Want To Start Writing Horror? Here's What You Should Know

Horror can be a tricky genre to write because there are a lot of misconceptions about it. Too often, people mistakenly assume that horror is written for shock value or lacks any substantial literary merit.

However, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Horror is just as important a genre as romance, fantasy, etc. In fact, one could argue that it is one of the oldest genres known to humankind. After all, primitive stories exist to scare others into staying with the group and away from the darkness that lies around the campfire.

Here’s what you should know before you start writing horror.

BIOLOGICAL NATURE OF HORROR

To understand why horror is essential, you need to understand what it does to the body. Once fear has been recognized, the amygdala (a small organ in the middle of your brain) releases hormones like adrenaline and cortisol—your heart rate and blood pressure increase. You grow hyper-aware of your surroundings.

Why is that a good thing?

Your body is a machine, and like all machines, it must be put into use to be effective.

Have you ever tried to run a car that has been dormant for months or even weeks? 

Exactly!

Think of it this way, would you rather train your fear response system by going on a roller coaster or being mugged? I will take a trip to Disney World. Thank you very much.

Horror is all about the biological response.

It gives us a safety net to comfortably control these fear responses.

Multiple studies have shown that people who tend to gravitate towards horror are more likely to have quicker response times to life-threatening situations. I am praised for being a quick thinker and having an excellent sixth sense in my family.

I do not think this is by accident – I write about what scares me, and I get my release of tension that way. My partner and I are also first in line for all the Halloween blockbusters. It is no surprise, in my opinion, that when we have gone through some horrible experiences (from an apartment fire to having our car towed overnight), I believe we have handed it logically and without panicking.

It is because we have already trained our fear responses through the consumption of horror media.

THE STRANGE CASE OF S.M.

To put the above in perspective, let me introduce you to the case of S.M., or SM-046.

This woman has Urbach-Wiethe disease, which directly affects her amygdala.

Do you remember what that does? Yep, she cannot feel fear as a result. Scientists have extensively studied her, going as far as showing her classic horror films such as The Shining or The Silence of the Lambs. Researchers have also put her through several haunted houses, such as the Waverly Hills Sanatorium, and exposed her to traditionally scary animals like spiders and snakes.

In each instance, she was not afraid.

Not fearing anything might sound good, but also consider that S.M. also had several life-threatening close encounters. She was once held up by gunpoint and several times by knifepoint and was involved in more than one domestic violence incident.

Is she just incredibly unlucky?

It is more likely that her inability to feel fear does not give her a sense of danger. She doesn't know what places to avoid; she doesn't have that innate sense of – something doesn't feel right; I think I'll avoid this street and walk down another.

In short, we need fear.

It is a biological response that helps keep us alive. While you do not necessarily need to watch or love horror to get a safe release, there is nothing wrong with those who use this entertaining mechanism.

THE THREE ELEMENTS OF HORROR

So, yes, horror does serve a purpose and is valuable as a genre.

It gives us that release of tension, and in the case of good horror, it also comments on the human condition.

You may ask what separates horror from other types of fiction at this point. After all, you can get scared in science fiction, even in a romance.

There are three distinct elements of horror:

• Tension: The escalation of fear throughout the narrative. The audience is not sure what might happen next, and thus, viewers are hesitant and apprehensive about what might come.

• Relevance: The horror narrative must be relatable like all good stories. The audience must identify with someone in the piece, even if it's the killer! The horror narrative must also be relevant to the time it's written. For instance, we may not fear aliens today as a society did in the 1950s.

• Unrealism: There must be a suspension of disbelief if there is a payoff. The audience can believe that something could happen; however, very unlikely.

All these three aspects combine to create the horror genre. You can have just one or two elements in other genres, but if you have all three, that is horror.

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