Q&A for How to Write Gothic Fiction

Stylistically, gothic fiction tends to be highly psychological, often with a dream-like quality. This genre often relies heavily on symbolism as well.

The Gothic novel is a form of romantic novel that draws on superstition, horror, love, decay, and the supernatural. These novels are often set in antiquated places or buildings, especially those that mirror the "Gothic" architecture of the Middle Ages.

Although some of the rise of the Gothic Novel began in the later eighteenth century, its popularity peaked in the Victorian era, best exemplified by the success of Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897).

Gothic fiction is characterized by dark and decaying settings, a mood of dread, the presence of the supernatural, and an exploration of romantic love.

Use short sentences to create tension, and choose the most descriptive words you can to describe the action. Instead of saying "yelled," for example, choose "shrieked" or "hollered."

Perhaps you could give him the ability to appear in one place, then suddenly appear in another place (teleportation). You could also say that his eyes shift or darken when he is experiencing certain emotions. He could be deathly pale, or a pale shade of green (or something). Maybe read up on the supernatural, and see what information and ideas you can gather there.

Describe how their eyes look. Do they look demonic or scared? Describe the way they walk, or the timbre of their voice. It is all up to you and your imagination.

Try using fog around your settings for a creepy atmosphere. Often, old-fashioned words can work well to add to the time period. And how did your character die? If it was drowning, maybe describe how suffocating the water felt, or how murky and deep it was. Did your character die from murder? Maybe try to add shock, and use short sentences, and describe the murderous look in the killer's eyes. Some good adjectives are: empty, despairing, desolate, barren, bloody, ominous, suffocating, strangling, surreal, demonic, deranged, obscured, agonizing, and murky.

Start by reading all the key classic novels such as The Castle of Otranto, The Woman in White, Great Expectations, Frankenstein, Northanger Abbey, Dracula, Wuthering Heights, The Monk, etc. Make a note of the motifs that repeat such as The Journey, Parents and Children, Sex and Death etc. There is a formula to Gothic fiction but you can't rely on that alone. You need skills as a writer in general to pull off a great read.

You could describe the scene/location in more detail. Provide more information on the characters or plot.

Gothic fiction is a type of literature that combines the elements of horror and romance. It is its own genre.

Write it the same as you would any other short story, and add gothic themes along the way.

Maybe you could have another character describe it, like: "Emily's face had gone pallid white. Tears ran down her cheeks. There was no way to describe her agony. I could hear her whisper to herself..."

Your ending should fit your story, so there is no real way to tell you what to do. Maybe add a twist, or a revelation about your main character. I suggest looking at articles on horror stories, which often have general creepy ending ideas.

Stop writing in the midst of action rather than a lull. This makes it a lot easier to pick up at a later time and continue.

First person, because this way the reader learns and experiences things at the same time as the protagonist, and this makes everything a lot scarier.

Try a cliffhanger or something dark and sudden, like a death, that will leave the readers feeling scared or jumpy.

Visiting an eerie fortune teller or hearing it from a friend is a great way to add prophecies. Finding an ancient scroll or book works well for adding mystery. An old haunted house would be a great scene to find out about the main danger in your story.