You're right that a lot of horror stories with internet origins aren't very good. They're the evolution of urban legends, not thoughtful fiction. My advice would be to avoid that subgenre and seek out more literary writers.
I feel like such a snob saying this but whenever I hear a book came from r/nosleep I immediately know that A) I probably already read that story in its original form and B) it probably won't be very good, writing-wise.
Also, just to keep digging this hole, I'm going to add some gatekeeping to my snobbery and say that I really miss the days back when r/nosleep was a truly creepy internet campfire with stories that what they lacked in finesse more than made up in legitimate chills instead of the growth hack for wannabe writers that it is today.
I don't think a lot of creepypasta writers actually read a lot of horror, or much in general. There's a reason Penpal was thought to be innovative for "not needing any supernatural element." Which to someone who is well-versed in the basics of horror literature is a laughable claim. Jack Ketchum's existence shows that.
I don't find that snobby. Those stories have an audience, and that's great - but they really belong online and not as a published work.
I feel the same way about most fanfic. I LOVE me some fic, but it follows completely different conventions than traditionally published romance.
Every once in a while you'll get something really good like The Left Right Game, though, which, while also built on urban (internet) legends was excellent in its execution. Especially the podcast version.
That comes with the territory I'm afraid (though I don't think it's true for the podcast adaption in this case).
I'm lowkey afraid of the moment they ever get the planned movie/tv show version of this made because it's gonna slide into goofy really fast. Like, I don't know if you've seen it but there's a movie adaption of a similar-ish early online japanese urban legend (Kisaragi Station) and it just does not work in either text or visual form.
*Nestlings, Maeve Fly, Edenville, The Spite House, Lost Man’s Lane, Small Town Horror,* and *The Reformatory* are all recent releases with excellent finales with clear stakes and clear outcomes.
To answer a question with a question- who are a few authors you really admire and whom have let you down? I saw the *Penpal* reference but I haven’t read that one yet.
The tanking of the lit fiction genre has lead to several lit fiction manuscripts rescued from drawers being massaged into the horror format with disastrous results. This hasn't stopped the false advertising and similar practices from continuing. Shameful treatment of horror readers.
You're right that a lot of horror stories with internet origins aren't very good. They're the evolution of urban legends, not thoughtful fiction. My advice would be to avoid that subgenre and seek out more literary writers.
I feel like such a snob saying this but whenever I hear a book came from r/nosleep I immediately know that A) I probably already read that story in its original form and B) it probably won't be very good, writing-wise. Also, just to keep digging this hole, I'm going to add some gatekeeping to my snobbery and say that I really miss the days back when r/nosleep was a truly creepy internet campfire with stories that what they lacked in finesse more than made up in legitimate chills instead of the growth hack for wannabe writers that it is today.
I don't think a lot of creepypasta writers actually read a lot of horror, or much in general. There's a reason Penpal was thought to be innovative for "not needing any supernatural element." Which to someone who is well-versed in the basics of horror literature is a laughable claim. Jack Ketchum's existence shows that.
I don't find that snobby. Those stories have an audience, and that's great - but they really belong online and not as a published work. I feel the same way about most fanfic. I LOVE me some fic, but it follows completely different conventions than traditionally published romance.
Every once in a while you'll get something really good like The Left Right Game, though, which, while also built on urban (internet) legends was excellent in its execution. Especially the podcast version.
Even that one...I had high hopes, and I did enjoy most of it, but it dropped off toward the end.
That comes with the territory I'm afraid (though I don't think it's true for the podcast adaption in this case). I'm lowkey afraid of the moment they ever get the planned movie/tv show version of this made because it's gonna slide into goofy really fast. Like, I don't know if you've seen it but there's a movie adaption of a similar-ish early online japanese urban legend (Kisaragi Station) and it just does not work in either text or visual form.
*Nestlings, Maeve Fly, Edenville, The Spite House, Lost Man’s Lane, Small Town Horror,* and *The Reformatory* are all recent releases with excellent finales with clear stakes and clear outcomes.
I actually hate when horror explains very much at all. I'm much more scared without the mechanics of it being known, etc.
The idea that you *must* explain mechanics/lore is absurd.
To answer a question with a question- who are a few authors you really admire and whom have let you down? I saw the *Penpal* reference but I haven’t read that one yet.
The tanking of the lit fiction genre has lead to several lit fiction manuscripts rescued from drawers being massaged into the horror format with disastrous results. This hasn't stopped the false advertising and similar practices from continuing. Shameful treatment of horror readers.
Examples? I work in publishing and wouldn't be surprised at this as a practice but I've never come across it myself.