Do You Want to Be a Horror Writer?
Writing can be hard sometimes. Though we mostly write personal opinions here at Scary Matter, we do put in quite a bit of research to get our facts straight. I can only imagine how hard it is to write an entire novel or screenplay! I do know a few writers and have seen the process they go through. They write, rewrite, second guess themselves, obsess, hate it, and start all over. The finished product is always good, but getting there can be a bitch! I’m sure it can be difficult to turn your words into something that will keep your readers up at night. So we did some research and found books that have been reviewed as very good books to help all you budding authors jump-start your writing process.
- On Writing Horror by The Writers Association – It has contributions from 58 horror writers, including Stephen King and Ramsey Campbell. It has information and tips about things like how to avoid cliches, and how to write believable characters and scenes of violence. With information from authors like that, you’re sure to learn a few things! It got 4 stars on both Amazon and Goodreads.
- Where Nightmares Come from (The Dream Weaver Series book 1) and It’s Alive: Bringing Your Nightmares to Life (The Dream Weaver Series book 2) by Clive Barker, Stephen King, and more – More instructions from the masters of horror!!!! Book 1 covers such things as techniques and bringing your story to life. There are also interviews and personal stories from some of the authors. Book 2 covers things like creating characters, building suspense, and getting your ideas out of your head and onto the paper. Both have 4.5 stars on Amazon and 4 stars on Goodreads.
- On Writing by Stephen King – Part memoir, part instruction book. He talks about his life, things that happened to him, and what inspires him to write. The second part of the book is instructional, talking about how real-life experiences can shape your stories and gives tips and advice to get you up and writing. It has 5 stars on both Amazon and Goodreads!
- Writing Scary Scenes: Professional Techniques for Thrillers, Horror and Other Exciting Fiction by Rayne Hall – This book offers tips for making sure your scary scenes are actually scary, creating good heroes and monsters, making your readers really feel it, and creating a great climax. It has 4.5 stars on Amazon and Goodreads.
- Horror Writing 101: How to Write A Horror Novel by Steve French – This book is full of ideas to help you get started on writing your amazing horror stories. It’s a practical, easy to follow, informative book. And you can get a free same on Amazon! It has 4.4 stars on Amazon.
The horror industry has been booming over the last few years. And it seems like every time I turn on the tv there’s another book being made into a show or movie. And thanks to the internet and social media, an aspiring author has so many things available to help get their stories noticed. Even self-publishing has taken off. So go for it! You could end up being the next big thing. We have faith in you.
Good luck future authors. Happy (and scary) writing!