: Re: How to creep the reader out with what seems like a normal person? The person in question, though this is yet unknown, is not actually a person. Instead, they are some form of eldritch being

In addition to what others have mentioned, I think you can achieve a lot with creepy oddities about the face.

Eyes

Not blinking (or less frequently, the eldritch probably realizes this is something people do)
Looking at you straight without having the eyes dart around
Lack of reflection
The eyes show up weird in photographs (i.e. they always have red eyes)
The pupils don't adjust to brightness, or are always too wide/small as if they were on drugs
The iris is of inconsistent color (every time you look at them you go, "I could have sworn they had blue eyes")
The eyes don't change to match their apparent emotions.

Nose

A tendency to flare their nostrils (sniffing, breathing, or in reaction to something)
Weird sounds when breathing
Or alternatively, breathing is completely silent, which (breathing generally being quiet) only seems weird by the complete absence of noise

Mouth / Speech

Hardly opening their lips when speaking (like a really good ventriloquist)
The shape of the mouth is subtly "wrong" (too wide etc.)
No smiling. In general, the shape of their mouth doesn't change to match their apparent emotions.
You hardly ever see their teeth or tongue (even when they're eating something)
When you do see the teeth, there's something subtly wrong (teeth too straight, an unnatural gleam, etc.)
They don't show the mannerisms other people do: licking or nibbling their lips, gulping, or even yawning.
No stumbling over words, pauses looking for words, etc. Each sentence sounds like from a written speech. (But they may take breaks between sentences to construct the next one.)
Their laughter always sounds the exact same way

Load Full (0)

: Is there a writing software that you can sort scenes like slides in PowerPoint? I generally use PowerPoint for outlining my scenes (prose, not script). I put a general description of what the

@Michele605

Load Full 5 Comments

: Is it ok to use long footnotes? In my text, I have a footnote (6 or 7 lines) that is meant to be an extra insight. It does seem, however, to be a bit large for a footnote. On the other

@Michele605

Load Full 1 Comments

: Lovesick Character Distracting Readers How do you show that a character is suffering from lovesickness in a story plot, but not distract the reader from the actual main plot of the story?

@Michele605

Load Full 4 Comments

: A "sequel" that takes place during the events of its predecessor is called a midquel (or more precisely, an "intraquel"). In your case, only the first 25% of your second book is intraquel,

: Re: How to creep the reader out with what seems like a normal person? The person in question, though this is yet unknown, is not actually a person. Instead, they are some form of eldritch being

More posts by @Michele605

: Is there a writing software that you can sort scenes like slides in PowerPoint? I generally use PowerPoint for outlining my scenes (prose, not script). I put a general description of what the

: Is it ok to use long footnotes? In my text, I have a footnote (6 or 7 lines) that is meant to be an extra insight. It does seem, however, to be a bit large for a footnote. On the other

: Lovesick Character Distracting Readers How do you show that a character is suffering from lovesickness in a story plot, but not distract the reader from the actual main plot of the story?

: A "sequel" that takes place during the events of its predecessor is called a midquel (or more precisely, an "intraquel"). In your case, only the first 25% of your second book is intraquel,

Login to post a comment!

0 Comments

Back to top