Writing How to be scary when writing?

[ThrillingHuman]

What I understand is that, in writing especially so, when you want to scare the reader, you have to give them a scary atmosphere on the scene.
As for how exactly to do that, I honestly don't know. Quoting Eminem, "I don't know how to make songs like that, I don't know what words to use"
Especially so when the protagonist has means to defend themselves, like a gun.

 

[Agentt]

Put relatable stuff. Stuff people have experienced. People don't know the fear of holding a gun, but people know that when in exams, the palms get so sweaty that my pen would slip. Sometimes I can't even read words.

Also, we have to structure the villian, who has to be the talkative type if you want to scare the reader

 

[Deleted member 49654]

You can try using strong language and gory scenes, but this is superficial horror. If you wanna chill down your readers' hearts, I think it is best to use more subtle creepiness. The horror that one can peek at with the corner of their eyes in otherwise normal-looking situations.

People don't know the fear of holding a gun, but people know that when in exams, the palms get so sweaty that my pen would slip. Sometimes I can't even read words.

This just shows that you didn't do your best when you studied for the exam...

 

[Draconite]

Atmosphere, novels don't have the advantage of visual horror. But we can use words to make readers scare themselves.

 

[Deleted member 45782]

Listen to dark, horror music or songs. That and writing in dark mood sometimes. I think scary is sometimes keep part of the unknown stay a bit unknown or mysterious. Sometimes after seeing what it is, its less horrifying. I think thats why they like that "suspense" in horror movies.

The other way is like Agentt said, you could incorporate something that is visually horrifying that many people don't like such as seeing gore right before them.

Sometimes the horrifying thing is also what others experience and way described in writing is making them somewhat reliving that experience. Although that is horrifying on a different level, more of a ptsd level would think.

 

[Snusmumriken]

imo the best ability the books have is the description of emotions, not the visual descriptions. As such concentrating on how the character feels might work better, if you are describing something don't describe it directly - put it through the eyes of a character and listen to his thoughts. Allow his mind to jump to weird and eerie conclusions descriptions as his frantic mind is searching for a way out.

 

[Ai-chan]

Don't underdescribe and don't overdescribe. Underdescribing a scary scene will make it hard for the reader to relate to the character in that scene. Overdescribing on the other hand, makes it a hassle for readers to read through the scene and cause them to be tied up in the details instead of the atmosphere.

That being said, what defines underdescribing and overdescribing is dependent on the target reader. The same scene can be overdescribing to a 12 year old but underscribing for someone in his 20s due to the difference in language comprehension and the ability to make use of their own imagination. Basically, you can get away with describing less in stories aimed at teenagers while you can describe more in full-length mature novels. A Stephen King story for example would not appeal to a 12 year old no matter how scary his stories are, though Ai-chan personally did enjoy Stephen King at 14.

Or, you can take the shortcut, write in first person narration. As long as you write in a very limited omniscience as first person, the story will instantly become scarier than it's third person full omniscience counterpart. That is not to say that third person narration can't be scary, it's just a shortcut.

 

[Wintertime]

You need prior setup to the environment, and a cause for concern if the protagonist gets found out.

 

[TheTrinary]

Tension and then release.

Tension comes through the uncanny. Something has to be not right. The reader needs to look at it and say: I've seen this before and THAT is not right. The most basic example everyone knows is the blinking light in the hallway. Lights are on, lights are off, lights shouldn't flicker. So when a light flickers, your audience knows something isn't quite right.

Release is based on a definable fear. Once you've done the ground work, you have to decide WHAT is scary. Is it fear of physical harm? A big ole scary monster. Fear of loss of control? Dementia. Fear of loss of safety? Home invasion. There are hundreds. Just pick something.

In practice, you pick what you want to be scary or how you want to scare your audience and then you work backwards building up to that. Horror isn't the release, horror is the tension that builds to that point. The tension is the context that makes that fear genuinely scary and not an action set piece to overcome.

If you want, I can link you to a write up I did on someone's chapter that included a very cut and dry mechanical approach to writing horror. Why things worked. Why they didn't. The ideas and motifs that were needed to take it further. Etc.

 

[BenJepheneT]

i dont have anything to say that isn't said, but to add a little bit more to the discussion:

you always wonder why horror movies always start with some random guy you don't care about before the director introduces the ghost/monster? you ever realize that both good and bad horror movies share the same element? you ever wonder why one works and the other doesn't?

ever wonder you don't give a shit about the sister from The Nun, but actively care for Jamie Lee Curtis when she's chased by Micheal Myers from Halloween?

it's because the former only establishes a subject for the horror, while the latter puts the audience into the SHOES of Jamie Lee Curtis, and takes time for the audience to understand her fears and motivations before setting Myers lose on her.

establish the character and have the audience root for them BEFORE establishing the horror. build a POV for the readers to relate and like, establish their fears/personality/motivation and THEN go for the horror. when a reader relates to the subject, you've essentially put them in the subject's view, and whatever the subject feels will be translated to the reader when the connection is made.

don't try to translate visual horror or jumpscares with written media. Stephen King, Hallowed be Thy Name, is king at making horror novels and rarely does he rely on scary designs. it's always the internal struggle, terrifying concepts, and abstract, anxious emotions coming from his characters, rather than their reactions.

in short, put the reader in the mind of the character and THEN start putting the actual horror to work.

 

[Not_A_Symphony]

What I understand is that, in writing especially so, when you want to scare the reader, you have to give them a scary atmosphere on the scene.
As for how exactly to do that, I honestly don't know. Quoting Eminem, "I don't know how to make songs like that, I don't know what words to use"
Especially so when the protagonist has means to defend themselves, like a gun.

Well if you want to have a scary atmosphere you always have the basics of the basics: Gore.
Describing bloody scenes with details will bring out a more dark environment.

You can also go build up curiosity (like leaving several cliffhangers on early chapters regarding this situation) and then on the climax of the story a lot of tension. (In this case, when the MC is running away from someone or trying to survive, etc).

Showing the "real side" of Humans is also a good way to make the story spookier. By this, what I mean is that different people will have different approaches in life-threatening situations so creating a new antagonist or villain is always interesting.

When writing a scary scene it is very important to describe the environment around the MC since those details are what will provide the reader that "tension". Of course, it is important to not write a lot of details straight away since, that way, you are delivering too much information to the reader, making him frustrated and sometimes confused. I would advise you to describe things as there is some dialogue or some monologue inside the MC's head. Let me give you an example:

"Please stop!" Danny hears quick footsteps along the dark halls. His eyes wandered around but no one was seen.
'Am I imagining things...?' Soon, the small candles that were emiting some light become one with the darkness. The sound of silence was infuriating but then, he felt the heavy breathing of someone standing beside him.
A shiver ran down his spine as his body froze. He knew he needed to move, he needed to escape this god-forsaken place but his body limits were close: his legs were extremely sore while his head was pounding louder than his own heart.
"Danny..." his voice was rough and as Danny felt sweat drip from his pores he sensed that figure growing closer. Without a second thought he runs foward however, he trips.
"What the...?" suddenly the candles warm light returns and his eyes widen is shock. His arms were trembling fiercely while he contained his gag reflex, "N-No way..."
(...)

Personally, I feel like this way is a lot creepier and you can keep the attention of the reader instead of this:

As he walked down the dark halls, Danny heard quick footsteps. His eyes wandered around but couldn't trace a soul. He didn't know what was happening, how he had gotten himself in this situation in the first place. Heck, he didn't even know if all of this was nothing more than a project from his own imagination.
"Please stop!" he yells loudly.
A shiver ran down his spine as his body froze right after he knew there was someone standing beside him. He could feel his heavy breathing, the one you usually get for running for several hours in a row. His breathing and Danny's pounding heart were the only things that echoed in the darkness of those halls. The candles that were lighten up slightly were nothing more than a memory, since now, they had become one with the pitch darkness along these old halls. The more he felt the warmth of that thing's breath he knew he needed to leave, to escape this god-forsaken place but, just like all his unlucky life, he was aware of the exhaustion coming over his body: his muscles were completely sore, making every movement he made a sacrifice; his head was being pounded by a hammer, yelling louder than his own heart; his lungs were so heavy he even struggled to breathe; his throat was dry like a desert, and his lack of fluids made his sense of direction turn upside down.
"Danny..." something said in his rough voice.
(...)

I feel like as a reader, it is easier to stay in the mood if you use these types of details during dialogue/shorter sentences instead of just a big chunky text filled with details and then dialogue "separately".

One thing that usually helps me write "creepy" scenes is usually hearing dark music. Something similar to Control by Halsey. It usually gets me in the mood and it becomes easier to write.

Hope I was able to help! Good luck with your story

 

[MajorKerina]

It’s hard to really tell what is scary. The only thing that scares me are taxes, bills, and getting sick. The best you can do so far as making a scary story is setting a certain mood that has ebbs and flows. Sounds that unsettle along with other sensory details paint a compelling picture for the reader. Draw from little things that unsettle you and exaggerate or pile them on.