User blog comment:ChristianWallis/A Look at Ambiguity/@comment-25569708-20160603212203

Very good post, I wish I could speak with as much knowledge about horror aspects/ideas as you do here. I agree with you about how backstories often ruin/lessen the scare factor, but of course if it is done correctly it can work (as is the case for just about anything relating to horror).

I think ambiguity is a rather difficult thing to pull off correctly, because it's sort of removing one hard-set probability, while making sure to provide many other semi-thought out possibilities (in most cases). It's not something that can be thoughtlessly done just for the sake of doing it. My first story contains an ambiguous ending and looking back on it after reading this post, I kind of did it thoughtlessly. I don't think it's bad, but I did it without considering what "rules" I was breaking or what the reader was really supposed to draw from the ending. I'll have to consider the subject of ambiguity more in the future.

Again, excellent post, many important things to keep in mind here.