abandoned hospital description creative writing

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How to Write a Hospital Scene

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In a rush? Skip to part three…..

There are two different types of hospitals. Mental Hospital and the regular hospital we’ve all been in. For this scene in particular I will be focusing on the latter.

» A. Explain to your audience why the character(s) is in the hospital and whether or not it’s for them or a friend/family member.

I. What does the character bring and how long do they wait? Is it in the ER which is for emergencies or is in the regular waiting room. Please note: if someone was shot or given birth or the like, this person would get priority treatment in the ER.

II. Kids under the age of 18 would likely be on a pediatric ward. There are exceptions, for instance if the injuries sustained were severe enough to be in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) or possibly the step down unit. If they had to be revived but had no other injuries, they probably wouldn’t even be admitted to the hospital.

III. What happens in the waiting room, if anything? Are confessions made, friends met, someone arrested, or nothing because the person goes straight to a room? Any complaints made out of frustration or anguish?

IV. How is (whatever they are experiencing) affecting them? Were the character(s) on a adrenaline high after breaking their arm from falling off a motorcycle but now is feeling the pain? If so, have them scream in pain, cry, hit something, bit their lip, breath in and out hard. Let’s say they have a disease, then maybe they are praying, holding the hand of their loved one tight, closing their eyes, rocking back and forth in their chair, etc. If they are waiting for someone then maybe they do the same things as mentioned above.

Example 1: (Coming Soon).

» B. What do the doctors/ surgeons have to say? Anything good or all bad news? .

Note: The following can occur-

The doctor would say everything is okay and nothing needs to be done. Patient accepts and walks out. Maybe something minor is done like a cast for a sprain or a scan to check if any bones are broken. Even then, the character is fine and walks out free.
The doctor tells the patient everything is fine but the patient doesn’t believe them. They demand a second opinion or to be rechecked.
Doctor finds something wrong with the patient and character needs to stay in order to be diagnosed. Or leaves out the hospital with pills, in a wheel chair, or surgery schedule for something major (if that has not already occurred in the ER).

I. If the doctor finds nothing wrong with the character and the character agrees you can add the following in order to progress your story along: maybe a family member demands a recheck; or another doctor comes in with bad news of their own and apologizes that the other doctor almost missed the problem; a hug between the doctor and patient is given; or another problem is diagnosed that is not related to what your character came in to the hospital for.

II. If the character doesn’t believe the doctor; you can add the following: character becomes uncontrollable and becomes an endangerment to everyone around; therefore they are taken to a mental hospital; character continues to argue with doctor and if character is educated discuss why the doctor is wrong; character goes through another checkup to make sure they are free of anything. Maybe the results come back with something wrong.

NOTE: To be admitted into psychiatric care one has to meet a certain criteria. So the character could then be admitted after being in the hospital and after being assessed by a professional.

III. If something is found, then doctors may do even more checks with various devices such as MRI, ultrasound, EMG (for nerve tests), and so on. Be sure to identify the appropriate tests your character will take depending on their circumstance. Someone coming in for a cold will not need any scans unless the cold has lasted a month or several months. Maybe the patient has more symptoms than a cold and will get a test done. Don’t forget about blood tests.

Now, if something is found the doctor should tell the character how they will treat them and what are the next steps. Cancer has chemo therapy. Cysts and odd lumps has surgery and aspiration. Colds have medicine and a disease usually has pills. There is more to it than that, this is where you would have to do a bit more research.

Use this as a chance to bring multiple generations together. When a loved one is in crisis, usually their whole family unites, bringing a mix of personalities into the same place at the same time. The scene would flow naturally from there, based on the characters’ relationships to each other and primary motivations.

(Coming Soon).

» C.Emotions Cannot Be Ignored! !

I. It doesn’t matter what the doctor told your character, good or bad, what is your character feeling? As if a massive truck has been lifted from their shoulders when they found out their disease is curable.

II. If bad, what do they do, how are they feeling? Does the world stop, do they faint, do they become a statue. Now is the time to give you audience background about why your character took the news the way the did. Example:

III. What is promised to the character from the doctor? Usually a promise is made like, you will get better or it will not affect your work. Little promises that can mean a lot. So, have the doctor promise your character something that is important to your story. If your character is an athlete your doctor may promise him/her they will be able to play the sport again in a few short months. If your character is a singer and has laryngitis, the doctor may promise that even though their voice sounds like a pen scratching chalkboard now, she/her will be able to sing again. This promise is important because it gives the reader a since of the emotional aspect but also the technical aspect. Meaning, there is a cure for their problem. However, if the problem has no treatment then the doctor may promise them this: I will be with you along the way…. You still have a few short months to live… there is a cure being found in east Asia maybe in a few months they will allow me to use it on you.

Example 3: (Coming Soon).

Get into that atmosphere. Let it play a key roll in this scene. These examples will be primarily for the ER but can be used for others.

» A. Describe the room…

Low light on at all times, and there are cords hanging down for the nurses call button and the IV solutions.
An electronic machine sitting on a cart with odd wires leading from it,a privacy curtain hanging from a track on the ceiling.
The bedside table has several get well cards and a bouquet of flowers.
There is an aqua colored water glass with a bent straw in it, a half eaten tray of food with the big metal cover that was on the plate, and a telephone that doesn’t work.
Door is propped open, and nurses and orderlies walk by, their sensible shoes squeaking on the pristine tiles.
A TV hangs in the corner, tuned to the Reverend Bob H. Wells- who thinks you should write him a large check for a blessing- because the remote control is lost, and the TV is too high for the nurses to reach.
There are wires glued to the character’s chest and coming up through the neck of their hospital gown…the most embarrassing garment invented that has no back and lets every human know what the underwear look like.
The window has a mini blind on it, and a view of the roof of an adjoining building.
For those of you in a rush, here is some bits and pieces of What a Hospital Scene Will Contain:

» A. Entering the hospital:

Nurses trying to be helpful, directing you to where you would like to go.
The floor is shining clean, long corridors.
Signs in green saying EXIT.
Rooms with numbers on the doors.
Some doors are open and you can see the patient according to their situation, could be sleeping, visiting with a
relative, others with oxygen tubs applied at their noses.
At the Nurses Desk lots of laugh although the rule is of “Shhh”.
Nurses no longer wearing white starched uniforms neither white shoes or stocking go and come, many with dirty
tennis shoes, and instead of the uniform wear just regular half shirts .
The rooms could be private ( one patient in it) others could be semi-private ( two patients in one room)
Also it can be a Ward, meaning a long row of beds for a Charity Ward, this one is very sad to see.
If the doctors have the rounds they stop to check the chart of each patient.
When the person is bleeding or in with a heart attack they are taking immediately to the attention of the Physician on duty.
Describe the journey back home. Whether after a surgery or a general checkup.

» A. Leaving the doctors room, how does your character act?

I. Is their head hanging low from shame and sadness, head up high in pride and happiness? Hands clapped together for peace or in pockets for failure, remorse? Silent? Rejoicing to the high heavens?

II. Do they go home alone and if so where do they stop on the way? Are they so grateful for life that they say sorry to their mortal enemy. Do they go to a church to repent? Do they go home to do research on their problem? Do they call a friend? III. Maybe you can have the character speak to someone on the way out. Tell that person everything would be okay, or an update about their visit, or something to leave an imprint. Especially if a truck has been lifted off their shoulder. IV. Lastly, how is the news broken or given to their loved ones? In person? At the hospital where everyone gives a big hug of congratulations or sadness? Show who is important to your character and how they share the news with them. It will show a more-in-depth look at your character. The best way to understand anyone is when they are going through a crises. Show your audience who your character truly is and how they handle their news. Example 7: (No Example Added- but you can add one for your scene).

** !You might have to scroll down the textbox with your mouse!

coming soon

Chat Room [wise-chat]

6 thoughts on “ How to Write a Hospital Scene ”

I need this one to complete my book PLZ I need a outline

I will try to finish it by the end of this month, Amayah.

Hi! I can’t even begin to explain how AMAZINGLY HELPFUL this site is. I can use so many of these little pages; kidnaping for about 3-5 different stories of mine (also the starving one), the hospital one for the aftermath of the rescue. The “falling in love” one for young teenagers, and then the “first date” for two people who finally admit their feelings for each other.

I can use the funeral one for at least 2 stories. The dying, car crash, saying goodbye, flying, wedding, I mean this is like the best early Christmas present I’ve ever gotten. It’s all the help I need for my 12+ story in one place! I can’t believe I’ve only just now found this site, and I will DEFINITELY link it to my profile so my fellow readers can come and get help.

Thank you, thank you, thank you so much! Who’s ever idea this one to make this webpage is a genius! 🙂

Glad to be of help, Reagan! Happy Holidays 🙂

MMMM. That was nice. But it didn’t let me combine the test. Is okay tho, found this Super helpful!!! ten out of ten, will definitely use this again.

Very helpful. What about an example of paramedics bringing into the ER a seriously injured victim of, say, a car crash, where they have suffered multiple fractures and perhaps have some internal bleeding. What would be some of the things the paramedic would report to the ER team? Who would be present and what would they be doing and saying from the moment the paramedics roll the gurney into the ER, the handover to ER staff, and perhaps even the initial few minutes of care in the ER?

shadowblade New Member

Setting: mental asylum horror story.

Discussion in ' Setting Development ' started by shadowblade , Feb 3, 2021 .

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_3a0427517910e9feb34be6c74d62ba0d'); }); So, I’m currently deciding on a setting for my horror/fantasy story, and I think a mental asylum would work well. The thing is, I can’t find anything on google, safari, writing websites, reddit, and basically any writing forum on mental asylums. What I have in my mind is that they’re like prison-hospitals? I’m not sure if this is right, but do they go in to like an appointment every day to work on their mental health or something? What do they do the rest of the day? If you could help that would be absolutely amazing!

Madman Life is Sacred Contributor

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_3a0427517910e9feb34be6c74d62ba0d'); }); This all depends a lot on the timeframe. Mental hospitals aren't really the horror places that they might have used to be. At least not in my experience. They may also differ depending on what kind of patients they are equipped to handle. My experience(only a few years ago) was this: I had a room for myself, quiet a large one with a very large window and a bathroom with shower + toilet. I was in a wing of something like nine such rooms. We could close the door behind us, and only the caretakers could open it. We had television in our room and a large television in the wing. The wing had like a square outside area in the middle where people could get some fresh air(usually smoke cigarettes). We could go out into a closed courtyard to get some exercise, the facility also had a gym that you could book with a personal trainer. The facility was very modern and in good quality. Was there for about a month, but I could also come and go a little as I pleased, I was never locked in fully. I went to university at the time, and I could go to some of my classes. Everyone in the staff was very professional and friendly, despite me telling them some things about myself that were morally wrong. There were a lot of strange events that occurred during my stay, but I think most of them were due to me hallucinating. For example, two employees stood near me and talked about things I had done that they couldn't possibly know of. My fellow patients were never hostile towards me, but one patient had smashed a window during one night. Another patient told me he had destroyed his summer home. There were a lot of strange characters there, and I guess I was one of them. Had to call the caretakers one time as a fellow patient had fallen unconscious. What else... The facility was regularly cleaned and kept in a very nice condition. Security was tight, had to pass a metal detector and something like 5 keypad doors to get to my wing. 2 keypad doors to get to the courtyard. So, I would rate the whole thing 4/5. Minus one point due to strangeness... which was probably my brain's fault anyway... You can ask me pretty much anything you want about my experience there if you want. I can share in PM if something is too sensitive for the board. EDIT: During the day, I was mostly reading or watching television. I had some appointments with a psychiatrist and a psychologist. The only horror element probably comes from the patient's own mind. Oh.. and my username... hilariously prophetic... really, what the hell, universe?

alw86 Active Member

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_3a0427517910e9feb34be6c74d62ba0d'); }); If I google 'experiences in a mental asylum', I come up with quite a few potentially promising hits? One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest is the classic fiction and an excellent read, though outdated in practical terms. As @Madman says, asylums as they were (basically just a holding place for anyone who didn't fit into 'normal life', covering everything from Down's Syndrome to anxiety disorders) don't really exist any more. We know (and care) A LOT more about mental health and neurodivergent conditions than we once did, and consequently we treat each differently according to its needs, which means no more locking everybody up in a big house together and throwing away the key. Even for the most severe situations, where people would be unable to live independently in any way and struggle to communicate their most basic needs with the world, there is a general understanding in psychiatry that there is still a person in there. I'm not saying that this always leads to exemplary care, and there are still many tragic and horrifying stories about people with these conditions being subjected to appalling cruelty, but it's now recognised as cruelty rather than 'oh well they're lunatics, they don't matter anyway'. As a concrete example, directly behind my house there is a care home for people with extremely severe mental disabilities, people who will never be able to live alone or care for themselves in any meaningful capacity. I read the annual inspection report out of curiosity and was quite amazed at what is expected for a place like this. Every patient has their own room, and in it is a 'personality board', basically a notice board which displays their interests and things they like, even if it's just 'the colour yellow'. They also have a file which tells of their dislikes and medical and personal history in their room, and staff are expected to familiarise themselves with all of this. A sample of patients able to communicate in a rudimentary way were interviewed by the inspectors and asked questioned (in appropriate language) like 'do you feel the staff listen to your wants and needs', 'if you have a problem with your primary caregivers do you know how to make a complaint without going through them', and 'do you expect that you would be listened to if you did make such a complaint'. These are standard questions asked by the inspectors for all these types of institutions, and while I'm certain that in many cases they still fall short, the fact that they even exist shows you how far we've come from the 'mindless drooling lunatic' stereotype of yesteryear.

EFMingo A Modern Dinosaur Supporter Contributor

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_3a0427517910e9feb34be6c74d62ba0d'); }); If you want a few good contemporary personal narratives from inside mental health treatment centers (they aren't called asylums anymore) i would read Suzanne Scanlon's Promising Young Women (fiction) and Susannna Kaysen's Girl, Interrupted . Both are almost completely set inside mental health facilities and are built on an interesting cyclical plot structure that is meant to echo their fractured mental states. Very fast reads. You coild complete each in three hour stints. Valuable for what it actually feels like to live there. You could do horror there, but more on the psychological horror ghan anything else. It is a lot less of the zombies locked in a room sort of style than it used to be.

Dogberry's Watch Contributor Contributor Contest Winner 2022 Contest Winner 2023

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_3a0427517910e9feb34be6c74d62ba0d'); }); There's the classic One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest as another example of fiction, and it tends to be a bit on the darker side. My experience inside a mental health facility was not quite what others have described. The ones in my area are more for addicts and sometimes there are people with mental health issues. They're very understaffed, and the times I was there we didn't really have much structure. We were kind of left to our own distractions. The last one I visited had a particularly violent man (I'm not gonna go too far into what he did/said), and he picked fights with people. He had to be sedated most of the time. The staff we did have were usually friendly and did their best to keep the peace. I shared a room, and it had bathrooms that only locked from the outside, so you couldn't have a secure experience inside. One of the places had food delivered to us, and the other had a small cafeteria. Both had a big common area, and sometimes we were allowed outside. If you want a more historical look at asylums, I recommend looking up Penhurst or Waverly. Those places were for long term mental health patients in the past (as well as a few other functions over the course of history). But there are rumors that those places are haunted, too, so that might help you?

marshipan Contributor Contributor

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_3a0427517910e9feb34be6c74d62ba0d'); }); Yeah, as others have mentioned, asylum is an archaic thing of the past. You could turn it into a period piece, research realistic modern mental hospitals, or go unrealistic. I'm writing a paranormal asylum at the moment so I've gone unrealistic. Think Arkham Asylum, therefore it is a prison. A place where criminally insane "people" (in my story they have supernatural abilities) who are too dangerous to be anywhere else are thrown and kept forever.

Seven Crowns Moderator Staff Supporter Contributor Contest Winner 2022

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_3a0427517910e9feb34be6c74d62ba0d'); }); You can use Riverview Hospital as an example. It's where a lot of the "ghosts in the asylum" movies are filmed. Look it up in Google Images. It's creepy. I think there's webpages on it. Probably entire books too? Brief link. I'm sure there's better.

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_3a0427517910e9feb34be6c74d62ba0d'); }); In Okinawa there's an abandoned childrens mental asylum stuck on an abandoned base. I'vd spent the night in that place during a typhoon and it was quite the experience as well. Just look up a few scary places like the old abandoned asylums if you want to go more down the horror route. You won't find the same kinds of horror in modern treatment facilities. They used to be more like holding facilities or prisons than they are today.

Xoic Prognosticator of Arcana Ridiculosum Contributor Blogerator

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_3a0427517910e9feb34be6c74d62ba0d'); }); From @Madman 's description it sounds like Nightmare on Elm Street 3 Dream Warriors actually got it pretty right. Watch that one, and add in the elements of the gym and all the keypad doors and you should have a pretty good idea for it.

Storysmith Senior Member

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_3a0427517910e9feb34be6c74d62ba0d'); }); It might be worth watching American Horror Story: Asylum, since that is an example of a horror/fantasy story set in a mental asylum.

making tracks Active Member

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_3a0427517910e9feb34be6c74d62ba0d'); }); There's a documentary called 'Cropsey' which might help. It is about an urban legend of this scary figure called Cropsey, but they think it developed when an old psychiatric facility was shut down due to lack of funding and a lot of the patients who didn't have family to look after them were basically just abandoned. It's been a long time since I watched it but I think that was the gist of it.

Whitecrow Active Member

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_3a0427517910e9feb34be6c74d62ba0d'); }); shadowblade said: ↑ So, I’m currently deciding on a setting for my horror/fantasy story, and I think a mental asylum would work well. The thing is, I can’t find anything on google, safari, writing websites, reddit, and basically any writing forum on mental asylums. What I have in my mind is that they’re like prison-hospitals? I’m not sure if this is right, but do they go in to like an appointment every day to work on their mental health or something? What do they do the rest of the day? If you could help that would be absolutely amazing! Click to expand...

Oscar Leigh Contributor Contributor

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_3a0427517910e9feb34be6c74d62ba0d'); }); Whitecrow said: ↑ Previously, much was not known about the mentality of patients, as well as about mental disorders. Therefore, the most extreme cases were placed in psychiatric hospitals. Therefore, hospitals were more likely prisons for mentally ill people with a tendency to harm themselves or others. Experimental treatment were often performed on these patients, which often crippled patients rather than treated them. This was forgiven by the public for a long time, since the mentally ill could not really complain, they were more prisoners than patients. Even if they complained, no one listened or heard. Everything changed after the First World War. Many veterans returned from the war with varying degrees of severity of mental disorders. They needed help. They could not be treated or maimed like other patients. At the same time, the Veterans often have common sense, and when they see the inner kitchen of mental hospitals, they began to write complaints and take legal action. Which led to the reformation of mental hospitals. About the atrocities that have been done in mental hospitals, it is now harder to look for. But if you look for forbidden practices in psychology, I think you can find it. I've heard of those. Electroconvulsive therapy, Cold shower every hour, Isolation, Drugging, castration, Putting a person into a coma, Brain surgery. Maybe these links will help https://queenslandlawhandbook.org.au/the-queensland-law-handbook/health-and-wellbeing/mental-health-laws/prohibited-treatments/ https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00570878/document https://dualdiagnosis.org/mental-health-and-addiction/history/ So if you want to write about the horrors in the mental hospital. You need to write about the hospital before the First World War, which was closed because of these inhuman practices and scandals at the end of the First World War. Then you will have a time frame when looking for fragments for your story ... Click to expand...

LucyAshworth Active Member

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_3a0427517910e9feb34be6c74d62ba0d'); }); What do you find scary about mental asylums? Is it the torment that has been enacted there? Is it the sickness and the frightening symptoms? Is it the possibility that the patients weren't sick and they knew something that we didn't? Pick an avenue. Whatever it is, you'll feel echoes of the past as you walk down the halls. The walls may be painted in a dull and unstimulating color, with paper decorations that are all smiles, but they can't hide the ominous net by the stairs, the padding on the corners, and the bars on the windows.

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_3a0427517910e9feb34be6c74d62ba0d'); }); I walked up and down the empty white halls for days with nothing to do. I saw the psychiatrist for 2 minutes in the morning, where he prescribed me an anti-depressant. He wouldn't let me leave unless I agreed to start taking them. Most everyone preferred to waste their days in the common room where the TV was. There was nothing else to do. I tried to make my own mischief, using my college skills to draw nude women with a crayon; I wasn't allowed to have a pencil. The hygiene utilities were cheap. The shower was weak. By the second day, I was filthy, wearing the same clothes I had arrived in. The bathroom had no door; at last it had a small curtain. Every single person in the facility was there on 5150 hold. Most of us were there after suicide attempts. Some were parents. Some were teachers. One was totally not suicidal and was there on mistake. Many of them were on drugs: heroin. Every single person there was a grave situation and highly neurotic, the kind of person you didn't want as a roommate. I considered myself the most sane, the most intelligent, the most stable person out of all of them. I banged my head against the wall. A lot of the orderlies there were just young medical students getting their hours in for their degrees. They didn't know or care.

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_3a0427517910e9feb34be6c74d62ba0d'); }); I think how an author depicts mental illnesses, institutions and patients depends on the focus of the story. Unless you personally know someone who was institutionalized or know a lot about psychiatric issues, mental illness actually is eerie and threatening, and the people suffering from it are quite rightly associated with the supernatural. It's only in very recent times that we've begun to develop different attitudes toward it, and the vast majority of people still react quite naturally with fear and revulsion to the mentally ill. In fact I'd say even many who have a more clinical attitude toward it still get that deep-down gut reaction when confronted face to face with the reality of a mental institution. Keep in mind I'm coming from a Jungian perspective. In contemporary Western society most of us say we aren't superstitious, but that's a very shallow attitude based largely on scientism and following popular social trends. And it's only the conscious mind that has this attitude. It's a veneer over the deep abyss of the collective unconscious, which doesn't think in rational terms but in dream imagery and deeply superstitious ways. One of the main reasons we fear the mentally ill is because at some level we're thinking "There but for the grace of God go I". I mean, maybe we don't bring God into it specifically, but we still have a fear that it could happen to us and we don't want to face that possibility. One of the big themes I keep bringing up on the board is that the collective unconscious is the reality that lives inside all of us, that our ancestors were always referring to when they created religions and mythologies and fairy tales etc. Scratch that—nobody creates these things, they were discovered. The people who make the discoveries are called prophets or shamans or witch doctors or whatever. Those are the ones able to obtain a glimpse into the collective unconscious, maybe many such glimpses, and come away unscathed but forever changed by it. The ones we call insane are stuck in there, deranged by it, incapable of emerging fully back to the comfortable shallow world of conscious thought. Clinical language and techniques were created in order to lay these fears and dreads to rest as much as possible. They're a form of armor against superstitious dread. In fact in many ways the more superstitious or religious language comes much closer to a true depiction, because it reflects our more natural reaction to that immensely powerful world within that we can normally ignore but that can well up and swallow us at times. And it's a world where logic and reason are forgotten dreams—wisps of mist torn and dispelled by raging winds. It's only when we're safely in our right mind—the conscious mind (ironically the left hemisphere)—that we can afford these luxuries.

Thomas Larmore Senior Member

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_3a0427517910e9feb34be6c74d62ba0d'); }); My experience at a mental hospital was bland, I wouldn't write about it. The worst thing for me was the lack of a comfortable chair to sit on.

SapereAude Contributor Contributor

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_3a0427517910e9feb34be6c74d62ba0d'); }); Whitecrow said: About the atrocities that have been done in mental hospitals, it is now harder to look for. But if you look for forbidden practices in psychology, I think you can find it. I've heard of those. Electroconvulsive therapy, Cold shower every hour, Isolation, Drugging, castration, Putting a person into a coma, Brain surgery. Click to expand...

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_3a0427517910e9feb34be6c74d62ba0d'); }); This discussion whetted my curiosity, so I did a bit of web surfing to see what I could find about current, in-patient mental facilities. I came up with this one: https://portal.ct.gov/DMHAS/WFH/Whiting-Forensic-Hospital https://ctmirror.org/2020/10/13/more-like-a-prison-than-it-is-a-hospital-whiting-cvh-patients-testify-before-task-force/ https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/suit-wants-high-security-wing-at-whiting-forensic-hospital-to-stay-open/2502477/

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How to Write a Mental Hospital Scene (21 Tips + Examples)

Mental hospital scenes are profound episodes that can reveal character depth, propel the narrative, and shed light on complex emotions.

Here is how to write a mental hospital scene:

Write a mental hospital scene by ensuring meticulous research, emphasizing sensitivity and accuracy, developing genuine patient and staff dynamics, and avoiding harmful stereotypes. Remember to include realistic treatments and always prioritize the patient’s journey.

In this guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about how to write a mental hospital scene.

1. Research Authentic Details

Digital Image of a patient in a mental hospital - How to Write a Mental Hospital Scene

Table of Contents

Just like any setting, a mental hospital scene will benefit from accurate details.

Before diving in, research the various types of mental health facilities, their procedures, daily routines, treatments offered, and the general environment.

Why It’s Helpful: By incorporating real-world information, you can create a scene that’s both credible and informative. It can provide readers with a realistic insight into what life inside such a facility is like, without resorting to stereotypes or misconceptions.

Example: Instead of describing a vague room with white walls, mention specifics like “a group therapy room with a circle of chairs, motivational posters on the wall, and a soft hum of the air conditioning unit.”

2. Prioritize Sensitivity and Accuracy

Mental health is a delicate topic, and portraying it incorrectly can perpetuate stigma and harm.

It’s essential to approach your writing with compassion and understanding.

Why It’s Helpful: Accurate and sensitive portrayal can humanize your characters and foster empathy among readers. This approach respects those who’ve experienced similar settings or conditions.

Example: Instead of using derogatory terms like “crazy” or “loony,” describe a patient’s struggles or emotions. E.g., “James often felt detached from reality, a fog that made it hard for him to connect with others.”

3. Diversify the Patients’ Backgrounds

Not every patient in a mental hospital has the same backstory or diagnosis.

Diversity in background, socio-economic status, and mental health challenges will enrich your narrative.

Why It’s Helpful: By showcasing a variety of patients, you can debunk the myth that mental health issues are limited to a particular group of people. Everyone, irrespective of background, can face mental health challenges.

Example: Introduce characters like Maria, a high-powered lawyer battling post-partum depression, or Lee, a college student dealing with severe anxiety.

4. Avoid Stereotypical Tropes

Stereotypes, such as the evil nurse or the unhinged patient, are not only inaccurate but also harmful.

They perpetuate myths about mental health and institutions.

Why It’s Helpful: By avoiding stereotypes, your story gains authenticity, and you offer readers fresh, unexpected narratives that engage and educate.

Example: Instead of an “evil nurse,” portray a healthcare worker who’s overwhelmed by the system’s limitations, struggling to provide the best care possible.

5. Capture the Day-to-Day Routine

A mental hospital has daily routines, from therapy sessions to meal times.

Showcasing these details can ground your scene in reality.

Why It’s Helpful: This approach gives readers an insight into the structure and function of such facilities. Plus, mundane details can often amplify the emotional gravity of a scene.

Example: “Every morning at 8 AM, a gentle chime signaled breakfast, followed by a group therapy session where patients shared their dreams and fears.”

6. Highlight Interpersonal Relationships

Patients interact with each other, forming bonds, friendships, and sometimes conflicts.

These relationships can be a goldmine for character development.

Why It’s Helpful: Through interpersonal relationships, you can showcase the humanity of the patients, their struggles, and the impact of their environment on their psyche.

Example: “Lena found solace in her conversations with Roy. Both battling depression, they often sat together during free periods, sharing coping mechanisms and hope.”

7. Incorporate External Family Dynamics

Families play a pivotal role in the life of someone admitted to a mental facility.

They bring a blend of support, conflict, love, and sometimes even denial or guilt.

Why It’s Helpful: By introducing family dynamics, you can add depth to your protagonist’s backstory and drive the plot forward.

Example: “Every Sunday, Elise’s family visited, her younger sister tiptoeing around the topic of Elise’s attempted suicide, while her mother clutched her hand, eyes brimming with tears.”

8. Use Personal Experience

If you, like me, have personal experience or close ties with someone who has been in a mental hospital, draw from that genuine emotion and understanding.

Why It’s Helpful: Personal experiences can lend authenticity and raw emotion to your writing. They help create a visceral connection between the author, characters, and readers.

Example: “The sterile smell of the facility always reminded me of my cousin’s stay. The weight in my chest, recalling the emotions we felt during those tough times.”

9. Avoid Romanticizing Mental Illness

It’s crucial to avoid glamorizing or romanticizing mental illness.

Always portray it as a genuine, often challenging, experience.

Why It’s Helpful: Authentic portrayals promote understanding and empathy among readers, while romanticizing can mislead and harm real-world perceptions.

Example: Don’t have characters find “the one” during their stay, implying love is the cure. Instead, focus on their individual healing journey.

10. Ensure Accurate Treatment Depictions

Treatments in mental hospitals vary, from therapy to medications.

It’s essential to depict these accurately.

Why It’s Helpful: By showcasing realistic treatment methods, you offer readers an educative insight and debunk myths surrounding mental health care.

Example: “Dr. Patel introduced Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Jane, helping her recognize and challenge her distorted thoughts.”

11. Embrace the Power of Internal Monologue

Diving deep into a character’s internal thoughts can provide readers with an intimate understanding of their mental state.

It’s a powerful tool for unveiling their emotions, fears, hopes, and more while in a mental health facility.

Why It’s Helpful: An internal monologue creates a direct channel between the character and the reader, offering a firsthand experience of the character’s psyche. This connection can foster deeper empathy and understanding.

Example: “As Anna sat in her room, she contemplated her progress: ‘Has therapy really made a difference? Why do I still feel this void inside? Maybe tomorrow will be better.’ “

12. Consider the Environment’s Impact

The physical environment of a mental hospital can significantly impact its inhabitants.

Factors like lighting, room sizes, and even color schemes can affect mood and well-being.

Why It’s Helpful: Highlighting these environmental details can emphasize the setting’s influence on the patients. It allows readers to grasp the tangible aspects of life within such walls.

Example: “The pale blue walls of the facility were chosen to induce calm, yet to Mark, they felt cold and isolating, reminding him of the vast ocean he once feared.”

13. Introduce Supportive Staff Characters

While it’s vital to avoid stereotypes, it’s equally vital to represent the countless compassionate professionals in mental health facilities.

These individuals work diligently to support and uplift their patients.

Why It’s Helpful: By introducing caring staff members, you can offer a balanced perspective of life inside the hospital. This balance helps in dispelling myths that every worker is indifferent or even malicious.

Example: “Nurse Ramirez often spent her breaks with patients, sharing stories and offering words of encouragement, exemplifying the genuine care many professionals bring to their roles.”

14. Delve into Group Therapy Dynamics

Group therapy sessions are common in many mental health facilities.

They provide a platform for patients to share experiences, find mutual support, and learn from one another.

Why It’s Helpful: By including group therapy scenes, you can highlight the communal aspect of healing and the diverse range of issues patients face. Such scenes can also serve as pivotal plot points or character development moments.

Example: “In the group session, when Lila hesitated to share, Aaron nudged her supportively, reminding her of the bond they’d forged in their shared journey towards recovery.”

15. Use Subtle Symbolism

Symbolism can enrich your narrative, adding layers of depth.

Objects, colors, or even recurring motifs can symbolize a character’s mental state or the overarching theme of your story.

Why It’s Helpful: When done right, symbolism can provide readers with “aha!” moments, offering insights and evoking powerful emotions without explicitly stating them.

Example: “The wilting plant in Mia’s room wasn’t just decor. As she began to heal, she started tending to it, and its gradual revival mirrored her own journey back to vitality.”

16. Address the Outside World’s Perspective

Patients in mental hospitals don’t exist in a vacuum.

They’re aware of the outside world’s perceptions and judgments, which can shape their self-image and healing process.

Why It’s Helpful: Incorporating this external perspective can ground your narrative in the broader societal context, addressing the stigmas and challenges patients face both inside and outside the hospital walls.

Example: “Every time Sarah’s old friends visited, their whispered conversations and stolen glances made her feel like an exhibit, amplifying her determination to recover and reintegrate.”

17. Consider the Passage of Time

Time can be experienced differently within the confines of a mental hospital.

Days might blur together, or significant breakthroughs might make specific days stand out.

Why It’s Helpful: By playing with time’s perception, you can enhance the narrative’s emotional resonance. This technique can either amplify the monotony or the significant milestones in a character’s journey.

Example: “For Alex, the first 30 days felt like an eternity, each day indistinguishable from the last. But after his breakthrough in therapy, every day became a step forward, a distinct movement towards hope.”

18. Explore Alternative Therapies

Beyond medications and talk therapy, many facilities offer alternative therapies like art, music, or animal therapy. Delving into these can add layers to your narrative.

Why It’s Helpful: Highlighting these therapies showcases the multifaceted nature of mental health care and can provide visually engaging or emotionally charged scenes for your narrative.

Example: “The art room became Clara’s sanctuary. With every brushstroke, she externalized her pain, crafting canvases that resonated with every patient who viewed them.”

19. Don’t Shy Away from Tough Moments

While it’s vital to handle mental health topics sensitively, it’s also good not to gloss over the challenging moments.

Authenticity requires confronting difficult emotions and scenarios.

Why It’s Helpful: Addressing tough moments head-on can offer a holistic portrayal of life in a mental hospital. Readers can appreciate the highs and lows, making the narrative more engaging and genuine.

Example: “The night Jamie had a breakdown, the entire ward echoed with his screams. But it was also a turning point, leading to an intervention that became his salvation.”

20. Integrate Hope and Positivity

Despite the challenges, many individuals find hope and healing within mental hospitals.

Integrating moments of positivity, resilience, and progress can create a balanced narrative.

Why It’s Helpful: Infusing your story with hope can inspire and uplift readers. It offers a message that while challenges exist, so do triumphs, growth, and recovery.

Example: “Every evening, Lucy and Sam sat by the window, counting the stars. For them, each star symbolized a day of resilience, a beacon of hope in their shared journey.”

21. Seek Feedback and Sensitivity Readers

Given the sensitivity of the topic, it’s wise to get feedback, particularly from sensitivity readers familiar with mental health issues and institutions.

Why It’s Helpful: Sensitivity readers can point out unintentional biases, inaccuracies, or harmful representations, ensuring your narrative is respectful and authentic.

Example: “After completing my draft, I reached out to Jenna, a friend who’d spent time in a mental hospital. Her insights were invaluable, refining my portrayal and enhancing the story’s authenticity.”

Here is a good (and short) video about some details that will help you write a mental hospital scene:

30 Best Words to Write a Mental Hospital Scene

Writing a mental hospital scene requires a specific set of vocabulary to convey the atmosphere, emotions, and experiences authentically and sensitively.

Here are 30 words that can enhance the quality and depth of your writing:

Breakthrough
Vulnerability
Rehabilitation

30 Phrases to Write a Mental Hospital Scene

The right phrases can breathe life into your mental hospital scenes, making them vivid and compelling.

Here’s a curated list of 30 phrases to enhance your narrative:

“Therapeutic intervention”
“Emotional turbulence”
“Road to recovery”
“Clung to hope”
“Silent struggle”
“Shared vulnerability”
“Walls of confinement”
“Echoing hallways”
“Clinical atmosphere”
“A glimmer of progress”
“Beneath the surface”
“Raw emotions”
“Behind closed doors”
“Wrestling with demons”
“Path to wellness”
“Medicated haze”
“Veil of silence”
“Journey of healing”
“Isolated world”
“Professional help”
“Challenging the stigma”
“Safety protocols”
“The grip of fear”
“Encounter with empathy”
“Seeking solace”
“Circle of support”
“Reclaiming control”
“Group therapy sessions”
“Breaking barriers”
“Personal breakthroughs”

How to Write a Mental Hospital Scene (Full Example)

In the narrative below, I’ll provide a full example of how to write a mental hospital scene, drawing upon the tips, words, and phrases I’ve shared earlier in this guide.

Evelyn found herself in the echoing hallways of Serenity Pines, a mental health facility known for its compassionate care. The clinical atmosphere was both intimidating and comforting; every corner of the space whispered of a structured path to wellness.

The first days were a blur of intake assessments, therapy sessions, and medication adjustments. Evelyn was engulfed in emotional turbulence , a storm that had been brewing long before her admission. The professionals around her, from the nurses to the therapists, became her lifeline in those foggy days.

A week into her stay, Evelyn joined the group therapy sessions. In the circle of support, surrounded by others wrestling with demons of their own, she experienced a shared vulnerability. The stories, varied yet intertwined by the silent struggle of mental health, brought both solace and pain.

As days turned into weeks, the echoing hallways of Serenity Pines became familiar, a silent witness to Evelyn’s journey of healing. She felt a complex array of emotions, from the isolated world of her depression to the breakthrough moments when hope seemed tangible.

Dr. Thompson, her therapist, was a rock amidst the stormy seas of her recovery. Through therapeutic interventions, he helped Evelyn peel back the layers of pain and trauma, exposing the raw emotions buried beneath the surface.

One day, as rain trickled down the windows, Evelyn experienced a personal breakthrough. In the midst of a session, amidst the medicated haze and veiled silences, she clung to hope, a frail yet unyielding anchor. It was a glimmer of progress, a testament to her resilience.

The walls of confinement at Serenity Pines, once cold and intimidating, were transformed. Each room, each corridor, told a story of silent struggles and echoed the whispers of recovery. Evelyn was not alone; she was part of a collective journey, each soul striving to break barriers and reclaim control.

As the day of her release approached, Evelyn reflected on the road to recovery.

The mental hospital, with its clinical atmosphere, professional help, and safety protocols, had been both a prison and a sanctuary. In the echoing hallways, amidst the emotional turbulence, Evelyn had confronted her demons, challenged the stigma, and embarked upon a journey of healing – a journey not of isolation, but of shared vulnerability, support, and enduring hope.

Final Thoughts: How to Write a Mental Hospital Scene

Crafting an authentic mental hospital scene requires sensitivity, research, and a deep commitment to accurate representation.

For more insightful articles on writing scenes (and other things), please take a look around my website.

Writing Medical Scenes: Really Useful Links by Paul Anthony Shortt

Paul anthony shortt.

24 August 2017

Hospitals, injuries, and medical emergencies are common throughout multiple genres of fiction, and it’s easy to see why. When a character is hurt or sick, this creates instant tension and can have an impact on how the rest of the story goes. Everyone has experiences of injury and illness, whether directly or from a friend or loved one going through it. So we have an immediate connection once we see that a character needs medical help.

But, while everyone knows what it’s like to get hurt or be sick, only a select few of us have the knowledge, experience, and training to know how wounds are treated, what medical practices need to be followed, and how things operate behind the scenes in a hospital. Most of us will get our “knowledge” of this from television, which can frequently be wrong, as we’ve learned in previous articles.

So here are some places you can go to sharpen up your medical knowledge for your writing.

(Please note, none of the articles I’m sharing are intended to replace actual medical training; if you or anyone you know gets hurt or is seriously ill, please seek proper medical help.)

1: Dumbest Medical Mistakes – You can’t beat first-hand knowledge. Allnurses-Breakroom is an online community for nurses, and this discussion thread is a goldmine of little mistakes that you can avoid.

2: How to Write a Hospital Scene – Writethatscene.com offers structure and writing advice for a range of different scenes. In this article they break down the important elements that go into a hospital scene.

3: Not Quite Dead – If your character needs medical attention, what was the reason? You don’t just need to know how their injuries will be treated, you also need to know how their injuries will affect them, directly.

4: Infusing Medical Details Into Your Fiction – This guest post by retired physician Richard Mabry is littered with the kind of small details that help bring your writing to life, along with some good advice about how to present these details in a natural and accessible way.

That’s all for this week. Good luck!

About the author

Paul Anthony Shortt believes in magic and monsters; in ghosts and fairies, the creatures that lurk under the bed and inside the closet. The things that live in the dark, and the heroes who stand against them. Above all, he believes that stories have the power to change the world, and the most important stories are the ones which show that monsters can be beaten.

Paul’s work includes the Memory Wars Trilogy and the Lady Raven Series . His short fiction has appeared in the Amazon #1 bestselling anthology, Sojourn Volume 2.

Website: http://w ww.paulanthonyshortt.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pashortt

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WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®

Helping writers become bestselling authors

Setting Description Entry: Haunted House (inside)

May 23, 2009 by BECCA PUGLISI

Sight Dust, cobwebs, sheets on furniture, broken tables, chairs, windows, lamps, peeling wallpaper, gaps in the floorboards, holes in the walls, flickering lights (if there’s electricity) chandelier with broken strings of crystals, broken glass on the floor, spiders, cockroaches, rust, mildew, ripped curtains, shadows, gloomy staircases, old portraits & paintings, cracked…

footsteps on the stair, creaking doors, window shutters rattling on the outside, wind scattering/rustling paper through a broken window gap, words whispered in ear, screams, crying, wailing, laughter, glass smashing, the scrap of a chair moving, the scritch of tree branches scraping at the windows, rats squeaking, movement in the walls, a…

Phantom perfume or cologne, burning smells, pipe or cigarette smoke, mildew, rot, dank, rusty or metallic smells, wet wood and stone, rancid breath, yeasty beer smell, food, dust, dry rot, rat/mice feces, urine

Sour & dry mouth from fear, dust floating in the air and coating the tongue, salty tears

A phantom hand on the shoulder, the puff of breath on the earlobe or the back of the neck, the sensation of being grabbed on the arm, pushed, pulled, pinched, poked, slapped, burned, a feeling of light-headedness and nausea, hair rising on arms or the back of the neck, the body’s reaction to a drop in temperature (chills, shivering, breath puffing out…

Helpful hints:

–The words you choose can convey atmosphere and mood.

Example 1: I cringed at each creak on the old warped stairs, but it didn’t sway my determination to make it to the bedroom on the second floor. Halfway up, a shadow flickered at the corner of my vision. I froze, and as I stood there, caught a woody scent lingering in the air. Tobacco smoke? A shiver curled through the hairs on the back of my neck then cascaded down my backbone. It was all I could do to not hurl myself back down the stairs toward the front door…

–Similes and metaphors create strong imagery when used sparingly.

Example 1: (Metaphor ) The dining room chair suddenly jolted back and tilted toward me, a gracious invitation by an invisible host…

Think beyond what a character sees, and provide a sensory feast for readers

Setting is much more than just a backdrop, which is why choosing the right one and describing it well is so important. To help with this, we have expanded and integrated this thesaurus into our online library at One Stop For Writers.

Each entry has been enhanced to include possible sources of conflict, people commonly found in these locales, and setting-specific notes and tips, and the collection itself has been augmented to include a whopping 230 entries—all of which have been cross-referenced with our other thesauruses for easy searchability. So if you’re interested in seeing this powerful Setting Thesaurus , head on over and register at One Stop.

On the other hand, if you prefer your references in book form, we’ve got you covered, too, because both books are now available for purchase in digital and print copies. In addition to the entries, each book contains instructional front matter to help you maximize your settings. With advice on topics like making your setting do double duty and using figurative language to bring them to life, these books offer ample information to help you maximize your settings and write them effectively.

Becca Puglisi is an international speaker, writing coach, and bestselling author of The Emotion Thesaurus and its sequels. Her books are available in five languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. She is passionate about learning and sharing her knowledge with others through her Writers Helping Writers blog and via One Stop For Writers —a powerhouse online library created to help writers elevate their storytelling.

Reader Interactions

May 14, 2021 at 1:51 pm

creepy…

May 8, 2021 at 6:48 pm

Oh wow. It hadn’t occurred to me to make a list of all the things to do with my settings. Thank you for this. Brilliant!

May 10, 2021 at 5:53 am

It’s so much easier to get the setting exactly where we want it when we know beforehand what to aim for :).

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March 20, 2021 at 6:59 am

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March 31, 2021 at 11:41 pm

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November 18, 2019 at 1:32 pm

This is so helpful for everyone . People can use them in essays while describing a haunted house .

November 10, 2020 at 5:43 pm

That is exactly what i used it for

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November 11, 2019 at 10:42 am

Happy this helps!

November 3, 2019 at 7:28 am

October 25, 2019 at 4:58 am

I really like it. It’s really good.for.young children and writers. I love it do much

July 1, 2019 at 6:21 pm

wow I really needed this thank you sooo much

May 25, 2019 at 11:22 am

Amazing. Im a 14-year-old writer and all these descriptions inspired me on how to write my mystery book. Thanks so much Becca

February 9, 2019 at 6:29 pm

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January 28, 2019 at 11:34 am

very good descriptions

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November 11, 2018 at 4:21 am

Helpful!!!!!

June 6, 2019 at 2:08 am

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October 24, 2018 at 1:23 pm

Thank you so much you have helped me so much.

October 23, 2018 at 10:49 am

This story describes the house and starts to leave an image of what the inside of the house looks like. I get shivers reading it.

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December 13, 2017 at 7:04 am

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lmao “that much”

November 9, 2017 at 5:32 pm

It Game Some Ideas What To Write

April 4, 2017 at 1:37 pm

Its just awesome because I get a idea to write it in my suspense story??

March 19, 2017 at 11:49 am

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December 3, 2016 at 8:15 am

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September 12, 2018 at 2:01 pm

October 25, 2016 at 2:12 pm

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October 6, 2016 at 9:45 am

this helped me do my English course thank u sooo much

September 1, 2011 at 9:32 am

this is awesome! 😀 helped me do my coursework for English! thanks a lot 😀

October 14, 2010 at 8:47 pm

this story is awsome i want to read another one.

September 16, 2010 at 12:48 pm

Thanks Aloot It Helped Me In My English Homework:) But I Think It Would Be Better If There Were More Examples Of Haunted Houses:D x

April 3, 2010 at 4:53 pm

this has helped me a great deal with my story for my English class 🙂

May 27, 2009 at 11:34 am

I love the image of the child riding a phantom rocking horse — very effective.

May 25, 2009 at 11:48 pm

This one was so fun to do. There are so many unusual settings to explore–stay tuned!

May 24, 2009 at 6:08 pm

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May 24, 2009 at 7:21 am

I can hear the wind moaning around corners…whhoooooooooowhoooooo.

May 24, 2009 at 7:14 am

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May 23, 2009 at 4:09 pm

Gives me the shivers too. =)

May 23, 2009 at 1:35 pm

Gives me shivers just reading it. 😉

SLAP HAPPY LARRY

Writing activity: describe medical rooms and hospitals.

William Simpson - One of the wards of the hospital at Scutari 1856

Medical rooms and hospitals are safe, infantalising, dangerous, creepy, life-saving, traumatising places, and I offer them here as examples of what Foucault called ‘ heterotopia ‘.

The hospital’s ambiguous relationship to everyday social space has long been a central theme of hospital ethnography. Often, hospitals are presented either as isolated “islands’ defined by biomedical regulation of space (and time) or as continuations and reflections of everyday social space that are very much a part of the “mainland.’ This polarization of the debate overlooks hospitals’ paradoxical capacity to be simultaneously bounded and permeable , both sites of social control and spaces where alternative and transgressive social orders emerge and are contested. We suggest that Foucault’s concept of heterotopia usefully captures the complex relationships between order and disorder, stability and instability that define the hospital as a modernist institution of knowledge, governance, and improvement . Heterotopia Studies

Hospitals (like airports) elicit the full range of human emotion and are symbolically useful arenas for storytellers. Who better than writers to describe what it feels like to be inside a hospital?

I followed [the psychiatrist] down a depressing hallway into a tiny windowless office that might have housed an accountant. In fact it reminded me a bit of Myron Axel’s closet, filled with piles of paper waiting to be filed, week-old cups of coffee turned into science experiments, and a litter of broken umbrellas nesting beneath the desk. I must have looked as surprised as I felt when I entered her office, for Rowena Adler looked at the utilitarian clutter about her and said, “I’m sorry about this mess. I’m so used to it. I forget how it looks.” Someday This Pain Will Be Useful To You by Peter Cameron

The author may have enjoyed writing that description because at James Sveck’s next appointment they are in a different room.

Dr Adler’s downtown office was a pleasanter place than her space at the Medical Center, but it wasn’t the sun-filled haven I had imagined. It was a rather small dark office in a suite of what I assumed were several small dark offices on the ground floor of an old apartment building on Tenth Street. In addition to her desk and chair there was a divan, another chair, a ficus tree, and some folkloric-looking weavings on the wall. And a bookcase of dreary books. I could tell they were all nonfiction because they all had titles divided by colons: Blah Blah Blah: The Blah Blah Blah of Blah Blah Blah . There was one window that probably faced an airshaft because the rattan shade was lowered in a way that suggested it was never raised. The walls were painted a pale yellow, in an obvious (but unsuccessful) attempt to “brighten up” the room.

The description of James’ psychiatrist’s rooms is broken up, judiciously, and fits around the action. James’ reaction to the rooms reflects how he feels about life at this juncture: He expected better. He expected different; instead he gets this underwhelming life.

I looked around her office. I know it sounds terrible, but I was discouraged by the ordinariness, the expectedness, of it. It was as if there was a catalog for therapists to order a complete office from: furniture, carpet, wall hangings, even the ficus tree seemed depressingly generic. Like one of those little paper pellets you put in water that puffs up and turns into a lotus blossom. This was like a puffed-up shrink’s office.

In a book of essays, Tim Kreider’s description of hospitals is one of the best I’ve encountered:

Hospitals are like the landscapes in recurring dreams: forgotten as though they’d never existed in the interims between visits, but instantly familiar once you return. As if they’ve been there all along, waiting for you while you’ve been away. The endlessly branching corridors sand circular nurses’ stations all look identical, like some infinite labyrinth in a Borges story. It takes a day or two to memorize the route from the lobby to your room. The innocuous landscape paintings that seem to have been specifically commissioned to leave no impression on the human brain are perversely seared into your long-term memory. You pass doorways through which you can occasionally see a bunch of Mylar balloons or a pair of pale, withered legs. Hospital beds are now just as science fiction predicted, with the patient’s vital signs digitally displayed overhead. Nurses no longer wear the white hose and red-cross caps of cartoons and pornography, but scrubs printed with patterns so relentlessly cheerful—hearts, teddy bears, suns and flowers and peace signs—they seem symptomatic of some Pollyannaish denial. The smell of hospitals is like small talk at a funeral—you know its function is to cover up something else. There’s a grim camaraderie in the hall and elevators. You don’t have to ask anybody how they’re doing. The fact that they’re there at all means the answer is: Could be better. I notice that no one who works in a hospital, whose responsibilities are matters of life and death, ever seems hurried or frantic, in contrast to all the freelance cartoonists and podcasters I know. Time moves differently in hospitals—both slower and faster. The minutes stand still, but the hours evaporate. The day is long and structureless, measured only by the taking of vital signs, the changing of IV bags, medication schedules, occasional tests, mealtimes, trips to the bathroom, walks in the corridor. Once a day an actual doctor appears for about four minutes, and what she says during this time can either leave you and your family in terrified confusion or so reassured and grateful that you want to write her a thank-you note she’ll have framed. You cadge six-ounce cans of ginger ale from the nurses’ station. You no longer need to look at the menu in the diner across the street. You substitute meat loaf for bacon with your eggs. Why not? Breakfast and lunch are diurnal conventions that no longer apply to you. Sometimes you run errands back home for a cell phone or extra clothes. Eventually you look at your watch and realize visiting hours are almost over, and feel relieved, and then guilty. Tim Kreider, “An Insult To The Brain”, We Learn Nothing

It’s a fact known throughout the universes that no matter how carefully the colours are chosen, institutional décor ends up either vomit green, unmentionable brown, nicotene yellow or surgical appliance pink. Terry Pratchett, Equal Rites

They are now the only two people in the upstairs waiting room of the dental clinic. The seats are a pale mint-green colour. Marianne leafs through an issue of NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC and explores her mouth with the tip of her tongue. Connell looks at the magazine cover, a photograph of a monkey with huge eyes. from “At The Clinic” by Sally Rooney

Every time I see a hospital in a horror movie or whatever, sometimes even an actual prison, I compare it to the one I went to and it always comes out looking worse. They are not relaxing places. They can leave you worse than you came in. Especially because the world outside, doesn’t actually stop while you are there? You’re usually there due to a crisis. Something unexpected. Did you take vacation pay before you started? Probably not, hey? Provided that you get that sort of thing at all. If you’re on welfare, you’re still have to fight for an exemption. Good luck if you can’t do that because you’re literally insane. You’ll still need to pay the rent and all your bills somehow in the background too. Oh, you got kicked out? That’s a shame. Here’s a pamphlet to a homeless shelter. Have a lovely trip. My stay did turn out a lot better than that, but it’s literally only because I had someone constantly advocating for me on the outside. Most people in psych wards don’t get that. And that’s not even touching on how nobody will listen to you in there, but everybody will assume all sorts of things about you. You’ll be open to both sexual and physical assault. Both happened to me on a number of occasions. I was blamed for everything, of course. You don’t even get uninterrupted sleep, do you know that? Nurses come and shine a torch in your face every fucking hour for a wellness check, or whatever. Which feels pretty shitty if you’re going through a paranoid psychosis. Anyway. I’d really like to see more empathy and awareness of the reality of all these sorts of places. They are horrible. They haven’t changed a lot since they were called asylums. They still use solitary confinement too, did you know that? Awful things. Mx Maddison Stoff @TheDescenters Sep 8, 2022

The Architecture of Madness

Elaborately conceived, grandly constructed insane asylums—ranging in appearance from classical temples to Gothic castles—were once a common sight looming on the outskirts of American towns and cities. Many of these buildings were razed long ago, and those that remain stand as grim reminders of an often cruel system. For much of the nineteenth century, however, these asylums epitomized the widely held belief among doctors and social reformers that insanity was a curable disease and that environment—architecture in particular—was the most effective means of treatment. In The Architecture of Madness: Insane Asylums in the United States (U Minnesota Press, 2007), Carla Yanni tells a compelling story of therapeutic design, from America’s earliest purpose—built institutions for the insane to the asylum construction frenzy in the second half of the century. At the center of Yanni’s inquiry is Dr. Thomas Kirkbride, a Pennsylvania-born Quaker, who in the 1840s devised a novel way to house the mentally diseased that emphasized segregation by severity of illness, ease of treatment and surveillance, and ventilation. After the Civil War, American architects designed Kirkbride-plan hospitals across the country. Before the end of the century, interest in the Kirkbride plan had begun to decline. Many of the asylums had deteriorated into human warehouses, strengthening arguments against the monolithic structures advocated by Kirkbride. At the same time, the medical profession began embracing a more neurological approach to mental disease that considered architecture as largely irrelevant to its treatment. Generously illustrated, The Architecture of Madness is a fresh and original look at the American medical establishment’s century-long preoccupation with therapeutic architecture as a way to cure social ills. interview at New Books Network

The Architecture of Good Behavior: Psychology and Modern Institutional Design in Postwar America

Inspired by the rise of environmental psychology and increasing support for behavioral research after the Second World War, new initiatives at the federal, state, and local levels looked to influence the human psyche through form, or elicit desired behaviors with environmental incentives, implementing what Joy Knoblauch calls “psychological functionalism.” Recruited by federal construction and research programs for institutional reform and expansion—which included hospitals, mental health centers, prisons, and public housing—architects theorized new ways to control behavior and make it more functional by exercising soft power, or power through persuasion, with their designs. In the 1960s –1970s era of anti-institutional sentiment, they hoped to offer an enlightened, palatable, more humane solution to larger social problems related to health, mental health, justice, and security of the population by applying psychological expertise to institutional design. In turn, Knoblauch argues, architects gained new roles as researchers, organizers, and writers while theories of confinement, territory, and surveillance proliferated. The Architecture of Good Behavior: Psychology and Modern Institutional Design in Postwar America (University of Pittsburgh Press) explores psychological functionalism as a political tool and the architectural projects funded by a postwar nation in its efforts to govern, exert control over, and ultimately pacify its patients, prisoners, and residents. interview at New Books Network

Header painting: William Simpson – One of the wards of the hospital at Scutari 1856

CONTEMPORARY FICTION SET IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND (2023)

On paper, things look fine. Sam Dennon recently inherited significant wealth from his uncle. As a respected architect, Sam spends his days thinking about the family needs and rich lives of his clients. But privately? Even his enduring love of amateur astronomy is on the wane. Sam has built a sustainable-architecture display home for himself but hasn’t yet moved into it, preferring to sleep in his cocoon of a campervan. Although they never announced it publicly, Sam’s wife and business partner ended their marriage years ago due to lack of intimacy, leaving Sam with the sense he is irreparably broken.

Now his beloved uncle has died. An intensifying fear manifests as health anxiety, with night terrors from a half-remembered early childhood event. To assuage the loneliness, Sam embarks on a Personal Happiness Project:

1. Get a pet dog

2. Find a friend. Just one. Not too intense.

KINDLE EBOOK

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10 Words that Describe an Abandoned House

By Ali Dixon

A house that is no longer inhabited can make a mysterious setting in a novel across so many genres. If you need some words that describe an abandoned house, use the following 10 as a source of inspiration.

1. Deserted

An area devoid of life ; a wild or forbidding place.

“The quiet house appeared completely deserted , though they still approached it with significant caution.”

“The deserted house stood in the middle of the empty plain. The only signs of life were the sounds of mice scuttling and scavenging for what the previous owners had left behind.”

How It Adds Description

The word deserted often implies an intention when it’s used in this context. The people who used to live in the house you’re describing may have left it on purpose, and you can use that to make your readers feel unnerved as they read about it.

2. Desolate

Empty of inhabitants or life ; joyless or sorrowful, usually because of some kind of separation; lacking comfort or hope.

“The floorboard of the desolate house creaked under his feet as he explored the rooms.”

“While the other houses on the street teemed with life, this one was cold and desolate. ”

When you use the word desolate to describe an abandoned house, this can help to make the house seem even more threatening. It can also give off a real sense of bleakness to your readers.

Reflecting or displaying discouragement or listlessness ; lacking in comfort or cheer; somber or gloomy.

“The inclement bad weather on the horizon made the house appear even more dreary .”

“The moth-eaten curtains fell still as the breeze stopped, the atmosphere in the room suddenly becoming dreary again.”

Describing something as dreary will instantly set a cold and gloomy mood. If you want to make sure that your readers understand that this house is something completely devoid of any life, this is a good word to use. The dreariness of the house could also represent a lack of motivation or hope in your characters.

4. Derelict

Abandoned by an occupant ; voluntarily abandoned.

“The house used to be owned by a wealthy woman who had abandoned it some years ago. Now it stood empty and derelict .”

“The derelict house had not been maintained, and she worried that it would fall apart with her inside.”

The word derelict implies that something has been abandoned purposefully, which can help add an ominous tone to your description. Perhaps something inside it was dangerous that forced the previous occupant to leave it behind which your character must now discover.

Not having anything in it; uninhabited or unoccupied.

“He could imagine the house in its heyday with beautiful decorations and plenty of visitors instead of the empty shell he saw before him now.”

“The owner had taken all of her things with her, leaving the house now completely empty .”

The house you’re describing may literally have nothing inside it, which makes this word a great one to use to describe it. You can also use it to make it seem like it’s empty, and then have something surprise your characters and readers later.

6. Untended

Not managed or watched over .

“The plants in the house’s untended garden had been left to grow wild, and now vines completely covered the south side of the house.”

“The house was large enough to warrant cleaning staff, but since it had been abandoned it had been left completely untended , and she doubted it would ever look the way it once had again.”

Describing the abandoned house you have in your story as untended can help readers feel as though there is almost something wild about it now that no one is caring for it.

Not well-kept ; lacking in quality; faded from wear.

“The house looked shabby —it was clear that no one had lived in it in a long time.”

“The once comfortable and beautiful furniture had faded and become shabby with age and time.”

Shabby is a good word to use to describe the way that the abandoned house in your story looks. By describing it using this word, you’ll give readers the sense that it’s not a good-looking house or that it’s been neglected for some time.

8. Forgotten

Disregarded ; something that people have lost remembrance for; overlooked, sometimes intentionally.

“Whoever had been left in charge of caring for the house hadn’t done so in some time, and now the house appeared to be completely forgotten .”

“To find the old journal, they would have to sift through the abandoned, forgotten house at the end of the street.”

Using the word forgotten tells readers that not only is this house abandoned, but the person or people meant to care for it have disregarded its existence entirely. You can imply a much more somber mood by using this word.

9. Forsaken

To forsake something is to turn away from it entirely ; forgotten.

“They were quick to help the man in need, but they left the house itself forsaken .”

“The house had been forsaken long ago, and she wasn’t eager to investigate it now to see why.”

If you describe the abandoned house in your story as forsaken, your readers will immediately get the sense that this isn’t a house that’s simply been left behind. It’s something that was intentionally abandoned or turned away from for whatever reason.

10. Neglected

Not cared for or provided with the necessary attention .

“The house had obviously been neglected for some time, and it was now overrun with small animals and dust.”

“Even while they were living there, the previous owners had left the house neglected , and now that it was abandoned it looked worse than ever.”

The word neglect implies an intentional act to leave something or to not care for it. If you use this word to describe the house in your story, you can also use it as a way to symbolize that the character looking at it may also feel neglected in some way.

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19,890 quotes, descriptions and writing prompts, 4,964 themes

hospital - quotes and descriptions to inspire creative writing

a hospital hallway
a hospital patient
asylum seekers
hallucination
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public institutions
Riverview hospital

Women are so connected to their need to feel good and look good that a critical element of women's health care is beauty. If we were serious about healing women, especially mental health, then all departments of hospitals would have beauty, haircare, yoga and dance fitness elements. We are not machines for tinkering with. We need holistic care.

The hospital stood as monument to the best of humane humanity.

The hospital took care of the soul and the body that is its palace.

There is a quiet kind of "cheerful," the soft kind that comes as a quiet river on a sunny day. It is a way of being that allows others a positive space to open up into, a space that is ready to support their emotions and needs. There is of course a time and place for the loud kind of cheerful, yet here in the hospital it can have the effect of closing people down - after all it is challenging to express sad feelings to a person who appears so far removed from those emotions.

The sanctity of the patient, their humanity, is what this hospital strives to uphold - especially in challenging times.

In the pandemic we turned hotels into pop-up hospitals, "deputising" volunteers in as our staff.

"In this hospital bed my medicine is my memories, the good times we shared. My peace is our love, that which connects us always. You, the one who holds my heart as if it were a precious gem; you are my doctor. So though I am here, you are still the one who keeps me strong."

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HORROR PROMPT#3: Abandoned Hospital-Creative Writing-brainstorming/final product

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Looking for a fun and engaging way to get your high school students excited about creative writing? Look no further than this horror story outline and brainstorming activity! This activity is perfect for both general education English classes and creative writing electives, and is sure to challenge and inspire students of all skill levels.

The horror story outline and brainstorming activity is designed to help students develop their creative writing skills while exploring the world of horror fiction. Students will be tasked with crafting a compelling story about a group of college friends decides to spend the night in an abandoned hospital for a thrill. But when they begin to hear strange noises and see strange apparitions, they quickly realize they may have bitten off more than they can chew...

This activity is perfect for general education English classes because it aligns with Common Core ELA standards, including those related to reading, writing, and language. Students will be challenged to think critically about the elements of horror fiction, including setting, character development, and plot twists. In addition, students will practice their writing skills by developing a compelling narrative that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat.

Here are some specific Common Core ELA standards that this creative writing activity aligns with:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.2: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.3: Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.5: Analyze how an author's choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of where to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comedic or tragic resolution) contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.6: Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of world literature.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.9-10.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

For creative writing electives, this activity is a great way to challenge students to think outside the box and explore their own creative potential. Students will be able to experiment with different writing styles, techniques, and genres as they craft their own unique horror story.

Overall, this horror story outline and brainstorming activity is a great way to engage your high school students and help them develop their writing skills while exploring the world of horror fiction. Don't miss out on this opportunity to inspire and challenge your students!

Also be sure to check out the different prompts or consider purchasing a bundle to get ALL of the prompts for the horror genre

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Short Story

The Abandoned Hospital

Joshua Tripp, Grade 7

Today was a very bad day. I didn’t do anything, it was that horrid kid That looks gothic anyway I got detention. When I was riding home I came across an abandoned hospital. I got curious and took a closer look. There was a stony pathway leading to a shattered, glass door. Most of the windows were either smashed or missing. What was this? Something wet and soggy wrapped around my legs! A newspaper, I picked it up and read the first paragraph. A bolt of fear ran down my spine I dropped the newspaper. “Sightings of people in the hospital have been confirmed by pictures from Mr J Williams, they cant confirm it yet but until then stay away” I don’t know why I just didn’t go home at that point but what I do no is that I went inside the hospital instead. I walked up the stony pathway an on the roof there a big, black murder of crows, that made my stomach curdle, I ran inside the hospital. I was about to walk out when a dog bold me over and then loudly whimpered and ran of I followed. Aaahhh! Bang. I was trapped in, well that’s the thing I don’t know were I am. I scurried around the place trying to find an opening when I heard hissing, it was a snake. I ran and the snake followed me until I found a door with a man guarding it. “Here’s the key and lock the door after you. I unlocked the door locking it behind me. Where is my bike? Great some one has stolen my bike. I heard someone faintly calling my name “josh, josh! I wake up, it’s my sister. “What were you blabbering on about your bike getting stolen”? “Nothing” “happy birthday”! Mum and dad squealed. Is it my birthday? “Yes silly come and have a look out side”! I looked out side and sitting there was a brand new D.K bike “thank you mum and dad” Next time I want watch an MA rated movie before bed.

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Abandoned: Creative Writing

Subject: English

Age range: 7-11

Resource type: Worksheet/Activity

Last updated

14 January 2014

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COMMENTS

Setting Description Entry: Hospital
Setting is much more than just a backdrop, which is why choosing the right one and describing it well is so important. To help with this, we have expanded and integrated this thesaurus into our online library at One Stop For Writers.Each entry has been enhanced to include possible sources of conflict, people commonly found in these locales, and setting-specific notes and tips, and the ...
How to Describe a Hospital Room in a Story
How it Adds Description. Describing a hospital room as clinical suggests your character feels the hospital doesn't see them as a person, only a job. Clinical makes the room feel more like a laboratory for research than a place of healing and adds a sense of dread to the scene. 2. Sterile Definition. Completely cleaned of all life or micro ...
How to Write a Hospital Scene in Your Novel
Here are a few questions to think about when writing a character's hospital scene (please note that some of this is for US hospitals only). 1. Is Your Character on the Right Floor? As many people know, hospitals are set up with different patients in different areas of the hospital. There are pediatric floors, adult floors, surgical floors ...
10 Words to Describe a Haunted Hospital
There are many words you can use to describe a haunted house in your horror novel. Here are 10 to help you create a bone-chilling atmosphere! 1. Eerie Definition. Unearthly, weird; causing a strange, unsettling feeling. Examples "The silence in the hospital's hallway was eerie."
creative writing
Muse at length on the cold maternity ward with its flickering lights and empty cribs. Make other aspects of the hospital more directly unsettling Make it cold. Make it dark, or if the light must be bright (which does feel more sterile), make the light bright blue, like a staring into a spotlight when you have a migraine.
How to Write a Hospital Scene
Show who is important to your character and how they share the news with them. It will show a more-in-depth look at your character. The best way to understand anyone is when they are going through a crises. Show your audience who your character truly is and how they handle their news.
How to Write Hospital Scenes (21 Best Tips
Here are three complete examples of how to write hospital scenes in different genres. 1. Drama. The hallway of St. Mercy's was dimly lit, echoing with the soft murmurs of the night shift nurses. Elizabeth walked slowly, her heels clicking on the tiles, each step feeling like an eternity as she approached room 309.
Setting: mental asylum horror story
In Okinawa there's an abandoned childrens mental asylum stuck on an abandoned base. I'vd spent the night in that place during a typhoon and it was quite the experience as well. Just look up a few scary places like the old abandoned asylums if you want to go more down the horror route.
How to Write a Mental Hospital Scene (21 Tips
30 Phrases to Write a Mental Hospital Scene. The right phrases can breathe life into your mental hospital scenes, making them vivid and compelling. Here's a curated list of 30 phrases to enhance your narrative: "Therapeutic intervention". "Emotional turbulence". "Road to recovery". "Clung to hope".
Writing Medical Scenes: Really Useful Links by Paul Anthony Shortt
Paul Anthony Shortt. 24 August 2017. Hospitals, injuries, and medical emergencies are common throughout multiple genres of fiction, and it's easy to see why. When a character is hurt or sick, this creates instant tension and can have an impact on how the rest of the story goes. Everyone has experiences of injury and illness, whether directly ...
Setting Description Entry: Haunted House (inside)
WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®. Helping writers become bestselling authors. Setting Description Entry: Haunted House (inside) May 23, 2009 by BECCA PUGLISI. Sight Dust, cobwebs, sheets on furniture, broken tables, chairs, windows, lamps, peeling wallpaper, gaps in the floorboards, holes in the walls, flickering lights (if there's electricity ...
Writing Activity: Describe Medical Rooms and Hospitals
Medical rooms and hospitals are safe, infantalising, dangerous, creepy, life-saving, traumatising places, and I offer them here as examples of what Foucault called ' heterotopia '. The hospital's ambiguous relationship to everyday social space has long been a central theme of hospital ethnography. Often, hospitals are presented either as ...
10 Words that Describe an Abandoned House
How It Adds Description. If you describe the abandoned house in your story as forsaken, your readers will immediately get the sense that this isn't a house that's simply been left behind. It's something that was intentionally abandoned or turned away from for whatever reason. 10. Neglected Definition
KS3 Creative Writing: Haunted Building
Following on from the MRS SOAP Creative Writing Series, the main focus of this lesson is to describe a disused room in an abandoned hospital building. It is aimed at lower-middle ability KS3 and assumes some knowledge of the following concepts: Metaphor. Repetition for effect. Simile. Sentence Structure (simple, compound and complex) Onomatopoeia.
Abandoned building
I could have passed the abandoned building upon that wintry day, yet evermore will I be glad that I put my car into reverse. She was the treasure I'd only ever dreamed could be. And so, within those walls I build my company, turned my passions into my life. By Angela Abraham, @daisydescriptionari, February 25, 2021 .
Hospital
By Angela Abraham, @daisydescriptionari, March 12, 2020 . "In this hospital bed my medicine is my memories, the good times we shared. My peace is our love, that which connects us always. You, the one who holds my heart as if it were a precious gem; you are my doctor. So though I am here, you are still the one who keeps me strong."
Descriptive Essay : Hospital Room
Descriptive Essay : Hospital Room. Hospital Room Little particles of dust floated around in the sunlight as I slouched in the uncomfortable plastic chair. I stared at a half eaten bowl of peaches, each one swimming in it's own puddle of syrup. It was my first time ever being in a hospital, and it wasn 't for a good reason.
The Abandoned Hospital: A Short Story
The Abandoned Hospital. My friend and I had been accepted to Waterloo University and we where exited to be roomates. Our parents where delighted that we had finaly moved out of the house and became men. My friend Rob was a cool guy at school, while i was at the library studying for my tests like a nerd. Rob had visted every single party in high ...
HORROR PROMPT#3: Abandoned Hospital-Creative Writing-brainstorming
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.9-10.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. For creative writing electives, this activity is a great way to challenge students to think outside the box and explore their own creative potential.
Paper 1 Question 5: Creative Writing Model Answer
The style of the writing (sentence structure and overall structure) is dynamic and engaging; Below you will find a detailed creative writing model in response to an example of Paper 1 Question 5, under the following sub-headings (click to go straight to that sub-heading): Writing a GCSE English Language story; Structuring your story
The Abandoned Hospital, Short Story
The Abandoned Hospital Joshua Tripp, Grade 7 Short Story 2008 Today was a very bad day. I didn't do anything, it was that horrid kid That looks gothic anyway I got detention. When I was riding home I came across an abandoned hospital. I got curious and took a closer look. There was a stony pathway leading to a shattered, glass door. ...
Waking Up in a Hospital Room: A Short Story
Waking Up in a Hospital Room: A Short Story. 929 Words2 Pages. I woke up to the pungent smell of hospital disinfect, invading my nostrils. The room was silent apart from my heavy breathing and the beep beep sound you often hear in hospitals that indicates you're alive. I slowly opened my eyes, squinting in attempt to sharpen the blurred images ...
Abandoned: Creative Writing
Abandoned: Creative Writing. Subject: English. Age range: 7-11. Resource type: Worksheet/Activity. File previews. pptx, 1.25 MB. docx, 29.21 KB. Narrative and descriptive writing tasks based on pictures of abandoned places. Suitable for any age/ability (KS2/KS3/KS4)