Hiatus Horror.
It’s me! I’m back. And yes, that was a bit of a delay. In fairness though, I was caught up in a deadline whirlwind, and life is really only starting to settle down now. I have been celebrating by eating delicious chocolate eggs, and watching random films (more on that to come). Having said that, while it’s great to be busy, the longer you are away from something like blogging, the more you develop THE FEAR. I mean, what if nobody is reading this right now? It’s a good possibility: let’s face it, apart from my dog’s unconditional adoration, I’m not that popular. I imagine it’s the same feeling you have after being away from something you usually practice with some degree of regularity, like learning an instrument, a language, driving a car, or even returning to teaching after the summer holiday break. There’s a question, or a little nagging, and somewhat horrifying, thought, that buries itself deep in your mind: can I still do this?
The answer is, of course, yes: a skill improves with practice and is never lost. So there’s absolutely no harm giving yourself a break every once and a while, just as long as you always come back to what you love. Get back on the metaphorical horse (and physical one if horseriding is your thing), and just enjoy it. That’s my motto anyway. I have long relinquished the grasp on taking myself too seriously.
Speaking of, this leads me to my next ramble. I over the Easter holidays I watched a lot of horror films. I have no idea why, the birth baby animals and the growth of Springtime flowers hardly make you feel like you want to watch a monster chase down its next victim. But look, it was the mood I was in. I wanted horror and chocolate, and damnit I got both. Some films I was not as keen on as others, and I started to think about why that was; so, I put together “Karen’s friendly list of things she likes to see in horror films”. Please note though, this is not a rule book. Personally, I don’t follow “rules” when it comes to writing; overtime, I started to focus more on what the audience needed from me, rather than following a set series of guidelines of what would make a perfect story. Always think about your audience, and give them what they want.
And with that, here’s my go-to horror list:
Don’t show the monster too soon: the imagination is often more terrifying than the real thing.
Have your characters make sensible decisions: don’t send your characters into the haunted house if they don’t want to and don’t have to.
Don’t set up bait characters: make them as lovable as your lead characters before they become your monster’s dinner.
Don’t kill the dog.
Don’t create annoying characters: give them a dream (or a pet) to make them likeable. See point four regarding pets.
Fight until the end, and, if possible, have a survivor: while your audience may have never been faced with a ten foot shark or long legged aliens (well, fingers crossed), they will understand the feeling of triumph over adversity. Give them hope.
Give your characters a disadvantage when it comes to survival (for example, it’s hard to run with a broken leg), but make them want to survive enough to make them resourceful.
Make your monsters feel like they have the right to eat everyone: they are the lead characters in their own story.
Have the monster appear in daylight.
Work to a punch line: your entire story should build towards the last line/shot in the film.
There you have it! Now go create your monsters and give your dog a nice biscuit. Thank you for having me back.