L. Marie Wood

Adapting Horror for the Screen: Lessons from Film for Writers

Discover cinematic techniques writers can use to craft immersive horror fiction. Learn how pacing, framing, sound/silence, POV, pacing, and reveal mirror film horror — making your writing more cinematic, atmospheric, and emotionally impactful.

Using Social Commentary in Horror: What Lies Beneath the Fear

Horror fiction can serve as a reflective lens, exposing societal anxieties and injustices. By embedding real social issues into narratives, writers create more impactful and haunting stories. Effective horror combines fear with social commentary, utilizing metaphors, complex characters, and immersive settings, while maintaining the genre’s unsettling essence.

The Importance of Research in Writing Realistic Horror

Discover why research is crucial in horror writing. Learn how grounding your horror in realistic settings, psychology, culture, science, and social context strengthens immersion, deepens fear, and lends emotional weight — creating horror readers believe in long after they finish the story.

Setting the Mood: The Power of Descriptive Language in Horror

Discover how powerful descriptive language can elevate horror. Learn how to use sensory detail, mood, setting, pacing, weather, and emotional tone — to transform ordinary spaces into dread-filled nightmares that haunt the reader long after the final sentence.

How to Write an Effective Horror Collection

Writing a horror collection involves navigating unique challenges and rewards. It allows for diverse voices and fears across different stories. To create cohesion, define the anthology’s purpose, carefully structure story order for balance, and ensure strong, varied narratives. Respect readers’ sensitivities while still exploring intense themes for a profound effect.

Horror from History: Drawing on Real Events to Inspire Terror

Discover how to draw on real history to craft horror stories that terrify and resonate. This guide shows writers how to research events, use atmosphere and sensory detail, balance fact and fiction, explore trauma and memory — creating horror deeper than ghosts or monsters.

Wait… what?

I’m having a hard time believing this year is almost over. It flew, then it crawled, then it flew again. There have been ups and downs as there are in every year, but as I sit back to reflect, I am genuinely surprised that we made it to this point in what felt like theContinue reading “Wait… what?”

Building Horror in Serial Fiction: Keeping Readers Hooked

Serial fiction offers a unique platform for horror, allowing for the slow accumulation of dread and reader investment. Key strategies include establishing a clear overarching horror concept, using episodic hooks, and developing characters over time. By maintaining atmosphere, pacing, and internal logic, writers can create a haunting narrative that lingers with readers.

The Role of Supernatural Elements in Horror Fiction

Supernatural elements in horror fiction intensify fear by tapping into the unknown and irrational. They serve as compelling villains and enhance psychological unease, reinforcing the genre’s themes. Archetypes and atmospheric settings echo cultural anxieties. The evolution from Gothic roots to contemporary twists showcases their lasting impact on storytelling and societal reflections.

Writing in the Dark: Tips for Aspiring Horror Authors from a Seasoned Writer

So, you want to delve into the dark arts of horror writing, do you? Well, you’ve come to the right crypt. Crafting tales that chill the spine and curdle the blood is no small feat, but fear not! As a seasoned writer who’s spent countless nights conversing with the shadows, I’m here to light yourContinue reading “Writing in the Dark: Tips for Aspiring Horror Authors from a Seasoned Writer”