r/horrorwriters

The most complex genre to write

So this is 100% a recurring question here, but ive been getting jnto prose and horror literature recently, anf ive felt the itch to try writing something of my own, but I am not sure where to start. Ive got a few vague ideas, and my first guess would be to first expand on those ideas, pick one, solidify it, make a structure and then start writing, but how do you all approach the start to a project? I'm mainly looking at this from a short story/concept music perspective and any help would be very appreciated

I'm posting to get input on a question that has been weighing on my mind for a few weeks now. So, I'm an aspiring author who loves dark thrillers and fantasies. Often, when I am inspired by a new subject, my mind wanders to the mental state of the main character. My main interest is in writing from the perspective of a sociopath or psychopath or someone who has experienced something to make them gain qualities similar to people who display psychotic behaviors. However, after thinking on this idea, I began to wonder if applying a mental condition of which I have no experience with to a character would be disrespectful to those who may be affected. If I did write a book with a main character such as this, could people consider it wrong? I'm sorry if my writing seems disconnected or is formatted incorrectly - this is my first time posting.

Hi all! I would love some feedback on my hook.

"When an art museum curator is stripped of her life to become the first piece in a charming librarian's collection, she wages a psychological war against her attacker, gaslighting him to the brink of madness. But the deeper she sinks, the harder it becomes to tell curator from collector."

Honestly idk anymore ive started to take up horror fiction stories as a hobby or when i get motivation just to have something to look forward too but every sub i post to like for example r/nosleep i got banned, r/nonsleep i got refered to a r/scarystories and now got banned there too

So what im asking is,is there any sub that allows horror fiction that isnt strict on formatting or has crazy rules,here i thought i can take up a new fun hobby and now it seems like i cant even write anything anymore because it breaks every rule.

Nosleep is by far the biggest horror story subreddit, but it's rules are somewhat limiting in tearms of how you can write your story.

So I'm wondering if it's worth the extra exposure to make sure my story is also suitable for nosleep?

I'm looking to form a group of writers, readers, and artists interested in the craft for things like feedback and networking. If you are interested, please let me know. (I'm not sure if allowed, but you can find me here: https://discord.gg/dtnE4HqrQ )

Has anyone else dealt with this? I sent in a story to an anthology from a smaller publisher. They stated in the open call that they did not want stories that were made using AI. Fair enough, I wouldn't want to read AI writing, so it makes sense they don't want to publish it. Welp, the anthology got released yesterday, and turns out, not only did they use an AI generated image for the cover, they also accompanied every single story with an AI generated image.

I emailed the publisher letting them know they should specify they use AI in future open calls. They called me mean and said I was a hypocrite if I use tools like spellcheck and then take issue with AI being used in the anthology. A direct quote from the email: "When I did the call for authors I said no AI in the writing. I didn't mention images, and if you are so concerned where others are not, it's up to you to make sure the publisher isn't using AI for anything." She is making it seem like I am the first and only person to take issue with AI in creative spaces. When I suggested she send a mass email to the other contributing authors specifying their work will be next to AI art, she promptly blocked me.

Pretty bummed about the response and absolute lack of professionalism. They paid each author $1.50 USD and then went and used AI, then tried to make me feel like I was in the wrong for calling it out. Tbh I would just write this off as a learning lesson, but the story being published is pretty near and dear to my heart, so it's a bummer it now has a giant asterisk next to it in my mind.

Anyone else feel this is sketchy and weird or am I overrecting here?

Now that I think about it, the gangster genre could potentially be considered horror because the life can be terrifying for those involved as they slowly lose themselves and their souls as they go deeper and deeper.

#Resource for all forms of publications, from subreddits to magazines to general resources to find open submission calls.

Somehow the pinned one disappeared. I assume the OP deleted it (or their account), so I made a new one since this is a frequently asked question.

Self-explanatory title; I'm an amateur horror writer, and I'm looking to get some advice regarding locating editors.

Specifically, I'd like to know where I can contact an editor to edit my VERY short (~1000 words) story, 'Bedridden'. Any advice on this front would be greatly appreciated 🫶

Workshops dissolve your voice. They sand it down. The essence of you, to make it "proper." Not only that; there doesn't seem to be much value in them. They dilute instead of integrate and upgrade.

So! I am a world builder at heart, a lot of my writing is for personal things/creative outlets. One of the things I struggle a lot with is creating,,, monsters.

I like horror, one of the things I am writing involves a lot of monsters. (Think monster of the week type story)

For some reason when it comes down to trying to make something creatively scary I'm just not good at it. Advice I hear sometimes is that I should write what im scared of. But I don't really, have any big fears, I don't scare easily. I've also looked into actual monsters and folklore of course, but I do want to create my own scary concepts. If anyone has any other advice I could try that'd be great <:)

like- for some reason whenever I write horror Im always extremely tired or anxious. and it always comes out so disturbing and perfect. it makes no sense in the end and that’s honestly perfect!

its scary to not be able to understand what its supposed to mean. as if the whole story is being held together by silk strings on the verge of breaking. that it has no sound structure. yet it STILL had thought put into it and isnt just random nonsense.

it comes out scary, sad, borderline upsetting. but most importantly to me, it’s like a puzzle. something to decode for both me and readers. it’s not just something you sit down with and simply absorb. you have to WORK for it. you need to solve it the groups of nonsense and deep unhinged emotions. which makes it all the more satisfying.

if anyone comments, I‘ll respond in the morning to them

What's your writing schedule? When you wake up? In the afternoon? Or do you let yourself indulge with being a creature of the night like myself?