Put the Spook in Your Writing1/27/2023 All Hallow’s Eve may have passed, but that doesn’t mean it’s not spooky season. As the winds pick up and the temperature chills, it’s easier than ever to imagine the world we know inhabited by ghosts and gremlins. And there’s nothing like a piece of fantastically spooky writing to luxuriate in on a cold, howling night. Without further ado, here are five books/stories that’ll kickstart the spook in YOUR writing, plus some tips. #1, The Haunting Of Hill House, Shirley Jackson. Shirley Jackson is one of the best horror novelists out there- this is not new information, I presume. The imagery and writing is luxurious, something to wallow in. And the way she writes her story’s narrator, the plangent and doleful Nell, is really quite extraordinary. I won’t spoil, but rarely do you find a horror novel with A) great prose B) touching, believable relationships and friendships and C) subtle psychological touches that just yank on our heartstrings. Please also read We Have Always Lived In The Castle. #2, Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier. This novel is beautiful. Daphne du Maurier has written some other well-known horror stories, like The Birds, but this novel is really something else. Another psychological horror novel- no gore or jump-scares, more of a subtle sinister feeling throughout the whole book. And her descriptions are magnificent. “Like old ladies caught at their ablutions, the pigeons would flutter from their hiding place, shocked into silly agitation, and, making a monstrous to-do with their wings, streak away from us above the tree-tops and so out of sight and sound. When they were gone a new silence would come upon the place, and I - uneasy for no known reason - would realize that the sun no longer wove a pattern on the rustling leaves, that the branches had grown darker, the shadows longer; and back at the house there would be fresh raspberries for tea. I would rise from my bed of bracken then, shaking the feathery dust of last year’s leaves from my skirt and whistling to Jasper, set off towards the house, despising myself even as I walked for my hurrying feet, my one swift glance behind.” #3, House of Leaves, Mark Z. Danielewski. Oh, dear God, what a book. I cannot emphasize enough the structure which belies the chaos within the book’s disorderly confines. Psychological, yes, psychological, but also very physical- the onset of horror aligns with the slow seep into chaos that the house becomes. Another haunted house book, you might think- but you haven’t read any like this. #4, The Turn Of The Key, Ruth Ware. Ruth Ware is QUEEN when it comes to puzzling, disturbing mysteries. This one, like much of her work, ends unhappily but perfectly. The twists that come are truly unexpected, and the story will have you hooked. Other Ruth Ware books that I loved are The Death of Mrs. Westaway and In A Dark, Dark Wood. #5, In The Wood, Tana French. This is the only horror/murder mystery book that has made me weep after finishing it. It delves deeply into the lives of the officers in charge of investigating a horrifying crime, and how their relationships change and splinter under the pressure. The final chapter absolutely wrecked me. I can’t recommend this book enough. There you have it! Some extra tips for writing spooky: #1 End your paragraphs… hauntingly. Images of leaves blowing and scattering in the cold, dry wind are good. Also of animals being eaten- a spider catching flies nimbly in its web. Unfinished sentences- those are good. You never want to end a paragraph like: “Callie Jane skipped happily over to the pool. It was a good thing, she thought, satisfied, that she had brought her swimsuit.” Instead, try: “As the drift of leaves moved ominously across the damp ground, wetting and deliquescing on the swimming pool’s surface, she felt the cold sink in. Her flesh whitened and goosed under the wind. There would be no pleasure in the cold pool, she felt, but still walked, slowly and steadily, to the edge.” #2 Introduce elements of uncertainty. The best way to do this is with other characters. If you do it subtly, it can be very compelling. Have the surrounding characters make puzzling, disturbing remarks that confound your protagonist- and slowly reveal the truth. #3 DO NOT NEGLECT YOUR CHARACTERS! Guys, generic “girl faced with ghost” simply does not cut it anymore. The novels I just listed all have absorbing protagonists. Even if they’re not perfect - and we don’t want them to be! Mary-Sues are also not where it’s at - they should be complex and riveting. #4 Have your protagonist keep their cards close to their chest. In The Turn of the Key, Ruth Ware’s protagonist hides a disturbing secret that is later revealed in a shocking twist. Same with We Have Always Lived In The Castle. Unreliable narrators add a new element of intrigue. Naomi Gageis a sophomore in high school in Los Angeles. In her spare time, she reads, writes, and cooks. You won’t find her on social media, but if you see her in the street, feel free to say hello.
MORE FROM THIS AUTHOR:
0 Comments
Leave a Reply.Categories
All
Archives
May 2023
|