coming in April
Added 2025-03-18 16:58:59 +0000 UTC
Art by S. Patrick Brown, https://www.instagram.com/scalawagarts/
Beware of taking advice from weirdo podcasters! But for those who have requested it, the attached file is a rambling, semi-coherent monologue in which I talk about my process of writing horror and suspense fiction—how I go about it in general, some creative beliefs I’ve tried to adhere to (plus a couple I’ve broken from), and a few underhanded tips & cheats for aspiring writers or those who just find it tough to get started. The topics are more or less listed below. It’s all a very casual stew; think of it like one of those non-credit writing classes offered by the local community center and taught by some distracted dude who seems like he might ask the students for a ride home.
😊 - S
1:12 Being an absorber 3:40 Creating suspense means being a jerk 4:35 The trap of the cold open 7:31 Shrinking the point of view 9:15 The curse of the drone shot 10:33 Keeping your characters confused for fun & profit 11:54 Feelings last, information doesn’t 12:40 Primal fears and YOU! 17:50 The power of not explaining 19:30 Smart evil: scarier than dumb evil? 22:04 The ticking clock trick 25:12 Breaking artifice 29:30 A chilling example of reality trumping fiction 31:23 Why I was so wrong about tone 37:39 The finality of violence 38:42 The werewolf in the closet 40:34 P.S. I know nothing of gore 42:00 Make your characters as messed-up as you are 46:36 Adding familiar details 47:27 Two great poems that show how less can be more 48:30 Picking your spots to heighten the prose 49:44 Using the tools we have, letting go of the ones we don’t 51:27 Is building atmosphere the easiest part? 53:10 Why I heart boring story structure 55:40 Letting the audience know they’re getting closer to home 56:57 Busting tropes, but not quite all the way 1:00:18 Generating story ideas 1:00:48 Wiring your personal horror antenna 1:02:41 Getting ideas is a lifestyle choice 1:06:19 A couple of devious shortcuts to dreaming up stories 1:10:21 Buy yourself a magic notebook 1:12:18 Always keep shaking your brain 1:13:00 The genius of fan fiction 1:14:13 Staying in playtime mode as long as you can 1:15:30 Roadblocks are your best friend 1:19:43 How I go about pounding out a story draft by draft 1:21:57 Giving them ‘moments’ 1:29:42 The best writing boost I ever got 1:31:35 The title: Your last chance to save your a** 1:34:38 A little bit about getting into podcasting 1:36:51 Why should we keep going if no one’s paying attention? 1:43:45 Summing up what I (think) I’ve learned
Comments
Soren - thank you so much for this. What a wonderfully generous thing to share all this hard-won knowledge and guidance with us. Absolute gold dust, every sentence.
AMurraySmith
2025-04-03 16:51:21 +0000 UTCIt is Archive of our Own! 🙏🏻 And I can't find results when I search for that username :(
Mel
2025-03-22 22:15:47 +0000 UTCOh. I'm under_a_black_ cloud on AO3
Jill E Merrill
2025-03-22 21:56:25 +0000 UTCAO3. Is that archive of our own? Haven't posted for decades but I still have an account there. Sad, but I still get kudos on my almost suicide story.
Jill E Merrill
2025-03-22 21:47:44 +0000 UTCYep. Esp hand knitted ones . Oh, forgot false teeth. As a small child was left with an elderly neighbour, who, in the middle of reading aloud, paused as she'd semi detached her dentures, tipping her head back, to see my reaction. There's no need for gore really, when the most utterly mundane things can kind of break your brain given the right circumstances.
Rebecca R
2025-03-22 20:22:50 +0000 UTCFingerpuppets, aaiiiieeeeeeee!!!
Soren Narnia
2025-03-22 19:35:23 +0000 UTCLoved this , thank you especially the later parts, and the need for it to be fun. As for working with our own fears...I'm not sure Watership Down, ex- body parts growing back ( just tonsils, partially, so far, but staying vigilant ), eggs ( hardboiled, especially) and fingerpuppets would go down , but could be interesting
Rebecca R
2025-03-22 19:34:15 +0000 UTC“Enjoy your mind.” Oh wow… Man… I didn’t know how badly I needed to hear that
Justin Dubin
2025-03-21 02:46:14 +0000 UTCA very enjoyable and inspiring listen, thank you.
Ryan Fahey
2025-03-20 21:13:52 +0000 UTCI like to think of myself as spooky and dark and mysterious but more often than not “Torte in Faccia” is playing in my head.
Thorne Russell
2025-03-20 20:09:14 +0000 UTCWAHEY! I’ve been unable to write a word these last few months. Hopefully this will kick me out of a slump.
David
2025-03-20 15:23:06 +0000 UTCThis didn't just feel like great horror writing/podcasting advice, but great life advice. The Vonnegut quote and story was exactly what I needed to hear - I felt my eyes well up a bit. Thank you.
paranewandrew
2025-03-19 21:53:13 +0000 UTCYeah, I definitely see that point. Gotta admire the writers who stay edgy and daring even into their autumn years!
Soren Narnia
2025-03-19 21:00:32 +0000 UTCRegarding enjoying our creative brain while we can, and improving as an author, I just read an interview with China Mieville and I think this snippet was interesting, regarding one of his early works: “When I look back at it now, it’s such a young person’s book,” said Miéville in an exclusive phone interview earlier this month. “In terms of the writing, I couldn't write this now. I think I'm a better writer in some respects, but there's also a loss because you have a certain kind of confidence and excitement that I don't think is there anymore.”
Patreon Username #4345
2025-03-19 20:57:46 +0000 UTCPlease release the one you did about Carl’s Jr. Please 🙏🏻
Thorne Russell
2025-03-19 19:01:08 +0000 UTCThis was great- Hearing about your process is truly fascinating- thank you for sharing!
Patreon Username #4345
2025-03-19 18:20:46 +0000 UTCThank you, that's very sweet of you 🫶🏻 I'll gladly share if you're interested but it feels a little inappropriate to share links here. I post on AO3 under the name MayLaNee, but it's locked to only users to prevent AI getting to regurgitate my sentences. ^^;
Mel
2025-03-19 16:22:55 +0000 UTCSecond this! Killing it over there, Soren! 👏
Cameron Ulam
2025-03-19 16:17:51 +0000 UTCI have read and listened to many lectures and tips on writing, and this is now my favorite gathering of ideas 💡 thank you so much for sharing, what a gift and one I needed so much this year to continue keeping writing fun and just for me 🎁 You are one of my favorite writers, thank you for sharing your work with the world. It’s so unique 👹
Cameron Ulam
2025-03-19 16:15:33 +0000 UTCLove the artwork and what a fun surprise to get to hear some behind the scenes commentary on your writing process! Looking forward to listening this week.
Audrey C
2025-03-19 16:04:06 +0000 UTCHey Mel don't dis yourself for writing fan fiction. True your characters are already defined but you can take them places they'd never otherwise go. I'm re-watching an old tv show about which I've written and read fan fiction and I swear so much off what I've read is so much better than the show. Also fan fiction is a great starting off point for writing original fiction. Or just a great way to have fun. I'd love to read some of yours if you like.
Jill E Merrill
2025-03-19 15:55:51 +0000 UTCLOL. Sorry. But it's so like me to feel angst about the upcoming choice to immerse myself in angst. I bet if I read all these comments, I'd be so full of angst it would be straight to the sugar and streaming re-runs of scary movies and tv. At least I'm prepared for the horror if I've already watched/listened to/read it.
Jill E Merrill
2025-03-19 15:46:01 +0000 UTCNot so much fun to Google it.
Jill E Merrill
2025-03-19 15:40:13 +0000 UTCPlease give it a try. The unknowability of the body written by an author terrified of the unknowability of the body. Such potential!
Jill E Merrill
2025-03-19 15:38:08 +0000 UTCGood take. I was mostly thrilled when I was pregnant and my fears had nothing to do with Rosemary's Baby. Although the movie scared me to death. Poor you (and Lori K) for being pregnant while you watched it. But it was a choice; you knew it wasn't a rom-com (hate that term). I agree that most fear is about loss of control: Insidious killer diseases that make you lose control of your body, politics that make you and others lose control of important aspects of life, rabid mass shooters who kill for no apparent reason... you get the point. But my biggest fear is loss of control of my mind. Why can't I get these worries out of my head? Horror stories are great for that unless they're as scary as "The Exorcist" or "Rosemary's Baby" or "the walking people (?)". They replace your horrors with someone else's.
Jill E Merrill
2025-03-19 15:30:05 +0000 UTCI read Under the Volcano while nursing my first child and it worked for me
BB Schaiks
2025-03-19 04:28:31 +0000 UTCThat’s a great idea
Lori K.
2025-03-19 00:57:17 +0000 UTCWe could write a guide on what not to watch when pregnant. (For instance, maybe not The Brood or The House of the Devil.)
Emily T
2025-03-19 00:03:28 +0000 UTCWell said! Lack of control, can’t see what’s coming, which means you’re unable to prepare yourself. I watched Blue Velvet and read Interview with the Vampire during my first pregnancy, and I could NOT handle either one. So weird because today I love them both. But like you said, loss of control for the women and girls in both. Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist…your child the victim of evil forces and you’re helpless! Phew! That felt good. 😊
Lori K.
2025-03-18 23:44:26 +0000 UTCThe unknowability of the body is such a terror that I'm afraid to even write about it, gahhhh!
Soren Narnia
2025-03-18 23:23:47 +0000 UTCI have only listened to a quarter of it but i thought it was interesting that Soren talked about the fear of the unknown and cited Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist as examples when to me the fear of the unknown is really the fear of loss of control- specifically the uncontrollable female body : so the pregnancy in RB demonstrates the horror and the unknowability of the body (i watched it while pregnant and… it was not great) and poor Regan pees, vomits, and friggin spider crawls backwards because her body is completely out of control. It made me think about how maybe all fear is about the loss of control, even if it’s not necessarily about bodies out of control, and how that plays out in Soren’s stories (i do think Elements might be a great example of a female body out of control, btw.) sorry, i was an annoying english major.
Emily T
2025-03-18 22:59:23 +0000 UTCThis has really been a great year for you. Your stories have been outstanding, your extra content really fun. Now this to enjoy. Thanks Soren! You make the days brighter.
Mike M.
2025-03-18 22:49:56 +0000 UTCThank YOU, Jill
Lori K.
2025-03-18 22:48:20 +0000 UTCI want to know more about this internal argument…I LOVE a good movie debate
Lori K.
2025-03-18 22:47:35 +0000 UTCI have decided true contentment is listening to you talk about writing (and internally arguing with you about the movies you cite) while cooking dinner. Thank you- I have zero imagination but I love good writing and it’s so cool to listen to your process. (Also, it’s pasta with broccoli rabe in case you want leftovers.)
Emily T
2025-03-18 21:50:10 +0000 UTCI think I accidentally deleted Lori's comment on addition to Soren's. I'll probably accidentally delete this comment too. Anyhow, optimistically, thanks, Lori.
Jill E Merrill
2025-03-18 21:23:30 +0000 UTCIt’s just fun to say “fingerburger”
Soren Narnia
2025-03-18 21:16:40 +0000 UTCAck! I inadvertent deleted your comment about the finger burger without writing my response: "Good thing I'm a vegetarian." Which thinking about it doesn't make sense. I'd delete this response but I don't know how to do that intentionally.
Jill E Merrill
2025-03-18 21:15:53 +0000 UTCJill, you never disappoint ☺️👏
Lori K.
2025-03-18 21:14:55 +0000 UTCFinding a beating heart in a cupcake is way cooler than finding a fingertip in a Big Mac.
Soren Narnia
2025-03-18 21:10:34 +0000 UTCBrilliant. I learned so much and it wasn't boring! A few parts that this listener really enjoyed: . Three crows sitting on a wire. Yeah you said four but I've always liked the trope of three. So.. Three crows on a wire = impending doom. Nine crows sitting on a wire = Stephen King short story I've forgotten the name of. Eighteen crows sitting on a wire = beginning of Hitchcock's "The Birds." Cool. . Vonnegut's "forget about good" and your advice to keep everything you write. I once wrote a terrible story. I reread it and it was so bad I had to delete it. Not just put it in the trash. Not just "Do you really want you delete it?" Yes. "Do you really want to permanently delete it?" Yes! "Are you sure?" YES! I've wanted to re-read that story so badly so many times and never understood my regret at deleting it. Now I know why. Because it was so terrible! . Funny coincidence. Listening to the British Baking Show idea reminded me of a tv show episode I watched yesterday in which a cursed cupcake baker found actual beating hearts in her cupcakes. No new idea under the dark stormy pretentious clouds. I could go on but just apply this way overly long reply to your entire piece. Thank you!!!
Jill E Merrill
2025-03-18 21:08:03 +0000 UTCTarpy’s tryin’! Always tryin’!
Soren Narnia
2025-03-18 20:59:55 +0000 UTCNice to see Tarpy back in the thick of it! So cool.
Thorne Russell
2025-03-18 20:43:48 +0000 UTCThank you so so much! The only thing I write is fanfiction but horror is my favourite genre and there are so few who get it right. You do. I can't wait to listen 🫶🏻
Mel
2025-03-18 20:40:01 +0000 UTCThank you so much for this, Soren.
Amanda Mitzel
2025-03-18 20:33:59 +0000 UTCI'm excited to give this a listen. Thank you!
Nicole
2025-03-18 20:06:20 +0000 UTCThanks for this! Pretty insightful stuff for things to focus on
Kelvin
2025-03-18 19:59:29 +0000 UTCThis was really interesting! And quite generous of you as well.
Jeanette DeMain
2025-03-18 19:57:15 +0000 UTCDamn, you’re spoiling us, Soren, but also raising expectations dangerously high. What about May? I’m thinkin’ already. June? Will he leave us high and dry all summer? This recent outpouring is giving me angst ;)
Lori K.
2025-03-18 19:11:16 +0000 UTCI did accidentally record a 2 hour and 40 minute rant against Tubi for changing their logo... is that anything?
Soren Narnia
2025-03-18 17:33:57 +0000 UTCLooking forward to listen to this!
Albin Glasell
2025-03-18 17:29:44 +0000 UTCYap away! I'm still waiting for a 3-4 hr epic (although I have your longer non-horror tales). Love the extra Gainesburger treats (wonder what Basil would think of Gainesburgers, since they seem to be extinct).
Jamie G Hardy
2025-03-18 17:18:17 +0000 UTCThanks, Soren! And uh, sure - I can give you a ride home
Connor Salanger
2025-03-18 17:11:07 +0000 UTCThis is amazing!! Can't wait to listen!
Kirsten Arendell
2025-03-18 17:05:36 +0000 UTC
