horror story essay

101+ Horror Writing Prompts for Spine-Tingling Stories

Do you love the thrill of being scared out of your wits? Do you relish the spine-chilling sensation of not knowing what's lurking in the darkness? If you're a fan of horror, then you know that the best way to get your fix is through a good story. But what do you do when facing a severe writer's block case and your creative well has run dry?

Enter this list of horror writing prompts – the perfect solution to get your heart racing and your fingers tapping. Whether you're a seasoned horror writer or just getting started, these prompts will inspire and terrify you in equal measure.

From the supernatural to the mundane, from the gory to the psychological, these prompts are designed to push you out of your comfort zone and into the twisted world of horror.

So, sharpen your pencils, turn on all the lights, and prepare to dive into the unknown with these horror writing prompts.

Horror Writing Prompts

1. Two coworkers working an overnight shift at a museum begin to suspect that the exhibits are coming to life and have sinister intentions.

2. A teenage girl becomes increasingly disgusted with her body and turns to a dark ritual to change her appearance.

3. A couple becomes stranded in an elevator in a high-rise building, but the elevator begins to descend floor by floor, revealing increasingly gruesome scenes.

4. A young man becomes obsessed with someone unattainable, and their obsession leads them down a dangerous path.

5. A group of friends goes camping in a secluded forest, but they soon discover that the ghosts of a long-dead tribe haunt the woods.

6. A group of friends competes for a prestigious job, and one resorts to supernatural means to eliminate the competition.

7. A family moves into a new home and starts to experience strange occurrences, but it turns out that the house itself is alive and has sinister intentions.

8. Two strangers get trapped in an abandoned hospital, but they soon discover it is home to a sadistic ghost who likes to play twisted games.

9. A couple spends the night in an old mansion, but they soon realize that the villa is a portal to another dimension where time moves differently.

10. Two detectives investigate a series of murders in a small town, but they discover that the murderer is a supernatural entity that feeds on fear.

11. A family visits a theme park but becomes trapped on a rollercoaster that never stops, seemingly taking them through a never-ending loop of terror.

12. Two siblings go to their family's cabin for a weekend getaway, but they soon realize that the place is haunted by their deceased father, who wants them to join him in the afterlife.

13. A family moves into a new house, but they soon realize that their neighbors are part of a cult trying to sacrifice them to their dark god.

14. A group of teenagers breaks into an abandoned theater, but the theater is haunted by the ghost of a former actor driven mad by his love for the stage.

15. A family goes on a cruise, but the ship becomes overrun with a mysterious disease that turns people into savage monsters.

16. A group of survivors takes refuge in a shopping mall during a zombie outbreak, but the mall is also home to a madman hunting them down.

17. A group of coworkers goes on a team-building retreat to an isolated cabin in the Scandinavian mountains, but they soon discover that one of them is not who they claim to be.

18. A young couple buys a historic mansion, only to realize that the previous owner left behind more than just old furniture.

19. A young boy turns to a mysterious organization for help, but the help comes with a steep price and a deadline he can't afford to miss.

20. A young woman inherits an old farmhouse from her grandmother, only to discover that the property has a cursed past.

21. A group of strangers is invited to a dinner party at a wealthy socialite's mansion, only to find out that they are the main course.

22. A woman works as a nanny for a wealthy family, but she soon realizes the children have a dangerous secret.

23. A scientist and her assistant are stranded in a remote research facility during a snowstorm, only to realize that the genetically modified organisms they've been studying have escaped their containment.

24. A group of friends is trapped in an escape room, but the puzzles and challenges are deadly traps set by a madman seeking revenge.

25. An estranged father's disappointment with his own life leads them to make a deal with a supernatural being, but the deal has a terrible catch.

26. A woman goes to a resort for a relaxing weekend, but she soon discovers that the resort is run by a cult that uses the guests for its own sinister purposes.

27. A nurse and her patient are stranded in a hospital during a zombie apocalypse and must find a way to escape before the undead overrun the building.

28. A group of tourists visit an ancient temple but accidentally awaken a vengeful deity who begins to possess them one by one.

29. Past mistakes haunt a lone survivor, and the ghost of his victim seeks revenge.

30. A group of treasure hunters discovers a cursed artifact that slowly drives them insane with greed.

31. A family visits a water park, but the slides are booby-trapped by a deranged former employee seeking revenge on the owner.

32. A homeless man's intense hatred for a group of people leads them to commit a terrible act, but the act has consequences they could never have imagined.

33. A group of college students attends a Halloween party, but the host has set up a game of deadly dares that escalates as the night continues.

34. A police officer and a suspect are trapped in an interrogation room during a city-wide blackout, but a demon possesses the suspect.

35. A young man wakes up in a strange place with no memory of how they got there, and they soon discover that they are not alone.

36. A person discovers their identical twin has a perfect life and decides to take over their identity with unparalleled consequences.

37. A young girl stays at a bed and breakfast run by a friendly elderly couple, but she soon realizes that the host is a serial killer who hunts their guests for sport.

38. A single mother and her son move into a new apartment, but strange noises and movements in the walls lead them to discover a hidden room with a dark secret.

39. A family visits a theme park, but the rides and attractions are controlled by a mad scientist using them to test his latest inventions.

40. A man takes a job as a security guard at an old warehouse, but he soon realizes that the warehouse is home to something much more dangerous than old crates.

41. A young man discovers a mysterious book that promises forbidden knowledge, but the knowledge comes at a terrible cost.

42. A young woman works as a housekeeper in a grand old hotel, but she soon discovers that the hotel has a dark and dangerous secret lurking in the shadows.

43. A group of college students stays up all night to study in their university's library, but they soon discover that the books are cursed, and an evil presence haunts the library.

44. A homeless man starts experiencing terrifying hallucinations that may or may not be real, and they are not sure if they are losing their mind.

45. A couple on a romantic getaway at a beach resort discovers that the resort is home to a cannibalistic cult.

46. Write a horror story set in a haunted house, where a young couple discovers an old door that wasn't there before.

47. A horror writer finds a real serial killer's diary. As they start writing a novel based on it, the grisly murders described within begin to occur in their small town.

48. On a Halloween night, a group of friends goes trick or treating in a parallel universe where their greatest fears become real.

49. A young girl receives a letter addressed to someone else, containing instructions for a demonic ritual. She accidentally summons an evil witch, leading to unexpected consequences.

50. Write a creepy story about a big house in a small town where strange symbols appear overnight, pointing to a mystery that dates back centuries.

51. At a summer camp, a mad scientist's experiment goes wrong, leading to a zombie apocalypse. Only the young and brave survive.

52. Write a story about a little boy who receives an evil doll that once belonged to a demonic killer. The doll starts controlling the little boy, forcing him to do horrible things.

53. A horror writer is trapped in a parallel universe where they must keep writing horror stories to stay alive. The twist? Each story becomes real in their original universe.

54. Write about a lone survivor of a tragic car accident, who wakes up in an abandoned asylum. They start to question what's real and what's a product of their fractured human psyche.

55. Write about a Halloween party where an evil witch curses the guests, trapping them in their most horror-filled nightmares.

56. A teenage girl's imaginary friend starts to manifest in real life, committing grisly murders. Who will believe her, and can she stop it?

57. Write a horror story set in an abandoned house where a woman finds strange things start happening, leading to a terrifying revelation.

58. An aspiring horror writer drinks a potion to get their creative juices flowing but begins to live out their own horror stories.

59. Write about a woman who wakes up to the same day over and over again. Each day, she finds a different friend dead. How can she stop the loop?

60. Write about a young man living a perfect life, until he finds his own name on a serial killer's hit list.

61. A horror story where a young couple moves into a big house, only to discover it was the scene of grisly murders committed by the husband's estranged father.

62. Write about the horror genre itself coming to life, where characters from the most horror stories start appearing in the real world.

63. A group of friends watching a scary movie suddenly find themselves inside it. How will they survive?

64. On Halloween night, a teenage girl and her little brother must survive a curse that brings all of their town's horror legends to life.

65. A competition to write the great horror story turns deadly, as each story written begins to happen in real life.

66. Write about a serial killer who terrorizes a summer camp. The main character must use their knowledge of horror fiction to stop the killer.

67. Write a creepy story where a little girl's nightmares begin to manifest in real life, leading to a terrifying truth.

68. In a twist of fate, a horror writer becomes the main character in their own horror story.

69. Solve a series of grisly murders using nothing but horror prompts and mystery writing techniques.

70. Write a horror story where an investigative team explores an abandoned asylum, only to discover it's not as empty as it seems.

71. On a deserted road, a young woman's car breaks down near an old house filled with strange things. What will she discover?

72. A horror writer with writer's block starts to live out their own horror prompts, leading to terrifying consequences.

73. Write a horror story set in a big house, where every room has a different horror story to tell.

74. An imaginary friend from childhood returns to take revenge on those who wronged their creator.

75. Write a mystery where the main character wakes up to find themselves declared dead, and must solve their own murder.

76. An old house harbors a supernatural force that torments its inhabitants with their worst fears.

77. Write about a group of friends who must survive the horror of being trapped in a parallel universe filled with their worst nightmares.

78. Explore the horror behind an old door in an old house, where strange things begin to happen.

79. Write about a secret convention for serial killers that goes horribly wrong when a detective infiltrates it.

80. Write a horror story based on real life, where a group of friends must confront an ancient evil in their small town.

81. Solve the mystery of an abandoned house where strange things start happening after a group of teenagers dares to enter.

82. Write about a camping trip where the campers encounter an evil witch who uses their fears against them.

83. A tragic accident in a parallel universe unleashes a supernatural force that terrorizes a small town.

84. Write a horror story where the main character must solve their own murder after being found dead.

85. Write about someone who has the perfect life until they discover they are the target of a serial killer's obsession.

86. A group of friends are haunted by a supernatural force they unleashed during a Halloween party. They must find a way to stop it before it's too late.

87. A horror story where an old, forbidden book in a library leads readers into their worst nightmares.

88. Write about a homeless man who can see people's darkest secrets and uses this ability to fight off demonic killers terrorizing the city.

89. A strange artifact found on a camping trip opens a gateway to a parallel universe where horror rules and the only person who can close it is the one who opened it.

90. In a small town, the wrong person is accused of grisly murders. The real killer is something far more terrifying.

91. Write about a car accident that leaves the survivor with the ability to see the supernatural force that's really controlling people's lives.

92. A group of friends discovers the real horror behind common horror themes as they manifest in their daily lives.

93. Write about a young girl who must solve her own imaginary friend's murder, only to discover a horrifying truth about her family.

94. A haunted house attraction turns out to be genuinely haunted, leading to a night of terror for a young couple.

95. On a family vacation to an old house, a young boy finds a hidden room filled with strange symbols and must unravel the mystery before it's too late.

96. Write about an evil doll that manipulates a little girl into committing terrible acts, only to find out that the doll is controlled by something even more sinister.

97. A great horror story writer is cursed to live out each story they write. How will they escape a never-ending cycle of terror?

98. A start writing class at a university becomes the center of a real-life horror story, where students begin disappearing one by one.

99. Write about a series of grisly murders that are connected by a set of strange symbols, leading to an ancient and horrifying secret.

100. A young man's obsession with horror stories leads him to a real-life mystery involving an abandoned house, a ghostly apparition, and a century-old curse.

101. Write a horror story about a lone survivor of a shipwreck who ends up on an island filled with dark and ancient secrets.

102. On Halloween night, trick or treating takes a terrifying turn as children start disappearing, and a group of friends must find out what's happening.

103. A horror fiction fanatic starts to notice that their life is mirroring the plot of a horror novel they're reading, leading to a race against time to change their fate.

104. Write about a young couple who moves into a seemingly perfect house, only to find that it's inhabited by the ghosts of previous tenants who all met tragic ends.

105. An aspiring horror writer moves to a small town for inspiration but finds themselves living out a real-life horror story when strange things start happening.

106. Write about a camping trip gone wrong, where strange and terrifying creatures begin to stalk the campers, leading to a fight for survival.

107. A mysterious car accident leaves a woman with the ability to see into other dimensions, where she must prevent a demonic invasion.

108. Write about a group of friends who stumble upon an old door in the forest that leads to a parallel universe filled with horror and danger.

109. A story set in a remote summer camp where the staff starts to realize that the children are not what they seem, leading to a horrifying revelation.

110. A young woman finds a mysterious old diary that contains instructions for summoning supernatural forces, leading to a battle against an ancient evil.

111. Write about a real-life horror story where a family moves into an old house, only to find that it's haunted by the ghosts of its previous occupants.

112. An estranged father and son must fight together to survive a zombie apocalypse, rediscovering their bond in the face of horror.

113. Write about a seemingly ordinary family vacation that turns into a nightmare when they realize they're being stalked by a relentless supernatural force.

114. A story set in an abandoned asylum where a team of paranormal investigators uncovers something far more terrifying than they expected.

115. Write about a parallel universe where the laws of horror fiction rule, and a group of people must navigate its twisted logic to survive.

116. A young girl's horror story writing prompts come to life, and she must find a way to control her creations before they destroy her world.

In the dark, twisted corridors of imagination lie endless possibilities for horror enthusiasts. Whether you're a seasoned writer or just venturing into the mysterious realms of the horror genre, these 101+ prompts offer a chilling and diverse array of story ideas to ignite your creative juices.

From haunted houses and gruesome murders to the psychological terror that lurks in the human psyche, each prompt offers a unique starting point to explore fear, suspense, and the unknown. Don't just wait for inspiration to strike; seize one of these prompts and start writing your terrifying tale today.

Frequently Asked Questions about Horror Writing Prompts (FAQs)

What are horror writing prompts.

Horror writing prompts are short phrases, sentences, or scenarios designed to get the creative juices flowing and inspire writers to create horror stories with horror or thriller elements.

Why use horror writing prompts?

Horror writing prompts can be a helpful tool to spark creativity and overcome writer's block while writing a horror story .

Horror story prompts can provide writers with a starting point for their horror stories and can help them explore new ideas and directions.

How do I use horror writing prompts?

To use a horror writing prompt, simply read the horror story prompt and let your imagination run wild.

Try to think of unique and creative ways to interpret the prompt and use it as a starting point for your horror story. You can use the prompt to inspire a full-length novel, short scary story, or flash horror fiction.

Are there any tips for using horror writing prompts?

One tip for using horror writing prompts is to make the prompt your own. Feel free to add twists and turns to the prompt or take it in an unexpected direction.

Another tip is to use the horror story ideas as a jumping-off point and allow your scary stories to develop naturally as you write.

What are some examples of horror writing prompts?

Examples of horror prompts to write a good horror story might include:

A family moves into a new house, only to discover that the ghost of a previous occupant haunts it.

On Halloween night, a group of friends goes on a camping trip, only to realize that a mysterious figure is stalking them.

A scientist creates a new technology that has unintended and terrifying consequences.

Can horror writing prompts be used for other forms of writing?

Yes, horror writing prompts can be adapted for other forms, such as poetry, screenwriting, and playwriting .

The prompt may need to be adjusted to fit the format, but it can still be used as a starting point for a horror-themed work in a different form.

Are there any legal issues with using horror writing prompts?

No, there are no legal issues with horror writing prompts, as they are meant to be used as a starting point for creative writing.

However, if a writer uses a prompt as inspiration for a published work, they should ensure that they do not infringe on anyone's copyright or intellectual property.

Can horror writing prompts be used for collaborative writing?

Yes, horror writing prompts can be used for collaborative writing projects. They can provide a starting point for multiple writers to build a story together, each adding their own unique contributions.

What are some common themes in horror writing prompts?

Common themes in the horror genre include ghosts, haunted houses, monsters, supernatural phenomena, psychological horror, and apocalyptic scenarios.

Can horror writing prompts be used for writing exercises or writing challenges?

Yes, horror writing prompts can be used for writing exercises or challenges. Writers can use prompts as a timed writing exercise or challenge themselves to write a certain number of words or pages based on these scary story ideas .

It can also generate discussion and feedback in a writer's group or workshop.

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101 Fantasy Writing Prompts to Kickstart Your Next Epic Adventure

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50 Spooky Writing Prompts and Horror Story Ideas

If you’re looking for scary story prompts or horror writing ideas, you’ve come to the right place! These are great Halloween writing prompts, and some of these could also be used as suspense story prompts or dark fantasy story ideas.

These are all from my book 5 ,000 Writing Prompts: A Master List of Plot Ideas, Creative Exercises, and More . The book has 100 additional spooky writing prompts and horror story ideas, as well as master plots and idea starters for all kinds of writing.

If you are easily scared and have an over-active imagination, just skip this one. And anyway, just remember it’s all nonsense that I made up while I was exercising on the treadmill or sitting in bed.

Some of these are skeletal (ha) plot ideas, while others are images or suggestions. And if you’d like a spooky soundtrack to inspire you, be sure to check out my scary music playlist for writers ! Be sure to pin or bookmark the post for future reference. After all, when autumn rolls around, you might find yourself looking for Halloween writing prompts!

• A musician practices. When she finishes a piece, she hears someone clapping for her, although she lives alone.
• Frightening events in a small town lead its citizens to dig up the grave of a deceased inhabitant.
• Someone gets on the elevator by himself and is never seen by his friends or family again.
• The Furies—the vengeance deities of classic mythology—are back in business again.
• A collector buys an unpublished manuscript by an obscure writer that describes a terrible historical event a year before it occurred. The collector learns the writer wrote many unpublished stories…
• Creating a hybrid of a human and this particular animal turns out to be a bad idea.
• A person has the ability to make other people very ill.
• The dead walk out of the sea.
• An individual begins seeing and hearing from someone who looks just like her – and learns she had a twin who died at birth.
• A killer places an advertisement for a willing victim and finds one.
• A basement contains jars filled with unusual specimens.
• A person finds new photos of herself on her cell phone that she didn’t take.
• The spirit of a brutalized slave or prisoner of war wants revenge on his tormentor’s descendants.
• A couple vacationing in a remote area begins having the same nightmares.
• All of the circus performers were killed in the train wreck.
• The television switches to another station of its own accord and plays footage of something horrible that happened long before the technology existed to record it.
• A spouse or sibling dies. He or she begins to take over the body of the surviving spouse or sibling.
• Weekend adventurers explore a cave and can’t find their way out again. Then they encounter something terrible…
• Authorities go through the cluttered apartment of a deceased man who lived alone with no known friends or relatives for decades and find something disturbing.
• A group of teenagers trolls everyone else in an online group by telling made-up stories about terrible things they’ve done. Things then get out of hand.
• It’s bad luck in the theatre to call the Shakespeare play Macbeth by name, but someone in the company keeps doing it anyway… and the superstition proves true.
• Every exhibit in this carnival sideshow is fake. Except this one thing.
• An individual develops a terror of water – drinking it, touching it, or even being near it. There’s actually a good reason why.
• The grandfather clock starts running backwards.
• People in this neighborhood begin having freak accidents that involve normal appliances and machinery, such as blenders, weed whackers, and garage doors.
• The cure for a new deadly epidemic is almost scarier than the disease.
• He locked the doors and shuttered the windows; it came in through the roof.
• A woman is happy when her dead loved one comes back to life… but he’s changed.
• This centuries-old beauty secret is effective but horrifying.
• A killer toys with his victims by orchestrating a series of false hopes for them.
• She wakes up in the middle of the night and runs out to a certain tree.
• Tourists on a ghost tour, along with their guide, fall into the hands of an evil presence.
• A young woman is impregnated by her handsome new boyfriend, who turns out to be something other than human.
• The empty swing is swinging.
• A bride on her honeymoon discovers she’s not her new husband’s first wife… not even close.
• Long ago, when he was a baby, a man’s parents made an unwise deal in order to bring him back from the dead.
• Members of a family or people in a town begin sleepwalking and doing strange things in their sleep.
• A young man confesses to a killing that hasn’t happened. The murder he describes takes place while he’s in custody.
• Grisly events happen after the arrival of a hypnotist in Victorian London.
• An author’s fictional villain stalks him.
• Fraternity hazing goes way too far.
• It always happens when he’s alone in the car.
• A patient in a mental hospital encounters a malevolent ghost, but nobody believes her.
• A mother’s young child may or may not be a changeling.
• Swarms of insects appear in various places in a town, always followed by an untimely death.
• The ghost at the movie theater wants everyone to watch one particular snippet of film.
• A child’s imaginary friend starts to cause real trouble.
• When putting together a slide show for a wedding or funeral, someone notices that for decades, the same man, dressed in the same fashion, has been appearing in the background of photographs taken in public places.
• A politician, religious leader, or celebrity exerts mind control over the will of his or her followers.
• The fairy godmother isn’t the good kind of fairy.

Okay, I creeped myself out a little with these spooky writing prompts! If you’re writing a novel and want a step-by-step guide to planning, writing, and editing, be sure to check out my book 5,000 Writing Prompts .

Do you have questions or suggestions about horror story ideas? We’d love to hear them in the comments section! And don’t miss future posts about writing. Follow my blog, if you aren’t already — there’s a place you can sign up below. Thanks so much for reading, and happy writing!

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60 thoughts on “ 50 spooky writing prompts and horror story ideas ”.

This was terrific. Thank you.

Thanks, B.D., you’re so welcome!

You always have the best writing prompts. I love these! Several gave me the jeebas. 🙂

Thank you so much! Haha, it only seemed creepy to me when I went back and read straight through them. 😀

Fabulous prompts – I see some stories in my immediate future.

Aw thanks Noelle, glad you like them!

Thanks, Bryn, for all the great prompts. I appreciate it. 🙂 — Suzanne

Thanks, Suzanne, you’re welcome!

Great prompts for the coming season and for those who write about the supernatural all year round. A friend of mine and myself send photos to each other as prompts and most of the time, mine stories lean toward the macabre, supernatural or fantasy. I love it! Many of these set my thoughts in motion (the gears are turning). Thanks!

Cheryl, that’s so cool that you and your friend send image prompts to each other! So glad you liked these. Thanks for the nice comments!

Those are delightful ideas and I thank you for them. Did you hear, by the way, about the writer of bizarre tales whose stories were typed using the blood font.The one that leaves an occasional trail of blood down the background image of the screen. Isn’t technology a delightful addition to this lexicon?

Hi Robert! Holy smokes, I had not heard of that use of text. That’s amazing! Thanks so much for commenting, and for the kind words!

I really like the first one: A musician practices. When she finishes a piece, she hears someone clapping for her, although she lives alone.

My character plays the violin and she’s blind, so imagining something like that happening is kind of scary.

Oh geez, Cinthia, that would be scary. That one was my favorite one, by the way. Thanks for commenting!

The reasons why crime features so heavily in media coverage are many and varied. In practical terms crime stories are often easy to cover, relative to other issues. Police make appeals for witnesses, ‘tip off’ journalists (sometimes in ethically problematic ways), court hearings are easy to access and scheduled long in advance.

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nice stories……..give me the creeps

Haha, thank you so much Jayitha!

Thanks so much really helped me.I have to write a short story for english so thanks!

So glad it helped, Neveah! Hope your story turned out (or turns out) great!

who are you?

That was amazing, I am 11 years old and I looked up writing prompts for fun but now I want to write a whole story! Thank you!

Thank u for these ideas. Good suggestions. I am actually writing a horror/thriller story right now and I’m almost done with it. It may be my first story to publish. At least I hope so. I hope that if it does get published, people may like it. I try to make my stories as unique as possible compared to the fantastic horror books already written.

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Great article…So, I have a very sketchy idea (comments welcomed).Newly married couple, husband starts having night terrors about being trapped/lost in a cave (the type extreme potholers go down). He suffers from claustrophobia, specifically potholing. The terrors become more and more violent until one day/night he wakes up inside a shaft, wedged between the walls by his broad shoulders…can’t go forward, can’t go backwards. That’s as far as I’ve got. Apart from skipping to a potential sad ending. You may have guessed that this is a fear of mine!!!

That is unbelievably terrifying!!

ps. You may also guess that I am attempting to write my FIRST book!!!

Thank you Ember Jay

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can you have more scary stories and pin them on pinterest? If you want my email for anything its [email protected] . Thanks

lisette isabelle

Isn’t the last one the plot of Shrek 2?????

yessss broooo

Broooo thats my fav movie!!!!!

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I like #4 The Furies—the vengeance deities of classic mythology—are back in business again. I’m currently writing a story about a demon and a school girl the story is call Her name was Misaki

I like #4 The Furies—the vengeance deities of classic mythology—are back in business again. I’m currently writing a story about a demon and a school girl the story is call Her name was Misaki

This sounds like a a great story!

I used the first one to get me started on brainstorming, and I warped the idea into a feature screenplay that was very fun to write. Thanks for the awesome help!!!

Yeah boiiiiii

I was sitting by the window watching the snow slowly and silently fall. Suddenly, outside, a snap of a branch and a stutter of leaves, a sad old man leaves his house over the road. I watch him as he slowly strolls down the driveway with his brown old wooden stick. Is this a good story starter?

Thanks for getting my imagination running. I needed that. J

Aw, thanks. Thanks for reading, John!

heyo…. I’m 13 years old and i want to write a horror story…..this is helpful!!! I want to be an author when i grow up…whats it like being an author???!!! i have so many ideas , too many that i actually have no idea what to write this gave me some good ideas too thanks. oh, and i love your eyes they are so pretty.

Hey there! I’m so glad you liked the list! It sounds like you have an amazing imagination. Being a writer has challenges, but it’s fantastic making up whole characters, stories, and worlds…and when readers love your stories, too, that’s a great feeling. I hope you have great success as an author. Thanks for the compliment, too!

idea 48 is probably the ex boyfriend of the girl getting married and getting revenge on the husband hehe

I love all these prompts! They give just enough detail but also leave a great amount of imagination! I am doing a spooky story contest and now I have a wonderful idea! thank you so much! -Charlotte

Love this list! I plan on entering a short story contest, and this is very helpful! I lean more towards lengthy fantasy (particularly magic or medieval related) stories, so coming up with ideas for a scary short story is not exactly easy. I now have a solid idea combining bits and pieces of a few prompts (for example: #13 and #16) plus combining my own twists. So thank you!!

Thank you so much I really needed this for English

My story Wrote by 11 yrs old girl (no name, sry) The Mystery Of The Unexpected Ghost: As my grandfather lies on his deathbed, he told me of a terrible crime he committed many years ago and got away with. He also told me that his freedom was the result of a spell someone performed and that I should expect a visit from a ghost. “He will come out from the shadows,” are his last words. Hi, my name is Naomi. I am 21 years old and I love to read ghost stories especially Mr Midnight. I love spooky things like ghost but I do not wish to meet one, until one day, an unexpected man came and it changed my friend, Ruby’s and my life, FOREVER. It all started when I woke up one morning, “Hey! Want to hang out today? Let’s start working on our club, Daring Devils!” I called my friend, Ruby, over the phone. “Sure! I have no plans anyways…” Ruby answered. “Yay! Come over now!” I hung the phone and waited for Ruby to come. Moments later, “Ring… Ring…” The doorbell rang. I thought, ‘Yay it’s Ruby!’ When I opened the door, I saw Ruby and pulled her to my room. Then, I got super serious and asked her for cases to solve. “Nah, I have none, you?” Ruby said. I replied, “Actually, I do have one, but I think ghosts aren’t real…” “Wait, this case is about ghosts? Woo hoo! This just got a little more exciting!” Ruby exclaimed as she waited patiently for me to tell her the case. “Ok, so, before my grandfather died, he told me that I should expect a visit from a ghost.” I responded. “What, that’s not fun!” Ruby complained. I continued, “But that’s not all, after that, my grandfather told me that the ghost will come out from the shadows.” After hearing what I had said, Ruby’s face lit up and imitated a ghost, “WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO… So this is a mystery! Did your grandfather tell you when will the ghost appear?” “No…” I replied. “O…K… So we must predict when the ghost is coming…” Ruby said, trying to think when the ghost will come. I thought really hard that I thought my brain was going to explode and I suddenly said, “At night! Ghosts always appear at night!” “Ok, then, I’ll meet you at night, got to go, bye!” Ruby replied as she ran home. I sat patiently on my bed and waited for Ruby to come at night. I kept trying to sleep but thinking about the ghost kept me awake. “Ring… Ring…” the doorbell rang. I ran to the door, drag Ruby to my room and exclaimed, “Yay! This is going to be so fun!” Ruby answered, “Naomi, I’ll not get too excited if I were you…” “What, you scared of ghosts, I don’t even believe in them!” I responded. “Naomi! The ghost might be listening! Stop making fun!” Ruby warned me. “Whatever!” I blurted. Little did I know that the ghost was spying on us, listening to every word I said. “Let’s get started on the case!” I exclaimed as I turn on my computer and typed, ‘Ghosts that can perform spells.’ “Enter!” I said as I pressed enter. Once I pressed enter, lots of information from the internet popped up on the screen. I slowly browsed through each website. “Not this, not this and not this either! At this rate, we’ll never find out about that ghost” I whimpered, feeling hopeless. “Search, ‘Visit from a ghost who performs spells’.” Ruby replied immediately. I typed, ‘Visit from a ghost who performs spells.’ “Enter.” I uttered. Suddenly, there was only one website. I click on the website and it says: The Chancer * His real name is unknown. He is believed to be the ghost of a boy who never had a second chance. This ghosts helps humans in life. He gives chances to those who have a kind heart. If this ghosts visits you, you are lucky. But… if you do not have a kind heart, you will die! If you want to risk your life, then call him… Say, “Chance, chance, give me a chance. Everyone deserves a second chance.” If you did not call him but he came to you, means someone you knew had called him before… Beware of your surroundings, he will come out from the shadows. If you do not want him to come near you, say, “Chance, chance, I don’t need a chance. Everyone deserves a second chance, everyone but me, I’m done…” If you are expecting him to come, he will say, “Second chance, second chance, second, second, second chance… What would you like for your second chance? Tell me now, tell me now…” * (BOHH) “Gosh! Naomi, quick! Take a picture of it!” Ruby shook me. “Chill! ‘Kay, ‘kay!” I grumbled. I quickly took my phone and took a picture of it. “Anyways, what’s BOHH?” Ruby questioned me. “WHAT! You don’t know!? It means Blood On His Hands. He has taken a life. You should read Mr Midnight!” I responded. “So if you are not kind hearted and you called the ghost or if someone you know has called the ghost, you will die?” Ruby asked. “Yup!” I replied. “But I don’t need a second chance, do I?” I wondered. “I guess…” Ruby murmured. Unexpectedly, the lights suddenly off. “Second chance, second chance, second, second, second chance… What would you like for your second chance? Tell me now, tell me now…” said an unknown voice. “Who are you?” Ruby hollered. “I am The Chancer, would you like to have a second chance?” The voice said. “Uh… uh…” I stammered. I quickly turn on my phone and looked at the picture I took. I took a deep breath and said, “Chance, chance, I don’t need a chance. Everyone deserves a second chance, everyone but me, I’m done…” Once those words left my mouth, I heard a loud scream and the lights suddenly turned back on. “What just happened?” Ruby asked. “Am I dreaming? Pinch me, Naomi!” Ruby said. I pinched Ruby as hard as I could to get my revenge for her pinching me in the past. “Ouch! Stop!” Ruby screamed. “So, I’m not dreaming…” She said under her breath. Weeks past as I tried to forget the memories that haunt me. After a year, I called Ruby and asked, “Have you forgotten about The Chancer?” Ruby stammered, “I…I…I…I…” I asked impatiently, “So did you forget ‘bout it?” Ruby stammered again, “Ok, Naomi, I have to tell you this, don’t… freak… out, ‘kay?” “What is it?” I asked her curiously. “The Chancer… The Chancer has visited me…” Ruby answered me with a frightened look. “WHAT DID YOU SAID?!” I asked. “How many times must I repeat? The Chancer visited me!” Ruby shouted. “Oh! I understand everything now! If someone you know saw The Chancer, he will go to someone you know or someone you are really close with, or even you! I get it now!” I explained to Ruby. Then, I asked curiously, “But, what did you do when you saw The Chancer?” “Uh… Naomi, I forgotten what to say when The Chancer come, so I said I want a second chance!” Ruby replied me, feeling frightened. “What!” I hollered. “What is your second chance?” I asked. “My second chance is to be pretty!” Ruby answered, curling her hair and blushing at the same time. “But, you know that, err….” I said. “I know what?” Ruby asked. “You know that a second chance means, A SECOND LIFE, right?” I told her. “Oh no! I’m going to die? Please tell me I’m dreaming! Pinch me, please!” Ruby shouted. I pinched her cheek as hard as I could and she shouted. “Yup, definitely not dreaming!” Ruby said, as she touched her cheek. “HOW?!” Ruby shouted in horror. “Don’t ask me! Ask yourself!” I answered her with a furious look. “What am I supposed to do at this stage?” Ruby complained. “We’ll see… Let’s observe what will happen next…” I answered, feeling worried for Ruby. “We can have a sleepover at your house, YAY!” Ruby squealed. “Ugh…” I grumbled. “It’s midnight!” I said. “Be ready for what’s going to happen next!” I continued. Suddenly, Ruby was glowing. After a few moments later, she disappeared! Feeling afraid, I tried to sleep, but as expected, I could not. It was dawn and my eyes were still wide open. Unexpectedly, I heard someone screamed, “AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH” I shut my eyes and covered my ears. When I opened my eyes, I saw a very beautiful girl in front of me. “Get away from me!” I screamed. “Naomi, it’s me, Ruby!” she said. “Liar, then tell me something only Ruby and I know!” I screamed, feeling afraid. “There is someone called The Chancer and he came to visit me and you.” She continued. “Oh gosh, Ruby!” I hugged her and cried. “What happened to your face? You somehow became, prettier!” I asked curiously. “Oh… About that, err… The Chancer said it is only temporary. He said if I did not use this chance correctly, I will have consequences. But if I use it properly, I can keep it forever.” Ruby explained. “You sure? This doesn’t feel right.” I said, thinking about why The Chancer would let her keep it if she used it properly. “Stop talking nonsense… Do you always act like this?” Ruby talked with a little bit of sassiness. “We need to change your name to something prettier…” I suggested. “I agree. I kind of want to be named Naomi…” Ruby said. “Let me think of a prettier name than mine. Hmmm… How about Alexi?” I suggested. “That is so nice! Ok…” Ruby Alexi replied. The next day, I went to school with Ruby Alexi. When we entered, many people were staring at Alexi with their mouths wide open, even the prettiest girl in our school, Cindy. “Hey girl, what’s your name?” Cindy asked with A LOT of sassiness. “Ru… Alexi” Alexi said. “Why you hanging around with this nerd… What was her name again? Oh yes, Naomi.” Cindy said, pointing at me. “You are the real nerd! Stop being so mean you ugly girl and don’t act like you are so pretty, because you are NOT!” Alexi screamed at the top of her lungs. “OMG… I can’t believe such a pretty girl like you to be so mean,” Cindy flipped her hair and sashayed away. After Cindy left, a lot of guys started crowding around Alexi, asking her stuff like, “Are you single?” and “Want to hang out with me?” When Alexi saw them, she started flipping and curling her hair. “Psst… Remember to use your second chance properly. Stop flipping and curling your hair and get away from this crowd,” I reminded her. “Oh sorry people, I got to go… See you guys later!” Alexi told them and sashayed away. “Ugh…” I whispered under my breath. Many days past and Alexi acts the same every day. Until one day, something odd happened to her. She stopped doing the stuff she normally do. When we walked back home together from school, I asked her, “What happened to you?” “Something is about to happen… Something bad! I know it… The Chancer is going to remove my chance! Am I going to DIE?!” She answered, feeling afraid. “No you are not! Can you stay over at my house for today? I need to observe you…” I asked her. “Ok…” She immediately agreed and plastered a fake smile across her face. We reached my house and we waited until it was night time. “What now?” Alexi asked. “We’ll see,” I replied, staring at her. “This is getting awkward… I’m going back,” Alexi said, walking away from me. When she was walking, she suddenly fainted and disappeared, AGAIN! “Ugh… Not again!” I complained. This time, I thought she was dead as she did not appear for the past few weeks and her parents said she did not return. One night, when I was about to turn off the light, the light off itself. When I was about to scream, someone covered my mouth and I immediately fainted. When I woke up, I was tied up. I took a closer look at where I was and noticed it was a cemetery. “Mmmm!” I tried to scream but my mouth was taped. Suddenly, The Chancer appeared. “I mean no harm… I just have to warn you something,” he said. “Ruby… She… Is dead!” He continued. “It’s Alexi!” I reminded him. “You can’t call her Alexi!” he warned me. “Why?” I asked. “Just don’t.” he replied. “But why is she dead?” I asked. “I tried to warn her about something but The Devi got her!” He explained. “Who is The Devi?” I asked curiously. “She is my sister, or should I say, she was my sister. She has changed. She used to be a kind girl but now, I’m not really sure what has happened to her.” He said, staring at a grave. “Her grave, is at this cemetery. It is over there,” he said, pointing at the grave he was staring at previously. I looked closer at the name at it said, “RIP DEV ‘LOVE FOR ALL, HATRED FOR NONE’ MAY GOD BLESS MY FAMILY” “Oh, so that’s her grave. But, why would she kill Ruby? I mean what did Ruby did? And, how do you know Ruby is dead?” I asked curiously. “You will know soon… I must get going!” The Chancer disappeared after saying that. When he left, I started feeling dizzy and lied on the floor. Moments past and I woke up after dreaming of Ruby. I immediately went to my computer, went to the internet and typed, ‘The Devi’. When I press enter, there was lots of websites popped up. I clicked on the first website and it says: The Devi * Her real name is Dev. She is believed to be the ghost of a girl who was murdered. Some say she was murdered because of her doing something ridiculous. The story goes, when she was born, she was ugly. When she grew up, she realised that other girls were prettier than her. So she went to this ghost and asked the ghost to make her prettier, but unfortunately, the ghost killed her. The Devi kills people who asked The Chancer to be pretty for their second chance. Some survived her as The Devi thinks that they are not very pretty. If you survived her, you will be unlucky for the rest of your life! But if you are lucky enough, you will be lucky for the rest of your life. Beware of what you asked from The Chancer! If The Devi wants to meet you, you will glow and suddenly disappear. If you disappear once, you will definitely survive from her. If you disappear twice, it depends if The Devi wants you dead or alive. If you disappear thrice, you will definitely die from her! * (BOHH) The Chancer, click here “Oh no… So did Ruby died or what?!” I asked myself confusedly. I took out my phone and took a picture of it. Suddenly, I heard the same voice, “AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!” ‘Ruby! Are you there?” I asked. Ruby appeared again. I saw a lot of blood and scars on her body. “Oh my… What happened to you?” I asked her. “Hel… Hel… Help… Me… I-I-I a… am…” After saying that, Ruby fainted. After a few days, Ruby finally woke up. “What… What happened?” she asked curiously. “You disappeared as The Devi caught you.” I explained. “Who is The Devi? I only remember there was this extremely pretty girl talking to me.” Ruby asked, scratching her head. “What did she said to you?!” I asked her, waiting for her answer. “I only remember part of what she said. She said, ‘You will disappear again and it’s up to me to decide whether you should live or die… Hmm… I guess you can…’ Then I forgot what she said.” Ruby said, trying to remember what The Devi had said. “She would either said die or live.” I told Ruby. “How would you know?” Ruby asked. I took out my phone and showed her the picture about The Devi I took before Ruby appeared. Ruby read and screamed, “AAAAAAAHH! Oh no! She said I will disappear again, means I will definitely die!” “We might not know if the internet is true…” I said. “Yeah, you are right,” Ruby said. “I guess we have to wait until I disappear again…” Ruby continued. “No… I have a plan, but I’m not sure if it would work. But we might now know unless we give it a try!” I said. “So, what’s the plan?” Ruby asked. “Ok, we have to make Dev come out.” I said. “Err…” Ruby said, feeling confused. “We have to say something to piss her off.” I explained. “Like?” Ruby asked. “Just try to think… Let’s do it now.” I answered. “Hey Dev! Are you really that ugly? If you are, come out!” I shouted. “Err… Oh yeah, come on out unless you are afraid!’ Ruby shouted. Suddenly, Ruby was glowing. I hold her hand and we disappeared together. “Where are we?” I moaned. “Oh no! Naomi! Hel…” I heard Ruby said. I looked around and realised that I was in a cemetery, AGAIN! “Ruby?” I hollered. I looked around and spotted Ruby lying at a grave that said, “RIP DEV ‘LOVE FOR ALL, HATRED FOR NONE’ MAY GOD BLESS MY FAMILY” “Uh oh…” I whispered. I ran towards her and carried her up. Suddenly, The Devi appeared. “Wow, you guys are the first who dares to say cruel things to me, other than my brother and… and… wow!” she said. “Err…” Ruby and I said, feeling confused. “I saw that you, Naomi, searched about me on the website. You did not believed the internet and that is very smart of you… It is all a lie. Let me tell you my real story. So my real name is Dev. I was murdered by The Chancer, my brother, also known as Chace. He murdered me because I had something he did not have, popularity. The story goes, when I was born, I was extremely beautiful. A lot of boys always hang out with me but he was not popular. Chace was extremely jealous of me, so he killed me one day.” “Then…” I gasped. “Chace is evil! Oh my!” I screamed. Immediately, Chace appeared and slid Dev’s throat with his knife. “You betrayed me! You evil little creature, you will never get a second chance to live your popular life!” Chace screamed. “Look what we have here… Two girls. Well, Ruby, you want to be pretty right? Then you shall die too!” Chace continued, taking a sword about to kill Ruby. “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!” I screamed. I shut my eyes, thinking of how helpless I am right now. “Don’t you worry and thank you for being so kind to me…” I heard someone whispered to me. I slowly opened my eyes and saw Dev jumping in front of Ruby and defend her from the sword. A lot of things happened in a blink of an eye. Dev was sliced into half, Ruby fainted and Chace screamed, “DEV!” Chace ran towards Dev and sob. “I’m so sorry.” He said to Dev. “Oh no! Dev is dead!” I screamed and ran towards Chace and Dev. “Why did you kill her!? You are crazy!” I screamed at Chace. “I’m sorry.” He said with tears dripping off his face. “Since young, I have this illness. I will turn into someone crazy when I am jealous. But now, when I’m a ghost, I will turn into someone crazy when I give someone a second chance to be prettier.” He explained. “Then just remove the chance you gave Ruby!” I suggested. “Oh yeah! You are right!” he said with his eyes lit up, twinkling with delight. “Second chance, come to me, come to me and you shall die.” He said. After saying that, Ruby was glowing and her face turned to her own face. “Yes! It worked! Ruby, you are back!” I screamed. I took a look at Dev and she was also back to her normal self. Dev cried and thanked me then face Chace and apologise, “I’m sorry, I did not know…” “It’s alright!” Chase said. After that, life was back to normal and now, everyone is wondering where Alexi went, even Cindy. Before I sleep, Dev and Chase would always come and visit me and you will never guess what happens when they visit me…

Although James did not believe in ghosts, it was hard to dismiss the appearance and Disappearance of the girl in a white chiffon dress.

As my brother lay helplessly on his deathbed, I would only recall the memories of him talking about the tree of death. His last words were ‘beware of the undergrowth’.

Days and weeks passed since the tragic accident until I had enough of keeping the secret all to myself. From that point onward I knew both my life and Ella’s life would change…

It all started in the morning when I was deciding on which book from the series ‘GHOST OF MURDER’ I should read again. Then before I could tell what I was doing, I was moving automatically towards the telephone. Unknowingly, I started dialling the numbers 07345967781, it then came to my head that I was dialling the phone number of my friend Ella. Within seconds, the phone was received and that was when I started blabbering about the new club we started, called Devils Dare. Just like I expected she agreed enthusiastically.

Soon after Ella came, fully packed with all the necessities for the club. “Ugh…” I complained it was so annoying when Ella does not understand what I wanted to say. Then I started ambling towards her and started to mumble under my breathe” GHOSTS”! Then out of the blue “AAAAHHHHhhh”! screamed Ella in her usual high-pitched voice. Grabbing her by the wrist we fledged to my room.

There, Ella started complaining about how her wrist is broken and that its paining horribly. “What a cry-baby she is”. I said under my breathe ignoring and trying focus on what I called her here for. Ella stop, I did not mean to scare you. And do you remember my brother…. “Yeah of course I do”. Ella said in a very intense voice. Well before he died, he told me about a tree near Midview meadow was the tree of death. “WOW!!!!” whispered Ella.

Within a blink of an eye I saw Ella opening her laptop and was typing (exceptionally fast) about deaths occurring near the tree. My face then drained out of colour. I felt dumbfounded that I did not think of that earlier. We then only found one website which had the title DEATH…. the ghost of eternal darkness. It then occurred once we started reading the second paragraph, that each time someone dies at that very spot, they have a leaf fall on them and that is when they will evaporate into thin air.

Stunned by the news, we were really wanting to see if it was true. However, just before my very eyes Ella was being taken away from me by the shadows. Suddenly RING…. RING! OH! PHEW, I was dreaming.”. At one point, I had thought that all this a real dream until I realised that it was true, Ella had been taken! Running around in my room just like a headless-chicken I was really frightened until it came to me that my brothers last words were ‘beware of the undergrowth’.

It came to my mind that the undergrowth are the ghosts guarding the tree from the kind and letting the leaves on the ones who have a cold heart. Hurrying up to the tree I went to the very spot where the very people named on the website died. However, I never realised there was a test to pass. Although there was just one question (and that to the question being quite easy I quickly answered it).

As I slowly walked, there was a loud thud, which had made the ground make a little sound of pain. Running towards the core of the loud sound, I found Ella tied up with a misty rope. Fear took over me and without thinking, I noticed that I was at the exact spot where the ghost called death killed its victims. Hoping a leaf would not fall on me, I closed my eyes and wished. Though I unfortunately failed and I evaporated into thin air…

Within seconds I understood Deaths intelligence of luring me to be one of the victims. Abruptly, I found myself floating, I was a ghost!

“OH please, ghosts aren’t real and are never going to be”. James stammered. Who would believe in that. Though little did he know that he would be seeing the exact person at that exact place. Alas, the day arrived he then went with all his bravery to the Midview meadow and to his astonishment saw the last victim of the ghost Death. The next day back at school he started telling everyone about the disappearance and appearances of a ghost he had read, and he saw about. Though no one would ever believe him…

Title: The Stalker “Ring…” the bell rang. “Class dismissed!” Mrs. Ng said. “Amelia! Amelia! Wait for me, let’s walk home together.” Ari shouted. Amelia agreed and they walked home together. On their way home, “Creak…” Amelia turned behind and saw nothing but heard the wind blowing in the air. “BOOM!” When they heard the loud noise, they shouted and ran as fast as their legs could carry them. When they thought they were safe, Amelia stopped running and said, “What a relief! I could hear the loud boom just right beside my ears!” Ari panted and said, “Let’s just walk home and forget that just happened.” Amelia agreed and they continued walking home. Just when they were about to reach home, there was an unknown voice that whispered into Ari and Amelia’s ears. The voice said, “I’ll set you free when I get what I want.” Amelia shouted, “Reveal yourself!” So, the stalker revealed himself. He had spiky hair, tattoo all over his body, long claws as finger nails, a weird smile on his face and a scar on his eye. “My name is Klaus!” “Oh My Gosh!” Ari said it shockingly. Feeling afraid, Amelia whispered to Ari, “Let’s run away!” Ari nodded his head and they ran away. Before they could even move, Klaus use a metal pole and knocked them down. Klaus brought them to an abandoned house, tied their hands with ropes and taped their mouth with duct tape. When Amelia woke up, she mumbled, “Mmmm…. Mmmmm!” When Ari heard Amelia mumbling, she woke up. When Klaus saw Amelia and Ari woke up, he said, “Finally, you’re both awake. I’ve been waiting for an hour!” When he saw both of them were trying to talk, he removed the duct tape on their mouth. “Hey! What do you want?” Amelia shouted. Klaus said, “Money, obviously. Everyone wants money!” “Fine! Take it, release us and go!” Ari said. Klaus asked, “You sure?” “Yeah!” Ari replied. When Klaus was about to take the money, a siren sounded. Klaus shouted, “You called the police?” Amelia giggled and said, “Yeah, I called the police!” After hearing what Amelia had said, Klaus ran as fast as a cheetah. Ari asked Amelia, “Did you really called the police?” Amelia laughed and replied, “No, silly! That was my alarm! I am prepared for anything… Come on, let’s walk home!” s the saying goes, ‘Once bitten, twice shy’, Amelia taught Ari to be prepared for anything.

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• Scriptwriting

How to Write Horror — Horror Writing Tips for Fiction & Film

• Best Horror Movies of All Time
• Best Christmas Horror Movies
• Best Zombie Movies
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• What is Horror
• Body Horror Explained
• Giallo Films Explained
• Horror Movie Tropes
• Found Footage Filmmaking
• What is a Grindhouse Movie
• Best Free Horror Movie Scripts Online
• Best Horror Movie Scripts
• How to Write Horror
• Scary Story Ideas
• Midsommar Script PDF Download
• Halloween Script PDF Download
• Get Out Script PDF Download
• Alien Script PDF Download

S o, you want to learn how to write a good horror story? Whether you want to know how to write a horror movie or how to write a horror book, the four steps outlined in this guide will get you started on the appropriate course of action and help you to align your creative goals. Writing horror isn’t all that different from writing for other genres, but it does require the right mindset and a creepy destination to work towards. Before we jump into the first of our four steps, let’s begin with a primer.

How to write horror

Before you get started.

The steps outlined in this ‘how to write horror’ guide assume that you already have a grasp over the fundamentals of writing. If you do not yet understand the basic mechanics of prose, screenwriting , or storytelling, then you might not get everything you need out of this guide. Luckily, we have a litany of informative resources that can bring you up to speed on everything you need to know.

If you intend to tell the  horror story  you have in mind as a screenplay, then the best way to fast track your screenwriting education might be to read through some of the  best screenwriting books  or to enroll in one of the  best online screenwriting courses .

Our guide to writing great scenes  is another good place to start, and our  glossary of screenwriting vocabulary  is a great resource if you encounter any unfamiliar terminology. When you’re ready to start writing, you can get going for free in  StudioBinder’s screenwriting software .

Now, we’re ready to jump into step one of our how to write horror guide. But, be warned, if you don’t already have a basic story concept in mind, you should consider that Step Zero.

There’s no concrete way to generate story ideas, but you can always look to creative writing prompts  and  indie films to kickstart inspiration .

HOW TO WRITE A HORROR MOVIE

Step 1: research and study.

Writing horror often begins by consuming great horror . We look to the stories of the past when crafting the stories of the present. Someone who has never read a horror novel or seen a horror film is going to have a much harder time writing horror than someone who is a voracious consumer of horror stories. By watching and reading, you can pick up plenty of tips for writing scary stories.

Before writing your opening line, be sure to do your research. It can be worthwhile to explore all manner of horror media. But for the purposes of this step, it’s best to focus in on the type of material you wish to create.

If you want to learn how to write a horror novel, then read as many horror novels as you can get your hands on. Our list of the  greatest horror films  ever made is a good place to conduct your research if you plan to write a horror screenplay. You can also check out our rundown of  underrated horror films for even more research.

Here are tips on how to write horror from the master himself, Stephen King. And, while you're at it, might as well catch up on the best Stephen King movies and TV based on his work!

How to write good horror  •  Stephen King offers horror writing tips

It’s important to go beyond simply reading and watching horror and to begin to analyze the material. Drill down into why certain decisions were made by the writer and try to figure out why certain elements work or don’t work. It can often be worthwhile to explore material you consider bad as well as what you consider good, so you can learn what not to do.

Check out our analysis of Midsommar   below for an example of how you can break down and explore the horror films that inspire you. You can also download the Midsommar script as a PDF to analyze the writing directly. You should check out our Best Horror Scripts post for more iconic script PDFs.

How to Write Horror  •   Read Full Midsommar Script

When consuming material to learn how to write a horror story, pay particular attention to the pacing and structure of the stories you’re inspired by. For example, if the style you find yourself most drawn to is slow-burn horror, then you might want to aim for a much slower pace than average with your story as well, but the build-up will become even more important.

Horror story writing

Step 2: decide your type of horror.

So, you’ve decided you’re writing horror, congratulations, you’ve settled on a genre. Now, it’s time to pick your sub-genre (s) and to decide on the specific avenue of horror to explore. There are many horror sub-genres to choose from. Just take a look at our ultimate guide to movie genres for quick rundown. And, check out the video below to see horror sub-genres ranked.

Ranking subgenres for inspiration  •  Horror story writing

Keep in mind that genres and subgenres can be mixed and matched in a multitude of combinations. For example, The Witch blends together the horror and historical fiction genres. From Dusk Till Dawn fuses action, crime-thriller, and vampire elements. And Shaun of the Dead fuses the horror and comedy genres by way of the zombie subgenre.

Our video essay below offers insights into Shaun of the Dead director Edgar Wright’s creative process. Check out our ranking of Edgar Wright’s entire filmography if you want even more.

How Edgar Wright writes and directs his movies  •   Subscribe on YouTube

Step Two is also the time to decide on the specific avenue you will exploit when writing horror. By “avenue of horror,” we mean the primary source(s) of tension and scares. Witches? Zombies? Cosmic horror? Body Horror ? Social Horror? These are all different avenues that your horror story can take on, and just like with genres and sub-genres, mixing and matching is encouraged.

A horror story that exploits kills and gore as its avenue of horror will be written in a much different manner than one that focuses on a sense of creeping dread and leaves more to the viewer or reader’s imagination.

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Step 3: Mine your fears and phobias 

You have decided on your genre and your avenue of horror, now it’s time to get more specific and drill deeper. For Step Three, go beyond asking what makes a story scary and instead figure out what makes your story frightening.

Depending on what you chose in Step Two, this might already be baked into your sub-genre and avenue of horror. For example, the home invasion sub-genre by nature mines a very real phobia that many people share.

The best home invasion films

However, if you chose to go with the zombie subgenre for example, you may need to work a little harder to discover what it is about your story that will scare audiences. Zombies on their own certainly hold the potential to be frightening, but audience overexposure to them throughout the years has gone a long way to lessen the scary impact they once had.

For examples of how to do it right, check out our rundown of the best zombie films ever made . And, for a different yet equally effective take on the sub-genre, check out our list of the  best zombie comedies .

How to write a horror story  •  Exploit common phobias

The above video breaks down the statistics surrounding a number of phobias. One common piece of writerly wisdom is “write what you know.” When writing in the horror genre, we can tweak that advice to, “write what scares you.” Mine your own fears and phobias when crafting your horror story; there are sure to be others out there who get creeped out by the same things.

This is also the step where you should try to discover your X-factor. What is it that sets your story apart from similar horror stories? If the answer is “nothing really,” then it might be time to take your concept back to the drawing board.

How to write a horror story

Step 4: keep your audience in mind.

From this point on, you are ready to start writing your horror story. Much of the writing process will be carried out in the same way as you would write a story in any other genre. But there are a few extra considerations. Put all that research you did in step one to work and ensure that your prose or screenwriting is well balanced and doles out the scares at a good pace.

You will want to find a good middle ground between sacrificing story and character development and going too long without something to keep your audience creeped out.

Narrative pacing is important in every genre, but horror writers also need to worry about pacing their scares, similar to how someone writing an action film needs to deliberately pace out their big action sequences.

How to write a horror story  •  Keep pacing in mind

Decide on who your target audience is from the jump and keep them in mind while you write. There can be a significant difference between horror aimed at teens vs. horror aimed at a mature audience. In film, this can mean the difference between shooting for a PG-13 rating instead of an R rating.

In fiction, this decision might manifest as a plan to market directly toward the young-adult crowd. Horror aimed at children, like Frankenweenie or The Nightmare Before Christmas , is drastically different from other types of horror aimed at older audiences.

Use your target audience as a guiding star that informs all of your narrative decisions as you write. Now, it’s time to put everything you just learned about how to write good horror stories to use.

The Greatest Horror Movies Ever Made 

If you are stuck on step one and looking to find some inspiration, our list of the greatest horror films ever made is a great place to look. You are sure to find something to get your creative juices flowing within this lengthy list. Writing great horror starts with consuming great horror, coming up next.

Up Next: Best Horror Movies of All Time →

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If you love writing scary stories, this article is for you! Dive in to discover the best 101  horror writing prompts for your next masterpiece. From creepy ghost story ideas to supernatural horror, we’ve covered everything for you. 

For Halloween enthusiasts, we have also added a special section of horror story prompts. You can use these prompts for horror stories to craft suspenseful and engaging stories. So let’s get started! 

Perfect your spine-chilling tale! Learn more

Horror writing prompts 

1) You are accused of beating a man but you have no memory of the incident. You start hearing voices in your head and realize that evil spirits have entered your body.

2) A psychologist suggests a new therapy to a patient after which the patient starts getting scary nightmares.

3) A man insults a circus clown after which the clown commits suicide. The clown’s ghost now haunts the man. 

4) A hunter sees a blood-sucking vampire in Albanian forests and flees to save his life. 

5) A volcano erupts near the Pacific Ocean and releases a wicked force living at the bottom of the volcano. 

6) A girl finds an ancient key and unlocks a box, releasing 20 monsters who had been imprisoned for 500 years. 

7) A mother purchases an ancient dollhouse with Chinese dolls for her daughter and realizes that the dolls are haunted by cursed spirits. 

8) A strong current pulls a fisherman into the ocean’s deep waters. The fisherman sees a ship and manages to climb into it, only to realize that it is a phantom ship. 

9) A boy is followed by the shadow of death everywhere, leading to death wherever he goes. 

10) A gardener finds an ancient telephone while digging in the garden and accidentally contacts aliens using that telephone. 

11) An explorer discovers a cave and sees a banshee living in the cave. The banshee traps him in the cave. 

12) A child breaks a magical snow globe and hears screams. Suddenly there is heavy snowfall and hailstones begin falling hard from the sky. 

13) A priest opens a locked room in a church and releases ghosts of dead scientists who want revenge. 

14) A thick fog suddenly envelops a tiny village and a wicked witch who feeds on sorrow enters the village. She enchants dead bodies and makes them obey her commands. 

15) A girl starts getting dreams of what will happen in her future. To her horror, every dream comes true and she must act before the dream of her death becomes reality. 

16) A drunk man throws a stone in the dark and urinates near a tree where a zombie lives. The angry zombie tortures the man. 

17) A poacher is haunted by the spirits of animals whose skin he has sold. 

18) A woman takes a free lift from a man who is a demon in disguise. Attracted to her, the demon takes her to the land of demons. 

19) A museum adds a new artifact to its collection without realizing that the object is cursed and belongs to an ancient tribe. Angry, the tribe performs black magic on all the museum’s employees who must face torture till the artifact is returned to its rightful owners. 

20) A girl befriends a stranger on a train who hypnotizes her and she is forced to obey him. 

21) A librarian sees a young girl who was supposed to have died in 1913. The young girl asks for the librarian’s help to take revenge against a powerful man. When the librarian refuses, the angry girl unleashes horror into the librarian’s life. The librarian begins seeing blood on the walls and hears creaking sounds, scary footsteps, and a hand that reaches out to kill her. 

22) A businessman doesn’t honor the promise he made to a poor man. He suddenly realizes that all the bad incidents that the poor man experienced are now happening to him. 

23) One day, you wake up and begin to hear the thoughts of trees, plants, and animals, and echoes start haunting you wherever you go. 

24) A government employee visits an orphanage for a survey and finds out how every child is controlled by a satanic cult. 

25) A crazy and gifted musician creates an eerie tune that enchants and forces people to kill other people. 

26) A group of friends is separated due to a landslide and finds themselves in parallel universes due to the mistake of an inexperienced sorcerer. 

27) You enter an abandoned house and the door slams shut on its own. You realize that you are trapped in that house and see a strange yellow light. 

28) You find a key to a magical land of history and a dragon follows you from the historical land to the earth. 

29) An actress is kidnapped by a witch who wishes to manipulate her and control the world. 

30) An investigator who tries to find out the truth behind a college student’s murder realizes that the boy invoked supernatural forces before dying. Now, the investigator must stop the supernatural forces from killing him and other humans. 

31) A scientist discovers a door to the land of memories and accidentally damages the memory of his identity, forgetting everything he knows about himself. 

32) A boy is cruel to a rat and other rats angry at his cruelty, drag him inside a big black hole. 

33) A bed bug sucks the blood of a magical witch and starts growing larger. 

34) A magician has the rare gift of bringing dead people in paintings to life. Chaos spreads after the magician brings Hitler to life by working magic on a painting. 

35) A horrible black monster steps out of the Atlantic Ocean and begins eating everything it sees. 

36) A teacher finds an old coat that belonged to a demon in the past. Every time he checks the coat pocket, he reads news of people dying. Hours after he reads the notes, the people mentioned in the notes die and blood spots keep appearing on the coat. 

37) A beggar walking close to a forest finds a trail of notes and happily picks them up. Later, he realizes that the notes belonged to wedding guests who died in an accident. The ghosts of the wedding guests notice that he has picked up the notes and haunt him. 

39) A sorceress trapped in an enchanted mirror manages to control a young girl who pulls her out of the mirror. 

40) A team of psychic youths is hired to find and fight a ruthless demon who feeds on despair. They must make a terrible sacrifice to prevent the demon from knowing their darkest secrets. 

41) A lady discovers an old well near the flat she is renting. She peeps to see what is inside the well and a half-human, half-animal hand grasps her neck. 

42) A journalist arrives at her flat and finds a scary message written in red ink on her mirror. The message reads,”‘I’m coming for you!” and somebody has drawn a smiling face with red ink on the mirror. 

43) An angel is given the task of saving the world from a deadly plague. An army of tiny demon bacteria fight the angel and try to force him to go back. 

44) A man desperately tries to remove his car which is stuck in a swamp. Suddenly, he sees a muddy, ugly, hairy creature raise its head from the swamp. 

45) A camper suddenly sees a little girl sleepwalking with an evil smile on her face and blue sparks flying from her hands. 

47) Imagine that Pandora has a human heir called Nymphadora who opens a box she discovers. Tiny creatures that have feelers like needles step out of the box and make an attempt to stop time and the wheel of destiny. 

48) You wake up and discover that you are 40 years old whereas the day before, you were just 19. 

49) A couple who are hiking enter a village where no one speaks and everyone has pale yellow eyes. 

50) A traveler accepts a drink from a tribal and after drinking it, falls into a deep sleep. The next day he realizes that he is in a large cage with animals and the tribals are dancing around the cage. 

51) You’re attending a masquerade party in a snowy area where everyone is dressed as animals You see a large, hairy, ape-like animal and recognize that it’s a real Yeti. The Yeti, realizing that you know his true identity wants to kill you. 

52) A wicked group of vampires land on Earth with a mission to kill all humans and settle on Earth. They enter your house and want to kill you and your family. 

53) A couple has rented a room in a palace to spend the night. While using the elevator, the elevator suddenly stops midway, the light starts flickering and the couple hears screams. 

54) An archaeologist discovers a document about cursed gold and becomes obsessed with finding the gold. His quest leads him to the cave where a wicked witch lives. 

55) You discover an ancient diary that contains strange incantations. When you read them aloud, Satan appears. 

56) An evil spirit enters a city and all dogs start barking without stopping. A dark shadow gradually dims all lights in the city. 

57) An injured man finds an old, abandoned clinic and enters the clinic, hoping for treatment. He is confronted by a zombie who has made the clinic its home. 

58) A boy presses a magical button that makes him travel in time. Unfortunately, he chooses the wrong time portal and lands in an insane asylum. 

59) You see the face of a werewolf at your window’s glass. The werewolf breaks the glass and you have a few seconds to escape. 

60) A boy finds a strange red device with a black button in the mud. The boy presses the button upon which, the people who are alive die immediately and dead people start coming to life. 

Continue reading to get inspired by our special section of scary story prompts. Browse exciting prompts for horror stories from various genres like dark fantasy, psychological horror, and more! 

Scary story prompts 

61) Strange things happen to a teenager after he performed planchette with a group of friends for fun. His car stops working, the bus he travels from gets punctured and he is unable to return home. 

62) A scientist invents a potion to restore his youth. However, he makes a mistake while adding an ingredient to the potion. Hence, when he drinks the potion, his skin grows deformed, with white patches and thick fur. 

63) A horse rider discovers bones in an old stable. When he tries to burn the bones, the bones surprisingly do not burn. Instead, a thick white fog suddenly envelops the stable, and evil spirits emerge from the bones. 

64) A sorcerer blurs the difference between dreams and reality. You can’t understand whether you are in a dream or what is happening is real. 

65) A woman opens the door and finds a woman claiming to be her aunt. She also shows photographs as proof and the woman allows her ‘aunt’ to enter the house. The aunt then gives the woman a strong potion, drinking and the woman falls into a deep sleep. When the woman wakes up, she realizes that she is in the netherworld and sees beings with no light in their eyes. 

66) An alpine skier has a terrible fall from a mountain. A group of nomads see her and forcibly take her to an old temple. They slit her leg with a knife and perform a strange ritual. 

67) The last living witch on earth brings a puppet to life. The puppet sucks out all the magic out of the witch and becomes stronger. It uses its power to block the sunlight and kills humans in the dark as a sport. 

68) A researcher finds out about a rare tribe that can make themselves invisible and travel with lightning speed. While trying to find the tribe’s descendants, she suddenly is face to face with their guardian who tries to kill her. 

69) You enter a house where a psychic man has been staying in secret. When you confront the man, he uses his mind power to enchant all metallic objects, make them airborne, and position them to attack you. 

70) You come across a rare animal that can change its shape at will. To your horror, it suddenly changes its shape to look like you and tries to kill you. 

71) A boy returns to his remote village after a long time and realizes that all villagers are hypnotized and have black marks on their hands. 

72) A lady never invites guests to her house and rarely ventures out of her house. A detective realizes that the lady’s life is manipulated by a cat who is a witch in disguise. The detective must save himself and the lady from the wicked cat. 

73) A man finds tapes that his girlfriend gave him before she died. He hears an eerie screeching sound in the background when he plays the tapes. To his horror, he hears the same screeching sound and scary footsteps after he stops playing the tapes. 

74) A student finds a hit list of people who will soon be killed. The list was created by a demon in disguise. The demon kidnaps the student to prevent him from telling anyone the truth. 

75) A girl hires a tutor to learn Japanese. One day, she realizes that her Japanese teacher transforms into a werewolf every full moon. 

76) A journalist finds out about a mysterious spaceship that landed on earth. Suddenly, he has terrible accidents and an invisible force tries to kill him. 

77) A 12-year-old child sees a mysterious violet light streak across the sky. Whenever the light shines, somebody dies. 

78) An intruder touches an electric fence and is jolted by a strong current. Before his eyes close, he sees an ugly ghoul looking at him. 

79) A historian finds out about a rare voodoo practitioner who is the last of an ancient, mystic tribe. He arrives at the voodoo practitioner’s hut only to find the place ransacked and the voodoo practitioner gone. He suddenly sees ghosts floating in the air and hears a grandfather clock laugh menacingly. 

80) You meet a strange old man who can read your thoughts and easily manipulate everyone around you. 

Now let’s see some scary story writing prompts about Halloween! 

Halloween horror prompts 

81) Vampires gatecrash a Halloween party and terrified guests are unable to escape. 

82) A group of friends decided to have a scavenger hunt on Halloween. Suddenly, all the friends disappear one by one. 

83) A giant wakes up from a deep sleep on Halloween and stamps his foot in rage. This leads to an earthquake and all guests at the Halloween party are in danger. 

84) You realize that all the incidents you read from a scary Halloween story are happening in real life. 

85) You hear an eerie tune on Halloween night and wake up in fright. Suddenly, you see the face of a big black bear outside your window. 

86) You accept a dare to visit a haunted house on Halloween. Suddenly, you hear screams and utensils falling in the haunted house. 

87) A family decides to punish their extremely naughty son and not celebrate Halloween. On Halloween night, the parents leave home due to an emergency, leaving their naughty son alone at home. 

88) A group of friends decide to sleep at a graveyard for fun on Halloween. Suddenly, they see ghosts emerging from the tombstones. 

89) A tailor who makes costumes for Halloween is kidnapped by witches who want to have their own Halloween party. 

90) Write a short story on Halloween using the words phantom, nightmare, banshee, and voodoo. 

91) A crazy scientist challenges a colleague on Halloween to drink a potion that he has created for an experiment. The colleague drinks the potion and starts shrinking. 

92) A witch enchants the pumpkins that will be carved for Halloween. When guests try to carve the pumpkins, blood starts oozing from the pumpkins. 

93) A boy befriends an alien who wants to celebrate Halloween. When the alien arrives at the Halloween horror costume party, it gets scared and starts attacking everyone. 

94) A girl insults a tarot reader who makes a terrible prediction about her on Halloween. She continuously experiences bad luck, has an accident, and wakes up in the hospital. She realizes that she has forgotten her identity. 

95) A man befriends a she-banshee on Halloween who grows extremely possessive about the man. Whenever anyone touches the man, the banshee kills him. 

96) A serial killer enters a Halloween party and his next target is you. 

97) A group of friends enter a horror maze to celebrate Halloween and are trapped inside the maze. Suddenly, they are confronted by a real ghost who grins wickedly at them. 

98) A ghost in your house attracts the presence of animals on Halloween. All animals begin entering your house and you are forced to leave your house. 

99) You are a part of a ghost-buster team. You are given the secret task of capturing a dangerous ghost from a Halloween party. The dangerous ghost recognizes you, tries to kill you, and gets very violent. 

100) You meet a stranger at a costume party at a neighbor’s house for Halloween. Suddenly, the stranger touches you and whispers strange words in an unknown language. You are transported to an eerie land of spirits, ghouls, trolls, banshees, and zombies. 

101) You are hiking with a group of friends on Halloween. You see a black castle floating in the air. A ladder on the ground is positioned, leading to the door of the castle. You and your friend climb the castle and the door slams shut. A wicked dwarf who is the castle’s caretaker tells you that you are trapped forever. 

We hope these horror story prompts inspire you to write your next masterpiece. Once you complete working on your scary writing prompts, the next step is to edit your stories. As providers of editing and proofreading services , we’d love to enhance your horror novel! 

Here are some other resources that you might find useful: 

• How to Write a Novel in Past Tense? 3 Steps & Examples
• Foil Character: Definition, History, & Examples

Frequently Asked Questions

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