This week: Let's Start At The Beginning Edited by: W.D.Wilcox  
More Newsletters By This Editor 
 
1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions
Begin at the beginning, go on till you come to the end: then stop.
-Lewis Carrol, Alice in Wonderland
“But I don’t want to go among mad people," Alice remarked.
"Oh, you can’t help that," said the Cat: "we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad."
"How do you know I’m mad?" asked Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn’t have come here.”
― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland |
| ASIN: B07P4NVL51 |
Product Type: Toys & Games
|
Amazon's Price: Price N/A
|
|
Start At The Beginning
How do I write horror?
Like everything else, you just start. Perhaps one of the more challenging elements of the horror story is the beginning of the story, or the opening lines. You can start your own horror story by first creating a story idea and crafting a strong beginning. You should then revise your beginning pages so they fit with the rest of the story and are as engaging as possible.
Describe something that scares or revolts you. Think about your greatest fear or fears. This could be the fear of losing a loved one, a fear of heights, a fear of clowns, or even a fear of water. You can then tap into this fear and explore it as an idea for your story.
Turn an ordinary situation into something horrifying. You can also take a normal, common situation like going for a stroll in the park, preparing a meal, or visiting a friend and add a terrifying element to the situation. Use your imagination to add a horrifying spin to a normal, everyday activity or scene.
Create an informative, engaging first line. The first line of your story should raise questions in the reader’s mind but also ground the reader in the story. A good opening line will tell the reader what the story is about, have a distinct voice or point of view, and a hint of characterization.
Start in scene. Try to start your story in scene, where your character or characters are moving, interacting, or doing something. Starting in a scene with action will engage your reader right away and hook them in so they are encouraged to keep reading. It will also help to ground the reader in the story and help them to feel carried along by the story.
Introduce terrifying or unsettling details right away. You are writing a horror story after all, so do not be afraid to introduce terrifying or unsettling details within the first paragraph of the story. By the end of the first paragraph, your reader should know the setting and the conflict. Your reader should also have a good sense of terror or fear by the end of the first page of the story, as you want to evoke strong emotions from your reader.
|
READ THIS!
|  | Witch Trials (13+)
A short story about the Salem Witch Trials, written for a contest. Please R&R!!
#876320 by spidey  |
|
Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form
Don't forget to support our sponsor!
| ASIN: B07NPKP5BF |
Product Type: Toys & Games
|
Amazon's Price: Price N/A
|
|
DEAD LETTERS
Kåre Enga in Udon Thani 
To me context is everything. I jump when I hear certain noises at night at home. I live alone and because of a couple incidents (years ago) a bang or ... most anything will disturb me. My eyes may close; my ears stay alert. When I travel? If it's cold, dark and quiet I sleep like a baby.
s 
Not really. It's more setting, tone, character, action.
I think horror uses more of the way a sentence is structured. Short sentences to mirror some-one panting. Long sentences to mirror running. Cut-off sentences, sentence fragments, single word paragraphs... It's not just the words used, but the way they are used to create a satisfying and horrifying whole.
rolandeld
Not sure I use spooky words so much as just creating spooky situations and images.
~SilverMoon~
Spooky words.hmm. Twisted, gnarled, oozing, oh that's not scary I guess.
Spine tingling, blood curdling. |
| ASIN: B01IEVJVAG |
Product Type: Kindle Store
|
Amazon's Price: $ 9.99
|
|
To stop receiving this newsletter, click here for your newsletter subscription list. Simply uncheck the box next to any newsletter(s) you wish to cancel and then click to "Submit Changes". You can edit your subscriptions at any time.
|
Horror/Scary: September 30, 2020 Issue [#10386]
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
