Comments on: Writing Excuses Episode 26: Horror

By: Lysander

Lysander — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 05:38:27 +0000

Extra Credits, a video-blog that digs into various aspects of videogame design and narrative, has some interesting features on the horror genre. A large portion of it can be adapted to writing technique.

http://penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/where-did-survival-horror-go is sort of an introduction, and gives some reasons or insight for why people like horror stories.

http://penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/symbolism-101 explores some psychology and symbolism as it might relate to horror, focusing on the Self, the Uncanny, and the Other.

There’s also a few videos on zombies and the Uncanny Valley, which can be useful in writing. Many folks forget that the effect is more than just visual.

By: scary horror stories

scary horror stories — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 15:54:50 +0000

This make me think about some really scary horror stories that I have read in the past, thanks for posting

By: Sharla

Sharla — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 06:27:06 +0000

Everyone else provided links to The Yellow Wallpaper and The Rats in the Wall. I’m posting a link to what I think is the source of the “Burn The Books” strategy. (Mentioned during the discussion on how more information in a horror setting is alwys bad.)

It’s a Knights of the Dinner Table animation. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jbfIRh8kP8 . It includes the line: “You were right, staying in the back of the party with your eyes closed does work!”

By: Nick McCooey

Nick McCooey — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:51:50 +0000

I am thinking about sending Tor my synopsis. Brandon, do you have any advice?

By: Impressions: Dean Koontz « Adventures of an Amateur Novelist

Impressions: Dean Koontz « Adventures of an Amateur Novelist — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 00:46:56 +0000

[...] Koontz writes thriller and suspense stories, which are not always my cup of tea. In a recent episode of “Writing Excuses,” the guys explained the core difference between horror and suspense. In a horror story, the [...]

By: Blógünder Schlock » Blog Archive » Writing Excuses 26, 27, and 28-31

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 18:06:33 +0000

[...] are two new episodes of Writing Excuses up that I haven’t blogged about. The first, Episode 26, talks about the Horror genre about which I know a lot less than Dan Wells does. The second, Episode 27, talks about religion [...]

By: Eliyanna

Eliyanna — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 13:22:59 +0000

A few questions about the horror genre and what is in it and what it isn’t. I’ve always thought of Elantris as having one foot in the horror genre. Mostly because it scared me a bit. Despite the magic system and the world-building fantasy stuff it was sort of a zombie book, no? I thought it was interesting the Brandon kept referring to himself as an armchair observer for this topic given all that.

And on scaring people. Even asking this question reminds me of an earlier podcast where someone asked if we need plot twists and there was an emphatic YES. Does horror have to be scary? Really scary?

I’ve read tons of books and great short stories in the horror genre that I really liked all over the various horror sub-genres that didn’t scare me one bit. But I think they are awesome anyway.

Case in point: pretty much anything involving a vampire or werewolf doesn’t scare me. (Zombies do – I have some issues with death; don’t judge.) Dan emphasized that we have to be really able to identify with the characters because we don’t know what it’s like to be chased by the supernatural monsters. I totally get that. But I don’t think that Anne Rice or Bram Stoker were bad writers because they didn’t manage to spook me.

By: Justin Lowmaster

Justin Lowmaster — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 02:43:53 +0000

Thanks Raethe and Jovas, that helps. Ben, it is a short story, I’m not up to novels yet {:0) I think I’m going to give the two different voice types a try.

By: Ben

Ben — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 01:16:00 +0000

@Justin

I had the same thought as well.

(…one character will always be first person, the other always third person limited.)

What I plan on doing is switching from one to the other by chapter.

I really what to show the Character Arc for both, but the story itself is much ?better? (being a Horror/Supernatural/Thriller type, I can’t be sure yet) in first person.

On the other hand, I have read a book (can’t remember which one) in which the writer would identify who was who at the beginning of each character break. They had 3 main characters and I never got lost, I was really intrigued by the way they handled it. Hmmm, I think I’ll go look it up.

By: House of Mustard

House of Mustard — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 23:54:28 +0000

Holy creepy. I hadn’t read The Yellow Wallpaper since the 7th grade, until I followed that link. Even sitting here, in my brightly-lit cubicle, it freaked me right the heck out.