How to write & publish a horror book.

Looking to write and publish a Horror novel? Relax, we got the solution for that. Horror is a type of speculative fiction that is meant to frighten, startle, or disgust the reader. The horror story, according to literary historian J. A. Cuddon, is “a piece of fiction in prose of varying length… that shocks, or even frightens the reader, or possibly creates a sensation of disgust or detest.”

The goal of horror story is to create an unsettling and terrifying atmosphere for the reader. Subgenres of horror novels are frequently separated into psychological horror and supernatural horror. The major threat in a piece of horror fiction is frequently seen as a metaphor for greater societal worries. 

Ghosts, demons, vampires, werewolves, ghouls, the Devil, witches, monsters, extraterrestrials, dystopian and post-apocalyptic worlds, serial killers, cannibalism, psychopaths, cults, black magic, satanism, the macabre, gore, and torture are all prevalent elements.

One distinguishing feature of the horror genre is that it elicits an emotional, psychological, or physical response in readers, causing them to react with fear. “The oldest and greatest emotion of mankind is dread, and the oldest and strongest sort of fear is terror of the unknown,” according to the first phrase of H. P. Lovecraft’s landmark essay, “Supernatural Horror in Literature.”

Horror genre has quite a few sub-genres with their own twisted yet alluring characteristics:

• Gothic – a sub-genre which focuses more on the aspect of death.
• Paranormal – A sub-genre with the presence of supernatural creatures but none of it has a context of scientific explanation backing them up.
• Occult – a sub-genre which introduced the ritual practices but they are neither religious nor scientific.
• Dark Fantasy – A sub-genre which helps in blending the reality and dark elements of fantasy.
• Survival – a sub-genre in which the main character is being pursued and attempting to survive under the circumstances.
• Science-Horror Fiction – A sub-genre that blends science fiction and horror.

Reading and writing a horror fiction are two different things. Reading it means you are going through and with the story while writing it simply means that you are the creator of the story.

Here are a few tips for you that can help you in the process of writing a horror novel:

1. Take inspiration from real life and your own experiences. Return to your childhood memories and recall things that used to frighten you, or consider things you enjoy and put a creepy spin on them.
2. First, write the title of the book. Most writers begin with a story idea and come up with a title later. Try doing the inverse. Titles are excellent for quickly generating a variety of different ideas that can be expanded into an entire story.
3. Write the conclusion first. It may not always be possible, but once you start writing, it becomes easier to deceive people from the start and skillfully divert their attention away from what they expect the ending to be.
4. Stun the reader to reel them in. Begin with a shocking first chapter to set the tone and immediately introduce the who, what, when, and where of the story. Putting the crucial pieces in action early allows the rest of the plot to unfold.
5. Make use of cliffhangers. Pique the reader’s curiosity in upcoming events and compel them to keep reading to find out what occurs next. Include plot twists. Carrying the reader through the middle of a novel is difficult, and there must be enough excitement to keep them reading all the way to the end. An unexpected plot surprise can be beneficial.
6. Set up a false lead or a red herring. Include information that purposely confuse the reader and make it impossible for them to foresee the outcome.

There will be instances where you will be lost in the middle because your mind will force the thought that you cannot write or you have lost the inspiration. So at that time to boost the quality of your work, watch horror movies and read other horror literature. Find a horror author you admire and read their work. How do they handle shocks, twists, and cliffhangers? How do they build suspense and set the mood?