Essential Scenes in Horror Storytelling

In today's episode, we're going to talk about the key scenes that every horror novel needs to have in order to work and to satisfy fans of the genre. Here's a preview of what's included:

[01:10] In horror novels, bad things happen to good people. There are life and death stakes, a monster intent on death and destruction, claustrophobic settings, and a major fight for survival.
[02:25] Readers choose horror novels because they want to feel the thrill and the terror of being in a life and death situation without actually being in danger in real life. And like all genre fiction, you have to deliver the emotional experience readers are looking for in order for your story to work.
[03:05] Obligatory scenes are the key events, decisions, and discoveries that move a protagonist along their journey from point A to point B. They help us writers craft a story that works AND a story that will deliver a specific emotional experience.
[04:55] Key scene #1: A scene that includes a threat from, or an attack by, the monster (or antagonist). This is the global inciting incident of your story.
[06:00] Key scene #2: A scene where the protagonist ignores a crucial warning and consequently ends up on a path that's headed directly toward the monster. This usually occurs near the end of act one.
[07:20] Key scene #3: A scene where your protagonist understands the true nature of the monster (or antagonist) and realizes what he or she is up against. This usually happens around the midpoint of a novel, or in the middle of act two.
[08:50] Key scene #4: A scene where your protagonist learns, does, or realizes something that sets themselves up to be the monster’s final victim. This usually occurs near the end of act two.
[10:05] Key scene #5: A scene where your protagonist is at the mercy of the monster. This is the moment readers have been waiting for since page one.
[11:47] Key scene #6: A scene where readers learn whether the protagonist survives the confrontation with the monster (or not). Plus, a sense that "evil still lurks."
[13:45] Key points and episode recap.

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Links mentioned in this episode:

• Episode Freebie: Horror Genre Key Scenes PDF Cheat Sheet
• Horror Obligatory Scenes: The 6 Scenes Every Horror Novel Needs (article)
• Horror Genre Conventions: The 10 Things Every Horror Novel Needs (article)

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