Why do you want to write a horror screenplay? What is it about horror films or TV shows that personally excites you? Why do you want to join the horror pantheon and add your unique spin to it? Before You Write, Brainstorm 10-20 “Horror Concepts” That You Find Really Terrifying.As a film fan and an avid writer of horror films and concepts, I’ve come up with a CURSED CHECKLIST OF 12 TIPS to ensure your horror screenplay kills your audience. Through your unique brand of horror, you’ll also need to have something interesting to say about people and the world around you.īut don’t worry - it isn’t that hard. In today’s landscape, you’ll also need to do it in a way that is entertaining, memorable and explores timeless and unexplored themes in ways we haven’t seen before. Writing horror for the sake of horror isn’t enough. Terrifying the audience by inducing fear, dread, and making the worse nightmares of the audience come alive.īeing entertaining - through thought-provoking themes, drama, horror set pieces, genre-smashing and more.ĭoing the other two while exploring the inner psychologies of great characters with the strong narrative drives to overcome their fears. Writing a horror screenplay is all about focusing on three main things: