How to Write Horror for Children

Today children are regularly "scared" by the most responsible parents and guardians in order to instil basic moral principles and ensure the survival of the species: it is wrong to steal, to lie, to talk to strangers, to disobey a parent's instructions. The whole purpose of horror fiction is to scare readers, but the thought that deliberately setting out to scare children is immoral and reprehensible is deeply ingrained in our society. It's probably as deep as the belief that children's literature should be useful and valuable, conveying good and sound ideals upon young and impressionable minds. The notion that children might actually enjoy being scared is an unpleasant one, because we are all aware that nobody reacts to fear in quite the same way as a child. Children suffer inexplicable and unreasonable phobias and nightmares. Children can become obsessed with a single glimpse of an image, which can cause terror for months. Yet this same little person will actively seek out a copy of Lee Striker's "Revenge of the Vampire Librarian". It doesn't make sense!
Or does it?
Horror is synonymous with "scaring", and not necessarily with an educational or moralistic purpose. One problem is the actual word Horror; it's often referred to dismissively and without positive comment. It seems difficult to say horror fiction can be a good thing and that it's acceptable, even advisable, for children to read this genre. These are points all the most successful writers in the children's horror genre acknowledge, and all approach the sensitive subject with consideration and respect. And when one considers the phenomenal growth of this genre it would seem these writers know what they're doing.
So, what happens in children's horror writing?
Most books in this genre share a similar structure or formula - a familiar situation becomes unfamiliar. Cliff-hangers are very effective, because they lead the reader along from chapter to chapter. Frequently the victim never quite escapes, and there's often a slight chill included in the ending. Here are a few points I've picked up during my research into this topic:
Know Your Audience.
Your target audience is generally aged between eight and 12 years, sometimes even 14 years. Both sexes are included, and it's worth noting this genre is encouraging boys who 'don't like reading' to change their negative attitudes towards books and reading. Noted children's horror writer Margaret Clark claims that while some of her younger readers might not understand every word in the book they are able to grasp the general storyline. She also feels reading this genre has become "cultish, so it's important to be seen reading one of these books."
Clark wrote a thesis on television and violence for her honours degree, and has an understanding of her target audience: "I watched kindergarten children playing with bits of bark trying to shoot each other, and I would say that you cannot have guns at kindergarten, and not allow violent games, but you're still going to get them jumping off the top of the climbing frame screaming 'Heroes of the Universe!' So, if you can't beat them you join them."
Empowerment is the Key.
Human beings love to be scared, and children are no exception. One of the most important points to remember when writing children's horror is to keep the victims in the story in charge of the situation. Make them take control of the story; Clark refers to this as "the safety net". So while they are frantically trying to escape from a wicked witch, dispatch a possessed toy or perhaps free a friend or family member from a nasty curse there is always hope, and always a solution. Granted, the solution may require a bit of effort and thought and application of knowledge learned, but there must always be a way to deal with a horrific situation.
Be Naughty.
It's natural for children to be naughty, so applying this aspect of childhood to this genre offers a very obvious appeal to young readers. Children love to push the boundaries, to test the limits and offer a bit of resistance to authority. In children's horror literature there's an excellent chance for a writer to allow young readers a degree of freedom to indulge their "naughtiness". For children part of the lure of reading a horror story is that some adults might not approve of the genre, but reading an exciting horror story is a pretty safe way to indulge in a bit of "naughtiness". Children's horror fiction is a way of coming to understand the ethical chaos that we all encounter in our lives, so it makes sense that a good horror story could become a benefit to many young readers.
Know the Limits.
Do not let detailed descriptions of monsters/witches/vampires and their dastardly deeds get in the way of the storyline. Do not focus on gore. Irresponsible writing can have a negative effective upon a young, growing mind. The last thing any children's horror writers wants is to be told his or her work has corrupted a young mind. Also remember that the mind and imagination of an eight year old is very different to that of a ten, 12 or even 14 year old.
Robert Hood of the "Creepers" team of writers has untaken many promotional book tours, and tells of meeting children who have read three of the books in the series in quick succession. When he asks them what their favourite bits are most of them enthused about the gory parts: "'Like where the guy pulls his face off and all the maggots fall out!' The adult were absolutely horrified, but the kids absolutely loved it." This kind of description is known as silly horror - because indeed it is silly, and in the hands of a skilled writer will not affect any impressionable mind.
Do not use horror simply for the sake of horror. Use your discretion to decide what will and will not enhance your tale. Some children's horror stories can develop from everyday fears, like relationships with siblings and loneliness. Slithering worms, oozing slime, pus and mucus are common features, but blood is used with caution. In "Revenge of the Vampire Librarian" a rust-coloured carpet stain is believed by the parents to be a water mark. According to author Margaret Clark: "Often the adults are idiots who can't see what's going on under their noses."
Do Not Go Too Far
It's not easy to justify murder and gore for children's writing. Do not turn parents or siblings into monsters, and do not inflict unnecessary and irreparable bodily damage on anybody close to the hero/s or heroine/s - including beloved pets. The villain or chief monster should symbolise a threat, but that threat should always be able to be defeated, overcome or temporarily halted. There should always be a solution. You can also emphasise good social qualities such as friendship, faith, loyalty, trust and responsibility in the story.
Control and Comedy
Writing children's horror gives you the opportunity to help your young readers realise that it's possible to confront the more scary things in life. Fear, bereavement, loss, the monster under the bed... your words can help them examine these issues, and gain some sense of power and control over them. Horror fiction offers a safe place to examine and perhaps take control over the scarier aspects of life. Horror fiction can proved a playground for children to safely explore everyday fears.
The more ghastly the horror story becomes, so the element of humour becomes an important consideration. A zombie chasing a person - adult or child - doesn't seem so malevolent if it starts decaying and losing body parts during the chase. Use humour as a buffer, counteracting any possible psychological trauma with literary fear.
Horror writers must not and cannot depict genuine horror so realistically that young and impressionable readers develop fears they take with them into everyday life. Neither must you mock your monsters so much they fail to evoke the appropriate terror. When they open your book you readers need to believe in the horror you create, or they gain no emotional pay-off. Horror writing for children is a difficult and delicate balancing act, and if you get it right your audience will love you for it!



The writer was born in Africa, and lived there for the first 38 years of her life. She worked in the world of public relations for over five years, running her own PR company and dealing extensively with the world of journalism and the print media. She is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/, a site for Writers. Her blog can be visited at: https://horrorandhexes.com

Horror Books - Get Frightened by Reading Them

Man has a desire to get frightened. This is evident from the ghost stories told and retold over centuries. This desire to get frightened had given birth to thousands of horror stories over ages. Almost all the languages around the globe have a particular section of literature called horror literature which has gained prominence in the past few decades. Most often, horror stories are called fiction as they carry imaginary stories revolving around supernatural powers, evil forces and black magic.

The fiction intended to scare, unsettle or horrify the audience gained popularity as literature since the 1960s. This type of fiction often overlaps science fiction or fantasy and is also called speculative or supernatural fiction. In most of the big cities there are horror book store that sell books based on horror fiction.

Even though not as a polished literary form, the horror stories prevailed years back as tales of demons and vampires in folklores. But as a literature it gained popularity in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole, The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe and Mary Shelly's Frankenstein were the famous horror fiction books of the nineteenth century. The first American horror novel was The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irvin. Edgar Allen Poe, H.P. Lovecraft and M.R. James were some of the finest ghost stories writers of English language.

The contemporary horror books have moved way for extreme violence or shock to entertain the readers. The horror books by Ramsey Campbell and Thomas Ligotti have widely been accepted by the readers. The expansion of horror literature to a wider audience took place in the 1920's with the rise of the American pulp magazine. The book Weird Tales depicted many stories by Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, E. Hoffmann Price, Seabury Quinn, C.M. Eddy, Jr. and Robert Bloch, thereby making horror literature much popular.

Many critics consider "The Metamorphosis," "In the Penal Colony" by Franz Kafka and "A Rose for Emily," by William Faulkner as some of the best horror books in literature. Bram Stoker, Peter Straub, R.L. Stine and Ray Bradbury fall into the category of some of the finest horror writers of the English language.

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Why We Love Horror Movies

We enjoy seeing people run for their lives. Unfortunately some people have a real sick predilection to see blood, human blood and seemingly the more the better. As sick and twisted as it is this is one of the realities of our movie going experience. Others enjoy seeing people lose their heads, pun intended. As long as ours remain intact, all is well in the world.

The Bad Guys

Where would the horror movie genre be without one of the craziest guys to ever don a hockey mask such as Jason Voorhees or better still, if John Carpenter hadn't given birth to such a Jacko' (Sorry) I mean wacko like Michael Myers? Or even the masterfully written and intriguing Jig Saw in the Saw series who happens to be one of my favorite "boogie men". Or how about Jack Nicholson's horrifying performance in Steven Kings "The Shining". But if I had to throw a monster in that mix, and grant it this next selection is female, I would have to say that the "highly over protective" alien from the movie Aliens deserves to be in the conversation. The movie and its villainous Alien is certainly one of the chief reasons the movie remains a favorite of most lovers of the genre. It's certainly pretty high on my list.

But...

Wait don't go in the closet

Something that most moviegoers will never understand is why so many times the heroine in a horror movie whenever hearing some kind of strange noise coming from maybe her downstairs of her home or from her closet she always has to investigate. In real life, the average person wouldn't hesitate getting out the house if they thought there might be someone in their home. But truthfully, if it weren't for this obvious character flaw we the moviegoer wouldn't enjoy the same level of interaction with the movie's characters. And as long as the characters in the horror movies continue to do really stupid things we the moviegoer will continue to enjoy telling them about it.

So...

Would you like some cheese with that sir?

Filmmakers have collaborated for years in making some of the best horror movies you can think of, many of which if I mentioned you would have probably seen and undoubtedly enjoyed. But over the course of that same period many lousy or what some would like to term "cheesy" horror movie have also been made. Movies like Motel Hell, Hellraiser or The Exorcist Part 2 just to name a few. I'm sure if you were to name some of the cheesiest horror movies you've seen I wouldn't be too surprised at some of your selections either.

I personally love horror movies so much and have been watching them since I was a small child that I have more of a tolerance for a bad or "cheesy" horror movie then most. Movies like "The Trilogy of Terror", I think I was about twelve or thirteen when first seeing this "cheesy" movie but many years later it still resonates with me as one of the movies that I would enjoy seeing over and over again.

One of the reasons I think for this tolerance is because I understand that the "horror genre" unlike some others, lends itself more to real bad stories and even worse acting. If you were to take stock of many of the movies you've seen over the years and just briefly thought about what percentage of those movies were bad and of those how many were horror movies, I think you would prove my point perfectly.

I think as a lover of horror movies you understand that going in that there is a huge possibility that despite the movie's title and the appeal of its trailer that after the curtain opens a hour and half to two hours later you could leave out of the theater feeling not so good about how you just spent your time.

True lovers of the genre are just happy they had another chance to take part in the entire experience, such as it is.

Dare to take a walk on the wild side, subscribe to my blog ScaryMovieMania for more great articles like this. I promise it'll keep you on the "cutting edge."

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The History Of Horror Movies - Tribute to Horror in Cinemas

From time to time, we see so many horror movies come and go. Spooky, haunted houses, serial killers, slashers, maniacs, mentals, satanic and many others have been pictured in the movie. A lot of sub genres, a lot of remakes, a lot of variations, twist and all that can easily be found through the ages. Yeah, it's all true. But have we ever thought where it all came from?

Or how does the horror movies genre change from time to time?

For you who share the same passion about horror movies, and want to know the road that have been travelled by Horror movies, allow me to have the honor to be your guide. Buckle up, here we go.

Where It All Began

The year was 1922, place: German. I can say that it was the birth of horror movies. W Murnau started the terror and fear thru Nosferatu, nosferatuthe

story about bloodsucking vampire. It wasn't the first vampire movie, as in 1896 Georges Melies made Le Castle Du Diable, but Nosferatu was the first movie where we saw vampire destroyed by sunlight. This one boasted remarkable animalistic makeup that has not been replicated, even with modern

technology. Dozens of vampire movies followed after that. In 1931 Universal Studio launched 2 legendary horror movies, Dracula with Bela Lugosi and Frankenstein with Boris Karloff. Both of the movie became a classic and very successful. Boris Karloff even became a legendary name in horror movies history. The Mummy (1932) a silent picture with horror icon Boris Karloff in the title role, remains a classic, with unforgettable make-up and atmosphere. In 1935, the sequel of Frankenstein,

The Bride Of Frankenstein was made.This isn't silent anymore.

Psycho

During 40's the world's on war, and it has changed the genre. Horror was almost forgotten as patriotic movies and war has taken the place. It slowly raised again around 50's, where comedy and musical movies ruled. There were good ones took place at this time, House of Wax is one of the example. 1960 was the time for Hitchcock to make a memorable movie: Psycho. Too bad, this is the only horror movie by Hitchcock, cuz then he made lots of suspence thriller goodies like Rear Window, Vertigo,North by Northwest,Dial M For Murder that kinda changed the genre again. And remember, spaghetti western Movies in the late 60's also had its moment.

The 70's

This is the most creative year of Horror movies.Unlike before, horror movies got big exploration, where so many variation of story and evil came in. Note there were lots of controversy and protest happened here.The Exorcist (1973) for example showed disgusting scenes that never been imagined before, like the green puke to the face transformed to evil. This movie was controversial when Catholic Church protested that the demon cast-out in the movie was against the code of conduct. The shining, that based on Stephen King's novel was one of the best one during 70's. Later on from this decade to 80s and 90s, lots of movies was made based on his scary novel such as Carrie, Christine, Cujo, It, , Cat's Eye, Dream Catcher, are the example. Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) was a low budget movie that reached a great result. This one introduced "the slasher movie" to the world that later followed by Halloween (say hi to Michael Myers) , Friday the 13th, Scream in the 80's and 90's and so on. Omen is a bonechillin' movie that can still give

you nightmare even with today's technology of making movie.Simply unforgettable. Amityville Horror, based on the true story was the first movie that took place in the actual location. The report said a lot of bizzare and dreadful things were experienced by cast and crew in location.

The 80's

Freddie Kruger

This is the decade of madness. All gory stuff were shown sadistically for viewing. cutted off body parts were seen everywhere. Nightmare on Elm Street that launched Freddy Krueger to horror hall of fame, and Jason Voorheyes slashing games in Friday the 13th are one of the example. These two had some of their sequels during 80s, together with 3 of Halloweens. And remember how Italian horror movies that have a very sick super bloody vision? Count Romero and Argento for this category. This is also the era where horror expanded to tv.

The 90's

Funny thing happened in 90s. There's a tendency of self defense and self actualization by horror character on terror they have made to people. For example Ghost, Bram Stocker's Dracula that told the story about Count

Dracula's painful love to Mina, or Interview With Vampires that unlocked the mystery of vampire lives. Scream started a new genre, teen horror movies, slashing-serial-killer-who-did-it,which soon followed by I Know What You Did Last Summer, Urban Legend, and some more. A note in 1999, an independent movie Blair Witch Project became a big phenomena,using a documentation technique to give us fear,tense and mental disturbance. This one inspired some other movies like St.Francisville Experiment, The Lamarie Project and

tv series Freaky Links.

2000's

Ringu

Still too early maybe to talk about horror movies in 2000s, but looks like Hollywood has running out of ideas. They are trying to widen up their view to see new ideas outside that can give new vision on the term of horror. The Ring, remake from Japanese movie was their first success. Followed by The eye, and some other remakes from Asian cinemas.

This decade seems being led by Japan and Korea, by making so many horror movies with lack of effects or gory blood but still successfully tortured our feeling. They don't go with the Hollywood pattern, they just dig everything else that hasn't been touched yet. Thailand is also emerging as a good horror maker. Indonesian movies too, with amusing number of horror movies every year. We also mark the decade 2000 for the decade of sequels and remakes too, such as Halloween H2O, Freddy vs Jason, modern version of Bram Stocker's Dracula, Dracula 2001,

Halloween Resurrection, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre , House of The Dead, The Amityville Horror and so on.

While the effort to combine some genres and produce something new has still been going on. Saw for example, combine the psycho thriller ala Hitchkock with slasher, sadistic, bloody and graphic scenes.

My prediction? I think this decade will continue to do so. Hopefully in the next decade we will see some new approach, style and way to present horror movies. Let's wait and see where the horror movies continue their path.

By: Riandy Kurniawan
A Movie freak
Website: http://www.vrjunkyard.com

What Makes Horror Games So Scary?

When somebody thinks of horror, the first thing that will probably pop into their minds is a movie. Usually it's a movie involving masked men with knives or cruel mutant monsters slaughtering innocent victims left and right. And of course, it's either at night, in a dark place, at a deserted and/or isolated location away from any possible help.

With today's video game savy world, where the more and more people are playing games, there is a growing number of people out there who would include video games in the realm of horror. With classic horror games like 11tth Hour, Phantasmagoria, and Uninvited to more recent games like Resident Evil, Silent Hill and F.E.A.R., more and more people are getting into the horror video game genre.

Just as all forms of media, which includes television, video games and movies, it is a recent invention. As a species, we haven't evolved enough to be able to handle these types of images and video. The human race still isn't quite used to seeing them on the screen yet. One could ask, do games have the ability to better manipulate our minds then when compared to other forms of media?

Ever since my experiences with the Silent Hill series, I've felt that this is true. As I sit down to watch a good horror movie, I might get a little nervous or figity. And that's certainly something that's good. That's what a horror movie is supposed to do. But if I was to play a similar horror game, I could tell you right now that I would have a harder time handling myself. As I'm playing a Silent Hill game, and I'm roaming around a darkend building that's covered in grim, blood, and who in the hell knows what, I'm suddenly petrified when I hear a strange unearthly noise close by. I'm actually afraid to continue on into the next room to find out what's making that noise.

I think it's because I'm actually in control of the game and the character that makes it so much more frightening than if I'm just watching it as a third party. There's so much more interaction with that game versus just watching that movie or show.

The kind of creeping dread you feel in a good Lovecraft story is different than the startling scares and disturbing imagery of film horror like Psycho or Ringu, just as the more tense horror you experience playing Silent Hill or Dead Space is unique to games," says Richard Rouse III, the lead designer of The Suffering, which appeared on the Xbox.

"I think games have the definite advantage in terms of immersion and raw tension, because in a well done narrative game the player starts feeling like it's them in the world and starts feeling threatened themselves. Other mediums simply can't deliver that type of horror in the same way."

You could ask, why do we even have the survival horror genre at all? Why do we need to experience horror? It has been thought that all animals, which includes us humans as well, developed the sense of fear because it helped us survive in the wild. Although there are some irrational forms of fear, like when somebody is afraid of clowns and balloons, this sense of fear would certain help explain why humans would be afraid of heights and other dangerous situations, like being around spiders or snakes who could certainly be poisonous and in turn, do us great harm.

It would be obvious that as a stimuli, we would try staying away from things that would scare and terrify us. So why would we come back to it and experience it over and over again? I felt that it is that sense of thrill that you get when you face you fear. That's another point as well. Facing your fear. When you face your fear, it could be trying to gain a certain level of control over your fear, so that when real life beckons and you are faced with legitimate fear, you won't be so out of control of the situation.

No matter the reason, game developers will always try using that sense of psychology when they are creating a horror video game. By these good practices, it, in the end, makes for a great game. Giving the player that sense of danger and foreboding really adds to the thrill of the game.

http://www.feardex.com

7 Things to Do at a Horror Convention

Every year there are dozens (if not more) horror conventions taking place around the country. There is the annual World Horror Convention, Horrorfind holds a couple each year, and several haunt and horror organizations hold regular conventions. So what can you do at a horror convention? Here are some ideas.

1. Learn new things.

Many conventions feature panel discussions, workshops, seminars and guest talks. Horror conventions are no different. You could learn about an upcoming film, the back story of your favorite director or even some special effects makeup techniques.

2. Take in an art show.

Do you enjoy dark art? Many horror conventions feature an art show with horror art on display. Some of the art is professionally done, some may be fan art. Either way it could be enjoyable see the "dark" side of art.

3. Add to your autograph collection.

Often times the guests of honor will have time set aside during the convention to sign autographs. Bring along your own image or buy one there... this is your opportunity to get up close and share your admiration for your favorite actor, author or other horror professional's work.

4. Buy cool stuff.

What convention would be without the Dealer's room? Here you'll find collectibles, costuming supplies and even irreverent T-shirts. If it has to do with horror and someone is willing to sell it, you'll be sure to find it in the Dealer's room.

5. Meet authors, actors and special effects artists.

Sometimes you'll find these people in the Dealer's room, sometimes there will be a room dedicated to these "workhorses" of the horror field. More often than not, you'll be able to strike up an interesting conversation with someone who either illustrated your favorite horror comic, did the make up in your favorite movie or even played one of the characters in that horror film that kept you up for several nights after seeing it.

6. Dance the night away.

If the convention lasts more than one day, there will often be a dance party planned for either Friday or Saturday night. Sometimes the party is come as you are, other times costumes are encouraged. Either way, you can dance the night away with like-minded horror fans.

7. Play dress up.

Although you are more than welcome to attend a horror convention in street clothes, you are also very welcome to pretend it's Halloween and arrive in costume. Obviously, since this is a horror convention, a scary costume will work much better than something less frightening.

Keep in mind that each convention will have its own flavor, so all the above activities may not be available at any given convention... then again, activities not mentioned above very well could be. If nothing else, check out what the convention has to offer and have a good time!

If you would like to read more about places to visit that have a horror, science fiction or fantasy twist, visit The Genre Traveler, the travel resource for SF/F/H enthusiasts. From science fiction museum exhibits to epic fantasy film locations to horror film fests, The Genre Traveler covers it all. Find more articles like this one at http://www.thegenretraveler.com.

Top 5 Horror Films

One of the greatest human escapes from reality is watching horror films. For some instances, we are horrified by what we see, but the storyline and the gore seems to keep us occupied for two hours without flashing back to our daily problems.

There are some horror flicks that are completely predictable and some are even unbearable to watch, but the more original films have a creative enough image - like the following five - that will forever be slated as being classics.

Friday the 13th

Anyone who has gone away to summer camp has to see Friday the 13th as this classic horror film originates during one fatal moment - a drowning at a summer camp. A group of teens decide to reopen an abandoned camp and, one by one, each becomes a victim of the main antagonist, Jason 'Hockey Masks Are The Next Big Thing' Vorhees. All of these events, including the drowning, occur on the superstitious day of Friday the 13th.

The surprise ending is one of the best donned by a horror film.

Halloween

October 31 will never be the same for anyone who watches this amazing slasher film, which opens with the 6 year old, Michael Myers, killing his sister and being sent off to a psychiatric hospital. A few years later, 'the shape' escapes and comes back to town to threaten and kill other teens, particularly Laurie Strode.

This is a great horror film because it is not just a horror film where people die but the antagonist character is much more complex, where viewers can actually identify with the little humanity that Michael has left.

Nightmare on Elm Street

This horror film will keep you up at night, guaranteed. The plot of this movie involves the antagonist being able to kill his victims in their sleep which ultimately leads them to their gory death in the real world. Freddie Krueger is the antagonist, burned alive by the main group of teenagers' parents. This horror film once again covers many different themes like revenge, justice and extreme creativity, blending what is real and what is thought to be fake together which makes it much more than just a garden-variety slasher flick.

Alien

Alien is a top horror flick because of its original idea to mesh horror with science fiction. The antagonist of this film vehemently stalks and kills members of a spaceship. This film does not rely heavily on special effects to make it a great film but it uses its characters and story to make everything in the film come alive. This film opened the doors to similar science fiction horror films like Xtro and Inseminoid.

The Exorcist

It is difficult to erase the scenes experienced in the Exorcist. This combination of terror and religion has grasped the horror film community by surprise which makes the Exorcist another top horror film of all time. This film was actually based off of a real exorcism which was led by two priests. This film capitalizes on the theme of a demonic child which opened the door to other great demonic child flicks like the Omen.

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