hello friends!

[damnitmyradio]

hi! I'm pretty new to the horror genre, but I've been getting really into it recently I'm thinking of writing my own psychological horror short stories– I have a few ideas. But I'm waiting to connect with more people so I have folks to share them with.
feel free to reach out! I'd love to know your thoughts on the genre + what you're writing.

 

[Maryn]

Although it's not my main writing genre, I've written a little horror and even sold a couple. It's fun!

Who do you like to read when it comes to horror?

Maryn, who admits she doesn't read much horror

 

[Calla Lily]

Welcome to the Horror Hounds, damnitmyradio!

I write supernatural horror, portal fantasy/horror, and some Lovecraftian.

 

[Jlombardi]

Hey there! Welcome to the dark side.

I write supernatural horror but love to read all of the subgenres. I'm nearly finished with The Final Girl Support Group. I'm thinking of picking up The Spirit Wall next.

 

[damnitmyradio]

Although it's not my main writing genre, I've written a little horror and even sold a couple. It's fun!

Who do you like to read when it comes to horror?

Maryn, who admits she doesn't read much horror

Ooo so cool! I really like psychological horror I don't think I'm really into the scariness, but I think this genre breeds so much creativity, which I love to see. All the horror media I've consumed feels like the writer really *wanted* to make this project, rather than following a corporate algorithm. You know?

 

[damnitmyradio]

Welcome to the Horror Hounds, damnitmyradio!

I write supernatural horror, portal fantasy/horror, and some Lovecraftian.

oo what's portal fantasy/horror and Lovecraftian? (I've heard of Lovecraft, but I'm not exactly sure what the genre is like)

 

[Maryn]

I do know what you mean (I think), although the last few horror reads I did felt kind of... I'm searching for the right word. Not quite "corporate algorithm--which I might steal!--or formulaic, but somewhat contrived. Like the author set up a situation and characters, then consulted a list of What's Scary. Like a bad movie setting up jump scares.

My favorite of the horror I wrote blended erotica and horror. That was unexpectedly fun. Ooh, ohh, this is so unusual for us, and so hot--hey, wait, what's happening?!? No-o-o-o!

Maryn, smirking

 

[Unimportant]

I used to write and sell a bit of horror flash fiction. Mostly of the F/SF variant. I did write and sell one horrerotica story but it creeped me out enough I didn't really feel the need to repeat the experience!

 

[Nether]

Welcome.

hi! I'm pretty new to the horror genre, but I've been getting really into it recently

New to reading it or writing it? What sort of stuff do you like reading?

I'm thinking of writing my own psychological horror short stories– I have a few ideas. But I'm waiting to connect with more people so I have folks to share them with.

Cool.

feel free to reach out! I'd love to know your thoughts on the genre + what you're writing.

Mostly YA horror, often with campy or tongue-in-cheek content subjects. The adult horror I write is often "tamer" from a horror perspective -- two of them I might comp to something like AHS (despite it being a show rather than a book, but AHS is widely known and fairly distinct).

And then my short horror tends to be cutesy or humorous.

I read a lot of oddball horror when I was young and was attracted to the more unusual horror stories from most authors' works. While some people might shriek out on SK's The Shining or Misery, I was more along the lines of Christine or The Mangler (albeit I've only seen the film version of The Mangler). Skeleton Crew (both the original story and film) also heavily appealed to me. (However, somewhat counterintuitively, my favorite Stephen King novel is The Long Walk... whereas my favorite SK film/tv is probably Rose Red, which was an original for tv.) I'd fairly heavily binged horror films for a great number of years as well, and then when I found the works of Junji Ito, I fell in love with that, too, since he culminates so much of the weirdness I enjoy with horror. (And his "The Circus is Here" inspired at least two of my manuscripts.)

 

[damnitmyradio]

Welcome.



New to reading it or writing it? What sort of stuff do you like reading?



Cool.



Mostly YA horror, often with campy or tongue-in-cheek content subjects. The adult horror I write is often "tamer" from a horror perspective -- two of them I might comp to something like AHS (despite it being a show rather than a book, but AHS is widely known and fairly distinct).

And then my short horror tends to be cutesy or humorous.

I read a lot of oddball horror when I was young and was attracted to the more unusual horror stories from most authors' works. While some people might shriek out on SK's The Shining or Misery, I was more along the lines of Christine or The Mangler (albeit I've only seen the film version of The Mangler). Skeleton Crew (both the original story and film) also heavily appealed to me. (However, somewhat counterintuitively, my favorite Stephen King novel is The Long Walk... whereas my favorite SK film/tv is probably Rose Red, which was an original for tv.) I'd fairly heavily binged horror films for a great number of years as well, and then when I found the works of Junji Ito, I fell in love with that, too, since he culminates so much of the weirdness I enjoy with horror. (And his "The Circus is Here" inspired at least two of my manuscripts.)

sounds excellent! it seems like we def have similar tastes– I love some good self-aware humor (although only if it's done with good, genuine intent, I hate anything forced).

 

[Norsebard]

The horror stories I've written over the years have tended to be of a spooky / creepy Halloweeny-nature rather than all-out gore and butchery. Now and then, I'll go for a sting-in-the-tail or apocalyptic ending, but they're few and far between. In general, I aim to hit the tone of the episodes of the classic TV anthologies.

Ghost stories are great fun to work on; probably my favorite subgenre - bonus points are added if I can work in humorous and romantic elements.


Norsebard

 

[damnitmyradio]

I do know what you mean (I think), although the last few horror reads I did felt kind of... I'm searching for the right word. Not quite "corporate algorithm--which I might steal!--or formulaic, but somewhat contrived. Like the author set up a situation and characters, then consulted a list of What's Scary. Like a bad movie setting up jump scares.

My favorite of the horror I wrote blended erotica and horror. That was unexpectedly fun. Ooh, ohh, this is so unusual for us, and so hot--hey, wait, what's happening?!? No-o-o-o!

Maryn, smirking

that actually sounds incredible! I'm a little tempted to ask to read it, but also a little scared! Hahaha

 

[Fi Webster]

Hello back at ya! Clocking in here to say I'm yet another horror fiend. Been reading lots of horror for nearly sixty years, watching lots of horror flicks for nearly fifty. I don't write fiction, though. Instead I've written book reviews, columns, miscellaneous pop culture crit about horror. Horror is a strong current in all of my creative nonfiction.

I'm thinking of writing my own psychological horror short stories

An excellent way to hone your skills at writing horror! If you can write horror short stories, you can write anything longer—because good short stories are tight as a drum, not a word out of place. And short stories are a great proving ground for a writer new to the genre—where you can potentially get published more quickly and get valuable feedback.

What writers of psychological horror short stories do you admire the most? Shirley Jackson, perhaps? Ambrose Bierce? Robert Aickman? Ramsey Campbell? Just throwing out some names off the top o' my head...

I really like psychological horror I don't think I'm really into the scariness, but I think this genre breeds so much creativity, which I love to see.

My personal opinion (take it or leave it) is that the genre of horror covers much more than the scary. I think of it as delivering three main effects:
—terror (inner sense of escalating dread, making your heart pound in apprehension)
—horror (creepy-crawly sensation tinged with both loathing and awe in the face of whatever the "monster" is)
—outright disgust (whether moral or visceral)

In addition, psychological horror conveys a sense of the uncanny, of wrongness. The weird, the strange, the eldritch, the fell...

I look forward to reading your stories in the SYW Horror forum.

 

[damnitmyradio]

Hello back at ya! Clocking in here to say I'm yet another horror fiend. Been reading lots of horror for nearly sixty years, watching lots of horror flicks for nearly fifty. I don't write fiction, though. Instead I've written book reviews, columns, miscellaneous pop culture crit about horror. Horror is a strong current in all of my creative nonfiction.



An excellent way to hone your skills at writing horror! If you can write horror short stories, you can write anything longer—because good short stories are tight as a drum, not a word out of place. And short stories are a great proving ground for a writer new to the genre—where you can potentially get published more quickly and get valuable feedback.

What writers of psychological horror short stories do you admire the most? Shirley Jackson, perhaps? Ambrose Bierce? Robert Aickman? Ramsey Campbell? Just throwing out some names off the top o' my head...



My personal opinion (take it or leave it) is that the genre of horror covers much more than the scary. I think of it as delivering three main effects:
—terror (inner sense of escalating dread, making your heart pound in apprehension)
—horror (creepy-crawly sensation tinged with both loathing and awe in the face of whatever the "monster" is)
—outright disgust (whether moral or visceral)

In addition, psychological horror conveys a sense of the uncanny, of wrongness. The weird, the strange, the eldritch, the fell...

I look forward to reading your stories in the SYW Horror forum.

So sweet of u! Thank u <3
I'm still at the beginning, but I'd love to check out all the names you recommended!