User blog comment:Group935Pony/Help with a story./@comment-25926760-20170728014335

TL;DR: Cliches: Bad; Grammar/Spelling: Good. Write what scares you, and read like your life depends on it.

Just some simple tips you can grasp from a page on here I saw years ago.

1: Avoid cliches, or even better, use the assumed cliche as a twist.

1.i.e. Bad cliches: clowns, 'creepy' teenage killers spawned through bullying, weird monstrosities that are only slightly outside the norm of day to day life.

2: Proper grammar and spelling will help tremendously.

2.i.e. Proper then/than, to/two/too, they're/their/there, etc. This appeases grammar and spelling freaks such as myself. And opens it up a bit more)

3: A major tid bit of writing knowledge for horror specifically: No matter how well written the story is, if it doesn't scare you, you can guarantee that it won't scare your audience.

3.i.e. For example, say you write a story about killer clowns, and you're like me and not frightened by clowns. The story won't have much impact on your readers because you yourself aren't afraid. For me, the number one fear of mine is mental illness and a loss of cohesion with reality. So A lot of my stories, especially those posted off site, or even those not even posted all revolve around that. I mainly write horror, even in my poetry. So while it gets old, stick with what scares you. You'll translate your fear into your writing and it'll help insanely.

4: READ! Read a lot. Read some more. And after you're done reading, read again. Good books, bad books, poorly written stories, masterfully crafted poems, smut if you're of age. Everything you can get your hands on (This is the internet, no excuses) It'll develop your understanding of the language, expand your vocabulary and overall it will help you define your views on writing.

4.i.e. And as you read make mental notes of some words or phrases, or actually take notes. Then try to use similar things in your writing until you get that special blend of 52 herbs and spices that makes your personal style and voice just so.

5: Don't be afraid to splash a little humour in there. But just a touch. For what is worse than a brief respite before being thrown through the gauntlet again?

5.i.e. Even Shakespeare used comic relief in his (their? dependent on what theory you buy into) tragedies. Even the blood soaked Macbeth had the drunken, stumbling porter. For far more terrifying than the unknown is the corruption of the familiar.

Oh, by the way, in case you weren't sure, using Latin or other languages in your writing can bog it down at times, or hone it to a fine edge by giving it a much more realistic flair. Phrases that we use day to day, such as Quid Pro Quo or ad nauseam can add a good amount of relatability. But overuse or especially misuse can create a feeling of clunky ineptness.

Hopefully this helps, its what I can boil down 8 years of writing experience into. Best of luck!