To Each Their Darkness

by Gary A. Braunbeck

2010 Stoker Award Winner for Superior Achievement in Nonfiction

Explore the world of writing horror from a Bram Stoker and International Horror Guild award-winning author's point of view. Gary Braunbeck uses film, fiction, and life experience to elucidate the finer points of storytelling, both in and out of genre. This part-autobiographical, always analytical book looks at how stories develop and what makes them work--or not work--when they're told.

Be warned: reality is as brutal as fiction. Rob Zombie, police shootings, William Goldman, and human misery are all teachers to the horror neophyte, and Braunbeck uses their lessons to make To Each Their Darkness a whirlwind of horror and hope for the aspiring writer.

Genres: Horror, Nonfiction, Writing, Memoir

330 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2010

About the author

Gary A. Braunbeck is a prolific author who writes mysteries, thrillers, science fiction, fantasy, horror, and mainstream literature. He is the author of 19 books; his fiction has been translated into Japanese, French, Italian, Russian and German. Nearly 200 of his short stories have appeared in various publications.

His fiction has received several awards, including the Bram Stoker Award in 2003 for "Duty" and in 2005 for "We Now Pause for Station Identification"; his book Destinations Unknown won a Stoker in 2006. His novella "Kiss of the Mudman" received the International Horror Guild Award in 2005."

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume is a revised and expanded version of Braunbeck's earlier volume, FEAR IN A HANDFUL OF DUST: HORROR AS A WAY OF LIFE, but is different enough from the earlier book to make it worth buying even if you have the previous iteration. There are still a few errors in the typesetting of the text, which made the earlier version extremely difficult to follow, but they are relatively minor in comparison. Several sections of the original are not included, but there is a lot of new material. The autobiographical sections remain the most gripping, to the extent that one wishes he'd written that part as a stand-alone. (Or that he someday will.) Some of the critical sections examine somewhat obscure films and books from the genre in minute detail, and he indulges himself by throwing out many little details about the work, actors, and creators and then heaps effusive praise upon them, but this is mostly done with enthusiasm and good humor that reminded me of Harlan Ellison's newspaper columns from many years ago. Even when I wasn't overly captured by the subject, the writing style was enough to captivate my attention. When he lets himself go he can be wildly funny, despite the usual somber tone of most of his well-known work. I'd recommend TO EACH THEIR DARKNESS without reservation to anyone with an interest in horror story-telling.

[Gef · Rating 5 out of 5]

To Each Their Darkness
by Gary A. Braunbeck
Apex Books (2010)
ASIN B004G5Z6XG

As much as I enjoy reading horror literature from authors, I'm occasionally drawn to their opining on the genre and writing as a whole through their nonfiction titles. Stephen King's On Writing sits at the tippy-top of that list. Gary A. Braunbeck wrote a book in a similar vein, which was published by Apex Books, and much ballyhooed by his peers. It is not strictly a memoir though, but more a collection of essays and criticisms, and it had me riveted much of the time.

The book offers everything from Gary's thoughts on his favorite films and what makes a great story (and a not-so-great story), all the way to some of the most heartrending glimpses at his personal and professional life. It ain't pretty at times, but it's honest. It's kind of funny in a way, because I'll piss and moan about something or other with a put-upon attitude, but by comparison to some of the stuff Gary A. Braunbeck has endured my first world problems really look weak.

I've only read one of his novels so far, Coffin County, but it was enough to know this guy is a heckuva storyteller and a writer to be heeded when he's waxing poetic on the craft of storytelling. A couple of the chapters feel meandering, as he digressing from one crystallized thought to the next, but he brings it all together by the end to get his point across. And at the end, I really came to appreciate the process he goes through in approaching his work--and agonizing over it.

If there are any authors out there that didn't already have a sobering realization as to what the life of a writer provides, both financially and emotionally, Braunbeck heaves a healthy bucket of cold water on your most fanciful dreams. That said, it's not a discouraging portrait--quite the opposite. Just about every chapter provides some kind of micro-revelation, whether it's figuring out why he loved Rob Zombie's House of a Thousand Corpses while everyone around him hated it, or coming to the conclusion that what is really holding your story back from what it should be is you and finally getting out of your own way, or how in Gary's poetic phrasing: "... horror fiction is still the deformed drooling bastard child who picks at its scabs and who Literature keeps locked up in the cellar when company drops by ..."

If you are a writer, a reader, a horror hound, a literary snob, a pessimist, or an optimist, I doubt I can recommend this book enough. And I dare say that like House of a Thousand Corpses, you'll probably walk away loving or hating his book--no room for fence-sitters. It's either a medley of disjointed ramblings or a mosaic of one author's love-hate relationship with the horror genre. Take your pick.

[David Agranoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

The craft of the horror story is unique. It is sometimes a science as much as it is an art. For me the story that was my light bulb moment was The Raft by Stephen King. I started to understand how he built the story, the little moments he made to make the suspense thicker. To make the story scary and most important the emotional dept he gave to make me care about the whole thing.

The tradition of horror writers writing about their craft is an old one. It goes back to Supernatural horror in Literiture by HP Lovecraft which you find often as a thin stand alone book. Ray Bradbury and William F. Nolan had an excellent entries into this narrow subgenre. David Morrell the author of First Blood wrote one of my favorites The two most famous of course are On Writing and Danse Macabre by the king himself.

All of these books provide excellent advice, and great stories. They all are a little different and in many ways reflect the style and talent of the author.

Enter Gary Braunbeck. Well known to horror readers the Ohio native has been at it for a long time. He has not had the mainstream success that many of the names listed above but when I heard he wrote this book I put it to the top of my TBR.

Braunbeck novels and stories have several going for them. First off they are set in the Midwest one state removed from my home state. Second they drip with a darkness and emotionally wrecked core that no one else has captured. Reading his prose is like handling a rusty sharp edge.

This book is fantastic and towards the second half Braunbeck gives you a few nuts and bolts of his stories, but that is not what makes this powerful read. Sure those of us who are genre writers will learn a lot, but that is not the core of this book. Gary lets us into the pain of his life, he shines a spotlight on the events that inform his fiction. You find out where he gets the dark paints, how he works the canvas to make it blacker than black.

This not hyperbole, a 200% must read for genre authors or Braunbeck fans. I am lucky not to deal with depression but I was fascinated to see how an author overcame such challenges and created such an amazing variety of novels.

[Chad Lorion · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you've ever read horror or dark fantasy, if you aspire to write horror or dark fantasy, if you've ever read any kind of novel, if you aspire to write any kind of novel, if you've gone through dark periods in your life, you owe it to yourself to read this book. Gary discusses the horror genre in particular, but he brings to the conversation (and that's how this book reads, like a conversation with Gary) so much more. I cried at least twice reading this book. When an author touches on the dark places of humanity, and touches a part of your hidden, inner heart at the same time, what else is one to do but cry in amazement, sorrow, regret, and...yes, hope. And that's what this book is really about. Hope for the horror genre in particular, and hope for living in a world filled with heartache, sorrow, pain, bitterness, but also filled with joy, laughter...and hope.

[Katy Mann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This book was amazing.

Part biography, part musings on a writer's life. He includes old columns and reviews, his thoughts on which of various author's books succeeded as films, and then intersperses with bits of his own life. And when he starts on autobiographical passages, I kept saying, no, no, that didn't happen. That wasn't real. But it was.

An unflinching, rollercoaster ride through the mind of a writer.

[Patrickmalka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gary Braunbeck knows how to write about the darker things life can offer up. But why do I trust his word over most?

Because nothing is wasted on him.

This man has been through it (some of the events he takes us through in detail are enough to make you want to put the book down for a while in the interest of recovery) and no matter how hard times have gotten for him, there's always a lesson to be learned and most importantly, a story to tell. You never get the sense that he is preaching or asking for pity. You never get the sense he wants you to admire him. In fact, judging by this book and the majority of his fiction, he may well be the most self deprecating man alive. But through his insightful critique of film, literature and the writing process, we get a picture of a writer (and person) who should very much be admired for his intellect, humour, perseverance and love of his work.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves the horror genre. This is a mandatory introductory course.

[Aric Cushing]

Stopped on page 140. I think many will like this book, but for myself, I fundamentally disagree with his criticisms, which makes the book unreadable (for me). Great beginning with what happened to him as a child, but the minute he started comparing books to films (4 chapters based on King books made into films -Christine, Children of the Corn, etc.), I had to cease. Films and books are two completely different mediums. Don't compare them. But if you do, make sure you have at least made 2 feature films yourself so you know what goes into the difficult, laborious, and always 'less than' experience. Unfortunately for films, there are always too many cooks in the kitchen. Books have the advantage.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me want to write again. Stay tuned.

[BookNerdsBrainDump · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick Take: I'm not entirely sure what I just read, but I like it.

To Each Their Darkness is Gary Braunbeck’s take on horror. It’s part autobiography, part analysis of the genre as a whole, part reviews of other works, and part brutally honest take on his own work.

Before I elaborate on this particular book, I should probably give a little background on my experiences with this author. I have a love/hate relationship with Gary Braunbeck that’s been going on for a few years. Make no mistake, the man’s brilliant, and I’ve no idea why more people aren’t reading his work.

Oh wait, I also know exactly why more people aren’t reading it. Braunbeck’s books are gut-wrenching. I say that not because of the amount of gore and violence (oh, they are plentiful though!), but because of the deep emotional upset I experience with every one of his works. Gary Braunbeck knows how to hit where it hurts, and then to drive the pain in deeper, and when you are saying “oh, that hurts too much, I can’t, please no more”, he says “Oh, you mean no more of THIS?” and hits harder. And it’s a testament to his level of craftsmanship that at the end of it, you feel like you’ve experienced something beautiful and tender and loving.

That…. went to a weird place.

This review’s a little schizo, and all over the map. So is To Each Their Darkness. It’s not a straightforward narrative of “this happened to me, and later I wrote about it in this story”. It’s not a simple guide to what makes horror writing effective, or a basic list of “these horror books/movies are excellent, and here’s why”. It’s all of that, and a few other things, and in no certain order.

So, impressions: The autobiographical sections were fascinating. Gary Braunbeck puts the worst out there (at least, I hope it’s the worst. If there’s more, and worse, I don’t think I can handle it). He openly discusses his abusive but also loving childhood, his depression, failed marriages, suicide attempt, the death of his daughter, and his time in a mental institution. There’s a streak of humor in all the pathos though. Example: “I worked for a short time as a clown for children’s birthday parties. Hand to God, I did. My professional name was Rags. I wanted to call myself Scuzzo the Marginally Humorous or The Banal Mr. Wiggles, but was worried folks might get the wrong idea about the nature of my show.”

I’ll admit that the “how to write effectively” sections were a bit of a slog for me. Obviously, I’m not a writer, but some of the peeks behind the curtain were fascinating. The section on opening lines, titled “Brought To You By The Law Firm Of Beguile, Intrigue, and Assault” could have been written with me in mind. Brilliant opening lines make me all tingly, though I couldn’t compose one to save my life.

The only section that really lost me was titled “Opinions, and the One Who Offers Them”. It consisted of pretty much just forewards & afterwards written by Braunbeck for other authors’ works. It felt disjointed, like I went from reading a story or article written by one author, to reviews of the works by a bunch of other authors, several of whom I hadn’t heard of before. In a couple of cases, I was interested enough to look for the books he mentioned, but overall, it felt shoehorned in, and far too long.

A few goodies for the non-writing reader:

The conversation between Gary Braunbeck and his shelf of Stephen King books is hilarious.

I can say I’ve now seen the longest chapter title I’ve ever seen (in Part Two, should you wonder), and it’s called “Statistics; Subtext; and Why Horror Will Never Be Considered Serious Lit-rah-chure, No Matter How Much We Stamp Our Feet and Threaten to Hold Our Breath Until Our Faces Turn Blue and We Pass Out From Lack of Oxygen, Which, If We’d Been Using it Properly in the First Place, Would Have Gone to Our Brains and Made Us Realize that We Need to Make Our Writing More Than Merely Competent, Only Now We’re All Passed Out on the Floor and Have Wet Ourselves and Little Kids Are Sticking Uncomfortable Things Up Our Noses and Who’s Going to Take Us Seriously After That?”

The new-to-me full text of Braunbeck’s short story, “Need”. It’s one example of what he describes as “After-the-Fact” horror stories, a clever subgenre I had never really heard described, and rarely encountered, but which I’ll be looking for in the future.

Final Summary: Gary Braunbeck is good enough that even when I’m not his target audience, I can still find a lot to enjoy in his book. His novels are still better though.

[Laura Long · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a hard read for anyone who really wants to be successful at writing genre fiction. It explores the topic with honesty, but some might say that this is too much perspective. If you still want to be a writer after reading this book, you will likely be successful to some degree. Buy this book with another Braunbeck book as a quick read after you read this one. Your brain will feel better.

[Nox · Rating 5 out of 5]

The entire book is an emotional roller coaster. Go read it.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a type of book I like to read now and then, which is writing advice by writers. Often I don't get much out of them, especially when they mostly consist of standard recycled tips like "Make your characters interesting" and "Don't overuse cliches" and "Do your research" and "Spelling and grammar is a thing," etc. Others just yammer on about their favorite books and authors, which can be very hit or miss for me.

But some writers go deeper and even if they don't offer much in the way of novel writing advice, just reading their takes on writing, publishing, and life can be entertaining. Sometimes I get a feel for their writing even if I haven't actually read any of their fiction. And sometimes their analysis of favorite works actually motivates me to chase down some writers I'd never heard of.

Stephen King's On Writing is widely considered one of the best examples of this genre, and it's one of my favorites. (It helps that I've been a King fan since high school.)

Gary Braunbeck is no Stephen King (as he admits in one humorous chapter in this book in which he, the writer, breaks the fourth wall and has an argument with, literally, a shelf full of Stephen King books), but To Each Their Darkness shares a lot with King's memoir/writing book. Like King, Braunbeck is a horror writer. Like King, Braunbeck is very enthusiastic about the genre, and the books he reads. And like King, he's had a pretty fucked up life which has inspired him to write some pretty fucked up shit.

Unlike King, I haven't actually read anything by Braunbeck before. And as cruel as it may be to say this, his writing style seemed very well-suited for this semi-autobiographical narrative about the horror genre, but it was a little too sardonic and self-depreciating at times and I'll probably chase down some of his horror at some point, but honestly, he sold me on some of the other authors he talked about more than he sold me on himself.

Between excerpts about his own rather harrowing experiences (if all of his stories are to be taken at face value - and I must also admit that at times I found myself just a little bit skeptical that he wasn't letting his writer persona get the best of him in relating everything from almost-fatal police encounters to taking his mother off life support), Braunbeck talks about horror a lot. He is an enthusiastic horror fanboy, and he seems to have an encyclopedic knowledge of the genre. He doesn't just talk about books, he also talks about movies, and not just the classic ones but the crappy teen slashers and Rob Zombie flicks too. He waxed so enthusiastically about some obscure writers I've never heard of that I went and found some of their books to read. I really liked his enthusiasm and his gushing adoration of gore and grue and psychological suspense and emotional torture and all other forms of darkness.

That said, his range seems deep but narrow (as opposed to Stephen King, who talks a lot about books outside his genre which he also admires). There is an entire chapter of Braunbeck republishing his introductions to other author's works which you may or may not find to be a waste of space (I didn't, I went and got some of those other works). The writing advice itself, what little there was, did tend towards the banal sort of stuff you get in every book of writing advice or writer's workshop, but Braunbeck is humorous about it.

I enjoyed this book more than I expected to, and I will have to give Gary Braunbeck's horror novels a try.

[Nicole Cushing · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are MANY books about the writing life, but this one fills a unique niche for authors of dark fiction. Braunbeck writes with a clear affection for the horror genre, but also with concern about the direction in which it has often gone since the hyperviolent '80s horror boom...in which, he states, books too often resorted to cheap scares (violence, gore, etc.) rather than exploring subtext and creating works with an emotional core.

This book is at its best when Braunbeck is giving his well-informed discourse on the state of the genre, and also when he relates (with brave self-disclosure) several of his own real-life traumas that have informed his writing. Braunbeck goes on to detail the process of how the trauma (to him) made its way onto the page as part of story. This part of the book was, for me, invaluable. I think almost all authors of dark fiction have had an unhealthy share of emotional hurt in their own lives. Braunbeck's book provides positive examples of how to translate the pain to the page without becoming maudlin or pretentious. The inclusion of the short stories "Duty" and "Need", to give a clear example (in story) of what the author is discussing (in writing lesson) was helpful.

For me, the book dragged a little in places where Braunbeck discussed his film influences. I don't watch movies. At least, not many (I can count on one hand the number of movies I've watched in the last year...none of them in a theater). So, for me, this wasn't all that relevant. But if you're like the other 98% of the world and watch movies, you probably won't feel the same way. The inclusion of several of Braunbeck's introductions to several other authors' books felt a little awkward and unnecessary, but in its own way, revealing of the sort of fiction Braunbeck wants to put a spotlight on. The sort of thing he'd like to see more of.

All in all, this book is well worth your money. It's NOT "just another book on writing". It's about bleeding life onto the page to create strong, unforgettable fiction in your own unique voice. It's this passion...this SOUL of the book, that distinguishes it from the other writing books out there. You should buy it. Now.

[Richard Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part biography, part writer manifesto, this is a seriously impressive book, particularly if you're drawn to the darker end of the fiction scale. Most admirable is the way that Braunbeck has taken a series of genuinely horrific tragedies in his life, brutally and plainly laid out for you to re-experience with him, and allowed them to merge into a solid mission statement. If you know Braunbeck's harrowing, humane works, it explains a lot. The book isn't perfect though, particularly in the way that movies from outside the mainstream are used to highlight techniques of interest to the horror writer. Fine, if you've watched those movies - and the very reason Braunbeck discusses them is because they informed his own writing. On the other hand, if you're an aspirant writer who hasn't seen those films, even though the author details the parts he is discussing and why they're of note, the points are made less vividly. That said, this is one of the few tricks the book misses, and I walked away feeling renewed about my own shoddy attempts at fiction, ready to look at it afresh. What writer could ask for more?

[Richard Sanford · Rating 4 out of 5]

A scruffier, lo-fi answer to King's Danse Macabre that does an amazing job of showing all aspects of an artist's work and the connective tissue between life and art and how one can screw up - or lift up - the other. Also featuring some of the most heartbreaking memoir I've ever read.

Made me curse myself and want to sit down and write a thousand words.

[Ciro · Rating 1 out of 5]

Populist and insufficiently differentiated from other how-to-write's (Delaney's is really solid). Worse, the guy makes sweeping claims about all forms of art that he doesn't really have the experience to judge. Finally, I couldn't stand the over cutesy, folksy, digressive writing—irritating in the extreme.

[Tj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read. This book definitely provides an interesting insight into the mind and personal history of one of contemporary horror's more interesting authors.

My only gripe - and it's a small one - is that I expected more about the details of his writing process itself.

[Glen Krisch · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most brutally honest nonfiction book I've read. Part memoir, part genre overview, this book will stay with you long after you've finished the last page.

[Lee Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buy it.

[Craig Rettig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even if you have no interest in writing, the commentary, analogies, and personal reflections Gary presents in this book are entertaining, moving, and every emotion in between.

[Jorge Rodighiero · Rating 2 out of 5]

great if you want to read about movies, not so great if you want help with your writing