Brandon Cornett's Blog, page 11

Beginnings: How to Start a Sci-Fi Story or Novel

How do you start a sci-fi story or novel?

This is a common question among aspiring science fiction writers, and with good reason. After all, you can’t reach the finish line until you take your first steps.

The truth is, you can start your science fiction story however you want, as long as it engages the reader.

Some sci-fi stories start after the climax and shift into flashback mode. Some follow the more traditional route: exposition, rising action, climax and resolution. Some start...

How to Write Horror Fiction: Tips & Advice from the Masters

Want to know how to write horror fiction? Want to gain some insight and advice from true masters of the genre?

You’ve come to the right place. Below, I’ve gathered some writerly tips and advice from some of the best horror writers of past and present.

From the Pros: How to Write Horror Fiction

Keep the story moving. Write scenes that scare you. Channel your own pain. Embrace the unknown and uncontrollable. According to the masters, this is how to write horror fiction. So let me turn ove...

How to Write Horror Fiction: Some Advice from the Masters

Want to know how to write horror fiction? Want to gain some insight and advice from true masters of the genre?

You’ve come to the right place. Below, I’ve gathered some writerly advice from some of the best horror writers of past and present.

From the Greats: How to Write Horror Fiction

Keep the story moving. Write scenes that scare you. Channel your own pain. Embrace the unknown and uncontrollable. According to the masters, this is how to write horror fiction. So let me turn over it to...

5 Ways to Make Your Horror Novel Scarier for Readers

Does your horror story or novel need a little boost in the terror department? Looking for ways to make your horror novel scarier for readers?

You’ve come to the right place. We’re about to explore five storytelling strategies that could help you crank up the fear factor within your fiction.

How to Make a Horror Story or Novel Scarier

What makes a horror novel story scary? That’s actually a hard question to answer.

As readers, we are all scared in different ways. A horror novel that s...

5 Ways to Make a Horror Novel Scarier

Does your horror story or novel need a little boost in the terror department? Looking for ways to make your horror novel scarier for readers?

You’ve come to the right place. We’re about to explore five storytelling strategies that could help you crank up the fear factor within your fiction.

How to Make a Horror Story or Novel Scarier

What makes a horror novel story scary?

That’s actually a hard question to answer. As readers, we are all scared in different ways. A horror novel that s...

5 Tips for Writing a Sci-Fi Horror Story

If you’ve poked around my blog a bit, you probably know I’m a huge fan of the sci-fi horror genre. I read it. I write it. I love it. There’s just something about the science fiction and horror crossover I find thrilling.

Today, I’ll offer a few tips for writing a sci-fi horror story or novel of your own.

This isn’t a writing class and there aren’t any rules. So feel free to deviate from the five suggestions below. My goal here is just to give you some points to ponder and stars to steer by...

YA Books About Plagues, Pandemics and Outbreaks

Ready to “go viral” in the literary sense? Here’s a list of YA books about plagues, pandemics and outbreaks to keep you reading into the night.

Photo by Engin Akyurt (Unsplash)

Plague fiction has enjoyed immense popularity for decades. This is true for both the YA and adult genres. From Stephen King’s The Stand to Megan Crewe’s The Way We Fall, “outbreak fiction” novels deliver thrills, chills, and sometimes a serious case of the heebie-jeebies.

And now, here we are at the tail end of a...

Writing the YA Horror Thriller Survival Love Story

Do you like YA horror novels? Or YA thrillers? Maybe a little romance and love? How about YA survival stories?

How would you like to enjoy all of these subgenres within a single novel? I ask, because I’m currently writing a YA horror thriller survival love story type of novel for the forthcoming Kindle Vella service.

This story will be delivered in serial fashion, one chapter or “episode” at a time. That’s how Kindle Vella works — or how it will work, once their new service goes live.

B...

Original Horror Novel Ideas and Where to Find Them

Need some original horror novel ideas to start you down the writerly path? A little creative jumpstart? An inspirational push? You’ve come to the right place. This blog post lists seven sources you can use for unique and original horror novel ideas.

So turn out the lights. Take my hand. And walk with me into the darkness…

“Where Do You Get Your Ideas?”

Believe it or not, original horror novel ideas are all around you, nearly all the time. You just have to be open to receiving them. You ...

Science Fiction Horror Books: Genre-Blending Thrills & Chills

I’ve been a fan of science fiction horror books and movies for most of my life. As my wife and daughter can attest (with massive, melodramatic eye-rolls), I can quote most of the 1986 Aliens movie. And I’m currently reading Courtney Alameda’s Pitch Dark, which could be classified as a YA science fiction horror novel.

There’s just something about the genre-blending crossover concept that captivates me. I’m drawn to it, as both a reader and a writer.

My new novel, which I’m about to put ...