Creating a Story Idea
Describe something that scares or revolts you. Think about your greatest fear or fears. This could be the fear of losing a friend, a fear of heights, a fear of clowns, or even a fear of velcro. You can then tap into this fear and explore it as an idea for your story. Use your fear as material for a story about something scary or revolting. Consider how you would react as a character if you were forced to confront these fears. Another option is to ask family, friends, and partners what scares or revolts them the most. You can then use their fears as an idea for your story.
Turn an ordinary situation into something horrifying. You can also take a normal, common situation like going for a stroll in the park, preparing a meal, or visiting a friend and add a terrifying element to the situation. Use your imagination to add a horrifying spin to a normal, everyday activity or scene. For example, maybe you come across a severed ear during your morning stroll in the park or perhaps a vegetable you are cutting up for dinner turns into a finger or a tentacle. Get creative and consider how you can skew or twist around a situation that seems commonplace.
Trap your characters in a terrifying setting. You can also limit or trap your main character in a setting that is terrifying and scary. Restricting your character’s movements will allow you to build tension and terror in the story using setting. Consider a confined space that scares you or frightens you. Ask yourself where you would dread or fear being trapped in the most. Maybe you trap your character in a confined space like a coffin, a cold dank cellar, an abandoned police station, an island or an abandoned city. Trapping your characters in a scary setting will introduce fear into the story right away and create immediate tension and suspense.
Create distinct main characters. You can also start your horror story by focusing on character development. You should strive to create a main character or several main characters that are distinct and detailed. You may create a character study for each character so you can get a sense of how they live, how they think, and how they might react in a conflict. Even if every detail in your sketch doesn't show up in your story, they can still impact how you write the character and how your readers perceive your character. A well-rounded character will be noticeable and memorable for your readers. Start your sketch by asking yourself about things like: The character's age and occupation The character's marital status or relationship status The character's view the world (cynical, skeptical, anxious, happy-go-lucky, satisfied, settled) Any specific or unique physical details, such as a physical trait like a certain hairstyle, a scar, or a certain style of dress The character's speech, dialect, or language spoken around others
Give your main character an extreme emotion. Horror hinges on the reader’s reaction to the material. You can create extreme emotion in the reader by giving your character an extreme emotion that they then have to struggle with over the course of the story. Emotions like shock, paranoia, and dread are all strong emotions that can motivate a character to take action or have intense internal thoughts. Making your character experience an intense shock, like the death of a loved one or the loss of a job, can also create a conflict for your character. This can then lead the character to make decisions they would not make if they were not in shock or dealing with the aftershock of a major event. You can also give your main character a dose of paranoia, or a sense that something is not quite right. This will make the character suspicious and view things from a skewed perspective. This is also an easy way to help set up your protagonist's relationship with other characters. Paranoia is also great at unnerving your reader and making them also doubt their understanding of the events happening in the story. Another option is to give your main character a sense of dread or a feeling that something bad is going to happen. Dread can help to build tension in the story and keep the reader on edge.
Create a plot outline. Once you have a clear story idea, you should create a plot outline so you have a general sense of where your characters are heading in the story. Coming up with the structure in advance like this will make your story stronger in the long run. The plot outline can act as a map or guide for your story, though you may end up deviating from the outline if inspiration strikes as you write the horror story. You may use a plot diagram to create the outline. The plot diagram will have six distinct sections, forming the shape of a triangle, with the climax at the top of the triangle. The six sections are: the set up, the inciting incident, the rising action, the climax, the falling action, and the resolution. You can also use the snowflake method to create the outline. You will do this by creating a one sentence summary of the plot, followed by a one paragraph summary of the plot, and then a spreadsheet of scenes.
Crafting a Strong Beginning
Create an informative, engaging first line. The first line of your story should raise questions in the reader’s mind but also ground the reader in the story. A good opening line will tell the reader what the story is about, have a distinct voice or point of view, and a hint of characterization. For example, you may decide to write a story about your fear of velcro, set in a dystopian world. You may have the following opening line: “Sara tried to sit still while the men tightened the velcro straps around her wrists, squeezing her eyes shut to block out the terrifying sound.” This opening line introduces the main character, Sara, and places her in a scene where she is experiencing fear and discomfort. It also raises questions in the reader’s mind, such as who are “the men” and why is Sara being strapped down? These questions will keep your reader engaged and willing to keep turning the page.
Start in scene. Try to start your story in scene, where your character or characters are moving, interacting, or doing something. Starting in a scene with action will engage your reader right away and hook them in so they are encouraged to keep reading. It will also help to ground the reader in the story and help them to feel carried along by the story. Try to place your main character in a scene where they are in distress or unsettled in some way. This will introduce the horror element of the story right away. For example, you may open your story with a scene where your main character is being strapped into a device. You may then describe how it feels for your character to be in the device and her thought process of trying to escape the device while her captors try to keep her strapped down.
Introduce terrifying or unsettling details right away. You are writing a horror story after all, so do not be afraid to introduce terrifying or unsettling details within the first paragraph of the story. By the end of the first paragraph, your reader should know the setting and the conflict. Your reader should also have a good sense of terror or fear by the end of the first page of the story, as you want to evoke strong emotions from your reader. For example, you may try to include gory details like blood, guts, mucus, brain matter, or saliva in the first paragraph of your story. Try to use the gory details sparingly and a little at a time so the story does not feel cliche or familiar. That way, when you do include some gore, it's more impactful for your reader.
Include a main conflict. Your horror story should also include a main conflict, where your main character is spurred into action in some way. The main conflict of your horror story should appear within the first several paragraphs or the first one to two pages of your story. Having a conflict in your story as soon as possible will keep your reader engaged and help to build tension in your story. For example, you may have a main character who is trying to get rid of a ghost in her home. This could be the main conflict that you introduce in the story right away. The rest of the story could then be about her attempt to get rid of the ghost in her house without getting hurt or harming anyone in her family. Another common overarching conflict is the theme of survival, wherein your character must face a terrifying situation that threatens their life if they cannot escape it. If you decide to withhold the conflict from the reader until later in the story, you should have a good reason for doing this. Withholding information should only be done intentionally and for the benefit of the story, as your reader may get confused or lost without this information.
Use the active voice. You should also try to always use the active voice in your opening section and throughout your story, rather than the passive voice. The passive voice can end up making your sentences sound bland or dry. You want to create sentences that are engaging and dynamic to your reader, with a lot of action and forward momentum. For example, rather than start your story with the line: “The straps are cold on Sara’s skin as the men strap her into the chair," which is passive and confusing, you may start with: “Sara feels the straps, cold and metal, on her skin as the men hold her down in the chair.” The second sentence uses the active voice and places the subject of the sentence,“Sara," next to the verb in the sentence, “feels.” Using the active voice does not mean you are limited to only using first person, present for your point of view. You can still use the active voice in the past tense, using third person or second person.
Read example beginnings. You can get a better sense of start your horror story with a bang by reading example beginnings from popular, well known horror stories. Use these openings as a model or guide for your own story. Examples include: The beginning of “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allen Poe: “True! --nervous --very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why will you say that I am mad?” The opening lines tell the reader right away that the narrator is unsettled, very nervous, and possibly mad. It is a great opening that puts the reader on edge right away and prepares them for an unsettling story. The beginning of “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates: “Her name was Connie. She was fifteen and she had a quick, nervous giggling habit of craning her neck to glance into mirrors or checking other people’s faces to make sure her own was all right.” The beginning lines are deceptively simple but they introduce the main character, provide her young age and gender, and characterize the main character as possibly vain and naive. These lines prepare the reader for a story about the main character that is flawed and possibly susceptible to outside influence. The beginning of 1984 by George Orwell: “It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.” This beginning line is well known and admired for its ability to cram all the craft elements of the story in one sentence. The reader is grounded in setting and set up with an unsettling image, a day that is bright and cold. The clocks striking thirteen also feel like a bad omen and sign of misfortune to come.
Revising the Beginning
Read the opening lines out loud. Once you have written the opening of your horror story, you should read them out loud to hear how they sound on the page. Note if the opening lines feel unsettling or disturbing. Check if the opening lines contain plot, characterization, setting, and voice. You may also read the opening lines out loud to a trusted friend or peer to get a second opinion. Ask your listener if they find the story creepy, disturbing, or horrifying. Be willing to take constructive criticism and feedback about the opening, as getting a second viewpoint on the beginning can make it stronger.
Revise the beginning once you have reached the end. Often, cracking the beginning lines can make it easier to then write the rest of the story. Once you have created a satisfying ending to your horror story, you should go back and revise the beginning. This will ensure your beginning still fits with where your story ended up. You should consider if the beginning section flows well with the rest of the story. You should also adjust the beginning to reflect any changes to your character or your setting that you made later on in the story. You want your beginning to feel like a natural start to the rest of the story.
Edit the beginning for clarity, voice, and style. You should also read over the beginning section to ensure it is not confusing in anyway and that it is easy to follow for the reader. There is nothing worse than an opening section that does not make sense to a reader, as they may get so frustrated they stop reading any further. Make sure the character voice in the beginning section matches the character voice in the rest of the story. You want a consistent character voice throughout your story so it feels cohesive.
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