Hey! So I've always been a great fan of horror and mystery, detective and crime-solving novels. I admit myself, however, that I am not good at coming up with all those cunning sly ways of how each possible murder could be done...However, that does not put me away from attempting those types of novels. No, my mind simply lacks the skills of knowing 100 impossible ways to kill someone. But I do love writing about horror, or horror mystery, novels that could be of seeking a serial killer, or solving a mysterious series of suicide...Etc. I wouldn't mind combining paranormal beings if that's all I can come up with. But seriously, I would love to attempt to write a mysterious/horror novel. I do not know how to start, however, nor continue. All novels I've written are romance or fantasy, the closest I've gotten to horror are Creepypastas, in which I wrote about twisted people killing people...That's it.

Personally, I have no idea how to write a mystery/horror novel at all. Does anybody who have written one has any advise on helping me?

For me personally, writing horror is so much easier? You just have to ask yourself what scares you and make that into something else for your story. Being descriptive helps make it scarier, too, because imagery, you know.

Mystery...I don't do so much, but just stick to one possible way to kill someone. Other things are possible as well, but you have to think logically. That kind of thing I feel needs like a brainstorming paper beforehand, lol. Think of your characters, think of the mystery, think of who may have committed the crime, then the motive for each person, and then the actual culprit. Put it all together and I guess that's how you could do it.

Mystery/Horror: Both tips from above put into one basically. =/

*ring "moshi moshi, boku jabu"

>>3 Is that from Gintama?! Oh my god I laughed so hard at that episode.

And thanks for the tip >>2 It helps. :)

nope, it was a horror story, believe me people

>>5 It's a horror story turned into a comedy by Gintama...I watched the episode, I know lol XD

I have never written horror—yet, but there is a scene I have yet to touch on in my current work that has the aspect of horror, and, based on experience, I can already tell how it would be written.

I think what is paramount in writing horror is bringing out the emotion that is fear. Describing the fear in the character, whilst also reminding the reader about the character's surroundings and dire situation. Also sudden pop ups are good for horror, if used in moderation. However, A novel is unlike a movie where there are screamers. In a novel, if there is an important sudden action, it is written(usually as a single, short sentence) as a single paragraph on its own. I think it is good to have that.