The Horror in Everything

This idea is something that I have likely discussed somewhere at some point in the past. Maybe several places to varying degrees. It always bears repeating, like re-enforcing a mantra, or bringing it back to the fore. It can be like a pencil that you need to bring back to a razor sharp tip. It never hurts to refocus and hone in on the reason why something is important. Likewise, it is a good idea to restate and therefore re-examine how to make it happen. The title says it all. I'm talking about seeing the horror in everything. Or at least every setting and plot possibility. I don't ascribe to seeing the horror everywhere in life. That would be troubling, disconcerting, and likely not much fun. I am not a big fan of blurring the lines between fiction and reality as tempting as it may be in some cases.

Last week I said that almost every project I work on involves the horror genre and all of the aesthetics that go along with it. What I didn't fully express is how I take the same view to a certain extent in the few not-strictly horror projects. A perfect example of this is the fantasy role-playing game that I've been working on, off and on, for a few years now. The focus isn't on horror, or scares, or disturbing the audience, which in this case is the players. Yet at the same time there can be things that are disturbing. There is contrast between the emotional highs and lows. The rules that make good horror, like proper contrasting, and pacing hold true in writing any genre. Likewise dark horror elements can be a part of anything with the right mood when the focus is directed the right way.

• Tags: contrast, fictional, genre, horror, , inspiration, possibilities, reality, setting.
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