How to write a horror movie crash course
1)
The characters are the most important
part. If we care about them, we'll get scared
for them. Write interesting or likable
characters; preferably both.
2)
Write what scares you. If clowns freak
you out, write clowns. If Decapitation keeps
you up at night, write that. What scares you,
scares others. Use that.
3)
Make sure something scary happens every
ten pages or so. Any longer and the audience
forgets they're in a horror film.
4)
Be funny if and when you can. Not so much
that it is a comedy, but used as a tension
release, the audience will reset and be ready
to be scared again. Character humor often
works best here.
5)
If the characters aren't changed by their
exposure to scary shit, that should be the
whole point of the character.
6)
If it's science fiction, the audience
will expect everything to make logical sense.
If the horror is magical in origin, they will
give you much more leeway.
7)
Imagine all the possible ways your
characters could escape any deadly situation,
because the audience most assuredly will. The
characters should make the most logical
choice.
8)
Horror tends to be brief. Unless you have
a lot of deep character work, aim for -100
pages.