Oct. 29, 2025

Middle Grade Horror with Author John Ward

Middle Grade Horror with Author John Ward

In this episode of Killer Prose, Tanner sits down with John Ward, author of the Scareville series, to discuss the nuances of writing middle-grade and adult horror. John shares his journey into writing, including early influences like Goosebumps, his writing process, and how he approaches crafting horror stories for younger audiences. They get into the challenges of transitioning between middle-grade and adult horror, the importance of updating horror for modern audiences, and practical advice for new writers. The episode also covers John's new projects, including his upcoming adult horror novel, 'Black and Heart, Black and Soul.'

Then, Tanner provides updates on creating a writer's community, moving live writing sprints to Discord, and his own experiences with using dictation to enhance productivity.

00:00 Happy Halloween and Introduction

01:07 Meet John Ward: Middle Grade Horror Author

01:25 John Ward's Writing Journey

03:21 Crafting Middle Grade Horror

05:06 Challenges and Insights in Writing for Young Audiences

12:05 Transitioning to Adult Horror

16:41 The Importance of Book Covers

24:30 John Ward's Upcoming Projects

25:34 Advice for Aspiring Horror Writers

26:28 Tanner's Writing and Show Updates

Connect with John and find his boks at https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0BZBG9DQN?ccs_id=4f6c145e-5a67-4996-8ee7-1e7534f1e303

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