How the heck do you do it? I prefer the slower paced, eerie kinda horror but I haven't got a clue how I'm supposed to give my readers a real shock.
Right, this is and example of what I mean: There's this game called Fatal Frame 2. I worship this game. What it is, is there's this young japanese girl and her twin sister trapped in this village that supposedly doesn't exist. Now, there's one scene in the game when you're guiding the main character down this really narrow corridor when suddenly this ghost (who can kill you with one touch) just appears right in front of you. Now that terrifies me everytime I play it but I can't for the life of me put this sort of thing into words.
Does anyone have any tips for describing these kinds of scenes?
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73,001 / 50,000
Abr 23, 2008 - 07 58
One of the issues with the written media is just that: you can look ahead. The fact is that you cannot visually control how someone picks up the knowledge in a book, so you can't really make things "pop-out", which I think is where the horror comes from in this instance. I think that the horror in books really comes from the viewpoint that the reader KNOWS what is going to happen to the character and they are helpless to warn them, like the Monkey's paw, for instance.
So, I basically, I don't know how to emulate that in print. Maybe you could use typography? Set different words on different pages to build suspense?
18,542 / 50,000
Abr 23, 2008 - 09 20
You write the pop-up shock just as it happens. This often works best when you have it happen in a situation where the reader thinks nothing in particular is going to happen. Normal, every day stuff. WHAM! What the heck is that?! You may not get the jump out of your readers that they would have from a visual surprise, as from a movie or game, but you will get a reaction.
18,008 / 50,000
Abr 24, 2008 - 01 47
A lot of it will probably go into writing technique instead of trying to convey it into words. Using shorter sentences for quicker suspenseful reads. Using eerie foreshadowing, as if your MC knows something's going to happen, but doesn't expect it to happen. Using emotions to describe the scene, like quickened breaths, heartbeats, sweat, shakiness, twitchy knees, stumbling. Using other senses to lead the reader to the surprise, like smells, sounds, tastes. Getting the shock factor is most effective if you can engage your reader's senses and pace them through it.
Quick impromptu example:
I squinted as I proceeded deeper into the darkness. The cave floor seemed to grow slicker with each step. My knees trembled as the heels of my boots slipped on the slimy rocks below me. The mustiness of terror engulfed me as I left the light behind me. I hear a sharp screech, and I pause. Pebbles trickled down the steep slanted walls and landed at my feet. My own breaths echoed through the cavern... But a separate breathing replied. My pulse raced within my ears and I froze, paralyzed in fear. Groaning... I felt enclosed as a dark shadow hovered... I took one step forward.
Two vise-like hands gripped my shoulders. Before me flashed two glowing amber eyes, staring deep into my soul. I could smell and taste its drool as it hissed at me...
Eh.. something like that, I suppose. I hope you get the idea.
0 / 50,000
Abr 24, 2008 - 07 10
Thanks. This helps quite a lot. ^-^