What Backrooms Teaches Authors About Storytelling

For Authors Every writer has experienced a book, movie, or TV show that lingers in their mind long after it’s over, not because of a clever plot twist or unforgettable ending, but because of the way it made them feel. That kind of emotional atmosphere can be difficult to create, yet when it’s done well it becomes one of the most powerful storytelling tools an author has. The creepy concept of the “Backrooms” has bounced around the internet for the last few years, with a recent YouTube series gaining so much traction that the teenager behind it was offered the chance to turn it into a movie. The film became a surprise hit, thanks to its unsettling sense of mystery that captivated audiences, even those who had never heard of the concept before. This week, Ginger explores the reasons the movie has become such a success so that we might be able to apply similar techniques to our own work. As he discovered, rather than relying on constant exposition or neatly answering every question, Backrooms succeeds by trusting its audience and committing fully to the mood at the heart of its story. Revealing only parts of character backstories, prioritizing atmosphere alongside plot, and leaving th...