Think about writing a story. A horror story in particular. The suspense, the tension, the way everything comes together at the end…
Believe it or not, those same storytelling tricks can help you ace your General Education Development (GED) writing. Just like a good horror story pulls readers in and keeps them hooked, a well-structured essay guides your reader through your ideas in a clear, engaging way. Try to take some time to study how a horror story builds suspense and resolves conflicts; you’ll learn how to organize your thoughts, present your argument, and wrap everything up smoothly.
Not sure where to start? No worries, keep reading, and we’ll tell you all about how to use horror writing techniques to sharpen your essay skills and boost your GED score.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), people with a GED earn 9,620 (USD) more annually than those without one.
Let’s sharpen our pens!
Organizing Ideas for GED Writing
Both horror stories and essays need to have ideas organized in a logical and engaging way. Horror writers build suspense by pacing the story, withholding just enough information to keep readers on edge, and slowly revealing critical details.
This isn’t that different from writing an essay; you need to progressively introduce your ideas in an essay, too. A strong thesis statement and clear topic sentences act like the suspense in a horror story and guide the reader through the argument, one step at a time.
Just like a horror novel starts with a gripping setup (or at least a good one does), an essay should open with a strong hook that will catch the reader’s attention and set the stage for your main point.
As the essay goes on, you should gradually introduce evidence to keep the reader engaged and invested in your argument.
According to a study conducted by ACT Inc., 64% of GED recipients who aim to enroll in college report that the writing section of the GED was the most challenging part. This data suggests that storytelling techniques may help improve essay scores and increase the likelihood of them being accepted into a college by 25%.
So, you see, understanding how to write a horror novel can teach you a lot about how to write a compelling essay (regardless of which topic you’re going to cover).
3 Methods on How to Create a Well-Structured Argument
For both horror stories and essays, the core is in how well the conflict is introduced, developed, and resolved.
Horror stories rely on escalating tension and conflict to drive the plot forward, and a well-structured essay uses a clear thesis and supporting evidence to build a convincing argument.
Here’s how the structure of horror storytelling can help you present your thesis, support the evidence, and resolve your argument.
1. Introducing Conflict in the Thesis
In horror writing, the writer usually introduces the main conflict early on to give the readers a clear sense of the stakes.
A monster lurking in the shadows, a character dealing with their own internal fears… The conflict is what sets the tone for everything that follows.
For essays, your main conflict is the thesis; you should introduce it clearly at the beginning of the essay to let the reader know exactly what the argument is.
A strong thesis sets the stage for evidence and reasoning that comes after and lets the reader know what to expect from the rest of the essay.
2. Supporting Your Argument with Evidence
Horror stories escalate conflicts to build tension; similarly, essays need to build their arguments by presenting evidence.
In a horror novel, characters face challenges that get more intense as the story goes on, and in an essay, each paragraph needs to introduce a new piece of evidence or a point that strengthens your argument.
Start with the basics and gradually introduce more complex or compelling evidence, just like a horror story slowly reveals its terrifying truths. It might seem like too much, but actually, this escalation keeps your argument dynamic, engaging, and helps you develop a stronger case overall.
3. Resolving Conflict in the Conclusion
For horror stories, the resolution is where the conflict is finally addressed – whether it’s a triumph or tragedy. The story reaches its climax and all loose ends get tied up.
It’s the same for the conclusion of your essay; you wrap up your main argument and you resolve the conflict you presented in the thesis. But instead of just restating the thesis, a strong conclusion will summarize all key points of the essay and show how they come together to support your general argument.
The end of the horror story gives the reader a sense of closure, and the conclusion of an essay should leave your reader satisfied that you’ve fully addressed and resolved the argument.
Conclusion
Writing a horror story and an essay might seem like two different things, but when you break them down, they follow similar rules.
Just like in a great horror story, an essay that’s well-written will keep the reader hooked; it will build tension, present challenges, and resolve conflicts. The storytelling techniques you find in horror stories can really change the way you handle writing for GED, help you organize your thoughts, develop a stronger argument, and create a conclusion that leaves an impact.
Borrow some stuff from the art of horror and you’ll see that your writing will be more engaging and, in the end, more successful.