 Horror/Scary: October 15, 2025 Issue [#13397] |
This week: The Poetic and Short Form of Horror Edited by: Dawn Embers  
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This genre works quite well for the very short fiction word counts because one can attempt to elicit those emotions in under than 1,000 words. There are also plenty of people who manage to combine the genre with the poetic stiles of poetry and prose. |
We are in the season perfect for spooking. Ignore the Christmas trees in the stores and the mention of Christmas movies on TV already. No. Right now, it is the perfect time to focus on horror and Halloween. There are contests that run during only this month and there are ones that do special rounds just to match the spooky season. Some people find this to be the best time of the year. They might be the ones who keep up Halloween decorations, listen to loud music and love horror movies. While you can write the genre any time, now is a really good one on WDC to try out the genre. If you are new to horror, starting small is a good option. You can also write small as a horror expert. And if you really like horror, check out the conventions that are popping up and see if one is near you. They do seem to have some fun stuff based off the outfits and swag or purchased items I saw people carrying near the Long Beach Convention Center.
Horror and scary work well with short fiction because having the limited word count means the economy factor gives focus to keeping the things minimal but finding creative ways to draw out the emotional reactions that people seek when reading this kind of fiction. So, micro and flash fiction work well. In fact, Scary Tales to Tell in the Dark is a well known series of short fiction put into collections.
Another option that I may not have considered in the past is writing scary poems.
Some people do write horror in the poetic form instead of stories. This an another good way to start trying out something scary. This can focus on the senses to try and create a scary environment. Imagine the emotions they were trying to create in that weird film, The Blair Witch Project. Put the world of the poem out in the forest, in the dark and go from there. One can also write a poem either from a creatures point of view or from whoever the creature is hunting. Different ideas will come up. This also can work whether writing free verse or using certain forms. If you aren't sure how to put horror in this style of writing, check out some of the lyrics from the band, Ice Nine Kills. They are a good example as a band that writes songs based off horror movies. There are other ones too but if you are worried about content rate, I do suggest proceeding with caution. Some horror things can require or be set in a higher rating. There is something very "adult" or graphic about certain elements of horror.
Not that it has to be that way. People have done well writing horror for teens and even some scary stories might appeal to children. I remember watching some episodes of Tales from the Crypt or even the odd tales from the Twilight Zone. Even the movie, Coraline, comes up as a kids horror, or there is ParaNorman. There are ways to keep it lower rated and still do a poetic attempt at something horror or scary.
If you catch it in time, before the 19th, check this one out: ""13" - 2025 Edition" [18+]
Whatever style you go for this month, I say, give horror and scary short items a try. Either fiction or poetry. Write something scary and have a Happy Halloween when it comes. Save Christmas stuff for later. Boo! |
Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
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Do you like to write horror? Have you ever tried to write a scary poem or very short story?
Back in spring, I wrote a horror newsletter about the question of whether one should wear a mask? Not health related type or the one found on certain drag shows. Instead, this was about the horror mask that is sometimes seen in slasher films. Here is a comment sent for the topic:
Comment by Ichabod Crane  :
Half mask or total makeup mask. The audience has to see your lips no matter which way you turn. And thank you for including my story, 'Retribution', in your Editor's Picks.
 |
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