Twisted Tendrils: Horrific Writing Advice

N.J. Gallegos is no only an ER doctor, elbow deep in true medical horror, but she also penns horror utilizing her medical expertise. In this episode we discuss true medical conditions that can be leveraged for fiction, get tips on writing fictional wounds, and more!

Find her and her book "The Broken Heart" at https://njgallegos.com/

CW: mentions of drugs, medical conditions, and gruesome emergency room stories.

In this interview, we discus ways to approach character development in the outlining/pantsing, drafting and revision steps, as well as making moments in a character's past that form a misbelief to help drive the story. Dynamic vs Static characters and torturous backstories are delved into. You can find Nico Bell at nicobellfiction.com, as well as on Twitter and YouTube as Nico Bell Fiction.

CW: Discussion of SA being used as backstory is discussed around 43:30-46:30.

In this episode we dive into the worlds where fantasy and horror cross: dark fantasy. This episode dives into the basics of dark fantasy from common tropes and endings to great stories and media to consume for inspiration. Follow Tim at his website: https://www.thedarkcreatures.com/

Interview with published author Liselle Sambury of the Blood Like duology and upcoming horror novel Delicious Monsters (Feb 28, 2023). We delve into finding horror where you are, the importance of having diversity in publishing, and some fun Easter eggs of Ontario incorporated into her books. Discover a childhood fear central to her upcoming release. Follow her here: https://lisellesambury.ca/ and on her YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/LiselleSambury 

Ever read a book that disappointed you? What did you learn from it? This past week I read a disappointing horror novella that had heaps of praise. Here are some lessons I took away from the experience. 

Short and sweet episode. Remember CHADS when trying to mix up types of sentences for flavor. Also, vary the structures with commas, fragments and other techniques. 

An interview with the Mistress of Horror D.L. Tillery. How can we heal through consuming and creating horror?

Find her here: https://www.authordltillery.com/

Great recourses listed in the episode. 

1. Submission Grinder: https://thegrinder.diabolicalplots.com/
2. Submittable: https://www.submittable.com/
3. Moksah: https://moksha.io/
4. Duotrope: https://duotrope.com/duosuma/
5. Published to Death: https://publishedtodeath.blogspot.com/p/calls-for-submissions.html
6. Horror Tree: https://horrortree.com/

What is it? How do I write it? I break it down into 10 steps and 7 sub steps as well as give some tips. You can do it!

Why do we love emotional monsters, fallen heroes and sad endings in horror? It brings that human element and explores what we repress. Listen in on my interview with author Amanda Nevada DeMel as we explore these topics as well as mental health in horror. You can find her at https://amandanevadademel.weebly.com/

The horror writer's pallet: dread, terror, horror, shock and disgust. I go through this chapter of Writing in the Dark by Tim Waggoner. Learn the differences between these "colors" of horror at your disposal. Mix them to tell vibrant stories with varied pacing. 

Do artists need to be tortured souls? How to find your bliss through writing. We discuss celebrating the wins along our writing paths and finding what we love to write. A delightful conversation with the lovely writer Porscha Simmons. She can be found here: https://porscha.substack.com/ and on IG at porscha_wordsmith. 

My first interview! Sako Tumi joins me and discusses witchcraft in reality and in fiction. We go over a brief overview of the diversity of witchcraft practices, tools of the trade, best representations in media, and some advice for horror writers. You can find Sako here: https://psychosako.wixsite.com/cassvoit 

Let's delve into five of the horror subgenres. Supernatural Horror, Psychological Horror, Cosmic Horror, Sci-fi Horror, and Gothic Horror. What they are, examples of books and media in them, what they bring to the table of horror, and why you might want to try your hand at writing it.

What is "filling the creative well" and why would you need to do it? There are many ways to find inspiration and ideas to get past writers block and burnout. I list a lot of them in this episode. From going on an "Artist Date" to laying in bed listening to music, there are a lot of ways to refill this well. Let's see if any of these help you bust through blocks and get writing again. 

The five senses: sight, smell, sound, touch and taste. How do we incorporate them into our writing to pull readers in? Can we mix them together? Let's find out. 

Let's delve into the fear of the unknown. What is it? Why is it desirable? And how can we incorporate it into our writing? From Lovecraftian beings, to heights, it all comes back to fear of the unknown.

Let's do a deep dive and learn about twelve literary devices: anthropomorphism, personification, alliteration, assonance, metaphors, similes, juxtaposition, onomatopoeia, fragments, specificity, isocolons, and the countdown (or count up). Examples are read and tips are given. Let's delve together.

What is atmosphere, and how do we invoke it in our writing? Describe the world through the lens of the POV character. Only focus on the details they themselves deem important. I give a few examples of my own creation to illustrate how different characters would describe arriving at the same ghost town and the atmosphere it creates. 

Who is this mysterious Laura Nettles? Why does she even like horror? What is her background? Also, a listing of possible future episodes. 

The season one trailer! We will be going over advice for writing horror, analyzing our favorite passages, and discussing our favorite monsters from film, books and beyond.