I'd never heard the term "Splatterpunk" before. Sounds like the idea would be to use graphic descriptions of torture and death... Not sure why that's necessary? Why is this even a distinct sub - genre? I've read a number of horror novels with gory descriptions, but I never considered there to be a sub - genre at work...
As "Steampunk" is sci-fi using steam era technology, "Splatterpunk" must be sci-fi using splatter technology?
Splatter is not so much horror as horrible. Gore is a bore (both the politician and the bloody entrails). Good horror reaches into the primal fears and stirs them until they rise like a masterfully crafted souffle.
With regard to the OP's question, doing splatter in words is harder than on film. You need to create a greater feeling of contrast between the "ordinary" and the sudden outbursts of extreme violence. Otherwise the horror described in words will quickly lose its impact. Resist the urge to use jump frights. They won't work as well in a novel. The creep factor, the unease, still has to be built up just as in any horror novel, but you simply go much further in the sensory elements in your description and narration. One advantage you have over film is the ability to describe the thoughts and feelings of the victims while film is limited to screams and gore.
Hmmm, a new word. The first I heard of SteamPunk was when I saw a bunch of people going to a SteamPunk CosPlay at a convention center in a hotel I was in. From Google: But I'm with @Cogito on this one. Stuff like this is more atrocious than scary: Spoiler: Hidden because some people won't want to see this.
