Paranormal and Horror Lovers discussion

Is there really a difference between paranormal and supernatural?

If a book has both elements, which category does it belong in?

Where does horror fit into this discussion?

I always think of paranormal as anything from vampires to demons to ghost. Supernatural is more specific and involves only demons, ghost, etc.

I would think that horror is any of those in an evil sense. For example, The Excorsist is horror and involves demons but Twighlight involves vampires and isn't scary in the least.

And Susan I've always thought of paranormal as the more romantic, milder form of horror/supernatural. And a term more recent than horror or supernatural. Supernatural as being something that comes from the outside - vampires, ghosts, werewolves and demons- and doesn't really exist, not like the human horror of serial killers or human monsters. Straight horror as being grittier, scarier of the three. That's what I've believed. Hmmm. Strange how we all see them as different. Author of 16 novels, Kathryn Meyer Griffith Kathryn Meyer Griffith

Plus, maybe its a little different in books than it is in TV. For example, the show Paranormal State is all about chasing demons and ghosts. That's why I've always related paranormal to hauntings as well as vampires, etc. But you make a good point about paranormal meaning "romance" in a lot of books that are now out.

I guess my book Dark Deception would be more of a 'supernatural' horror rather than a 'paranormal' horror

I've always thought of paranormal as more romantic. Since I don't include any romantic elements in anything I write except rarely I usually call it horror. Supernatural for me has religious connotations, technically The Omen or The Exorcist would be supernatural/horror stories.

Nonetheless, horror encompasses paranormal and supernatural and I think you could label it either if you wished. I do have one of mine that the reviewer wrote that she felt it was a good paranormal story but I assure you that nothing romantic goes on. Quite the opposite in fact.

You know, I think most people confuse/combine the paranormal/horror/supernatural. The genres (as a lot of genres have) sometimes overlap and merge more than 1 or more. I've had reviewers call certain of my books all three of these genres, almost as if they're interchangeable, when some of my books are very straight horror;some romantic paranormal, murder mysteries or SF/horror. I just think of paranormal as a faint shadow of horror and usually paired with romance. Like my Egyptian Heart. Hmmm, I guess, as a lot of terms, different people think they're different things. Author Kathryn Meyer Griffith Kathryn Meyer Griffith

It seems that many of the newer books that have come out have changed the definitions when it comes to books. For example, books that are listed as paranormal give people the idea that something romantic will occur or be the basis of the story.

But, in movies, paranormal refers to anything ghostly or demonic, i.e. "Paranormal Activity". There is nothing romantic about those movies lol. I used to think the terms were more interchangable but after hearing some of the opinions here, I'm re-thinking that, when it comes to books at least.

I've seen "Paranormal Activity." Thought it was a boring movie actually but that was my personal opinion. No, there's nothing romantic about that movie.

I think the meanings have become blurred, but it is probably easiest to think in terms of super and para. Supernatural is beyond nature or not subject to the laws of nature, whereas paranormal is loosely the same thing, but appears to be subject to some prerequisite boundary. So, an angel would be supernatural, a ghost would be paranormal. Witches would be supernatural and vampires would be paranormal.

This is something I was JUST discussing with some of my author friends. I write paranormal and although my novels may have romantic tension, I don't write romance. Oftentimes, people automatically assume if you write paranormal, you must write paranormal romance. My author group suggested I refer to my novels as supernatural, because that genre has ghost story as a sub-genre (my novel, Between is a ghost story). There--confused yet? lol The two do seem to cross over and it can be confusing.

I think of paranormal as being things that exist in our world and dimension, and have a scientific explanation, but it is beyond our understanding at the moment. Like ghosts for example. Paranormal investigators use scientific methods to try and understand ghosts/bigfoot etc. as if they could be real thing.

I think of supernatural as involving things not of our world or dimension- demons, magick, divinely ordained miracles, etc.

T.P. wrote: "I think of paranormal as being things that exist in our world and dimension, and have a scientific explanation, but it is beyond our understanding at the moment. Like ghosts for example. Paranormal..."

That's a great explanation :)

Thanks!

Interesting question, my answer is that supernatural was ONCE natural, but paranatural never was. Vampires and ghosts are supernatural, angels and demons are paranatural.

Fascinating discussion. I'm a psychiatrist and it's always a struggle to discuss issues of what is normal and what is not...Whilst the norm is probably a matter of convention, maybe what is natural and what is not (if we mean something that occurs in nature) is easier to define...But natural is also used in other senses...

This is definitely interesting. I had always assumed paranormal meant out-of-the-ordinary, while supernatural was definitely not of this earth/magic/unnatural

Seems to me the consensus is they are interchangeable terms when it comes to matters like ghosts, but that supernatural is a more intense version of paranormal in other cases.

C.E.,
I agree with you. I've always thought of paranormal as a lighter take on the supernatural, sometimes with a touch of romance...and the supernatural is usually not of this earth/magic/unnatural or even occult. As a writer of both these genres, that's what I've always thought. Author Kathryn Meyer Griffith

The difference between Supernatural and Paranormal really come down to how the individual sees them as opposed to actual meanings.

Supernatural was originally THE term for anything ghostly, demonic, magical or anything that didn't seem to fit into the natural world. Over time, it's slowly been changing towards the word Paranormal as science actually took a look at some of the subjects. They started moving away from the term Supernatural because it implies that the subject somehow supercedes nature which by the definition of nature isn't possible. Paranormal simply means beyond or altered normal, which is easier to accept because normal is already well recognized as a subjective word.

As to where Horror fits in to all this, I don't think it really does. Horror isn't just a genre, it's an emotion. Something that implies Overwhelming terror, fear or revulsion. It's mainly lumped with Paranormal stories because it's an easy combination. People fear what they don't understand and ghosts, demons, aliens and the like are easy (and some would say lazy) opportunities to dig out that fear. As has been said though, you can just as easily have a paranormal romance or comedy if you chose to write it as such.

You're spot on, Shaun. Supernatural/paranormal doesn't have to be Horror, but it sure seems like it gets lumped into that genre by default. Just like Monsters. They can be fantasy, Scifi or Horror. Really, I think they and supernatural ought to be their own genre.

if scifi is a story where the element is science, then why wouldn't supernatural be a genre as well- as it's dependant on the unnatural element.

but I reckon that's an argument for another time!

I think they're the same to me :)