How to Write a Horror Story, Writing Horror
Reddit for Writers: 47 Writing Subreddits to Explore
This supplement to the 2019 edition of our 101 Best Websites provides a guide to writing subreddits—destinations across Reddit where writers can find useful information, community, and resources.
Imagination Unchained: BIRD BOX Author Josh Malerman on Film Adaptations, Theatrical Book Readings and More
Bird Box author and multidisciplinary creative Josh Malerman shares insights into his writing process, what it's like having a story adapted for the screen, his unique theatrical book readings and more.
Writing Scary Stories & Horror for Kids: 4 Lessons from Goosebumps Author R.L. Stine
For more than 25 years, Stine has been writing horror for kids around the world with his Goosebumps series, which has sold over 350 million copies in 32 languages. Here are four lessons from the master himself.
Scare Tactics: 7 Tricks for Writing Terrifying Horror Fiction & Monster Stories
Jessica Page Morrell gets down to brass tacks on how to successfully achieve fear and believability when crafting horror fiction and stories with monstrous antagonists.
Surprise vs. Suspense and How to Pair Them in Your Writing
What's the difference between suspense and surprise, and how is each one powerful? Jane Cleland explains how to pair these two elements in your writing in this excerpt from her book Mastering Suspense, Structure & Plot.
Reading, Breathing and the Long Sentence: How to Write Horror That Frightens Readers
Learn how to write horror that will chill your readers to the bone using these techniques from Phil Athans' all-new Advanced Horror Workshop.
The Writer’s Digest Podcast, Episode 9: Using Your Words for the Power of Good — Interview with Heather Graham
In this episode of the Writer's Digest Podcast, Heather Graham shares: Why writers need editors and editors need writers, tips to carve out time for your writing in your already busy life, the benefits of writing groups, and more.
What a Coincidence: 7 Clever Strategies for Harnessing Coincidences in Fiction
Well-timed coincidences can catapult a story forward, but a poorly planned one can bring your readers to a dead stop. Use these 7 strategies to harness the power of this storytelling tool while steering clear of common missteps.
Playing with Common Horror Tropes for Comedic Effect
The horror tropes you often see in movies can be fun, but they can also be totally ludicrous. If you're looking to add a comedic edge to your horror fiction, try bending these common tropes.
Who Ya Gonna Call? Writing Paranormal and Supernatural Phenomena Realistically and Authentically
Given the popularity and depictions of "paranormal and supernatural phenomena" in movies and TV, one of the world's foremost scientific experts on writing paranormal and supernatural phenomena explains how his expertise assists writers and filmmakers.
5 Lessons Studying Sleight-of-Hand Can Teach You About Writing Suspense
Learning magic taught Michael Kardos several important lessons about performance and technique that have served him well when writing suspense.
How to Create a Protagonist Who is Very Different From You
How does a writer create a character unlike themselves and give it a living, breathing personality? I’ll walk through these six steps that worked for me--and perhaps they’ll work for you.
Why Point of View Is So Important for Novel Writers
The following is a brief rundown of the three most common POVs and the advantages and disadvantages of each.
10 Rules of Writing a Novel From a Copywriter
Here are a few things author Helen Klein Ross learned along the way to writing a novel between stints as a copywriter from how to manage time to handle inspiration and more.
6 Things American Horror Story Can Teach Us About Writing
American Horror Story, an anthology series, is the perfect television show to analyze for the best concepts to use in writing horror. Here are 6 keys to writing stories that will scare readers.
Write Like Stephen King: How to Create Scary Monsters
Monsters are more than just things that bite. Bestselling author Philip Athans explores a few basic assumptions about monsters, with examples from the classic Stephen King novella “The Mist.”
10 Ways To Hook Your Reader (and Reel Them in for Good)
When I wanted to write an essay about my difficult relationship with my brother I had to figure out a way to make it interesting to other people so I turned to these 10 elements to keep the story rolling.
The Difference Between Character Habits And Quirks
What exactly is the difference between behaviors, habits, mannerisms, and quirks? Read on to learn the subtle (yet important) differences between them and how to apply them to your characters.
Rewriting the 7 Rules of Dialogue
Understand why and how to break these 7 common rules about writing dialogue, and you’ll write more effective, nuanced and engaging character conversations.
The 5 Biggest Fiction Writing Mistakes (& How to Fix Them)
Start your revision by addressing these five biggest fiction writing mistakes, and you'll immediately change your story for the better.
7 Things That Will Doom Your Novel (& How to Avoid Them)
You can doom your debut novel from the start with these 7 (tongue-in-cheek) strategies for flailing, and failing—or, you can do just the opposite.
9 Practical Tricks for Writing Your First Novel
Whether you're writing your first novel or are struggling with completing a second one (or more), sometimes you need some help focusing and figuring out how to reach your goal. Use these 9 tricks to help you go from first sentence all the way to completed novel.
Bringing Your Readers into the Game
Writing sports-themed action scenes provides an opportunity for an author to engage the passions of three different readers: enthusiasts, well versed in the particular sport featured; others unfamiliar with the specifics of this sport, yet athletes nevertheless; and non-athletes not involved with sports in anyway.