Horror Aficionados discussion

If a few of my fellow horror aficionados have a moment I'd like to pick your brain.

I'm trying to incorporate several themes of horror in my current novel, such as personal, psychological, existential and survival. What is your favorite brand of horror and what makes it so potent for you?

I'm hoping to prod that fight or flight instinct in readers and would love some opinions on what might provoke that reaction from you guys.

Thanks as always to those who contribute!

Personally I always enjoy psychological themes in the horror stories that I either read or write. But survival aspects can also present some interesting horror themes. It all depends on the approach to the idea and the story and of course how your characters come into the mix. If you're clever, you can actually intertwine psychological, survival, and personal themes. The end result is a very powerful, very penetrating story that will surely entice readers on many levels.

psychological is the most scary theme for me in film or novels. The most frighting novels for me is ghostly novels. James Herbert always has the best combination of horror themes i believe. Which is why i found his book The Others very scary.

Courtney, for me, the scariest horror stories are the ones that are realistic--the ones that could actually happen. Of course, who doesn't love a good ghost story and haunted house? But serial killers and psychopaths are particularly frightening. Since they're often so intelligent, yet so morally depraved, their potential to commit all sorts of atrocities is usually limited by just one thing-when they get caught. Stalkers, sadists, rapists, and certainly pedophiles are truly horrific in my opinion. Especially when they toy with their victims. The psychological fear and pain they cause can be far worse than the physical injuries they inflict.

On the other hand......

I don't watch the news for a reason; it's just too depressing to hear all the nasty, evil, cruel acts that humans commit. This stuff doesn't even remotely scare me, it just makes me shake my head in despair for the human race.

I read fiction for escapism, and I like to be scared by things that I don't believe could ever really happen. I really prefer to only read supernatural/paranormal themed horror.....so I guess my vote is for psychological.

Courtney, I'd say that no matter what particular brand of horror you're writing (supernatural, survival, psychological), if you want to prod that "fight or flight" response from your reader, you need to create characters that your reader cares about and then really put them through the wringer. I think coming up with horrible things to happen to a character is much easier than building a 3D character that the reader can relate to.

@ Angel and Holly - I have mixed feelings myself about real life horror. On one hand it totally unnerves/infuriates me so it is scary but it being so common place makes it horrifying but not as terrifying as things I lack a frame of reference for.

@ Gregory - Absolutely agree with you there. Relatable characters always creates tension. I'm hoping to achieve that by mixing in personally uncertainty, a sense of helplessness and physical danger.

If you guy don't mind me adding to this - is violence a turn off? I know my protagonist is in for a beating and she bounces back but do readers find that engaging because the heroine can be harmed and endure or off-pitting because nobody wants to see the heroine get bloodied up?

Courtney wrote: "If you guy don't mind me adding to this - is violence a turn off? I know my protagonist is in for a beating and she bounces back but do readers find that engaging because the heroine can be harmed and endure or off-pitting because nobody wants to see the heroine get bloodied up? "

Just do what the story calls for. If you're writing horror, then violence is a given.

It's true...violence is to be expected in most tales of horror. A heroine who can overcome the brutality and demonstrate strength, courage and resilience would be greatly admirable and an asset to your story.

For me, the best horror is existential. That's the kind of horror that sticks with you after you put the book down. For more short-term horror, the kind that keeps you awake for a while, I like the subtle, steadily growing sort found in a good ghost or possession story.
Also I think weirdness is an end in itself.

Psychological horror is definitely one of the stronger themes, that is if you can figure out the mind to which is creating the horror.
As for real horror, it absolutely is a theme however there should be a line when it becomes a travesty and its out of bounds for turning into a story of horror.

Suffering and violence in a horror story work but not as a goal. Then the risk becomes the story transforming into victim literature and is desensitizing in large doses. It can be an important part of the story, however. Witness Ketchum's Girl Next Door for example.

I am a fan of Creepy, suspense filled horror. This is best achieved, in my opinion, by allowing the reader to be swept up with the characters.(No information dumps please!) The characters must be well developed and the reader must care about what happens to them.