Whether you are an aspiring author or an eager GM-to-be writing is often a difficult task. The genres of horror and weird fiction can be especially challenging to a game master who is very used to running a more traditional fantasy game or sci-fi game. So what is a lost soul to do? Well, taking some cues from the master of cosmic horror himself is always a good place to start.
Not only did H.P. Lovecraft write the fiction we all know and love, but he wrote extensively about the act of writing and what it means to be a writer. The emotion and imagination in his stories were no accident of an amateur, pounding away at a typewriter like a room full of monkeys. His writing was purposefully crafted to evoke certain feelings in the readers; as he begins his essay Supernatural Horror in Literature,
The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown. These facts few psychologists will dispute, and their admitted truth must establish for all time the genuineness and dignity of the weirdly horrible tale as a literary form.
While the following may seem only applicable to authors, game masters wanting to improve their story telling and adventure writing should read these as well. If you know how the person who created the world you’re running your game in thinks, then you will be better prepared to provide the atmosphere necessary to evoke fear and revulsion in your players.
Notes on Writing Weird Fiction
In this short essay, Lovecraft covers his five steps for writing a story and describes his ideas of what the four types of weird stories are.
Supernatural Horror in Literature
This is a much longer examination of how to properly evoke the primal emotion of fear in a reader (hint, don’t show them what’s behind the curtain) as well as a history of Gothic and horror tales.
Literary Composition
This link is a free download to an issue of the United Amateur Press Association’s publication which includes Lovecraft’s short guide of technical tips for aspiring writers.