The horror genre is popular not only in cinematography. There are many fans of literary works in the world who can tickle your nerves. Realizing this, publishers are almost constantly in search of new names, writers capable of creating popular and sought-after works in the horror genre.
The journey of a horror writer, as well as a writer of any other genre, begins with working on the skills of craftsmanship. A person who intends to make a living with his writing talent must be fluent in the word, know the basics of text composition and skillfully work with the peculiarities of the genre.
Most often, the craft of writing is chosen as their profession by people with a philological, journalistic or historical education. The basics of the profession of a writer are taught even in higher educational institutions. The knowledge gained during training allows you to form a powerful literary base. However, writers, especially in the horror genre, may have other professions: technical, military, medical, etc. Practical advice on how to find and use reliable information when creating literary works is taught in writing courses.
The first stage is the study of the literature of the chosen genre. Edgar Alan Poe is considered the founder of the horror genre, whose works are still considered the standard of horror literature. Stephen King is considered a modern classic of horror, most of whose books have become bestsellers. In the study of the works of recognized masters of the genre, one should distinguish between learning and outright borrowing. You should not try to recreate the atmosphere inherent in King, or repeat the plot of the books of Washington Irving.
After a thorough study of the basics of the genre, you should move on to the first "pen tests". The best advice for any writer is the fundamental rule of writing only what you know about. Of course, this does not apply to the fantastic component of the work. But, if the main character of the book is a doctor, then the story of his lifestyle should be believable and relevant to reality.
When looking for inspiration, a horror writer should pay close attention to any piece of information that appears in his field of vision. It could be a mysterious crime that is broadly reported in a news feed, or a rumor heard from a flatmate. This is how, according to the testimony of Stephen King himself, the most terrible and popular works of the genre are created.
Another source of information can be legends, epics and fairy tales of the peoples of the world. They contain a lot of information about the legends that have been compiled from generation to generation. Considering that the main reason for their appearance was often fears that people could not explain, studying these ancient legends will provide inspiration for a literary work.
After the first work is created, you should carefully consider the choice of the publisher. Often publishers have specializations and do not consider works of genres that are not typical for them. So, when choosing a potential publisher, you should study the information about the series that they release. If they have mystical or horror series, then the percentage of a positive decision of such a publishing house will be higher than that of others. It should be borne in mind that each publisher is extremely careful in studying the material. The manuscript should be formatted in accordance with the requirements. A synopsis should be developed for it (a short description of the work). In addition, it will not be superfluous to subject the material to professional proofreading before sending it. It is best if this work is done by an experienced proofreader in the publishing business. Proofreading costs will quickly increase the chances of a positive publisher response and will pay off in the event of a print run.
