How to write a thriller or a horror

With Writer’s Cards, you will write a thriller and a horror. Find out how to plan scary moments.

VALUE CARDS

When starting a thriller or horror, pay special attention to the languages and terminology card. This vocabulary is responsible for building the mood. It will add terror to the quiet beginning of the novel.

Then pay attention to the protagonist card. The protagonist is a real person, but he or she gets to the world where the stories from hell happen. He or she sees phantoms, ghosts, has nightmares. He or she is accompanied by fear, anxiety and nervousness, is in constant tension. The supernatural forces have taken over his or her life. He or she may be weak and fragile, but must have a strong character to deal with unclean forces.

You can’t miss the enemy card either. The villain and his or her supernatural powers make life difficult for the main character. The enemy has bad intentions, which usually are related to the past. You have to make him or her evoke negative emotions in the reader. It should be a contrast to the main character.

It is very important to develop the world card, the place card and the time card. Remember that horror stories are governed by their laws. Usually their action takes place in a dark place, at night or in the early morning. A haunted house, an old cemetery, an abandoned factory, an attic in an old house, a hotel in the suburbs – these are just a few ideas for the action site. If the action takes place in a dark forest, you cannot skip the nature card.

In the horror novel, the creatures card will also be important. With this card you will describe phantoms, ghosts and other creatures common in this type of novel. You cannot omit the magic card, which will help you to develop supernatural forces. The item card, their characteristics and role will also be important here.

PLOT CARDS

The plot is heading towards a climax. Tension usually occurs when the main character is in a dangerous situation from which it seems impossible to escape and his or her life is in danger.

The essence of leading the plot in a horror novel is to hold the tension, so the main focus should be on the start of the action card and the trial card.

The whole novel revolves around the danger of the protagonist, so develop the card of fear and doubt and the card of the situation without turning back. Note that the action of most horror novels takes place outside of larger groups of people, and if it is not, they consist of strangers. The protagonist faces the threat alone – this way he or she is more afraid, i.e. the reader, who identifies with him of her, is also afraid.

EDITING CARDS

Editing cards are essential to create an engaging and logical novel. You can easily organize all events prepared with Value Cards and Plot Cards. The story will be ordered and you will decide what emotions the reader will experience.

Using the settings card, introduce the reader to the presented world. Use the incident card to determine the goal and increase the pace of the action, and with the cards: story, increase of the action and breathing space, manipulate the emotions of the recipient. Use the climax card to find the moment to introduce the peak of the tension, while describing the card the evolution of conflicts control tensions and disputes.

All Writer’s Cards sets contain 14 Editing Cards.

Check out how to write a detective novel and a game script using Writer’s Cards.