Horror stories affect us on an internal level. There's something about a good horror story that sticks with you long after the credits roll or the last page turns. Is it the setting? Is it the hero or the villain? Here are some of the key elements to a spine-tingling horror story.
Universal Fears
One of the aspects of horror fiction that resonate with readers is the use of urban legends. In fact, most horror stories play on some type of fear that we all share. Some people are afraid of little spooky children, haunted houses, or slow-walking slashers because somewhere in the back of their minds exists an archetype for that fear. Some examples of stories that played on universal fears include "The Blair Witch Project" and Bram Stoker's Dracula. A horror archetype might be considered cliche at times, but the universal fears that we all share help to put us in the protagonist's shoes and fill us with personal terror.
Immersion
Some of the most haunting tales involve a unique setting such as the old hotel in Stephen King's The Shining. King spent considerable time in that novel immersing the reader in that particular setting. You got a chance to visit the garden maze, the lounge and that creepy hallway early in the story so that you felt familiar with them once the suspense really got going. I am a big fan of this technique and employed it for the first few chapters of my zombie apocalypse novel The Zombie Doctor. Immersing the reader or audience into a strange and frightful world is like walking through a haunted house in a carnival - you know it's not real but you're there all the same.
Tension and Surprise
No, don't open that door....no, don't do it......look out!
Why do the characters in horror stories always open that door? It's because a good horror story needs tension and surprise. They are a team. When a character sees a spooky old man in the park and then looks away for a moment, then looks up again and he's gone. That creates tension. Some authors can drive you absolutely crazy with the amount of suspense and tension in their work. It keeps the pages turning and puts you on the edge of your seat. When done well, tension should never be overused or obvious. You're expecting a scare from that old man, but you should never see it coming. That's the surprise.
Empathy
Different things scare different people. Horror is subjective. That makes it difficult for a writer to predict what elements of horror to put in their stories. So, all great horror stories create empathy between you and the characters. You might not be afraid of zombies, but when young Amber Monroe is cornered by that zombie in the dressing room you're scared FOR HER. Amber's a character from my latest novel The Zombie Doctor. Amber is supposed to be looking for survival supplies but a shiny pair of earrings catch her eye in an abandoned shopping mall. She just wanted to try them on, but gets put in a life or death situation as a result of her temporary and all-so human vanity. She just wanted a moment of normal during an extremely tense ordeal. We can all relate to that.
Foreshadowing
When a character reveals early on in the story that they have a crippling fear of drowning, you can almost bet that there will be a water scene coming soon. That's called foreshadowing and it works really well in horror stories. Foreshadowing builds anxiety and tension. You can see that when used in concert with the other elements, foreshadowing can be truly effective. Yet, it should never be too obvious. Sometimes, a writer can use foreshadowing to lead the audience down a false trail. So, never think you have a story figured out just because you're good at spotting spoilers.
What are some of your favorite horror stories? I'd love to hear from you. Drop a comment below and be sure to follow/like Solari Books on Facebook.
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