FILL: What is horror?
May. 9th, 2011 01:19 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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writercisesOriginal Posting 1 March 2011
Oh, let's try this. Over here, http://www.writingexcuses.com/2011/02/27/writing-excuses-5-26-scared-for-the-characters/ Dan Wells, who writes horror novels, suggests an experiment.
First, ask somebody what horror is.
You look like somebody. So -- what is horror? Go ahead, tell me what you think horror is.
Now, Dan says that unless someone is a reader of the horror genre, they are likely to say horror is one of two things. First, slasher movies (Friday the 13th? Is that the hockey mask slasher?). Second, 1970s Steven King era stuff. A house full of demons or something like that.
He says that's not what modern horror is. Of course, I don't think he ever says what it is, but...
So, how did we do? Did you think horror was either a slasher movie or a house full of demons? What did you think it was?
Any readers (or writers) of modern horror out there? Just what is horror today?
Oh, let's try this. Over here, http://www.writingexcuses.com/2011/02/27/writing-excuses-5-26-scared-for-the-characters/ Dan Wells, who writes horror novels, suggests an experiment.
First, ask somebody what horror is.
You look like somebody. So -- what is horror? Go ahead, tell me what you think horror is.
Now, Dan says that unless someone is a reader of the horror genre, they are likely to say horror is one of two things. First, slasher movies (Friday the 13th? Is that the hockey mask slasher?). Second, 1970s Steven King era stuff. A house full of demons or something like that.
He says that's not what modern horror is. Of course, I don't think he ever says what it is, but...
So, how did we do? Did you think horror was either a slasher movie or a house full of demons? What did you think it was?
Any readers (or writers) of modern horror out there? Just what is horror today?
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