Create the Emotion You Want the Reader to Feel in a Character

Now this is a general rule that can sometimes be broken, but it should be broken carefully. Oftentimes, you will be most successful in connecting to the reader if you have at least one character who is experiencing the emotion or sensation that you want the reader to feel. Oftentimes, this is easiest to accomplish with the POV character, but it doesn't have to be. The Cask of Amontillado is told from the aggressor's perspective, not the victim's. It's chilling both for the heartlessness and the natural fear it plays on. But more often, horror novels focus on the victim or quasi victim, putting us in that person's shoes and letting us feel the terror firsthand.

You may find it particularly helpful to imagine yourself in the scene. Robert Frost once said, "No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader." I suspect that this could easily be adapted for writing horror. If you aren't scaring yourself with your own story, you probably aren't scaring your reader. Immerse yourself in it and consider the details, pacing, and progression necessary to create the effect you want.

Be brutal.

When you need additional help with the physical effects of horror and prolonged adrenaline rushes and exhaustion, don't be afraid to turn to psychology and human anatomy among other research subjects. You can dig up all kinds of articles on the impacts on the mind as well as their implications. There have been many studies done on this, and you may even find some ideas for great new stories as well.

Remember to look into body language too. Even if your readers don't know the science behind it, they will understand on a subconscious level. Some of my favorite resources for this are What Every BODY is Saying by Joe Navarro and Marvin Karlins as well as The Emotions Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi.

Weaving a Spell Over Your Readers

While it isn't sorcery per se, there is a certain magic that occurs with a well written horror story. And for this, let's turn to a master of horror, Edgar Allan Poe. In Supernatural Horror in Literature, H.P. Lovecraft actually credits Poe as the most important horror writer in all of history, fathering the modern horror genre which we now love. And there is something chilling in Poe's stories that still makes them stand out.

Much of this comes from Poe's remarkable word usage. He actually started off writing poetry before he moved into prose. The Raven, one of his most famous pieces, has a decidedly gloomy and haunting tone to it that imprints itself upon the memory. His other stories such as The Fall of the House of Usher feature highly vivid and almost poetic descriptions that advance the understanding and atmosphere.

One caveat to this though is that Poe's work typically relied on over long and complicated sentences. While those worked for the time in which they were written, they are exceptionally difficult for modern writers to mimic without creating a convoluted mess. Modern writing favors shorter sentences with variety in the structure, particularly for horror. But you can still take a cue from Poe by incorporating vivid descriptions and powerful verbs into your work.

The best horror writing draws you in and doesn't let you go. Play with the word choices. Even if you aren't writing poetry, remember that the right word creates the right connection. It's about creating an illusion and keeping your hold on your audience. Once you weave that spell, don't let them go.

Writing good horror is certainly more challenging than reading it. But digging into the story and understanding what you fear as well as how to craft a stronger atmosphere and connecting to the audience can all help you craft your own chilling story. So terrify yourself and get writing. There's still a few hours left before dawn. No need to wait. Unless you want to read another scary story before the sun comes up.