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There are plenty of people out there who would like to write a novel, and a fair number of those who would like to write a horror novel, so I thought I would share my experiences with you. First, who am I? I am a full time freelance writer. I am also a published author (in non-fiction) and I am currently completing my first novel, which is a horror novel. I have won writing awards, been through the commercial and self-publishing processes, and made a living out of writing for quite some time. So while I am probably not an expert, I do know a little about writing in general, and writing a horror novel specifically. So here goes - my top tips for writing your own horror novel. 1. Love the Genre If the only reason you are contemplating writing horror (or any other genre for that matter) is because you've heard the genre is 'hot' and you're not a genuine fan, it's going to show. You should only think about writing a horror novel if you love horror. Do you read horror novels? Watch horror movies? Do you like a good scare, and is telling ghost stories something you still do around the campfire? If you answered yes to all of those, then you have the first part down! 2. Develop a Good Story Some writers plot, others write the story down as it comes to them. I am a plotter by nature, who finds that the story evolves as I go along, but either way you do it, you need to make sure that you have a good story. Horror is so much more than blood and gore, and if you do not have a good storyline to back it up, your horror novel is not going to be very good. I have found that it has taken me about four years from the initial concept until now, when I am almost ready to publish, and I have been working on the story on and off since, I first thought up the idea. 3. Write, and Then Rewrite If you thought writing was about sitting down, writing one draft, and then sending it out and getting published, think again. The process, for me at least, goes a bit like this: write a first draft (or part thereof.) Stop for a while, and keep thinking about the story. Restart a few times. Finish the first draft. Leave the book alone for a while. Rewrite the book, fixing up mistakes, and polishing the story. That is where I am right now. I have a printed copy of my first draft, and I am working on taking it from not very good to awesome (or at least, I hope so!) 4. Get Some Feedback Once you have a fairly decent story, whether its draft one or two, it is a good idea to get someone you know and trust to read the story you have created. They will probably pick up a few mistakes you have made, and they will be more objective, and therefore able to tell you if you have created a good book, or if you need to tone it down a little. Good horror should be believable, even if it is paranormal. It should genuinely scare you while you write it, if you expect people to be scared (and therefore entertained) when they read it! 5. Publish Whether you are lucky enough to find a commercial publisher, or whether you self publish on Amazon or somewhere else, publishing your work, and putting it out there in the public domain is the final crucial step if you want to call yourself an author. It is a scary journey, going from an idea for a horror novel to a published book, but it is also fun, and immensely rewarding! So if you have ever wanted to find out whether you have the next great horror novel in you, why not start brainstorming? Watch all kinds of movies, read books, and look for ideas that are not done to death. It is as much fun writing a horror novel as it is reading one!
TL Aspeling is a published author and commercial freelance writer. She is currently completing her first commercial novel, Despair which will be published on Amazon.
Find out more about TL Aspeling, writing horror, and the novel at http://www.despair-a-novel.com
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