horror - Writer and the Wolf Editorial

Making your spooky kidlit scenes even scarier with sound effects

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By: Siobhan O'Brien Holmes

17/12/2020

Sensory description is so important in any genre of fiction, but in scary stories it can add a chilling, leave-the-lights-on-tonight-please-mum atmosphere to an otherwise flat scene. In fact, you should…

The Shining as a romcom: notes on genre conventions

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By: Siobhan O'Brien Holmes

01/10/2020

When I use examples to talk about writing craft, I really try to stick to books, TV and films that are aimed at a middle grade or YA audience, but…

The MONSTER guide to middle grade and YA genres and subgenres

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By: Siobhan O'Brien Holmes

21/08/2020

What genre is your book? Does it matter? What does genre mean? Is it even a word? Genre, genre – it’s starting to sound meaningless to me now so let’s…

Analysing The Tale of the Lonely Ghost

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By: Siobhan O'Brien Holmes

29/05/2020

Hi, horror fans! I’m really excited about this blog series and I hope you will be too. I was a big fan of Are You Afraid of the Dark? as…

Wolf School with Constance and Merricat: Introduction

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By: Siobhan O'Brien Holmes

03/04/2020

Ah-wooooooooooooooooooooooo. Hello, and welcome to Wolf School with Constance and Merricat, your Wolves in Residence. We’re so excited to– That’s Professor Merricat, actually. You are not a professor, Merricat. I’m not…

Sweet dreams! Should your middle grade horror have a happy ending?

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By: Siobhan O'Brien Holmes

31/01/2020

I’m often asked whether children’s horror novels should end on a cheerful note with the threat fully defused, giving young readers the closure they need to drift off happily to…

How to write a creepy graveyard in middle grade or YA

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By: Siobhan O'Brien Holmes

15/01/2020

Hi there, horror fans! Not much beats the eerie atmosphere of an empty cemetery in the middle of the night, am I right? They’re dark and shadowy, spookily silent and…