Contents (view Concise Listing)

• 1 • The Editor's Foreword: "Certain of What We Do Not See" • essay by J. N. Williamson
• 7 • Introduction: How to Write Horribly for Fun and Profit • essay by Robert Bloch
• 11 • Run Fast, Stand Still; or, The Thing at the Top of the Stairs; or, New Ghosts from Old Minds • essay by Ray Bradbury
• 20 • Plotting as Your Power Source • essay by J. N. Williamson
• 28 • Reality and the Waking Nightmare: Setting and Character in Horror Fiction • essay by Mort Castle
• 35 • One View: Creating Character in Fantasy and Horror Fiction • essay by Steve Rasnic Tem
• 42 • "Oh, Just Call Me Cuthbert": The Naming Game • essay by Thomas Millstead
• 46 • Involving Your Reader from the Start • essay by William F. Nolan
• 51 • Freedom of Originality in Fantastic Fiction — and How to Use It • essay by James Kisner
• 56 • Creating Fantasy Folk • essay by Ardath Mayhar
• 59 • Keeping the Reader on the Edge of His Seat • essay by Dean R. Koontz
• 64 • Stepping Into the Shadows • essay by Charles L. Grant
• 67 • Innocence and Terror — The Heart of Horror • essay by Robert R. McCammon
• 71 • World Building in Horror, Occult , and Fantasy Writing • essay by Marion Zimmer Bradley
• 77 • Sword and Sorcery, Dragon and Princess • essay by Darrell Schweitzer
• 82 • Science Fiction: Hard Science and Hard Conflict • essay by Michael A. Banks
• 88 • Researching Science Fantasy • essay by Sharon Baker
• 96 • Avoiding What's Been Done to Death • essay by Ramsey Campbell
• 101 • Why Novels of Fear Must Do More Than Frighten • essay by Dean R. Koontz
• 106 • The Supernatural? Naturally! • essay by J. N. Williamson
• 112 • Sexist Stereotypes and Archetypes: What to Do with Them / What the Writing Woman Can Hope For • essay by Jeannette M. Hopper
• 120 • "They Laughed When I Howled at the Moon" • essay by Richard Christian Matheson
• 124 • The Psychology of Horror and Fantasy Fiction • essay by Katherine Ramsland [as by Katherine Ramsland, Ph.D.]
• 131 • Fantasy and Faculty X • essay by Colin Wilson
• 140 • A "Do" List for Getting Your Literary Agent • essay by Mary T. Williamson
• 147 • Putting It on the Editor's Desk • essay by Alan Rodgers
• 151 • The Mechanics and Mystique of Submitting Your Novel • essay by Pat LoBrutto [as by Patrick LoBrutto]
• 156 • Darkness Absolute: The Standards of Excellence in Horror Fiction • essay by Douglas E. Winter
• 165 • Overview of Horror, SF and Fantasy: A Long-Range Market Study • essay by Janet Fox
• 177 • Contributors to This Book (How to Write Tales of Horror, Fantasy & Science Fiction) • essay by uncredited
• 186 • The Top Ten "Favorites" List — in Horror, Fantasy, & SF — (Novels and Short Stories) • essay by uncredited
• 206 • Recommended Reading Library of Horror, Fantasy and Science Fiction • essay by J. N. Williamson