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Is There a Point to Writing Horror?
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Jon Recluse
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Sep 09, 2012 06:51PM
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you'll be fine, blackouts are just our memory's way of editing for context
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That makes me feel better.....
I write Horror because yes id like to make money but thats in writing terms more then genre and what author doesnt? But I write Horror because its a genre thats always gonna have a big fan base and just happens to be the. concept to which I decided to go in. I think you really cant go wrong with horror.
Democrats see evil as potential voters? That explains so much. I think horror might sell better to Repulicans because they take the time to think things out, and despite a lot of popular opinion, the horror genre is one of the most intelligent genres in literature or film.Wonder how many Twilight fans are Democrats?
Everything's cyclic. Horror may not be the in thing now, but I'm sure it will have its turn again. I write horror because I love to read and write horror - that simple. I don't temper it for a young adult audience, no matter how popular The Hunger Games may be. If it keeps me poor, so be it. My idea of a love story is Norman Bates' relationship with his dead mother, so you won't see me writing one of those.
Is there no way for you to believe what you believe without insulting those who don't share your beliefs, Ardy? I don't see any democrats doing any republican (yes, that's how it's spelled for all those extra IQ points) bashing on here.
Mod
It was a joke.
Stop it now.
Mod
Sorry, Bandit.
I was just kidding around.
Jason, AMC is actually developing a new tv show about Norman Bates' relationship with his mother. I'm not sure how much of a love story it'll be, but I think it's going to be an interesting show.
no worries, Jon :)here, I wish I could outfit the world in these
http://www.peaceloveandt-shirts.com/P...
Mod
Not my style, though.
Do they have a "Give Peace a chance or we'll beat you" t-shirt?
you don't like peace love and zombies design? sighdoesn't it beat a maytag uniform, though
It was a joke on my part too. I am actually an independant.
Mod
Of course it does.
Bandit wrote: "Jason, AMC is actually developing a new tv show about Norman Bates' relationship with his mother. I'm not sure how much of a love story it'll be, but I think it's going to be an interesting show."News to me. I'll be sure to check it out. Love The Walking Dead!
oh, my mistake, it's actually gonna be an A&E show or mini series, working name so far is Bates Motel and they cast Vera Farmiga to play the mother, I love that actressWalking Dead is awesome
Mod
this is all they have in Bandit wear at this time
http://shop.cafepress.co.uk/outlaw-mo..."
I'll take it!
Thanks for sharing your blog post with us Darnell.I enjoy horror on the psycho level. Poe is one of my favorite, and granted he had a lot of gore, but his stuff also opperated on a more subtle. These days we are a bit desensitized to swinging pendulums and pre mature burial is not a daily occurrance.
I can't speak for writers who only write in the horror genre, since I am to ADD to do that, but I write horror because it allows me to explore my own fears. Most of us have to deal with some level of 'fear of rejection' which is why I think Carrie is very popular. Fear and the way we handle it make us uniquely human. Fear in an animal illicites flight (unless cornered), however humans have a choice in how they deal with fear. They can run, in which case the fear does not go away, or they can face it, in which they will conqure or be consumed.
Horror (and its basic emotion, fear) brings us face to face with the live or die choice. The choice to go out with this guy or date that girl may be portrayed as 'life or death', but we know it isn't.
Getting walled up down in a wine cellar or losing your grip on reality is a bit more viseral.
Ardy wrote: "I have written lots of stuff, ranging in genre from literary to horror with sci-fi, fantasy, and humor thrown in. The writing that resonates most with me is horror, and it seems to resonate with my..."I agree. I think I write horror stories because it's fun to scare people. When I was a kid, me and my friends loved to tell scary stories (like urban legends) to each other althought we knew that the stories were most likely not true. Even kids nowadays still look for ghost stories. They love to be scared.
Bandit wrote: ":)this is all they have in Bandit wear at this time
http://shop.cafepress.co.uk/outlaw-mo..."
Dig the clothes, Bandit...
Bandit wrote: "you don't like peace love and zombies design? sighdoesn't it beat a maytag uniform, though"
Heh...
Jon Recluse wrote: "Thanks, Bandit.Not my style, though.
Do they have a "Give Peace a chance or we'll beat you" t-shirt?"
I'd buy that...
Great topic...I think there are various reasons why some of us write and read horror. They include a longstanding attraction to the genre. Writing and reading horror can be a safe thrill-ride. It can be cathartic. It can be a great way to interrogate our core spiritual beliefs. I've always felt that the best horror is a wishful way to assert that there is something beyond the natural world and our mortal lives. Even today, as the genre continues to evolve, a good portion of horror has the protagonist getting the best of whatever mortal or supernatural evil he's facing.
At its core, horror plays out the ages old Good vs. Evil equation again and again. Many of us never outgrow our early interest in that battle. When the horror is defeated in a story, physical and spiritual pain are minimized. Maybe even death is conquered. Horror writers tap into that desire in each of us to see evil, negativity and death defeated. This applies even to stories that problematize the very nature of life, death and evil because ultimately we find that there are gradations of cruelty, immortality, cruelty, etc.
Jekyllhyde
Well said, Jekyll. What does Mr. Hyde think?
Jason wrote: "Well said, Jekyll. What does Mr. Hyde think?"Jason -- I wish I could say, "Whatever I tell him," but it's often more the other way around. ;)
Personally, I write horror because something deep down inside compels me to. I have always been attracted to the darker side of life. What some people call extreme, I have always just felt was normal.
The point of writing horror is to make people like me happy. It is my favorite genre of novel, movie, etc. I am fascinated and horrified by what humans can do/will do to each other. Reading horror novels make me feel really alive, and part of the human condition. Human psychology has always been my number one interest, and I think horror novels more than any other genre (for me), can really capture the essence of the depravity that the human mind can suffer. I happily support those authors who still believe in the genre and continue to write for me.
There are still readers of horror out there, somewhere, so why not write horror? Sure the faux-horror stuff like glittery vampires is hugely popular, but just a general impression is that zombies have come on strong in the real horror world. Horror movies are always coming out as well, so maybe there's a bit of a cross-section to books.
I think when an author sits down to write a horror story, he is creating a vehicle for an idea. The more self aware horror writers do this consciously, which often makes their stories more powerful, but I think that all horror stories ultimately do this to one degree or another. And the idea/theme may or may not be embodied in the threat itself. Some authors choose to make the threat/monster/antagonist the symbol for the idea of the story, while others may simply use it as a situation facing the characters who embody the idea instead. A calculating author may even use both. He can use different elements of the story to layer the ideas, and add depth to the piece. Sometimes he might even come out and say what some element of the book is about, while leaving deeper elements of the work unsaid. This in no way detracts from the “horror” of the story, and often enhances it. Even if the reader finishes the book without being able to state what the theme was, the fact it was there will have made the book a deeper and more satisfying experience for him.
This thread is certainly generating some very interesting discussion. My own thoughts echo those of several previous posters. I think the point of writing horror stories should be, simply, to tell a good story, with all that entails - to communicate an idea or message, to move and surprise and ultimately satisfy the reader. It's the fact that the story happens to be scary or unsettling in some fashion that makes it a horror story.With this in mind, I don't think that horror, as a genre, should have to justify itself more than any other form of writing. Sadly, this seems to be the case regardless in today's market. I have a very well read, very intelligent friend who dismisses horror out of hand, on the grounds that it's less valid than other genres. His exact words were, "I don't agree with any genre that sets out to provoke one reaction in the reader". As though a horror story were just a ride on a fairground ghost train or something.
P.g. wrote: "This thread is certainly generating some very interesting discussion. My own thoughts echo those of several previous posters. I think the point of writing horror stories should be, simply, to tell ..."Although the predominant emotion invoked by horror is certainly fear, I don't think I have ever read a horror novel that didn't have more to it than that (or at least finished one). Horror novels still have complete characters who feel/experience a wide range of emotions, obstacles, etc.
I honestly don't see how the genre as a whole can be downplayed as something less reputable. There is quality and crap in all genres. It's a certain type of snobbery to say a whole genre sucks because one simply doesn't enjoy it. I'm not a fan of romance, but that doesn't make every romance novel crap.
I'm of the school of thought that a writer (not necessarily just a published one) is mostly motivated by the thoughts that pop into their heads and the compulsive need to form a narrative.I tend toward horror because I have a generally dark perspective and am prone to fright.
Some people horror comes out of and others read it, usually with a great deal of overlap.
It's like asking why someone plays metal instead of pop.
I honestly don't see how the genre as a whole can be downplayed as something less reputable. There is quality and crap in all genres. It's a certain type of snobbery to say a whole genre sucks because one simply doesn't enjoy it. I'm not a fan of romance, but that doesn't make every romance novel crap.I think quite a bit of this snobbery takes as its premise that genre literature is aimed at the lowest common denominator, its primary focus (horror, romance, etc.), and for this reason it lacks literary complexity. A notion I find to be both simplistic and lazy on its face. I equate fiction to poetry, in that the primary goal of both should be to make the reader feel something.
Another thing is that one person's crap is another person's quality.Some stuff you read because it's deep and engrossing, other stuff because it's silly, entertining, and distracting.
You don't become an idiot because you like something dumb every now and then.
And while there is witing I hate and will use every hyperbolic power I have to attack, I realize that someone out there likes it, and that person isn't necessarily a bigger idiot than me.
Now... non-fiction. That's another story.
A lot of that is total tripe. ;)
Made up on the spot here but I have devised the Five Levels of Horror...1.The Downright Horrendous( Horror so scary, gory, violent and intense that there it's elements leaving people scared or with memories they cannot endure or they are possibly even dead)
2.The Strange and Bizarre( A scare factor without any reasoning or is just so weird that it's creepy and odd. Horror so scary that the reason it is is because of everything it is not)
3.Gore(While gore factors in the first, it stands alone as it's own type of horror. The blood, violence and everything that makes it so is enough to scare off the boots and gross anyone out)
4.Eerie and Creepy( Spine chilling, looking behind your back, the prickly things on the back of your neck..yup thats this)
5.Suspense/Mystery( A type of scare that leaves you at the edge of your seat but is also possibly solvable unless of course one is too scared)
Aj wrote: "Ardy wrote: "I have written lots of stuff, ranging in genre from literary to horror with sci-fi, fantasy, and humor thrown in. The writing that resonates most with me is horror, and it seems to res..."I here ya about the parents thing. Knowing that my parents have read some of the sick stuff I've written or worse, my girlfriend's parents, makes my face turn a little redder at family gatherings
Jason wrote: "Aj wrote: "Ardy wrote: "I have written lots of stuff, ranging in genre from literary to horror with sci-fi, fantasy, and humor thrown in. The writing that resonates most with me is horror, and it s..."Oh man, my dad telling me that what I wrote was a little creepy was probably my lowest/highest point so far. Totally agree.
Darnell wrote: "This is a short, thoughtful essay I wrote discussing the relevance of the horror genre in literature. I'd love to hear your own thoughts, arguments and critiques.http://darnellsakidickerson.blogs..."
Interesting read. I would suggest that fear is one of the primal most feelings we can experience. It taps into something deep within our hearts, and gets us excited about the story. Also, it's a little like roller coasters and other things that evoke fear but don't offer any real risk. Simply put, they're fun. And when telling a story, if you're not having fun, not being entertained, what's the point?
David wrote: "This is off topic, but has anyone read The Road by Cormac MacCarthy? I just wanna know how it is."David, I like McCarthy but some don't because of his writing style. But The Road is a very dark and depressing novel, but check it out. Personally, I liked it but liked No Country for Old Men better...but The Road is a powerful novel...
Chiming in late but...I like what Jecklhyde said about the good versus evil plot playing out in horror.
At first, I hesitated to call my book horror because the genre is dominated at present with zombies and vampires, whereas my book is more classic horror. Also, it necessarily crosses genres as I suspect most hooror novels do - suspense, thriller mystery. My brother chastized me saying, "Of course it's horror, Carla. Your main character is one down from the devil, you can't get any more horror than that."
So I gave in and called it Horror, but there are a number of people who have told me they don't read horror, and when I question them, it's either that they don't like the vampire zombie thing or they fear it is all gore and violence. My book is not without gore, but it is NERVER gratuitous or overdone and always serves a purpose in defining characters, their danger, or plot.
I think the basic struggle of good over evil - no matter how it is defined or played out in fiction - will always be in demand. It touches our very core and echoes our inner battle with evil. Everytime good triumphs in life or fiction, it gives us hope. The Glen
Justin wrote: "Made up on the spot here but I have devised the Five Levels of Horror...1.The Downright Horrendous( Horror so scary, gory, violent and intense that there it's elements leaving people scared or wi..."
Justin that's awesome! :-)
P.G. wrote: His exact words were, "I don't agree with any genre that sets out to provoke one reaction in the reader".That makes my heart sink a little. I'm sure he could have a compelling argument but every type of fiction aims to bring out some kind of reaction in the reader. There's the so called genre stories that provoke emotions like how romance makes us swoon of feel sorrow over love lost. Sci-fi/fantasy makes us feel wonderment.. etc
Even literary fiction provokes us, it sets out to make us think and feel and question.
I think if a piece of fiction doesn't provoke any reaction in the reader it's doing something wrong.
Justin wrote: "Made up on the spot here but I have devised the Five Levels of Horror...Brilliant Justin.
Now, (just for the sake of gumming up the works), where does thriller fit in?
I would say under 1 or 4. I thought i added it in but yeah it would fit under one of those two.
Vince wrote: "JD wrote: "There is just as much point in writing horror as any other genre. Why wouldn't there be?"Totally agree JD"
Amen.I can't stand how the "literary" types expect us to justify why we write what we write. We should be asking them "why are you writing existential hoopla filled with subtext?"
Jonathan wrote: "Good, thoughtful essay, Darnell. I think the best horror writing does tackle weighty subject matter, and as effectively as Shakespeare or Dostoyevsky--just from a different angle. I wish the general public could shake off its perception of horror as lowbrow entertainment."I think the general public sees ALL entertainment is lowbrow. That's why we had Jersey Shore and Adam Sandler.
As I've mentioned before, I think writers of dark fiction may have a self-esteem issue. Why should we have to justify why we write at all? It can be intense horror like Macbeth or pure fluff like Midnight Summer's Dream. Thankfully there are more things in heaven and earth than Snooki.
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The Glen (other topics)Apparition (other topics)
