Concepts of Horror in Fiction ( Writing Tips )
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- Опубліковано 24 жов 2017
- In this video we will be looking at different concepts of horror in fiction - looking at the different ways you can breakdown and analyse horror - helping fellow writers and storytellers to use these concepts in different ways to make your horror writing more original.
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New videos will be scheduled to upload every other week, aiming to bring new content to you all to help you with tips, advice and other information along the way. These are aimed at writers with writing tips, screenwriters and screenwriting tips and role-players who want to write for their RPG campaigns and improve their storytelling - as well as exploring the stories of games, tv shows and more.
If you have any questions, then please leave a comment down in the section below and I'll answer them as soon as I get the chance.
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Best regards, keep writing, storytelling and being awesome!
Danyal
Let me know what you think of the video and what concepts you like to explore in your own writing - here is a new video on how to add suspense to your writing - ua-cam.com/video/p7bShAgjMVU/v-deo.html.
Man, this video is...laid-back. Ironic how relaxing this video can be even though it's about horror.
Thanks haha - I'll take that as a compliment :D Horror doesn't have to be poop-your-pants scary :P
I'm working on a thing I need to finish quickly and to help with my terrible attention span, watching or listening to something helps a lot, and this was just perfect for that for that exact relaxing tension
The scariest work of fiction I know is Dragon Ball: Evolution
Truly horrifying.
Max Nieves love it! You nearly made me choke on my coffee this morning ;);):)
The dread: realising this is not going to turn out the way you hoped
The terror: seeing this realisation manifest
the horror: "Look how they massacred my boy"
That is something that shouldn’t be talked about…not here…Oh dear it’s already started.
Phsycological horror is way scarier than any jump scare
Aly cat totally agree with you!!
@@Weird_Quests i find it super awesome that you take the time to respond to almost all your comments
@@alycat2038 Thank you so much! :D I truly respect the time everyone puts into commenting and I love talking to people :D
Omg the alien jump scare made me kick my wall so hard....
My paint needs to be redone.... 😅
I am so sorry! :D That it such an iconic scene in that movie that I forget that sometimes people haven't seen it before - I apologise for your wall and your paint :D
Xenomorph jumpscare be like "NYAAA!"
I had a heart attack like I knew it was coming but it still got me
I am writing a novel on a retired marine who wakes up in a permanent dream. The dream is set in a nuclear fallout. With some of his worse fears in the theme of nuclear creatures. I would like to hear if anybody would read this if I continued working on it. I know it sounds like silent hill or the game fallout but that's not what I'm trying to mimic. Please give me your honest opinions
In relation to your idea - just think about Fallout and Silent Hill and how those ideas and monsters are presented/displayed in the narrative.
Try to figure that out and then either subvert those tropes/pastiche, change it entirely to be something entirely different and/or think about things in different genres (elements) and how you could bring them to a different resolution in the story.
It sounds like a great idea - just start thinking about what the dream is - is it sentient (lovecraftian)? Is it a sort of limbo (religious or pseudo religious)? Is it playing on his worst fears (look at psychological studies)?
In regards to nuclear monsters - how are they represented in Fallout for example? Mutants and mutated creatures - this is overdone and almost cliche at this point. How could you turn it on it's head? For example, the book, I Am Legend (not the terrible movie), the hunter (the protagonist) turns out to be the monster at the end of the book, the new society of vampires/pseudo-zombies are the new society/stage of humanity - that is taking a pastiche, trope of cliche and turning it on its head.
Would absolutely love to read this
So would I!
I would definitely read this as well
Status?
"Dread----that strange mixture of terror, horror, and mystery----is the purest response one can feel at the full realization of the human condition."
Enclave Remnant Perfect response! I truly is. The realization is what is missing in most stories these days - when done right is just pure genius!
I love writing horror!
I'm glad you do! Do you enjoy these kind of videos (visual essays)?
In my opinion Five Nights at Freddy's is a very good example of dread. 80% of the game is sitting in near silence and knowing something is out there coming for you only for a loud jumpscare to catch you off guard. While the rest of the game is trying to piece together the story of a serial child killer whose signature is stuffing the bodies in the animatronic suits.
On top of that if it's too hard to get passed the jumpscares there are Fnaf books that focus more on the mystery, the feeling of terror and suspense is kept intact.
Hey there - thanks for letting me know about the story behind Friday Night at Freddie’s - I’ll definitely look more inn the mystery and unknowingness behind it all.
That’s why I love UA-cam and sharing - you always learn and continue to widen your perspective.
Thanks for this video! I'm actually working on a short horror story, and I completely overlooked the fact of dread, I was planning on having the character come face to face with the monster right from the first encounter, instead I''l try to build upon that fear and have the reader look within and conjure their darkest imaginations. Thanks again, this is seriously helpful, I understand now that there should be this element of not-knowing
Hello sharpdude100, I'm glad that the video was informative. It also has influenced my own understanding of utilizing different elements of horror in fiction. Even though these are technically "literary theories" or concepts, they really do inform the decision making process in your own writing.
I also try to look at simple, albeit effective, examples which take less time to realize these concepts "in action" - and that's to find your favourite TV shows or movies and watch them from the perspective that you're looking for those moments where the horror is introduced and when it starts to build into these different areas (Event Horizon being a great example).
You can do this with your favourite books too - but I've found that to a slower process when I'm trying to improve my own writing process.
Don't forget to share if you think it'll be useful to someone you know and, also, let me know what topics you'd find interesting or insightful - I'm always open to suggestions.
of course I'll share :) well that is one thing I have wondered about, the whole dynamic between one form of art and another. I am inspired by movies and music of course, I try to learn the art and craft behind them as well, but at the end of the day I just gotta read more books xD I'm glad I discovered your channel.
Yeah - reading is so important to writing. Glad to have you here.
You're truly amazing thank you for explaining this stuff to me
Thank you so much that you liked the video! I'm not amazing at all really, just really passionate and love sharing my thoughts and readings on the concept I love! :D
@@Weird_Quests
Again: you're truly amazing and very passionate at what you do and what you love, and again thank you for sharing that with me :)
@@kinglykaon2896 These are the kind of comments that keep me doing what I do - I will be creating a series of new videos soon (had a bit of a hiatus) and then I'll be uploading and releasing more regularly. :D
@@Weird_Quests
I'm happy to hear it. And I cant wait, what you will have in store for us, all of us :)
Thank you for this video, I'm currently writing an essay on horror literature and also writing my own horror story for a school project and this information is really helpful.
You're more than welcome!!! :D I love helping others - if you need any other advice or recommendations to read or look at in regards to horror, just let me know.
This has to be the best video I've seen on this subject so far. You're editing is superb and you made this incredibly interesting to watch. Keep it up!
You don't know how much that this comment means to me! I truly want to say that it is super appreciated and will definitely direct me to make more! I think I've find a style of video which works for me - I'm actually uploading a Cyberpunk visual essay soon and I can't wait for it to be released :D I'll be planning more of these types of videos for education and entertainment. :D Love this comment! :D
@@Weird_Quests Glad to hear. You're content is much appreciated.
@@candy-ninja Thank you so much! I'm aiming on making these kinds of videos (they'll take more time to research well and put together :D)
*your
@@bora6915 Thanks - to some it may be annoying, but the best way to think about it is one step to becoming a better editor :D
is it okay if I share this video on my blog? I think it perfectly supports my argument about the importance of dread in horror.
Of course you can - I've got a huge list of videos to make and I'll be covering other aspects of horror too :D
Danyal Fryer thank you! I also hyperlinked your name in it so that it would send anyone that likes the video to your channel.
I’m only a beginner horror blogger but I’m super excited about it. It’s horrorandhappyhour.com
Your mention is on the “what is horror” page if u wanna see it. I know my writing isn’t incredible yet, but I’m getting there!
@@cherievacie5772 That's great - what made you want to blog about horror?
Danyal Fryer I grew up watching horror and have always had a fascination in what is frightening and why.
I also have watched SO MANY horror movies that I’m always the person my friends and friends of friends go to when they need a movie suggestion so I thought, might as well make a blog. At the very least my friends can have access to my movie suggestions 24/7 lolol!
But I also want to blog about horror books, games, and ARGs.
That little break you made when talking about writing made me giggle. Subscribed! I want to write horror so bad... lots of studying to come.
Thank you! :D I apologize for the late reply as I noticed that a few comments passed by without notifications for some reason! How has your writing been going?
Hate the jump scare! A cheap device used by directors who are out of ideas, I can count on my fingers the effective ones I've seen since I saw my first movie circa 1952. The same might be said for these "how to write" videos, but this is one of the good ones. I enjoyed your presentation and you raised some good points that are certain to make me think more about what I'm writing in the days ahead. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much for the in depth response, Jack!
It really means a lot that you like my videos - I am trying to plan a lot more in terms of this visual essay style mixed in with some of my other passions and career (narrative design for games etc..) and would love to share more with the community.
Apologies for the late reply - for some reason a lot of messages and comments didn't pop up on my notifications, and I've JUST noticed.
Please do more on horror.
I definitely will - I love exploring different concepts of horror and will definitely be following up with a series of videos since it's what I'm most familiar with (as well as sci-fi concepts) :D
The Bloodborne artwork for the thumbnail is fitting.
Thanks :) it was one of my favourites when it comes to Lovecraftian worldbuilding.
I had to write a horror story for my homework, and it's scary af. Everyone in class thinks I'll get a good score bc I liked writing, but nope. I only write fiction.
Hey AJadeATigerWolf - awesome comment! What's scary - the story or the process of writing it? :D Exploring different concept is awesome to understanding your praxis as a writer.
So you need to write a non-fiction story?
Great stuff! Ur videos have helped my writings a lot!
I'm glad my vids are helpful :D Thanks for the comment, it means a lot!
Nice video. We got to think more about the emotions we're invoking in a story.
Very true - think about the specific effect that something you are writing has on a reader/viewer - then think about what your intention is for the scene before and after. Pretty much the building blocks when it comes to building tension, terror, dread, horror and so many other factors in a story.
"Feeling the horror is not so bad. It means you survived the first two phases" - Sonja Cosic
100% this. Love that quote. And sometimes you can twist these concepts (rules can be broken, after all :D) for interesting effects on the narrative and the experience the audience has.
I like more the Stephen King's scale of fear. Check it out guys, it appears in Dance macabre, it's a fun read!
This was really fascinating. It's not something I haven't noticed subconsciously while working as a storyboard artist, but I have never been able to identify it so clearly. Thank you for making such informative videos.
Anarkyster thank you for your lovely comment - I’ll try to keep creating visual essays like this as I really want to create something that can give people ideas, clarify concepts and teach too :)
This was pretty interesting and useful. Thank you.
I’m glad it was useful! :)
Awesome video! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much! Happy to share!
This video was very helpful, I’m currently writing a short story (horror of course) and this helped out perfectly, but do you think you could do a video about how to make The killer/antagonist/Monster of the story a bit more creepy/scary? I’ve been looking for videos but I can’t just find any!
P.S: you’ve earned yourself a new subscriber!!
Thanks Xco - I just created a video on how to make your stories a little more scary, and I am in fact planning another one that will be focusing on the antagonist or antagonistic force (aka the monster) :D Apologies for the late reply, I have JUST been notified that there were some that appeared in.
@@Weird_Quests You're fine, mate! Im very appreciative. Have a good day!
This is perfect for gothic horror writing ✍️
I’m glad I’m could help in a small way :) enjoy writing!
Great video! I use your videos to help my writing for Dungeons and Dragons. Keep it up!
I'm glad you find them useful for your writing - even more so for your RPGs. Which edition of DnD do you play?
Danyal Fryer I've starting dm'ing for 5th edition. I predominantly am good at maps at drawing, however im trying to get better at writing.
That's great - what kind of things do you seem to be struggling with or have problems with or are unsure about?
Funnily enough this is exactly how I found this video.
I never liked horror when I was young - it was just to much for me. I couldn’t sleep for days and didn’t even have the slightest bit of fun with it.
Ironically when I started DMing the most inspiring things where the undead monsters and abberations and all adventures I wrote are at least a bit horror themed - which lead to great joy for me and my players. Only now I understand the difference between real horror (especially cosmic horror or lovecraftian horror) and the splatter movies I didn’t like (and don’t enjoy up to this date).
Now I want to start writing some horror novels and DnD adventures alike.
Thank you for the great content!
The concept of horror stems from many concepts such as the unknown/mystery, but I also feel that there's more to the unknown that goes beyond even that..I feel that it has to do with inhuman qualities. The brain (especially in times of paranoia) overthinks, has an overload of thoughts and possibilities..this is due to us not knowing anything really! Not knowing about that creature or the outcome of said events with it will transpire. when we see an inhuman creature of the dark our first instinct is to think things such as:
run away
what is that thing?
Where did it come from?
It'll hurt me
It's going to chase me
How fast is it?
So yeah just thought I could give my two cents in, Awesome video honestly!! And cool thumbnail, bloodborne is an awesome choice for horror!
Hello Mello Caps, Thank you so much for that comment - it is really touching to know that the content I produce, even sometimes, just makes sense and reaches out to people. I'm going to be doing more of these style of videos - kind of like visual essays - to try and open a debate for different concepts of storytelling, writing and filmmaking too. And I totally agree, Bloodborne is amazing for horror!
I absolutely love your comment! Those what if questions, fragments of possibility and real is what makes this type of fiction!!!!
Danyal Fryer thank you very much!! I really like the video!!
Generally the questions and thoughts of the unknown derive from a psychological standpoint..err or they're ones from the mind persay.
The mind is a powerful thing, so powerful it even allows us to have physical symptoms when we fear or overthink or even have strong emotions..such a fascinating topic nevertheless.
Thanks for the replies!! I can wait to see more videos from ya bud!
@@MelloFae So true - one of the best examples of this was in the second season of Legion where it talks about Language being a virus of sorts - the way we discover the world is what is transcribed and handed down to us through others, and using those experiences as a basis for our own - which can shift, be right, be wrong, or be totally indifferent to what others perceive.
Danyal Fryer I definitely agree! The greatest thing about this topic that coincides along with the mystery is the clues left behind. These clues are essentially like a puzzle for the viewer to look either into the main story or away from the main story as a sort of side story.
In the case for horror it could be the cause of a land becoming desolate, or a monsters true identity (or if you wanna really challenge the story, it's true intentions), it's all one big puzzle essentially and that makes it all the more fascinating!
Stories that reward the viewer for a keen eye or critical thinking are wonderful (yet sadly are rare to find among media today)
I would like to write horror but i'm just a starter you help me a lot!
Pxtah_Paws thanks :) I’m glad to have helped put a lot - I’ll definitely have a lot more content coming out related to storytelling and writing in general, but also horror and modern fantasy specifically :)
I shall focus on the dread factor. As you explained, dread is fear that resides in the mind. To put dread into perspective, we can further define dread as psychological fear of the unknown. So how does this work? The 'unknown' is the result of quantifiable qualities that were hard to make sense about e.g fear of open water. It is illogical because the brain seeks to objectify and quantify what it perceives. Therefore when the brain fails to do that, the psyche responded with instinctive warning not to go further primarily for reasons of survival. In writing, this would be an 'unreason' where dread comes about as the result of something that do not conform to the laws of nature whether in its creation or properties. Thus terror and horror become extensions from dread more than relative elements that come in stages. Focusing and elaborating on aspects like anxiety, disassociation and loss of control among others makes for effective conveyance for the reader to immerse themselves in those factors, yes?
AuthorASyaifulDin I agree and definitely think the beauty of this is that you can choose to exemplify or break it down with psychology if you choose to or not. Tag the end of the day, the ultimate aspect of this that truly matters is what you want to convey to your audience, how do you want to make them feel and it needs to remain a crucial element to the story - not just a concept you’ve thrown in due to genre conventions or because you wanted to add that element in.
I really do like your breakdown into quantifiable qualities and elaborating them into relative elements rather than stages - I’ve been reading a lot of Pessimistic philosophy lately (Albert Camus and Thomas Lighotti) and may do a future episode where I take about this too.
Thanks for watching!!!
Thank you this helps a lot 🌹
My pleasure to help :)
Thanks for the inspiration and tips!
My pleasure - thank you so much for stopping on by and commenting :)
I’m releasing a video on adding suspense to your writing soon too :)
In one of my fan fictions for Resident evil, I was having a difficult time describing the terror of Las Plagas especially for a superhuman under its control without any chance of trying to regain control of the mental wheel.
very helpful!
I'll glad you found it helpful :D
Not sure if it was Stephen King, but his 3 levels were: Terror, Horror, and the Grotesque. Terror and Horror were much the same as in the video; Terror was both this videos definition and dreads. But grotesque was what a writer goes to if they can't scare you, they just gross you out. Saw/Hostels, or just a grotesque kill. Great video.
Very interesting - I’d love to do more research into the grotesque too.
I love Psychological horror the most. Thank you for the help man.
My pleasure - I’ve had a bit of a hiatus but I’m coming back soon with more content :)
@@Weird_Quests sounds great, I’ve been writing a short story and I didn’t think I was getting anywhere, I was adding lightness to it but I though it might have been too much. I just need to find balance, then there’s that part of me who wants to bring the horror aspect straight in from the start. Anyway enough of my rambling, thanks for the help.
good explanation.
Thank you
Great info. I've incorporated it into our original short horror film this year. More dread!!!!
That's amazing! Will you be sharing it online? :D
@@Weird_Quests Yes on our channel. We do one each year. This year is an original, and we're writing/filming as we speak!
@@HomemadeHorror Perfect! :D
Very helpful
PRAJJWAL TRIPATHI I’m super glad it was!
The novels of Richard Laymon is my personal favorite, he introduces a new form of horror fiction called splatterpunk a type where a psychopath murders a sets of people
I'll have to check them out! Sounds like an interesting sub-genre of Horror.
Keep on the great work
Thank you so much - currently producing a new video, so watch out for the latestone within the week :D
@@Weird_Quests cant wait
@@itsmepionman5432 Thanks for the motivation! :D
For me it's always the dread and terror that make it worth it. The gore is weak and often lacks creativity.
Thank you for posting. I'm writing my first novel and need to build tension. I have creatures that just don't feel scary enough. Any more suggestions are welcome. This was perfect and inspired some ideas to mull over and work through.
I think as a complete narrative experience - what purpose do the monsters/creatures have in your novel - are they narratively significant to the plot or do some of them serve a different purpose? (Such as showing weakness, or acting as an example of morality (creature not being wholly bad), etc…?
@@Weird_Quests the creatures are people who've been cursed and feed off the living (eat them alive) , but can transform into (I was thinking insects) who transmit the curse by biting. A little girl is accidentally cursed via magic. The others are discovered during her brother's journey to find a cure. I intend for them to be cured at the climax. The bad guy is a healer.
The creatures as humans don't remember their episodes a creatures.
@@kathyl6677 I like the idea that they don’t remember what they did as creatures, so that would create an interesting social aspect as some characters would understand and forgive those, others would harbor resentment and may want revenge, creating a social dynamic/conflict.
Gracias hermano, seu vídeo foi muito útil
Thank you, and my pleasure to help.
The scariest movie I've ever seen is "The Day After"
Scariest Documentary series I've ever seen is "The Century of The Self"
Scariest series? The Lovecraftian mythos of course.
What common trait do these three examples have?
The death of ego.
I’ve never watched that documentary - I’ll add that to my ever-expanding list :)
@@Weird_Quests If you ever do, you are pretty much in for a ride. Seriously. If it had a theme "Down the rabbit hole" would work. Watch it sometime.
I’m currently writing a horror novel
Not much to say but here’s the Plot: detective brad is working on the missing orphans that disappeared mysteriously, suddenly for the first time in years a clue that he encounters may finally lead him to a d horrific truth behind the disappearances. As far as the plot goes , the idea is that there was this mental institution for children . So inside the place inhuman things happen which caused this creatures called Dark-steers ( shadow entities from another dimension ) this creatures are attracted to any negative emotions ( mostly from children) such as depression; which allows it to travel from their world to ours and abduct its prey.
This creatures represent humans hopeless emotional sides of them or devastating mind . (This creatures was also inspire by stranger things the demegorgan and the babadook.) so a big question what should I do to explore more of a psychological thriller in this story that am I writing ? Thank you.
For the psychological thriller aspect, I would explore the perception of the character and have them almost as an unreliable narrator - they aren't sure whether or not they can trust their own perception, or they believe something so much that they ignore something else - that would definitely ramp up the intensity and add a more psychological aspect to it.
@@Weird_Quests thank you so much , as for another major question if I want to publish or share my ideas which publishing corporation or company should I consider ? Thank you.
@@patricksleep9787 There are quite a few - the best advice I've been given is to look at the publishers and companies that publish your favourite books and anthologies - as those may be publishing stories that are somewhat similar to what you like to read (and therefore most likely create).
Here is a list of horror book publishers to look through (from different countries to consider): publishersarchive.com/horror-book-publishers.php
y so little views and subs? this is amazing!
Thank you so much for the support and love Rawand Hwayyiz - I'm trying really hard to produce content that people will get value from :D
@@Weird_Quests keep at it man :)
@@rawandhwayyiz4302 Thank you so much! :D
@@rawandhwayyiz4302 Thank you!!! :D Uploading the new video today.
Me studying horror elements in storytelling instead of doing school work: 💀📖✍🏽
Haha - me too :)
Great video. What was the artwork at 2:51 though? Thank you.
Irre Levant I’m glad!!! It was an image from an obscure Japanese anime that had lovecraftian elements - I can’t for the love of me remember the name, but I’ll try to find it for you and comment.
@@Weird_Quests that would be most appreciated, thanks! I'm wondering if it's a Junji Ito work? Only manga horror author I know of, but couldn't find a similar image with any keywords.
@@that_damn_kiddo I found the name attached and it did say Ito - so I am guessing so? For the life of me I cannot find the actual name of the anime/image name... :/ I'll keep trying though.
I love fiction and horror very much ❤️🖤❤️🖤
Me too - definitely one of my favourite genres :)
Hey umm..were you able to read some of Ito Junji's work? Its really good
Jade Mendoza he’s on my list of work to read - which one would you recommend starting with?
@@Weird_Quests How about umm.... The Bird Woman? Ooh..also do you read Berserk?
I’ve finally decided to write something horror that I always wanted to. But it suddenly turns out nothing is scaring me as soon as I started to do so.
It's in the B.C period when some of the world seemed mysterious. The boy was 9 when he had a fight with his father so he left home. Even though the place was a few hours away from their local but it was extremely secure. Yet somehow a man lured him promising to give food and locked him in the house. While the boy was given some pieces of meat, halfway into eating he realized those were human fingers. The man was a cannibal and a sexual predator.
The rest was terrible.
Intriguing concept - how did the protagonist (the boy I assume) change due to this experience?
What human elements changed?
Did the antagonist (the kidnapper) show any empathetic qualities (at least for the audience) - could be he cares for his local community, shares food with neighbors, etc.. but preys upon wandering strangers.
There’s so many paths you could take with this - would be cool to see how you develop it.
Those more human qualities would make it even more scary and relatable - as if you could be living near a person like this - the concept becomes something more real (if that makes sense).
@@Weird_Quests Well he later grew to be a tyrant and the kidnapper was the first kill. Through that man, he discovered a weird sense of joy in slaughters.
So even though he is the protagonist of his story, he is a villain.
The kidnapper was a merchant with the charms of a smooth mouth and his ideas of business were unique like you know- you could start from scratch and live a good lifestyle in the poverty-stricken old world. He was kind of appeal to the mart. But people knew he was stingy too, and wouldn't even give leftovers without money.
Mostly he preys on those he feels aroused, usually raw boys.
Also Danyal, I am mixed just to let you know but I've been wanting to ask you this question for quite some time on your channel but I was kind of afraid because when I asked other people the same question they kind of get upset but you have a very profound accent and the countries I love are the UK and Japan so if you don't mind me politely asking what is your nationality? I was looking up Manhunt and Starkweather the director was British and you said you played it and it had me thinking of lot about you, of course whatever your nationality and ethnicity is it will not bother me, and you can ask me about myself as well I don't mind anything, lol.
Not a problem at all - I am from the UK in the North, but my accent is a little mixed now as I studied in Wales for several years before traveling to Asia and currently I live in Australia. :) and no problem, never offends me :)
I want to start writing Cosmic Horror. I have an idea on what to write but any other tips?
Just start writing, really! Starting is the hardest part. Just focus on maintaining one of the primary aspects of Cosmic Horror - such as the protagonist not fully understanding the "cosmic thing" they experience.
Thank you for this amazing video,it has really helped me with writing my novel.
That really makes me happy that this has helped - that's the reason why I do this :D
What novel are you writing?
A western horror kinda story, I don't really wanna talk about it till it's done and published.
I noticed u have other videos on characters and I was wondering if you have any advice on writing about a male character who at first seems to be rebellious but is a coward when it comes down to it.
@@thedoctor2200 No problem :D I would recommend to find friends, family and writers whom you trust so you can test "pitch ideas" and see what sounds more interesting, exciting and engaging - it'll help when pitching to agents and publishers.
Keep up the fantastic work and can't wait to hear when it's done.
@@thedoctor2200 My pleasure to help - definitely check those out to get an idea on my thoughts.
In terms of a character who would act in that way - I would always question what made them that way?
Did something happen in their backstory which makes them this way? Did they rebel before and suffered greatly because of it? Did their family members rebel and they were punished by those in station above them?
It could be the society too - does the society harshly oppress those who rebel? Ironically, this would create an underground rebellion - but may suppress the actions of these individuals?
It could also be a character flaw - people in real life want change or hate the life or society around them, but when it comes to actually acting out or speaking up, a lot of people don't bother simply due to the effort? Are they lazy then? Or are they reluctant to be the first person to cast the first stone (as it were)?
There could be a myriad of different reasons as to why.
My advice would be to look at the world and look at the backstory of the character - just remember, though, character traits are part of the narrative too and a reader will expect some sort of change to occur throughout their journey.
Hope this massive wall of text helps :D
LOL Markiplier is like, WTF at FNaF 1, this man did an amazing job, others wouldn’t even bother to put FNaF in there!
Thanks haha :)
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I'm kind of disappointed you didn't mention Junji ito
I mean the man is a master in horror
Mentioned in other content and also in these very comments. :) he’s on my ever growing list :)
Junji Ito slaps
Let's not forget about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and H.G. Wells careers in horror (which is heavily overlooked). I'd consider H.G. Wells being proto-cosmic horror with some of his stories.
Very true - there are many authors and writers in different media/formats that are overlooked. :)
This gave me really good ideas for a dungeon and dragons one shot campaign (that will probably turn into a full fledged campaign).
Nice!!! Will it be horror-based? If so, cannot wait to hear how this pans out - I gotta love D&D with horror twists :D
@@Weird_Quests Oh it is definitely horror based, more specifically cosmic horror. I will most certainly tell you how it turns out.
@@ShadowMage That's even better! :D Can't wait .
@@Weird_Quests, the campaign was a success. The characters that my players created were driven so far into insanity and paranoia that they literally couldn't tell what was reality and what were hallucinations. Even now, they still can't come to agreement as to when they started their descent into madness. So needless to say, my research into Lovecraftian horror was time well spent.
Shadow Mage that’s brilliant! I’m so happy that it really helped you in your campaign! Are you continuing the campaign too? :)
Im here to get notes for a short story I’m writing, about a girl who helps a monster by feeding it horses and eventually people. I’m trying to twist the normal formula by making a main character whos somewhat comfortable with the monster and actively helps it in its horrible schemes, but still making it absolutely terrifying for the audience.
It will be chilling in her apparent lack of empathy - I would start by introducing her nice qualities and showing that she has an everyday life, slowly revealing her relationship with the monster and eventually endangering those same characters she called friends and family (even so much as to feeding her own dog to the creature). I would watch it if it was a film :)
@@Weird_Quests well, in the context of the story, the girl(that’s quite literally all she’s referred to as in the story) was sort of abducted and taken in by the monster(Sire). Sire has basically raised her and brainwashed her into believing that she belongs to it, and that if she were to try to interact with others then they would “taker her away” from it. In return for its love and protection, however, she must feed it flesh when it desires. She starts off by offering horses from a local riding center, and is forced to move on to offering people to it. Eventually she’s found out and arrested, and I’m still going back and forth on whether she goes to jail but is finally found and rescued from the creature or if the creature comes and “rescues” her and takes her back.
The entire thing is based off of a creepy feeling I once got while taking care of my horse at night. The girl absolutely has morals, but they’re not at all what a normal persons would be, and it makes her both a strange character and an unreliable narrator, as the reader isn’t supposed to agree with what she does but still sympathizes with her.
Someday, I hope to write a short horror story.
It's really weird, though. I'm a huge chicken when it comes to scary things.
Scary images, sounds, or anything unknown. But somehow I wanna write in the horror genre.
I don't understand it myself....
Do you have any other tips with writing a horror story?
Thank you. (Sorry for rambling.)
Not a problem at all - the same with all writing is about to just get started.
Just find a premise that excites you as the passion is what will sustain your routine.
Just start out with micro fiction and short stories and slowly inject horror themes and concepts into them.
@@Weird_Quests, thank you. I appreciate it.
@@berliozgrace9163 my pleasure to help where I can :)
I think you (a person) can get really distressed from dread. Terror is painful, and horror is the change catylist in my pov experience. Great topic. I have a mental illness and dark sense of humor and negative outlook and I prefer to channel it into literature more that art..thank you! 👀
My pleasure that the video was interesting to you, Lisa.
I do agree with the horror being the catalyst of change - it makes for veryinteresting stories and character arcs.
I am going to be doing a lot more content soon - it will still be writing-focused, but I'll be sharing a lot of my experiences as a writer and narrative designer on TTRPG content such as Dungeons and Dragons, as well as narrative design theory for games that can also apply to literature, film, and TV too.
It'll be a bit more diverse, but I hope there'll be some nuggets of gold in there that help people tell interesting stories.
@@Weird_Quests What a wonderful reply, thank you! Fascinating topics and nice writing. Wonderful video. Hope to check out more of your channel soon! Congratulations on the quality content, interesting and educational!
Hello there, I'm currently writing a drama story but with a spice of cosmic horror. The premise was there is this stoic young guy who moved to another city for a better life after he was dumped by his dysfunctional family. He met a peculiar girl there with the ability of making the desire of a person into a reality. He's smart, he knows that this girl was up to something (she's actually an Eldritch being), but he still succumbed himself to pleasure anyway. He has been gone through a lot in his previous life and maybe being friend with this girl might give him some joy into his daily existence. Question is, should I keep the tone of my writing to be whimsical and teenager-like, or should I always write it in suspense and filled with terror?
Hey there - that's a great question.
It's really going to come down to what the primary genre/sphere the story will be in?
I would definitely opt for one or the other to make it clearer for a potential audience to "know what they are getting" - if that makes sense?
Having said that, if you opt for the more whimsical/teenage sphere, you can certainly include elements of terror and suspense. It'll come down to the way you write it and whether or not the characters themselves are aware of them.
A great example could be that the audience knows the "terrible thing" or feels the suspense, but the character/s themself/ves don't - creating a feedback loop that the audience wants to find out what happens.
The same is if you go for horror primarily - you can include whimsical elements - if anything those moments will act as the traditional Shakespearian/greek tragi-comedy method of releasing tension which makes the next moment of tension/horror even more powerful.
I hope my rambling makes sense? :D
@@Weird_Quests thank you! Im worried if I happen to be inconsistent, and my readers can't even guess what's going on
"Am I reading a horror story, or a friendship story? At first the writer teased me into an amusement park date scene but then woah a giant monster! What?? The heck??"
Your insights are appreciated nevertheless, I'll make sure to fix things here and there.
A Room to Breath Creative Studio my pleasure to help :)
Main thing is to just get the idea out of your head first and then you can adjust as needed in the editing.
Do you have a clear idea on where the story will finish or end up - or, at least, a general idea?
If so, it will help to share the story.
There aren’t any rules really when it comes to telling a story - just make sure that all the ideas, concepts, characters and monsters are serving the story in one way or another.
@@Weird_Quests i have written a long draft about my story for weeks, down to the character details and plot planning, I just have to actually start writing it altogether. Problem is I don't have people irl around me who i can discuss with since most of them have little interest in writing. I would love to share my ideas with you in person, maybe on discord if you don't mind, in your spare time. Spilling my ideas here I'm afraid it might get stolen by someone :"""D
A Room to Breath Creative Studio no worries - yeah, when I’m free I’m always happy to help when I can.
The best thing is to just start and, unfortunately, it’s the hardest so don’t feel down or bad about it - every single writer goes through the same process with a novel, a script or short story.
I am writing a novel about a plane that disappears from radar and there is is a 4 month search.The plane actually crashed in the sea and the passenger and crew were presumed dead,but then it turns out that 6 passengers survived and were thrown into Dostolian(You have to read the book to understand what that is)Anyway they then find this whole new barren and dead planet that they must survive in.The thing is that slowly and slowly the characters start to lose their humanity and turn on each other,with turning on each other their hatred awakens an old darkness on the planet.
I was wondering if anyone would actually read this or should I just ditch the idea.Pls give honest thoughts
I know it sounds dumb and it sort of confusing.
Hey Hydro.
First of all, just want to say that is definitely sounds like an intriguing concept with plenty of room for development.
In my opinion, it would be something that people would read. You have to focus on character development and how they change throughout the novel and face their own obstacles.
People connect with characters more than they do the scenario or situation - meaning that you’ll need to create a cast of 6 different, complete characters that have a range of experiences and desires and fears that the audience can engage with (they don’t have to be like able, but understood).
In terms of the horror / modern fantasy aspect, it is sounds like a fantastic facilitator to explore these characters in.
You so give quite a bit of background on the premise of the story (everyone presumed dead).
Do you know how you will show this? Through another characters perspective that is trying to find the plane? Just be careful to not do an info dump.
Hope this helps :)
Danyal Fryer thanks that was a pretty informative comment,appreciated.
@@hydrodudeaya2107 I’m always happy to help where I can :)
what is that movie at the beginning?
Which one? I believe I used clips of Alien at the beginning? Or is it the Monty Python clip?
Liked and subbed.
Thank you so much!!!
@@Weird_Quests you're welcome. I'm writing my fifth book yet never written horror before. Ta.
@@ReinhardvonHolst that’s brilliant - I find horror is something that can span many different kinds of stories - similar to fantasy elements.
I have the wish to create a story that's been in my head for a while. It's about a more "scientific" look at supernatural things, but IDK, I'm affraid to start it and fail.
OokileyGMR you have to get rid of that fear. Keep pushing forward and learning from mistakes. Don’t be precious with your creations. Art can be remolded and don’t worry if the first attempt sucks, you can edit it, rewrite it or move on to something else to help you further your skills and come back to it later.
@@Weird_Quests thank you for the advice, I'll start doing research on the topic and try writing it ^^
@@OokileyGMR That's brilliant! :D If anything, that's what I want to do here on my channel. Try to nurture that positivism in others to get out there and create :D
The job of the author of mystery and imagination is to get the reader out of their comfort zone and into a place where nothing is what it seems. Transporting them to that dark and shadowy place where only uncertainty exists is the primary objective. And when you have them where you want them, you mustn't let them go.
oldproji love it! What I love doing with my mystery books is having an unreliable narrator to add to this kind of mystery.
I often find that characters that are unreliable in their perspective do add another layer on top of their motivations as their perceived intent is very different from their actual intent.
I think I’ll be forever writing modern fantasy and horror with these elements as it’s what I love to explore myself as a reader too.
What’s a book you’ve read lately that you would say demonstrates what you mentioned?
For me, it would be The Imago Sequence by Laird Barron.
@@Weird_Quests By and large, my narrators are unbelievers who have had the bizarre thrust upon them. It kind of shakes up their narrow belief system a bit, and makes them wonder about their own sanity. At the moment I am compiling a book of short stories in this genre, and working on the "Witchford Child", which is also the main title for the book. My favourite authors are too many to list, but I do like the works of Dickens, M. R. James and Poe in equal measure. Right now I am reading "Complete Ghost Stories" by Charles Dickens-when I can find the time of course.
oldproji I really like that idea of the unbeliever and really feeds into the philosophy of pessimism by Ligotti - I highly recommend you check out his fictional and non-fictional works :)
Could you consider the step of dread being from your own actions leading into the terror? Lets say you're a professional you kidnap kids, You trade them off though you're no murderer or atleast you dont think yourself of it, during one of your marks you accidently kill a mother, a new form of low for you does this invoke dread with the guilt from it or is it all just to much?
candlejack101 hey there - that’s a great point. That makes different kinds of stories intriguing, because dread will resolve and be triggered in different ways. I think dread can be triggered by your own actions, especially if you don’t physically witness the results of your actions (the terror).
@@Weird_Quests Great feedback thank you.
@@candlejack101 No need to say thank you - it's my pleasure :D
hey im sub #300!
Welcome!!!! It might be small to some, but to me 300 subs is HUGE!!!! :D Wooohooooo!!!!! :D
Is that article available on-line?
Hi there, it’s been a while ago now when I was doing my Masters in Creative Writing (believed I found it through the uni library)?
Also Danyal Fryer it's silly of me but I didn't even mention that I've been wanting to write horror films since a young age and the name of my movie might be too explicit for this channel (explicit as in violence not swearing or anything else) but like I said from inspiration of Manhunt everything that game didn't have my horror movie will have. And I'm thinking of has every aspect of not just horror but it's also a take on a musical and it's a black comedy as well and there is so little it lacks! I will be thinking of you're work this video to help me succeed in horror film making! :)
John Stewart thank you for your kind words - truly!
It sounds interesting - how long have you been filmmaking?
@@Weird_Quests Very recently, my brother is a genius and he got me started, I'm trying to come up with a story but I've been interested in making it in a snuff film and I have a female as the main character and take inspiration from other people's work but still be completely original over all
@@Weird_Quests So Danyal, I think you'll be happy to know as of yesterday I just began writing my script for my horror film and I gotta be honest, I think I lack creativity kinda but I actually have written a lot of great material! And this concepts of horror video has made come a long way! However I need to finish the whole plot/story. I recall you saying Dread is the strongest concept, and it sounds like it, then horror is the weakest and funny thing I actually read alone petrifying or terrified is like the strongest fear and horrified is not so scary because it just means like embarrassed. I would love to keep this hard passionate work in memory, because I pray my film is exciting! I'm very pleased you got me more focused on Horror!
@@johnstewart6236 wow! That’s literally amazing John. You don’t know how much it means to me that my small video inspired you to write a horror film!
There are many elements to a horror story more than these three main concepts of horror, but each story is unique and doesn’t always have to fit the mound - is it a short film or a feature film script?
@@Weird_Quests Lol, it is literally EVERY, aspect of Horror, Slasher told in a story of a Musical, and has a dark silly sense of humor, the running time that stuck in my head was 3h and 35m so brother if my film is going to be every thing horror with a comedic side made into a 18+ rated musical then no way Danyal is it going to be short like the first horror film ever made like Devil's castle, Devil's castle wasn't even 7 minutes long (I think), I showed one of my high school friends the script and he knew the main character who is a woman was my crush lol. You took the time and effort to give your viewers this video so if I take movie making to high extremes you'll be thanked and regarded! (:
I'm trying to write a horror book on Wattpad. I struggle with to much detail and not enough suspense. Ya know?
Sugarmouse I know what you mean - what kind of scenes are you writing?
hello !!! writer and lit student here. do you have a script or a bibliography for this particular video?
Hi Xael, what do you mean? A script that I used when I made this video? That was quite a long time ago now (will have to check my archives). Bibliography was a bunch of things, but it was an essay while I was studying creative writing (I’ll try and see if I can find it again).
@@Weird_Quests yes, a script is what i'm referring to. but just a bibliography would be fine. thank you so much and sorry for being a bother! happy holidays if you celebrate ^^
i love spooky but hate jumpscares soooo much DX
Me too - I like the odd jumpscare, but not when it is constant or just overdone OR (the worst offender) is really obvious that it is going to happen.
@@Weird_Quests I KNOW RIGHT? like when there's a tense scene and you KNOW they're going to stumble across some corpse or something and you just sit there, highly uncomfortable...
chaoticandrew exactly!! :)
I want to make a horror detective story where the sole survivor is a very ugly guy who some suspects
How do I make an ugly protagonist work and visualise him without angering the audience
I think as long as your character is multi-dimensional with things they like about the character, dislike and see him overcome obstacles and change throughout the story, the audience won’t be upset at all by his appearance.
What is the art of the yellow eyed monster looming over the building in the dark?
If I’m not mistaken, I believe that was some cover art for a Shadow Over Innsmouth poster :)
I want to start writing a psychological horror graphic novel but I have no idea where to start.
Start storyboarding and brainstorming ideas - think about potential characters, settings, scenes that you have in your head.
This will help you create an outline that will give you a structure to follow - this doesn’t have to be set in stone, just to give you a goal to write towards.
It can be daunting at first, just remember to enjoy it and love the process and the writing will become easy (the editing is the hardest part).
Danyal Fryer thank you I also have another idea a horror/kaiju story.
@@GLeija-ct5qx My pleasure to help as much as possible :D
2:48 from?
Gensou Music I can’t remember the exact name, but it was an abstract Japanese cartoon.
@@Weird_Quests that is so creepy! I love it
I am writing a book called "The steampunk murders" and this is my first book
Awesome!!!! Have you made much progress? Sorry for the late reply as for some reason I've noticed that a few notifications did not show up.
@@Weird_Quests i made a little progress it should be done in a few months
@@Cannibalize946 that’s great!!! How would you summarize it or introduce it to someone?
I love nursery mysteries and I love steampunk :)
@@Weird_Quests I'm still thinking about how I'm going to introduce it
@@Cannibalize946 no worries - it will come in time :) it always does :)
"I want to write SOMEDAY IN HOLLYWOOD MOVIES "!!! FIRST ASIAN GUY IN MY OWN COUNTRY PHILIPPINES!!!
Seriously - aim for those big dreams and don't stop working towards your goals ever! Don't get let negative people stand in your way and always keep moving forward! :D
I looked this up because I seriously want to find the movie/video game/book or show that is every aspect of horror or slasher. The closet I've ever seen to that is Manhunt.
Hey there, John - I agree - it definitely covers all aspects of horror and (although it's a long time since I played it) it did it in a fresh way at the time.
I really want a good philosophical, lovecraftian horror story that really covers all elements also :D
Have you read House of Leaves by Mark Z Danielewski?
It's more a psychological horror/quandary about ... well, I can't say without spoiling it - but it definitely is an unusual experience.
@@Weird_Quests No brother I've never heard of that but I'll look it up now and yeah Manhunt is straight savage! My favorite rockstar game, I bet what you suggested will be wickedly awesome! Lol I love horror and your video taught me a lot
@@Weird_Quests Manhunt almost had clowns but it lacked it in the final cut, and monsters, zombies, the old hag, and wendigos sadly ):
@@johnstewart6236 I'm glad it helped :D
I always love to share what I'm passionate about :D
@@johnstewart6236 Nice :D
Wow I realized I'd never seen Bram Stoker's photo up until I watched this video now. Dayum he's one hot daddy lol! :D
He gives hot Dads a good name :)
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Fnaf gang where you at!
Support :D
Why would a person who allegedly cares about the wellbeing of his son mess around with spells so badly that it casts one accidentally? XD I'm just kidding, it sounds interesting, where can I read it?
Haha - thanks Cristian! It is available in one of my short story collections - Tales of the Marked World - I will be re-releasing it soon for free for a limited time (follow me on Twitter to see the notice), or you can get it on Amazon. I just love creating crazy ideas and running with them :D
I'm here bc im interested in writing a short story and I love all things horror. Writers block is a bitch
hi
Hello, there.
Who else is watching this for school work? 😂
_ daisyreck _ I’d love to know what the school work is :D
@@Weird_Quests we're revising The Woman In Black for Drama, and we have to complete a worksheet on writing horror :)
_ daisyreck _ that’s great - I really hope that this helps out :)
My horror novel I want to write is about a regular student who went to a new school where he discovers the dark and disturbing secrets. The part I want to be the scariest is the student's hallucinations about his past that he doesn't know it happened, He is alone in a dark place and being chased by something unknown and a symbolism of something mysterious that will make the plot make sense. (Please don't copy my novel idea)
Can you give me some tips?
Interesting concept - I would start by brainstorming the history of what happened to the school and developing the character.
Developing the character and fully understanding who they are will help you know more intuitively how they would react in these situations.
Brainstorming the history of the school will help you come up with ideas on what could have happened and how it will be twisted to be something else - concentrate on setting and mood here as it’ll help narrow down your ideas.
For the first draft, anything goes - don’t discard any bad ideas and just focus on producing ideas for yourself - you’ll be more creative that way.
Also, make a list of books, games, movies, anime’s... anything that has a narrative that inspires you or has similar themes to what you want to explore.
Understanding what’s out there will better inform you on how to innovate and be creative, as well as give you a reference.
@@Weird_Quests thank you very much
@@coasterthrills2061 my pleasure to help other people wanting to tell amazing stories :)
Hello
Hi there - welcome to the channel! :)
@@Weird_Quests Not gonna lie, I was just testing if you were still liking comments after 3 years, you are a legend.
@@zayden1569 of course :) I always try to comment with everyone who drops a comment :)
Scary-as-shit cool!!!🖤☻☠💀🦇👻⚰🕷🕸
Gothic Dragon warrior Queen I’m glad you find it scary-as-shit-cool! :D
WTF!? DON'T ADD JUMPSCARE ON YT VIDEOS! ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME? GOD DAMMIT 👁️👄👁️
Much apologies! :D
@@Weird_Quests lol
Are you sure its just fiction?
The general meaning of fiction is a story that has been cr ages for the intention of entertainment - technically, you could apply this to non-fiction, but non-fiction will be based on factual information - if it is dramatized it then becomes fiction.
Hope that helps - let me know if you have any questions or would like help with anything :)