This week: Clichés Edited by: Lilith of House Martell  
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“I do not love men: I love what devours them.”
~ André Gide
Horror is, above all other things, about evoking feelings of fear or dread.
It does not have to have thrills and “jump scares.” It does not have to be about monsters, demons, and evil deities.
You could have a horror about a cubicle employee, filled with dread about a wave of downsizing that he knows is coming. |
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Sick of the same ol’ vampires and boogiemen? Are you afraid that you, yourself, might be using old horror cliches? It’s important to understand why common horror themes are common. Because of its long and bloody history, and its mass appeal, it's not easy to break new ground in the Horror genre. New horror writers must be aware of the numerous tropes, themes, and key storytelling elements that have haunted horror authors for centuries. But, people want to read fresh new stories, not the same old tropes that have been beaten to death.
People like to be frightened. If they didn't, Stephen King wouldn't have a thousand novels and you wouldn't find every horror film ever made running on television. Horror has adapted. You can still find the slasher movies and those "gross-out" moments that King references. But it's mental now. "Found footage" movies can be terrifying because it seems so normal, so every day. The more real, the better. And the scarier. It's the dark basement where the only thing you can hear is the beating of your own heart. That's real horror. The kind of stuff that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up as if someone was standing inches behind you.
But writing horror isn't so easy. With any type of fiction, it's difficult to think of something that hasn't already been done. With horror fiction, it's especially true. Creepy basements, loud noises from the attic, hidden rooms, Indian burial grounds, old hotels, multiple personality disorder, the house that's for sale too cheaply, the guy who must be working nights because he sleeps during the day, the attic room the landlady keeps locked, etc. It's all been done before, and it's all out there. These clichés shouldn't restrain you, however. They've simply defined the space you're working in. You know what's there, now create your own story.
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| | | Foe (18+)
A serial killer makes his last intervention.
#1786676 by Orion69  |
| | Daily Screams (GC)
A shelf to tidy up entries. Unless you are a SCREAMS judge, please read INTRO first.
#2147834 by ~MM~ |
| |  | Invalid Item
This item number is not valid.
#2204209 by Not Available. |
| | | The Runaway (13+)
Whatever it had been, the narrow hall was now stacked with humming vending machines.
#2248807 by Tileira |
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Horror/Scary: June 02, 2021 Issue [#10744]
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