Effective horror writing transcends mere jump scares, focusing on crafting an immersive atmosphere and relatable characters. Key elements include exploring primal fears, utilizing sensory details, pacing scares, and leveraging the unknown. Psychological layers and unexpected twists enhance tension, ensuring that the horror resonates long after the story ends.
Tag Archives: horror
What Neuroscience Reveals About Our Love For Horror
Horror movies evoke fear yet captivate audiences due to complex brain mechanisms. The amygdala triggers fear responses, while the prefrontal cortex allows for controlled enjoyment. This blend of thrill releases dopamine, creating pleasure. Additionally, horror films offer emotional regulation, social bonding, and cultural reflection, encapsulating our primal instincts and modern anxieties.
How to Write Convincing and Terrifying Ghost Characters
This guide outlines effective strategies for creating compelling ghost characters in literature and film. Essential elements include understanding a ghost’s motivations, crafting an immersive atmosphere, developing relatable characters, and balancing terror with subtlety. Additionally, tapping into universal fears, establishing internal rules, and incorporating diverse ghost lore enhance the haunting experience for readers.
June Boom
I’d never heard of the term ‘June Gloom’ before going to StokerCon in San Diego earlier this month and finding it overcast every morning. But that was the extend of the June Gloom for me becuase this month has been nothing but June BOOM (see what I did there?). What an awesome month this hasContinue reading “June Boom”
Hey, Hey… May’s Almost Gone Away!
Sheesh! Time is moving FAST these days! May is almost over. I’m ready for the warmer weather, but I’m not loving how quickly things seem to be moving. SMH. How’ve you been? Me? Things have been good. REALLY good, actually. This kind of good: YAHOOOO!!!!! So excited to see this beauty earn an orange banner!Continue reading “Hey, Hey… May’s Almost Gone Away!”
Let’s Go, Spring!
I’m ready for spring. Are you? I need it, because it only gets us closer to summer, and that is the season I love most. The sun, the sundresses, the smell of food cooking on the grill… all of this… I’m ready for it. The kick-off of spring also means the start of convention seasonContinue reading “Let’s Go, Spring!”
Your Brain… On Horror
Have you ever curled up with a horror novel, heart pounding, jumping at every little noise in your house, yet you couldn’t put the book down? Or maybe you’ve binged through a horror series, feeling both terrified and utterly captivated. Ever wonder what’s going on in your noggin during those intense moments of fear andContinue reading “Your Brain… On Horror”
Happy New Year!!
And it’s time to jump right in! What are your resolutions? What are your goals? I try not to make unrealistic ones anymore – I mean, I know I’m not going to work out 7 days a week anymore, and I keep them to just a few. This year my goal is to sit back and smell theContinue reading “Happy New Year!!”
It’s that time of year again…
If you celebrate and whatever you celebrate, Happy That! For me, it is Christmas and I want to share my favorite Christmas song with you: This. Absolutely. I just… yes. And now, onto something that kind of blew my mind. I saw other folks doing this and taking stock piqued my interest. I was floored when IContinue reading “It’s that time of year again…”
Is there a double standard? Thinking out loud…
Can men and women of equal talent and similar style write about the same subject matter and be reviewed and, subsequently, received differently? The propensity for women to assume male pen names when they write in so-called stronger categories/genres begs the question. Are women relegated, in large part, to what has been termed chit litContinue reading “Is there a double standard? Thinking out loud…”
L. Marie Wood 