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OK - Let me explain what I'm trying to get at here.
I only read horror as a teenager and in my early adult years before switching to fantasy as my main stay.
Eight months ago (time flies) I decided to start writing seriously. I started by penning a full blown fantasy epic novel. Volume one took six of those months to complete. Then I found FictionFactor. I have since been refining my skills in the short story areas.
Naturally I started writing short fantasy. (Badly as it turns out) Slowly I got better at it. I tried switching to Sci-Fi and found that a little easier as long as I kept it near future. Still way too far from passable efforts mind you. Then I fell into horror. Every story I have written that involves someone dying, seems better than the last, to the point where I can't wait to write the next one.
I'm learning all sorts about scene setting, suspense, character driven plots, different ways of killing people - oh -- wait, that isn't supposed to be a good thing. I'm coming to grips with dialogue and starting to feel pretty good about myself.
Even the crits of my early work are encouraging - mainly
Now ordinarily I'm a fairly level headed type of fella. I work with computer servers for crying out loud. Not really enthralling stuff. And out of my head pops the most gruesome things now.
I have a friend at work who now refuses to read my stuff since I knocked off a grandfather and his grandson in one of my earlier efforts.
Am I normal? Are there others out there? I know Fiction is an avid follower of the dark paths, is anyone else, and how did you get there?
BT
I only read horror as a teenager and in my early adult years before switching to fantasy as my main stay.
Eight months ago (time flies) I decided to start writing seriously. I started by penning a full blown fantasy epic novel. Volume one took six of those months to complete. Then I found FictionFactor. I have since been refining my skills in the short story areas.
Naturally I started writing short fantasy. (Badly as it turns out) Slowly I got better at it. I tried switching to Sci-Fi and found that a little easier as long as I kept it near future. Still way too far from passable efforts mind you. Then I fell into horror. Every story I have written that involves someone dying, seems better than the last, to the point where I can't wait to write the next one.
I'm learning all sorts about scene setting, suspense, character driven plots, different ways of killing people - oh -- wait, that isn't supposed to be a good thing. I'm coming to grips with dialogue and starting to feel pretty good about myself.
Even the crits of my early work are encouraging - mainly
Now ordinarily I'm a fairly level headed type of fella. I work with computer servers for crying out loud. Not really enthralling stuff. And out of my head pops the most gruesome things now.
I have a friend at work who now refuses to read my stuff since I knocked off a grandfather and his grandson in one of my earlier efforts.
Am I normal? Are there others out there? I know Fiction is an avid follower of the dark paths, is anyone else, and how did you get there?
BT
"Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work." - Stephen King
Associate Editor for HorrorScope
Follow me as I progress through the Advanced Diploma of Arts for Professional Writing at my blog:
Musings Of An Aussie Writer