Rocky Horror

If you are wondering how to write a horror novel you have probably read a horror novel before and it appealed to you. Writing a horror novel can be very challenging. The essence of any horror novel is to create fear in the mind of the reader. The author must be able to use the tools of horror writing to tap into the fear at the back of the reader’s mind. A good horror writer should be able to create suspense that will keep the reader at the edge of his or her seat. The reader’s fear will be escalated with the inclusion of a few surprises.

If you have read a horror novel before, you probably know all this and your question now is how to write a horror novel. A good place to begin is by confronting your own fears. Write a horror that includes the things that scare you. Place yourself in the main character’s place and have them react the same way you would react in a similar situation. Use the main character as a channel of your anxieties and fears.

Reading horror novels by other authors is a good way to learn how to write a horror novel. Studying the guidelines set by publishers is also a good way to know what publishers and horror readers are looking for in a horror novel. Using the publishers’ guidelines will help you in deciding the theme and constructing your plot.

Decide on your main and supporting characters. Assign roles and traits to your characters remembering to make them as realistic as possible. Avoid making them too perfect or too evil. Remember that the readers will connect to your story as a result of the characters therein.

Choose an appropriate setting and carry out your research. You are now ready to write your horror novel.

science fiction/double feature

I want to know what kind of book you all would read as a reference. Here are some examples, if you have others or anything specific you would like to name, go ahead:

- fantasy (vampire, witches/wizards, trolls, etc.)
- horror
- psychological (whether fiction or not)
- science fiction
- regular fiction
- historical fiction
- nonfiction
- auto-/biography

I’m going to base this question on which areas get the most “love”, top-three-areas-kind-of-thing
- fvrte_grl

I usually like horror, science-fiction, and mystery, but I’ll also be open to anything else if there is a must-read book out there.
- Nooooooooooo

I have quite a few short stories I would like to sell. However, I have no idea how to go about doing so! The pieces span several genre’s including horror, mystery, romance, and science fiction. Should I get a literary agent for this (keep in mind they are all short stories)?
- Sincerely Yours

I am looking to submit work to possibly be published and wanted some names of magazines or journals that are reputable. Thank you for your time and assistance.
- Gabrielle

i dont want twilight or harry potter or the golden compass. something that will take me a long time to read.(i read really fast)
- Kai

no horror, no fantasy,
a bit of thriller is ok.

thnx
- yum.lollypop

I am creating a website for writers and would like to start off with a good list of genres to classify the stories. I am looking for ones like, “Science Fiction”, “Crime Drama”, “Horror”, etc. I would like the list to be comprehensive without being overwhelming.
Perhaps I have been unclear, this is NOT a publishing related site, it is more like a community based fun site, where writers can share and add to each other’s stories.

What makes me qualified to build this site is that I am a website coder and designer. All I am looking for are lists that may include genres that, in my planning and research, I have missed.
- egoant