“But I Don’t Like Horror…”

I recently posted a silly video on Instagram and ended up asking those who don’t typically like horror why they don’t consume horror media. 

I was surprised that, aside from the standard “I’m too easily frightened,” responses, a lot of people were saying, “I don’t like horror, BUT I do like,” and then naming a subgenre of horror.

It’s the end of 2024, nearly the beginning of 2025, and the general perception of horror is still largely based on the primarily 80s idea that horror = slasher/gore.

I’m here to tell you that yes, all slasher movies/books are horror, but not all horror movies/books are slashers. 

What I’m seeing is that people feel there’s some sort of gate they need to pass through to be considered a horror fan; people think that they need to enjoy the blood and guts and sadism of a 

killer to enjoy horror. That’s just not true. Horror is varied and nuanced. Thrillers are horror. Psychological thrillers are horror. Monster stories, paranormal stories, supernatural stories — horror. Of course there are exceptions. If the story/plot is largely positive (no harsh or difficult decisions or emotions), its title as “horror” gets a little blurry. Maybe we can call that bizarro 

(although I’m sure there’s a more nuanced definition for bizarro as a genre, too).

Bottom line: you don’t have to like every subgenre of horror to enjoy it as a whole. 

I’m convinced that there is horror media out there for everyone. You like ghosts? Boom. You like monsters? Yes. High stakes, sci-fi? Oh, you betcha. 

I want to challenge you today to look for horror you might enjoy, even if you think you typically don’t like horror. 

Email me! Connect with me on Instagram! Look up lists of movies and books! 

I’m sure we can find you something that will make you say, “Oh, I get it! This is why people like horror!”