A Trip to Horror World

Horror world is run by Nanci Kalanta (Remember her?). It clearly states on the front page that it's horror's #1 community on the web and it has won awards to prove it. Horror World is primarily a message board where people can have conversations with other people who love horror as well as many authors of horror. In fact many horror authors and some publishers have their own message boards where you can write to them directly.

Do you have a favorite author or someone you're interested in? Chances are he or she has a message board dedicated to them. The best way to find out it to click on the links at the upper right hand side of the page: Mass Market and Independant Press. Got a favorite publisher? Maybe you can find them under Publishers. Or you could jump the gun and click on the links I've provided here. Just be sure to come back and finish this post later.

About Message Boards

Have you ever joined a message board? If not, keep reading. Those of you who've done this plenty of time, feel free to skip this part.

First you'll want to register. There is a link to register on the left hand side towards the middle. Register is the first option presented. Click on the link and it takes you to the page: Horror World - Registration Agreement Terms which is basically the rules of conduct. Don't be rude or an idiot. It also uses cookies so your computer may have to be set up to accept cookies in order to register. Once you agree to the terms, you're sent to a page where you fill out some information.

On the profile page you put in your information. That includes making up a username and a password. You can add more information such as the URL to your website, your e-mail address or your handles on various chat and Instant message modes or you can leave them all blank. You can even go back in and edit stuff later.

The e-mail is kept private. If I wanted to e-mail, say Nanci, instead of getting her e-mail address, I get a message page where I can put my missive and a button to send it off to her. It shows up in her e-mail account but I never had access to the address. Clever, no?

What's in a Name?

The profile page asks you to make up a user name and a password. May I make a few suggestions. You should consider using your name as a username. If, however, you like to use a handle like I do, think about including your name in the signature. I do. My username is Greg the Undead Rat. I haven't used it much because I'm kinda shy.

Why use my real name? The internet draws a lot of crazy people and message boards seem to be a Mecca for crazy people and people looking for a flight (called a flame war in internet parlance). Unfortunately message boards dedicated to horror literature and visited by horror authors tend to get the meanest and the craziest of the lot. Many authors have been burned badly in such wars. Signing your post with a name is not only polite but it gives ownership to the comment. It also allows readers and responders to begin to trust you. Hiding behind a made up handle tends to inhibit trust and hiding behind Anymonous is much worse.

Try user names like Greg Fisher (the Horror World message boards do allow spaces in the usernames) or GregFisher, Gfisher, GregF, or GregoryF. As I wrote, I use Greg the Undead Rat but I always sign inside my post --Gregory "The Undead Rat" Fisher so that they know who is talking to them.

The Grand Finish

Once you've registered, you can look at the message boards and see what people are talking about. Already from just reading the boards I found out what Gary Braunbeck's next book will be about and one way he tackles writer's block. Now I can drop Teri A. Jacobs a message "Hello" and let her know that I really love reading The Void. Intrigued? Give it a try.

Next time I'll write about some of the other features of Horror World.


(Originally Posted in . . . With Intent to Commit Horror.)