Q&A: Tim Waggoner on Writing in the Dark: The Workbook: “Horror stimulates my imagination like nothing else.”
Photo copyright Christine Avery, 2019
Why the dark fantasy author and college professor explains how to write your own amazing horror fiction.
“Characters need to have realistic responses moment to moment, even if they’re in an unrealistic situation.”
Tim Waggoner writes dark fantasy and horror, including both his own worlds as well as official tie-ins with the likes of Supernatural, Grimm, X-Files, Alien, the Halloween franchise, and Resident Evil.
He’s also a college professor who teaches writing—and even teaches authors through articles and books. He is the author of the Bram Stoker Award-winning textbook Writing in the Dark as well as the follow-up, Writing in the Dark: The Workbook (also currently nominated for a Bram Stoker Award).
In our exclusive interview with Waggoner, he talks to Monster Complex about Writing in the Dark: The Workbook. He explains what drove him to explore this topic, what led him to write this sequel, and reveals his favorite things about horror fiction.
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Like Tim Waggoner’s Bram Stoker Award-winning Writing in the Dark, a manual for how to write horror fiction, this workbook covers a wide variety of topics, ranging from monster, idea, and plotline creation to avoiding clichés and developing the art of suspense. The workbook, however, foregrounds practice over discussion to help writers master these concepts. Both texts stand on their own while working together to provide you with the direction and tools you need to maximize your own authorship.
The wealth of examples, exercises, and tutorials in Writing in the Dark: The Workbook are designed to inspire and stretch the imagination. Waggoner draws from his own experiences in addition to other professional writers, among them Laird Barron, Maurice Broaddus, Nadia Bulkin, Ramsey Campbell, Mort Castle, Tananarive Due, Christopher Golden, Grady Hendrix, Daniel Kraus, Joe R. Lansdale, Elizabeth Massie, Graham Masterton, Seanan McGuire, John Shirley, and many others.
Featuring an introduction by Michael A. Arnzen, Writing in the Dark: The Workbook will resonate with young authors who are just getting started on their careers as well as veterans of the horror genre and craft.
Writing in the Dark: The Workbook
Tim Waggoner
Guide Dog Books
Categories: Authorship, Authorship Reference, Fiction Writing Reference
About author Tim Waggoner
Photo copyright Christine Avery, 2019
Tim Waggoner is an award-winning author who writes dark fantasy and horror, including both his own worlds as well as official tie-ins with the likes of Supernatural, Grimm, X-Files, Alien, Doctor Who, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Transformers, the Halloween franchise, and Resident Evil. He also teaches writing.
His fiction includes the Blade of the Flame series, following an assassin-turned-cleric searching for peace in a land that knows only blood. His Shadow Watch books follow those who defend the victims when your dreams break through into the living world.
He wrote the original story The Men Upstairs, the Supernatural novel Children of Anubis, the Grimm novel The Killing Time, the novelization Halloween Kills, the Stargate SG-1 novel Valhalla, and the Zombicide novel Planet Havoc.
Waggoner is also part of the anthologies PREHISTORIC: A Dinosaur Anthology and Never Fear—The Tarot: Do You Really Want To Know?
His teaching includes the books Writing in the Dark and Writing in the Dark: The Workbook (which we’re about to talk about), as well as the nonfiction anthology It’s Alive: Bringing Your Nightmares to Life, which also includes helpful instructions from authors Jonathan Maberry, Yvonne Navarro, Richard Thomas, F. Paul Wilson, Ramsey Campbell, Stephanie M. Wytovich, Kevin J. Anderson, Christopher Golden, and more.
Interview with Tim Waggoner about Writing in the Dark: The Workbook
Q: What drove you to explore this topic? (And, in particular, from this angle?)
“I’ve been fascinated with the nuts and bolts of how writing is created and why it works (or doesn’t work) for readers since I read my first issue of Writer’s Digest as a teenager over 40 years ago. Later, as an English major in college, I enjoyed digging into stories, poems, essays, and novels to get a broader perspective on how various types of literature work.
“Because of this, I’ve always taken a two-prong approach to my writing, trying to improve on both the micro and macro levels. I started teaching composition classes after getting my master’s degree, and eventually I began to teach creative writing classes as well. I began writing how-to-write articles and conducting writing workshops at science fiction and horror conventions too.
“Ten years ago, I started a blog called Writing in the Dark where I posted articles about various aspects of writing and writing careers. All of these things eventually came together and prompted me to write a book about writing.
“Since horror is what I write the most—and because I’ve been a horror fan all my life—I decided to write a how-to-write horror book sharing everything I’ve learned about writing in the genre throughout my career. I decided to name the book after my blog since Writing in the Dark seemed like a fitting title for a volume on writing horror.”
Q: What led you to follow up the other Writing in the Dark book with this one?
“When I finished Writing in the Dark, I thought I’d never write another how-to-write book again. I filled that book with everything I knew about writing horror, and I didn’t think I had anymore to say. As the reviews for the book began rolling in, one of the things people said was how much they enjoyed the writing exercises at the end of each chapter, and some said they wished they had an entire book of exercises.
“That got me thinking—Could I write a book focused solely on exercises for writing horror? I decided to give it a try.
“For the workbook, I kept the chapter organization of the first volume, along with a brief overview of the concepts featured in that book, as well as the short interviews with writers that I included in the first book. I wanted to make sure that Writing in the Dark: The Workbook could be used on its own or in conjunction with the first volume.”
Q: What are your favorite things about horror fiction?
“Horror stimulates my imagination like nothing else. I love the freedom and versatility of the genre. There are so many different subgenres—supernatural horror, realistic horror, extreme horror, body horror, cosmic horror, survival horror, humorous horror, horror for adults, young adults, middle grade, young children...
“Horror can also blend with other genres—horror and crime, science fiction and horror, horror and romance...
“While there are well-worn tropes in terms of character, story, and setting, horror is open to original ideas or new takes on old ideas. Characters in a horror story aren’t safe, which make the story unpredictable and suspenseful.
“Any ending is possible for characters in a horror story—win, lose, live, die, save others, fail to save others, become a monster yourself...
“While a particular ending to a horror story might be unsatisfying to some audience members, all types of endings work. Last but not least, horror is fun, even when it’s disturbing. Maybe especially then.”
Q: What are your pet peeves about horror fiction that you’ve seen others do? (books, movies, wherever)
“Writers seem to forget that if extraordinary events occur and enough people are aware of them—such as a series of bizarre killings in a town—the media would get wind of it quickly, and reporters would show up and start sticking microphones and cameras in everyone’s faces.
“Writers need to find a way to deal with the presence of the media if they’re telling a story where the media would become involved. I also hate stupid excuses for why cell phones don’t work. ‘I can’t get any coverage out here in Super-Scary Forest!’
“I also hate it when writers—especially new writers—forget to show their characters having immediate emotional and physical responses to threats. A werewolf will jump out and start chasing a character, and the character has no reaction to this until they’ve escaped the werewolf and are safe (for the time being, at least). Sure, while they’re running, the character doesn’t have time to do a lot of mental or emotional processing, but they still need to have realistic responses moment to moment, even if they’re in an unrealistic situation.”
Q: What are the best ways for readers to connect with you and keep up with your latest news?
Website: TimWaggoner.com
Newsletter Sign-Up: https://timwaggoner.com/contact.htm
Twitter: @timwaggoner
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tim.waggoner.9
Instagram: tim.waggoner.scribe
Blog: http://writinginthedarktw.blogspot.com/
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZEz6_ALPrV3tdC0V3peKNw
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Alma Katsu on THE FERVOR: “Horror is very truthful. Terrible things happen in real life.”
Charlaine Harris Q&A + True Blood / Sookie Stackhouse Books In Order
Zombie Q&A—Jonathan Maberry: “Zombie Stories Are Not About Zombies”
Laurell K. Hamilton Q&A + Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Books In Order
Kendare Blake Q&A: ‘In Every Generation’ Revisits Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Zombie Q&A—Isaac Marion: “George Romero tried to touch on the humanity of the zombies.”
D.M. Guay: comedy horror author Q&A—“My goal is to hope like hell it will make readers laugh.”
