Summary
- Stephen King’s advice on creating horror emphasizes the importance of tension and engagement at the moment over excessive explanation or lore.
- King’s horror stories tap into relatable fears, whether supernatural or human-centric, creating a diverse range of chilling tales.
- The author’s inspiration comes from real-life questions and events, adding depth to his stories beyond just scares and thrills.
Acclaimed author Stephen King weighs in on discussions about creating horror and shares his advice about what makes a successful terrifying tale. Though his bibliography spans multiple genres, such as crime, sci-fi, and drama, the author is well-known for his storytelling of killer cars, malevolent entities taking on the forms of clowns, and hotels full of sinister spirits. With his success, King’s works have been adapted to television and movies by various filmmakers, including Stanley Kubrick, Mike Flannagan, and Andy Muschietti.
Recently, Kingshared some of his experience in crafting horror when weighing in on comments made by Joyce Carol Oates on X.
Oates suggested that the genre’s major strength and staying power resides in keeping viewers tense and engaged at the moment, as opposed to any storyline or lore taking priority. King replied to Oates’ response, agreeing that fewer explanations are best in horror.
What Makes A Stephen King Horror Story?
King’s Horrors Are Varied & Tackles Many Personal & Relatable Themes.
King’s mastery over the horror genre is undeniable, as the kinds of fear he invokes are not drawn from a specific action or subject. While The Shining, It, and Carrie have their roots firmly within the otherworldly and supernatural, Misery is a tale that focuses on what human horror obsession can bring about, while Maximum Overdrive, which King personally had a hand in adapting from Trucks, attributes its threat to horror. In each scenario, the scares feel in tune with the subject and fit each tale’s tone.
That isn’t to say that there isn’t any deeper subtext in King’s work, as the author has often shared his inspirations for the stories he pens.
That isn’t to say that there isn’t any deeper subtext in King’s work, as the author has often shared his inspirations for the stories he pens. His style comes from elaborating on subjects or questions he finds in the real world, including events in his own life. These examples include The Shining tackling questions he had when raising his children, or Misery tackling an author’s relationship with his audience. As such, no matter how uncanny or otherworldly King’s books may be, there is always something relatable about those stories that engage audiences.
Related
10 Recent Horror Movies That Stephen King Enjoyed, From Barbarian To No One Will Save You
Stephen King’s taste in recent horror movies is broad-ranging and his enthusiasm for horror filmmaking in his recommendations is contagious.
With King’s legacy, any advice he may offer will be treated with respect. His advice isn’t limited to sudden shocks like jump scares and can be extended into having prospective writers expand on how they can present their horror aspects. Thus, King‘s latest response opens up a discussion on how this guidance could apply to other beloved horror classics.
Source: Stephen King/X
