3 lessons we can ALL learn from horror

For me personally, there is little else that relaxes me more than darkness, death, and decay. I've always seen more beauty in the shades of autumn than the rebirth of spring. And winter itself is a quiet ecstasy in comparison to the discordant crescendo of summer.

While I can understand those of you anxiously shuffling towards the nearest exit, hold tight for a short while as I share 3 lessons that we can all learn from horror. It may be a less bumpy ride than you are expecting. Unless the lights suddenly go out.

1. Horror as a creative outlet

When I told my Dad I was starting to write horror stories, he asked how long a horror story has to be. Would it surprise you to know that a horror story can consist of just two lines in total?

The first line sets up the twist in the second line. Some examples that my Dad and I exchanged are below:

'She leered crookedly and limped towards me, slowly beckoning with a filthy fingernail.

Then the lights went out'.

'The surgeon counted the swabs - ten large and four small.

'One small one's missing!' he snapped at the theatre nurse, who swallowed before answering him'.

'Simon never felt that comfortable in his own skin.

He looks even less comfortable without it'.

And finally, one of my favourities that I came across recently thanks to Buzzfeed:

'We found your daughter," the officer said, drawing an X on the map.

And then he drew another, and another, and another, and another.'.

2. Home is where the horror is

There is a bit of a misconception that horror is akin to fantasy, I suppose the best way of putting it is 'it will never happen to me'. And that is the terrifying nature of horror. True horror exists not in some parrallel universe, but the everyday experiences that we all encounter.

Consider what your daily routine is and your interactions with others who you know and care about. It wouldn't take much for our curated safety to be superceded by the chaos of fear. All it takes is for a car accident, a plane crash, a violent assault, an unexplained disappearance, a hidden life coming to the fore.

So, what skeletons do you have in your closet? What about your loved ones, do you think they tell you everything? And if they did, would you want to hear it? Passersby in the street should be treated with caution - you never know when a minor infraction on your part can cause a shockwave, and an unexpected chain reaction of events.

3. Back to basics

Different genres of horror result in a spectrum themes that sometimes has crossover. For example:

• Apocalypse films usually result in a struggle to maintain basic survival needs.

• Slasher films often involve in the protagonist(s) trying to cover up some form of scandal.

• Gothic films typically involve a mix of fear and haunting.

Whether it be mental suffering or physical mutilation, it casts a shadow over our comfortable reality. This raises the question - what really matters in life? Sometimes we could all consider what truly matters to us. What we genuinely could or couldn't do without. And if we were on the verge of losing everything, what we would prioritise if we had to go back to basics.

Horror for me is very much a reality check. Perhaps it's a prepper mentality, but if - or rather, when - the zombie apocalypse happens, I know that I'll be ready for it. As we'll all be on the same road one day, my top tip is to get hold of a copy of Gardening for the Zombie Apocalypse before demand gets too high. And before it's too late.

Key takeaways

Lessons you can learn from horror:

• We all have creative instincts, so give a two line horror story a go.

• Darkness, death, and decay are closer than you think. There's no need to look for horror in fantasy, you only need to look as far as the everyday.

• Stay grounded, and be prepared in case the worst ever happens.

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