Writing Monsters

Monsters are more than things that go bump in the night.... Monsters are lurking in the woods beneath the waves and within our favorite books films and games--and there are good reasons why they appear so often. Monsters are manifestations of our fears and symbols of our society--not to mention they''re a lot of fun--but each should serve a purpose and enhance the themes and tension in your fiction.. In Writing Monsters best-selling author Philip Athans uses classic examples from books films and the world around us to explore what makes monsters memorable--and terrifying. You''ll learn what monsters can (and should) represent in your story and how to create monsters from the ground up.. Writing Monsters includes:. In-depth discussions of where monsters come from what they symbolize and how to best portray them in fictionInformative overviews of famous monsters archetypes and legendary creaturesA Monster Creation Form to help you create your monster from scratchAn annotated version of H.P. Lovecraft''s chilling story The Unnamable Whether you write fantasy science fiction or horror your vampires ghouls aliens and trolls need to be both compelling and meaningful. With Writing Monsters you can craft creatures that will wreak havoc in your stories and haunt your readers'' imaginations--and nightmares.