Yes, I have to admit it. I don't like horror movies because (shocker) I find them scary. Unlike other people in my house, I do not like being scared. Especially right before I go to bed. I dislike going into haunted houses. I also dislike being alone in the dark.
This is not to suggest I'm a paranoid wreck of nerves - far from it. I do have a problem when it comes to writing horror though. I realize that if I'm creeping myself out with my own writing, that's a good indicator I'm on the right track. That's great.
My problem is that I find it genuinely difficult to write horror. I tend to shut the door when I write to minimize distractions. I can get mildly claustrophobic. I find myself glancing over my shoulder as I write. If it gets really bad, I can't focus on the writing because I'm freaking myself out.
Is there anything I can do to help with this? I feel like I could write a really good horror story, if... you know, I wasn't scared by it.
EDIT: Further information:
- This is not a great fear that grips me all the time. I can and do get past it, quite frequently, in fact. I dislike it whenever I watch a horror movie before going to bed, yes. I stay awake for a few hours, yes. But I eventually go to sleep. I dislike going through a haunted house, but will do so if my friends are urging me to.
- I do not, as has been speculated, fear death. I am a Christian, and death holds no fear for me. What I fear is the unknown. The darkness can hide anything. When I watch a horror movie, if the 'horror' element is not explained, it's more frightening because I don't know what it is.
- It should not be assumed that I am forcing myself to write horror, or that I write nothing else. Neither of those things are true. I write Fantasy and Sci-Fi and thoroughly enjoy it. I once wrote a short horror story which really focused on fear of the unknown. I got through it and thought it was quite good, but writing it was difficult. Now that I've written it, I'm curious to revisit the genre, as I have some ideas for other horror stories. That is the only reason I asked this question.
- Certain answers have suggested that I am afraid of what I write. I'm not, primarily because if I wrote a horror story again, it would be horror fantasy. Generally, nothing in it is going to be real. The atmosphere of the story gets my imagination going though, and I start to feel the urge to keep an eye on dark corners.
After reviewing all of the answers, I would like to bring several to the attention of any future viewers. I found three to be the most helpful:
- The answer by Mike C. Ford and the answer by Cort Ammon were both excellent. They said the same general thing, but I thought Cort Ammon's answer stayed on topic better.
- The answer by Deus Ex Machina, which I have marked as the answer, I initially did not like. After some thought, I believe it is the most likely to help me when writing though.
- I also found the answer by aaa to be good. It was the kind of answer I was looking for and provides some excellent tips for writers in need of an answer right away.
Answer
Also draw on that fear. I read in Jeff VanderMeer's "Wonderbook" about a concept called "writing from your scar," which could also be applicable to your situation also. Basically, it means drawing on those experiences that have left a scar on you (figuratively). You could apply this to your situation by drawing on your fear, incorporating it into your characters' psyches, instilling microtension into all of their thoughts and actions via this fear vs what they want to achieve. If you can do this, you might be able to use your fear to your advantage. But if you feel inclined to writing what scares you (and I applaud you for this act of literary courage), you must not avoid, but rather explore. Good luck.
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