Originally posted on Casey Carlisle:
I read a review copy for a fellow writer on his novel recently, and was horrified to find he’d not even paid attention to the…
Author: johnrsermon
I’m a writer from Stockport, Manchester, England, who mainly enjoys writing short stories in the soft sci-fi genre. I do like writing in other genres, fantasy in particular, but I’ve settled on soft sci-fi because I enjoy adding fantastic things that could exist right now or in the near future.
I’ve been writing in my spare time since around 2001 with varying degrees of discipline. I’m always looking for ways to improve myself and my writing, and I use my blog to showcase my writing and discuss things on my mind. Every so often I’ll talk about other things in my personal life (Football – I support Manchester United, Holidays, Food, amongst others).
I enjoy writing short stories, but I have also finished a few novels and completed NaNoWriMo a couple of times. Writing makes me happy, and thankfully, I can’t see that changing any time soon.
My interest in writing began when I took a Film Studies Course at College in 2001. One of the assignments was to create a character and give him or her a back story. I did this and got some good feedback from my tutor, and I loved the feeling of creating a character from scratch.
My other interests include running and listening to rock and metal music whenever I’m running. I enjoy watching a wide range of films and TV to relax. The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly is my favourite film, and Arcane is my favourite TV show. My favourite authors are Giles Kristian, J.R.R Tolkien, JK Rowling, Bret Easton Ellis, Gareth L Powell, and Robert Lewis Stevenson.
Thanks for reading. If you like the sound of the above, I’d be more than happy to discuss all manner of writing-related stuff. See my contact page for details.
It creeps and it crawls throughout my mind. Wanting to be released onto the page.
(I wanted to insert an appropriate picture for my title but google managed to scare the stuffing out of me so I’m going to leave it. And curl up into a ball for a while.)
Hello,
Finally, after weeks of tossing and turning over it and not being able to write as much as I’d like due to other things coming up, I’ve finished my horror story!
As I got closer to end my writing speed picked up and then I realised, it’s done. The euphoria that breezes through me every time I finish a story was back.
Obviously, it’s the first draft but I’m happy I’ve finished it and I can now re-jig the whole thing. Change it to add in all the tips I’ve found regarding writing a horror story from my research. Mainly:
Tension – I have managed to build tension towards to end of the story. The build up to the ending definitely has what could possibly be described as tension until a big reveal. I also tried to put tension in throughout the story by having the lights go out in the house my characters are in for their company retreat in the woods. When the lights go out, and while everyone else is screaming or cheering depending on how drunk they are, the main characters hear what could be scratching and groaning coming from outside before the lights come back on.
The Reveal – I found a very useful article regarding this in the November 2014 edition of Writing Magazine by Alex Davis (page 50 if you own it). It talks about different phases.
- Easy to disbelieve (slightly scary stuff that can be written off easily. Bumps in the night and weird sounds)
- Hard to disbelieve (making the characters feel uneasy. A sense of being watched, a presence in the room).
- Hard to deny (Definite sight of something weird, strange, horrible. A voice heard. Evidence to say something is definitely happening)
- Impossible to deny (The reveal takes place. All the sounds and such come together and whatever the hell it is becomes reality)
I have found it very interesting reading up on how to approach writing a horror story. I’ve also found plenty of scary films to watch to give me inspiration. Such as Ringu (1998, Japan), Session 9 (2001, USA), Exhibit A (2007, UK). They’re all on the list. I’m in for one scary few days if I decide to watch them. I’ll end up not posting for much longer than 5 or so weeks.
It’s good to be able to write on my blog again. It has been a while. So, until next time have a good time doing whatever it is you’re doing.
Bye!
Two ideas are not better than one.
Hello,
I’m going to break this post down into stuff I’ve done since my last post as I haven’t posted in a while. I have been trying to create a post since my last, which seems like ages ago, and in the small amount of time I’ve had recently. Hope you like it.
12/05/2016.
Finally, after weeks of pondering I’ve settled on two ideas for my horror stories. I initially had one idea that I was going to stick with (see https://johnrsermon.com/2016/04/28/the-horror-of-writing-a-horror/ for more information). But, as I started to plan that idea out I also found another idea. This was an idea that had been swimming in my mind for years but had obviously gotten almost drowned in the time it had spent not being outside and on the page. This has now brought to me my current predicament. Which way do I go?
From being so unsure that I doubted whether I should even bother writing a horror story to having two ideas, I can safely say this is not the worst position I ever been in. But it is one that I would like to be out of as soon as possible.
I’ve created my characters for and given them back stories. I also planned out both story ideas so when I get started I should have a better chance of making it work. Hopefully.
13/05/2016 – 21/05/2016
Work. More work. Drinking. More drinking. Running. More running. No writing completed.
22/05/2016
Completed my fourth Manchester 10k run and raised £200 for Cancer Research UK. No writing completed.
23/05/2016
Had a pizza. Watched WWE Extreme Rules 2016. No writing completed.
26/05/2016
Received my 2nd of two grades for the course I’ve been on since last September. Both I needed to pass. The 1st one I did pass (with Merit) and the 2nd…I passed as well (with Merit). Had a pizza. No writing completed.
29/05/2016
Went to the christening of my girlfriend’s niece and nephew. Had a great time. No writing completed.
02/06/2016
Big jump forward. Almost a month in fact. But it finds me with time on my hands and one page of my horror story written! Progress is slow but I hope to increase it in the coming weeks. I have week off work coming up that will become my first ever writing and blogging week. Well, writing at least.
The story I mentioned in the link under 12/05/2016 above is the same one I’ve gone with but I’ve twisted it around slightly. I have my characters and their back stories and I have a twist in mind for one of them to go completely loony bin on everyone and revert back to a Neanderthal state. I’m not sure which of my 6 characters this will happen too but it will be in the scariest manner I can muster. Finally, progress and a direction to go in.
Hope you all have a good week.
Bye!
The horror of writing a horror.
Hello,
So far, this is the only picture I could find to encapsulate my feelings towards trying to write a horror story that will strike genuine fear into the hearts of those who read it.
It’s a combination of utter annoyance of not being able to construct a story like I have done previously and the ideas I’ve had that have ranged from ‘might be scary’ to ‘that’s from a film come up with something else’ that’s sending me face palm and wide-eyed.
I have got an idea that I’m going to stick with but the process has not been an easy one. I’m riddled with doubt that I won’t be able to scare anyone just with my words. And scare them in a good way, ‘eyes wide, tension built up, possibly screaming, knife in hand ready to defend themselves’, and not in a bad way ‘What is this smeg I’m reading? Why would John do this to me?! What did I ever do to him?’
The idea is based around a group of office workers on a work retreat/drunken weekend in a cabin in the woods. The cabin is state of the art and is more like a mini mansion in the middle of nowhere with plenty of Wi-Fi. No spooky or creepy looking cabin for this lot. The company my characters work for makes money. The forest surrounding the cabin has its own story about a witch that died and haunts the caves that lie deep within the forests depths.
Not amazingly original but it is my first try. And I believe that if a horror story is to be truly scary it should not be just down to how original the premise is but how it is written and how it can scare the reader.
I want to give my first attempt at horror writing the best chance it has so I’m going to try and plan each part of the story down to the last detail. I have found that building the tension within the story is a good start. But how do I accomplish this? My first thoughts were to plant many different seeds into the reader’s mind so they are unsure who the killer is. I’m pretty sure there’s going to be a killer at this point. Probably. Maybe plant some red herrings to hopefully put them off the scent.
I still don’t have a concrete ending so I’m going to focus on getting that set in stone before I begin writing as well. This has all sent me into a bit of a writing tailspin. I haven’t had one of these in years.
So, all this has led me to this question.What tips do you have for someone trying to write their first horror story?
Your hints and tips and thoughts would be appreciated.
Bye!
A story finally finished and two more to write.
Hello,
What you have just seen is the prelude to one of the greatest fights I have ever seen. Lego Darth Vader vs Lego Cheeky Monkey. Well, the greatest fight I’ve ever seen if I had seen more than this quick snap. Honestly, I can’t remember what happened but the result is that both are now standing at the edge of my desk ready to welcome anyone that comes into the spare room/office. I think it was a draw but I hope the cheeky monkey won.
Anyway, hello again.
Following on from last time, I have been doing a lot of catching up on the Reading, Writing and Discussing front. Here’s how it broke down over the last week:
READING:
I’ve been moving along nicely with God of Vengeance by Giles Kristian (http://gileskristian.com/books/god-of-vengeance/). I have always enjoyed the pace, language, wit and style of Giles Kristian’s prose. This book has kept that going as it tells the story of how the Vikings who are marauding around in Giles Kristian first three books, Raven: Blood Eye, Raven: Sons of Thunder and Raven: Odin’s wolves (http://gileskristian.com/books/) came together and specifically how their Jarl Sigurd became their Jarl. As much as I like movie prequels I enjoy them even more in written form. Remembering an old but good book is always cool when I’m reading a new and good book.
WRITING:
My latest short story has finished! I had started the story before I had to start my revision for my exam and the dam revision got in the way. Though the story was almost finished, the revision-imposed break allowed me to come up with an ending for it. I did not count on taking a break from writing my own stories and instead writing notes would give me a full formed ending. Right there, as I was walking to work, and in the freezing cold no less, which meant typing a note into my phone was annoyingly difficult.
So, the story centers on a young couple who survive an attack by the huge rock worms a la Gears of War 2 (http://gearsofwar.wikia.com/wiki/Riftworm). Now, the worms aren’t as aggressive or mean looking as the ones from Gears of War 2. They are intelligent and just want to find a new place to live after their home planet got exploded. They found Earth and let us know what they wanted. We naturally tried to destroy them so they retaliated. The young couple survives and then find themselves face to face with the chief rock worm. In shock, they try and figure out their next move. This could potentially change the course of mankind. I’ve had this idea in my head for a while but the ending was something I’d hoped to get to as I was writing the story, which is usually the way my endings appear. I have now finished one story and as I turned the pages of my notebook I found two post-it notes with ideas for two more. Two more stories I will write in the not too distant future. Once they have been planned out. Pfft. Notes and more notes.
DISCUSSING:
My discussions have mostly been around two things with the odd blog post comment thrown in-between: Wrestlemania 32 and my work exam. Even though the exam has been and gone those of us in the office who sat the thing have been going over what we did write and what we did not write and slowly sending each other crazy. I am glad the chatter has gone silent now when it comes to the exam. Though I have thoroughly enjoyed studying for it, I am glad to have a break from it. At least for now. There also was the little matter of Wrestlemania 32 to contend with. I enjoyed the event and the match quality was up there with some of the best Wrestlemania’s I have seen but as for the results? Only liked a few of them. Most of them did not make much sense from a fan who is looking at what the result will do for the progression of the storylines between the wrestlers involved. Hopefully, new stories will be written off the back of them so I can try and forget how, in some cases, the results were meaningless. It has also been nice to talk to my friends who aren’t wrestling fans and try and get them on board. It will happen one day. I will keep trying.
Right, well I’m going to go back and finish my notes for my next story. I hope you all have a good week.
Bye!
Tarot Spread – Will Attunement
Hello,
I’ve not posted for over 20 days according to my stats. That is all down to my time being consumed, devoured, destroyed, by revision for an exam. That exam was this past Friday so now I can concentrate on getting back to reading, writing and discussing as I’ve wanted to do for almost a month. To start, here is a fascinating article about tarot cards and there link to will attunement. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Tarot Spread – Will Attunement – http://wp.me/p5EOCB-dH
My writing week in not so many words and a few pictures.
Hello,
Over the past week, I have been more focused on studying for my exam at the beginning of April than anything else, which has affected my writing output. I’ve said to myself each day that I would come home from work write and finish my latest short story but I haven’t. I’ve come home, exercised, eaten, studied, and then gone to bed. Not the worst cycle I’ve ever been in but it does not include my own writing so it’s close.
I have managed to do a small amount and moved the story along but it is not enough. The story, about the earth being taken over by giant rock worms and a young couple’s efforts to stop them, does move along nicely when I’m writing it but the ‘when I’m writing it’ part is in short supply. I have a chilled out weekend planned so I aim to get more of the story written then. If studying doesn’t stop me that is.
With weekends in mind, off the back of the blogging 101 course I took throughout February I joined a group Bloggers meetup, which has many members who took the same course and want to keep in contact and help each other out. Inside this wonderful group there lies a challenge. The challenge is to include a link to the site to spread the word and carry on the challenge within a post that details something I did over the weekend. Well, firstly here’s the link https://bloggersmeetup.wordpress.com/2016/03/11/weekend-wanderings/. And secondly, last weekend I was in Manchester, UK and I was walking along Market Street in the City Centre when I came upon the most show off-y, egotistical man I have ever seen. The picture below details how full of himself he is. I’m joking, though. It was a pretty impressive site. See for yourself.
Look at his smiling face. Rubbing his skill and happiness in my face! I am usually happy anyway but not this level happy. He has literally go up to another level.
And here’s another picture I took on my way from work last Friday. Thought it were mildly amusing.
That’s all from me. Hope you all have a good weekend and get everything done that you want to do.
Goodbye!
What is my next step? Which way will I go?
Hello,
Having spent the best part of last month doing the exceptionally useful ‘Blogging 101’ course driven by Michelle W and WordPress.com, I find myself looking at my blog in a different light. I have always liked the direction I have chosen to take my little corner of the universe in but I can see that improvement is needed.
One of the assignments of the course was to create a writing prompt, which I have done and posted on 24 February https://johnrsermon.com/2016/02/24/my-first-attempt-at-awriting-prompt/ and my own response to it as posted on 25 February https://johnrsermon.com/2016/02/25/my-first-writing-prompt-and-my-response/. I enjoyed the whole process and this has started to make me think I should make a regular feature. Do what you love and all that. This led me to think that I could use a monthly or even weekly feature to try and focus my blog as sometimes I struggle for things to write. A writing prompt seems like a good idea but I might try some others first before settling one.
Along with this, other assignments looked at changing the style and content of the blog behind the scenes. This struck a chord as I had not changed anything about my blog up until that point for at least six months. I realised that what I wanted from my blog was for it to be catchy and hopefully grab new reader’s attention. This led to me changing the title from ‘johnrsermon’ to ‘Read.Write.Discuss.Repeat.’ The inspiration for this title was just breaking down what I wanted to do with my blog. I like to read and want to read other authors work. I love to write and talk about the process. And then do it all over again. And being a big wrestling fan I took more inspiration from a quote used on one of WWE wrestler Brock Lesnar’s t-shirt’s ‘Eat.Sleep.Break the Streak’ that in turn came from a FatBoy Slim & Riva Starr song. Google all of the last sentence if you have no idea what I’m jabbering on about.
Further assignments looked at commenting on other people’s work and engaging more with my peer group. This is something that I want to do more of and I’m trying to take as bigger steps as possible to do so. So far, I have gained 10 followers throughout this process alone. It’s such a simple and wise thing to do that it showed me how distracted and lacking in focus I had become with my blog. Here to the future and change for the better!
With all this and more in mind, I have been asking myself, which way will I go?
I don’t know but like having options and regaining my focus!
Have a good week. Bye!
My first writing prompt and my response.
Hello,
I attempted a writing prompt yesterday, my first don’t you know, which was as follows:
‘One lazy Sunday afternoon, with the sun trying to push its way through your carefully closed curtains, your favourite mythical creature crashes through the window and pleads with you to help them with a quest. Because, naturally, you are the only one who can help. So,
Which mythical creature is it?
Why that particular creature?
And, what is the quest?’
Today in work I decided that I would attempt to write off the back of my own prompt. Just to see if it’s any good and, not being biased of course, but I believe it to be the best prompt EVER.
I would appreciate any feedback regarding this prompt. Is it good? Bad? Indifferent? I’ve enjoyed creating it so I may make it a regular thing. Anyway, here is what I came up with from my prompt.
‘Which mythical creature is it?
Dragon. More specifically, a sleep-walking male dragon named Stephanie. His owner does not believe in gender specific names and believes that any name can be given to anyone, especially a twenty-foot dragon.
Why that particular creature?
I’ve enjoyed seeing dragons in films and TV shows and reading about them as well. When creating this particular dragon I remembered how most of the dragons I had seen or read were either angry villains or bloody ‘magic’ dragons. I wanted a change and I think I’ve accomplished that.
And, what is the quest?’
Stephanie has climbed through the window of our hero’s, John’s, front room and pleads with him to help him carry a wooden chest filled with sacred scrolls to the dragon homeland. The scrolls contain spells which hide the dragon world from the human one. The spells were originally cast two thousand years ago, are beginning to fade and must be recited again in order to keep the dragons safely hidden. Without the spells, how would the human world react? The risk is too great and they need to be kept hidden.
The dragon chose John because the portal to the dragon homeland is located in Woodley, a small village where John grew up. John knows Woodley better than most and the dragon knows this as well. The dragon has watched John grow up and followed him as he left Woodley when he became fully grown. Stephanie finds that John is much like him, laid back and intelligent and a quick thinker with bags of unfulfilled potential, and sees him as a kindred spirit. John is scared for his life and agrees to go along with the quest through fear but quickly realises that the dragon could have killed him at any time and seems very nice. But, how can John sneak a twenty-foot dragon from Salford, Manchester to 10 miles away in Woodley? The dragon squeezed through a small window, what else can he squeeze through? How small can he make himself? John contemplates this and more as he sets off inexplicably with a dragon named Stephanie on a quest to save the dragon homeland.
My first attempt at a…Writing Prompt!
Hello,
I’m currently doing a ‘Blogging 101’ course, which I’m thoroughly enjoying. Each day since 8th February I’ve been given a task to do that is designed to help to improve my blog (hopefully) and expand my audience (such as, following a certain amount of blogs I’m interested in, engaging more with the blogs I follow) and personal knowledge of what I can do with my blog behind the scenes (adding widgets and changing themes). Though this all probably sounds simple enough to do I have been neglecting my blog recently so it has helped me out immensely.
The latest assignment is too create a writing prompt. Now, I’ve answered many a prompt before but never actually created one. If it sounds too easy then I’ll make up a harder one next time. It is my first go after all. Alright, here it goes…
One lazy Sunday afternoon, with the sun trying to push its way through your carefully closed curtains, your favourite mythical creature crashes through the window and pleads with you to help them with a quest. Because, naturally, you are the only one who can help. So,
Which mythical creature is it?
Why that particular creature?
And, what is the quest?
Thank you in advance for those of you who take part. Go nuts with it and see what happens.
Hope to read your responses soon.
johnrsermon 
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