IWSG: What Is Your Favourite Genre to Write In?

Published on by Debbie Johansson

I’ve always followed the old writing advice that in order to write, you need to read – a lot. Over the years I’ve read so many genres, that when it came to actually writing, I could never decide where I actually fit. It wasn’t until recently when I had my short stories professionally edited that I may have realised what was staring me in the face. I was told I had a ‘knack’ for horror.

Growing up, I watched a lot of television and movies. Watching the Gothic horror and mystery of Picnic at Hanging Rock at the cinema (yes, showing my age now), fascinated me and I leaned heavily toward lots of horror movies, including anything from Alfred Hitchcock. I fell in love with The Addams Family and anything Gothic. I was about ten when I accidentally discovered the Gothic Romance novel Dragonwyck and I was hooked. From there I went on to devour any book from Stephen King that I could get my hands on. And the 1980s was very big for horror! 😉

I guess horror was a natural fit as I was always fascinated by the paranormal, especially ghosts. In more recent years I have visited some haunted places and have come away with experiencing something.

It’s the thrill of being scared; an adrenalin rush. Like being on a roller coaster – it’s a high! Monsters can be scary, but also fascinating. It’s the unknown that makes one curious and question our existence. It’s not just monsters either as horror can also take the form of mankind, leaving us to wonder what we are truly capable of. Horror can also lurk within the natural environment too.

Horror is surrounded by suspense and mystery; you’re too frightened to know what lurks beyond, but at the same time you’re curious to find out. Alfred Hitchcock is famous for building suspense, which is a handy skill to know when it comes to writing. We really want our readers to keep turning the pages and not put our stories down until they get the answers they seek.

My writing may be a mix of genres, but so too is horror. And besides, I think it’s a fun genre to write in and shouldn’t we be writing what we enjoy? 😉

Do you enjoy horror? Are you fascinated by the paranormal? What is your favourite genre to write in and why?

The purpose of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group is to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds.

Main image courtesy of Pixabay

12 thoughts on “IWSG: What Is Your Favourite Genre to Write In?”

  1. Good for you in finding your path. I’m still looking for mine, but I feel it just around the next bend in the road.

    1. Thanks, K.J! It’s taken me a long time to get to this point, but it hasn’t stopped me from coming up with ideas for stories in other genres. 😉 Best of luck with finding your path! I hope you get there soon. 🙂

  2. I found my path to horror in a similar way. I’ve tried to write traditional and cozy mystery, but the stories always wander of the main road and wind up on a twisty back alley. I also grew up on Hitchcock, Twilight Zone, the Addams Family, so the thrill of the strange and unusual has always been with me.

    1. Hi Lee. I’ve also tried other genres, but my mind keeps wandering down dark paths. I’d still like to try a cozy mystery, though. I loved The Twilight Zone! The episode titled ‘The Dummy’ was the one that I remember the most. To this day, they still freak me out! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

    1. Thanks Anna. Ha! Blood-curdling shrieks of joy sound good. 😉

    1. Thanks J! It wasn’t until I wrote this that I realised horror can be pretty wide-ranging. I’m happy with that! Thanks for stopping by, it’s good to meet you. 🙂

  5. I used to read a lot more horror when I was younger, and now that I have kids I can’t seem to handle it any more. (I’m a 1980 baby, so I came to the horror novels of the 80’s a little later–but the good news for me was, they were all in stock at my library when I was reading them in the mid-90s!) Maybe when my crew are out of the little-kid stage, I’ll be able to come back as a reader. 🙂

    1. Hi Michelle. Having kids can certainly change our reading habits! It wasn’t until mine were older that I returned to horror but by then I was more interested in psychological horror. Even though I still have some old favourites, I think I’m past the ‘gore’ stage. 😉 Thanks for stopping by! 🙂

  6. I used to want to write horror so much! We watched a lot of Stephen King movies when I was a kid. I wanted to be him. 😀

    1. Hi Deb. This sounds a lot like me! 😉 I watched the movies and read a lot of his books, but I much prefer his earlier works. Some of them, especially his short stories, I haven’t forgotten. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

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