How do writers write? Once they have an idea, how do they turn it into a bestselling tale? This week, the Master of Horror reveals some of his secrets to making you turn the page, even as you squirm.
by David C. Cassidy
Writing, like any art form, is a very personal thing. And the process of writing—that mythical magic one conjures to summon a story—can be equally personal. How does one navigate the often long and winding writing road to arrive at the destination?
For me, a story begins with a simplistic idea. The humble seed to be nurtured into a sequoia.
Once I have the idea, I create my characters. All of my novels are deeply character-driven, often involving ten or more major characters; I don’t do bit parts with forgettable people. I’m interested in every detail about them, their past, their present, their future. Their complex relationships. Their hopes, their dreams, their demons. For me, a horror writer, I want you to care about these people as if they are your best friends—or hate them as if the baddies are your worst enemies.
So how do I create them? Research. Tons and tons of it. I’ll take months to create my characters, drawing intricate charts showing their relationships, their motivations, their reason for being. To make them real to me from the get-go, I scan the web looking for famous—and not so famous—actors who, to me, would be perfect for the role when it goes to the big screen. A hallmark of my work is that my stories read like movies—I’m very visual, and I’m able to write what I see. In fact, I often get almost 3D-glimpses in my head of scenes and dialogue that I know will happen, and I’ll add these to my character descriptions. By that point, the story outline is taking great shape in my subconscious.
Once many moons have passed and I’m fully familiar with all of my characters, I get down to the nitty gritty—on my hands and knees, actually. I take 3×5 index cards and start writing scenes on them, placing them in order where things need to happen. It’s old-fashioned, but it frees my mind by not having to try and re-organize things on a computer screen. Want to move scene 45 to 56? EZ-PZ.
This entire pre-writing process takes months—often 12 to 24. Only then, when I’m ready, do I start to write that sequoia.
David C. Cassidy
Award-winning author David C. Cassidy is the twisted mind behind several chilling books of horror and suspense. An author, photographer, and graphic designer–and a half-decent juggler—he spends his writing life creating tales of terror where Bad Things Happen To Good People.
David lives in Ontario, Canada. Suffering from MAD—Multiple Activity Disorder—he divides his time between writing and blogging, photography and Photoshop, reading and rollerblading. An avid amateur astronomer, he loves the night sky, chasing the stars with his telescope. Sometimes he eats.
To learn more and connect with David, you can follow him on Twitter and Facebook, or visit his: