One Piece of Advice From 12 Horror Authors in 2023
I often feel like horror fiction is the fiction genre that’s most like holding a mirror up to society and ourselves. While I hope I’m never faced with a supernatural murderer, reading about how other characters deal with the situation forces me to seriously consider, “What would I do in that situation? Would I actually walk down to check on a strange noise in the basement?”
(6 Tips for Writing Domestic Horror.)
Here I’ve collected one piece of advice from 12 horror authors who were featured in our author spotlight series in 2023. Be sure to click the author names if you’d like to read their full author spotlights from earlier this year. (And maybe don’t check out that noise in the basement.)
“Don’t listen to anyone’s advice about writing! (haha) I always felt I wasn’t a real writer because I didn’t sit down and write every day, or write at the same time every day, and that perception held me back. Write in your own way.” –Adriana Chartrand, author of An Ordinary Violence (House of Anansi)
“Don’t try to be perfect and don’t try to reinvent the wheel. Get that first draft down on paper. Type THE END. That’s the toughest task you will face. Then get to work revising and do your best to tell a good story with characters that readers will care about.” –Richard Chizmar, author of Becoming the Boogeyman (Gallery Books)
“Be patient and have faith in your process. Writing in the social media age leaves a lot of us feeling as if we’re not doing enough or not moving at the right speed. I think that can hurt writers in the long run. There’s no need to chase trends or emulate other successes. Do what you know you do best and be open to working on what needs the work. You’ll get there.” –Angel Luis Colón, author of Infested (MTV Books)
“NEVER GIVE UP. Even a seasoned writer like me can feel discouraged, but it’s important to realize that emotions are not Truth, they’re just emotions. It’s fine to be afraid or to feel overwhelmed, but keep writing. And for learning writers, I particularly suggest writing short stories as both a learning tool in beginning/middle/end and as a way of establishing IP (intellectual property) sooner than it takes to sell a novel.” –Tananarive Due, author of The Reformatory (Saga Press)
“Write what you know, but also don’t be afraid to leap into the great unknown! Taking that leap can feel daunting—even paralyzing. But it also offers unparalleled opportunities to learn, to challenge yourself and your readers, and to explore, exercise, and encourage the kind of empathy that is more crucial than ever in today’s world.” –Jennifer Cody Epstein, author of The Madwomen of Paris (Ballantine)
“At the risk of sounding like an inspirational poster in a guidance counselor’s office…you have to believe in yourself!” –Rachel Harrison, author of Black Sheep (Berkley)
“It’s OK not to know what you’re doing. That’s how we learn the most.” –Andrew Michael Hurley, author of Starve Acre (Penguin Random House)
“Read lots and read widely.” –Celia Krampien, author of The Bellwoods Game (Atheneum Books for Young Readers)
“Just write. Put words on a page. It doesn’t matter if they’re the right words or the wrong words, well-spoken words or barely-articulate words—just put them on the page. Writing is like playing a sport or learning a musical instrument—you only get better at it the more you do it. Besides, it’s much easier to go back and edit existing words than words that haven’t been written yet.” –Carissa Orlando, author of The September House (Berkley)
“Trust your gut! Defend what you like to the death. Read what brings you joy and tell those stories that bring you joy. I fought myself for a long time because I was trying to write ‘what I was supposed to write.’ I floundered between memoir, plays, poetry, etc., before I finally calmed down enough to write a fun, bloody adventure that I still get a kick out of, even after working on it for years.” –Sam Rebelein, author of Edenville (William Morrow)
“Don’t listen to writers who say writing is hard. Writing isn’t hard—it’s fun. If you start out thinking writing is hard, it will be hard for you. If you think about the fun you’re having creating characters, creating a world, your writing will go much more easily for you.” –R.L. Stine, author of There’s Something Strange About My Brain (Di Angelo Publications)
“Sometimes the only way out is through, and that applies to sticky, tormented novel rewrites just as it applies to so much else in life. It’s a truly daunting process to start tearing up something you’ve written, and looting it for parts, but you have to trust the process. Keep at it—even if it’s only a little at a time, so you don’t get overwhelmed—and sooner or later, the pieces will come together.” –Ally Wilkes, author of Where the Dead Wait (Atria/Emily Bestler Books)
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While there’s no shortage of writing advice, it’s often scattered around—a piece of advice here, words of wisdom there. And in the moments when you most need writing advice, what you find might not resonate with you or speak to the issue you’re dealing with. In A Year of Writing Advice, the editors of Writer’s Digest have gathered thoughts, musings, and yes, advice from 365 authors in dozens of genres to help you on your writing journey.