Horror and Scary Editor: Legerdemaim 
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| This newsletter aims to highlight some of the current contests and activities on the site, help educate members on how to host contests and activities, and provide clues to submit quality entries to contests. Write to me if you'd like something in particular covered. |
Horror and Scary
We're moving into the horror and scary season so I'd like to suggest a little prep work. Besides the prep work you'll be doing for the October Base Camp , you can develop some characters and scenes for your horror - scary entries.
Main Types of Scary Writing
• Psychological Horror: Focuses on the unraveling minds, sanity, and paranoia of characters rather than physical monsters. It explores internal fears, trauma, and unreliability of perception.
• Gothic Horror: Relies on atmosphere, dread, decaying architecture, ancient curses, and a persistent sense of romanticized doom or historical mystery.
• Supernatural / Cosmic Horror: Centers on otherworldly entities, ghosts, or forces beyond human comprehension. It often highlights how small and powerless humanity is against the infinite unknown.
• Body Horror: Evokes visceral disgust and fear through physical transformation, mutilation, or the corruption of the human form.
• Slasher / Survival Horror: Emphasizes high-stakes physical survival, relentless brutality, and a hunted protagonist trying to escape an unstoppable physical killer.
The Core Emotional Levels of Fear
According to Writer's Digest, fear in writing generally operates on three different levels:
• The Gross-Out: Shock and physical disgust caused by sudden, grotesque imagery.
• The Horror: A mental shutdown or deep revulsion caused by something unnatural, monstrous, or alien that the brain struggles to process.
• Terror: The lingering, existential dread that occurs when reality itself is subverted or the familiar becomes dangerously wrong.
Give this some thought, jot down a few ideas and get ready for the prompts to inspire you!
And as always, Write On!
This month's question: Do you enjoy the horror/scary genre? Send in your answer below!  Editors love feedback! |
WDC September Site Contest
Quote Prompt for September 2026:
"A little party never killed nobody." — Fergie
Write a Halloween tale that includes each word listed below. Make it funny, sad, or scary.
My first horror crossword challenge from A Very Wode House Challenge challenge.
Do you love vampires and vamp culture? Then you'll love this crossword about all things vampire related. See how much you know about the world of vampires by finishing this creepy puzzle. Have fun!
Pick your brain, so to speak, and test your knowledge of horror films.
This is a fun crossword for Stephen King fans!
Are you a slayer when it comes to crossword puzzles?
| |  | the bells (E) noone ever heard the bells ring like this before |
Try this madlib!
We are hosting this Auction to celebrate the Fall Season. |
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
This month's question: Do you enjoy the horror/scary genre? Send in your answer below! Editors love feedback!
Last month's "Contests & Activities Newsletter (September 2, 2026)" question: Do you have a plan for organizing all your writing?
Orange_Gourd_Mike  : I think I've fallen down this rabbit hole before, or at least a similar one. My "plan" is to keep my current membership level active, so none of the folders I've managed to create just up and disappears. 
Haunted Sox  : I organize my writing by types and lengths poetry, prose, non fiction short, novellas, books
Babadave-daaave-daaaaave  : Yes. And I had one before that, and one before that and... 
I just keep it simple these days: short stories/poetry/autobiography/puzzles and so on at the top level, with short stories and poetry subdivided by high level genre. And I have a lookup at the top level where I have links to the current year's work, so that people can find the recent stuff.
Scribbler  : I do ... until I notice another pile or folder of past writing. And then I move to that area to organize it. I have narrowed my writing efforts into 12 topics, placing my unfinished writing into those twelve folders. At least I'll know now where a specific idea (if it exists) can be found for subsequent editing.
TheBusmanPoet  : I've never done it, I like my chaotic listings. All in order by date when written.
TJ-becoming a werewoodchuck!  : A plan? Yes, I plan on winging it.
Mousethyme is camping  : I have all my writing separated by project in tote bags in my room. They are taking over!
Thanks for all the wonderful responses! L~ |
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Contests & Activities: September 30, 2026 Issue [#13978]
