Do you believe a writer's own horror characters can scare them?

Yes, it can. I know Stephen King has stated he's been frightened of some novels while writing them to the point of having nightmares.

Yes. When I was ten I wrote a story about two dolls that came to life at night and terrorized this little girl and her family. There were several nights that I had to sleep with the lights on. When I was nineteen I was writing a story that involved aliens. It wasn't horror, but the whole idea really bothered me and there were some theological concepts (not like "Prometheus") I didn't like to think about but on which the story was based. I started getting very anxious at night and eating less, having awful nightmares at night, and for about a month I was too anxious to sleep, I had insomnia. That was actually worse than being frightened of a character. At least fear of a character is limited to spaces that character can physically occupy (or what you imagine they can occupy), what they can do. In the second case, the idea bothered me so much and really seeped into my pysche, I dropped the concept. That was a couple years ago. I still don't know if I'm going to pick up that idea again.

I'll admit, first hand, I have written a few characters that deeply disturb me. They may not have any impact on my friends/family but they're personal and therefore, extremely frightening.

I believe well-written characters in a horror story should be synonymous to a phobia (fear of heights, spiders, etc) -- if they're frightening to not only their protagonist but the reader/writer as well, then they're three-dimensional, believable and ultimately terrifying.

I hope this helps!

Best wishes,

~Payam

Yes. It's like killing off your own characters can be just as gutting for a writer as well as the reader.

yeah because that is what happens to me. i created this monster called the nothing. and its kinda creepy thinking it could be real.

I have this one guy who scares the **** out of me

Yes it can why what happened, tell me, tellllllll meeeeeeee

Sometimes...