On Writing Horror: A Handbook by the Horror Writers Association (Paperback)

by Horror Writers Association (Author), Mort Castle (Editor)
Key Phrases: backwoods horror, great horror fiction, best horror fiction, Stephen King, New York, Bram Stoker (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
The masters of horror have united to teach you the secrets of success in the scariest genre of all!

In On Writing Horror, Second Edition, Stephen King, Joyce Carol Oates, Harlan Ellison, David Morrell, Jack Ketchum, and many others tell you everything you need to know to successfully write and publish horror novels and short stories.

Edited by the Horror Writers Association (HWA), a worldwide organization of writers and publishing professionals dedicated to promoting dark literature, On Writing Horror includes exclusive information and guidance from 58 of the biggest names in horror writing to give you the inspiration you need to start scaring and exciting readers and editors. You'll discover comprehensive instruction such as:

• The art of crafting visceral violence, from Jack Ketchum
• Why horror classics like Dracula, The Exorcist, and Hell House are as scary as ever, from Robert Weinberg
• Tips for avoiding one of the biggest death knells in horror writing--predicable clichés--from Ramsey Campbell
• How to use character and setting to stretch the limits of credibility, from Mort Castle

With On Writing Horror, you can unlock the mystery surrounding classic horror traditions, revel in the art and craft of writing horror, and find out exactly where the genre is going next. Learn from the best, and you could be the next best-selling author keeping readers up all night long.

About the Author
The Horror Writers of America is a worldwide organization of writers and publishing professionals dedicated to promoting the horror genre. Formed in the late 1980s, it is the oldest and most respected organization celebrating the writers who revel in bringing sleepless nights to readers.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Writers Digest Books; 2nd edition (November 18, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582974209
• ISBN-13: 978-1582974200
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #84,242 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Handbook for the Aspiring Horror Writer, July 3, 2007

By	Henrik Harksen (Denmark) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

On Writing Horror: A Handbook by the Horror Writers Association is a surprising treat for the still-struggling writer who is looking for good advice on how to make a horror story WORK - in order to get it published.

With contributions from such an array as e.g. Stephen King (the popular attraction, I imagine - but his words, culled from his Acceptance Speech when receiving the National Book Award in 2003, are still interesting and worth keeping in mind!), Ramsey Campbell, Mort Castle, Jeanne Cavelos, and Nancy Kilpatrick it comes as no surprise that what we get here is really only a glimpse of how to approach the genre. And, boy, is that good. As is mentioned several times throughout the book (by different authors), too often one hears that what you need for a book or story to be successful is to "include A, B, and C", when in fact the truth is rarely, if ever, so simple.

I found it refreshing that just about EVERY aspect of the genre is being covered - from classic horror, to the violent and even sexually oriented subgenres. This keeps the reader on a constant learning curve, I think. Something to fuel the imagination that lies at the dark heart of every horror writer's story.

To help the reader stay on line with the essays' diversity & suggestions, the editor, Mort Castle, has wisely arranged for them to be placed in various headlines -

"Horror, Literature, and Horror Literature" (general introductions), An Education in Horror" ("good things to know & read before you commence writing" stuff), "Developing Horror Concepts" (a personal favourite section), "Horror Crafting" (incl. advice on writing dialogue - which is useful for ANY writer of fiction!), "Horror, Art, Innovation, Excellence", "Tradition and Modern Times" (what to choose, what to choose?), `"Genre and Subgenre", "Horror, Business, Selling, Marketing, Promoting" (I think this ought to be something EVERY aspiring writer reads!).

There are of course (and wisely) no guarantees for success, if one follows the suggestions in the book, but that's not of relevance in the first place. What it offers is diverse looks at various important aspects of writing a horror story - be that in literature form or, even, as a screenplay!

The latter I probably won't ever use myself, but I found a pleasent surprise that it is there, since it is a good example of the diversity of the book - which is what makes it a good, trustworthy guideline for the aspiring writer (such as myself). And I am quite sure there is something for everybody; something you hadn't thought of yourself, and for which you will be thankful that you opted for buying the book.

As a final word I must say that I always appreciate a wellmade cover and overall quality, be that paperback or hardcover - and this book is such a book. Nice job!

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lots of info and inspiration, January 2, 2007

By	Kim Paffenroth "Winner - Bram Stoker Award. A... (New York) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

A thoughtful friend gave me this for Christmas and I read it in a couple of days. As in any lengthy reference work, especially a multi-author one, the importance and depth of the info varies greatly, but I certainly found lots of helpful points, from writing tips on dialogue, to markets I never would've thought of on my own. And there is also a high level of camaraderie and inspiration, as many of the authors give anecdotes of their own years of rejections, and it feels good to know one is not alone at one's computer, toiling away, while all the "real" authors just rap something out and get it accepted on the first try.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Valuable and Diverse Advice, November 14, 2007

By	Jonas A. Moody - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This collection of essays by a variety of authors and editors involved with the craft of writing and publishing horror fiction is a diverse and entertaining reading experience. Each essay provides a different insight and opinion to the craft, and often the writing of the text itself serves as an example for the reader of what "right" looks like.

The subject is approached from every angle. The art of writing, editing, inventing new ideas, avoiding cliche, finding appropriate educational resources, action writing, using spunk and style, as well as a list of important works already produced within the genre are among some of the tools that the reader will find.

The volume itself is compact and attractive, and offers far more value than its price tag hints at. A serious student of horror fiction, or even of fiction writing in general, should not be without it, and cannot help but learn from it.