Writing a Faith-Based Horror Book that Embraces Christian Values
At its most basic, horror is a genre meant to frighten or scare the audience. Horror can be the genre of nearly any form of media. Many people might immediately think of scary movies that are able to manipulate and shock the viewer through a visual medium. However, horror literature can be just as compelling as films. Many classic horror films even got their start as books, short stories, or articles.
It may not be immediately apparent that horror media can coexist alongside Christianity. This is not always true. Many famous and renowned horror stories exist and thrive as pieces of faith-based media. These stories cover a wide range of topics and themes that all promote Christian ideals and themes.
All audiences deserve to have any genre possible available at their disposal. In this case, Christian audiences can read and write horror that suits their religious sensibilities.
The Hallmarks of Good Horror
To best understand what goes into Christian horror, one must understand the basics of horror as a genre. A horror story is one that is designed to scare, unnerve, unsettle, or otherwise upset the reader. That can sound unpleasant, but people are drawn to horror-based stories. There are various levels of horror for different audiences and types of stories.
Since horror is such a far-reaching genre, it can encompass a lot of different stories. Some examples include stories about evil monsters, fantastical creatures, or murderers. Other horror books can be lighter, delving into witchcraft, magic, or non-intimidating creatures. Even children’s books can touch on horror themes with lighter Halloween-adjacent fare, such as trick-or-treating. The target audience heavily guides the author on the plot, tone, and content of their book.
Scares are a trademark of horror at large, but it is not the only thing within the genre. Horror contains multitudes. Some stories do contain huge scares and more explicit violence, while others are more internal or psychological. The imagery in a horror book can do all the scaring, or the subtext can frighten the reader. Each author has discretion over the amount and type of scary content in a book. As such, the impact of a horror novel similarly varies by audience and type of book.
Varying Types of Religious Horror
Many types of horror stories deal with inherently religious material. This includes frightening tales of demonic possession and wars of faith between angels and demons. Often, these stories will showcase the strength of Christianity beating out evil demonic forces. The characters directly use their faith to triumph. As a result, these stories often warn about the dangers of a fully secular lifestyle.
Horror books can be appropriately faith-based without being explicitly about Christianity or religion. Sometimes, a piece of horror writing can be spiritually Christian and underscored with upstanding religious values. These can focus on any kind of story that is not inherently religious, but faithful values guide the narrative. This both embraces and promotes religious teachings and lifestyles.
Embracing Faith-Based Values in Horror
Balancing faithful values in horror literature can be a tricky line. You do not want to come across sacreligious or disrespectful to your faith. A successful Christian horror novel will pose interesting questions about faith, ultimately endorsing these teachings. As a Christian author with a passion for all things horror, you do not have to abandon your values. Allow your interests and faith to coexist in interesting and creatively rewarding ways.
After you write your book, Cloverly Christian is here waiting. We will review every book that is submitted to us and assess it for publication. No genre is off limits, even those with horror elements. If your finished manuscript is approved for publication, we will work with you to create the book of your dreams. Our team seeks to uplift books from all Christian genres and backgrounds. We recognize that faith-based literature is a treasure, and your book will be a welcome addition to our catalog.
