by Naomi L. | October 9, 2015 | Flash Fiction, J.C. Wolfe's Writing |
It was the most delicious thing I had ever eaten.
You never forget your first taste, my father had told me. Oh, how right he was. I had tried to resist my instinct, but I couldn’t any longer.
My mouth watered long after the last bite. The monthly helpings of rabbit and fox I had known until now were nothing compared to this. Such succulent meat; not too bony and just the right amount of blood and fat to make it juicy without being heavy. And the crispy skin? Sublime! What a great idea to roast it first! I was lucky not to overcook it. Fires made with the clumsy paws of a wolf have a way of going awry.
As I sucked the last bits of meat off the bones, I heard rustling from afar. Following the call of the moon, I slunk toward the dim light in the distance, careful to stay hidden as the glowing torches came into view. The next sight to meet my eyes made me grin.
Three more foolish humans wandering through the woods, no doubt searching for the first. How predictable.
I licked my lips as I crouched in the shadows, more than ready for a second taste. Tonight I was going to eat very well.
by Naomi L. | June 17, 2015 | Blog, Creative Writing, What If? Writing Prompts |
Once again, here’s a fresh round of “What If?” Writing Prompts for you. I realize I haven’t shared any particularly scary prompts since Halloween, so this week’s post features the second set in this segment themed to the horror genre, featuring prompts suggested by members of Writer’s Carnival! What sorts of creepy tales can you spin around these ideas? Enjoy!
What if… Hannibal Lecter were your neighbor?
(Submitted by: Christina, Writer’s Carnival member)
What if… humanity had to adapt to life underground… and drastically changed after thousands of years in the dark?
(Submitted by: Anisa A. Claire, co-founder of Writer’s Carnival)
What if… your cat became smarter and started trying to kill you?
(Submitted by: Tim Hillebrant, Writer’s Carnival staff member)
What if… the second you stepped out of bed, a hand reached out from under it and grabbed your ankle?
What if… you received a package in the mail containing a human head?
Have fun writing your own tales of horror!
If you have any “What If?” writing prompt suggestions (for any theme), please feel free to share them in the comments below. Ideas I like may be featured in future “What If?” posts, with full credit and a link to your blog (if you have one)! Also, if you’ve written a piece based on an idea you’ve found here, be sure to link back to the respective “What If?” post. I would love to see what you’ve done with the prompt! Thank you!
by Naomi L. | January 30, 2015 | Flash Fiction, J.C. Wolfe's Writing |
(What If? Exercise: Read the description here.)
All she ever wanted was to be one of them.
To become a sister, you must complete a task.
Bring back the necklace hidden in the woods.
They didn’t mention she’d have to run.
The sound of howling terrified her.
The beast was gaining fast.
She reached the gate.
Almost free now.
She pulled…
Locked.
This piece is based on What If? Exercise 93: “Ten to One”. The exercise is to write a 55-word story in which the first sentence has ten words, the second has nine, etc., until the last sentence has only one word. The objective is to show that precision and thrift in writing can produce surprisingly powerful results. I hope you enjoy what I’ve written. Thanks for reading!
Back to the story
by Naomi L. | November 21, 2014 | Flash Fiction, J.C. Wolfe's Writing |
Did I really have a nightmare? Or did a noise downstairs wake me?
Did I really forget to turn the lights off? Or did they switch back on after I went to sleep?
Did I really leave the door open? Or was it a draft in the hallway?
Did I really move that chair? Or did it push itself across the room?
Did I really sleepwalk through the kitchen? Or did the open fridge empty itself?
Did I really see my own shadow in the mirror? Or was it a phantom?
Am I imagining things? Am I losing my mind?
Or am I not alone?
by Naomi L. | October 22, 2014 | Blog, Creative Writing |
Time for this year’s October round of Writers Reveal! This month’s prompt was sent to us by Ashley Howland, who suggested we write about something “scary”.
It’s almost Halloween. Do you like scary stories? What characters scare you the most? How do you create a villain?
Based on that idea, here’s my take on writing scary stories and characters. Thanks for the topic, Ashley!
Dare to Scare
To be perfectly honest, I have minimal experience with scary stories. Horror is definitely not my favorite genre; in fact, I’d go as far as to say it’s one of the themes I like the least. Maybe it’s because I was kind of a fraidy cat growing up, so I made a point of avoiding anything that I thought might scare the pants off me, including horror stories.
In order to discuss what makes a story scary, I guess I’d have to think about the reasons I avoid them. What is it about horror and certain thrillers that repels me but likely attracts others?
- They bring out that innate fear instinct I don’t usually experience.
- They touch on certain emotions that I’m not used to feeling.
- They make me more aware of the terrifying things in the world.
- They sometimes give me nightmares.
Plenty of people seek out horror because they like to get back in touch with those primal emotions that humankind has been gradually leaving behind since the days of prehistory. I suppose it’s the same reason people ride roller coasters or go skydiving: they enjoy the thrill of fear contained within safe conditions. Many people like to be scared. But I’m not one of them.
I admit it: I don’t care very much for scary stories in general. But what about their characters?
What Makes a Good Villain?
Though most of the thought I put into character development is for protagonists and secondary figures, antagonists are just as important. After all, what’s a hero without a villain to balance them out? My protagonists drive my stories forward; my antagonists give them something to drive toward.
So what does it take to create a good villain? I guess it mostly depends on the story, but the way I see it, there are a few criteria by which every antagonist can be measured. Good villains fulfill their role as the “bad guy” in their stories, great villains evoke the strongest negative emotions in us, and the best villains are those infamous evildoers who are simply impossible to hate.
My favorite villains are the ones I remember long after the story is over, which ironically is also what makes them the scariest characters in my eyes. They’re evil and creepy with just the right amount of lovable madness to make them really stand out, sometimes even more than their respective heroes. I hear the words Star Wars and immediately think of Darth Vader before I think of Luke Skywalker. I watch The Dark Knight and silently cheer every time the Joker appears on screen. I play Portal and the passive-aggressive psychopathic A.I. GLaDOS captivates me with her witty sarcasm before I can even remember Chell’s name. Even Inglourious Basterds makes me question my standards of evil, thanks to Christoph Waltz’s brilliant performance as the charismatic yet ruthless Nazi Colonel Hans Landa.
Antagonists are a common necessity in good fiction, but they don’t have to take a back seat to the protagonists. The creepiest characters are the ones who leave their mark, who are believable enough to make us feel the most powerful emotions and who fascinate us into wondering what they’ll do next. Keep that in mind, and you can create some truly scary stories with awesome characters that leave your readers wanting more! Good luck!
Do you enjoy scary stories? What sorts or stories or characters scare you the most? How do you create your villains?
This has been a special topic post for Writers Reveal, a monthly blog swap among several talented writers. Be sure to check out the other blogs participating in the event. Thanks for reading!
Other bloggers in Writers Reveal
Melissa Khalinsky: Melissa Writes
Becky Fyfe: Imagine! Create! Write!
Ashley Howland: Ghostnapped
Emily Hawker: You Learn Something New Every Day
Lee-Anne Walker: Is it just me?
We’re looking for more bloggers to join our circle! If you’re interested in participating in this monthly roundup, be sure to contact Emily Hawker so she can include you in our email list. Thank you!
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