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Horror is a very diverse genre, whether it’s a Sci-Fi or a romance. Horror can always be added if you know how to. However, it doesn’t always work. I’ve come up with some tips to enhance your horror stories! 

Plot

Plot is essential to any story, but it’s vital to a horror story. You don’t want plot holes, because it takes away the dread and horror due to the ability to surpass the threat. You also need to have a unique plot, it needs to drag people in. Whether you’re doing something original or something very cliche, you need something to entice people. 

Another thing is plot twists! Cliches aren’t the worst if they’re done properly. But you don’t want people knowing the plot before you do. 

*Alien 1979 SPOILERS* 

Alien does this really well; it makes think the main character is Dallas, so when he does something dangerous it makes you feel he’ll survive, giving you a false sense of security. He then, to everybody’s surprise, dies. It’s a massive plot twist and keeps the watcher in a: “Nobody is safe” mind set. 

Characters

Characters are a key part of Horror stories. They must fit into the story. You need to think of their background. You don’t need to have lore for them, just information on them. Such as: How or why are they in the situation? What will they do? What is their personality and is there a reason they’re like that? 

Development of Character

If your character stays the same the whole story, it may bore some people. Especially, if it’s an uninteresting personality. Sometimes, them not changing shows resilience. However, if you want to accurately display the after-effects of a traumatising experience, the character will change. Personally, I’d do research of post-trauma responses to keep it accurate. Also, looking back on your own experiences helps a lot! Art in any form should, in some way, reflect you. Even if you feel what you’ve gone through isn’t a major, it’s still trauma. So, if you’re able to, think of how you reacted. 

Development of Story

Never feel you must stick to one idea. If you finish a first draft and you get an idea, add it to the next draft! Even if it changes the whole story, you just need to try it out and see how it works. Also, you need to decide how fast or slow you introduce your story. Don’t take too long or too little time, go at a steady pace. When the climax begins, you can speed it up and pivot between speeds to heighten the adrenaline for the person watching or reading your story. Making your story interesting is a key feature, and drawing the reader in is important! 

Antagonists and Protagonists

Both roles are very important in any story. A protagonist is something to follow, and an antagonist is something to fear. Some people love a good villain, and some love a good hero. Whether you have a good or bad ending, a good protagonist and antagonist make your story. Don’t be scared to be original, you don’t need to follow the textbook definition of protagonists and antagonists, just know horror revolves around a scary problem, and an antagonist can provide that problem! 

I hope these tips help you in your writing, horror is a flexible genre, and you can twist it to your story in any way possible. Don’t be scared to stray from the normal plots and story arcs! 

By Evelyn Halliday