Why I Sleep With the Closet Door Open
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Horror vs. Thriller
Salem’s Lot is the Reason, now the post…
My explanation of Horror and Thriller genres as I understand it.
Horror
Involves fiction in which the plot and characters are tools used to elicit a feeling of dread and terror, as well as events that often evoke fear in both the characters and the reader, but also the feelings they inspire in the reader. Your pulse quickens, and your skin prickles as you turn the page with bated breath. A horror story can also be called a thriller, if it employs psychological fear to build suspense but usually are themes of death, demons, evil spirits, and the afterlife.
Such as:
2. Ghost stories or ghost lore
3. Gothic fiction (mixing horror, romance, & death)
4. Monster
6. Apocalyptic
Thriller
Involves the protagonist, usually acting to save their own life, rather than to solve the crime. Thrillers typically include cliffhangers, deception, high emotional stakes, and plenty of action — keeping the reader on the edge of their seat until the book’s climax.
Such as:
2. Legal
3. Financial
4. Political
5. Psychological
