Before abandoning plot, you should understand its workings intricately, so that you break the rules for a reason. Plotting is a good, traditional way to drive a story, but sometimes a train of thought or emotion works more effectively as a narrative drive. Before you try this technique, study similar stories first, and be disciplined. Make sure that every line you write has a purpose within the story. Even the mood must be there for a reason.
Editors are tired of pretty stories, which sound clever but have no genuine content.
If you can create a mood which means something, and which reflects the conflicts within your central character, your story will be successful, and could sell. H orror fiction is one of the most interesting and demanding areas of writing in the nineties. Beneath your own surface, you may find a richness of spirit that will bring your work to life. The Third Alternative , edited by Andy Cox, is probably the best new slipstream magazine, specialising in borderline horror and heightened realism. Single issue 2.50.