Don’t Write Horror Until You Read This—Fiction Editor Reveals the Top Worst Horror Writing Mistakes

Warning: Today's images have been inspired by some gnarly stuff. May gross out lame, non-horror fans

The Top 14 Horror Writing Mistakes According to a Fiction Editor

Horror writing is a specific art form for a specific type of person. A complex task for a complex and often twisted mind.

In horror writing, you have to balance atmosphere and suspense and manage to evoke fear in the reader. You have to push the boundaries and walk the tightrope between being edgy and maybe going too far.

You must navigate through many unique challenges and expectations in the genre as a horror writer. But it's crucial that you avoid common pitfalls and mistakes to create spine-tingling narratives that leave your audience clamoring for more, not running for the hills screaming.

In this article, we will cover 14 common horror fiction writing mistakes that you should avoid—those that I have learned in my many years as a fiction editor but also as an avid horror consumer.

By steering clear of these issues, you will be able to hone your skills and elevate your storytelling prowess. You will be able to craft tales and not only entertain but also terrify your readers with each turn of the page.

During our exploration, we will cover some of the most common pitfalls in horror writing, such as poor atmospheres, clichéd monsters, overexposition, stereotypical characters, and unearned jump scares.

If you want to master the horror genre, then the first step is to acknowledge these mistakes, learn from them, and then wield that newfound knowledge for evil.

Here are the 14 most common horror writing mistakes:

• Neglecting atmosphere

• Clichéd monsters and creatures

• Overexposition

• Stereotypical or flat cardboard characters

• Unearned jump scares

• Weak endings

• Ignoring psychological fear

• Repetitive fear tactics

• Rushing the reveal

• Inconsistent rules for the supernatural

• Neglecting real-world fear

• Predictable character deaths

• Neglecting foreshadowing

• Lack of moral or ethical dilemmas

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Neglecting Atmosphere

You have finally published your horror novel! And you're even lucky enough that a few copies sell.

A reader opens your story, eager for the thrill of the spine-tingling dread you promised them. They are ready to plunge into a world of shadows, where fear lurks around every corner, and the unknown holds them in its icy grip.

But…as they turn the first page, they find themselves in a place devoid of atmosphere. The air is stale, and the setting lacks that indescribable, bone-chilling ambiance.

It's giving them nothing.

Neglecting atmosphere is one of the most common missteps in horror writing that I see as a fiction editor. It's akin to entering a haunted house with the lights on and the curtains drawn—it robs the reader of that delicious sense of unease and anticipation that defines the genre.

In horror, the atmosphere is everything. It is the foundation that every scare in your book is built on. It's the oppressive silence of an abandoned asylum, the claustrophobic darkness of a haunted forest, or the uncanny stillness of a decaying mansion.

I have an entire article on creating a great horror setting and atmosphere that is linked below.

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Clichéd Monsters and Creatures

Monsters, such as vampires, zombies, and werewolves, have roamed the pages of countless horror stories for decades. While it's okay to take inspiration from traditional monsters, using them without a unique twist can lead to a seriously lackluster narrative.

The seasoned horror writer knows that fresh, original creatures can be even more unsettling while recognizing that the classics hold a special place in the genre.

Even if you want to pay homage to the staples of the genre, like zombies for instance, than look outside the box in doing your research.

Find sources of inspiration through obscure folklore, create unique motifs around them, and explore new themes through them. There are many ways to add your unique twists to the classics, you just need to push your creativity muscles to work harder.

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Overexposition

Okay.

I want you to imagine a tightly locked door. On the other side lies a terrifying unknown, a monstrous presence that chills the reader with every creak and whisper. Now, the reader's imagination races, crafting horrifying visions in the shadows.

But then…

The door swings open, and there it is, revealed in all its terrible, grotesque glory.

A moment like this in a story is meant to terrify, but this one falls flat because you, the writer, have committed one of the greatest sins in horror writing—over exposition.

Like I said in the last section, in horror writing, less is often more.

Overexposition is the act of revealing the supernatural or horrific elements explicitly, too thoroughly.

The mystery, the dread, and the reader's active imagination are sacrificed on the altar of over-explanation.

This is far too common with many horror writers, especially those going for a more Lovecraftian style of writing. They feel that bathing the reader in flowery detail and vivid descriptions of what they think is a horrifying and disgusting entity is the only way to solidify that image in their reader's mind.

But solidifying an image of your monster or scene really isn't the goal at all.

What you should be doing is providing only necessary information and allowing your reader to use their imagination. You're giving them a push to complete the story for you.

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Stereotypical or Flat Cardboard Characters

It's not just your monsters and creatures that need depth and dimension. The characters who navigate around your terrifying world are the elements that readers hook onto; they are the conduits through which your reader experiences the terror, and too often, they're left as mere cardboard cutouts or cannon fodder.

One of the most common pitfalls in horror writing is the creation of stereotypical or flat characters.

These are cookie-cutter victims, the brave heroes with no vulnerabilities, or the mad scientists whose motivations are as one-dimensional as their sinister creations.

These characters might serve the plot, but they don't engage the reader's emotions or foster empathy because they're ridiculous.

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Unearned Jump scares

Let's talk about jump scares.

In film and games, this technique might be successful as it generates a sudden emotional response from the viewer, but in the world of literature, it's a different story altogether.

Relying on (attempted) cheap jump scares can very often undermine the integrity and effectiveness of your horror.

In order to make jump scares effective in your writing, you need to build tension and dread over a decent period of time. You have to prepare your reader for the upcoming flight and make the scare feel earned and believable.

There is really no jumping involved here.

Instead, focus on creating a sense of impending doom or unease throughout the narrative so that when the scare finally comes, it seems justified and resonates with your reader.

Trying to force startling moments that feel out of place or poorly timed with the narrative can disrupt the flow of the story, break the reader's immersion, and ultimately diminish the overall effectiveness of your horror writing.

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Weak Endings

I have read way too many horror manuscripts that fall flat right at the end. The author does all this work to carefully build tension and dread throughout the entire novel, only to provide a finale that is unfulfilling and sometimes even frustrating.

Weak endings are those that leave readers feeling cheated. And they can often feel like a cop-out on the author's part.

An abrupt or inconclusive ending can tarnish your story's potential and make your readers reluctant to read anything from you ever again.

I have a sneaking suspicion that this problem stems from a lack of planning— Pantsers who are too tired to go back and rewrite a bunch of the story so that the ending can hit differently.

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Ignoring Psychological Fear

Horror is the genre to explore the darkest corners of the human psyche. Fear is not just a gruesome monster or sadistic slasher but actually a profound, psychological abyss.

Yet, even though most of us know this to be true, one of the most common missteps in horror writing is authors ignoring the psychological aspects of fear. They opt out for superficial scares over deep-lasting dread.

Psychological fear is that which crawls beneath the skin. It burrows into your reader's mind and takes root in them so that they can't forget it. It can be fear of the unknown, fear of losing one's mind, fear of confronting the darkest aspects of ourselves, etc.

Ignoring this deep layer of horror is a seriously missed opportunity to create a lasting impact on your reader.

One very effective way to create psychological horror and add heaps of tension to your novel is to trap your characters in a crucible. This is where you strip them of agency and force them into a situation that is seemingly impossible to escape.

There are a million ways to do this, and I explain it in the article linked here.

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Repetitive Fear Tactics

When it comes to this one, my mind immediately goes to a manuscript that I read perhaps 5 years ago now. This novel was a zombie horror that just felt like a repeat of the first few chapters over and over and over and over again for 80,000 words.

This is because each scare was just a slightly varied repeat of the last.

Repetitive fear tactics can be a major issue in horror writing. You want to keep your readers consistently engaged and on edge, but relying on the same fear-inducing elements throughout the story can quickly become tiresome and predictable.

Challenge yourself to think outside the box and find inventive ways to instill fear and anxiety. The key to successful horror writing lies in your ability to surprise and captivate your audience with diverse and unexpected scares.

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Rushing the Reveal

Unveiling the horror too early in the story can significantly diminish the impact that it will have on the reader. Try to gradually reveal all the elements of your antagonist and mystery (if there is one). This will help you maintain suspense and intrigue throughout.

When you slowly reveal hints and clues, you give your readers the opportunity to piece together the story at their own pace. They will feel more actively invested in the story rather than a passive viewer of it.

A well-paced reveal also allows for deeper character development, which is essential in creating an emotional connection between your readers and your characters.

Rushing the reveal is, in essence, the act of exposing the horror in its full light before the reader has had a chance to truly appreciate the terror that it represents. It robs a narrative of its suspense and leaves readers with a sense of underwhelming fear.

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Inconsistent Rules for the Supernatural

Supernatural is a fun thing to play with in horror. There are a lot of possibilities for great supernatural scares.

But, whether that comes in the form of malevolent spirits, cursed artifacts, or eldritch horrors from the abyss, the supernatural elements in your story should abide by a set of rules.

This is true even if those rules are otherworldly and enigmatic.

Sadly, one of the most disconcerting mistakes in newbie writing is a failure to establish these consistent rules for the supernatural.

Inconsistent rules can lead to a lack of cohesion and a fractured sense of immersion in the story. When the reader can't discern the boundaries of the supernatural world, the fear can become muddled, and the narrative may feel disjointed.

Unfortunately, this results in a loss of engagement and the story's ability to terrify effectively.

I'm pretty sure, nine times out of ten, this mistake comes from a lack of research. Authors will write ghosts that are based solely on other horror content that they've consumed without actually putting in the work to read folklore, study real-world events, or belief systems.

They just kind of mash a bunch of stuff together.

Or it can come from lazy problem-solving, filling plot holes with something supernatural, even if it doesn't fit.

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Neglecting Real-world Fear

As I said, supernatural elements and fantastical scenarios can be really fun to work with. You might be tempted to lean really heavily on these things.

However, one common mistake to avoid is neglecting the potential of drawing inspiration from real-world fears.

Even if you have a supernatural horror, it should be tied into real primal fears shared by many people in order to make your story more relatable and unsettling.

Horror, in its most potent form, transcends mere fantasy and taps into the very real fears and anxieties of its readers.

Ignoring these real-world fears that your readers might have means missing out on an opportunity to make your horror story resonate on a personal and visceral level. It's a missed chance to create a narrative that not only entertains but deeply unsettles.

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Predictable Character Deaths

Creativity is the name of the game in all fiction but, yes, in horror too. It's a genre where the unexpected and unthinkable can happen. The line between life and death is often blurred, and characters' fates hang in the balance between good and evil.

That leaves a lot of possibilities open to you for writing something truly unique and engaging.

Yet, one of the most common mistakes in horror writing is the predictable deaths of your cannon fodder characters.

When readers can foresee who lives and who dies, usually from the beginning, based on formulaic patterns, the fear completely loses its edge.

Make sure all your characters are well-rounded enough to be believable and relatable. A well-developed character makes the reader doubt who is going to get the ax. And remember that all characters (and their deaths) must be integral to the plot and the protagonist's arc.

Related Post >>> What is Considered a Well-Written Character?

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Neglecting Foreshadowing

Foreshadowing is an essential element in horror fiction if you want it to hit the mark.

When done skillfully, it allows you to create tension, build suspense, and guide your readers toward the main reveal.

But when you neglect foreshadowing, you risk confusing or disappointing your readers. The story's sudden elements and twists will seem forced and disconnected.

Foreshadowing is the act of dropping subtle hints and clues that give readers a glimpse of what's to come. It's not about revealing everything but rather about planting seeds of dread and guiding your reader into the darkness of your mind.

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Lack of Moral or Ethical Dilemmas

The last mistake that I want to talk about today is introducing moral and ethical dilemmas into your horror fiction. Or, more accurately, the lack of moral and ethical dilemmas in your horror fiction.

These things add depth and complexity to your story.

As a writer, neglecting these elements can lead to flat and uninteresting characters, but also a flat and uninteresting story.

When characters face tough choices, it forces them to reveal their true nature. The true nature that will help them defeat the antagonist.

This not only drives the plot forward but also helps readers connect with the characters on a deeper level.

The horror genre thrives on the blurred lines between what is right and wrong, where decisions made in the face of fear can have profound consequences.

Neglecting moral and ethical dilemmas will be a missed opportunity to enrich your horror story. These dilemmas will add layers of complexity to your characters, deepen the emotional impact of your story, and make your horror more thought-provoking.

Final Words

I hope now that you will be cautious of certain pitfalls when writing your horror. Always challenge yourself to craft original and creatively precise horror fiction.

By avoiding the common mistakes that I talked about today, your writing will stand out in a saturated genre, and you'll be able to leave a lasting impression on your readers.

But most importantly, keep people like me—your editors—happy.

I also want to mention that you shouldn't be obsessed with making mistakes in the early days of your writing endeavors. Experiment and have fun with it. This is horror, the funnest genre to write by far.

Write what you want to and what you enjoy, and then save the worrying for after you're done and you're ready to start the rewrite process. Then, take off your fun-time hat and start worrying about your reader a little bit more.

This one's really long, so I'm going to wrap it up quickly. Until next time, keep writing scary stories.

How do you write truly terrifying horror monsters and villains?

The key to creating horror antagonists, whether the sadistic human variety or a gruesome monster or supernatural entity, is to make them believable.

You can't scare the dickens out of your reader if they don't believe. Like how belief in fairies brings Tinker Bell back to life, believability brings your horror antagonist to life in the reader's mind.

It is a broad and nuanced topic, and that is why my ultimate guide on crafting terrifying horror monsters and villains comes in two parts! Learn more by hitting the 'Next' button below.

Next: Horror Monsters & Villains