I get this question a lot. Many of the people I know don’t watch or read horror. I can understand that. A lot of people probably associate horror with the gore and jump scares that often come along with it. That’s not my reasoning for choosing horror as my vehicle to deliver the stories I want to share.
If you sit and reflect on it, our greatest lessons taught in life come from pain or love, and often times that love results in pain. That pain can be a lifetime reminder that will affect our decision making. In my opinion, this is why horror is oftentimes a great avenue to tell a story. Here are some reason:
Fear: Managing your fears is a key skill in life. Horror movies and books can give us all the thrills and chills without any of the danger. It puts us in scenarios where we get to think our ways out of, heart racing from adrenaline, all from the safety of the couch or theater.
Fool me once...: As I mentioned earlier, there is no better teacher than pain. We are less likely to repeat the same mistakes if there were severe consequences involved. If you are a horror fan, you are familiar with the Final Destination movies. How many of you still drive behind a truck that carries tied down lumber? I know I won’t. Lesson learned!
The point of it all is the use of slashers, gouls, werewolves and ghost are useful when telling cautionary tales. Unnecessary gore and violence for the sake of gore and violence has its place for some, but to tell a story with depth and emotion that will leave its mark on the reader… that’s the type of horror I want to write.
I’ll keep doing it the write way.
Ashon Ruffins
Author