How to Write Folk Horror

Folk horror draws upon the primal fears and folklore of rural settings, building up the tension between the natural world and human existence. What makes folk horror so distinctive is its connection to the land, often evoking a sense of dread from the deeply ingrained cultural practices or beliefs that have been passed down through generations. In this genre, nature itself can become an antagonist, indifferent and unforgiving, as characters are pulled into a world where an unknown terror lurks beneath the surface.

Although folk horror enjoyed a popular surge in the cinema of the 1960s and 70s, with movies like Witchfinder General (1968), The Blood on Satan’s Claw (1971) and The Wicker Man (1973), the recognition of it as a specific subgenre of horror is far more recent. And it’s enjoying a resurgence of popularity in fiction right now, so let’s look at the elements that make for a good folk horror story.

Setting

In folk horror, the setting is so important, and not just for creating atmosphere and mood. In the eerie quiet of a remote and rural landscape, nature can come alive. Wild, cruel, and bloodthirsty.

Because of the important connection of nature in the genre, rural settings are the typical choice. But the isolation of the setting is key. A remote island, a secluded forest, an isolated village, or even an underground cave. Somewhere that is hard to get into, and equally hard to escape from. Essentially, somewhere that no one will hear you scream.

But it’s not just hapless outsiders that find themselves isolated in the location. The setting is often isolated by design or choice, allowing the community living there to carry out their lives without much interference from the outside world.

Because of this isolation from wider society, these places often have a feeling of being locked in the past, as if your characters are stepping back in time. Even in a contemporary setting, there will be a strong sense of the links to the land’s previous use, and the ghosts that haunt it. But the quaint attraction of the setting’s simplicity quickly turns sinister. Transportation and communication tend to be difficult, with no modern assistance such as GPS, phone signal, or internet. No way of calling for help.

Treat your Setting like a Character

While you choose your location for the work it does in setting atmosphere, mood, and a sense of isolation, it must also play an active role in your story.

Folk horror thrives on a tight relationship between mankind and the natural world, and the terror grows from the dark undertones of this relationship. It might be the locals seeking a blood sacrifice to appease the spirits of the harvest, or it might be nature itself, seeking vengeance on the outsiders who upset the natural balance.

Perhaps, when your character attempts to escape a forest, a thick mist descends, or a storm rolls in as they attempt to flee an island. Maybe, while escaping across vast, desolate moorland, they somehow keep returning to where they started. They might even end up becoming part of the setting themselves; locked into a standing stone, tangled inside a tree, or becoming another ghost in the mist.

The idea of nature being sentient, ruthless, savage, of nature having a motive and an agenda of its own, is what gives it so much scope as a setting in folk horror. It’s active and manipulative. It’s dangerous, and it surrounds your characters entirely, stretching out for miles, standing between them and any hope of escape.

Plot Elements

Folk horror uses the occult as its main plot element: witchcraft, demonology, satan worship, human sacrifice, etc. And this is why the isolated setting is so important. Partly because the community can carry out these acts unseen, and away from the law and authorities, and partly because the community can stay away from the influence of wider society, creating a subculture where such acts are normal, accepted, and justified.

Folk horror plots often centre around a particular happening, celebration, rite, or ritual. This creates a sense of urgency, as the date draws closer. It also heightens the emotions of everyone involved, gradually building the tension as preparations continue. And the moment of the ritual gives the story its climax; will the protagonist end up as a human sacrifice or will they escape?

It also offers up some great worldbuilding opportunities for creating all the mechanics and traditions for the ritual itself. Because, even though the inspiration might come from real folk practices, folk horror tends to use rituals, and magic, and religions that have been fabricated by the author.

Characters and Tropes

The outsider: Your main character is going to be an outsider—and an unwelcome one, as all outsiders will be. They might be a journalist sent to research for a story, or a detective sent to investigate a disappearance or suspicious death. Either way, their interference will not be welcomed. Their morality from the outside world will clash against the morality in the isolated community. And, in most cases, their story will not end happily.

Love Interest: There is often someone who acts to seduce the main character into the community, or at least into staying long enough to become a sacrifice in the ritual. Someone who also acts as a distraction, to keep them from their original goal of investigating or escaping.

Creepy Children: This gives a stark contrast between the assumed innocence of youth, and the morally corrupt practices of the community. And there’s nothing more unsettling and scary than children doing monstrous things! It also gives the sense of perpetuation; of passing the culture and its traditions onto the next generation. A sense that the horror will never end.

Country Bumpkins: Folk horror often focuses around provincial or peasant characters, or at least those seen living a ‘simple’ life, which fits in with the historical feel of the setting. Of course, it’s a stereotype, and I wonder if we might see a slight shift in this, as it also plays into the idea of these people being less educated, which is why they cling to these outdated beliefs and practices.

Humans are the Real Monsters: We quickly discover the truly savage nature of people, and the violent and shocking acts they are capable of. It forces us to reflect on how thin the line is between civilisation and chaos, making us question what darkness exists within ourselves.

Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane: It might be that the things happening really are due to supernatural forces, that the monster really is an otherworldly monster. Or it might be that everything is actually the humans, simply wearing a monster’s mask.

The Ending

Folk horror is not a place to look if you like happy endings. It is common for nothing to be resolved. The main character is likely to either end up dead, or converted into the community. There is a sense that this horror will endure, on and on, with the community simply continuing with their morally corrupt behaviour and their violent traditions.

Endings in folk horror are unsettling with little sense of hope, reflecting the inescapable power of ancient forces, and suggesting that humanity is powerless against the relentless and indifferent will of nature or the weight of deeply rooted traditions that cannot be undone.