recklessfiction:

My favourite kinds of horror stories are ones where both the audience as well as the characters have no idea how to react to the situation they find themselves in. Having your audience know what characters should and shouldn’t do is fun, like in thrillers, yelling about not going outside when the killer is very obviously out there, is great and brings satisfaction to the audience for sure! But for me, I like stories where you can’t do that, because NO ONE knows whats going to happen. 

That’s why I love cosmic horror and folk horror so much! Its not your average ghost story where you know what to do and what not to do. You deal with things that are new and old and are so out of your own understanding that there is no right way to survive. Sure you know it’s stupid to go into the cornfield at night, but what about walking through the countryside during the day? That shouldn’t be a problem right? Wrong. No, you shouldn’t read the book bound in human flesh, everyone knows that. But what about getting a job on an old fishing boat? I mean, I would work as a fisherman, not expecting that a great Old One would rise from the depths. 

Folk Horror hits you with beautiful country sides and people who seem altogether normal, usually very friendly, and there’s no way to know that they actually worship old vengeful gods until you’re standing with them during their seemingly innocent May Day celebration. And by then they’re already committing acts that neither the audience or the characters know how to react to. 

Cosmic Horror hits you with the unknown, something you simply cannot run from or kill. You can’t say “don’t go out there!” because the horror is already inside, all around you, huge, vast, and forever. The characters and the audience are on the same page, having no idea what to do. I love that. 

Consider a cosmic horror disguised as a slasher. One that presents itself as a standard slasher but the characters DO do the logical thing and it gets them in more danger.