Category: Writing

Horror short stories come in many shapes and styles. Some follow traditional story structures while others experiment with unorthodox forms. But an aspiring writer has to start somewhere. This guide explains some of the most common story structures used in […]

A good setting can take your horror story to the next level, creating realism and pulling the reader into your fictional world. It can also make a scary story even scarier, by depicting an eerie or unsettling atmosphere. But what is […]

Have you ever read a scene in a horror story that literally gave you chills? Or made the hairs on your arms stand up? Or made you double-check the doors to be sure they were locked? If so, you’ve experienced skillful horror […]

If you’re thinking about writing a post-apocalyptic short story or novel but don’t know where to begin, you’ve come to the right place. Welcome, doomsday scribe. In this guide, we’ll explore some of the most important elements found within post-apocalyptic […]

If you’re going to write a zombie or post-apocalyptic novel (as opposed to a short story), I recommend using one of the traditional structures. This is especially important for new and inexperienced writers. The novel structures listed below have been […]

Welcome to the zombie virus workshop! I created this guide for fiction writers who want to build a story around a zombie virus or similar disease outbreak. Here’s what you’ll find in this guide: We’ll get started in just a […]

This article is part of a series that focuses on the process of writing zombie stories, novels, and fiction in general. Today, we’ll focus on the importance of realism and believability in fiction, by answering a common question among beginning […]

Fast, slow, fungal, bioengineered. There are a lot of different types of zombies in fiction these days, and they continue to evolve. Just when you think the genre has no surprises left, and the undead are finally and truly dead, […]

In a previous article, I offered some post-apocalyptic world building tips for fiction writers. That was sort of a high-level guide with general tips, strategies and considerations. With this article, I want to drill down on the concept of descriptive […]

Post-apocalyptic fiction has experienced a surge in popularity that began in the mid 2000s and continues to this day. Books like The Road, The Passage, and Station Eleven have shown us that (A) readers still love these stories, and (B) […]