Writers write to get a reaction out of their readers. No matter the genre, you want your reader to feel something when they read your writing.
For horror writers, that feeling is fear. But it’s also so much more than that.
Great horror stories take the everyday creepy and turn it into something even more creepy (and often become a condemnation of injustices in society). And then, the great thing is, horror stories teach you that those creepy things can be beaten. That’s what keeps bringing the readers back.
And that’s why horror writers keep churning out the fear.
Maybe you love writing scary stories. Maybe you don’t, but this is something you’d like to take a whack at, just for practice (we’re fans about that around here!).
Just like reading outside your genre is valuable to mastering the writing craft, so is writing a scary story.
This story doesn’t have to be long, it could be a short story. Try for something you can write in one sitting, like 1,500 words.
To get you started, use one of the Halloween writing prompts suggested in this article. Then let loose, and have fun!
People are complicated. I know, that’s like saying, “Hey, fire is hot!” but when it comes to characterization, this needs to be said. Our tendency as authors is to stick imaginary people into tiny two-dimensional categories, forgetting that no human being fits into tiny two-dimensional categories.
One of the things that makes humans so confounded complicated is we are not logical.
“Thriller” is a great genre. In terms of literature, a thriller is any story that “thrills” the reader—i.e., gets adrenaline pumping, heart-rate racing, and emotions peaked. As you can guess, that makes it fairly broad. Buckle your seatbelts. These prompts are gonna be a wild ride.
Hello, friends! Last time, I shared 20 fantasy story ideas to get your brain moving. This time, it’s my pleasure to go from earth to space. It’s time for…*drum roll* sci-fi story ideas!
Do you enjoy a good whodunit? So do I! There’s something wonderful about a cozy mystery, especially for writers. Crafting a good mystery is one of the best writing exercises there are. Today, it’s my pleasure to share with you some fun, quirky, story ideas for writing mysteries.
