How to Write a Great Horror Story

Introduction

'Warm yourself by the fire, the night will be long and I have such a strange and curious tale to tell...' 

I was asked by a user on Wattpad by the name of MyVampireLove to discuss my approach to horror fiction writing. Initially I was unsure about the proposition, as it seemed to me that giving advice on such things would be an admission on my part of possessing a talent for writing. My readers may think that I am getting a little too big for my boots and would struggle to fit my ego through an open doorway, but while I believe that there are far better writers out there than myself, I am still intrigued by the prospect of discussing how I write, and I just hope that in some way this humble little guide will be of help to those wishing to tell a tale or two.

While I will be focussing mainly on writing techniques within horror fiction, much of the information to follow can be applied to any genre and to any format. I have read many 'how to' guides and the one cardinal sin which most of them commit is in being stuffed with irreverent padding because the authors quite clearly have been struggling for content. With the exception of this self-indulgent introduction, 'How to Write a Great Horror Story' will provide a variety of techniques in a concise and easily accessible way to help you on your way to becoming the superior writer we both know you can be!

Over time I will add to this guide, and perhaps it will even serve as the basis for an eBook on writing, but for now I would like to talk to you about imagination...