On Writing Horror: A Handbook by the Horror Writers Association

A volume of essays on the craft of horror writing, edited by Mort Castle, with contributions from dozens of well-known HWA members. An invaluable addition to any writer’s library.

Contents:

Foreword: The Horror Writers Association: A Shockingly Brief and Informal History of the HWA by Stanley Wiater

Editor’s Introduction by Mort Castle

Part One: Horror, Literature, and Horror Literature

The Madness of Art by Joyce Carol Oates
Acceptance Speech: The 2003 National Book Award for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters by Stephen King
Why We Write Horror by Michael McCarty

Part Two: An Education in Horror

What You Are Meant to Know: 21 Horror Classics by Robert Weinberg
Avoiding What’s Been Done to Death by Ramsey Campbell
Workshops of Horror (and Seminars and Conferences) by Tom Monteleone
Degrees of Dread by Michael A. Arnzen

Part Three: Developing Horror Concepts

A World of Dark and Disturbing Ideas by J.N. Williamson
Mirror, Mirror by Wayne Allen Sallee
Going There: Strategies for the Things That Scare You by Michael Marano
Honest Lies and Darker Truths: History and Horror Fiction by Richard Gilliam

Part Four: Horror Crafting

Such Horrible People by Tina Jens
A Hand on the Shoulder by Joe R. Lansdale
Eerie Events and Horrible Happenings: Plotting Short Horror Fiction by Nicholas Kaufmann
Reality and the Waking Nightmare: Setting and Character in Horror Fiction by Mort Castle
“He Said?” She Asked: Some Thoughts About Dialogue by David Morrell
Keep It Moving, Maniacs: Writing Action Scenes in Horror Fiction by Jay R. Bonansinga
The Dark Enchantment of Style by Bruce Holland Rogers

Part Five: Horror, Art, Innovation, Excellence

Innovation in Horror by Jeanne Cavelos
Depth of Field: Horror and Literary Fiction by Nick Mamatas
Splat Goes the Hero: Visceral Horror by Jack Ketchum
Darkness Absolute: The Standards of Excellence in Horror Fiction by Douglas E. Winter
On Horror: A Conversation With Harlan Ellison and Richard Gilliam

Part Six: Tradition and Modern Times

No More Silver Mirrors: The Monster in Our Times by Karen E. Taylor
Fresh Blood From Old Wounds: The Alchemist Meets the Biochemist by Joseph Curtin
More Simply Human by Tracy Knight
The Possibility of the Impossible by Tom Piccirilli
Take a Scalpel to Those Tropes by W.D. Gagliani
That Spectred Isle: Tradition, Sensibility, and Delivery or Ghosts? What Ghosts? by Steven Savile
New Horrors: A Roundtable Discussion of Horror Today and Tomorrow by Joe Nassise

Part Seven: Genre and Subgenre

Archetypes and Fearful Allure: Writing Erotic Horror by Nancy Kilpatrick
Writing for the New Pulps: Horror Theme Anthologies by John Maclay
Freaks and Fiddles, Banjos and Beasts: Writing Redneck Horror by Weston Ochse
Youth Gone Wild by Lee Thomas
Writing Horror Comic Books And Graphic Novels by David Campiti
Acts of Madness: Writing Horror for the Stage by Lisa Morton
Fear Spins Off: The Tie-In Novel Comes Into Its Own by Yvonne Navarro
The Play’s the Thing on the Doorstep: Writing Video and Roleplaying Games by Richard E. Dansky
Now Fear This: Writing Horror for Audio Theater by Scott Hickey and Robert Madia
Good Characters and Cool Kills: Writing the Horror Screenplay by Brendan Deneen

Part Eight: Horror Business: Selling, Marketing, Promoting

Dark Fluidity: Online Research and Marketing Resources by Judi Rohrig
The Small Press: Filling Shelves with Rare Books by John Everson
Sharing the Creeps: Marketing Short Horror Fiction, version 2.0 by Edo van Belkom
For Love or Money: Six Marketing Myths by Bev Vincent
One Reader at a Tine: Promoting Your Horror Novel by Scott Nicholson

Afterword: Quiet Lies the Locust Tells by Harlan Ellison