"How to Write Scary" by Annalisa Crawford, guest judge for WEP's Halloween challenge!

 The subject today is "How to Write Scary." 
Author and the guest judge for this year's Halloween challenge, Annalisa Crawford is here to share some of her secrets just in time for the WEP Halloween challenge.
In just seven days the post for sign up will go live. 

Take it away Annalisa!

Many thanks to Yolanda and Denise for inviting me here today. Although, when I was asked to write a post on ‘how to write scary’, I wondered whether I could. I don’t think I know how to write scary. When I write, I never know exactly what genre is going to appear. Sometimes they just happen to be scary.

I realize pretty quickly if I’m writing something scary when I find myself holding my breath or making strange gestures. If I’m writing about a sudden noise, I imagine that noise then act out the response. I will be jumping in my seat, ducking, holding my hands up to protect myself, making horrified faces. I talk out loud, trying to find the right words. When I was writing my book Our Beautiful Child I developed a particularly whispery voice for the narrator, which confused my dog:

“We stay close by; we don’t want to leave her alone like this, so scared and insecure, our beautiful child. But she shudders again. She’s sensing us again. We draw back into the shadows; we hide in the past.”

I do most of my writing at home, in front of a very large window. Yes, sometimes people do pass by when I’m in the middle of one of these moments.

Yes, people do look in the window and give me some very strange looks. 

Although, to be fair, they shouldn’t be looking into my living room in the first place!

So, how do you write a scary story?

1.  Don’t try to be scary! I once watched The Others. It’s rated 12 in the UK (not sure about rest of the world equivalent), so it’s not actually a scary film, but I was on edge watching it. It’s understated, muted and you can feel the tension in every scene – even in scenes that aren’t inherently scary.
2. Avoid explaining everything. The scariest things in daily life are the things you don’t understand – even the simple inexplicable noise from the next room can alarm you, especially if you can’t find the cause.
3. However, you as the writer need to be absolutely sure what’s happening. This isn’t a scary story example, however, I once wrote a short story where the main character split in two – but I didn’t explain whether this was a physical, spiritual or figurative split. I know, but I’m not telling!
4.  Think about the actual words you are using. Read your story out loud to highlight where you might be going astray.

a.      Use a thesaurus. Some writing advice advocates using simple words that people understand so the story flows, but sometimes a slightly unfamiliar word can work to unsettle the reader. This is a scary story you’re writing, remember – you don’t want your reader to be comfortable.

b.      Use short sentences. I love to start a paragraph with a long, ambling sentence that flows and leads the reader into a lull from the action. And then a shorter one, to heighten the tension. Shorter, to incite anxiety.

c.      Use repetition. You have to use this technique sparingly, and know when it’s too much. Reading aloud will definitely help here. Repetition of a word within the same paragraph, or the same sentence from the beginning of the story repeated every so often throughout, can bring your reader back to the main issue. 

5.  Once you get to the end of your story, go back and add in foreshadowing. Again, this needs to be subtle, just a word or two that hints towards something later on.

What tips can you share? Do you use some of these techniques already?

Thank you Annalisa, for sharing your knowledge and for judging our efforts.

*****

Annalisa Crawford lives in Cornwall UK, with a good supply of moorland and beaches to keep her inspired. She lives with her husband, two sons, a dog and a cat.

She writes dark contemporary, character-driven stories, with a hint of the paranormal. She has been winning competitions and publishing short stories in small press journals for many years, and is the author of Cat & The Dreamer, That Sadie Thing and Our Beautiful Child.

                                                         Author links

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Amazon Author Page

CAT AND THE DREAMER

“In my world, I am fifteen, the age I was when I met Rachel Carr, the age I was when Rachel Carr killed herself with a tonne of painkillers and two bottles of rum.”

Julia survived a teen suicide pact: her best friend Rachel did not. Years later, Julia is introvert and insular, spiralling into depression, shrouding herself in daydreams to protect herself from reality – a controlling mother and a huge burden of guilt.

When Adam walks into her office, Julia knows he won’t be interested in her; Cat, her flirty blonde colleague, has already chosen him as her next conquest. But his presence alone is enough to shake Julia up, and make her realise real life could be so much better.

Except Cat has other plans, lurking in Julia’s imagination, torturing her, telling her she should have died too. And she’s right, of course, because Cat is always right.

Original Blurb:

As a teenager, Julia survived a suicide pact, while her best friend Rachel died. Julia’s only escape from her guilt, and her mother’s over-protection, is her imagination. When Adam arrives in the office, Julia’s world takes a startling turn as she realises reality can be much more fun than fantasy. Finally she has someone who can help her make the most of her life. But can she allow herself to be truly happy?

That Sadie Thing and other stories 

  That Sadie Thing and other stories is an intense and emotional journey through the relationships that define our lives.

•A couple breaking up on a rainy night

•A woman finding comfort from eating lunch as her best friend lies in hospital

•A runaway longing to go home

•A teenager oppressed by her father, and many more...

All of the characters in this collection are struggling to find their place in the world, attempting to find connections that matter with the people around them, however fleeting.

This is a dark, unsettling yet memorable collection, bringing together prize-winning and published stories from the past twenty years: the ‘greatest hits’.

Our Beautiful Child and other stories

“The Boathouse collects misfits. Strange solitary creatures that yearn for contact with the outside world, but not too much. They sit, glass in hand, either staring at the table in front of them, or at some distant point on the horizon.”

… so says the narrator of Our Beautiful Child. And he’s been around long enough to know.

People end up in this town almost by accident. Ella is running away from her nightmares, Sally is running away from the memories of previous boyfriends and Rona is running away from university. Each of them seek sanctuary in the 18th century pub, The Boathouse; but in fact, that’s where their troubles begin.

Ella finds love, a moment too late; Rona discovers a beautiful ability which needs refining before she gets hurt; and Sally meets the captivating Murray, who threatens to ruin everything.

Three women. Three stories. One pub.

*****

Share Annalisa's words of wisdom

We'd love if you'd Tweet one of these:

Do you know you've hit scary gold when your writing makes you jump? #WEPFF @YolandaRenee & @DeniseCCovey  http://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2015/09/how-to-write-scary-by-annalisa-crawford.html

Are you as animated as Annalisa when you write? #WEPFF Getting ready for Halloween! @YolandaRenee & @DeniseCCovey http://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2015/09/how-to-write-scary-by-annalisa-crawford.html

What writing techniques are you willing to share regarding scary? @YolandaRenee & @DeniseCCovey  #WEPFF http://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2015/09/how-to-write-scary-by-annalisa-crawford.html