Can you tell a scary story in just one page? Sounds simple, right? Much easier than filling 120 pages of fully fleshed-out characters with impactful arcs. Think again. The minuscule page count can make the task much more difficult. Lucky for you, I have some tips to help you craft the perfect one-pager just in time for Season 7 of the Killer Shorts Horror Short Screenplay Competition.
Less is More
You have limited space, so you need to get right to the point, and there are a couple of ways to do this:
- Use sluglines to your advantage. This may seem like common sense, but I cannot tell you how many times I read scripts that don’t do this. INT. BASEMENT – DAY eliminates the need to waste precious space in your action lines. No need to repeat that we are in a basement because the slugline tells us we’re already there.
- If you must describe the basement, try using single words. This isn’t the place to get all fanciful with your flowery writing. You need to make each word count. The same thing goes for character description. You can even get away without any at all, or use action to get us to understand the mindset/state of your character. For one-page purposes, which example below reads better?
Choose Your Words Wisely
Piggybacking on the tip above, although you want to avoid the flowery writing that can eat up space, you still need to paint a vivid picture. When writing horror, tone is crucial, this is especially true for a single page. So choose words that evoke unsettling emotions and create tension. Look at the example below. Which one does a better job of setting the tone?
Furthermore, cut any words that won’t derail the story if you omit them; ‘and, is, an, in, & the‘ are common offenders.
Write What Scares You
Do werewolves keep you up at night? What about the thought of being forced to watch the love of your life get burned alive? Spiders? Being kidnapped? It doesn’t really matter what scares you, or even if it’s not traditionally horror. If it scares you, chances are it will scare others, too.
Season 6’s Top 10 Finalist, BABY MONITOR, did just that. In passing, babies and baby monitors don’t sound scary in the least, but the thought of your child disappearing? Terrifying. Upping the stakes by making your child visible on a baby monitor, but simultaneously nowhere to be found, gives you a spine-tingling horror story. If you’re scared, it will come out on the page. Trust me.
Since you have minimal space to make a maximum impact, try to focus on the core of what and why it scares you; a snippet of a horrifying scene that could expand into a feature or stand on its own.
Unique Concept
I’m not saying to create a brand new monster or sub-genre. (If you do, fantastic!) But don’t use the same old conventions and tropes. Take something that exists and put a new spin on it, or experiment with a wild idea. This is a great time to subvert expectations and blindside the judges with a truly unique twist, though a twist certainly isn’t necessary. This is a safe space; anything goes. Season 6’s Overall Winner is titled KEGEL. Let that sink in.
Join the Killer Shorts Discord
No, this isn’t a shameless plug. The Killer Shorts Discord is an excellent place to meet other genre writers, where you can discuss all things horror. Participate in Question of the Day, which is designed to help get those creative wheels turning and promote thoughtful discourse. They even host a weekly one-page challenge, a great way to practice compact and effective writing and get free feedback from peers. Plus, you can win a free entry into the one-page contest!
Closing Thoughts
That’ll do it, some tangible tips to help sharpen your skills and write a terrifying tiny tale. The most important thing to remember is to have fun with it. Experiment. Challenge yourself to let your nightmares unfold onto a single page. Who knows, it could lead to some big opportunities.
Want to take a stab at winning some amazing prizes from Killer Shorts, including $500 and a sick skull-shaped trophy? Submit your 1-page horror short directly through the Killer Shorts website, where you can find award-winning examples of these micro horrors, or via FilmFreeway and Network ISA. Looking for feedback? Check out our short script feedback.
