by Carl Hose

Created on: October 26, 2009

So you've decided to try and be the next Stephen King. Exactly how do you go about getting there? The answer is simple: You don't. Only Stephen King is Stephen King, regardless of how well you write or how many books you might sell. What you can do, however, is find out who you are and take it from there. While you won't be Stephen King, you can write a horror novel, you can sell it to a publisher, and you can make a living in the business you love, which is writing,

Start with the first, most important, aspect. Can you write? Do you already have a manuscript you can present to a publisher that has a good story and is mechanically sound? Does your manuscript display your ability to write? If you have one, you're ready to shop for an agent or publisher. If not, it's time to start writing.

Different writers have different methods of working. Some writers will outline before they begin, while others simply jump in and start writing. Some writers will do a few chapters, then edit what they've written before continuing on. Your method is up to you. The important thing is to have a story in mind and to write it, always with the understanding that the story may change along the way. You need to allow the story to breathe and grow on its own.

Find time to write every day if possible. If you have another job and all the responsibilities that go along with day to day living, don't use that as an excuse. You won't be publishing your horror novel if you don't find time to write it. Even if you can only manage to write five pages a day, that gives you a count of 140 pages a month. That will put you at 700 pages in five months. That's a decent size novel.

You're writing horror, so disturb your audience. Find a universal fear and exploit it to your advantage. If you're writing about traditional monsters like zombies, vampires, or werewolves, put an original spin on it. Avoid relying on gross descriptions to sell your story. Blood and guts are allowed, sure, but for the real disturbing stuff, find a way to reach those dark places in your readers' minds where they refuse to go. Find those places and take them there. Convince your readers they could be in the pages of your novel. This is the best way to write a horror novel that will sell.

When you have a completed manuscript, read it through to polish it, then read it again for pleasure, as a reader and not a writer. If you like what you read, test market it with someone you trust to give you an honest opinion. You want brutal honesty. There's no room for hurt feelings here. You want your novel in the best shape it can be in before you send it out.

When it's time to let your baby out into the world,consult the Guide to Literary Agents if you want an agent to help you market your book. An agent can be helpful to a writer because they can help you open doors to the big publishers. They can also leave you with more time to write. Shopping a manuscript around can be time consuming. If you'd rather shop your manuscript around yourself, sign up for the Writer's Market online, which gives you contact and submission information to hundreds of publishers. You can also do an Internet search to find publishers who have submission guidelines online.

Get your manuscript submitted, along with a query letter that gives a brief synopsis of the work. Be prepared for rejection. Pick yourself up and keep submitting. If your story is good, there's a good chance you will eventually find publishing success. You won't be Stephen King, but you will be a published horror writer with a chance to build your own name in the genre.

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