Horror Tropes: A Guide for Writers
by Mary Kole | Former literary agent, now a freelance editor, writing teacher, and IP/story developer for major publishers and creators.
If you’re looking to terrify your readers with a great horror novel, make sure you’re hitting some of these favorite horror tropes in today’s competitive marketplace. Not all writers like to pay attention to tropes, but horror tropes can be helpful to know as you make your own creative choices.
Horror is a genre that evokes strong emotions such as fear, dread, paranoia, suspense, and terror. It challenges our very notions of what it means to be human and inhuman. As such, it is no surprise that authors often use horror tropes to create predictable effects in terms of reader emotions.
Playing WIth Horror Tropes
One of the most important elements in horror fiction is, surprisingly, empathy. Without empathy, horror fails. Readers need to feel a connection with the characters they're reading about, and that connection can't happen in an empathy vacuum. Horror tropes help guide readers toward the feelings the writer intends.
To write a compelling scary story, it is important to know your writing audience and create an emotional core to the tale you’re telling. Make sure the stakes are obvious and don't forget the psychological aspect when you’re creating horror stories. The best horror tropes are so timeless because they prey on people’s inner desires and fears. Writing from your own fears, experiences, and observations can also help make your story more effective.
Common themes in horror literature include ghosts, hallucinations, monsters, mummies, nightmares, witches, werewolves, vampires, demons, and black magic. Techniques and horror tropes that you can use selectively include the Jump Scare, Dumb Characters, The Almost Invincible Monster, Ancient Evil, Cult of Doom, and One Last Scare. Watch some of your favorite horror movies and read some timeless horror books to see these and more horror tropes in action.
It is important to remember that, while tapping into common elements and using horror tropes might feel like a shortcut, what you do with those familiar elements is up to you. Show us something new, twist your plots in new directions, and blend all of your influences to create a story that only you can tell.
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