Writing Horror

by Van Belkom, Edo

• ISBN13: 9781551802817
• ISBN10: 1551802813
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-01-01
• Publisher: Natl Book Network

Summary

Think you have the makings of a good horror writer? The craft of horror fiction has its own rules. Writing Horror takes you through the process of creating horror, including the art of suspending reader disbelief, the creation of atmosphere and believable characters, and the seven steps of plotting. From psychological to supernatural horror, from vampires to splatterpunk, Writing Horror gives you practical advice on starting and finishing your manuscript, getting a response from publishers, and cracking the pro market.

This comprehensive guide to the horror genre also covers the following topics:
-- Keeping track of your ideas
-- Creating atmosphere and characters
-- Writing young adult horror
-- Writing horror comics, screenplays, and poetry

Table of Contents

Acknowlegments	xiii
Introduction: So Who Wants to Be a Horror Writer?	3	(6)
Part One: The Horror Genre	9	(34)
What is Horror?	11	(8)
The differences between science fiction, fantasy, and horror	11	(1)
Horror moves versus horror fiction	12	(1)
Getting a solid grounding in the genre	13	(2)
Avoiding what's been done to death	15	(4)
Horror Subgenres	19	(14)
Classic monsters	20	(1)
Selected authors and works featuring classic monsters	21	(1)
Vampire	21	(2)
Selected authors and works featuring vampires	21	(2)
Cthulhu mythos	23	(1)
Selected authors and works in the Cthulhu mythos	23	(1)
Quiet horror	24	(1)
Selected authors and works of quiet horror	24	(1)
Splatterpunk	24	(1)
Selected authors and works of splatterpunk	25	(1)
Psychological horror	25	(1)
Selected authors and works of psychological horror	26	(1)
Occult/supernatural horror	26	(1)
Selected authors and works of occult/supernatural horror	26	(1)
Dark fantasy	27	(1)
Selected authors and works of dark fantasy	27	(1)
Erotic horror	27	(3)
Selected authors and works of erotic horror	28	(2)
Dark suspense	30	(1)
Selected authors and works of suspense	30	(1)
Young adult/juvenile horror	30	(3)
Selected authors and works of young adult/juvenile horror	31	(2)
Story Format	33	(10)
Horror short stories versus horror novels	33	(2)
What works best for a tale of horror?	35	(3)
The scenic route versus the shortest distance between two points	38	(1)
Novel ideas versus short stories padded into novels	38	(1)
Writing horror comics	39	(1)
Writing horror screenplays	40	(1)
Writing horror poetry	40	(3)
Part Two: Writing Horror	43	(84)
What Scares You?	45	(14)
What are you afraid of?	45	(2)
Keeping track of your ideas	47	(1)
Ideas are easy; stories are hard	47	(1)
Turning an idea into a story	48	(3)
Writing what you know	51	(3)
Writing what you don't know: Research	54	(1)
Knowing where you're going: Outlining	55	(4)
Elements of Horror: The Blood and Guts	59	(28)
Getting started: Story introductions	59	(6)
Description	60	(1)
Character	61	(1)
Dialogue	62	(1)
Action	63	(1)
Letters and diaries (epistolary format)	63	(2)
Creating atmosphere: Setting the stage	65	(6)
What you write	65	(3)
How you write	68	(3)
Characters: People to believe in	71	(5)
Stereotypical characters	73	(1)
Sympathetic characters	73	(1)
Unsympathetic characters	73	(1)
How many characters do you need?	74	(2)
Plotting	76	(8)
The seven-step story	76	(8)
The seven-step novel	84	(1)
Themes: More than just a scary story	84	(3)
How Does Horror Work?	87	(26)
Suspension of disbelief	87	(2)
The threat is real	89	(1)
Sympathetic characters in peril	90	(1)
Point of view (POV)	91	(9)
First person	95	(1)
Second person	95	(3)
Third person	98	(1)
Omniscient/limited omniscient/objective	99	(1)
Showing versus telling	100	(2)
Exposition	102	(2)
Scenes	104	(1)
Dialogue	105	(1)
Symbolism	106	(1)
Grammar	106	(4)
Who's the monster here, anyway?	110	(1)
Jump tales	111	(1)
Just deserts	112	(1)
Going over the top	112	(1)
Young Adult Horror	113	(8)
Real kids in real trouble	114	(1)
Cliff-hangers and suspense	115	(1)
A wholesome theme (Do the right thing)	115	(3)
Humor	118	(1)
Does everybody get out alive?	119	(1)
The evil can (and will) return	119	(1)
Don't dumb it down	120	(1)
Revising and Polishing	121	(6)
Revising	121	(3)
Getting second and third opinions	122	(1)
Letting a story simmer for a while	123	(1)
Tightening	123	(1)
Polishing	124	(3)
Proofreading	125	(1)
One last read through	126	(1)
Part Three: The Horror Marketplace	127	(86)
Selling Horror	129	(8)
Marketing your short fiction	129	(1)
Market information	130	(2)
Selling to the small press	132	(1)
Cracking the pro markets	132	(3)
Mainstream markets for horror	135	(1)
Study and know the horror market	136	(1)
Manuscript Format	137	(14)
Looking like a pro in print	137	(1)
The basics of manuscript format	138	(9)
Other things to note about manuscript format	147	(1)
Listing rights	147	(1)
Paper quality	147	(1)
Print quality	147	(1)
Staples and paper clips	148	(1)
Contest format	148	(1)
Manuscript format for novels	148	(3)
Title page	149	(1)
Chapter openers	149	(2)
Sending Off Your Manuscript	151	(6)
Cover letters	151	(2)
SASEs	153	(1)
Simultaneous submissions	154	(1)
Rolling submissions	154	(1)
E-mail submissions	155	(2)
Getting a Response	157	(8)
Form rejections	157	(2)
Personalized rejections	159	(1)
Don't give up---be determined	160	(2)
Network with others in the field	162	(1)
If all else fails, start your own small magazine	162	(3)
The Horror Marketplace	165	(22)
Short fiction	165	(9)
Small-press magazines	165	(1)
Semi-professional magazines	166	(1)
Professional magazines	166	(1)
Anthologies	167	(3)
Horror on the Web	170	(4)
Book-length horror	174	(2)
Novels	174	(1)
Media tie-ins	175	(1)
Novelizations	176	(1)
Markets outside the horror genre	176	(1)
Book publishers	177	(3)
Major publishers	177	(2)
Small presses	179	(1)
Print-on-demand	179	(1)
Electronic books	179	(1)
Where to find market information	180	(1)
Scavengers Newsletter	180	(1)
The Gila Queen's Guide to Markets	180	(1)
Writer's Digest Magazine Fiction 50	181	(1)
Annual Novel and Short Story Writer's Market	181	(1)
Writers' organizations and groups	181	(1)
Visit your local bookstore	182	(1)
Online resources/informative sites	182	(1)
Darkecho newsletter	182	(1)
Hellnotes	183	(1)
The Chiaroscuro	183	(1)
Darktales online horror community	183	(1)
Other online market listings	183	(1)
Trade magazines	184	(3)
Dark Regions & Horror Magazine	184	(1)
Fangoria	184	(1)
Locus, SF Chronicle	185	(1)
Rue Morgue	185	(1)
Parsec	186	(1)
Contracts and Agents	187	(12)
Copyright and copywrong	187	(1)
First North American and other serial rights	188	(2)
Work-for-hire contracts	190	(1)
Contract watch: What to look for	191	(1)
Where to get advice	192	(1)
When do you need an agent?	193	(3)
Getting an agent	196	(1)
Marketing yourself	197	(2)
A Final Word	199	(14)
Appendixes
1 Writers' organizations	201	(4)
2 Reference books	205	(4)
3 Seminal works of horror	209	(2)
4 Horror/fantasy awards	211	(2)
5 Horror authors you should know	213