Where Nightmares Come From

by Eugene Johnson (Editor), William F. Nolan (Introduction), Clive Barker (Contributor)

WHERE NIGHTMARES COME FROM

THE ART OF STORYTELLING IN THE HORROR GENRE

Book one in Crystal Lake Publishing’s The Dream Weaver series, Where Nightmares Come From focuses on the art of storytelling in the Horror genre, taking an idea from conception to reality—whether you prefer short stories, novels, films, or comics.

Featuring in-depth articles and interviews by Joe R. Lansdale (Hap & Leonard series), Clive Barker (Books of Blood), John Connolly (Charlie Parker series), Ramsey Campbell, Stephen King (IT), Christopher Golden (Ararat), Charlaine Harris (Midnight, Texas), Jonathan Maberry (Joe Ledger series), Kevin J. Anderson (Tales of Dune), Craig Engler (Z Nation), and many more.

The full non-fiction anthology lineup includes:
• Introduction by William F. Nolan
• IT’S THE STORY TELLER by Joe R. Lansdale
• A-Z OF HORROR of Clive Barker
• WHY HORROR? by Mark Alan Miller
• PIXELATED SHADOWS by Michael Paul Gonzalez
• LIKE CURSES by Ray Garton
• HOW TO GET YOUR SCARE ON by S.G. Browne
• STORYTELLING TECHNIQUES by Richard Thomas
• HORROR IS A STATE OF MIND by Tim Waggoner
• BRINGING AN IDEA TO LIFE by Mercedes M. Yardley
• THE PROCESS OF A TALE by Ramsey Campbell
• GREAT HORROR IS SOMETHING ALIEN by Michael Bailey
• A HORRIFICALLY HAPPY MEDIUM by Taylor Grant
• INTERVIEW WITH JOHN CONNOLLY by Marie O’Regan
• THE STORY OF A STORY by Mort Castle
• WRITING ROUNDTABLE INTERVIEW with Christopher Golden, Kevin J. Anderson, and Silvia Moreno-Garcia
• HOW I SPENT MY CHILDHOOD LOOKING FOR MONSTERS AND FOUND POETRY INSTEAD by Stephanie M. Wytovich
• BITS AND PIECES INTERVIEW WITH JONATHAN MABERRY by Eugene Johnson
• THE REEL CREEPS by Lisa Morton
• THE MONSTER SQUAD by Jess Landry
• WHAT SCARES YOU by Marv Wolfman
• PLAYING IN SOMEONE ELSE’S HAUNTED HOUSE by Elizabeth Massie
• CREATING MAGIC FROM A BLANK PIECE OF PAPER: Del Howison interviews Tom Holland, Amber Benson, Fred Dekker, and Kevin Tenney
• Z NATION: HOW SYFY’S HIT SHOW CAME TO LIFE by Craig Engler
• LIFE IMITATING ART IMITATING LIFE: FILM AND ITS INFLUENCE ON REALITY by Jason V Brock
• WHERE NIGHTMARES COME FROM by Paul Moore
• STEPHEN KING AND RICHARD CHIZMAR DISCUSS COLLABORATING by Bev Vincent
• CHARLAINE HARRIS DISCUSSES STORYTELLING by Eugene Johnson
• WHAT NOW? by John Palisano
This collection is perfect for…
• writers of all genres
• authors looking for motivation and/or inspiration
• authors seeking guidance
• struggling authors searching for career advice
• authors interested in improving their craft
• writers interested in comics
• authors looking into screenwriting and films
• horror fans in general
• those looking to better understand the different story formats
• authors planning on infiltrating a different field in horror writing
• artists trying to establish a name brand
• authors looking to get published

Come listen to the legends…

Cover design by Luke Spooner. Edited by Joe Mynhardt & Eugene Johnson.

Brought to you by Crystal Lake Publishing—Tales from the Darkest Depths.

Genres: Horror, Writing, Nonfiction, Anthologies, Research, Essays, Crafts

366 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 17, 2017

Reviews

[Nandakishore Mridula · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book by horror writers and editors on how to write horror. It is chock full of good advice; which means it is too rich to digest at one go. I read about 70% of it, before I got indigestion of the intellect. Ideally, one should keep it at the bedside, and read it in small installments, like medicinal doses.

I found out one thing: the only thing all writers and editors agree on, is the fact that to become a writer, one has to write. There is no short-cut to hard work.

Quotes I liked:

You have to learn to listen to your inner self, hear that unique and personally profound music, and write from the subconscious, the source of the melody. - Joe R. Lonsdale

Horror is everywhere. It’s in fairy tales and the evening headlines; it’s in street corner gossip and the incontrovertible facts of history. It’s in playground ditties (“Ring-a-ring o’ roses” is a sweet little plague song); it’s in the doctor’s surgery (“I’ve some bad news, I’m afraid . . . ”); it’s on the altar, bleeding for our sins (“Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do”); it is so much a part of our lives (and deaths) that a hundred volumes could not fully detail its presence. - Clive Barker

Why horror? Because life is horrible sometimes, and working through those horrors is the only way we can make sense of it when everything else has failed us. - Mark Alan Miller

I don’t know a single writer who has a system for coming up with ideas. There are systems for processing ideas, making the most of ideas, shaping ideas into stories or novels—but first, you must have the idea. That is systemless... David Lynch said, “Ideas are like fish. And you don’t make a fish, you catch a fish. You desiring an idea is like putting a bait on a hook and lowering it into the water.” - Ray Garton

In a manner of speaking, all inspiration is a divine influence. While not necessarily sacred or holy, inspiration is a whispering into the subconscious of an idea that can move the intellect or emotions to create something that transcends the ordinary and transforms perception. - S. G. Browne

Words are everywhere. We’re constantly surrounded by them, simply awash in them. They patter over us like rain, they soothe us like the sea, they slam into us like verbal bullets. - Mercedes M. Yardley

All creation requires a certain level of evolution. Horror writers, good ones, reach their tendrils farther. They try harder. They pull from what’s already available, yet they pull correctly, allowing existing ideas and “monsters” to inspire and spark new life into their own ideas and their own monsters. Horror writers and editors publishing horror should always be searching for the next great monster, whatever it may be—as long as it’s new and fresh and unknown—because great horror is always something alien. - Michael Baily

Prose offers you the satisfaction of creating exquisite sentences and lyrical language. You might create a metaphor that stuns your reader and makes them ponder its meaning. You have the opportunity to share your characters’ thoughts with your reader, and as a result, the characterization can be deeper in a book. It is this inner life that is arguably one of the greatest storytelling advantages books have over the other mediums. - Taylor Grant

You see, writing poetry is a lot like writing fiction but without the expectation of formalities. What I mean by that, is that while there are a variety of ways to write fiction with each author having his own voice and style, the craft still requires grammatical accuracy and conventional composition techniques like complete sentences and the proper use of a sentence fragment. Poetry, however, allows you to close your eyes and jump into the ether, survive on your stream of consciousness. You’re still telling stories, but you’re leaving sensory images behind, creating through taste, touch, and sound. - Stephanie M. Wytovich

Pretty much everything has a kernel of inspiration in it. That’s how writers see the world. If, for example, a non-writer sees a bird on a windowsill then it’s just a bird on a windowsill. A writer sees the bird and wonders what drew it to that window. Is it hiding from a bigger bird? Is it lost? Is it looking for a place to build a nest because it’s ready to lay an egg? Is it trying to get in? Does it see a juicy bug inside that the people living there do not? Is the bird a spirit in bird form? And so on. It’s a what if game that never really stops. - John Maberry

And finally, this is not about writing - but it's so uniquely Steve King, that I just had to share it!

Bev Vincent: Steve, what can you tell us about the genesis of “Gwendy’s Button Box”?

Stephen King: I had the idea for the story last July [2016], and thought it was a little like Richard Matheson’s “Button, Button,” but could be its own special thing. I liked it because it basically postulates putting the fate of the world in the hands of a child (like Trump).

Well, yes. Come to think of it, that's a pretty scary idea...

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great read, regardless if you're a writer or reader/reviewer.

[GracieKat · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lot of writing "how-to" books can be very dry to read so a lot of beginning writers tend to shy away from them. This isn't a "how-to" collection. Exactly. It's a how-to, how-not-to, and just general solid advice from a lot of leading names in the field. It also does not confine itself to simply the mechanics of writing. There is a lot of great advice about the different medias available in the horror genre right now. Really, for all of the difficulties beginning writers think they have right now, there is not a better time to try to break into the market.

It may seem hard but self-published books get more attention than they used to. It's no longer an automatic stamp of "Oh, this is going to be bad". And it has grown fast. You can publish a book, short story, short videos, movies, almost anything. So what does this have to do with Where Nightmares Come From? Everything.

There are essays on short story writing, ideas, writing movie tie-ins, creepypastas, interviews with authors and so much more. There is some really solid advice that beginning writers (and, yes, some established ones as well) would ignore at their own peril. As I'm sure you guys know, at Sci-Fi and Scary we review a lot of independently published books, stories and a lot of other media. I can't tell you how many times while reading this I kept thinking "Yes! That's so right! Why don't people do that more?"

Such as "The Story of a Story (with a number of digressions)" by Mort Castle. He points out that short stories need a main character. I can't even begin to say how true that is, whether the main character is a piece of scenery or a monster, a short story needs a focus. I read a lot of short stories and the ones that usually get a low rating from me are ones that just feel...there. Like there's no point to the story and I'm probably not going to remember it later.

Mark Alan Miller tries to answer that question that lovers of horror get asked so frequently but are very often unable to answer: "Why Horror"? Whether you read, write, watch or review horror eventually you're going to get asked that. And Mark Alan Miller does a damn fine job of answering it. The whole time I was reading it all I could think was, "Yes, that's it exactly!"

There are some contradictory opinions on ideas and the method of writing. Which makes sense because one writer's process is not going to be another's. The same with ideas. In "The Process of a Tale" it was very interesting to go through Ramsey Campbell's writing process for a particular story. It was interesting to see it evolve and change with his changing ideas.

In "A Horrifically Happy Medium" Taylor Grant gives some very good advice on choosing which medium works the best for your particular creative bent. Maybe you want to be a novelist but your stories come out sounding like screenplays. Or, perhaps you want to break into movies but are daunted by the difficult looking process. Why not try short films? I can't tell you how many great horror shorts that I see on YouTube and some of them have been made into feature length films. You never know. I was hoping for more on writing for video games, though. He says he wrote for some but doesn't mention which ones. Video games are becoming increasingly more than just a basic shoot-em-up. The best games have great stories to go with them. The perfect ones blend awesome stories with fun (or nerve-wracking) gameplay. Also the place to look for great horror games is not on the big consoles or put out by AAA publishers. It's in the indies. So some writing tips for that would be very valuable to those starting out in that direction.

It is also far from dry. And, with no disrespect to the other genres, I do find essays, bios etc. by horror authors more fun to read. They generally have a sense of humour that genres like drama and literary writers tend to lack. The item by Stephanie M. Wytovich was very entertaining (not least because I have a feeling our families would get along great) even though her subject was one that I generally take little interest in, poetry. 

This is a great book for writers, editors, and reviewers to read. Yes, reviewers as well because it gave me some different points of view on some things. In fact, if I were to make a humble suggestion it would be to get a few bloggers and reviewers in on it as well. I'm not suggesting us, exactly (ok, I am, I know, I know, ego much?) but in all honesty they are the ones who read the smaller guys. Stephen King doesn't need another 5 (or 1) star rating to sell his books but that guy just starting out does. Trust me, we have advice to give that isn't always possible to give within a review. 

Definitely a 5-star recommendation to writers, viewers and readers.

Received from Crystal Lake Publishing in exchange for an honest review

[Suz Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Writing is unique in that a number is assigned. When learning an instrument, do music teachers want you to play 500 notes a day? 3,000? No. They ask you to practice a piece until you know it. Maybe we as writers can worry more about getting our stories right than getting attached to word count goals.”—excerpt from “What Now?” by John Palisano

My favorite essays on the craft of writing horror include:
“It’s the Storyteller” by Joe R. Lansdale
“Why Horror?” By Mark Alan Miller
“Pixelated SHadows: Urban Lore And The Rise Of Creepypasta” by Michael Paul Gonzalez
“Like Farts and Curses” by Ray Garton
“How to Get Your Scare On: Finding Your Inspiration and Muse in Horror” by S.G. Browne
“Storytelling Techniques: The Many Faces ofHorror” by Richard Thomas
“Horror is a State of Mind” by Tim Waggoner
“Great Horror is Something Alien” by Michael Bailey
“How I Spent My Childhood Looking For Monsters and Found Poetry” by Stephanie M. Wytovich
“Creating Magic From a Blank Piece of Paper: An Imaginary Roundtable interview with Kevin Tenney, Fred Dekker, and Amber Benson” by Del Howison
“What Now?” by John Palisano

Some of the essays felt a bit too long and others a bit too short, but there’s plenty of great writing advice.

[Dona Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

I WANT TO MEMORIZE THIS BOOK. I was given an ARC e-copy of Where Nightmares Come From in exchange for an honest review -- I found that less than halfway through reading the e-copy, I knew I had to have a paper copy for my shelf. Though I mention some of the authors that contributed to this book, there are many more—and even beyond those named in the Table of Contents, this book unfolds like an origami for many of the authors direct you to other sources, other authors, directors, stories, films, books, even YouTube videos.
Nightmares is a treasure for writers seeking to hone their skills, meet a few editors/publishers, and discover what those publishers hope to find when they look at mammoth piles of submittals. It’s also a gem for readers or film buffs who enjoy looking behind the stories, getting to know the authors, or hearing about the journey those stories took to reach them.
William F. Nolan welcomes us to Nightmares then Clive Barker sets the mood, and with that, Nightmares is off to a stellar start. As soon as I read Joe R. Lansdale’s article, I decided to re-read it before I begin any project, for along with advice and inspiration, he made me laugh so much I feel I owe him a drink. Don’t miss Bev Vincent’s interview with Stephen King and Richard Chizmar—I felt I was involved right from the beginning of their collaborative process in writing Gwendy’s Button Box when “Steve” sent “Rich” an email—maybe you’ll get that email next time—hey, check your spam!
Have you ever wanted to tiptoe up behind a famous author and watch them work [without getting arrested]? In Analysis of the Mechanics, The Process of a Tale, you can watch Ramsey Campbell [yes!] get up at 6 am [argh], and write a short story, then follow him through subsequent drafts. Mort Castle will take you through the creation of “Altenmoor, Where the Dogs Dance” from the first idea to his final doubts after the tale was completed [yes, doubts, even though it became a highly acclaimed story that has been widely published, in many languages, for decades—feel better?]. Craig Engler tells the story of how the movie 2011 Zombie Apocalypse that he wrote with a friend became the series Z Nation.
In Storytelling Techniques, Richard Thomas not only gives a detailed writing tutorial but also managed to terrify me even as he brought up my deepest fears, the ones I might tap into for my dark tales. Well done, Mr. Thomas. In Horror is a State of Mind, Tim Waggoner had me writing wow wow wow in the margins of my notes then going back and highlighting my wow’s. When I get my paper copy, all of his pages are sure to be yellow. He gave me a new way of looking at emotional states. In Great Horror is Something Alien, Michael Bailey not only tells us with specificity what he’s reading for as an editor, he’s marvelously inspirational. [Shocking Bonus! Everything you ever wanted to know about the genesis of the movie Alien—Mr. Bailey covers it here—you will be amazed—he knows every tiny detail. He does.] Marv Wolfman looks at What Scares You! -- how can you create horror for everyone even though we’re all so different.
Apparently, this is Book One in Crystal Lake's Dream Weaver series. I'm going to be clearing a shelf for them!

[Icy-Cobwebs-Crossing-SpaceTime · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review: WHERE NIGHTMARES COME FROM , edited by Joe Mynhardt and Eugene Johnson

I 've enjoyed and benefited from Crystal Lake Publishing's Writers on Writing Series, and am happy to find the brand-new volume WHERE NIGHTMARES COME FROM: THE ART OF STORYTELLING IN THE HORROR GENRE. In 28 articles, including some interviews, 31 authors bring their various and sundry viewpoints, and perhaps better yet, their wisdom, to a volume that I recommend to read and to keep as a reference guide. As a sometime write, I found inspiration, techniques, encouragement, a metaphorical pat on the back and "you're okay, kid" (muttered in a Bogart voice). As a lifelong reader, I enjoyed admiring my idols from afar and discovering the guidance they provide.

[Arun Divakar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Where exactly do horror writers (or any writer for that matter) get their ideas from ? This should be shelved away with such cliché questions in the line of :

• How do you know how to act and how to react ? - The questions we ask actors
• How did you know how to take that photograph ? – The questions we ask a photographer
• How did you create this catchy tune ? – The questions we ask a musician etc..

What a lot of people who ask this question forget is the tremendous amounts of back breaking hard work that goes behind every piece of write that finds a resonance with us. Taking just one of these professions, one can quote Henri Cartier-Bresson who quite aptly said that “Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst.” A lot of rewrites, drafts and discarded ideas fuel some of the works of art we love but somehow a lot of people are ignorant to all this. Some if not most of the articles in this book are reminders for this.

A lot of authors – both renowned and relatively unknown share the inner workings of their writing process in the course of this book. The most interesting aspect about this collection is that the articles range across writing for different mediums. You have authors telling you about how to write novels, short stories, novellas, comics and also for the TV and movies. There is some good advice and tips that they share and it makes for good reading if not being repetitive at places. The articles by Joe R.Lansdale and Ramsey Campbell stand out for being no-nonsense examples of the writer’s craft.

The title might make you think that the book will give you a writer’s perspective of where horror fiction really emanates from in the labyrinth’s of a writer’s mind and yet that is not the case. The articles are more about the writing process and it’s nuances than a really detailed view of how an author can bring forth horror from his/her imagination. I might have to keep looking for this aspect of writing but as for being a reinforcement of the principles behind being a writer ( write, write and then write some more) this is a good read.

Recommended !

[Kelly Rickard · Rating 5 out of 5]

A collection of in-depth interviews and articles about the art of storytelling in horror from Joe R. Lansdale (Hap & Leonard series), Clive Barker (Books of Blood), John Connolly (‪Charlie Parker‬ series), Ramsey Campbell, Stephen King (IT), Christopher Golden (Ararat), Charlaine Harris (Midnight, Texas), Jonathan Maberry (Joe Ledger series), Kevin J. Anderson (Tales of Dune), Craig Engler (Z Nation), and many more.

This is such an interesting read with lots of detail on a fascinating subject.

I got this ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

All kinds of information on being a writer, whether it's horror or not. Some of it is good, some not as good, but most of it is interesting and gives an insider's account of the business. It covers everything from novels, to short stories, to screenplays. An inexpensive how-to book on craft.

[Luciano Bernaroli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un viaggio nella cultura del brivido raccontato da alcuni tra i più autorevoli narratori del genere.
Personalmente attratto dalla sezione di Clive Barker ho scoperto, oltre che nuovi autori, anche altri modi di intendere e di leggere l'horror.
Assolutamente un must have.

[Mark Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book for those looking to take up creative horror writing.

[Joseph Hirsch · Rating 5 out of 5]

A friend of mine is a screenwriter and every now and again I'll ask him a question on the mechanics of storytelling, some detail on plot or character development. Invariably we get to a point in the conversation where he becomes a bit exasperated with my questions and says (or shouts), "It's not math!'

What he means by this is that the creative process, by its very nature, is not something anyone totally understands, including those who've had the most success in their fields. The distinction between an art and a science applies here, and it's easy to see on which side of the divide all fiction falls (but especially horror, with its taproot of primordial fears as deep as our history on this planet as painfully sentient-but-unfortunately-very-edible prey and predator). This is good news inasmuch as it means that magic is real, or at least that some processes remain inexplicable and total mysteries, even to those who've grappled most successfully with them. It's bad news if you're looking for a "How-To" book that will give one a formula for creating works of horror. There is no blueprint, no template, no paint-by-numbers system, or if there is, the Syfy Channel has exclusive rights to that Rube Goldberg machine and you don't want what it's pumping out (unless you want the ignominious stain of having your name on the credits to MegaZombieSharkRaptor Part XVIII) .

"Where Nightmares Come From" hits the sweet spot inasmuch as it makes no outlandish claims or promises about revealing some secret method for creating horror, though the advice, ruminations, stories, and philosophies on offer here from some of the best practitioners in the field are likely to get the upstart artist's creative juices flowing, and to perhaps rekindle the flame for those who've been deterred by the hard lot of being an independent filmmaker, writer, or multimedia artist.

It's hard to single out specific essays for praise, since the offerings in the book are so diverse and each has something to recommend it, but if my neck were on the butcher's block I'd say that Ramsey Campbell's mini-workshop on writing and revising a story is worth the cover price alone. Other standouts include Stephanie Wytovich's very personal and heartwarming story about how her parents nurtured her toward the unusual vocation of horror poetess (a true rara avis in a field where a lot of people are motivated by only the most mercenary and short-term goals, like Return on Investment for a slasher flick), as well as Michael Paul Gonzalez's " Pixelated Shadows," a look into a subculture of something called Creepypasta, which is the digital version of ghost stories told around the campfire, but for kids who've had their synapses rerouted by the internet (and may not know how to build a fire without first consulting Google).

"Nightmares" is nowhere near the most exhaustive examination of the genre of horror or the industry, but for a relatively short work it is incredible rich, and quite the resource. Recommended.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where Nightmares Come From, The Art of Storytelling in the Horror Genre, was received free from Crystal Lake Publishing via HorrorAddicts.com in return for an honest review.

As a writer gradually developing her craft I am always open to hearing and reading the views of those at the top of their game, those who have ‘made it’. Like most, I think we approach such articles in the hope that we’ll discover the magic ingredient, the key that turns a novel in the drawer into a published piece of work. I didn’t get that from this book, nor is it something I discovered from my go-to motivational source, On Writing by Stephen King, who also appears in this particular publication. What I found however, which was equally valuable, was the same story from all contributors—whether they be film maker, author, poet, director, publisher or editor—the rule of three: read, write and finish what you start. No exceptions. I learned from Ramsay Campbell that you don’t need different notebooks for different projects, he—like me—makes notes on one thing, goes on to another, then returns to that first project … in the same notebook! I learned that daily word counts don’t always matter—unless you’re trying out for that annual marathon, NaNoWriMo. I learned that you should write for yourself. I mean, if you don’t enjoy it, why bother? In truth, and in my heart-of-hearts, these horror giants were merely stating what most of us already know, the only rule is that rule of three. Whilst the book was geared towards those who write in the horror genre, much of what was said can be applied to writers across the whole range of fiction, and even non-fiction. And when it comes to nightmares—everybody is different but the contributors reinforce the idea of developing horror from the everyday and mundane, from the what ifs? There doesn’t have to be blood and gore, it can be subtle, more dark and slow-building—again, another reassurance as that is the style of horror I prefer. So what did I take away from all this? A lot of reassurance and a reading list … oh, and the determination to keep on writing. And now I’m off to read Patricia Highsmith’s The Snail-Watcher.

[Michael J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHERE NIGHTMARES COME FROM serves as an excellent reference source for beginning writers, especially those with a concentration in horror. What better way to learn and absorb than to pick the brains of experienced veterans of horror fiction, poetry, screenwriting and teleplays? All those formats are discussed, as well as some answers to the question posed by the title: “Where Do Nightmares Come From?”, or more emphatically “Where Do Horror Writers Get Their Ideas?”

Every piece in this collection answers the title question in one fashion or another, while 21 of the 28 articles concentrate more on various aspects of writing: how to generate ideas, how to work your muse, storytelling techniques, seeing through your character’s eyes, writing with words that fit the story, choosing the right medium to tell a story, how to sustain horror through a lengthy novel, editing, advice on submitting and working with publishers, working with licensed properties, outlining, and much more.

However, the most appreciated feature of WHERE NIGHTMARES COME FROM is it’s absence of a textbook or academic approach to the subject matter. The answers and tips are offered through experience, observations, memoir, anecdotes, and heart-felt contributions.

You will recognize many of the authors and celebrities sharing their memories and lessons learned with readers. One only has to read through the contributor biographies at the end of the volume to realize what a stellar group of veterans the editors have assembled here. Recommended.

I received an advance digital copy of this book for review purposes.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Following in the footsteps of Horror 101 and their Writers On Writing series, Crystal Lake Publishing release another fascinating peek at the mechanics of horror writing. If you're like me, you'll head straight for your favourite author's contribution, which means I was able to spend a happy half-hour—possibly more—flicking back and forth through my copy of Ramsey Campbell's 'Holding The Light' whilst enjoying his very detailed notes entitled 'The Process Of A Tale'.

I'd already come across the Clive Barker contribution, as I remember the publication of his A-Z of Horror back when the original series was broadcast, but it didn't stop me enjoying a re-read.

There are plenty of treats in here for the horror fan: I'm not sure whether it's best to start at the beginning and work your way through or do what I've done and dip in to read about my areas of interest, but either way there are some absolute delights in here, and at a very reasonable launch price.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Darrell Grizzle · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Where Nightmares Come From” is an indispensable guidebook for those of us who are creators in the field of horror. There's a wide range of expertise here, not just from novelists and short story authors but from filmmakers, screenwriters, and authors of non-fiction articles in the field. There are practical articles on collaborating with others, writing media tie-ins, and other topics. Several of the essays walk us through the step-by-step process of writing a story. As a fairly new writer in the horror genre, I found many of the essays to be highly inspirational and motivational as well as practical. I received a complimentary digital copy of “Where Nightmares Come From” in exchange for an honest review, and I found myself using the “highlight” feature to mark many passages that I'll be going back to re-read.

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great advice

Much like any good anthology of interviews and essays about writing, especially genre writing, this gets a lot of great perspectives from professionals. It also leaves you wanting just enough more.

[Dan Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

For constant readers, “Where Nightmares Come From“, is an entertaining behind the scenes journey into the world of writing, For horror fans, this collection of essays and interviews is a rare glimpse into the minds of the genre’s best. (While at it, answering the age old question “Where do you get your ideas?” For aspiring authors, this new release from Crystal Lake, truly is a comprehensive look at “The Art of Storytelling in the Horror Genre”. Delving into their inspirations, approach and techniques, veterans of the craft share with us a gift, a must read treasure trove of inspiration. Clear a spot on the bookshelf, this one is a keeper.
I received a complimentary digital copy of “Where Nightmares Come From” in exchange for an honest review. I have since pre-ordered a hard copy so I can underline favourite sections and fill the edges with notes and comments.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3½ stars.

An interesting but scattered collection of essays on the horror genre and the craft of writing.

[Becky Spratford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review coming in January Issue of Indie Picks Magazine and on the blog

[Zac Hawkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting and often insightful resource, with both Barker and Campbell delivering some real gems about high quality vs. high yield writing.

[Tom Scanlan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a must-read collection of essays for anyone who:
• wants to write horror literature or scripts (or entertainment in various forms)
• wants industry insights that would otherwise take decades of trial/error to learn
• is a connoisseur of horror who wants richer perspective on how creators work

All the essays are well-done. There is plenty to learn from the ones focused on script-writing, even if you're more interested in horror fiction like me. So do read them. However, based on my tastes and biases as an aspiring horror writer I've selected three standout essays from Where Nightmares Come From.

Pixelated Shadows: Urban Lore and the Rise of Creepypasta by Michael Paul Gonzalez

A brilliant, original exploration of how the Internet has paradoxically taken humans back to primal methods of storytelling. By osmosis, it's also a useful guide on crafting creepy shorts for marketing purposes!

Bringing An Idea To Life Through Language by Mercedes M. Yardley

As a person who has read volumes on crafting characters and finding your writer's voice, this is by far the most beautiful and effervescent essay I've read on the topic. Yardley's personality is a bonus, though, not a gimmick--this short essay about word choice/character/voice deserves to be taught in Fiction 101s and MFAs.

The Process of a Tale by Ramsey Campbell

If you're a fiction writer, at some point you've no doubt read a story and thought, I wish the author could take me step-by-step through how they pulled this sorcery off! Good news, kids! Ramsey Campbell, horror fiction icon, uses his story "The End of a Summer's Day" to take us from idea germination to draft-by-draft processes and rewritten passages to final product. The lessons are conveyed with remarkable accessibility and humility.

[Amcii Cullum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read through these individual pieces on the art in writing horror and on writing in general and not necessarily in order. I went back through several times, wanting to reread most of these shorts. Thoroughly rich in it's content and so honest, you cannot help but fall in love with the authors within this work. The bonus of bonuses: a free link to send a list of other works, free, (I couldn't believe these were free--they were incredible extras--is included in the opening of the anthology. Love this work and highly recommend this for readers and writers alike.

[Therese · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great anecdotes and advice from horror and fantasy writers, directory's, publishers etc. Some were better than others but my main issue was that many chapters (especially the Stephen King/Richard Chizmar interview) felt too short. It is a great treat to see how these creators think about storytelling and I would have loved to hear even more.

[Debbi Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're a writer,or have dreams of becoming one, you should read this book. Its not a how too manual but will give you incites into the minds of some really good horror authors. Filled with anecdotes and pointers it not only gives you ideas it is an entertaining read.

[Justin Zimmerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book features many of the biggest names in the horror genre (Lansdale, Barker, Garton, Waggoner, King, Chizmar, etc) offering their advice on everything when it comes to the craft of telling scary stories. Whether you write short stories, novels, screenplays, or even media tie-ins, every chapter features invaluable insights for aspiring authors.

While I learned interesting tidbits in each chapter, there were a few standouts for me as I'm sure there will be for most readers. Mark Alan Miller's piece offers a wonderful answer to all of us who have been asked by family and friends, "Why Horror?"
Tim Waggoner's chapter about developing characters and how they experience the terror the author subjects them to will have me reexamining my earlier stories and help me to learn how to improve my storytelling in the future. I could go through chapter by chapter of all the lessons gleaned from this book but I feel that everyone will have different reactions to what pieces of advice apply to them the most.

Crystal Lake has shown once again their commitment to developing the genre and future writers. After the terrific "Writers on Writing" series, I can only hope that there will be further volumes of "Where Nightmares Come From" helping develop wannabes into full fledged writers.

[John J Questore · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an aspiring author, I’ve read a lot of “how to” books. Volumes have been written, offering tips, hints, etc. For example, one of the premier books on the subject is Stephen King’s ON WRITING.

But I have to say, WHERE NIGHTMARES COME FROM, edited by Joe Mynhardt and Eugene Johnson, leaves all of them in the dust - including King’s!

With authors like Mort Castle, Lisa Morton, Taylor Grant, Ray Garton, Bev Vincent, Richard Chizmar, Stephen King, and Clive Barker, the wealth of information contained in the tome is (and will be) an invaluable resource to anyone who wants to put pen to paper and write horror stories.

But, that really isn’t true... it’s truly an invaluable resource for anyone wanting to be an author in ANY genre. The advice provided by these masters in the field can be applied to every type of writing: Taylor explains the ins and outs of film, stage, TV, and novels, Lisa suggests writing non-fiction to start.

If your dream is to write the next EXORCIST or even the next 50 SHADES OF GREY, you’ll be doing yourself a huge disservice if you don’t read this book at least once. And you may want to buy a paper copy so you can bookmark the many reference points you’ll find.

[Joseph VanBuren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crystal Lake Publishing puts out a lot of good nonfiction books, but this just might be my favorite one yet. This book is loaded with interviews and articles from some of the biggest and most successful names in horror fiction: Clive Barker, Joe Landsdale, Ramsey Campbell, Richard Thomas, Stephanie Wytovich, Lisa Morton, Christopher Golden, Jonathan Maberry, Stephen King, and plenty others. The wisdom within is like a treasure chest full of gold for writers, with some fascinating insights into the processes of established professionals. Some of it consists of practical tips, some is more abstract and philosophical. Definitely helpful for writers, but I also think a peek into the minds of the masters would be interesting to many fans and readers as well. Overall, a great collection of advice and anecdotes from those that have been there, done that, and brought us some of our favorite tales of terror for many decades.

[Stephen Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredibly useful read for any budding writer, but especially horror writers. The advice isn’t just focused on prose either, it touches on poetry, screenwriting, publishing, television, and so on. The chapters also come in various formats, from longer essays with mini-chapters, to shorter essays and interviews or conversations. And with a wide-ranging cast of heavyweights, there’s something useful in here for everyone.

I’d highly recommend this not just to young writers starting out, but anyone and everyone. Heck, you don’t need to be a writer to enjoy it either. This is a real insight into how your favourite authors and creators go about their work, so get yourself a copy and dive in.

[Ann Keeran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stories by the likes of Stephen King, Clive Barker and Ramsey Campbell. The best of the best is written by Mort Castle, a story called The Story of a Story, not only redundant but the funniest piece I have read in ages. An anthology that is a must read for everyone!