reflect on deeper issues. This not only makes your story more engaging but also helps it to resonate with a wider audience.

• Example: In “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, the story explores themes of conformity, tradition, and the dark side of human nature, making it a thought-provoking and chilling tale.

Common Horror Themes:

Horror fiction often tackles universal themes that tap into readers’ deepest fears and concerns. While not nearly a full list, some common themes in horror stories include:

Fear of the unknown:

Horror stories often exploit our innate fear of the unknown, whether it’s the darkness that lies beyond the edge of our flashlight or the mysteries of the human mind.

Loss of control:

Many horror stories revolve around a character’s loss of control over their circumstances, their body, or their mind.

Horror stories frequently explore the theme of isolation, both physical and psychological, as characters find themselves cut off from the rest of society or even their own sanity.

Death and the Afterlife:

The fear of death and the unknown that lies beyond it is a recurring theme in horror fiction.

Incorporating Themes into Your Writing:

When incorporating themes and subtext into your horror story, consider how they can inform your plot, characters, and setting. Use your chosen theme to guide your story’s development and add depth to the narrative. Keep in mind that themes and subtext should be subtle and not overly didactic; allow readers to discover and interpret the underlying meaning on their own.

• Example: In “The Haunting of Hill House” by Shirley Jackson, the theme of isolation is explored through both the physical setting and the protagonist’s psychological state, creating a sense of unease that permeates the narrative.

By exploring deeper themes and subtext in your horror story, you can elevate your narrative beyond simple scares and create a more meaningful and engaging reading experience. Remember, the most impactful horror stories are those that tap into the fears and concerns that lie beneath the surface, resonating with readers on a profound level and leaving a lasting impression.

Learning from the Masters:

Studying the works of influential horror authors can provide invaluable insight into the craft of horror writing, helping you understand what makes their stories so effective and resonant. By analyzing the techniques and strategies employed by these masters of the genre, you can hone your own skills and develop a unique voice in your horror storytelling. In this section, we’ll discuss the works of influential horror authors, offer tips on how to study and learn from the greats in the genre, and share some encouraging advice from these authors to help you get into the right mindset.

Influential Horror Authors:

Some of the most influential horror authors whose works have shaped the genre include:

• Edgar Allan Poe: A master of atmosphere and suspense, Poe’s macabre tales delve into the darkest recesses of the human psyche.
• H.P. Lovecraft: Lovecraft’s cosmic horror explores themes of insignificance, fear of the unknown, and the vast, incomprehensible universe that surrounds us.
• Shirley Jackson: Known for her chilling, psychological horror, Jackson’s stories often explore themes of isolation, societal pressure, and the dark side of human nature.
• Stephen King: A prolific and popular horror author, King’s work spans a variety of horror subgenres, delving into themes of fear, loss, and the power of love and friendship.

Studying the Greats:

To learn from these influential horror authors, consider the following strategies:

• Read widely: Read a variety of works from different horror authors and subgenres, paying attention to the techniques and storytelling devices they use to create tension, atmosphere, and terror.
• Analyze their techniques: Break down the elements that make these authors’ works so effective, such as pacing, character development, setting, and thematic exploration. Take notes on what you find most compelling and how it might be applied to your own writing.
• Write and revise: Practice writing your own horror stories, incorporating the techniques and strategies you’ve learned from the masters. Revise your work, paying close attention to the elements that make horror stories effective.

Encouraging Advice from Horror Authors:

Some encouraging advice from influential horror authors to help you get into the right mindset includes:

• Edgar Allan Poe: “ Words have no power to impress the mind without the exquisite horror of their reality. “
• Anne Rice: “ If you want to be a writer, write. Write and write and write. If you stop, start again. Save everything that you write. If you feel blocked, write through it until you feel your creative juices flowing again. Write. Writing is what makes a writer, nothing more and nothing less. “
• Neil Gaiman: “ Tomorrow may be hell, but today was a good writing day, and on the good writing days nothing else matters. “
• H.P. Lovecraft: “ The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown. “
• Joe Hill: “ I think that’s part of the horror writer’s job: to create unsettling juxtapositions. You find something that seems harmless and innocent, and pair it with aspects that are disturbing. “
• Shirley Jackson: “ So long as you write it away regularly nothing can really hurt you. “
• Stephen King: “ The scariest moment is always just before you start. “
• R.L. Stine: “ When I write, I try to think back to what I was afraid of or what was scary to me, and try to put those feelings into books. “
• Clive Barker: “ Horror fiction shows us that the control we believe we have is purely illusory, and that every moment we teeter on chaos and oblivion. “
• Ania Ahlborn: “ In some ways, writing books is like giving yourself eternal life, isn’t it? “

By learning from the masters of horror, you can develop a deeper understanding of the genre’s conventions and strategies, allowing you to craft your own unique and effective horror stories. Remember, the key to becoming a successful horror writer is to read widely, analyze the works of the greats, and practice your craft diligently. With dedication and persistence, you too can leave a lasting impression on the world of horror fiction.

The Terrifying End

In this article, we’ve explored the basics of crafting terror in horror writing, delving into the psychology of fear, the importance of atmosphere, the art of crafting unsettling characters, the power of suspense, the use of unpredictability and surprise, the balance between gore and psychological horror, the significance of theme and subtext, and the value of learning from the masters of the genre. As you embark on your journey as a horror writer, keep these key points in mind:

• Understand the psychology of fear and terror to create immersive horror experiences.
• Establish a strong atmosphere and setting to build tension and unease.
• Develop multi-dimensional characters that evoke both sympathy and dread.
• Master the art of suspense through pacing, foreshadowing, and misdirection.
• Subvert expectations and create shocking twists using unpredictability and surprise.
• Balance gore and psychological horror to cater to different reader preferences.
• Explore deeper themes and subtext to elevate your horror stories.
• Study the works of influential horror authors to learn and apply their techniques.

Remember, the path to becoming a successful horror writer is paved with practice and experimentation. Don’t be afraid to explore different techniques, styles, and subgenres as you find your unique voice in the world of horror fiction. Embrace the challenge, and above all, enjoy the thrilling process of crafting terrifying stories that captivate and haunt your readers. With dedication, perseverance, and a keen understanding of the elements that make horror stories effective, you too, can leave your mark on the genre and create memorable, spine-chilling tales that linger long after the last page is turned.

• About the Author
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Stuart Conover is a father, husband, published author, blogger, geek, entrepreneur, horror fanatic, and runs a few websites including Horror Tree!

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Your Guide to Becoming a Horror Writer with an Online Creative Writing Degree

Written by Scott Wilson

Shocking, frightening, captivating… good works of horror fiction are both disturbing and impossible to put down. The visions of the horrendous stick with readers well after the covers have been closed. Being walled up alive in catacombs with a cask of amontillado, giving birth to a demonic child, or becoming gripped by suicidal madness after spending time in a haunted house aren’t things that can really happen to most of us. But the magic of horror is that it engages the imagination so that we believe they may.

Horror plays upon our fears to spark some deep, primeval emotions.

Most people suspect there must be something just a little bit wrong with horror writers for them to deliver such macabre visions. But horror is an ancient genre, stretching back to the fairytales told around fires long before the written word became a thing.

Despite my ghoulish reputation, I really have the heart of a small boy. I keep it in a jar on my desk. ~ Robert Bloch

Horror fiction is commonly crossed with other genres:

Fantasy and Science Fiction

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein grew out of a competition between her, her husband Percy, and Lord Byron to see who could write the best horror story. The scientific elements of the novel place it among the first works of science fiction… and among the most frightening.

The Silence of the Lambs is the story of the FBI hunting for a serial killer… using another serial killer, with horrific tendencies in cuisine. Thomas Harris won both the Anthony Award for detective fiction and the Bram Stoker award for horror writing in one swoop.

One of the best known of all American poems owes its popularity to its dreary, depressing atmosphere. Poe’s The Raven is a classic that rhymes as it affrights readers even today.

When you put a newly minted vampire together with a crew of Safeway night stockers and turkey bowlers you get Christopher Moore’s Bloodsucking Fiends , a fiendishly funny take on tropes in horror handed down since Dracula… with a side dish of fear served up along the way.

Because of horror’s long-lasting appeal, it’s both in-demand and lucrative. You need look no further than the careers of Stephen King, Dean Koontz, or Anne Rice to see that having a taste for blood can lead to a taste of success.

Horror writers don’t just write novels and short stories. The genre is also popular in film and television, making scriptwriting a popular path for many horror writers.

More than many genres, horror relies on a formula. Successful horror writers must be able to develop characters the reader can empathize with, craft plots that develop genuine fear, and set a tone that evokes dread. It’s a craft that requires an education. And creative writing degrees offer exactly the kind of training that horror writers need.

What Makes Horror So Compelling for Both Readers and Writers?

The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown. ~ H.P. Lovecraft

Maybe it’s better not to delve too deeply into the world of id and imagination that seem to compel such fascination with the dark and sinister.

There has been plenty of psychological investigation into why exactly it is that a large percentage of readers seem to enjoy having the pants scared off them.

What psychologists have found is that works of horror stimulate the ancient fight-or-flight response. The feeling of relief the brain experiences when that response is released, by the resolution of the frightening scene of the end of the work, results in a flood of endorphins, the body’s built-in pain relief and stress reducing chemical.

Some people seem to have a greater affinity for horror than others, but fictional works of horror seem to serve as a kind of escapism for many readers. As strange as it may sound to want to dive into bleak and frightening worlds in place of the relatively benign reality we enjoy, it’s an appeal that is hardwired into us.

That means good horror writers are never going to lack for an audience.

Horror Writing Is One of the Most Popular Niches in Creative Writing

You’d be hard-pressed to find any consecutive versions of the weekly New York Times’ Fiction Best Sellers list that don’t have a horror novel or two somewhere on them. Horror novels have been a commercial sensation going back to the very earliest days of the genre.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde , by Robert Louis Stevenson, sold 40,000 copies in the first six months, and more than 250,000 copies in the United States alone within 15 years.

Jekyll and Hyde also is representative of the role that horror fills in the literary market. One of the so-called penny dreadfuls, it was published as a paperback and sold for a penny as sensational fodder for the mass-market.

Horror Can Deliver Social Commentary Along With Good Scares

A new generation of Black authors and writers are taking to horror now to explore and illustrate some of the longstanding racial issues in America. They present a unique angle to what drives fear in different populations… in Jordan Peele’s Get Out , one of the most frightening moments is the approach of police sirens coming toward the Black protagonist at the end of the story.

The revealing play of social expectations and exploration of tropes of slavery through the dreadful prism of the Black experience is lending new relevance to horror as cultural commentary. And with Get Out , it also won writer Jordan Peele an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.

While the mass-market appeal of horror remains, it’s also a genre that has produced works that endure. Jekyll and Hyde, Dracula, and classics by Poe and Lovecraft remain widely read even today. Writing in horror is a way for creative writers to pursue both a commercially successful career and find literary respect.

How Online Creative Writing Degrees Help Build Horror Writing Skills

For future horror writers, though, a creative writing degree offers many of the tools they need to be successful.

Even if you have a knack for coming up with haunting or horrific scenarios to spin into stories, writing is a craft that takes practice on top of talent. Few people have the discipline or the dedication to get through the hard parts alone. Stephen King, one of the most celebrated of modern horror writers, focuses on the importance of strong English skills and editing in his advice to writers. King developed many of those skills himself through an English degree.

Creative writing degrees offer not only those essential mechanical skills in writing, but also a deeper exploration of the writer’s craft. They include a number of characteristics valuable not just in horror writing, but to any writer:

• Broad reading and writing assignments for experience in multiple styles and genres
• Classes in technical skills such as character and world-building
• Networking within the literary community and developing a general understanding of the business of publishing

On top of those features, though, creative writing degrees come with elements that are particularly useful in horror writing.

A Deep Understanding of Human Psychology

We make up horrors to help us cope with the real ones. ~ Stephen King

Writing good horror relies on a strong understanding on human psychology. Although psychology coursework isn’t an integral part of creative writing studies, most undergraduate college programs have required classes in psychology and the opportunity to explore it even further. Those are studies that horror writers can put to good use in developing plots that shock.

When Horror Writing Becomes High Art

The effect on readers is as shocking as that of any horror story, however. The relentless atrocities, senseless violence, and moral vacancy of the characters is accentuated by the basis in real events. It’s magnified by the pontification of the Judge, a relentless and evil force cloaked in manners and learning.

The novel continues to resonate in the canon of several different genres, but horror writers recognize McCarthy as one of their own. And the critical acclaim for Blood Meridian offers a path to literary respect and excellence that is open to any writer of horror.

Plotting for the Right Level of Suspense

Although horror does not necessarily overlap with the genre of suspense and thrillers, it still has to walk a similar tightrope to cultivate the right level of terror and relief necessary in a horror story.

Style and Storytelling Skills To Describe the Indescribable

The basis of all true cosmic horror is violation of the order of nature, and the profoundest violations are always the least concrete and describable. ~ H.P. Lovecraft

Horror writers almost universally face the challenge of describing their awful inventions in enough detail to provoke the imagination but without so much to make it banal. Horror is also among the most visual of genres, painting pictures so vivid that they seem real.

That takes exceptional writing skills. Creative writing programs develop your mastery of essential techniques for setting a tone of fear and dread. You’ll learn how to better use language to hook readers into the most frightening or disgusting scenarios.

Feedback and Fine Tuning for Tone and Storytelling

It’s hard for the average writer to understand fully how their work will land with readers. This can be a particular challenge with horror; different things are scary to different people in different ways. So getting a wide range of feedback on your writing is valuable to understand how to aim it at the audience you want to reach.

By taking a creative writing program, your work will end up in front of not just experienced instructors, but also be read and reviewed by your classmates. Fine-tuning the tone and voice in your peace to hit the terror button in all your readers takes time and revision. You’ll get the support you need on both points in a creative writing program.

While few creative writing degrees offer explicit concentrations or specializations in horror, they do come with a broad perspective on the different kinds of writing that can become great literature.

Online Creative Writing Degrees Can Make School Less Scary for Horror Writers

Whether you are plowing through long reading lists or working on the 351st draft of your final project, you’re going to be doing it by yourself whether on campus or off.

Online creative writing degrees offer you a much wider selection of different schools and programs than if you could only look closer to home. With a niche genre like horror, it can be important to find a school that has a good fit for your style. Remote studies increase those odds.

In many cases, online programs still come with some limited in-person study, usually in the form of occasional workshops or brief off-campus residencies. This can be the best of both worlds, particularly for horror writers—watching the faces of fellow students can tell you volumes about how your work is hitting.

Finding the Right Degree Level for Your Horror Writing Career

Creative writing is taught at five different levels in the college system in the United States:

• Certificate programs offer a focused approach to creative writing training that make take only a few weeks or months but zero in on specific genre or craft instruction
• Associate degrees take two years and split their coursework between general studies and basic writing skills in composition and grammar.
• Bachelor’s degrees offer four years of training in both general knowledge and liberal arts as well as reading, English, and writing topics.
• Master’s degrees are two-to-three year courses of study that focus on polishing your writing skills and preparing you and your works for professional publication.
• Doctoral degrees are five to seven year programs of study that are primarily designed to prepare graduates for teaching creative writing at the university level.

The right choice for you as a prospective horror writer will depend on factors such as:

• Your finances
• The amount of time you have to pursue a degree
• Your current skill level as a writer

The range of different educational programs in creative writing, as well as the breadth of styles and concentrations available through them, means that you can always find a good fit for whatever combination of those factors you have going on in your life:

• A high school graduate who hopes to follow in Stephen King’s footsteps may opt for an associate’s or bachelor’s degree to get started.
• A forensic pathologist with some juicy stories and a medical degree behind them might opt for a certificate to get a laser focus on getting their thoughts on paper.
• A writer who has been freelancing or working in other genres might decide to up their game through a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing, honing their skills to the highest levels in search of success.

You’ll have to pack your own vivid and horrific imaginings, but a degree in creative writing can give you all the other elements you need to become a successful horror writer.

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Creative Writing:Horror & Ghost Stories

Subject: English

Age range: 14-16

Resource type: Worksheet/Activity

Last updated

16 August 2021

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