What Writers Can Learn From Scary Stories
I don’t write horror, but I’ve learned so much from writers like Stephen King and Edgar Allan Poe
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I grew up understanding that places could appear haunted, but usually, it’s the people inside them that were. My mother was followed by ghosts and spirits. They grabbed hold of her during visits to local cemeteries, clinging to her and hanging over everyone who was close to her.
When I was eight, I started writing my own stories. Over the years, as I developed a better understanding of vocabulary, I started reading short stories and books that matched my interests. A few of them were crucial to my growth as a writer and influenced the books I’ve written, both of which employ suspense and tactics often utilized in psychological horror pieces.
- “The Tell-Tale Heart” — Edgar Allen Poe
I first read Poe when I was in middle school. I started with the “Cask of Amontillado” and immediately became obsessed…
