What type of horror book would you like to see?

[Richard]

Greetings All!

As an indie-author in the horror / zombie genres, I'm always interested to know what readers love the most. I know what I like, but what kind of book would you like to see?

Lots of gore? Heavy or light character development (are deep characters important to you)? What type of setting (city or rural)? These type of questions.

I already gather inspiration from movies, TV shows, books (e.g. Walking Dead, George Romero, Stephen King, Dean Koontz, assorted other works of horror / zombies) so there's always enough crap floating in my head to produce more books. But I'd love to get some first-hand feedback from GR readers on what they love and what they'd love to read more of.

Who knows, I may even incorporate some of these things into future books !

[Emma]

i wanna see disturbing horror, like books that genuinely make your skin crawl, my tolerance for horror is really high so most horror books never get to me😞

[Rae]

Emma wrote: "i wanna see disturbing horror, like books that genuinely make your skin crawl, my tolerance for horror is really high so most horror books never get to me😞"

yesss to this. i also want a horror/thriller that has the same flow throughout the book/writing and where there are no twists just for the sake of twists/speedy endings just because they are having a hard time wrapping things up. #consistency

[Richard]

Thanks for the feedback, Emma and Rae. Interesting. Going more disturbing would be okay to a certain point, but don't want to alienate broader audiences by going too dark =)

[The bookish Witch]

I love a good haunted house book.

[Justin]

I tend to write dark, disturbing and gory horror so I would say I look for similar books as such to read. I can read a very gory book but to watch it on tv? Ehh not so much. I also like a good weird horror/ weird western with lots of action.

[Brianna]

Horror books with gore are fine to me, but the gore needs to have purpose. I find what is often more effectively creepy (for me) are scenes that help you feel the helplessness/fear of the book character, and they don't even particularly need to display the monster/antagonistic fully. The scene from King's "The Shining" where Danny is crawling through the tube/tunnel and understands something might be following him have simply stayed with me. I also really enjoyed a scene from Ronald Malfi's "The Narrows" where a character is trapped in their home as an entity tries to gain access from outside. Very well written.

[Richard]

Brianna wrote: "Horror books with gore are fine to me, but the gore needs to have purpose. I find what is often more effectively creepy (for me) are scenes that help you feel the helplessness/fear of the book char..."

Yes, I totally agree with this. Great comment! Creating that fear and claustrophobic feeling like you're trapped along with the main character. That's lightning in a bottle for sure. If gore can add to the atmosphere, it should be included, but only if it contributes in some meaningful way.

[Jonathon]

I enjoy character development, for me that can help make tragedy more impactful. I find it hard to read some of the extreme gore/gross out type horror, but I'm willing to if there's a good story behind it. Like mentioned above, give me some justification. Why is this person being ripped to shreds, and who were they prior to this happening? :)

[Joe]

I especially like weird stories that are truly weird. Things that cross, say, Thomas Ligotti with Franz Kafka.

[Phil (Theophilus)]

I am PTSD'd by contemporary horror that is little more than cookie cutter plots with excessive graphic sex and overall pandering to base carnality. Degeneracy all the time is repetitive and boring. An exploration of deeper psychological factors is warranted to keep my attn.

I would like to see the slow burn as previously published by the old masters of horror --M.R. James, Alastair Blackwood, Wm Hope Hodgson et al.

[Mary ♥]

Agreeing with everyone here, I believe atmosphere and character development are imperative to a good horror story. Sure, splatterpunk/gore does have a place, but IMO it isn't scary... and at worst it's goofy af. A great horror book starts with those foundations! I really don't remember gore/viscera after I've finished a book, it's the psychological aspects that are impactful.

I would personally like to read more sci-fi leaning horror books, they're difficult to find and an underutilized subgenre. There's so much that an author can do with sci-fi elements, it's criminal that it isn't more popular.

Good luck with your writing, Richard!

[E.B.]

I also agree with the pack. I think good horror is rarely about external stakes, but rather, internal stakes. Real horror is having your understanding of reality--and even yourself--snatched out from under your feet like a rug while you stumble mid-air. Learning that you're transforming into a monstrous beast, or that the gods are uncaring, all-devouring titans, or that that missing block of time was your brain's way of protecting you from the fact you're a murderer, all of that hinges on an established world and well-developed characters. The more invested we are in them, the more horrific and unsettling any subversion of our characters' expectations will be.

[Richard]

Thanks for all the feedback. Some great points here !

[MsYinry]

I agree with everyone here, but I do want to emphasize the importance of the characters in the story. Understanding the character is very important. To be honest, I won't even ask for them to develop unless it fits the plot, I just need to understand the character.

If ever I do see a character going insane, this is just my preference, I would love to see a bit of their point of view, like their thoughts and how far they're gone. It's just fascinating to me. I can't help but love characters more than the plot in a book if it is written well sometimes

Oh also I do like it when books don't give you a certainty if there will be a happy ending or not. I do love a good gut punch sometimes.

[Richard]

P0B wrote: "I am PTSD'd by contemporary horror that is little more than cookie cutter plots with excessive graphic sex and overall pandering to base carnality. Degeneracy all the time is repetitive and boring...."

Ah...the claustrophobic feelings generated by slow-burn horror until it's almost too much to take. Love those.

[Richard]

MsYinry wrote: "I agree with everyone here, but I do want to emphasize the importance of the characters in the story. Understanding the character is very important. To be honest, I won't even ask for them to devel..."

Yes and unhappy ending or "gut punch" as you call it can sometimes be a good reward in horror.

[Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Blastronaut Rocks..]

Totally agree with the importance of character. We need to care what happens to em or what's the point? Also helps if one can relate. As much as I've enjoyed some Koontz books (Watchers anyone?)... it can be hard to identify with a saintly whiter than white protagonist. The odd antihero don't go amiss. Maybe I should just up my game and be a better person eh? : )
Plot/setting etc? Personally I'd like more stuff akin to The Stand and Swan Song. Apocalyptic or post-apocalyptic. But rather than zombies, I'd like to have other creature types running amok. Am a big fan of 'Creatures/Monsters' rather than ghosties. Tho I got nothing against haunting/possession and have enjoyed many book and film of the likes.
As far as what gets me... it's the real stuff more than anything. Example - The Thing (Carpenter) is my fave horror of all time but I can watch that kinda gore 24/7.. without blinking an eye. When someone takes a razor to their wrists however... that's a different ballgame for me. Even have to look away when it's in films. Can't remember what film it was now but someone had to saw off their own arm (no not in funny 'Ash' style with the hand) and I struggled with that too. Squeamish muchy? : )
Err... that's me for what it's worth.

[Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Blastronaut Rocks..]

Scratch that post for being silly (as is my wont) but..... I do like a bit of comedy horror. Plenty of it on screen but don't think I've read a book in said genre.. bar one perhaps. James Herbert's 'Creed' is quite funny and enjoyed it no end. That possibly passes for a horror funny. Can't think of any more.
Suggestions most welcome.

If this shoulda gone up on another thread, my apologies.