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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/24949
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/24949
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

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](https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/24958/10394) and the [answer by Cort Ammon](https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/24968/10394) 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](https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/24959/10394) 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. 

Original score: 25