Nov 1, 20213 min read

How to Write Like Me!

Have you ever wondered how I release a new short story or blog post every night? Well, this is the post for you!

I will first go into how to write a short story, then I will go into time management. Let’s get into it!

If you want to write scary/thriller-oriented stories like my own, my first piece of advice is to get your hands on every film or book related to your genre of interest you can get. I have seen countless movies over the years that have inspired and helped me understand story structure.

If movies are not your cup of tea, I recommend checking out your favorite genre in the library or bookstore. Do as I do and cherry-pick your favorite covers, then sit down and dig into the first couple of pages. As my father taught me, if it does not grab you within the first ten pages, it belongs to the shelf. So try this for yourself with your preferred genre and let me know how it goes!

If movies are for you. Don’t stop at recently made movies or the ones on your Netflix recommended watches. Dig into the history of your genre via older films from the fifties and earlier. Many of these films, with The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Nosferatu, The Haunting, and Repulsion, to name a few, have inspired me. Do your own research and compile a list that includes your personal notes from each film. One analysis sheet I have found that works will be linked below!

If television is your jam, you too can be inspired by the shows you binge. Shows that have inspired me with shows such as, The Haunting of Hill House/Bye Manor, Goosebumps: The Haunting Hour, and Euphoria. I will also link analysis sheets for television below.

Once you have analyzed all your favorite, films, novels, and television shows, it’s off to the races. I recommend outlining your short story if you are a planner.

If you are a pantser, or, “a writer that likes to ride by the seat of their pants.” Listen to a great soundtrack that will inspire you as you write. We can find those in the post, Write and Rhythm, which will also be linked below.

It is also key your environment is instrumental to the creation of your story. As my favorite author, Gillian Flynn does, move out if your bedroom is not doing it for you. She writes in a creepy basement in her house where her dark thoughts can flow freely. I’m not saying to find a hole to write in. What I am saying is to find a place that inspires you. Whether that be by a creek, on your roof, or in a busy coffee shop. Do yourself a favor and go there when you write.

I am a visual person, so I do not need such locations to write because my story is playing like a movie in my head. If this is not you, find your proper environment where your thoughts can flow freely!

Finally, I recommend you find your favorite medium for writing. If that’s free hand, write on paper, then copy what you wrote digitally with apps that will take pictures of your work and convert it to text.

If it is a typewriter, I want to hear you click-clacking away at it till you come up with a story YOU are proud of.

If it is simply typing on a keyboard. You are like the majority. If my handwriting was legible or if I had a typewriter, this might be different. However, for now, I am stuck with my keyboard. Which isn’t that bad. Especially if you add a sound pack such as the one I have that emulates the sound of a typewriter. I will also provide a link for this below!

I hope all of this has helped you to become your own writer with your own writing style that is unique to your personality. As is mine. If any of this has helped you, let me know. If you have questions, hit me up.

- Till next time.

- Matt Gorrell

Analysis papers (Courtesy of Abbie Emmons)

For a movie/book: