Forums » Writing Workshop » Read Thread

I'm writing a storygame for a specific person (they asked me to; they think I'm a good writer, for some reason), and I'm having trouble making one character seem scary. And the story kinda requires them to be a little scary. 

....Help?

You realize you titled this thread 'Help Needed, as soon as possible as possible?'

And there are lots of approaches to making a character unsettling, but it's hard to give advice without any more to go on than that.

.....Now that you mention it, I didn't notice that. Whoopsies. 

I'll put that down as a mistake brought on by fatigue.

Would you like a description thus far?

One approach that helps when dealing with characterisation of a character, is to emulate an animal that embodies what emotion you want to convey. So, a lion conveys strength and pride, a monkey can be cheeky and invoke images of children. For fear, a snake, a spider, a bear or a shark are pretty excellent starting points.

He slid through the crowds towards me with ease, a shark approaching it's prey. His eyes dull and black, and I could see myself in them getting bigger and closer.

Leaning against the wall, hunched over and focussing on his prey, he uttered his next sentence with clear contempt and displeasure, preparing to strike with venom.

Animals are great for such easy characterisation. HOpe that helps.

It really does help to think of it that way, thank you! 

Leave a lot of things about them up to the imagination. It's very difficult to make someone you know in a story scary. They have to be a stranger, someone we know isn't going to be scary unless we really know their personality and then they change drastically and become a stranger again.

Subtly emphasize the notion that their politeness/friendliness isn't real. Make sure the reader knows that they can be dangerous, but leave the extent of that danger up to the imagination. If he's a slasher, then imply that he's a slasher, don't leave it out in the open.

A scary character doesn't run up and stick a knife in someone, because that's not scary, at least not early on when you're introducing the character. You have to let the crazy burn slowly. As opposed to stabbing, scary character wraps his arm around somebody's shoulder and says, "Like this knife? I found it a long time ago in Vietnam. Beautiful piece of steel, don't you think? Y'know, why don't you keep it? No, really, I want you to have it. I don't get a good use out of it anymore."

Yeah, that's a good idea! That would go really well with the character that I'm writing!

Just to be super extra clear, no actual stabbing happens in the second "scene", he just gives the character the knife or whatever other object he was creeping out about.

Thanks for the clarification. :)