Ramblings On The Craft : Why Horror?

DISCLAIMER : I consider myself to be a life-long writer but I am still an aspiring author. What’s the difference? Essentially, to me anyway, it means that while I have devoted a great deal of time to my words and my art, the amount of money I have made as a professional writer to date could maybe be used to purchase a nice steak dinner for two. So while I have a deep and devoted passion for writing, I do not claim in any way to be an expert or authority figure. What you will find in these essays represent my personal thoughts and feelings about various issues related to writing. I think that in any endeavor, it is essential to have the mindset that there is always something to learn, something you don’t know. As soon as you start to think that you are an authority on anything (besides how to eat a hot dog or perhaps, spelling your name) there might be a problem. With that in mind, I am fully cognizant and comfortable with the fact that on any and all of these issues, I could be completely wrong.

Put another way, I recognize and admit that I could be full of shit.

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Why write horror?

It’s a reasonable enough question, and one that I have gotten before. The nature of the horror genre is so inherently dark and brutal at times, I realize it can be hard to not take in the author of that work with a certain amount of concern, if not suspicion. After all, the world is already replete with its own horrors, why dwell on it by writing it as well? So while I’m not going to claim to speak for every author in the genre, or even really, any writer other than myself, I thought I would devote this month’s essay to my perspective on why I write what I do. 

First off, I think that it is important to point out that like any other genre or industry, lumping all writers into the same genre might be technically correct, but saying that someone writes “horror” is a fairly inaccurate way of depicting the actual content of their writing. Every writer has to make their own decisions in terms of what they are comfortable with and how far they want to go. So again, with the preamble that I’m speaking only for myself, these are some conscious choices I have made in regards to my writing.

On such issue has to do with that of sex. I’m not a prude, necessarily, and I have had some sexual content in my writing but, for the most part, I steer clear of it. Mostly, my reasons for this are that there rarely seem times when the story really calls for it. There are a ton of writers that use it and use it well, but I have also seen too much writing that seems to use it solely for the shock value. When I infuse sexuality in my work, I suspect that it often falls somewhere between those two points but I always try and make sure that it is there for a reason.

I also tend to make conscious decisions when it comes to the graphic descriptions in my writing, particularly when it comes to violent content. There is a great quote about writing that a book starts in the mind of the writer and ends in the mind of the reader. For me, I have always found the reader’s imagination to be an extremely effective ally in the process of writing horror fiction. In my mind, what ideally happens is that the writing plants a seed, and germinates it within the mind of the reader, where it is allowed to blossom and grow in such a way that the reader is almost creating the horror themselves. I personally find that to be more disturbing and effective than going to great lengths to describe things down to the most minute of detail. So while my writing does have a darker edge to it, my preference has always been to imply, and let the reader’s imagination fill in a lot of the gaps in actual description. 

And as for content, I do tend to steer clear of certain subjects. I stay away from anything involving violence towards children. Likewise with any kind of violence that is sexual in nature. And this probably comes across as rationalizing to some extent, but the point I’m trying to make is that even though we all consider ourselves “horror writers”, that still leaves a universe of possibilities when it comes to content as well as creative decisions we are making. I write horror, but there have been plenty of examples of other writing in the genre which goes too far for my comfort level. I don’t judge, or look down on those writers, it just isn’t for me. 

So, all of that aside, we still find ourselves at the heart of the question. Why write horror in the first place? Why dwell on the horrific? I don’t know if the answer to that question is an easy one, but I will do my best to try and make my perspective clearer. 

I think it’s worth pointing out something here, that it is a commonly held misconception that as writers, we have the ability to write whatever genre we feel like. And there are certainly authors who can do exactly that, who can switch genres like switching shoes. But we aren’t all like that and sadly, I’m one of the ones who fall into the “not” category. There are some things I do well, and others I just won’t even try to tackle. Not all genres were built alike, and it isn’t as simple as just using different words. I can’t just wake up in the morning and choose to write dystopian steampunk, or a young-adult epic western or noir, urban fantasy zombie-clown porn (if that one doesn’t exist, it should) Horror and sci-fi are my homes, it’s what I do best, and it’s the narrative clothes that feel the most comfortable to me. Like the saying goes, you got to dance with the partner that brought you. 

I suppose the easiest explanation would be the books and movies I was drawn to, growing up. Besides Tolkien, Stephen King was one of the the first authors that I became really devoted to. I read a lot, to be sure, but this was the first time I found myself drawn specifically to other books by a specific author. I think I was drawn in by the allure of the covers, the mystery and promise of what lay within. Somehow, at the same time, I was terrified by them, but also completely sucked in. I wanted to read the grown-up books. 

As I got older, horror movies also became a bigger part of my life. This was the eighties after all, and the horror genre reigned supreme over the land. Slasher movies were huge, and the thrill of the scariest campfire story was real. I think I was drawn to them as something cool to share with my friends, as much as the experience of the movies themselves. One funny side note here is that as much as I loved the horror movies, I could not handle haunted houses. I think that the immediacy of the experience was too much for me, and my imagination took the ride too far for me to handle, even though I knew full well that it was all make-believe. 

I don’t want to give the impression that I think this is a one to one relationship. As easy as the analogy seems, it isn’t like, had it not been for horror movies, I would be writing children’s books right now. I think that a persons creative sensibilities are preexisting, and are only enhanced by the cultural juices we stew in, as opposed to being created by them. I give great credit to people like Stephen King and Wes Craven for helping to lead me down the path but the important thing to remember is that the path was always there. They just happened to be the ones there for me to draw an example from.

It’s also important to remember that it isn’t true to suggest that horror writers are acting out some kind of sick, twisted, internal fantasy. This isn’t some fictional version of wish fulfillment. At the risk of seeming sarcastic, you don’t see people flooding out of the theater after a romantic comedy, looking for the nearest wedding chapel. It’s a misconception to think that the content of horror genre is somehow a reflection of the parts of the creator that they are unwilling to show to anyone. It’s all about the story for me and what I can evoke in people with the words I craft. Not that I think I am some kind of a wizard with my words, it’s just fun to think about as I’m creating these stories. It’s about the challenge and love for the process, not for finding socially acceptable ways of releasing dark thoughts and emotions.

I think that for me, I have always been drawn to the visceral experience of the narrative. I love a story that pulls me in, takes me to the brink and then, just as the credits start to roll, or just as you turn that last page, you are let go, and all is right with the world, once again. First and foremost, I consider myself to be a story teller and for all story tellers, there are just certain kinds of narratives that we are naturally drawn to. Think about all aspects of your life, and how things just come to you. Did you wake up one day and just consciously decide that you like dipping your potato chips in ketchup? While you were relaxing in the bath, did you suddenly come to the realization that you should start liking fedoras? Was there a thought-out process that led you to loving jazz? I realize that all seems trite, but my point still stands that we don’t necessarily choose the things that grab our interests and our passions. Writing is no different. Horror fiction is my fedora.

I don’t know if any of this makes sense. Maybe I’ve just been rambling on about nothing in particular, and I’m no closer to explaining myself than I was when I started. I suppose what is most important is that it’s okay if horror just isn’t your thing. I don’t expect everyone to enjoy the things I write or the things I love to read. There’s literature out there for all of us to enjoy. All I ask is that you don’t go so far as to dismiss us, based on your distaste of the art form. Not liking something is one thing, but it’s something else entirely to demean it as an invalid form of expression. One of my biggest irritants is the placement of literary fiction on a higher literary plane than that of “genre fiction”. As writers, we are all trying to do the same thing, even if it doesn’t come in the same form. Horror writers shouldn’t be disregarded as not being serious in the literary sense, because we work just as hard on our craft and on the stories we write. In the end, we’re all “genre” writers.

I suspect that this has long since passed what would be considered an acceptable length. I thank you for your patience and attention, and hope that this has been helpful insight, a brief peek into the possibly somewhat demented psyche. It’s high time I get back to the work bench, and start honing down the edge on that narrative.

I think I can hear some screaming down there.

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