Well, spooky literary fiction can play with the reader's mind in a more complex way. It can leave things open to interpretation, like in 'Carmilla' where the relationship between the characters has a lot of ambiguity that adds to the spooky factor. Horror movies are more about the visceral reaction. They show blood, gore, and the monster chasing the victim. Literary fiction can be scarier in a way because it gets into your head and makes you think, while horror movies are more about the momentary shock.
Scary literary fiction often relies more on the power of words to create fear. It can build a sense of dread slowly through detailed descriptions. Horror movies, on the other hand, use visuals and sound to startle. For example, in a book, you might read a long passage about a haunted forest's dark and twisted trees, creating an image in your mind. In a movie, you'd see the trees and hear spooky music immediately.
Literary horror fiction often focuses more on psychological aspects. While other horror genres like slasher films or some pulp horror novels rely on gore and jump scares, literary horror delves deep into the characters' minds. For example, in 'The Yellow Wallpaper', the horror comes from the main character's mental breakdown. It's not about a monster chasing her but her own internal struggle.
Literary horror stories rely on words to create fear. They often use detailed descriptions of settings, characters' emotions, and the horror elements. For example, in a book, the author can spend paragraphs describing the eerie atmosphere of an old, decrepit mansion. In contrast, horror movies use visual and auditory effects. A movie might show a jump - scare with a loud noise and a sudden appearance of a monster. Also, readers of literary horror have more freedom to imagine the horror elements in their own way, while movie viewers are presented with a more fixed vision.
Horror stories often create suspense through the unknown and the supernatural. For example, in a haunted house story, the source of the spooky noises and apparitions is a mystery. Crime stories, on the other hand, create suspense by hiding the identity of the criminal or the details of the crime.
Literary nonfiction is based on real events and facts, while fiction is made up by the author's imagination.
Commercial fiction focuses more on entertainment and mass appeal, while literary fiction often emphasizes artistic expression. Commercial fiction usually follows popular trends, but literary fiction may be more experimental.
Gothic fiction typically emphasizes the setting and the brooding atmosphere. It might have elements of the supernatural but in a more subtle way. Horror, however, goes for direct thrills and scares, often with a focus on physical danger and monsters.
Paranormal fiction often focuses on the existence of supernatural elements like ghosts, vampires, or magic. It may not always be about scaring the reader. Horror fiction, on the other hand, is mainly about creating fear. For example, a paranormal fiction book might explore a vampire's love story, while a horror story about vampires would be more about their blood - thirsty and terrifying nature.
Modern literary fiction often has a more contemporary setting and deals with modern - day issues like technology and globalization, while classic literary fiction is set in earlier times and reflects the values and concerns of those eras.
Literary ghost stories often rely more on atmosphere and psychological tension. For example, in 'The Turn of the Screw', the ambiguity of whether the ghosts are real or just in the governess's mind creates a sense of unease. In contrast, modern horror movies tend to use more visual and auditory shocks, like sudden loud noises or gory images. Also, literary ghost stories usually have more complex language and deeper character development.