Do You Like Mystery in Your Horror?

‘Salem’s Lot: Illustrated Edition (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Do You Like Mystery Involved with Your Horror?

Traci Kenworth

 

In the horror stories you read, do you like a bit of mystery involved with who/what the monster/evil etc. is? Or do you like to know up front what’s involved (vampires, werewolves, clowns) so you can dig into who the characters are and what is going to happen to them instead? In other words, do you like what the gooey blob is to remain hidden until the climax, or would you prefer to know it’s something that escaped from a science experiment and how that experiment came about? I actually like both types, but I’m working on the mystery part with something I’m kicking around in the developmental stages right now.

There’s a story to be had in either case, whether you pick the traditional vampires (Salem’s Lot by Stephen King) or the mystery (The Heart-shaped Box by Joe Hill). Both are haunting but I read in a recent interview with Joe Hill (Yes, I know he’s Stephen King’s son) that the best “monster” in horror would be Jaws because the shark isn’t onscreen (or on the page) much. Twelve minutes total in the first movie’s version but each time it IS there, it’s terrifying. He also went on to say that we’re more afraid of something we’re not familiar with (exposed to constantly), and I think that’s true as well.

Look at the vampire. It’s become a bit less intimidating with all the recent press it’s gotten (Twilight). Werewolves, are in the same boat. Zombies are the current craze and I wonder if they’ll falter as well. Perhaps that’s why they pull in human “evil” as well on Walking Dead, so it’s not the creatures we shudder at all the time. So, I’m trying to leave my own monsters off the page as much as possible in my own stories. I want the reader to be conscious of them sure, but not pummeled by them. That way, when I do cut them loose on the pages, they can spill blood all over them. So what do you think? Would you like to see more of, or less of, the monster/evil/monstrosity you’re reading about?

Heart-Shaped Box (Photo credit: sweet mustache)

 

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Regulating Your Writing Time

A Writing Kind of Day (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

Are You Regulating Writing Time to the Background?

 

Traci Kenworth

 

 

 

It’s so easy to let time get away from us. Letting time slip away that’s reserved for writing here and there due to errands, appointments, life is hard to get back. I know I’ve been going through this for a while now and it’s like being stuck in a whirlwind. You promise yourself you’ll make that lost time up another day, another hour. The problem is, every day we face the risk of losing more. Soon, it becomes a pattern, dare I say, even a habit to skip? Surely when life stops being so complicated, we can get back to our Muse. If we don’t put up a stop sign—even for just ten minutes out of our day—writing becomes less important to us.

 

Now, I know there are days we can skip on occasion, but when it adds up to weeks or even months, we’re ultimately hurting ourselves. It’s tough enough to make it in the writing world without becoming our own worst enemy. Not spending time doing something you love (and I assume you love writing, why else would you do it?), makes it easier to let it slip to hobby status and then just fall by the way side. It’s hard to say, “No,” you can’t do something when you’re a writer. After all, the majority of people in your life assume it won’t be a bother to you to take care of something. Your writing doesn’t account for bosses, time cards, and set hours. So letting things slide shouldn’t matter.

 

Oh, if they only realized. Writing is a business. If you don’t do it, you don’t get a chance to be published, an opportunity to be paid by your bosses (the publishing house/s). So don’t feel guilty for scheduling time to write. More time writing also equals more growth in your work. Take the time. Stick to it. Schedule appointments around it as much as possible. Now, this is not to say, emergencies won’t come up and I’m not saying to ignore them when they do. Just don’t let your set time become less and less until there’s nothing there anymore. Because getting the Muse to work again, takes a long time. That’s time that could be spent moving on to the next level in your career. Lesson learned. Now, to get back to it.

 

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When the Muse strikes…

A classic fairy with a wand (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

When the Muse Strikes…

 

Traci Kenworth

 

 

 

Often, if you’re like me, the Muse strikes whenever it wants to. Sometimes, it’s convenient, sometimes not but if you’re a writer, you learn to deal. Do I lose some fragments of ideas when I’m driving or at the doctor’s office? Sure. It happens, but most of the time I can capture those clues with the help of the pens I keep in my purse and various post-its, scraps of notebook paper, even napkins. Hey, whatever works. This weekend I was recovering from surgery when I had some complications hit me. Needless to say, I spent a LOT of time resting and while I did so, who should show up? The Muse fairy. She tickled her wings and voila, the solution to some of my world’s problems rested in my palms.

 

Things that should have been obvious in my character’s universe suddenly clicked. Not only that, I discovered the title and plotline to how the 3^rd book (all of these written to be stand-alones) rocketed into place as well. Sometimes, it just takes a bit of quiet, a bit of reflection to uncover what will/or should be. I feel more on firm ground again and I’m ready to move forward. Happy writing, everyone.

 

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Procrastinating…and the details

Writer’s Stop (Photo credit: Stephh922)

 

Procrastinating…and the details

 

Traci Kenworth

 

 

 

Procrastination has been a serious wrench in my editing/rewriting as of late. Doubts sometimes creep in when we’re working on a project and this was no exception. Not misgivings about the story, but, well, me as a writer. Around me, I’ve watched others moving on with their books, getting published, receiving awards etc. while I’m still in the same place. Although, really, I’m not. In the same place. I’ve been learning, growing, coming to terms with things. I think it’s a path a lot of writers take in their journey, sort of losing that momentum, falling behind. The truth is, we need that to happen in order to re-focus on why we’re doing this, who we are, and to realize everything will fall into place when the time’s ready.

 

This is the time when some writers fall by the wayside, lose hope, and walk away. What’s more, I’m sure from what I’ve read on other author’s experiences, that it won’t be the last time something like this happens. You’ve got to decide whether you’re going to let circumstances make you or break you. I’ve decided to persevere. It hasn’t been my time yet, but one day, it will be. Since last fall, my writing has slid to a crawl in pace. Slowly, now, I’m picking up speed. It didn’t happen overnight. I’ve had to fight to get there but Spring is dawning. There is hope. Reading over my wip, I realize, I have something here. I have only to open myself up to the possibilities.

 

Ideas are brimming, popping up when least expected. Avenues that make sense, that excite the story. One day, I hope to be able to write as fast as I used to, but for now, I’m taking it one day at a time, knowing that I’m headed in the right direction. I may not get there as fast as I wanted to, but I’ll get there. How about you? Do you feel like giving up or have you walked away in the past, only to return anew? Hold on. You’ll reach where you’re going, it just takes time. I know that’s a pulling teeth answer, but it’s the truth. Juggling this life is tough in itself. That’s why we need each other’s support in this. Cheer your fellow authors on because in doing so, you’ll lift yourself up to the next level and soon, it’ll be your turn.

 

 

 

 

 

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Beginnings…

English: Cain and Abel (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

Beginnings

 

Traci Kenworth

 

 

 

From a Biblical standpoint, horror entered existence with the story of Cain and Abel. Two brothers. No inherent conflict hinted at until—both made offerings to God. Abel’s was accepted and found good, Cain’s lacking. Why? Because Cain didn’t put his best effort into it. He held back. I imagine he did this with a lot of things in his life. Being secretive doesn’t just happen one day, it’s part of a person’s character. Can’t you just see Cain skulking around, upset that his parent’s paid more attention to his younger brother than him? Jealousy can run rampant and well, violence erupts. No one envisioned that one day Cain would slay his brother but the roots had to have been there since Day One of Abel’s birth. Perhaps Eve noticed this when the two siblings played some game, or Adam when he taught them each the job they would undertake (Abel—farming the land, Cain—taking care of the livestock).

 

You can be sure that tempting Eve in the garden with the fruit from The Tree of Life wasn’t the last time Lucifer entered the family’s lives. Can’t you just see him there, hiding, playing on Cain’s fears that Abel would take everything that he loved away? Pushing him, prodding him, planting the seed that would cause him to one day murder his brother? Evil lies in wait for good. It always has. That I think sums up why the genre is both appealing to its readers and repulsive to others. Those who are drawn to it want to confront this darkness in whatever form it comes in (clowns, terminators, corpses, etc.) and destroy it. We want to see The Mummy blown back into the tomb it came from, the silver bullet take down the fearsome werewolf, and the little girl freed from the devil’s possession. It’s a sense of closure for us, to know that the good guy/girl does win in the end which doesn’t always happen in real life.

 

Since the dawn of time, many people have sat around campfires telling stories. About ghosts. Monsters. Hitchhikers. We listen with bated breath because we’re all looking for a way to protect ourselves, to shine a light down into the pit to expose the evil that lies in wait. It’s about survival. Some of us are looking for a way to beat back the zombie apocalypse. Every country, every group of persons, every religion has its beliefs. To me, horror isn’t about fanning the flames and showcasing the grotesque. It’s about standing together when things go south, having a goal in common, and when everything’s said and done, killing the virus before it becomes airborne.

 

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Update on Progress

 

Flower & pot (Photo credit: Vijay Sonar)

 

Progress Update

 

Traci Kenworth

 

 

 

Things are going well so far. I’m digging deeper and deeper into edits and the changes

 

and questions that have come up. So far, I’ve changed one character’s gender and ethnicity, tweaked the background, and considered whether to leave-in or take-out the brief backstories I gave my two main characters. All the while, reading, and discovering that things are not as bad as they could be at this point. I like the story. It needs chipped away at still to become what it will, but it’s off to a good start.

 

Lest you should wonder if I’ve read the whole thing in its entirety yet, the answer is no.

 

I’m only on chapter four and still jotting down notes. Most of what I’m doing at this point, is absorbing what needs to be done to make things better. I’m enjoying myself though. Yes, that’s right. I used the right word. Lol. Editing is a tool used to shape the possibilities. A writer should learn to like the process if not love it because it helps to bring everything into focus for the story.

 

Good luck with your own stories, I’ll update from time to time as I go along.

 

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The Confident Writer

Writer Wordart (Photo credit: MarkGregory007)

The Confident Writer

Traci Kenworth

 

When I first began to take this journey to write for publication, I still viewed it through

the lens of an unsure writer. I lacked discipline, a regular schedule, and knowledge of my craft. I was ready to grow, I just wasn’t sure how. That’s why writing in itself is so hard to teach to another. It takes a drive, a confidence in yourself that builds over time through experience. What works for me, might not work for you and vice versa.

Something happens as you practice putting all those words together, into forming

sentences, and developing your writing. There’s no style at first. The story part is not quite there. You have the passion, but not the know-how to breathe life into your stories. Don’t give up. There’s untapped magic there waiting to be brought to the surface. Each of us will approach the study part of writing just like the journey itself.

I started with craft books. Tons and tons of them. A writing course here and there. They

helped but I still wasn’t seeing what I wanted to in my stories. I studied my favorite writers, even first-time novelists to find the key. What I discovered was this: there is no key. No one can tell you how to do it. Because the trials and tribulations we all experience are like life: no two paths are alike. They diverge at points sure, but the getting there happens different for everyone.

The next part of my journey involved cps (critique partners). I had some bad and good

ones. Those were more lessons that helped me grow. I was still unsure of myself at this point, not trusting myself to go with my gut about things. Along came one of the best things to happen to me as a writer: I met a wonderful cp who introduced me to a writing group called yaff (YoungAdultFictionFanatics). These ladies took me under their wings and taught me how to write a story, queries, etc. Some of which I didn’t realize were necessary in my earlier efforts.

Under their tutelage, I have seen my writing go from shoddy to better. I won’t say I’m an

expert. I doubt any real writer ever thinks their work is good enough. But I have seen the potential for telling a good story emerge over the last year. I can look at something I wrote a long while ago and something current and see a vast difference. The growth I was seeking is there. I’ve learned that I don’t ever want to stop learning. Perhaps, in truth, there is a key to be learned after all. It comes in having a confidence in yourself, in seeing a truth to what you put down on your paper.

You have to learn to let go, to let your writing happen, to trust that you’re doing what the

story needs, when it needs it. Talk to your characters, build those settings, but don’t forget: everything begins with you. Your life lessons, the study of your craft, and building writing relationships. Don’t try and be some other writer. Be yourself. You’re unique. No one will ever approach the story you’re writing the way you do. That’s where you find your voice, that’s where your path widens to draw in the things you’ll need to continue your journey. Confidence will grow inside you and that will help you face the rejections, the pitfalls, and the bad breaks then when you reach the horizon, everything before you will be blessed. Good luck on your journey.

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The Mysteries of Writing

 

The Hunger Games (film) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

Mysteries of Writing

 

Traci Kenworth

 

 

 

There are a lot of mysteries it seems when it comes to writing. If you look at the expert advice on the how-tos, certain things are clear: it takes hard work, a regular schedule, and constant openness to ideas and learning to succeed. There’s no getting away from the fact that you have to apply yourself to write. You can’t spend all day on the internet (unless you’re researching and even then, you should write a portion of that time) and expect to see results. We won’t even get into the business-side of it in this blog either. We’re just going to focus on the unknowns.

 

Like our Muse. What is it? Inspiration for sure. But how does it happen? What gets the wheels of it turning? Most of the time, luck, I think. Ideas happen all the time. Threading them together can make the difference between a ho-hum and a great one. Everyone goes about this in different ways. Some writers like music, others like television or the movies, still more, a good book. It doesn’t matter what it is, it’s all good. Just get those little flirtations started so that they can grow into the real thing.

 

So how do we pick and choose the right one? Again with the luck. It just happens. Do you think Suzanne Collins sat down one day and had the full-blown plot to the Hunger Games books right in the palm of her hand? No, she plotted. Plotted some more. And then got to the writing. I don’t know the trick to guaranteeing the best-seller, but I do know if I string together ideas, sometimes magic reveals itself. I hit upon the right plot points for a book by trying things out until I’m satisfied—and most importantly, excited about a project.

 

Then you just keep going until it’s finished. Revise. Revise some more. And ta-dah, you’ve got something to work with. No, it’s not easy and doesn’t happen overnight. Fame and fortune strike those it fancies. Were it otherwise, wouldn’t we all crack the code to millionaire land? The point is: no one can tell you to do this, this, this, and this and you’ll become an instant success. It’s all a mystery. We writers chase our dreams, hope, pray, sometimes go without a long time, and then one day our moment comes to shine. I don’t have a fast track to get there but I know it’s in not giving up.

 

No one can take those steps for you.   YOU have to do the work, learn your lessons, nail the story. It’s all going to be your road, your decisions, what works for you. You could walk away, sure but isn’t it worth more to dig your heels in and go that extra mile? Yes, there are mysteries of writing that can’t be broken down into a formula other than this one: plant yourself in the chair, and WRITE. That’s the best advice anyone can offer.

 

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The Monster Show

 

Promotional photo of Boris Karloff from The Bride of Frankenstein as Frankenstein’s monster. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

The Monster Show

 

Traci Kenworth

 

 

 

Who didn’t go to a monster show at some point growing up? I remember sitting on the couch every Saturday when I was twelve or thirteen watching the local channel’s Scream Theater showing. Frankenstein’s monster, the she-devil, and BIG bugs reigned. Armed with a bowl of buttered popcorn (oh, those innocent, before I became weight-conscious days), and a group of friends, it was something I looked forward to all week. Perhaps because of these screenings, horror often topped the list of my readings growing up.

 

I loved to root for the characters, praying fervently that each would make it. I think this weekly ritual was the stepping-stone to my writing. It brought an eagerness to tell stories, even those heroes/heroines that didn’t make it, of my own. Writing just clicked with me. I could explore new worlds, the human psyche, and wrong decisions. I found myself at peace when I got it all down on paper (the way it was done before computers came along). At least, into my household. I didn’t own my first computer until I was married.

 

When divorce hit me, my next computer helped bring me through the rough patches, and pointed me back down the road toward writing. It wasn’t easy, raising two kids by myself, buying a house, and paying the bills, but I did it. I’m still doing it. I watch very little of what’s called horror these days (mostly because it’s become so much of a gore-fest), but when I do, I’m reminded of those Saturdays spent cringing from this week’s monster.

 

Oh, I have my favorite shows still to keep me tuned in. From Supernatural to The Vampire Diaries, I’ve learned that it truly is the protagonist/s in trouble that capture my attention and less the nameless ones that flee the masked murderer in the forest that capture my efforts. I like fear to count for something, I guess. When I get to know a character, their family, their hopes, their dreams, I want to see them survive. It’s what I try and do in my own stories. Capture the essence of who they are, where they’re going, and how they’re going to come through things. In short, I want people attached to my stories, not a body count.

 

All this has helped me make some recent cut-backs in my own work. I, too, went for the high amount of corpses versus the character, but I came to realize: less is more. If you want your reader to care about what’s happening, give them heroes/heroines to root for not walk-ons who are just there to get cut up by some psycho. It’s the story that counts, the truth behind what is happening, it’s the meat on the bones.

 

Yes, those Monster shows educated me on what’s important: the survivors. If you’re having trouble in your work-in-progress, it may mean that you need to step back and look at the people in your story. Are they fully-rounded? Do we care about them? Or is the boogeyman the main character? Readers want to read about people. What makes them tick, how they survived a day in hell, and what their future may look like. Concentrate on the protagonist/s and the curtain on your show will continue to go up every time.

 

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Writing in the Dark

Writing in the Dark

Traci Kenworth

 

I used to write religiously with an outline as I’ve said on here before but lately, I’ve been “writing in the dark” so to speak. Which is to say, I’ve thrown out my outline with my current project and what I’ve begun to do is to take each chap as one/or several long scenes and jot down notes before writing the chapter. Then I proceed to the next chapter and start the process over again. I’ve discovered a freedom in this type of writing and it’s really opened up the creative doors for me.

Part of why I’ve down so is reading several Stephen King interviews as well as going back over his The Stephen King Companion. He’s admitted he isn’t one for knowing exactly how a story is going to go, but with his writing, “finds what he needs, when he needs it.” I’m paraphrasing here, these aren’t his exact words, but I’ve found this to be true when it comes to my own writing. See, I was having a hard time getting enthused about a wip when I knew what was going to happen down to the ending. Writing this way lately, has multiplied the possibilities.

I’ve found new life in my story, my cps are enthusiastic about it, and it’s turning out to be one of the most complex stories I’ve written. So, it just goes to show, sometimes if you throw all the rules out, you find the will to go on, and what’s more, you’ll soar in your efforts. How about you? Are you an outliner or a pantser or a little of both? Any tips on how to do writing your way that you think might help others?

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