Meet the Wattpad Stars: Kelly Anne Blount
We’re featuring some of the best horror writers on Wattpad to get you ready for Halloween! Today’s interview is with scream queen Kelly Anne Blount. Kelly joined Wattpad in 2014 thanks to fellow Wattpad Star April Baker. “I never thought I would write horror [or] dark thriller books, but Apryl Baker inspired me to give Wattpad a try and write something new. My something new was Captured, a [young-adult] horror/thriller novel.”
Since then, Kelly’s breakout work Captured has gained 13 million reads on Wattpad and is available in print through Loewe Publishing House. Captured and Kelly’s follow-up Under have also been optioned for film.
In other words, Kelly’s time on Wattpad has been in itself quite thrilling. Here are her biggest tips for delivering scares and giving readers goosebumps:
Incorporate sensory details into your writing: You want your readers to feel like they are really there in the scene with your characters
Play on your deepest fears: Your fears will add authenticity to your writing
Read horror and dark thriller novels: Study writing techniques from your favourite authors and incorporate these techniques into your writing
Tension is everything: Don’t just go for the kill right away. Play with the scene and leave your readers wanting more!
While Kelly recommends reading horror to hone your craft, horror films are the last thing on her to-watch list: “Here’s a bombshell, I really struggle to watch scary movies! I can count the number of horror films I’ve watched over the past 10 years on one or two hands...People find it funny that I struggle to watch horror movies or read scary books, yet I write horror and dark thriller novels. I have come to the conclusion, thanks to the wisdom of friends and fans, that when I’m in control, I’m okay with writing terrifying content.”
When asked why she thought people were drawn to the horror thriller genre, Kelly had this to say: “I think everyone has a dark side and reading horror [or] thriller books allows them to explore that nefarious part of their mind. I [also] find that writing about terrifying events which could happen in real life tend to scare my readers the most.”
Kelly is currently reading Silence by fellow thriller writer Natasha Preston. You can follow her on Wattpad @kellyanneblount and purchase her works on Amazon, here.