Comments on: Oh the (lack of) horror!!!

By: barrynapier

barrynapier — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:14:29 +0000

Good comments, all. I think Katey is right about the PHASES though. Perhpas that is what is happening to me as of late. I want my stuff to seem more important than it really is…

By: Katey

Katey — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 19:11:11 +0000

I like Natalie’s answer.

I’m nearly always speculative, but some things are darker than others in life, and if art imitates it, we can guess where it’s going. I’ve read in a lot of places that genre jumping is inadvisable to a young starting-out author but is it really a choice? No horror ideas working, but a ton of mainstream/literary, and you’re going to sit there and not write just to be stubborn?

But when I look at storytellers I admire (and by admire I mean pretty much worship), I realize they’ve all done it. I read the stuff in the Vonnegut collection “Welcome to the Monkey House” and I think, how could he not have gone to all these places? It’s what storytellers naturally want to do, no matter what they have to call themselves. Even the very, very best of them. It makes a hack like me feel a little better.

Phases are a natural part of being human, interests wax and wane. If we try to fake it, it will be feel contrived and stupid, like you say.

By: Natalie L. Sin

Natalie L. Sin — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 18:38:45 +0000

I can read the story if you want! As for writing, I often have to be very stern with myself in order to stay “on point.” I am a horror writer, but sometimes i find myself wanting to write something that’s not scary or just plain weird. I have to step back and ask myself if it’s a story worth telling, or a daydream that should stay that way. If it’s the former, I remind myself that there are plenty of markets besides horror to choose from on Duotrope ; )

I also go through phases. Recently I wrote a lot of funny horror stories. Now I want to go back to the kind of stuff that makes my mother wonder what is wrong with me.

By: Aaron

Aaron — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 18:37:45 +0000

I’m not a horror writer, but I play one on TV.

Really, folks have called me horror, I’m an affiliate in the HWA, and most of what I write is dark, but I reject the wholesale “horror writer” moniker. Dark fantasy–yes. Dark magical realism–yes. Pure horror? Probably not.

I feel a post coming on.

To answer your question, in a way, story must come first. (in that way, I agree with B above)

By: Jamie

Jamie — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 17:15:57 +0000

A. I would be honored to read what you have so far for Devil’s food. You have my email address if you want me to try it. I don’t have anything going on this afternoon (or much of this weekend for that matter)
B. Much of what I write is not horror as well. I have delegated power to the story at this point and I don’t try to fight it. (All of it is dark, but not much pure horror (try the Yellow Mama story I have out right now for an example))