66 NOVEMBER 2019 http://www.writers-online.co.uk
T
his month we bring you the second part our series of
top ten tips from across genre fiction. We’ve already
stepped into the future with science-fiction and next
month we’ll take a glimpse into the past with fantasy
fiction. Now, in the run up to Halloween, it’s time to
take a long look at the dark side with our headline advice for aspiring
horror writers. I’ve been very much heartened by the resurgence within
the genre of late, and the next few years are going to be an exciting
time to be both writing and reading within the field.
So, let’s get to it, shall we?Right on time for Halloween, Alex Davis offers his
top ten tips on writing horror1
Remember the importance of the build
While many of the moments we might remember in
horror are great finales or impactful images towards the end
of the piece, a huge part of what makes these so memorable
is the build towards them. Pacing is a very important
aspect of horror, and whatever it is you are intending the
reveal as, the ‘element of fear’ within your story needs to be
properly presaged. In that way you should be able to get
the right reaction from the reader rather than them feeling
bewildered, underwhelmed or flat-out amused by the
randomness of your ‘other’. Plant clues along the way that
will not only give some hint of what the horrific element
of your story will be, but also drill home to the reader
just how serious confronting this thing will be for the
characters. If you don’t do this it’s very unlikely your story
will stay with a reader.2
Consider the atmosphere
Something that goes hand-in-hand with this element
of building the ‘other’ is also to work at the atmosphere of
your story. Most horror stories don’t really go for the jugular
(if you’ll forgive the pun) until at least halfway into the tale,
so to keep readers invested early on your need to build a
mood of menace and dread. You can do this partly through
setting, as well as in your language. Adjectives might be
the obvious first stop for this, but you can also very much
use verb choices to work up atmosphere – it’s worth
considering the connotation that a particular word will
have for a reader in developing this sort of ambience. This
is also in part about establishing with your reader what sort
of story they are getting into – the contract between writer
and reader in action.3
Think carefully about the reveal
The moment in which we first see the ‘other’ in our
horror stories is not only a memorable one, it’s also usually
the split second in which the pace of the story shifts and
we enter explicitly into horror territory. As such, gettingTHE ART OF
THE SCARE