Any slasher writers out there?
QuestionI write screenplays in my free time and they are usually slashers. The main one I'm writing is set at a fall festival and involves the characters being stalked and killed in a giant corn maze.
That's awesome! That's a pretty sick idea!
Would love to read that
do you publish them anywhere? or plan on filming them? i’d love to read/ watch them!
I've been writing a slasher story since basically the start of the year! It's called "Spring Dance" and it's about a group of friends - that like to talk about horror movies because yes - that participates in their school's spring dance! But while they're having fun - and fighting a little - a murder start going around the school and start killing the students, y'know, ghostface style! The killer is using an owl mask and an overcoat, I could talk about it all day because it's really exciting to me! It's the first story I ever write so probably it's gonna suck a little but honestly Idc, I'm having fun!
id love to hear more about this tbh!!
That sounds so awesome! I'm working on my own film script myself
I wish to turn this into a film someday! But for now, it'll only be a story that I'll post... probably on Wattpad.
I've been wanting to write a slasher novel for a long time, but I'm just not sure how to make it work.
Dialogue is always my biggest hurtle when trying to tell a story personally. It's simple to come up with a basic plot and points to move the story along. But creating meaningful dialogue and characters that you feel for is the struggle. What parts are you having difficulties with?
But creating meaningful dialogue and characters that you feel for is the struggle. What parts are you having difficulties with?
I can relate to the dialogue. Sometimes I feel I can drag it out too long, and prose can be a problem.
I am! It’s one of my favorite genres to write. Currently working on a whodunnit slasher about a final boy, that is very meta and has a complex mystery to it, inspired by Scream, of course. It’s set around Halloween and it’s planned to be the first of a series. It’s big on location and aesthetics, and I hope to produce a short film pitch video of it.
I'm actually working on a similar thing. It's a slasher that ends up having a final boy. And it's got meta commentary and scream vibes, too. I live in South carolina, and the film is gonna be set in a small town. Very woodsy. One of the sets will be an abandoned hospital. Those are always fun, haha.
It sounds like a lot of fun! I’d definitely watch it. I’m setting mine in a small town as well. I think that’s a great idea and a really fun place to do a slasher. Interesting and fun Set pieces like an abandoned hospital are so hard to think of for me, but it sounds like you’ve got some good ideas!
I was writing a Scream/Halloween crossover, but dropped it to practice writing some original fiction. I'll probably pick back up before the end of the year.
That sounds pretty awesome. I'm working on a film that's gonna kinda have that energy. Because I'll have a michael myers type killer and a ghostface type killer working together. But I'd love to read it or see it if it gets filmed!
Thanks! All this slasher talk almost makes me want to start writing it again. 😅🔪
You totally should! I'm excited to see what you come up with
Already on it! Good luck with your double trouble slasher, too. 🔪👍
That sounds interesting.
Me! I’m writing a college themed slasher. Main characters are two best friends of 7 years navigating the weird transition from adolescence to adulthood, when a masked killer comes and makes their way into their lives
That's sounds awesome. I'd love to compare notes! Have you scene The Curve starring matthew lillard? It was a 90s film set in the 90s. I think they did the late teens' early 20s drama very well, and it was a nice little piece of 90s culture.
Yeah I’ve heard of that one. I chose my own costume that I want the killer to wear, I’ll send that to you if you want. Also have all the deaths planned out as well, as well as a good motivation
That sounds awesome. Send it over! I think you can send me a message request. Idk If you can send images in messages, tho. I'm still kinda new to this, haha.
Im currently writing a Slasher/Dark Academia Novella im hoping to release in October. It’s heavily inspired by Scream
I'd absolutely love to read it when you finish it!
I’m writing one atm. Set on a night before a wedding. Aimed at the older crowd who grew up with 90s slashers.
Awesome
I was an aspiring writer and filmmaker in my teens and twenties, one of my first was a slasher film set in New Orleans, and was sort of a mix of Se7en, Memento and The Constant Gardener. The backstory was that the killer was former paramilitary, and had severe PTSD from fighting in South American ops, his wife was a former congress woman turned activist trying to expose the secret wars. A hit was put out on her and she was killed and he suffered severe brain damage, rendering him speechless and with extreme memory loss. He was only left with his military instinct and the distant memory of his wife, and the only thing that can make him remember any detail of his wife is the act of killing, it sort of gave him clarity. He basically declares war on government, believing with each kill he’ll come closer to finding exactly who she was, so he just allows instinct to lead him to the people.
Now all of us this was purely in the background of the story and I was never really able to figure out a way to flesh it all out, because what I’ve just described isn’t a slasher movie, it’s just a motivation. He wasn’t interested in killing random people, our main protagonist, was a girl that just accidentally fell into a trap he had set for somebody else, but she looked similar to the killers wife so he holds her captive at his house, though he treats her like royalty, hoping her presence would help him in his recovery. The girls father turns out to also be former paramilitary dealing with the same ptsd and from there it played out like a fairly typical slasher/cat and mouse game. I finished several drafts, but I was never able to make the concept work so eventually abandoned it. I made a trilogy of supernatural short films, and the sequels started veering into slasher territory, then wrote a fairly stripped down college set frat sorority slasher movie, but never ended up getting it off the page. Now I’m just a dude who works all the time and occasionally dreams what might have been had I taken it seriously and worked harder to get these made.
I wanna get into it, why?
I'm looking for possible cowriters for my slasher film series titled Skin. It's gonna feel like a generic slasher, but I want to subvert expectations while also confirming stereotypes. Sort of like a spiritual successor to the original Scream. But aggressively different at the same time. If I do it the way I'm trying to, it'll feel like so many classic slasher films, but feel completely different at the same time. If you're interested I can send you a mockup of the original rough draft script I came up with half baked at 3am a few weeks ago. 🤣
Sure, sounds like a fun idea tbh. I love Scream so that seems cool.
Alright it's long as hell. And I'm changing some character names and rewriting a lot of the scenes and all of the dialogue. But it's the general idea.
Bet, I'd love to help out somehow
I’m currently working on a Halloween (the holiday, not the franchise) story about a group of high school seniors who get targeted by a serial killer and takes on a murder mystery theme much like Scream. Only the kills are a lot gorier and the killer doesn’t taunt the victims
I'm actually going for a similar vibe. But it's a group of 20-somethings who get targeted by a masked killer on the 5th anniversary of their friends' disappearance.
Please tell me the killer isn’t the missing friend because that’s immediately where my mind went to 😂
Sounds awesome tho
No, I promise it'll be a twist, haha. A familiar twist, but a twist nonetheless, haha
I wrote one a few years ago that I think could work as a short film.
I've always been a huge advocate for getting it out there. I'd say either post it on sites as a novel like a creepypasta or see if you can either film it yourself or pass it off to someone you believe will do it justice. But never sell out.
Thx.
Not professionally but I like to write my own slasher/horror short stories in my spare time
That's pretty sick, I kinda do the same thing. I'm working on a project and was just looking for peers to bounce ideas back and forth off of.
What's the pic from looks familiar
It's from the Hills Run Red
I wanted to write a Ghost Face Short Story, but I quickly realised, that it was turning into a Ryan Johnson Story, so I stopped it and wrote something else.
I write about Horror in General but with at least one slasher Killer inspired character in each Story.
I want to publish a book about a slasher that is similar to Scream someday!
I wrote and self published a e-book that is sort of a murder mystery slow burn type horror. It is based loosely on a memory from childhood and people I knew - but I took mad creative liberties!
I can dm the Amazon link if anyone is interested (pretty sure only family and friends have bought it 😅)
I’m writing a movie right now that’s basically an homage to scream.
I'm trying to write a superhero slasher book on Wattpad
That sounds really awesome, I created a few superhero characters in high school. And I love the idea of like a superhero horror movie. Imagine a film similar to Phobias, but the main antagonist is Scarecrow from DC.
Tnx and that whould be sick, the whole premise is about criminal being haunted and stalk by my superhero OC and its from the criminal perpective
Not anymore, but I once wrote a slasher story about Willy Wonka having gone crazy in his chocolate factory and killing Charlie’s family with a wide variety of candy weapons, like a rock candy knife, a licorice garrote, drowning them in the chocolate river, etc.
I wrote it during my high school years for an English class and while my writing was “some of the best I’ve read” it wasn’t well received because it was “too dark” and for not being original enough with my material. Since then, I haven’t written anything else that’s been worth while.
That actually sounds awesome! I'd totally watch that if it was a movie! I'm working on writing a slasher script, and I was just looking for writers who would consider joining my writing team. It's my personal love letter to the slashers that came before it, so it'll take a few years to truly do it justice. I just need people who are as passionate about the sub genre I am.
I have slasher stories/ideas but currently lack the discipline to sit down and write. I also struggle with dialogue and character development.
I'm in the exact same boat as you, haha. I'm working on a film series, and idk exactly what kinda dialogue I'm trying to go with in certain scenes, and it gets frustrating, haha
Seriously. I tend to wanna just utilize myself and my friend group as characters but still struggle with exactly how I want the characters to speak and come across.
I know exactly how you feel
🙋♂️
Have you done any scriptwork?
Yeah I have I’m working on one right now for my senior project (I’m a year early on it but it’s whatever) it’s gonna be a scream inspired slasher that takes place in the winter time that’s all I have so far I only had the idea since late yesterday lol.
Sounds promising! Have fun with it, man! Are you in film school then?
No still high school lol but they just want the students to do their senior projects on the work they plan to do after college but I’m sure that’s how it always is lol
Not necessarily a writer but I have a TON of ideas for movies with full plots and everything. The biggest one is a trilogy I've had the idea for since FIFTH grade (Inspired by the fact that I saw my first scary movie, Scream 3, during that time). I really hope I get to make them one day.
That actually sounds awesome, I'd love to hear your ideas sometime!
Kind of writing something now?
I'm currently writing something and was looking to see if anyone was interested in working on it with me. Trynna find like-minded fans of the genre.
Deal. What do you need help with.
My biggest trouble area is always dialogue. I want people to really feel for the characters and actually get scared for them and be sad when they pass.
Okay is this a film or novel?
If all goes right, it'll be at least a trilogy of films.
Ish? Currently outlining large chunks of my upcoming Hunter the Vigil campaign in the World of Darkness/Chronicles of Darkness which is going to have Slashers mixed in (Jason Voorhees as an Osiran Promethean, Freddy Krueger's a Razorhand Darkling Changeling with a knack for Oneiromachy, Michael is just an outright Mask Slasher, I've got a couple Ghostfaces statted up, several Cupid/Valentine killers, the Miner from My Bloody Valentine, Leatherface, William Bludworth from Final Destination as a Thread-Cutter Death/Fate/Matter Mage, Art the Clown since he essentially becomes a Sin-Eater in the second movie, etc. Even came up with stats for The Creeper from Jeepers Creepers as a Frankenstein Promethean turned Centimani if they really want a challenge) in addition to the rest of the supernatural stuff they're going to be dealing with, since they decided they want to do an actual On The Road campaign instead of a city-centered one like the Mage campaign was centered in Chicago with the occasional detour.
Besides the horror references, I didn't understand anything you said. But it sounded cool as hell. Is it like DnD with the tabletop RPG aspect? Because I've played a few campaigns lf DnD and I'd love to do a horror campaign haha
Okay, I'll try to translate. Yeah, it's a tabletop roleplaying game, but a completely different style of game mechanics from D&D. Basically, the idea behind the World of Darkness is that it's an urban Fantasy version of our world, just beyond our usual awareness. Our world is exactly like you or I know it, but there's vampires living in the shadows, werewolves stalking forests and alleyways at night. Frankenstein's monster was real. The Golem of Prague was real. Missing 411? Hunted down and devoured by werewolves for having encountered something that should not exist, if they're lucky. Because otherwise, they were probably kidnapped by the Fae, and transformed into Changelings, right out of fairy-tales along with many people who were replaced by Fetches - artificial thems left behind to leave people unaware anything had happened. People who had near-death experiences and came back with a powerful ghost from the underworld along for the ride (Sin-Eaters). Literal Mages. Etc. All happening in the background and trying their damnedest to avoid revealing themselves because none of them can afford the risk of fighting humans AND the other supernatural at the same time, and knowing that if anyone breaks"The Masquerade" and gives away their existence, all of the other supernaturals will destroy them to keep the humans from wondering what else might exist, so everyone thinks their best plan is to not be noticed.
Prometheans are everything from the Golem to Frankenstein to Pinocchio, something that was made, and given a semblance of life, wanting to become an actual human being.
Changelings, like I said, are humans broken down and rebuilt by the Gentry, who escaped from Faerie and are trying to create a new life or reclaim their old one, or whatever. Some of them can be pretty monstrous, like Freddy. Oneiromachy is exactly what the name suggests, knowing how to dream-walk, and fight in other people's dreams (Dream Warriors references are even included in the specific rulebook that's related to).
Werewolves are TERRIFYING.
Vampires are constantly trying to thread the balance between ennui and frenzy, doing what they can to hold on to their eroding humanity over the decades while struggling with each other for power.
There's Slashers. They frequently blur the line between human and supernatural, to varying degrees.
And then there's Hunters. Basically Supernatural, with Sam and Dean. Mostly normal people, who know about these things, know there's ghosts and spirits and monsters of every kind, and try to keep them from hurting humans. Some are good and reasonable, some commit "Van Helsing Hate Crimes" against anything that isn't completely human.
This sounds fuckin awesome
I’m going to be writing a slasher film after my current zombie film is over and done with!
Working on a pseudo-script now for a concept where the killings are happening in “real life” and Scream is just a movie. It’s original characters though so not like a New Nightmare approach.
Shared the opening not that long ago:
I started something and never finished. Sometimes I’ll write scenes but life is a son of a bitch, so haven’t gotten back.
I'm trying to get into slasher writing, but I've yet to finish anything. I want to do a slasher anthology book series.
That sounds sick. I wanna eventually film a horror anthology, haha.
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