The Makings of a Good Horror Story

I’m considering writing a horror short story, but first I decided to do a little research into the elements that add up to create an enjoyable and truly scary horror story. I’ve never attempted to write a horror story, and it is because of this that I decided it would be a good exercise for me. It’ll force me to step out of my comfort zone, and explore certain aspects that I never have before.

Of course, several elements that create a good horror story remain true for stories in general. Characters need to be three-dimensional, and believable. If people can’t identify with the main character, then the events that befall the character have little to no effect upon the reader. If the reader can’t fear for the character’s life, then the story will quickly turn into a boring read.

Next, predictability needs to be avoided. The reader should not be able to call each event before it even happens. It is the writer’s job to always stay one step ahead of the reader without becoming too confusing. The reader should not expect a character’s death, and should not be bored by a sudden plot twist. The writer has failed at creating an entertaining piece of work if readers are able to do this. An unexpected ending ties into this element. The ending of the story should not be able to be determined by the very first few paragraphs. Nothing makes a person regret buying a book more than already knowing the outcome of the story before he’s even finished reading.

The next few aspects are more story specific to the horror genre, as well as the subcategory of short stories themselves. The first, and perhaps most important, theme I discovered that works best for a horror story is writing about the mundane, and twisting it into something dark and ugly. All horror begins at home. The writer need look no further than his immediate surroundings. The terror that people identify with is their rational world made unsafe.

Second, the story needs to be anchored in a believable setting. Nearly all stories require a certain measure of suspending disbelief, but if the reader is forced to step too far out of the realm of possibility he then becomes disconnected with the story itself. If events do not hold at least a small grain of truth within them it’s harder to swallow, and that much less scary.

Third, things should be concise and coherent. Most people are not looking for ‘literary horror’, but instead for a quick thrill. There is a thin line between killing the story with too much description, and then leaving things so vague that the reader becomes utterly lost in the maze. Following in the wake of classics where the monster was often never shown, horror should be left to the reader. Narrative blurring is key for this to work.

Lastly, suspense should always be present throughout the entirety of the story. Suspense is the very foundation upon which the classic horror movies and books were built upon, and for a good reason: it works. The overall tone should remain fast-paced so as not to lose the reader’s attention, and there should also be a balance between too much and too little gore. Unnecessary gore loses its shocking factor, whereas if it’s used properly it can punctuate key parts of the story.

These are all things I’m keeping in mind while brainstorming ideas for a horror story. I want the story to be original, and I want it to make people cringe at the prospect of walking into a dark room. I’ve begun reading several of my favorite horror authors to help reacquaint myself with a feel for the genre, so let’s hope I can at last rid myself of this bout of writer’s block I’ve been suffering from for months on end now.