The need to write a horror story might stem from schoolwork or a personal desire to turn your imaginations into stories that can be shared with others. Whatever the reason for writing a horror story is, it should be thrilling and hold your reader’s attention.
Writing a horror story calls for an imaginative mind to conjure scenarios that will attract readers and keep them hooked till the end of the story. This article aims at helping all writers create a horror story and exposes them to ways to write and structure the story interestingly.
What Is A Horror Story?
As the name implies, a horror story is written to create a feeling of fear in the reader. It is usually fiction, as the writer is allowed to be as creative as they want as they make up their characters.
The writer has the creative freedom to include supernatural features such as zombies, ghosts, vampires, witches, and cannibals. What makes a story scary is the ability of the writer to use different characters to arouse the feeling of fear in the readers.
Many horror story lovers are looking for new and exciting stories to read daily. Reading horror stories stimulates the human mind and body and creates a feeling of fear and anxiety or excitement and joy. A mixture of these feelings can get your adrenaline pumping and make you feel positive. So if you write a good story, you will not lack an audience.
Different Types Of Horror Stories
When going into horror story writing, know that there are different types. It is okay to combine different styles and learn how to write a horror story with a twist. Some popular kinds of horror stories include
- Paranormal Stories: A paranormal activity is something that cannot be explained by science. This allows the writer to explore different creations according to how far his imagination takes him. There is no limit to what you can write about, from witches to vampires and werewolves. This genre will often cut across other types of horror stories but never fail to make interesting stories for readers.
- Psychos and Serial Killers: This is another angle to writing horror stories that can never grow old. It explores regular human beings with dark thoughts which can kill others for no reason. It can include cannibalism, sociopaths, and madmen. Writing stories about people who like to see others suffer can be very interesting if written well.
- Comedy Horror Stories: To be a good horror story author, you sometimes need to learn how to make a scary story funny. Writing a horror story with a bit of comedy often means the writer has extraordinary skills. Your story can be filled with happenings far from average, and readers should be allowed to laugh sometimes.
- Post-Apocalypse Horror Stories: These stories often feature something sinister happening to humanity. Like a contagious sickness that comes to wipe away humanity with only a few survivors fighting for their life or zombies taking over. The main character’s struggle to find their way without getting infected will inspire fear in the reader.
- Monsters and Demons: One of the most popular sub-genres of horror stories is writing about monsters and demons. This type of story can be fascinating for writers to complete because they are allowed to create any character they like and mold it into an ideal villain for their readers. Writing about a monster hunting some humans can be a good story premise to consider.
- Science Fiction Horror Stories: What makes a good horror story is the writer’s creativity and imagination. Many books and movies have been written based on science fiction. Here you will find stories about aliens and outer space activities. This kind of story will always include scientifically created monsters, illnesses created in the lab, and space travels.
There are several other sub-genres of horror stories; these are some popular ones you should try. You do not need to stick to only the sub-genres above because they feel familiar, learn other genres, including short horror story writing, and think out of the box as you create your horror story.
How To Write A Good Horror Story
Writing a horror story is not very different from writing other types of fiction, but it can be tricky sometimes. The goal is to elicit fear in the readers while entertaining them. Keep reading to learn how to start a horror story.
- Read Different Types of Horror Stories: To be a good writer, you have to be a good reader. Read what other people have written, and read all the genres. You can get inspired or learn something from other literature.
- Know that Your Story is Not For Everyone: Not everybody will like horror stories, no matter how unique the plot is. Horror stories are subjective; what may inspire fear or humor in one person may seem boring to another.
- You are Allowed to Mix Genres: When writing your story, you don’t have to stick to one genre. Feel free to create different monsters and scenarios, learn how to make a story scary, and add a little comedy.
How To Plot A Horror Novel
Generating story ideas might be the most challenging part of writing a horror story. The following can give your horror story structure.
- Tap Into Your Fears:
Think about what scares you the most, which should be the basis of writing your story. If you are scared of something, the chances are that other people are afraid of it as well. You can also learn about what makes other people fearful before you begin. To do that, you should:- Make a list of all the things that make you scared. No matter how irrelevant it seems, jot them down, as they may come in handy later.
- Take a poll. Ask friends and family what makes them afraid. The information you gather will help you structure your story correctly.
- Take Ordinary Situations and Turn them Into Something Scary:
Your story is not allowed to be predictable. Stop trying to create an out-of-the-box situation when making your first draft. Take a normal position and make it scary.Let your imagination come into play as you try to spin everyday situations into a compelling story. For example, you are in an elevator and getting trapped while a monster tries to make its way in. Make a lot of notes in this writing stage; it will come in handy when you begin your story properly. - Create Your Characters:
The characters are the main attraction for the readers. Your characters have to be in two forms, the side inflicting fear and the scared.Make your character very relatable so that readers can fall in love with them before bad things begin to happen. Determine who will be the hero in your story and introduce them on time. - Do Not Spare Any Horrid Details:
What makes a story scary is the writer’s ability to describe situations vividly and paint a picture in the reader’s mind. All the details are necessary when you are writing your horror story.Don’t worry about disgusting your readers; the more graphics your descriptions are, the more enjoyable your account is. - Create an Outline:
Now that you have gotten all the sketchy details, it’s time to start writing the first draft of your work. Create an outline that can serve as a guideline as you write so your story does not spiral uncontrollably.Your strategy can follow the format below.- Begin with the everyday setting and life of a character. Let your reader get to know them as ordinary people.
- Introduce the scary or unique effect of your story.
- Work on your character, trying to work through the scary situation. Include several roadblocks and complications here.
- Then you arrive at the final battle, where your main character nearly loses but manages to scale through.
If you follow the above guide on how to write a short horror story, you can finish your book within the shortest possible time.
Types And Elements Of Horror Fiction
Your story will not be complete if some characteristics of scary stories are not included. The following elements should be present when writing a short horror story.
- Fear: The first characteristic of a horror story is its ability to create a feeling of fear in the readers. Many people might be wondering why anyone would like to read a book that makes them afraid. Psychologists have said that fear gives a certain thrill to the physical and emotional. It also releases an adrenaline rush that can be an enjoyable experience.
- Suspense: You want to write a story that keeps the reader interested from the beginning to the end. It is what makes the reader anticipate the turning of each page. Suspense should be built until the climax, at the end of the piece. It gives the reader a feeling of apprehension when they are unsure what happens next, especially when it involves a character they have fallen in love with.
- Surprise: Your story should not be predictable. If the element of surprise is taken out of a horror story, you might not be able to hold the reader’s attention until the end, no matter how short the story is. Your account should be filled with unexpected twists and turns to keep your reader entertained. Surprise and suspense work together; continuously surprising your reader will put them in suspense and encourage them to continue reading your story.
- Mystery: What is a horror story without some good mystery. It leaves the reader trying to guess the likely outcome of a situation, which holds their attention. Feel free to drop clues in the middle of the story, but the truth should not be revealed until the end of the piece.
- Spoilers: Dropping spoilers are not always a bad thing. Some may argue that it reduces the element of surprise, but it can pique the readers’ interest and make them want to see the end of your story.
For long or short horror story writing, ensure that your piece is packed with all of the above qualities to make it an exciting read.
Tips For Writing Horror Stories
Employ the following advice to help make your writing process for your horror custom assignment or story more manageable.
- It shouldn’t be all about fear, you can make it fun too.
- Always look for an avenue to bring in something new to keep the readers entertained.
- Consider the reader’s point of view.
- Let the story be familiar enough for the reader to connect with.
- Use your imagination.
- Do not spare any details about your characters.
- Write about common fears. Your story will be relatable to more people.
- Include a twist.
- Write in a language your readers can understand.
Struggling To Write Horror Story?
Learning how to write horror stories is not as difficult as some people may think. You must tap into the reader’s imagination and instill fear and excitement in your story. Whether writing a horror story is an assignment or a personal project, you do not have to miss any class trying to figure out how to complete it. You can look for writing help or assignment writers who you can pay for homework to help ensure that you have the best stories.
We have a team of experts, made up of experienced teachers and tutors, who are ready to help by creating custom and unique horror stories with a creative twist for you. Our services are available for all college students, including those taking a writing class. You can order your story in the English language. All transactions are completed online and securely.
