Rating: 
Summary: If you want to write horror, you need this book!
Review: As someone who has written and sold a number of horror short stories, I can tell you that this book is right on the money. Edo van Belkom knows the markets and he knows what it takes to make it in this crazy business.If you're just starting out and you want to write horror, you should begin by buying this book. Read it. The book is jam-packed with common sense and examples. Follow Edo's suggestions, do the exercises and then apply your seat to the chair in front of your computer and get busy writing and submitting your work. For those of you who are already selling your horror stories and novels at a professional level, WRITING HORROR won't help you nearly as much, but it's fun to read, it's tax deductible and most important, it makes you want to get some writing done.
Rating:
Summary: If you want to write horror, you need this book!
Review: As someone who has written and sold a number of horror short stories, I can tell you that this book is right on the money. Edo van Belkom knows the markets and he knows what it takes to make it in this crazy business. If you're just starting out and you want to write horror, you should begin by buying this book. Read it. The book is jam-packed with common sense and examples. Follow Edo's suggestions, do the exercises and then apply your seat to the chair in front of your computer and get busy writing and submitting your work. For those of you who are already selling your horror stories and novels at a professional level, WRITING HORROR won't help you nearly as much, but it's fun to read, it's tax deductible and most important, it makes you want to get some writing done.
Rating:
Summary: Does it have everything you need? No, it has more.
Review: Edo van Belkom is no stranger to genre writing. He's sold 160 short stories, 4 novels, and numerous non-fiction pieces. He knows his stuff. Writing Horror is a lean, mean practical guide, written in a friendly, earnest style. Van Belkom lays it all out for you: POV, sub-genres, submission format, market advice, etc. Perhaps the most enjoyable aspect of this guide is the interview with current genre writers like Gary Braunbeck and Doug Clegg. All-in-all an indispensable book.
Rating: 
Summary: A Great, Practical Reference
Review: Edo van Belkom is no stranger to genre writing. He's sold 160 short stories, 4 novels, and numerous non-fiction pieces. He knows his stuff. Writing Horror is a lean, mean practical guide, written in a friendly, earnest style. Van Belkom lays it all out for you: POV, sub-genres, submission format, market advice, etc. Perhaps the most enjoyable aspect of this guide is the interview with current genre writers like Gary Braunbeck and Doug Clegg. All-in-all an indispensable book.
Rating:
Summary: Great book for the novice
Review: I'm glad I purchased this book. It's basically a "beginners" book for anyone considering writing horror fiction. I've taken writing classes, but none that specifically focus on the horror genre. I want to write horror short-stories, and that's the main focus of the book. Belkom gives great advice and examples of the various ways to start a story, how to decide if your tale is best suited to short story, novel, etc... He also talks about dialogue, and many other things the novice horror writer should be concerned with - format, story ideas, and characterization just to name a few. I think it could've gone a little more in-depth on most of the topics, but that's my only complaint.
Rating:
Summary: Great book for the novice
Review: I'm glad I purchased this book. It's basically a "beginners" book for anyone considering writing horror fiction. I've taken writing classes, but none that specifically focus on the horror genre. I want to write horror short-stories, and that's the main focus of the book. Belkom gives great advice and examples of the various ways to start a story, how to decide if your tale is best suited to short story, novel, etc... He also talks about dialogue, and many other things the novice horror writer should be concerned with - format, story ideas, and characterization just to name a few. I think it could've gone a little more in-depth on most of the topics, but that's my only complaint.
Rating: 
Summary: Somehow lacking...
Review: I'm not sure what others saw in this book. My writer friend and I both found it very unhelpful. Van Belkom seems to have a rather staunch and simplistic view of everything he discussed in this book. For example, he considers the use of the first-person point-of-view pretentious sounding, as if to say "look at me, I'm literary." What a baffling (and not to mention entirely unuseful) opinion. What also bothered me was that despite the large dimensions of the book, the margins are huge, and there just isn't as much material as I'd hoped for--especially not in the area of the craft itself (as opposed to the marketing aspects). I see that this book was appreciated by many other readers, so I'm not going to advise against buying it altogether. Just beware that if you're looking for in-depth analysis about the actual craft of horror writing, this may not satisfy.
Rating:
Summary: Does it have everything you need? No, it has more.
Review: I've been writing for a few years now, and my goal in life is to become an author. I've written several books, none up to the standards of being published, though. I started a new book, a horror, and decided if I was going to get published, this was my best chance to do it. I found Writing Horror on Amazon and ordered it just days after finding it. When the book came, I read it for hours at a time, finding the information very helpful. I sat down at my computer and began using the things I learned to make my book more interesting and add a much more suspensful affect to it. The only problem I had with the book was that it mainly focused on writing short stories first, but I had already worked my way up to writing novels. Despite that, though, which wasn't a big problem, this was an excellent book well worth the money.
Rating:
Summary: Great entry level course on horror writing
Review: I've been writing since I was 15 but I've lacked the initiative and experience to finish a story, now that I've read Writing Horror I've done the exercises and finished a few stories. I found the sections on the seven steps of plotting and the five ways to open a story immensely helpful. The exercises and advice are geared towards short story writing although there's a few helpful hints about book length fiction. Throughout the book Van Belkom stresses how hard the publishing industry is, only those who stick it out will make it in this business. Also of note, being a fellow Canadian it's refreshing to see a writing book told from the perspective of a Canadian author. Use this book to write a story and Renni Browne's Self Editing For Fiction Writers to edit it into print. I can't recommend this book enough.
Rating:
Summary: Great entry level course on horror writing
Review: I've been writing since I was 15 but I've lacked the initiative and experience to finish a story, now that I've read Writing Horror I've done the exercises and finished a few stories. I found the sections on the seven steps of plotting and the five ways to open a story immensely helpful. The exercises and advice are geared towards short story writing although there's a few helpful hints about book length fiction. Throughout the book Van Belkom stresses how hard the publishing industry is, only those who stick it out will make it in this business. Also of note, being a fellow Canadian it's refreshing to see a writing book told from the perspective of a Canadian author. Use this book to write a story and Renni Browne's Self Editing For Fiction Writers to edit it into print. I can't recommend this book enough.
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