It Came From the Shelves... There Is Something Strange About My Brain!
Welcome to the first of our tried-and-tested series, where we recommend books (and other media) from the Hex Libris stacks.
We're starting with a bit of a fun one: R.L Stine's There Is Something Strange About My Brain!: Writing Horror for Kids.
A condensed version of Stine's Masterclass (which you may or may not be able to watch for free with a 30-day trial...), aside from the nostalgia kick for horror fans (I was grinning from ear to ear and devoured this in one sitting), it's a quick and punchy read that cuts straight to its many transferable points.
Image: Erudition
Reader, Beware…
However, before we touch on these, the caveat for this recommendation is that the book is extremely bare bones.
Around one third of its page count consists of blank pages with singular writing prompts, with another third dedicated to examples of Stine's initial drafting and editing process.
The fact that the book doesn't offer cover-to-cover writing advice is a tad misleading, especially at that price point (nearly £20), but the writing exercises do present a creative approach that encourages you to practically put pen to page (more so than any other guidance book I've read on writing).
The actual writing advice is whittled down to 62 tips and tricks (often just a few paragraphs), but it's precisely the book's lean structure and simple focus, peppered with comical and constructive anecdotes from Stine's long career, that make it a worthy addition to the shelves.
Whether you write horror or write about horror, Stine's (strange) brain is definitely worth picking. My top three takeaways:
Reference
First and foremost, fiction writers are of course going to get the most out of this. If you're new to writing, the constructive nature of the book, from the creative writing prompts to outlining examples from Stine's books (including editorial notes), steers you through each step without being bloated or overwhelming.
I particularly love the functional advice, such as starting with short stories before trying to outline a full book, and also how to ensure your project works as a standalone while simultaneously crafting the beats for a series.
Still, no matter where you are in your writing journey, dipping into the book is a fun way to refresh your approach to the craft. The combination of concise tips with Stine's simple writing style allows you freedom to integrate ideas into your own routine while making you think about your overall approach in that area, and the mini-workbook encourages you to step out of your comfort zone creatively.
Resource(ful)
While its merits for authors are more readily discernible, there are plenty of nuggets for non-fiction writers, from practical tips to enhance your productivity, to reflective questions that remind you why you started writing in the first place.
With a little imagination, the guidance can easily be applied to essays, encouraging you to think creatively about pacing, plotting, and Stine's staple cliffhanger.
The writing prompts are also an excellent way to fend off writer's block, try your hand at something new, or to simply write something for your own enjoyment (I know, A Shocker on Shock Street...).
Plus, the book has one of my favourite additions in a guidance book: further reading lists, as approved by Stine. This is a real treasure trove, including books on all aspects of writing for different genres and Stine's favourite literature (as well as which of his own books he recommends picking up).
Readability
No matter which horror camp you fall into, while completing your writing project is one feat, reaching readers is a completely different ball game.
Readability is key to ensure promotional writing is both clear and enjoyable to read.
To achieve this, copywriters often aim to write for year 7 (6th grade) reading ease; as There Is Something Strange About My Brain! is designed to craft stories for this age group, it's a brilliantly creative tool to help you write clear copy that resonates with your intended audience.
The End… or Is It?
In short, There Is Something Strange About My Brain! is a fun way to discover your writing style or wrench yourself out of a writing slump. (Plus, it's definitely one for the collectors!)
In Stine's words, maybe it "can help you enjoy your writing more." It helped me.
Simple, succinct, Stine. What more could you want?
It Came From the Shelves... rating: 3/5 Slappy's.
Pages: 204
Publisher: Erudition
Price: £17.99
Publication date: 2023
Welcome to Hex Libris — your accursed library!
Greetings, f(r)iends!!
Welcome to our revamped blog, Hex Libris!
It's been a hot minute since we last spoke. The time away has allowed us to focus and resurrect the blog — Hex Libris is your accursed library, a (horror-themed) resource to encourage mindful reading and help writers to build healthy, productive writing habits.
Like many of you in our HoL coven, we're not strangers to hustle culture; our tiny team works several jobs on top of our writing, editing, and artistic output.
Juggling calendars and commitments leaves us with very little time for ourselves. Especially time spent on self-care or creative projects (and their deadlines). Which, in the end, only adds fuel to the burnout fire.
Trying to keep the plates spinning for too long left me with a stress-induced speech disorder that affects every part of my life. On top of being a full-time carer with a day job, I've had to recalibrate my whole system, listen to my body, and make time to take as needed.
The deadlines, stress, and work will always be there.
Time, however, is fleeting. Memories and loved ones matter. Your wellbeing matters. You matter.
Healthy habits are a must to set protected boundaries for every part of your life, allowing you to be productive while enjoying the ride. And that's what this blog is designed to do.
Our aim here is twofold:
suggest ways to enhance and romanticise regular reading sprints (for both pleasure and research) — to encourage mindful reading as a part of your self-care routine.
offer tips and tricks to help you focus, enjoy, and build productive writing habits — to manifest your own writing ritual.
Each week, we'll touch on tools to help inspire, motivate, organise, and more — prompts to get you thinking practically about steps to take in your own journey.
To start, we've compiled several playlists on our YouTube channel sharing our fave ambience videos — all the spooky atmosphere your horror-filled heart could wish for.
Whether it's Halloween all year in your house, you fancy a night-time stroll through rain-dampened Victorian streets, or vintage spooky music is your vibe, there's a little bit of everything to help you romanticise, focus, and manifest.
We'll be adding to the ambience playlists on a regular basis — as well as videos sharing tips and tricks to help with productivity, organisation, mindfulness, and more! — so do let us know what content you want to see included!
Disclaimer: House of Leaves does not own the rights to the content in the playlists. All rights belong to the owners.
Please also shout out with any suggestions for the blog. Your accursed library is always open.
Thank you for reading. As ever, take care and stay spooky.
And if you could do me one last favour — do something for yourself today.
Your Accursed Librarian, Rebecca
