Writing Horror - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0898797985 ISBN 13: 9780898797985

Publisher: Writers Digest Books, 1997

Synopsis

Writers such as Stephen King, Nancy Kilpatrick, Jill M. Morgan, and Harlan Ellison share tips on writing the horror novel

About this title

Review:

Oftentimes how-to books fall short because they spend too much time with the basics and not enough time explaining the nuances of their subject. Writing Horror, by the Horror Writers Association, doesn't fall into that trap; the authors of the 39 articles in this anthology assume you can write, and thus they concentrate on getting the most out of working in the horror genre. The result is more like an inspirational guide than a how-to book. Of specific interest is the small section on writing horror comic books, featuring essays on E. C. Comics by Dan Chichester (who has done several Clive Barker adaptations as well as a well-received run on Daredevil), and "Breaking All Codes" by David Quinn (who broke all sorts of taboos in his bloody and sexy Faust). Other authors include Joe R. Lansdale, Joyce Carol Oates, and the one and only Harlan Ellison.

From Booklist:

A seasoned horror writer and writing teacher pulls together a vast amount of information on the genre. The psychology of writing horror; techniques of dialogue and characterization; the relationship of horror to other forms of literature; submission procedures; career management; horror in electronic, graphic, and other nonprint media--there is something here about all these and more. Some of the essays require a bit of mental translating, but others--notably those of Tina Jens and David Morrell--are models of clarity, content, and wit. Robert Weinberg contributes a basic reading list, and there are tidbits on markets (inevitably soon to become outdated--the fault of fate, not the editor) and even an interview with and a story by Harlan Ellison. No one seriously interested in writing or reading horror will fail to gain something from this straightforward, largely successful how-to. Roland Green

About this edition

• Publisher: Writers Digest Books
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0898797985
• ISBN 13: 9780898797985
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 224
• Editor: Castle Mort