One of the things I like about writing horror is the complexity. It plays on so many emotions and viewpoints, rather than just ahhh! The monster killed again! Blood and gore everywhere!
What does that monster represent? How does it impact the reader’s life?
Some of the best horror I’ve read wove a path of twistedness inside my mind, and when I got to the end of the story, I was wowed. Great books, not just horror, follow this tactic as well, and have the reader craving for more.
But there’s something to be said for a story that you feel so unnerved, so scared by it that you have to put it down and come back to it at another time. To be creeped out so much that it taints the way you momentarily think—that’s art.
I strive for this in my stories as well, mixing images with stories to swirl reality with shadows. To see how I do this, check out my little boutique of horror stories, where I have a free sample, the complete horror story collection, and the individual stories for sale. My collection is also available on Amazon. They may be short stories, but they leave you with quite a chill.
Authors, what are you striving for in your writing?