Marcus Kliewer on Reddit horror, stop-motion, and the origins of We Used to Live Here

# What this episode covers

# How Kliewer's background informs his work

The conversation opens with Kliewer describing early life lessons and how they shaped his relationship with horror. The discussion then traces first horror movies he watched and the effect those had on his tastes. Religion and upbringing appear as part of the personal context that feeds into certain thematic concerns, including Christian horror and spiritual tension in fiction.

# Storytelling on Reddit

Kliewer talks specifically about writing horror stories for Reddit. The episode timestamps indicate a focused segment on this topic. The conversation addresses how the Reddit environment — short-form, immediate reader feedback, and community norms — influences story length, structure, and hooks. Kliewer's remarks offer practical implications for writers who use social platforms to test or serialize short horror.

# Stop-motion animation and visual thinking

# The story behind We Used to Live Here

We Used to Live Here is a focal point in the latter part of the episode. Kliewer explains the genesis of the collection and situates it alongside his other notable work, The Caretaker. There's also a mention of his New York Times bestselling status and the release of an audiobook short-story collection, Please Remain Seated. The host and guest examine how individual stories assemble into a collection and what themes thread through the book.

# Episode structure and resources

# Practical takeaways for writers and readers

• If you write for Reddit or similar communities, expect immediate audience reactions to shape both format and content decisions.
• Thinking visually — as with stop-motion sensibilities — can change how you render atmosphere and scene detail in prose. Short, vivid beats translate well to platforms where immediate engagement is required.
• Collections like We Used to Live Here are presented as cumulative: individual story choices determine overall tone and reader experience.

# Where to find the episode and follow-ups

The episode is available through This Is Horror's podcast channels. The show notes provide links to listen on Apple, Spotify, and to the video version on YouTube. Social handles and ways to support the podcast are listed on the episode page.