There are many options to becoming a horror or science fiction writer. When you think of the great horror screenplays that were made into films, who do you think of?
Here’s my Top 8 Horror Movies for Horror Screenwriters -
1. Dawn of the Dead – 1978, Written and Directed by George A. Romero
2. Halloween – 1978, Directed by John Carpenter
3. Night of the living Dead – 1968, Directed by Dean Lachiusa & George Romero
4. Psycho – 1960, Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
5. The Shining – 1980, Directed by Stanley Kubrick
6. Nightmare on Elm Street – 1984, Directed by Wes Craven
7. Friday the 13th – 1980, Directed by Sean S. Cunningham
8. The Exorcist – 1973, Directed by William Friedkin
I have read that you don’t need any special schooling to be a screenwriter. Film schools usually offer screenwriting classes – if we feel we need training.
Like me, if you are dreaming of becoming a horror or science fiction writer and you are just starting out, you might want to stop by the website Critters Workshop. It’s an on-line workshop/critique group for serious Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror writers — sort of an online creative writing course.
The local colleges here in Northern California offer screenwriting classes. The Santa Rosa Junior College offers a basic screenwriting class, while Sonoma State University offers classes through their Communications Studies program. They even have a local screenwriters chapter with their own Facebook page, called Northern California Screenwriters.
Then test the waters by submitting short horror or science fiction stories to the most popular genre magazines. David Barnett, a horror screenwriter says that his writing process for horror films is a grueling process.
Do you think you could handle that process? It’s certainly something to think about when you are dreaming your big dream – do I have what it takes?
In the meantime I’ll be over here writing about blood, guts and what’s for dinner . . .
Dawnda’s dream is to be a published horror author. She was a guest blogger for 8 Women Dream in 2009.
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