Hi,

If anyone in charge is reading this, please pity the horror writers that are lurking in the background of WW. I've requested this before through an email, and got no response. So I thought I would try again. Directly, so to speak.

There are 23 different groups on WW but there is not a single Horror group to be seen. As horror is one of the most enduring genres of fiction, since the dawn of literary time. I can only express my bemusement and amazement at the complete oversight of a horror group.

For whatever reason, and there must be a reason, why is there no horror group?

If you look in Fiction Categories, you will see that there are 29 pieces of horror themed WW work that have been uploaded. This is far more than many other genres for groups that already exist. I think a horror group would be very popular, and I for one would try my best to keep the group active.

Horror is a popular genre, but it sadly overlooked on WW [at the moment], and I hope this fact will soon change and make WW an even more popular place. For writers of ALL genres.

I thank anyone in advance for taking the time to read this.

Sincerely,
Steven McNay

Steven, I would be interested in a horror group - but you’re not exactly giving the admin team much to justify your request – seeing as you haven’t uploaded any work yourself…

Dee.

Dee, I have uploaded work in the past [all horror], but I took it all offline this week to revise it, especially the latest piece of work.

Over the coming weeks I will upload some, and if a horror group is created, I'd obvioulsy uploaded lots more.



Steven

Horror group is an excellent idea. I don’t write it but I love reading it. Many members would benefit.

Dawn,x

Steven,

Good idea. And you're right about the enduring appeal (though liking the genre is many readers/writers dirty little secret). So, yes, let's have a group and all of us closeted horror buffs can come out of the closet.

Would you be willing, though, to open it up a bit more to something like a 'Gothic & Horror' (or v.v.) group? You might pull more interest, as they are obviously related but not identical -- they would sit well together and the double heading would attract wider interest.

And open to poetry as well as prose? There a good amount of intriguing gothic and horror poetry, believe it or not. Subtle, rich stuff, not just going for the jugular (so to speak)

Interestingly, at least one major UK literary magazine, Mslexia, is currently accepting submission for an issue dedicated to horror for their October release. So, the interest is out there.

Smith

Dawn, yes, many members would benefit and as Skeetr said, all the closeted writers can come out and explore the darker realms of fiction. What fun, this could be a really popular group!

I would think a Horror group would accept all forms of horror writing, from prose to poetry, regardless of the sub-genres. The horror genre is so rich and diverse that the work uploaded would be very varied, and very exciting to read. I wonder how many writers on WW are closet horror writers? lol

It would be great to have group horror exercises to see where ideas can progress. Okay, I think a horror group should definitely be created. It would be very popular, surely.

I'll have to check out the Mslexia mag and see what kind of horror stuff they're after.

Well, a few members on here seem interested so far.

Steven

I’d like a definition of ‘horror’ because, seriously, I'm not sure I understand what the term means.

Personally I would define it as something that makes my skin creep, something that keeps me awake at night…

Here’s an example – a story which freaked me out so much I had to stop reading it after dark… but it was not an author I naturally associated with horror. Spooky, yes, but not horror. ‘Midnight is a Lonely Place’ by Barbara Erskine, is a ghost story but hell, I would never have thought a handful of soil could assume such – literally – horrifying proportions

Do any horror fans on the site know it? Is Erskine a horror writer?

Dee.

Hi Dee,

hor·ror
An intense, painful feeling of repugnance and fear.

Fear is the key.
That one unexplainable emotion that every single person has experienced. Everyone has a fear of something.
And that's why horror is so popular. For some reason, people loved to be scared!

Dee, check out the Horror Writers Association. They have a fascinating article called: "What Is Horror Fiction?"
http://www.horror.org/horror-is.htm

Your description of 'Midnight Is A Lonely Place', actually had me getting scared! I'll definitely be buying that one.
I think Erskine is starting to be classed as a writer of horror, but more of her recent work has a scary quality. I think she's like
a macabre version of Catherine Cookson! Though if the book has a ghost in it, and scared you past reason enough
to stop reading it at night, I think then that it can be classed as horror. Frank Delaney said of Erskine:
'Stephen King meeting Ruth Rendell'

Steven

Hmm, well Gothic lit and writing is somewhat different than Horror, so maybe you're on to something by keeping just horror??

And, sorry Steve , Myslexia is a magazine for women only (assuming, that is, 'Steve' aint short for Stephanie?)

Skeetr, you see now why we really do need a Horror group on WW. The subject is so huge. But the group should encompass every form, variaton and theme of horror, whether it be gothic, Cthulhu mythos, neo-realism, post-modernism, or experimental avant-garde existensialism. And poetry as well. Anything and everything to do with horror.

I don't think there should be any specific rules as to what kind of horror could be uploaded, but as long as it conforms to the basic understanding of "horror", even if it is one of those undefineable genres.

This is going to be great fun!

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Aah! I posted twice by mistake! Somebody delete it lol

Skeetr, you see now why we really do need a Horror group on WW. The subject is so huge. But the group should encompass every form, variaton and theme of horror, whether it be gothic, Cthulhu mythos, neo-realism, post-modernism, or experimental avant-garde existensialism. And poetry as well. Anything and everything to do with horror.

I don't think there should be any specific rules as to what kind of horror could be uploaded, but as long as it conforms to the basic understanding of "horror", even if it is one of those undefineable genres.

This is going to be great fun!

Steven

Ooh, "Cthulhu mythos" -- that's something I now must go look up. Sounds Welsh (?) and intriguing... off to google!

Steven, if you go to the Groups page, you'll see that anyone can apply to start their own group so why not do exactly that? and then we'll spread the word around the site. Sounds like a good idea, best of luck.

The new group is now up and running
http://www.writewords.org.uk/groups/85.asp

[B][I]BOO!![/I][/B]

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I'm sure there is a perfectly good reason for my BOO!!! not working...

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Gadzooks! Are these tags case sensitive?