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 This is a continuation of my blogging here at WdC |
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This will be a blog for my writing, maybe with (too much) personal thrown in. I am hoping it will be a little more interactive, with me answering questions, helping out and whatnot. If it falls this year (2024), then I may stop the whole blogging thing, but that's all a "wait and see" scenario. An index of topics can be found here: "Writing Blog No.2 Index"  Feel free to comment and interact. |
| Finding The Scary Question from Spud(She/Her): Which is scarier, monsters, malevolent ghosts or killers? Y'know plot line wise. Simple answer – that depends on how you write them. But that is probably too simplistic. Let’s look at the three tropes. Monsters Monsters are the creatures that are unknown. What makes them scary: Their appearance, the fact they go against nature, their base instincts and behaviours. Writing them scary: Because they are animals, the monster tends not to be a PoV character, so we get nothing about what is going on in their minds, and this means their actions are the central focus. Describing horrific actions, their smell, their appearance, and keeping them in the shadows a lot is the way these things most often work. Malevolent Ghosts These are supernatural forms of those already dead. What makes them scary: They represent death itself, which is the greatest fear in humans, and they are a reflection of people, though with added abilities. Writing them scary: They have intelligence, and so the use of writing jump scares as they come out of nowhere – through walls, out of appliances, etc – is the best way. They also cannot be harmed by physical weapons, and need to be dispelled by religion, an arcane rite, some behaviour, uncovering the body or something else that goes beyond a normal disposal. This can add to the terror level as the heroes race against time. Killers Killers are humans who just want to murder. What makes them scary: They could literally be anyone. Killers can be so normal looking. And ask animals how scary humans can be. Writing them scary: While they are people and can only do what people can do, their motivations, their actions and their responses may not follow regular people. This unpredictability is what the writer needs to work on. But they also are, if not intelligent, then understanding and know how to hide, how to open doors, how to get into places. Unpredictable and clever – not a good combination. Which is scariest? To me, humans are the scariest because of that intelligence and the fact they can be literally anyone. However, I do find animal/monster horror easier to write. Ghosts are tough because they have been done to death since ancient Greece, and it can feel like rewriting something already done. Having said that, I have written all three. So, I hope that answers your question! |
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