Too good a mood to write horror?

Not horror, but I know I can do dreadful things to my protagonists even when I'm in a good mood.

I revel in making them suffer.

Moods can affect us for good or ill. I felt content and at peace with the world writing about a nasty child-killer--because I felt good about my writing. Even when I'm blinded by migarines, all else being equal, I can try and follow the story line in my head and work on it when I'm able to see again.

I've also had long months of depression over several personal factors that took a while to lift. It didn't matter if I wrote emails or jotted down ideas, writing for love hardly existed.

Time does give fresh perspectives.

...you might try watching a few horror movies to get yourself in the right mindset. I sometimes do this for humor writing: watching Tom & Jerry cartoons, beforehand. Really does get me in the proper frame of mind for being silly and acting like a clown.

For what it's worth, I think writing horror from a place of happiness will give more power to your work, as you are not just writing from your own personal anger. Anyhoo, it's the 'fag (British use of the word, meaning ciggie) end' of the Xmas holidays and personally I always find it difficult to write around holidays....

Agree with Ken only I would read some of my favourite horror stories rather than watch films.

Good luck to you, and Happy New Year.

I've run across this problem every now and again, and the way I get around it to write, stream of consciousness type style, and it's amazing how often something that starts out as a banal piece of everyday life turns horrid....just the way my mind seems to work.

Horror is the place to dump any and all negative feelings. The job sucks? Use it. Can't stand a co-worker? Use it. Nothing's perfect. Life's a block of wood until we carve it up right.

I'd say that if your writing usually has a hint of comedy, (maybe your characters are sarcastic, or the writing itself sort of lets readers know that on one level the story isn't to be taken too seriously) then the good mood would probably help. When I'm happy, I like to write squishy, graphic, scary scenes. Actually, I like to do that when I'm unhappy, too, because then I cheer up... But if your writing is more cynical and serious, you might be in a bit of a pickle. =(
But congratz on the being happy overall part.

I cannot specifically respond on the horror part. For I do not write horror stuff. But, I think that if in a grove of writing a certain way, a change in mood can disrupt the flow.

For instance, even when the verse is light and airy, I have a pal that can only write her poems if she is very sad about something. Even when her poem is uplifting, even if it is sad.

She cannot write poems at all when she is feeling happy.

Maybe it is the same for you in the horror thing. But, maybe not. Maybe you just need to start with a word, phrase, sentence and toss it aloud to someone. Then have them add same type thing, each adding a dark element of what you each would want to see (bad/scary/horrifying) to the character in this "exercise."

That may get your creative juices flowing even as the two of you laugh at the lunacy you guys come up with.

You can do this via email or PMs too. There are many horror writers here that might consider trying such. Even non horror people that may offer a new twisted version of something to get your creativity back on gruesome, even when you are happy.

Just ask someone via this thread if they are game, or PM someone you know who would be agreeable to such and moving the way you wish it to.

For dwelling? Maybe could cause a block.

I think you have the darkness! I really do. You just need to call it back, even when you are smiling.

Good luck...hope something works.

Let me know if I can assist.

Christine

Just go with the flow, worse thing you can do is to abandon something because it's not scary enough or doesn't sound like something you wrote before. It's not like you signed a contract to only write onlly horror, you know?

My better stuff seems to happen when I'm somewhere between the two extremes, if I'm real depressed it all sounds bad, and if I'm happy-happy joy-joy I'd rather be outside picking flowers or digging holes in the yard.