horror genre essay prompts

101 Horror Writing Prompts That Are Freaky As Hell

Looking for some scary story ideas for your next writing project?

Sometimes, a good scary prompt idea is all you need to get started on a dark story your readers won’t be able to put down.

And that is the goal. What’s a horror story without white-knuckle suspense?

You want your readers at the edge of their seats, unable to stop though they know something bad is about to happen.

You also want to reward them for reading to the end and leave them wanting more.

So, how can this collection of horror writing prompts help with that?

What Are the Main Elements of Horror Writing?

List of most common horror themes and tropes to write on .

66 Horror Writing Prompts

Halloween Writing Prompts

Mystery writing prompts, psychological horror story ideas, “the monster you know” story ideas, ghost story writing prompts, funny horror story ideas, horror story ideas.

Every good story needs an idea that takes root in your imagination and doesn’t let go. Horror stories in particular need to affect you a certain way. If they don’t sound an alarm in your head, they won’t sound one in the heads of your readers, either.

They need to reach into your psyche, take a scrap of memory, and turn it into something that would keep you up at night.

And as you’ve no doubt read already, “No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.”

Look through the prompts that follow, and choose one that calls out to you and lingers in your imagination.

Paint a picture in your mind of the characters involved. Give yourself a reason to invest in them by giving each one some interesting backstory.

Then set a timer and write.

Since Earl Horace Walpole’s gothic horror The Castle of Otranto hit shelves in 1764, English readers have clamored for dark plots that excite primitive instincts and tickle our fear bones.

Many horror authors leverage shadowy impulses by sprinkling stories with uncomfortable happenings and gruesome fatalities.

But that’s not all it takes to write within the genre, begging the question: What are the main elements of horror? Traditionally, there are five: suspense, fear, violence, gore, and the supernatural.

Suspense : Creating anxious tension is a critical component of horror as it keeps the audience glued to the story. They need to find out what happens! Traditionally, suspense is valued as a sophisticated form of horror, and building it well is a skill.
Fear : Confronting fearful things is a powerful emotion with chemical reactionary consequences, making it a hallmark of horror writing.
Violence : Savagery is scary because it’s inextricably linked to death and pain — two of the four great human fears.
Gore : Brains and guts are a cornerstone of classic horror. For better or worse, our neural pathways light up when confronted with intestines, brain matter, and gushing fluids. Successful horror writers keep readers and watchers engaged by deploying gore effectively.
Supernatural: The main difference between “true crime” and “horror” is a supernatural element. While horror stories draw people in with realism, they usually feature an emotional detachment valve in the form of an explicit or implicit otherworldly presence.

Vampires, ghosts, zombies, and murderers are big-picture mainstays of the horror genre. But what are some other, more detailed tropes associated with scary storytelling?

Babysitter Alone in Big House: The naive babysitter trope is oft-repeated because it works. The sitter acts as a stand-in for the reader or audience in that, like you, they’re vulnerable. Horror-sitters are the character conduit through which readers and viewers can experience the impending fear.
Manipulative Vampires: Maybe it’s their piercing eyes, snappy attire, or mysterious penchant for the “nightlife.” Whatever the case, people stan vampires, and sensual and manipulative ones are an incredibly effective horror character trope.
Ghost-Haunted House: Ghost-haunted houses are a recurring horror motif. Whether you approach it from a traditional or modern angle is up to you. Both can work.
Creepy Kid: In real life, it’s kind to see all kids as precious and special, no matter their quirks. But when it comes to Horror World, creepy kids are a dime a dozen! Sometimes they’re the main attractions or “red herrings” (which we’ll get to more below); other times, they’re supernatural catalysts that serve as a story’s MacGuffin. Whichever the case, unnerving kids go a long way when devising a disturbing scene and fomenting suspense.
The Nonbeliever: Most horror stories have at least one character whose lack of fear or faith (in the story’s “supernatural” element) lands them six feet under.
The Red Herring: A “red herring” is a false clue. The term dates back to the 1400s to describe a culinary preparation for fish, but the first known use as a euphemism for “distraction” appeared in 1884.
Isolation: Few things frighten people more than being all alone while danger looms. As such, isolation can be a helpful trope when crafting horror stories.
Graveyard Chase: A well-conceived chase around a graveyard is another horror mainstay that continues to deliver. Try adding a twist to modernize the trope.
Distorting Mirrors: Whether a single reflecting glass or a full-on maze, using mirrors as a motif is a tangible and effective way to signal distortion.
Aliens and Cultists: The human psyche can’t resist rubbernecking when confronted with the possibility of aliens and the sociopathic underbelly of cults. Resultantly, they work well as engaging frameworks for horror stories.

101 Horror Writing Prompts

Whether you’re writing for a special occasion or just to experiment with the horror genre, any of the scary story prompts in the following groups should get you started.

Go with your gut on this one, and choose an idea that feels both familiar and provocative. Then give it a go!

1. A mysterious gift from an estranged aunt arrives on Halloween with a crystal ball and a note addressed only to you, her godchild.

2. One of the trick-or-treaters bears an uncanny resemblance to your departed sibling and repeats that sibling’s last words before picking your sibling’s favorite candy bar.

3. On Halloween night, you find a box at your door that contains a strange note and a little something from each of the people who have hurt you in the past year.

4. On this Halloween night, your guinea pig won’t stop running in circles, and your dog keeps staring at the door, emitting a low growl.

5. You run out for candy on Halloween afternoon to find the streets empty and the store abandoned. A single car cruises into the lot and pulls into the spot next to yours.

6. Every time you went to answer the doorbell, no one was there. The next day, you heard about the missing children. The worst part? Your kids spent Halloween with your ex and were supposed to come trick-or-treating last night.

7. You arrive home on Halloween to a large package from your new boss, who’d bought every piece of your favorite candy from local stores. The note reads, “Save some for me.”

8. You’re watching TV on Halloween night when your show is interrupted by a faintly familiar someone declaring their love for you and saying they’ve watched you all your life.

9. You come home to find a stranger walking through your home, sipping your wine and admiring your collected antiquities. They startle at your approach and act as though you’re the intruder.

10. The night before Halloween, you have a dream in which you wake up to see a dark shape standing outside your closet. You wake up screaming with your hands around your spouse’s throat.

11. Election day looms, and Halloween feels more ominous than ever. You’ve kept the lights off, but that doesn’t stop one visitor from leaving a note: “Knew you lived here.”

12. Your best friend has gone missing, and someone keeps leaving small reminders of them in your mailbox. You see someone approach to deliver something else, and your heart nearly stops when you recognize them.

13. You’ve always wanted a dog, so when a rain-soaked mutt shows up on your front step, you let him in. Unfortunately, something else hitched a ride.

14. Someone moves into the apartment next door and starts playing loud music at night. You call the police, who find the guy dead holding a note with your name and address.

15. Someone keeps replacing items in your home with different objects that look vaguely familiar. No one else has a key to your home, and there are no signs of forced entry.

16. You bake some cookies to share with the new neighbor, but the terrified woman backs away from the plate, shaking her head. Someone from inside calls out, “I’ll have those.”

17. Someone at work has offered to do a tarot card spread for you, and you politely decline. You find a single tarot card in your mailbox when you return home.

18. You don’t remember wandering alone on a country road as a small child, but someone does. And he wants to make sure you’re not around to testify against him.

19. Someone has gotten to your laundry before you and left it neatly folded in piles on top of the dryer. A note reads, “For more TLC, knock on #303.”

20. The window of your apartment leads to a fire escape, but twice you’ve come home to find it open. Nothing is missing. But someone keeps leaving a ring on your kitchen table.

21. You order a Christmas wreath for your door and the company sends you a package with money instead. The note reads, “Keep half. I’ll pick up the rest in 72 hours.”

22. A child knocks on your door and tells you you’ll be visited by three people that night. One of them will show you your future. The child’s face reminds you of someone.

23. Your best friend is dating a woman who seems familiar to you — and not in a good way. Turns out, she’s got a bad feeling about you, too, and she warns your friend.

24. You receive a surprise delivery of a holiday flower arrangement with a note from someone who went to jail for assault. The message reads, “I’ll be home for Christmas.”

25. An abuser from your past has written you a long letter of apology, and you agree to meet them for coffee. You find your favorite coffee place deserted — on Black Friday.

26. You broke up with your sweetheart when he lied about taking you to the prom and begged you to run away with him so he could escape an abusive home. He’s back.

27. An old friend, who had tried to warn you about an ex-boyfriend years ago, has come back to town to run a diner. Within a week, known bullies start disappearing.

28. For the past three dates, the guy you met ended up dead and posed as if proposing. A note on each one’s empty chest cavity reads, “My heart belongs to [your name].”

29. You’re with a friend at the home of the guy she’s dating. In the bathroom, you find a box with jewelry for almost every birthstone. Yours is the only one missing. You hear a scream.

30. Everyone keeps telling you your memories can’t be trusted. You’re safe with them. They’ll protect you. But you haven’t left the house in years.

31. You thought it was cute when your little sister wanted to wear your aunt’s high heels and pose with a hand on her hip. But your sister had an uncanny way with accidents.

32. You never expected to win the ‘57 Chevy from the church raffle. Neither did the car’s owner, who immediately tried to buy it back. He didn’t respond well to “No, thanks.”

33. Every time you saw anything like “Tornado Warning” or “Flash Flood” in the news, you knew someone would end up dead. And your ex would blame the weather.

34. You come home to a dozen roses from a guy who’s been telling his friends you’re dating, and you get angry. For some reason, though, everyone you know is on his side.

35. Your “Secret Santa” leaves an expensive bottle of wine with a note, “Drink me.” You call a familiar number and hear the phone ring on the other side of your door.

36. Your dad has a secret known only to his twin brother, who mysteriously disappeared but left a note with a box of his belongings in the attic. You take it with you when you leave.

37. You just broke up with the person who’s catering your best friend’s wedding. They also made the cake.

38. Some of your in-laws have decided to deliver their sibling from you. When they cross the line, you make a promise to them and to your spouse. One by one, they disappear.

39. Your health is steadily declining, and you don’t know why. Neither do your doctors, who test for the usual health issues and find nothing. Then someone calls to warn you.

40. Your estranged father sends you a porcelain doll — the one he swears you told him you wanted. It has the face and hair of your missing mother. And her eyes are glued open.

41. You’ve just told your family you’re asexual, and they seem to accept it. Out of the blue, the handsome guy next door shows up to ask you out, and your parents quietly nod.

42. A cop pulls you over for driving a few miles over the speed limit, tells you to get out of your car, slams you against the hood and whispers in your ear, “This is from your ex.”

43. You emailed your fiancé for months before meeting him for the first date. Now, you’re getting strange phone calls from someone claiming to be his wife and telling you to run.

44. You stood numb at the coffin of a close friend and flinched when your father rested a hand on your shoulder. “Had to be done,” he whispered. “Remember the bigger picture.”

45. A small package bears the name of your sister, who died five years ago. It contains a pendant that matches her own and a note asking you to activate it by chanting, “Sisters Forever.”

46. Your elderly neighbors died on the same day of an apparent suicide pact. In their will, they left their pug to you, along with a small box of what they called “magical items.”

47. You receive a note penned by your best friend, who died in a car accident the month before, His parents had found it in his room and hand-delivered it, barely looking at you.

48. You pounce on a new opening in the apartment building close to your favorite coffee place. The first night there, you wake up to ghostly shapes surrounding your bed.

49. At your first slumber party, your friend’s older brother surprised you during a late-night run to the bathroom. He died a decade later in prison. Now you see him in your dreams.

50. Your home is the high-tech brainchild of your best friend, who bequeathed it to you (rather than to his wife). It anticipates your every need and desire.

51. You’ve been having dreams about a door that shows up in your room. In one, you walk through it and see someone you love being murdered . You warn them the next day.

52. You’re the lone survivor of a horrific train crash, and everywhere you go, you see the ghosts of some of the passengers. Some have told you the crash was no accident.

53. You’re looking through your mother’s possessions when a note slips out of the book she’d been reading, warning you about “the ghost who runs this house.”

54. Your new boyfriend is obsessed with ancient artifacts, but when something hitches a ride on his latest find, you witness disturbing changes in his behavior.

55. Your life is already complicated when your boss asks you to stay at his home to care for his dog while he’s away. You soon learn the house is as mischievous as the dog.

56. You’re an editor for the college literary journal, and you’ve been getting poetic hate mail from a student who’s angry you didn’t choose their poems for the latest issue.

57. Your favorite neighbor is a trans woman named Lani who looks out for you. She warns you about a guy down the hall, who keeps trying cheesy pick-up lines to get you to smile.

58. Your co-workers tease you about your weight gain. One is found dead in the bathroom, her mouth stuffed with candy. Everyone but the custodian suspects you.

59. An anonymous admirer sends you a singing telegram with a chilling question. Now you have less than 24 hours to sing your answer in a public square, with a flash mob.

60. You sign up for wine deliveries but are disappointed by the first bottle you open and taste. On the label, you find a crass, insulting note from an old enemy.

61. Your date finds out your BFF is asexual and starts asking intrusive and insensitive questions. When your friend shuts him down, he insults and warns you both.

62. You’re working the dinner rush, and a customer loudly insists on changing her order the moment you deliver it. Someone quietly follows her as she storms out the door.

63. You’re having an open house for your new shop, and you catch a customer shoplifting. She says, “I was told to come in here and take these. You’re being watched.”

64. You arrive at your new house, and the keys from the realtor don’t work. Someone answers the door with a disarming smile. “So, you’re here about the room? Come in!”

65. Your date is going well until you reveal that you have a dog. “I’m not really a dog person,” you hear. When you get a bad feeling and end the date, things get messy.

66. Your journal goes missing, and within a week, a goofy, adorable guy starts showing up at your usual stops. He seems surprised to see you, but something isn’t quite right.

Creepy Writing Prompts

67. The old tunnel had been blocked off for as long as anyone could remember, but late at night, you could still hear the faint screams echoing from deep within.

68. As you walk past the abandoned house on your way home from school, you notice one of the curtains move slightly in an upstairs window, but the house has been empty for years.

69. You wake up suddenly in the middle of the night and see two small handprints on the foggy bathroom mirror that are far too small to belong to anyone in your family.

70. Every night when you go to sleep, you feel an uncomfortable pricking sensation on your skin, yet every morning, you find strange symbols carved into your arms that you don’t remember making.

71. While exploring the attic, you find an old doll that looks eerily like you did as a child, and when you pick it up, its eyes suddenly open.

72. The scraping sound from the closet stops whenever you turn on the light, but it always returns as soon as the room goes dark again.

73. Every time you glance in the mirror, your reflection behaves slightly differently than you do – blinking at the wrong time or moving too late.

74. You wake up covered in mud and scratches with no memory of where you’ve been all night, and the soles of your shoes are worn through as if you had walked for miles.

75. Lately, your pets have refused to go into certain rooms of your house, but you have no idea what frightens them so badly about those areas.

76. You discover a trap door hidden under an old Persian rug in your basement and shining a light into it reveals a set of footsteps descending into the darkness below.

77. You wake up one morning to find all the mirrors in your home have been turned around to face the wall, even though you live alone.

78. Your television is switched on in the dead of night, the static slowly resolving into shapes, and what looks back at you from the screen makes your blood run cold.

79. You keep finding sticky notes around your house with messages written on them in unfamiliar handwriting, like “GET OUT” or “I’M WATCHING YOU SLEEP.”

80. Every time you look at a clock, the time is exactly 3 minutes slow, though all the clocks in your home are set correctly and keep perfect time when others view them.

81. On your way home, you notice a figure standing motionless at the end of the street, staring directly at your house with its face hidden in the shadows of its hooded robe.

82. Your dog comes running inside with its leash still attached but hanging limply, yet when you call the number on the leash’s tag, your own cell phone starts ringing from within your house.

83. Your computer camera activates unexpectedly while you’re working, and you see your own bedroom behind you from an impossible angle near the ceiling, suggesting someone is watching through the camera right now.

84. You hear your name called out softly in an empty room, and even though the voice sounds familiar, you live alone, and you know no one else is inside.

Spooky Writing Prompts

85. Every night when you lie in bed, you hear the floorboards outside your room creaking as if someone is pacing back and forth, but every time you quickly open the door to check, the hallway is empty.

86. While exploring the woods behind your new house, you discover a crumbling old stone well, and when you peer down into the darkness, you think you see pale faces staring back up at you.

87. Your reflection in mirrors and windows often moves independently, quickly looking away whenever you try to catch it, watching you from impossible angles that don’t align with where you’re standing.

88. An unfamiliar chat window opens on your computer screen with only the message “I can see you through your webcam” written inside it by an unseen sender.

89. Plants within your home have been dying overnight no matter where you place them, the leaves and stems drained of all color as if the life has been completely sucked out.

90. You wake up to find a pile of dead birds on your lawn, their wings broken and necks bent at odd angles as if they crashed directly into the ground from high altitudes.

91. The old paintings hanging on the walls of your recently inherited mansion seem to follow you with their eyes, and occasionally, you notice mysterious new figures added in the backgrounds that disappear by morning.

92. Turning on all the faucets causes blood to drip out instead of water, yet when others in your home check them, the liquid running from the pipes is perfectly clear.

93. You wake from a nightmare convinced someone was standing silently at the foot of your bed, only to find the imprint of two bare feet seared into your bedroom carpet right where the figure was standing.

94. Whenever you look in the bathroom mirror late at night, you see dead relatives standing silently behind you who disappear when you turn around to check if anyone is there.

95. The baby monitor in the nursery suddenly emits a strange crackling sound followed by a singsong voice you don’t recognize whispering your baby’s name over and over.

96. Your shadow appears to have a mind of its own, often following you more slowly or quickly than it should and reaching areas you know your body has not moved to.

97. Photos taken with phones or cameras in and around your home show blurry figures lurking in the background that do not match any of the people in the images.

98. Any writing you leave out overnight – from sticky notes to notebooks – has mysterious reoccurring symbols added in unfamiliar handwriting scattered among the existing text.

99. You wake in the middle of the night to the sound of your locked window being forced open from the outside, but when you jump out of bed to check, it’s closed securely as if nothing happened.

100. From your garden, you can see directly into your neighbor’s bathroom mirror, but instead of the neighbor’s reflection, you swear you sometimes see your own face staring back with an expression you don’t recognize.

101. While searching through the attic in your recently purchased Victorian home, you find an old portrait of a severe-looking woman whose eyes seem to follow you around the room; later that night, you wake to find the same woman standing at the foot of your bed, silently watching you sleep.

How Do You Come Up with Horror Ideas?

Coming up with fresh, frightening ideas is key to crafting an effective horror story. While horror inspirations can spring from ordinary events and observations, it helps to have strategies to unleash your most sinister creativity. Here are some tips for conjuring bone-chilling tales:

Mine your nightmares. Dreams often access our deepest fears. Pay attention to recurring nightmares or startling images from your subconscious, as these can inspire terrifying new monsters or situations.
Twist tropes. Take common horror archetypes like haunted houses, demonic possession, or slashers and put a new spin on them. Surprise readers by changing elements they assume to be familiar.
Extrapolate fears. Think about phobias you or others have, like darkness, insects, or tight spaces. Imagine those fears exponentially intensified to petrifying extremes.
Research real horror. Study disturbing historical events, murders, superstitions, or unexplained phenomena and fictionalize them in a new horror setting.
Observe people. Carefully watch those around you and look for small creepy details in their appearances or behaviors that could be expanded into something sinister.

With an observant eye and inventive mind, creators can find endless inspiration from both mundane moments and their most nightmarish dreams. Putting ordinary things in an ominous light or letting one’s imagination run wild with “what if” scenarios generate the kinds of situations and figures that fuel truly frightening tales.

Pay attention to the world around and inside you, and plumb the depths of your creativity, and you’ll never run short on horror ideas.

132 Best Horror Writing Prompts and Scary Story Ideas

Generate Full-Length AI Horror Novel Instantly

Table of contents.

Horror stories send shivers down our spines. They are gruesome, shocking, and chilling. Scary stories are meant to horrify us, and there are many ways to make a powerful impact on the reader. The element of surprise is crucial to make the readers’ blood freeze.

There are different types of horror stories. They often deal with terrible murders, supernatural powers, psychopaths, frightening human psychology, and much more.

Horror Writing Prompts List

Final words, frequently asked questions.

Although many horror writing prompts and scary ideas have been written, the following 132 horror writing prompts can spark great creativity in aspiring writers of the horror genre.

A family is on a camping trip. The parents are walking with their two children, a daughter and a son. The little boy trips and falls into a dark river. His father jumps to rescue him. Somehow, the boy manages to swim to the surface. The father is nowhere to be found. When the mother gets a hold of the boy, she can’t recognize him. She tries holding him, but the moment she touches his wet body, her hands start burning.
A young girl goes missing in a nearby forest. The whole town is searching for her. Her parents find her sitting and smiling in a cave. Her eyes are completely white.
A woman starts watching a movie late at night. The movie seems all too familiar. Finally, she realizes that it is a movie about her own life and that she might be already dead.
A house finds a way to kill every visitor on its premises.
A child makes her own Halloween mask. She glues a lock of her own hair on her mask. The mask comes to life and threatens to take over the girl’s body.

While digging in her backyard, an old lady discovers an iron chest. She opens it and finds a pile of old photographs of her ancestors. All of them are missing their left eye.
A priest is trying to punish God for the death of his sister. He is getting ready to burn down the church when supernatural forces start to torture him.
Every year, a woman goes to the cemetery where her husband is buried, and when she looks at his tombstone, she notices her own name carved into it.
A woman puts a lipstick on in the bathroom when she hears a demonic voice saying to her: “Can’t you see?”
A mysterious child psychiatrist promises parents to cure their children if they give him a vile of their blood.
A group of 10 friends decide to rent an old English castle for the weekend. The ghosts are disturbed and seek their pound of flesh.
A photographer travels to an Indian reservation for his next project. He starts taking photos, but there are only shadows in the places where people should have been.

A young married couple decides to renovate an abandoned psychiatric hospital and turn it into a hotel. Everything is going well until their first guest arrives.
Three sisters are reunited for the reading of their grandmother’s will. She has left them a diamond necklace, but they have to fight psychologically and physically for it.
An old woman pretends to be lost and asks a young woman to help her get home. She offers them a cup of tea and drugs them. When the women wake up, they are chained in the basement. The old woman gives them tools and boards so that they can build their own coffin. If they refuse, she inflicts pain on them.
A mysterious stranger with a glass eye and a cane commissions a portrait. When the portrait is finished, the painter turns it into stone.
A little girl’s sister lives with a monster in the closet. She exits the closet on her sister’s birthday.
The demons under the nuclear plant get released after an explosion and start terrorizing the families of people who work at the plant.
A woman gets trapped in a parallel universe where every day, she dies horribly in different ways.
A cannibal hunts for pure children’s hearts, hoping they will bring him eternal youth.
A politician hides his weird sister in the attic. She’s had her supernatural powers after their family home burned to the ground.
A 16-year-old girl wakes up on a stone-cold table surrounded by people in black and white masks. They chant and start leaning forward. All of them carry carved knives.

A boy hears screaming from his parents’ bedroom. He jumps and hides under his bed. Suddenly, everything becomes quiet. A man wearing army boots enters his room. He drags the boy from under the bed and says: “We’ve been searching for you for 200 years.”
A husband and his wife regain consciousness only to see each other tied to chairs, facing each other. A voice on the radio tells them to kill the other. Otherwise, they would kill their children.
A mysterious altruist gives a kidney to a young man who has the potential to become a leading neuroscientist. After a year, the altruist kills the young man because he proves to be an unworthy organ recipient. The following year, the mysterious altruist is a bone marrow donor.
A group of friends play truth or dare. Suddenly, all the lights go out, and in those ten seconds of darkness, one of the group is killed.
A young man becomes obsessed with an old man living opposite his building. The young man is convinced that the old man is the embodiment of the devil and starts planning the murder.
Concerned and grieving parents bring their 8-year-old son to a psychiatrist after their daughter’s accident, believing that the boy had something to do with her death.
A woman is admitted to a hospital after a car crash. She wakes up after three months in a coma, but when she tries to speak, she can’t utter a sound. When the nurse sees that she is awake, she calls a doctor. The last thing the woman remembers is hearing the doctor say: “Today is your lucky day,” right before four men in black robes take her out.
A small-town cop becomes obsessed with a cold case from 1978. Three girls went missing after school, and nobody has seen them since. Then, one day, in 2008, three girls with the same names as those in 1978 went missing. The case is reopened.

Scary story ideas for a psychological horror

After his parents’ death, a cardiologist returns to his small town, where everyone seems to lead a perfect life. This causes a disturbance in the idyllic life of the people since none of them has a heart.
A man is kidnapped from his apartment at midnight and brought to a large private estate. He is told that he will be a human prey and that ten hunters with guns will go after him. He is given a 5-minute head start.
A strange woman in labor is admitted to the local hospital. Nobody seems to recognize her. She screams in agony. A black smoke fills in the entire hospital. After that, nobody is the same. A dark lord is born.
A young girl finds her grandmother’s gold in a chest in the attic, although she isn’t allowed to go there by herself. She touches the gold, and she starts seeing horrible visions involving her grandmother when she was younger.
An anthropologist studies rituals involving human sacrifice. She slowly begins to accept them as necessary.
A family of four moves into an old Victorian home. As they restore it, more and more people die suddenly and violently.

An old nurse has lived next door to a family that doesn’t get older. Their son has remained to be a seven-year-old boy.
A girl wakes up in her dorm and sees that everybody sleepwalks in the same direction. She acts as if she has the same condition and follows them to an underground black pool where everybody jumps.
A bride returns to the same bridge for 50 years, waiting for her husband-to-be to get out of the water.
An old woman locks girls’ personalities in a forever-growing collection of porcelain dolls. Parents of the missing girls are in agony, and they finally suspect something. When they tell the police, their claims are instantly dismissed.
A chemistry teacher disfigures teenagers who remind him of his childhood bullies. One day, he learns that the new student in his school is the son of his childhood archenemy.
A girl starts digging tiny holes in her backyard. When her mother asks her what she is doing, the girl answers: “Mr. Phantom told me to bury my dolls tonight. Tomorrow night I am going to bury our dog. And then, you, mother.”

Twin brothers were kidnapped and returned the next day. They claim that they can’t remember anything. The following night, the twin sisters disappear.
A boy has a very realistic dream about impending doom, but nobody believes him until, during a storm, all the birds fall dead on the ground.
Room 206 is believed to be haunted, so hotel guests never stay in it. One day, an old woman arrives at the hotel and asks for the key to room 206. She says that she was born there.
A genius scientist tries to extract his wife’s consciousness from her lifeless body and insert it into an imprisoned woman who looks just like his wife.
Two distinguished scientists developed a new type of virus that attacks their brains and turns them into killing machines.
A woman steps out of her house only to find four of her neighbors dead at her doorstep. Little does she know that she isn’t supposed to call the police.
A bachelor’s party ends with two dead people in the pool. Both of them are missing their eyes.
A young woman wearing a black dress is holding a knife in her hand and threatening to kill a frightened man. She is terrified because she does not want to kill anybody, but her body refuses to obey her mind.
A strange religious group starts performing a ritual on a playground. The children’s hearts stop beating.
A woman discovers that her niece has done some horrible crimes, so she decides to poison her. Both of them take the poison, but only the aunt dies.

Free Small decorative ghost in white cape hanging on tree sprig on blurred background in autumn park during holiday celebration in daylight Stock Photo

A man encounters death on his way to work. He can ask three questions before he dies. He makes a quick decision.
An older brother kills his baby sister because he wants to be an only child. When he learns that his mother is pregnant again, he decides to punish her.
A husband and his wife move to a new apartment. After a week, both of them kill themselves. They leave a note saying: “Never again.”
A man is trying to open a time portal so that he can kill his parents before he is ever conceived.
A famous conductor imprisons a pianist from the orchestra and makes him play the piano while he tortures other victims as musicians. Every time the pianist makes a mistake, the conductor cuts of a finger from his victims.
A popular French chef is invited by a mysterious Japanese sushi master for dinner. A powerful potion makes the French chef fall asleep. He wakes up horrified to learn that he is kept on a human farm, in a cage.
A nuclear blast turns animals into blood-thirsty monsters.
A mysterious bug creeps under people’s skin and turns them into the worst version of themselves.
A kidnapper makes his victims torture each other for his sheer pleasure.
Four friends are invited to spend the afternoon in an escape room. A man’s voice tells them that they have won a prize. They happily accept and enter the escape room. They soon realize that the room was designed to reflect their worst nightmares.

Two sisters have been given names from the Book of the Dead. Their fates have been sealed, so when they turn 21, dark forces are sent to bring them to the underground.
A mother-to-be starts feeling severe pain in her stomach every time she touches a Bible. Despite the fear for her own life, she starts reading the New Testament out loud.
A literature professor discovers an old manuscript in the college library. He opens it in his study, and suddenly, a black raven flies through the window.
You are the Ruler of a dystopian society. You kill every time your control is threatened.
You are an intelligent robot who shows no mercy to humanity.
You are a promising researcher who discovers that all the notorious dictators have been cloned.
A nomad meets a fakir who tells him that he will bring agony to dozens of people unless he kills himself before he transforms into a monster.
A most prominent member of a sect goes to animal shelters to find food for the dark forces.
A man hires unethical doctors to help him experience clinical death and then bring him back to life after a minute. Little does he know that one minute of death feels like an eternity full of horrors.
You travel home to visit your parents for the holidays. Everything seems normal until you realize that demons have taken over their consciousness.
A mysterious woman moves into your apartment building. One by one, all of the tenants start hallucinating that monsters are chasing them and jump to their own deaths.
Divorced parents are kidnapped together with their son. Both of the parents have been given poison, but there is only one antidote. The boy needs to decide which parent gets to be saved. He has 30 seconds to make that decision.
A patient with a multiple-personality disorder tells you that you are one of six characters.
You wake up in bed that is a bloodbath.

Free Man Wearing Black Mask And Hoodie Jacket Stock Photo

The Government abducts children with genius IQ and trains them to fight the horrors in Area 51.
A woman who has just given birth at her home is told that the baby is predestined to become the leader of the greatest demonic order in the country.
A man signs a document with his blood to relinquish his body to a sect.
A woman enters a sacred cave in India and disappears for good.
A man opens his eyes in the middle of his autopsy while the coroner is holding his heart.
You look outside the windows in your house only to see that the view has changed and there is black fog surrounding you.
The gargoyles from Notre Dame have come to life, and they start terrorizing Paris.
Somebody rings your doorbell. You open the door, and a frightened girl with bloody hands is standing at your doorstep. “You’re late,” you reprimand her.
You wake up in the middle of the night after a frightful nightmare, so you go to the kitchen to get a glass of water. You turn on the light, and a person looking like your identical twin is grinning and pointing a knife at you.
A renowned book editor receives a manuscript elegantly written by hand. The title grabs her attention, and she continues reading page after page. When she finishes, the manuscript spontaneously starts burning, and the editor is cursed forever.
The last thing you remember before losing consciousness is fighting a shady Uber driver.
You find yourself in a cage in the middle of a forest and black mythological harpies hovering above the cage.
A woman wants to quit smoking, so she visits a therapist who is supposed to help her with the use of hypnosis. She goes under, and when she wakes up, she feels like a born killer.
Five hikers get stranded during a horrible storm. One of them kills the weakest and starts burning his body.
A mother goes in to the nursery to check up on the baby and discovers that the baby is missing and, in her place, there is a baby doll.

Horror story ideas about a serial killer

A killer is willing to pay a large sum of money to the family of a volunteering victim. A cancer patient contacts the killer. The killer ends up dead.
The sacred river in a remote Asian village fills up with blood. The last time that happened, all the children in the village died.
A tall, dark, and handsome stranger invites a blind woman for a romantic date in his botanical garden. The garden is full of black roses in which women’s souls have been trapped. He tells her that she will stay forever with him in his garden.
A frightened man is trying to lead a werewolf into a trap and kill him with the last silver bullet.
An architect designs houses for the rich and famous. What he doesn’t show them is that he always leaves room for a secret passageway to their bedrooms, where they are the most vulnerable.
A man’s DNA was found on a horrible crime scene, and he has been charged with murder in the first degree. He adamantly negates any involvement in the crime that has been committed. What he doesn’t know is that he had a twin brother who died at birth.
Every passenger on the Orient Express dies in a different and equally mysterious way.
A magician needs a volunteer from the audience in order to demonstrate a trick involving sawing a person in half. A beautiful woman steps on the stage. The magician makes her fall asleep, and then he performs the trick. In the end, he disappears. People in the audience start panicking when they notice the blood dripping from the table. The magician is nowhere to be found. The woman is dead.
A mother discovers that her bright son is not human.
Specters keep terrorizing patients in a psychiatric hospital, but nobody believes them.

A man’s mind is locked into an immovable body. This person is being tortured by a psychopath who kills his family members in front of him, knowing that he is in agony and can’t do anything to save them.
A bride-to-be receives a DVD via mail from an unknown sender. She plays the video and, disgusted, watches a pagan ritual. The people are wearing masks, but she recognizes the voice of her husband-to-be.
A man turns himself to the police, although he hasn’t broken the law. He begs them to put him in prison because he had a premonition that he would become a serial killer.
Jack the Ripper is actually a woman who brutally kills prostitutes because her own mother was a prostitute.
A ticking noise wakes her up. It’s a bomb, and she has only four minutes to do something about it.
After a horrible car crash, a walking skeleton emerges from the explosion.
A world-famous violinist virtuoso uses music to summon dark forces.
A philosopher is trying to outwit Death in order to be granted immortality. He doesn’t know that Death already knows the outcome of this conversation.
A beautiful but superficial woman promises a demon to give him her virginity in exchange for immortality. Once the demon granted her wish, she refused to fulfill her end of the deal. The demon retaliated by making her immortal but not eternally youthful.
A voice starts chanting spells every time somebody wears the gold necklace from Damask.
Three teenagers beat up a homeless man. The next day all of them go missing.

Scary story ideas and horror story writing prompts

Thirteen tourists from Poland visit Trakai Island Castle in Vilnius. Their bodies are found washed up the next morning. They are wearing medieval clothes.
A group of extremists ambush the vehicle in which the head of a terrorist cell is transported and rescue him. They go after anybody who was involved in his incarceration.
A hitman is hired to kill a potential heart donor.
A man is attacked by the neighbor’s dog while trying to bury his wife alive.
A woman disappears from her home without a trace. He husband reports her missing. The police start to suspect the husband when they retrieve some deleted messages.
After moving to a new house, all the family members have the same nightmares. Slowly, they realize that they might be more than nightmares.
A psychopath is drugging his wife, pushing her to commit suicide so that he can collect the life insurance.
A woman loses her eyesight overnight. Instead, she starts having premonitions.
A vampire prefers albino children.
A man commits murders at night and relives the agony of his victims during the day.
A black horse carriage stops in front of your house. A hand wearing a black glove makes an inviting gesture. Mesmerized, you decide to enter the carriage.
Demons rejuvenate by eating kind people’s hearts.
People are horrified to find all of the graves dug out the morning after Halloween.
Men start jumping off buildings and bridges after hearing a mysterious song.
A voice in your head tells you to stop listening to the other voices. They were not real.
A severed head is hanging from a bridge with a message written in the victim’s blood.
A delusional man brings his screaming children to a chasm.
A 30-year-old woman learns that a baby with the same name as her died at the local hospital 30 years ago.
A vampire donates his blood so that a child with special brain powers can receive it.
A teenager is determined to escape his kidnapper by manipulating him into drinking poison. He doesn’t stop there.

If you want to streamline the horror novel creation process, you can also generate a custom book template with AI:

The 132 scary story ideas will help you take a deep dive into the human psyche. These horror story prompts will make you a seasoned writer and help you captivate readers. So, get ready to write a good horror story with unique writing prompts.

Let’s take a look at the following questions and answers:

What is a good way to start horror writing prompts?

To grab readers’ attention, craft the beginning of your horror story around an active scene featuring characters in the thick of an action. Introduce the central conflict and sprinkle tantalizing hints of danger or the unknown, such as clues about an accident or murder, to create an air of suspense and intrigue.

What are some good scary story ideas?

Effective horror story ideas delve into innate human fears and weaknesses. These fears can manifest as physical threats like monsters or ghosts or as psychological anxieties such as uncertainty or the unraveling of reality.

How can I start writing unique horror stories?

To craft a spine-tingling horror story, delve into the emotions that haunt your audience. Fear thrives in the unknown and the unforeseen, so weave these aspects seamlessly into your narrative. Craft a haunting atmosphere or chilling plot through vivid descriptions that linger in the reader’s mind. Gradually intensify the tension to keep them captivated and quivering on the brink of terror.

Is it easy to write on scary story prompts?

If you’re a horror enthusiast, you likely have some scary story ideas for your own screenplay. However, crafting effective horror stories isn’t straightforward. To truly scare your audience, your scary story must connect with their most primal fears.

What are cliches to avoid while writing scary story ideas?

To create effective horror stories, don’t rely solely on common tropes like haunted houses or creepy children. Instead, find unique angles or reinterpretations to keep your readers engaged in your scary story. Avoid overused scary story ideas unless you can add a novel twist. Remember that the goal of a horror story is to surprise and disturb the audience, making it crucial to avoid predictability and create an unsettling experience for your readers.

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250 Horror Writing Prompts (Scary Good Ideas)

Looking to write your next spine-chilling horror story?

Here are 250 horror writing prompts to get your creative juices flowing. From ghostly apparitions to apocalyptic nightmares, these prompts will help you create unforgettable tales of terror.

What Is a Horror Writing Prompt?

Woman writing with monsters behind her -- Horror Writing Prompts

Table of Contents

A horror writing prompt is a brief idea or scenario designed to inspire a horror story.

It provides the foundation for a plot, characters, conflict, setting, consequences, and sometimes a ticking clock plot device to build tension and urgency.

There is actually more than one type of horror writing prompt (see the chart below).

Types of Horror Writing Prompts

Type	Description
Ghost Stories	Involve spirits, hauntings, and supernatural entities from the afterlife.
Psychological Horror	Focus on the inner turmoil and mental states of characters.
Paranormal Activity	Center on phenomena beyond the scope of normal scientific understanding.
Creature Features	Involve monsters, mythical creatures, and otherworldly beings.
Gothic Horror	Set in dark, decaying locations with a sense of romanticism and dread.
Apocalyptic and Post-Apocalyptic	Depict end-of-the-world scenarios and their aftermath.
Body Horror	Revolve around grotesque transformations and mutilations of the body.
Slasher Stories	Feature a murderous antagonist hunting down victims.
Cosmic Horror	Explore the insignificance of humanity in the face of incomprehensible entities.
Folk Horror	Draw from rural and traditional folklore, often involving rituals and superstitions.

Ghost Stories

The Forgotten Asylum – A group of urban explorers finds an abandoned asylum haunted by the spirits of former patients. They must uncover the asylum’s dark secrets before they’re trapped forever.
The Phantom Ship – A ghost ship appears off the coast, and a team of marine biologists investigates. They discover the souls of the drowned crew seeking revenge.
Haunted Housewarming – A couple moves into their dream home, only to find it haunted by a previous owner’s vengeful spirit. They must uncover the home’s history to break the curse.
The Whispering Woods – Campers in a remote forest hear eerie whispers at night. The ghost of a lost hiker leads them to a hidden danger.
The Ghostly Guardian – A child befriends a ghost who protects them from unseen dangers. The parents must confront the ghost to save their child.
The Lighthouse Keeper – A lone lighthouse keeper encounters the spirits of shipwrecked sailors. He must guide them to the afterlife while battling his own sanity.
The Cursed Portrait – An artist paints a portrait that traps the soul of its subject. The artist must find a way to release the soul before they face a similar fate.
The Haunted Highway – Drivers on a desolate road encounter ghostly apparitions. A journalist investigates the road’s dark history to uncover the truth.
The Spirit of the Manor – A family inherits a manor haunted by its former occupants. They must survive the night and appease the spirits to lift the curse.
The Ghostly Choir – A school choir is haunted by the spirits of former students. The new choir director must solve the mystery before the spirits claim more victims.
The Phantom Play – An old theater is haunted by the ghost of a lead actor who died on stage. The current cast must perform his unfinished play to set his spirit free.
The Ghostly Conductor – A ghost train appears on an abandoned track, and a group of friends boards it. They must solve the train’s mystery before reaching their final destination.
The Haunted Playground – Children encounter the ghost of a girl at a playground. They must help her find peace before she claims more playmates.
The Ghost in the Attic – A family discovers a ghost living in their attic. They must uncover the ghost’s past to help it move on.
The Spectral Detective – A detective partners with a ghost to solve a series of murders. They must catch the killer before the ghost’s unfinished business consumes them both.
The Haunted Hotel – Guests at a remote hotel encounter the spirits of former guests. The hotel staff must uncover the truth to stop the hauntings.
The Ghostly Librarian – A library is haunted by the ghost of a former librarian. The new librarian must uncover the ghost’s secrets to restore peace.
The Phantom Dancer – A ballerina encounters the ghost of a dancer who died in a tragic accident. She must perform the dancer’s final routine to set her spirit free.
The Ghost Shipwreck – Divers exploring a shipwreck encounter the spirits of the crew. They must uncover the ship’s fate to escape the underwater hauntings.
The Haunted Cabin – A group of friends stays in a cabin haunted by the ghost of a previous occupant. They must solve the ghost’s mystery to survive the night.
The Ghostly Roommate – A college student discovers their dorm room is haunted. They must work with the ghost to uncover the dorm’s dark history.
The Phantom Photographer – A photographer captures images of ghosts in their photos. They must find a way to stop the hauntings before they become one of the subjects.
The Haunted Mirror – A mirror in an antique shop shows the reflections of ghosts. The shop owner must uncover the mirror’s history to break the curse.
The Ghostly Gardener – A gardener encounters the spirit of a former groundskeeper. They must work together to uncover the secrets buried in the garden.
The Phantom Bus – A ghostly bus picks up passengers who never return. A journalist must uncover the bus’s story to stop the disappearances.

Psychological Horror

The Mirror’s Reflection – A person starts seeing a sinister version of themselves in mirrors. They must confront their inner demons to regain control.
The Unseen Stalker – Someone feels constantly watched and followed. They must uncover the identity of their stalker before they lose their sanity.
The Vanishing Family – A person wakes up to find their family has disappeared. They must piece together their fractured memories to find out what happened.
The Hallucination Game – A group of friends takes part in a psychological experiment, only to find reality and hallucination blurring dangerously.
The Time Loop – A person is trapped in a time loop, reliving the same terrifying day. They must find a way to break the loop before their mind unravels.
The Doppelgänger – A person encounters someone who looks exactly like them but with sinister intentions. They must discover the doppelgänger’s origins to survive.
The Sleepless Nights – A person suffers from severe insomnia, leading to disturbing visions and paranoia. They must find the cause before they break down completely.
The Disappearing Acts – A person’s friends and family begin to vanish one by one. They must uncover the truth behind the disappearances before they’re next.
The Phantom Voices – A person starts hearing voices that urge them to commit terrible acts. They must resist the voices and find out where they’re coming from.
The Twisted Reality – A person finds themselves in a world where nothing is as it seems. They must navigate the illusions to find the truth.
The Hidden Room – A person discovers a hidden room in their home filled with disturbing artifacts. They must uncover its purpose and the secrets it holds.
The Fragmented Mind – A person experiences severe memory loss and blackouts. They must piece together their fragmented memories to uncover a dark truth.
The Shadow in the Corner – A person sees a shadowy figure in the corner of their eye that gets closer each day. They must confront it before it consumes them.
The Sinister Neighbor – A person suspects their new neighbor is hiding a terrible secret. They must investigate without falling into the neighbor’s trap.
The Vanishing Town – A person visits a town where the residents start to disappear. They must find out what’s happening before they’re the next to vanish.
The Haunted Dreams – A person has recurring nightmares that start to affect their waking life. They must confront the source of their dreams to find peace.
The Creeping Darkness – A person notices shadows in their home that move on their own. They must discover the shadows’ origin before they’re engulfed.
The Split Personality – A person develops a sinister alter ego that takes over at night. They must find a way to control it before it ruins their life.
The Abandoned Factory – A person explores an old factory and begins to experience disturbing visions. They must uncover the factory’s history to escape its grip.
The Cursed Diary – A person finds a diary that predicts terrible events. They must find the diary’s owner to break the curse.
The Silent Treatment – A person wakes up in a world where no one can speak. They must find out what happened and restore communication before it’s too late.
The Puppet Master – A person discovers they’re being manipulated by an unseen force. They must break free before they lose their sense of self.
The Echoes of the Past – A person experiences vivid flashbacks of events they never lived. They must uncover the connection between the flashbacks and their present.
The Invisible Enemy – A person is attacked by an unseen force. They must find a way to defend themselves and uncover the enemy’s identity.
The Cursed Painting – A person acquires a painting that changes its scene to reflect their darkest fears. They must find a way to destroy the painting before it consumes their sanity.

Paranormal Activity

The Poltergeist – A family experiences violent disturbances in their home caused by a poltergeist. They must uncover the entity’s past to stop the terror.
The Possessed Doll – A child receives a doll that seems to have a life of its own. The parents must find a way to break the possession before it harms the family.
The Haunted School – Students encounter paranormal activity in their school. They must investigate its history to stop the hauntings.
The Supernatural Investigator – A detective with a sixth sense solves crimes involving paranormal activity. They must confront their own fears to catch a dangerous spirit.
The Vanishing Townspeople – Residents of a small town start disappearing after a mysterious fog rolls in. The remaining townspeople must solve the mystery before they vanish too.
The Ghostly Lover – A person falls in love with a ghost who haunts their home. They must find a way to be together or say goodbye forever.
The Time-Traveling Spirit – A ghost from the past appears to a historian, seeking help to correct a historical injustice. They must work together across time.
The Paranormal Researcher – A scientist investigates paranormal phenomena and discovers a hidden world of spirits. They must navigate this world to find answers.
The Haunted Item – An antique shop owner acquires an item with a dark past. They must uncover its history and break the curse before it destroys them.
The Phantom Room – A hotel room that doesn’t exist on the registry appears to guests. Those who enter must solve its mystery to escape.
The Spectral Friend – A lonely child befriends a ghost. The child’s parents must help the ghost find peace before it takes their child to the afterlife.
The Haunted Hospital – Patients in a hospital encounter ghostly apparitions. The staff must uncover the hospital’s dark past to stop the hauntings.
The Possessed Vehicle – A car starts exhibiting strange behavior after an accident. The owner must uncover its history to break the possession.
The Cursed Book – A librarian finds a book that causes anyone who reads it to experience paranormal phenomena. They must destroy the book before it spreads its curse.
The Phantom Babysitter – A babysitter encounters a ghostly child in the house they’re watching. They must uncover the child’s story to protect the family.
The Haunted Museum – Artifacts in a museum come to life at night. The curator must solve the mystery before the artifacts escape.
The Possessed Painting – An artist’s paintings start depicting horrifying scenes that come to life. They must uncover the source of the possession to stop it.
The Ghostly Guide – Tourists encounter a ghostly tour guide who leads them to dangerous places. They must uncover the guide’s past to escape.
The Paranormal Investigation – A team of ghost hunters investigates a famously haunted location and encounters more than they bargained for. They must survive the night and document their findings.
The Phantom Pet – A family adopts a pet that turns out to be a ghost. They must help the pet find peace to stop its restless behavior.
The Haunted Object – A person buys a seemingly innocuous object at a yard sale, only to discover it’s haunted. They must find its previous owner to uncover its dark history.
The Ghost Town – A group of friends stumbles upon a deserted town inhabited by ghosts. They must solve the town’s mystery to escape.
The Phantom Carnival – A carnival appears in town, and those who visit never return. A journalist investigates to uncover its dark secrets.
The Haunted Road – A driver encounters ghostly figures on a deserted road. They must find out why the road is haunted to find their way out.
The Ghostly Warning – A person receives warnings from a ghost about an impending disaster. They must decipher the messages to prevent the catastrophe.

Creature Features

The Werewolf Curse – A small town is terrorized by a werewolf. The townspeople must find and stop the creature before the next full moon.
The Swamp Monster – A group of campers encounters a monstrous creature in the swamp. They must survive the night and find a way to escape.
The Vampire’s Lair – A vampire kidnaps townsfolk to feed on. A group of villagers must band together to defeat the vampire and save their loved ones.
The Sea Creature – A coastal town is plagued by a sea monster. The townspeople must uncover the creature’s origins and stop it before it destroys the town.
The Yeti Hunt – Explorers in the Himalayas encounter a yeti. They must survive its attacks and find a way to escape the mountains.
The Chupacabra – A small town is terrorized by a creature that preys on livestock. The townspeople must find and stop the chupacabra before it turns to human prey.
The Mothman Prophecies – A town experiences sightings of a mysterious creature that predicts disasters. The townspeople must uncover its origins to stop the tragedies.
The Wendigo – A remote village is terrorized by a wendigo. The villagers must find a way to defeat the creature and break its curse.
The Loch Ness Monster – Researchers searching for the Loch Ness Monster get more than they bargained for. They must survive their encounter and escape the loch.
The Giant Spider – A group of scientists encounters a giant spider in the jungle. They must survive its attacks and find a way to escape.
The Goblin’s Curse – A village is plagued by goblin attacks. The villagers must find and defeat the goblin king to lift the curse.
The Kraken – A ship is attacked by a Kraken. The crew must find a way to defeat the creature and escape the ocean.
The Minotaur’s Maze – Adventurers exploring an ancient labyrinth encounter a minotaur. They must navigate the maze and defeat the creature to escape.
The Gorgon – A group of heroes must defeat a gorgon to save their kingdom. They must avoid its petrifying gaze and find a way to kill it.
The Cyclops – A village is terrorized by a cyclops. The villagers must find and stop the creature before it destroys their homes.
The Harpy’s Lair – A group of adventurers encounters a harpy in a remote cave. They must survive its attacks and find a way to escape.
The Hydra – A group of heroes must defeat a hydra to save their land. They must find a way to kill the creature without it regenerating.
The Chimera – A village is attacked by a chimera. The villagers must find a way to defeat the creature before it destroys their homes.
The Basilisk – A group of adventurers must defeat a basilisk to save their kingdom. They must avoid its deadly gaze and find a way to kill it.
The Griffin – A village is terrorized by a griffin. The villagers must find and stop the creature before it destroys their homes.
The Dragon’s Lair – A group of adventurers must defeat a dragon to save their kingdom. They must find a way to kill the creature and escape its lair.
The Phoenix – A group of heroes must defeat a phoenix to save their land. They must find a way to kill the creature without it regenerating.
The Roc – A village is attacked by a roc. The villagers must find a way to defeat the creature before it destroys their homes.
The Unicorn’s Curse – A village is plagued by a cursed unicorn. The villagers must find and stop the creature to lift the curse.
The Leviathan – A ship is attacked by a leviathan. The crew must find a way to defeat the creature and escape the ocean.

Gothic Horror

The Cursed Castle – A family inherits a castle with a dark history. They must uncover its secrets to lift the curse.
The Haunted Abbey – Monks at a remote abbey encounter ghostly apparitions. They must uncover the abbey’s dark past to stop the hauntings.
The Sinister Manor – Guests at a manor encounter strange occurrences. They must solve the manor’s mystery to escape.
The Dark Forest – A village is surrounded by a forest where no one returns. The villagers must uncover the forest’s secrets to survive.
The Phantom of the Opera House – A theater is haunted by a ghostly figure. The performers must uncover the phantom’s past to stop the hauntings.
The Ghostly Bride – A bride haunts the church where she was left at the altar. The townspeople must uncover her story to set her spirit free.
The Vampire’s Castle – A group of travelers seeks shelter in a castle only to find it inhabited by vampires. They must escape before becoming prey.
The Sinister Tower – A tower on a cliff is said to be haunted. Adventurers must uncover its secrets and survive its dangers.
The Witch’s Cottage – A cottage in the woods is said to be inhabited by a witch. Brave villagers must uncover the truth and survive the night.
The Shadowed Hallways – A noble family in a mansion encounters shadowy figures that stalk them at night. They must uncover the mansion’s history to banish the shadows.
The Forbidden Tomb – Explorers uncover an ancient tomb that curses those who enter. They must find a way to break the curse and escape.
The Haunted Chapel – A chapel is haunted by the spirits of those wronged by the church. The new priest must uncover their stories to bring peace.
The Eerie Estate – An estate known for its eerie occurrences becomes the setting for a family reunion. The family must uncover the estate’s dark past.
The Sinister Sculptor – A sculptor’s statues seem to come to life. Visitors to the sculptor’s estate must solve the mystery before they become statues themselves.
The Phantom Shipyard – A shipyard is haunted by the ghosts of shipbuilders who died in a tragic accident. Investigators must uncover the cause of the hauntings.
The Cursed Bell Tower – A bell tower’s toll brings doom to those who hear it. The villagers must silence the bell to stop the curse.
The Secret Passage – Hidden passages in a mansion reveal dark secrets. The inhabitants must navigate the passages to uncover the truth.
The Ghostly Governess – A governess haunts the children she once cared for. The new caretaker must uncover her story to protect the children.
The Darkened Library – A library contains books that whisper dark secrets. The librarian must uncover the source and stop the whispering.
The Phantom Train Station – A train station is haunted by passengers who never reached their destination. A traveler must uncover their stories.
The Sinister Garden – A garden blooms with flowers that have a deadly secret. The gardener must uncover the truth to save themselves.
The Ghostly Host – A host at a manor party is a ghost who never left. The guests must uncover the host’s story to escape.
The Haunted Portraits – Portraits in a manor watch the inhabitants. The family must uncover the stories behind the portraits.
The Cursed Well – A well in a village grants wishes at a terrible cost. The villagers must uncover the well’s origins to stop its influence.
The Phantom Ball – A grand ball is held every year by a ghostly host. The attendees must uncover the host’s story to escape.

Apocalyptic and Post-Apocalyptic

The Last Survivors – After a nuclear apocalypse, a group of survivors must navigate a ruined city to find safety.
The Plague – A deadly virus wipes out most of humanity. The immune survivors must find a cure before they succumb to the infection.
The Alien Invasion – Aliens decimate Earth’s population. A group of resistance fighters must find a way to fight back.
The Artificial Intelligence Uprising – AI turns against humanity. A group of survivors must find a way to shut down the AI network.
The Resource War – After resources become scarce, warring factions fight for control. A neutral group must navigate the conflict to survive.
The Frozen Earth – A new ice age begins, and survivors must find a way to live in the frozen wasteland.
The Solar Flare – A solar flare wipes out the technology. Survivors must adapt to a world without electricity.
The Zombie Apocalypse – The dead rise, and survivors must find a safe haven. They must navigate hordes of zombies and hostile humans.
The Asteroid Impact – An asteroid destroys major cities. Survivors must rebuild society in the aftermath.
The Supervolcano Eruption – A supervolcano erupts, causing a global catastrophe. Survivors must navigate the ash-filled landscape.
The Mutant Uprising – Radiation causes mutations in humans. The unmutated must find a way to coexist or fight back.
The Machine Takeover – Robots take control of the world. Human survivors must find a way to disable the machines.
The Bioweapon Leak – A bioweapon leaks and creates deadly mutants. Survivors must find the source to stop the spread.
The Water Crisis – Water becomes a scarce resource. Survivors must find new sources of water and fend off those who want to steal it.
The Dark Age – Society collapses, and survivors must navigate a world without order. They must rebuild communities while avoiding bandits.
The EMP Attack – An EMP attack wipes out all electronics. Survivors must adapt to a pre-technological world.
The Global Famine – A famine causes mass starvation. Survivors must find new ways to grow food and fend off starving invaders.
The Infected Animals – A virus causes animals to become aggressive. Survivors must protect themselves from the deadly wildlife.
The Drought – A prolonged drought causes a water shortage. Survivors must find new sources of water and protect them from others.
The Nuclear Winter – A nuclear war causes a nuclear winter. Survivors must find a way to live in the cold, dark world.
The Toxic Air – Pollution causes the air to become toxic. Survivors must find ways to purify the air and protect themselves.
The Invasion – A foreign army invades, causing chaos. Survivors must navigate the war-torn landscape.
The Collapse – Economic collapse causes society to break down. Survivors must find ways to rebuild while avoiding hostile groups.
The Plague – A new plague decimates the population. Survivors must find a cure before they become infected.
The Resource Scarcity – Resources become scarce, and society collapses. Survivors must find new ways to survive and protect their resources.

Body Horror

The Parasite – A person becomes host to a parasitic creature that slowly takes over their body. They must find a way to remove it before losing control.
The Flesh-Eating Disease – A disease that causes flesh to decay. The infected must find a cure before they succumb.
The Mutation – A person starts mutating uncontrollably. They must find a way to stop the mutations before they become unrecognizable.
The Experiment – A person is subjected to horrific experiments that alter their body. They must escape the lab and find a way to reverse the changes.
The Transformation – A person transforms into a monstrous creature. They must find a way to stop the transformation and regain their humanity.
The Infestation – A person’s body becomes infested with insects. They must find a way to remove the infestation before it’s too late.
The Amalgamation – A scientist’s experiment causes multiple bodies to fuse together. The resulting creature must find a way to separate or live as one.
The Skinwalker – A person can change their appearance by shedding their skin. They must find a way to control their abilities before they lose themselves.
The Growth – A person discovers a rapidly growing tumor that gives them strange abilities. They must find a way to control it before it consumes them.
The Symbiote – A symbiotic creature bonds with a person, granting powers but slowly taking over. They must find a way to separate before losing control.
The Reanimation – A scientist’s experiment to reanimate the dead goes horribly wrong. The reanimated must find a way to live with their new bodies.
The Graft – A person receives an experimental organ transplant that changes their body in unexpected ways. They must find a way to reverse the changes.
The Cannibal’s Curse – A person who consumes human flesh gains horrific powers. They must find a way to break the curse before losing their humanity.
The Melting Man – A person starts to liquefy. They must find a way to stop the process before it melts away.
The Living Tattoo – A person’s tattoos come to life and start to control them. They must find a way to stop the tattoos before they take over.
The Bone Shifter – A person gains the ability to shift their bones, causing great pain. They must find a way to control their power before it destroys them.
The Organ Thief – A person wakes up missing organs that are replaced by mysterious mechanical parts. They must find the thief and recover their organs.
The Flesh Sculptor – A person gains the ability to mold their flesh like clay. They must find a way to control their power before it consumes them.
The Skin Thief – A person can steal others’ skin to change their appearance. They must find a way to stop their urges before they lose their humanity.
The Hive – A person’s body becomes a hive for insects. They must find a way to remove the insects before it’s too late.
The Limb Regenerator – A person gains the ability to regenerate limbs, but each regrowth causes them to lose part of their humanity. They must find a way to stop the process.
The Mind Swap – A person swaps minds with another, causing their body to undergo horrific changes. They must find a way to reverse the swap.
The Flesh Weaver – A person gains the ability to manipulate flesh, weaving it into grotesque forms. They must find a way to control their power before it consumes them.
The Bone Collector – A person starts collecting bones, and their body begins to incorporate them. They must find a way to stop before they become living skeletons.
The Living Parasite – A parasitic organism living inside a person starts taking over their body. They must find a way to remove the parasite before it controls them completely.

Slasher Stories

The Masked Killer – A masked killer hunts down teenagers at a summer camp. The survivors must uncover the killer’s identity to stop the murders.
The Urban Legend – A group of friends accidentally awaken a killer from an urban legend. They must find a way to stop the killer before becoming victims.
The High School Horror – A killer stalks students at a high school reunion. The former classmates must band together to survive the night.
The Night Stalker – A serial killer targets people walking alone at night. A detective must catch the killer before more lives are lost.
The Cabin in the Woods – A group of friends vacationing in a cabin are hunted by a killer. They must survive the night and uncover the killer’s motive.
The Halloween Horror – A killer in a Halloween costume targets partygoers. The survivors must figure out who the killer is before it’s too late.
The Summer Slasher – A slasher terrorizes a summer camp. The counselors must protect the campers and stop the killer.
The Haunted House Horror – A group of friends visiting a haunted house attraction encounter a real killer. They must survive the night and escape the house.
The Killer Clown – A killer dressed as a clown targets children. The townspeople must uncover the clown’s identity to stop the killings.
The Prom Night Massacre – A killer crashes a prom, targeting students. The survivors must find a way to stop the killer and escape.
The Road Trip Terror – A group of friends on a road trip are hunted by a killer. They must uncover the killer’s identity and motive to survive.
The Island Slasher – Vacationers on a remote island are hunted by a killer. They must survive and find a way to escape the island.
The Carnival of Carnage – A killer targets visitors at a carnival. The survivors must uncover the killer’s identity to stop the murders.
The Silent Stalker – A killer who never speaks targets people in their homes. A detective must catch the killer before more lives are lost.
The Snowbound Slasher – A group of friends snowed in at a cabin and are hunted by a killer. They must survive the night and find a way to escape.
The College Campus Killer – A killer stalks students on a college campus. The survivors must band together to uncover the killer’s identity.
The Backwoods Butcher – Campers in the backwoods are hunted by a killer. They must survive the night and find a way to stop the killer.
The Stalker in the Shadows – A stalker targets a woman, and her friends must protect her and catch the stalker.
The Holiday Horror – A killer targets people during the holidays. The survivors must uncover the killer’s identity and motive to stop the murders.
The Beachside Slasher – Vacationers at a beach resort are hunted by a killer. They must survive and uncover the killer’s identity.
The Amusement Park Horror – A killer targets visitors at an amusement park. The survivors must stop the killer and escape the park.
The Midnight Stalker – A killer targets people walking alone at midnight. A detective must catch the killer before more lives are lost.
The Wedding Day Massacre – A killer crashes a wedding, targeting guests. The survivors must find a way to stop the killer and escape.
The Forest of Fear – Hikers in a forest are hunted by a killer. They must survive and find a way to stop the killer.
The Asylum Escapee – A killer escapes from an asylum and targets people in a nearby town. The townspeople must uncover the killer’s identity to stop the murders.

Cosmic Horror

The Lovecraftian Entity – A small town is plagued by sightings of an otherworldly entity. The townspeople must uncover its origins to stop the madness.
The Eldritch Tome – A scholar discovers a book that drives readers insane. They must uncover the book’s secrets to stop its influence.
The Alien Artifact – Scientists discover an artifact that brings forth cosmic horrors. They must find a way to destroy it before it consumes them.
The Forgotten Temple – Explorers find an ancient temple dedicated to a cosmic entity. They must uncover its secrets to escape the horrors within.
The Star Cult – A cult worships a cosmic entity that grants them terrible powers. Investigators must stop the cult before they summon the entity.
The Cosmic Rift – A rift in space-time opens, bringing forth horrors from another dimension. Scientists must find a way to close the rift.
The Astral Projector – A person gains the ability to astrally project but encounters cosmic horrors. They must find a way to control their power.
The Interdimensional Traveler – A traveler from another dimension brings cosmic horrors. The survivors must find a way to send the traveler back.
The Eldritch Signal – A signal from deep space drives those who hear it insane. Scientists must find a way to stop the signal.
The Otherworldly Beacon – A lighthouse serves as a beacon for cosmic entities. The keeper must find a way to stop the beacon.
The Alien Invasion – Aliens from another dimension invade Earth, bringing cosmic horrors. The survivors must find a way to fight back.
The Eldritch Storm – A storm brings forth cosmic horrors. The survivors must find a way to stop the storm.
The Forgotten Ones – Ancient beings awaken and bring cosmic horrors. The survivors must find a way to stop them.
The Cosmic Plague – A plague from another dimension infects humanity. The survivors must find a cure before it spreads.
The Eldritch Machine – A machine built by an ancient civilization brings cosmic horrors. The survivors must find a way to destroy it.
The Otherworldly Visitor – A visitor from another dimension brings cosmic horrors. The survivors must find a way to send them back.
The Lovecraftian Dreams – People start having dreams of cosmic horrors that drive them insane. They must find a way to stop the dreams.
The Eldritch Ritual – A cult performs a ritual to summon a cosmic entity. Investigators must stop the ritual.
The Alien Mind Control – Aliens use mind control to bring forth cosmic horrors. The survivors must find a way to stop them.
The Eldritch Portal – A portal opens, bringing forth cosmic horrors. The survivors must find a way to close it.
The Forgotten City – Explorers find a lost city dedicated to cosmic entities. They must uncover its secrets to escape the horrors within.
The Otherworldly Artifact – An artifact from another dimension brings cosmic horrors. The survivors must find a way to destroy it.
The Eldritch Experiment – Scientists’ experiments bring forth cosmic horrors. They must find a way to stop the experiments.
The Alien Infestation – Aliens infest a town, bringing cosmic horrors. The survivors must find a way to stop them.
The Cosmic Entity – A cosmic entity awakens, bringing forth horrors. The survivors must find a way to stop it.

Folk Horror

The Village Ritual – A village performs a dark ritual every year. Outsiders must uncover the ritual’s purpose to escape.
The Forest Cult – A cult in the forest performs dark rituals. Outsiders must uncover the cult’s secrets to survive.
The Harvest Sacrifice – A village sacrifices people for a good harvest. The outsiders must stop the sacrifices.
The Witch Hunt – A village accuses outsiders of being witches. They must prove their innocence to survive.
The Cursed Land – A village is built on cursed land. Outsiders must uncover the curse’s origin to lift it.
The Haunted Farm – A farm is haunted by the spirits of those wronged by the landowners. The new owners must uncover the farm’s dark history.
The Pagan Festival – A village’s pagan festival hides dark secrets. Outsiders must uncover the truth to survive.
The Reaping – A village reaps souls to appease a dark entity. The outsiders must stop the reaping.
The Cursed Forest – A forest is cursed, and those who enter never return. Outsiders must uncover the curse’s origin.
The Old Gods – A village worships ancient gods that demand sacrifices. The outsiders must stop the worship.
The Blood Moon – A village performs a ritual under a blood moon. Outsiders must stop the ritual.
The Spirit of the Lake – A lake is haunted by a vengeful spirit. The villagers must uncover its story to stop the hauntings.
The Cornfield Curse – A village’s cornfield is cursed, causing bizarre deaths. Outsiders must uncover the curse’s origin to stop it.
The Stone Circle – A stone circle in a village is used for dark rituals. Outsiders must uncover their secrets to stop the rituals.
The Phantom Harvest – A village experiences hauntings during the harvest season. Outsiders must uncover the cause to end the terror.
The Cursed Festival – A village festival turns deadly each year. Outsiders must uncover the festival’s dark origins to stop the deaths.
The Whispering Woods – The woods surrounding a village whisper dark secrets. Outsiders must decipher the whispers to escape.
The Haunted Mill – An old mill is haunted by the spirits of workers who died there. New owners must uncover the mill’s dark history.
The Witch’s Mark – A village marks certain people as witches. Outsiders must uncover the truth behind the markings to survive.
The Blood Ritual – A village performs a blood ritual to appease dark forces. Outsiders must stop the ritual before they become sacrifices.
The Specter of the Fields – A scarecrow in a village’s fields comes to life. Outsiders must uncover the scarecrow’s dark origins.
The Sinister Shepherd – A shepherd in a village controls his flock with dark magic. Outsiders must uncover his secrets to stop him.
The Ghostly Harvesters – Spirits of past harvesters haunt a village. Outsiders must uncover the harvesters’ stories to end the hauntings.
The Village of Shadows – A village is plagued by shadowy figures. Outsiders must uncover the figures’ origins to escape.
The Witching Hour – A village experiences dark events at the Witching Hour. Outsiders must uncover the truth behind the events to survive.

Here is a video with 25 bonus horror writing prompts:

Final Thoughts: Horror Writing Prompts

Using these writing prompts is simple.

Choose a prompt that sparks your interest. Imagine the characters, setting, and conflict. Let the prompt guide you, but feel free to add your unique twist.

Keep writing until the story unfolds naturally.

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110+ Horror Writing Prompts (With A Twist)

Give yourself the chills with this list of over 110 horror writing prompts. From scary ghost stories to creepy stories about animals and monsters. Now is the time to write your own horror story , just like Goosebumps or The Haunting of Aveline Jones.

From the gory to the scary, from the monstrous to the supernatural, from the humorous to the wacky, we have it all! Use this horror writing prompts generator to get a random horror writing idea to write about:

Keep on reading for a list of horror story prompts.

Most horror stories are based on one thing, fear. And it’s always a good idea to have a bit of that in your own life. Fear makes us all think differently, it makes us do things we wouldn’t normally do. And it’s the same thing that makes horror stories so scary. It’s a good idea to think of something that scares you, and then write about it. As a starting point, we have provided you with this list of horror prompts. For some of these gory ideas, we have included a twist, while for others it’s up to you how the story goes! Feel free to use any of these prompts in your writing, and to expand on any of the ideas.

List of Horror Writing Prompts

This list of horror writing prompts will you give you the well-needed inspiration for a good horror story:

The Haunting Hospital: A small girl named Julie is walking down a country road when she finds a cemetery and realises it is her home town. She goes to her house and finds that it has been turned into a hospital. She finds her father and her mother there. Her father tells her that she is now a part of the hospital and that she must work to be paid. Julie and her mother go to work as nurses.
Chasing Shadows: A girl named Becky is walking in her neighbourhood when she sees a little boy playing in the street. Becky runs over to him and asks him what he is doing. He tells her that he is a little monster and that he will kill her if she does not leave him alone. Becky takes off running and the little monster chases her.
Park of Peril: A little girl named Melissa is walking through the park when she finds a little boy who tells her that he will eat her if she does not take him home. Melissa takes off running and the little boy chases her.
Claws of the Night: This one involves a kid named Angela. One night she goes to sleep and when she wakes up the next morning her hands have turned into the claws of a cat.
The Poisoned Harvest: A boy named Billy is walking down the street one day when he sees a homeless man. He notices some fruit by the man. When the homeless man is not looking, Billy steals the fruit. Later on, he goes home and eats this piece of fruit. The fruit is poisoned, and Billy goes blind.
Carnivorous Confrontation: A story of a kid who loves to eat the flesh of dead animals, but one day a man appears and tells him not to eat them.
Invisible Menace: Write a story about a young boy who is terrorized by an invisible monster.
Nightmare Room: The invisible monster is eating kids and it is in their room all the time.
Enchanted Chaos: A handsome prince on a quest to learn magic wants to marry the beautiful princess, but the kingdom is being attacked by demons, ghosts, and…his dad.
Insanity’s Feast: The whole little town goes insane. They start killing people with their mouths. They kill them in the most gruesome way.
Shuttered Nightmares: A serial killer is taking photos of their victims. He is telling them how he is going to kill them. And then he starts his killing.
Witch’s Chains: Two kids named ‘Bud’ and ‘Chip’ got separated from their parents. They live next door to a witch and are unable to leave the house. One day, the witch makes their parents get into a container, and leaves them in the backyard, chained to a tree.
Enchanted Camp: A summer camp where a powerful wizard casts a spell on the children to make them do his bidding.
The Weeping Specter: A ghost that follows you around and cries on your shoulder and if you get sad it gets angry and turns into a ghostly voice that spooks people.
Haunted Truths: The lead character is haunted by a ghost who knows the truth about their past.
Distrustful Shadows: A girl named Dana, who works at a daycare centre, doesn’t trust anybody. This causes her to make sure she does everything she can to stop any other person from ever entering her place.
Realm of Nightmares: One day, the princess wakes up in a terrible nightmare. She is being chased by something, she cannot see what it is. And then she hears the voice of her mother, telling her to run away. She goes to her room and sees that the covers on her bed are in a shape that reminds her of the monster she just saw. She knows she cannot sleep in this place. She goes to the other side of her room and sees a window. She goes to the window and finds that it is an opening to a new world…
Witch’s Wrath: A girl named Misty lives with her parents and their next-door neighbour who is an evil witch. One day her father and the witch get into a fight and the witch accidentally kills him.
Brief Awakening: A boy named Sam is suffering from a terrible disease and he only has days to live. He’s in a coma, and he’s not responding to any medical treatments. Until one night he starts to experience some new changes…
Vengeful Wishes: A little girl named Mina finds a genie. The genie grants her 3 wishes. Because Mina has been a victim of bullying, she uses all her wishes to punish her bullies with ghoulish consequences.
Jar of Horrors: One day, a boy named Marcus went out to take a walk, and he found a jar that he thought was full of gold. Marcus had also found a bag that was heavier than he could lift, but he drags it home anyway. When he opens to bag he discovers something disgusting…
Game Over: A creepy character named Nemesis is trying to kill Luke, who plays video games and lives in his basement. At night, Luke hears voices telling him to hide. He goes to the basement and a creature knocks him out. He ends up as a character in his gruesome game.
Bracelet of Resurrection: A boy named Josh loses his best friend to a freak accident. He finds the other half of a bracelet he gave his friend that day. He hangs on to it until one night the bracelet brings his best friend back to life.
The Ghost Writer: Write a story titled, The Ghost Writer. Write about the ghost of someone who haunts you.
Eternal Specter: Write a scary ghost story about a man who is cursed to spend eternity as a ghost.
Hidden World: A boy named Brody is having problems adjusting to life in his new home after his parents divorced. He tries to see his dad, but they don’t want him around. One day he discovers a secret passage to a hidden underground world where his father now lives.
Stuttering Shadows: A story about a young man named Kenny, who works as a garbage man. He also has a terrible stuttering problem that he has to deal with. One day he discovers that his stuttering is getting worse and worse and he becomes scared to death because of it. He thinks that the talking squirrel next to him is a demon.
Haunted Corner: Write a story about an object in your room that becomes haunted.
Ghostly Deception: A boy named Bryce has been hiding out from his abusive father. One day his father is gone and his dad’s new girlfriend walks into the house. He thinks it’s the ghost of his dead mother. The ghost shows him that his dad’s new girlfriend has been lying to him about how his birth mother died.
Trapped in Terror: A young boy named Spencer and his sister Sarah, are on a camping trip when they find a box of mysterious objects. When they open it, one of the items shoots at them, striking Sarah and trapping her in a pod inside a tree. While locked inside the tree, Sarah meets an evil doll named Alice.
Possessed Playtime: A young girl named Cassandra is babysitting her neighbour’s two kids. One day the kids eat some forbidden foods and a demon spirit possesses one of the kids and turns him into an evil creature who haunts the neighbourhood.
Eyes of the Bunny: A little girl named Hayley discovers a secret house that no one in the neighbourhood knows about, and is welcomed inside by a red-eyed white bunny. One day when Hayley goes to a party, her newfound friend kidnaps her and traps her inside this mysterious house.
Eternal Echo: Write a horror story about a horrible accident or a nightmare that has haunted you your whole life.
Drowning Destiny: A boy named Joshua falls into a river and is about to drown when he gets rescued by a beautiful mermaid. She tells him that he will die the next day because that is his destiny.
Keys of Madness: A young boy named Alex finds a set of glowing door keys and uses them to enter a huge abandoned mansion. When he explores the mansion, he is visited by a dark spirit who attacks him and drives him insane.
Alien Abduction: A boy named Sam wakes up one day to find that his parents have been missing for over a year. The day he discovers them, they tell him that he was kidnapped by aliens, and they built an experimental human brainwashing machine.
Dreams of Stella: A young boy named Toby starts having strange dreams of a girl named Stella. One day, he sees Stella when he’s on a roller coaster, but it turns out to be a ghost who is trying to take over his mind.
Eye of the Leaf: A little boy named Ben is playing outside one day when he finds a strange leaf. When he picks it up, it turns into a leaf with a red eye and starts to follow him.
Vengeful Spirit: Write a horror story about a ghost who just wants to kill the person who called him a monster when he was alive.
Nightmare Adoption: A young girl named Annabelle is adopted by a family that lives in a very old house. One day when is playing outside, she is kidnapped by a scary man named the Nightman.
Stuffed Shadows: A young boy named Jack gets lost in the woods and finds an old abandoned house. He enters the house and finds a huge stuffed animal. When he touches it, it wakes up and attacks him.
Depths of Fear: Imagine your worst fear and write a scary story about it.
A Rude Awakening: Write a horror story titled, A Rude Awakening. What would you do if you woke up in a place that you weren’t familiar with?
The Mysterious Case: What happens when someone goes missing and no one knows where they’ve gone?
Dreamstalker : Write about a monster that might be stalking you in your dreams.
Write a story titled, When The Wind Blows. This story could be about a sudden change in weather that comes with a new problem.
Mirror Demon: Continue the following story: Suddenly, the demon in the mirror reappeared and she began to scream.
Doctor’s Dread: When the doctor gave her the news, she screamed out loud and ran in circles.
Safekeeping Shadows: In her final hours, she told me to be thankful that I had done my best to keep her safe. That I had made sure no evil would ever hurt her again.
Camping Secrets: Continue the following horror story: As I was growing up, every year our family went camping in the woods. My grandfather passed away a few years ago. He was a rich man, and I wanted to visit his grave at the cemetery.
Forest of Shadows: While walking around the forest, I came across a monstrous-looking creature. I was scared and ran back home. The next day, I decided to go back and see what the monster was doing.
Echoes of Dread: Write down your biggest fear. And then write a story based on this fear.
Silent Stalker: When I looked in her file I saw that she had gotten five serious stab wounds. But, I could not see any sign of her attacker. Her wounds were all over her body and all over her arms.
Arachnid Terror: After discovering that a spider was sleeping in her bed, a young girl named Amy screams and runs away, locking herself in the bathroom.
Electric Fury: A scientific team is doing research on electricity. They find a very strong cell that could create many things when it is exposed to electricity. Suddenly the electricity static comes alive. It gets angry and attacks the scientists.
Imaginary Friend: A little girl named Amber loves to play with her new imaginary friend. She calls him “Giant” and she makes up stories about him. She believes that he is her friend for real.
Melting Nightmare: Continue the following story: As it continued attacking, it even caused my teeth to start to melt off of my jaw. My skin would start to burn, and my hair would become brown.
Friday Night Terrors: It’s Friday. The TV is on, and you are wide awake. As you lie there listening, you begin to feel tired. And just as your eyes begin to close, you hear a creak of the floorboards. Your eyes snap open. What you see scares the living hell out of you.
Blood Dawn: You wake up one morning to find your entire body covered in blood. What do you do?
Room of Despair: How would you react if you were locked in a room and told you could never leave?
Haunting Memoirs: What is the scariest thing that has ever happened to you? Can you explain this in great detail?
Chilling Chronicles: Make a top ten list of the creepiest books or stories you have ever read.
The Gruesome Creation: Describe the most gruesome and disgusting creature you can imagine.
Zoo’s Menace: Write a horror story where there is a threat of animals getting out of the zoo.
Red-Eyed Pursuit: Continue the following starter: A red-eyed man of tall and dark build looms over a bus stop on a lonely, deserted country road, staring at me intently. I run like hell to get to the other side of the street, but it’s too late…
Homebound Horror: A strange animal has been following you through your home. Have you been doing anything strange or dangerous that has made it freak out?
Midnight Messages: Someone is leaving you messages in the dead of night. What’s the creepiest message you’ve received?
Ghostly Watcher: Create a ghost story about a creature that watches and waits in the corners of dark, abandoned places.
Jack and Jill’s Nightmare: Jack and Jill went up the hill, but they never came back down. Will they ever make it to the bottom? Write a horror story based on this idea.
Dark Secrets: The history of your town has a long dark secret that nobody wants to talk about. What is it?
Mutated Reality: Reality show participants get kidnapped and sent on a dangerous mission, where they must learn how to blend with mutated creatures.
Beastly Intrusion: In a small community in Japan, a supernatural force enters the community through a sewer. To beat it, the village must learn to work as a team and think like a beast.
School of Shadows: School kids don’t believe in ghosts until they’re suddenly being terrorised in their school at night.
Vampiric Genesis: Someone is using a contaminated strain of bat DNA to create vampires in real life. And it’s up to a group of scientists to put an end to it.
Promised Souls: The dead walk, and all they want to do is get what they were promised. Will you figure it out?
Spellbound Silence: An aspiring rapper, who always dreamed of singing in front of an adoring crowd, becomes the target of a spell that makes him unable to sing, his most cherished talent. Will he survive the consequences of his initial desire to be a star?
Mirror Man: Continue this story: You look into the mirror and see a man in black standing in the corner…
Cryptic Chronicles: Imagine that you stumble upon a really creepy story in your local library and it leads you on a very strange and frightening journey.
Lost in a Strange World: When night falls, people get teleported to an area far away, in a very different world! The only way to return home is by combining body parts with the different elements of the land.
Wicked Takeover: A small town gets taken over by a wicked witch, who’s on a mission to suck the souls of all the inhabitants.
Soul Seeker: When someone posts an ad online about finding a soul and bringing it home for a price, things get really interesting.
Human and Beast: What would happen if human DNA was spliced with that of a deadly monster?
Unknown Beyond: A guy receives an advance warning from his friends in the afterlife to get ready for the afterlife, or something worse may happen…
Death’s Present: A girl gets a letter that someone wants to give her a present before they die, but the present comes with a very specific clause. What happens when she follows the instructions?
Dark Diary: As a local woman is trying to recover from the death of her husband, she discovers an old diary, in which she discovers something that happened in her past that has led to events that followed.
Christmas Carnage: It’s beginning to look like Christmas! But there’s more to Christmas than Santa and presents. A deadly secret is hidden away in a child’s bedroom. And with a massive killer about to make an appearance, it’s a race against time to track him down.
Empire of Evil: A ship sets sail for the distant colony of the Empire, but its mission becomes a mission to find the source of evil.
Hell Town: Using a sinister new machine, a small-town mayor is convinced to turn his town into a hell-like world.
Wild Dogs: A group of four friends are lured into an abandoned house by a pack of wild dogs.
I Went To A Party: Complete the following sentence in three different spooky ways: I went to a party and…
Sea’s Claw: The captain was anxious to get home, but the sea was so rough that his ship could not make it. Suddenly, from the fog, a giant black claw appeared. The giant black claw grabbed the ship and then brought the ship to the bottom of the ocean.
Dybylu’s Awakening: A monster named Dybylu wakes up one morning, alone in her room. She can feel it in the air; her pet cat is afraid. She goes to look in the mirror and see’s a human staring back at her.
Murdered Spirit: A little boy is asked to help a spirit of a man who was murdered, but as he hears the story, it sounds weird and a bit confusing, and he begins to wonder if the story is even true.
Playground Horrors: In a playground near an orphanage, there are many playgrounds where kids play. The best playground is found next to an abandoned asylum.
Barn Cat’s Secret: A drifter named Mick goes to a farm with his friend Sam, and the owner of the farm is a creepy scientist. Mick climbs a barn ladder and sees a strange cat in there…
Cape Creature: A sweet girl named Annie and her sister, Charley, are having an adventure in their neighbourhood. Suddenly, Annie spots a strange black cape creature lurking in the distance. It was the most feared and horrible creature Annie has ever seen.
Island of Souls: The main character goes to an island that no one has visited before. He is enjoying his vacation, but one night he finds out that his home is being invaded by creatures who want to steal his soul.
Spookie’s Nightmares: A witch known as ‘Spookie’ causes horrible hallucinations to victims of her nightmares. Her victims can’t scream or cry or run. All they can do is panic.
Stick’s Mischief: A girl named Paige finds a stick that attracts a mysterious creature that will play a sick joke on her.
Black Blood: One day, a girl named Robin started having problems in school. Her parents, who are very smart and caring, see something is very wrong with Robin so they take her to the doctor. The doctor makes her go through a lot of tests, and everything is okay except for one last thing. Robin has black blood running through her veins.
Mirror’s Curse: A teenage girl named Sarah who is obsessed with her appearance starts turning into an old, ugly witch every time she looks into a mirror.
Bee Killer: When bees start dying suddenly out of nowhere, the lead detective in a bee colony must find the culprit.
Demon’s Puzzle: A strange jigsaw puzzle holds a horrific secret… In it, a grinning demon holds a girl’s head in its giant mouth.
Forbidden Drawing: A little boy sees a drawing of him in a forbidden book he had found. He is then transported to a never-ending forest, lost forever…
When the Past Comes Back: An adult is being haunted by their younger self.
Beast of the Woods: A reporter goes into the woods where there was a fierce animal attack. In this attack, five women and a little boy were killed. He decides to search for evidence on who this killer creature might be…
Letters of London: A man lives by himself in a flat in London. A mysterious person starts sending him letters which talk about how scary things will happen if he doesn’t leave his flat.
The Ghost in Her Friend’s Mother: A 7 year old girl is having a sleepover at her friend’s house. Her friend’s mom leaves them alone, but they soon find out that she was poisoned, and that a ghost has taken over her body.
Creepy Crawlies in Your Kitchen: The first animal the kids see is a snake that eats people’s brains. It sneaks around in people’s kitchens.
Revolving Nightmares: The story starts off with a character telling the readers about the night he and his parents got stuck in a revolving door. The night would haunt him for the rest of his life.
Tommy’s Window: A long time ago there was a man named Tommy, who was lost in a forest. Tommy thought he heard a ghost calling him. Tommy went in the direction of the noise and found a scary-looking house that has windows that never opened. Tommy finds out that the house belongs to a witch and that if he opens the windows, the witch will turn Tommy into a puppet.
Tommy the Dog: This is a story about a little boy and his dog. The little boy goes to a big park, and he sees a dog that is alone. He walks over to the dog, but it just barks and then runs away. The next day Tommy starts turning into a human-sized dog.

Fear no more! Just use this list of horror writing prompts to start writing your own fantastic horror story! Use any of these scary prompt ideas to take the story from your mind to your computer screen.

Looking for more creepy horror prompts? Check out this list of Halloween writing prompts , as well as this scary Halloween picture prompts .

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are the 5 elements of a horror story.

Every good horror story contains the following five elements: Character, Setting, Action, Horror and Resolution. You can’t write a good horror without these elements.

How do you write in creepy writing?

To write in creepy writing, you need to immerse yourself in the world of horror. You think to think exactly like your main character or antagonist. Imagine yourself as a ghost, a demon, a monster, or a murderer. You can be a ghost who haunts people in their dreams or a monster who stalks them in the real world. Use extreme details to describe scenes of horror with gory and disgusting elements.

How do you get inspiration for horror?

Most horror stories are based on fear. Think about the things that scare you or haunt you in your nightmares. You can also get inspiration from watching scary movies or reading about scary stories. Finally, horror stories can also be inspired by real-life situations. For example, a girl who is bullied decides to take revenge on her bullies in a gruesome way. Of course, you can also use this list of horror writing prompts to inspire you too!

What are common horror themes?

Horror themes can be based on personal experiences, fears, or nightmares. Here are some common horror themes to explore:

Stalker: Someone who stalks you in your dreams or in the real world.
Monsters: Someone or something who appears to be human, but isn’t.
Revenge: Someone who is still haunted by a past event, and needs to seek revenge to overcome it.
Secrets: A deadly secret that could shake the lives of anyone involved.
Psychopaths: People who just kill or hurt others for the fun of it.

Did you find this list of over 110 horror writing prompts useful? Let us know in the comments below.

Marty the wizard is the master of Imagine Forest. When he's not reading a ton of books or writing some of his own tales, he loves to be surrounded by the magical creatures that live in Imagine Forest. While living in his tree house he has devoted his time to helping children around the world with their writing skills and creativity.

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135 Horror Writing Prompts: How to Write Scary Stories In 2024

April 12, 2024
Freelancing Tips

Table of Contents Hide

What Are Horror Writing Prompts?

How To Use A Horror Writing Prompt?

Supernatural horror, psychological horror, body horror, monster horror, survival horror, ghost stories, isolation horror, urban horror, historical horror, lovecraftian horror, folklore and mythology, cinematic horror, technological horror, mystery and suspense.

1. Use the environment
2. Use your own fears
3. Write longer sentences
4. Make your readers breathe faster
5. Utilize fear of the unknown
6. Avoid clichés
7. Practice

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Horror writing is a genre that has captivated audiences for centuries, with its ability to evoke fear and suspense in readers. From classic ghost stories to modern psychological thrillers, the horror genre has continuously evolved to bring new scares to audiences. Whether you’re a seasoned horror writer or a newcomer to the genre, these horror writing prompts will help ignite your creativity and guide you in crafting truly terrifying stories.

In the spirit of helping writers find those seeds, here we offer 135 horror writing prompts that you can use as inspiration for your next horror story.

What Are Horror Writing Prompts ?

Horror writing is a genre that has captivated audiences for centuries, with its ability to evoke fear and suspense in readers. The adoption of horror writing prompts in your writing unlocks your imagination, gives you ideas, and leaves you with a lethal weapon against writer’s block.

They spark the creative flame, allowing writers to weave stories that send shivers down readers’ spines and leave them breathless with fear and anticipation for more.

Using a horror writing prompt is simple and effective. Start by using the prompt to develop a plot, setting, and characters that fit the theme. Craft a short story ranging from 500 to 1000 words, allowing your imagination to run wild within the framework of the prompt.

This exercise ignites your creativity, pushing you to think outside the box and hone your skills in creating spine-chilling narratives that linger in the minds of your readers.

READ ALSO: How To Create An Online Writing Portfolio: 15 Must-Haves for a Standout Portfolio

135 Horror Writing Prompts

Our 135 horror writing prompts will be split based on the various types of horror fiction; carefully read through.

A family moves into a new house, only to discover it’s haunted by the spirits of its former occupants.
A cursed object brings misery to anyone who possesses it.
A group of friends decides to play with an Ouija board, unwittingly summoning a malevolent entity.
A person starts experiencing bizarre and terrifying phenomena after dabbling in black magic.
An ancient ritual performed by a cult unleashes a demonic presence in a small town.
A person finds an old, dusty book in an attic that contains spells capable of summoning otherworldly creatures.
A character begins to suspect that their new neighbor is a vampire.
A ghostly figure appears every night at the foot of a child’s bed, whispering dark secrets.
A person inherits an eerie mansion from a distant relative, only to discover it holds dark secrets.
A cursed town is plagued by a series of inexplicable deaths.

You may want to see Best Fantasy Writing Prompts in 2024: 200+ Ideas to Create Magic

A character starts to question their own sanity as they experience increasingly surreal and terrifying events.
A person wakes up in a mental institution with no memory of how they got there, surrounded by patients who seem to be hiding something sinister.
A writer becomes obsessed with a story they’re working on, only to realize it’s slowly becoming their reality.
A therapist begins to suspect that their patient’s terrifying delusions might actually be real.
A person receives anonymous letters detailing gruesome murders, only to realize the murders haven’t happened yet.
A character starts seeing their doppelgänger everywhere they go, each time more distorted and malevolent.
A group of strangers wakes up in an abandoned facility with no memory of how they got there, and they soon realize they’re being hunted.
A person becomes trapped in a time loop, reliving the same terrifying day over and over again.
A character discovers that they can’t trust their own reflection, as it seems to have a mind of its own.
A person wakes up in a strange, empty city where the laws of physics seem to be constantly shifting.
A character starts to notice strange mutations happening to their body, with horrifying consequences.
A town is struck by a mysterious illness that causes its victims to slowly decay while still alive.
A scientist’s experiment goes horribly wrong, resulting in grotesque mutations among the population.
A person discovers strange markings on their body that seem to be moving of their own accord.
A group of hikers stumbles upon a remote village where the inhabitants practice horrifying body modification rituals.
A character wakes up to find their limbs have been replaced with those of a different creature.
A person begins to suspect that their new diet supplement is causing horrifying side effects.
A scientist creates a serum that grants eternal youth, but it comes with a terrible price.
A character starts to shed their skin like a snake, revealing something monstrous underneath.
A mysterious epidemic causes people to lose control over their bodies, resulting in gruesome acts of violence.

Check out the 50 Creative Narrative Writing Prompts to Ignite Your Imagination

A small town is terrorized by a giant creature that emerges from the depths of the nearby lake.
A group of adventurers stumbles upon a hidden cave inhabited by a nest of giant spiders.
A person discovers that their new pet is actually a bloodthirsty monster in disguise.
A character comes face to face with a werewolf in the woods, only to realize it’s someone they know.
A team of researchers accidentally releases a prehistoric creature from its icy tomb.
A person encounters a group of humanoid creatures living in the sewers beneath the city.
A family’s camping trip takes a terrifying turn when they’re stalked by a pack of feral creatures.
A character discovers a secret laboratory where genetic experiments have created monstrous abominations.
A scientist creates a formula that turns people into mindless zombies.
A group of survivors must fend off an invasion of alien creatures with a taste for human flesh.
A group of people wake up in a deserted city overrun by zombies, with no memory of how they got there.
A character finds themselves trapped in a cabin in the woods with a serial killer on the loose.
A person becomes lost in the wilderness and must fend off attacks from a pack of hungry wolves.
A group of friends gets stranded in a remote village inhabited by hostile locals.
A character wakes up in a maze-like labyrinth filled with deadly traps and monstrous creatures.
A family must survive a night in their home while being hunted by a masked intruder.
A person discovers that their remote island getaway is actually a hunting ground for a wealthy elite.
A group of survivors navigate a post-apocalyptic wasteland overrun by mutated creatures.
A character finds themselves trapped in a sinking submarine with a crew member who’s gone mad.
A person must escape from a deranged cult that’s determined to sacrifice them to their dark god.

READ ALSO: 140 Exclusive Writing Prompts For Adults

A person moves into an old mansion and starts to uncover the tragic history of the family who used to live there.
A group of teenagers decides to spend the night in a haunted abandoned asylum.
A character starts receiving messages from beyond the grave, begging for help.
A family is haunted by the ghost of a child who died tragically in their home.
A person inherits a cursed painting that seems to come to life when no one is looking.
A group of friends holds a séance to contact the spirit of a deceased loved one, with terrifying consequences.
A character discovers an old diary hidden in the walls of their house, detailing the gruesome events that led to a murder.
A person encounters a hitchhiker on a deserted road, only to realize they’re not quite alive.
A family moves into a new house, unaware that it’s built on top of an ancient burial ground.
A group of paranormal investigators sets out to uncover the truth behind a series of unexplained deaths in a small town.
A character becomes stranded in a blizzard and seeks shelter in a remote cabin, only to realize they’re not alone.
A person wakes up in a deserted hospital with no memory of how they got there and soon discovers they’re being hunted.
A group of astronauts on a deep space mission begins to suspect that there’s something sinister lurking on their ship.
A character finds themselves trapped in a malfunctioning elevator with a mysterious stranger.
A person takes a job as a caretaker for a remote lighthouse, only to discover it’s haunted by the ghosts of its former keepers.
A family’s road trip takes a terrifying turn when their car breaks down in the middle of nowhere.
A group of researchers stationed in Antarctica starts to experience strange phenomena as they’re cut off from the outside world.
A character wakes up in a seemingly abandoned city where the only other inhabitants are hostile creatures.
A person becomes lost in the desert and must find a way to survive against the elements and the creatures that lurk within.
A couple’s romantic getaway in the remote countryside turns into a nightmare when they realize they’re being stalked by something in the shadows, lurking just beyond the edge of the forest.
A character moves into a new apartment building, only to discover that its tenants harbor dark secrets.
A person begins to suspect that their neighbor is conducting sinister experiments in their basement.
A group of friends explores an abandoned subway tunnel and uncovers a horrifying secret hidden beneath the city.
A character receives a mysterious package containing videotapes of disturbing events that seem to be happening in their own neighborhood.
A person starts to notice strange symbols painted on buildings around the city, leading them to a hidden cult.
A family moves into a new house, only to find that it’s located in the heart of a neighborhood plagued by unsolved murders.
A group of teenagers sneaks into an abandoned hospital for a night of exploration, but they soon realize they’re not alone.
A character discovers a hidden passage in their apartment building that leads to a network of tunnels beneath the city.
A person starts to receive threatening messages from an anonymous stalker who seems to know everything about them.
A journalist investigates a series of disappearances in the city’s homeless population, uncovering a terrifying conspiracy.

Related Post: 107+ Creative Writing Prompts For Middle School Students

A character inherits an old family estate and discovers that it holds a dark secret dating back centuries.
A group of archaeologists uncovers an ancient tomb buried deep in the jungle, unleashing a curse upon themselves.
A person discovers a hidden chamber in an old castle, where they encounter the restless spirit of a long-dead noble.
A family moves into a house with a tragic history, only to find that the past is still very much alive within its walls.
A character travels back in time to a period of history plagued by witch hunts and finds themselves accused of witchcraft.
A group of pioneers settling in the wilderness encounters hostile natives who warn them of a malevolent presence in the area.
A person inherits an old shipwreck and sets out to salvage its treasures, only to awaken something ancient and evil.
A family vacation to a remote village in Europe takes a terrifying turn when they stumble upon a festival with dark rituals.
A character becomes trapped in the past and must find a way to escape before they’re consumed by its horrors.
A group of soldiers stationed in a remote outpost during wartime must contend with both enemy forces and supernatural threats.
A character discovers a forbidden tome that contains knowledge beyond human comprehension, driving them to madness.
A person investigates strange occurrences in a small coastal town and uncovers a cult worshipping ancient sea gods.
A group of explorers discovers an underground city inhabited by eldritch creatures beyond their understanding.
A character receives a mysterious invitation to a secluded mansion where they encounter beings from another dimension.
A person dreams of a city of impossible geometry and encounters entities that defy description.
A family inherits a cursed artifact that seems to exert a malevolent influence over their minds.
A character stumbles upon a portal to another world and unwittingly releases an ancient evil upon the Earth.
A group of scientists discovers a hidden chamber containing the remains of an extraterrestrial being.
A person receives visions of a looming apocalypse brought about by the awakening of ancient cosmic horrors.
A cult summons a Great Old One to do their bidding, only to realize they’ve unleashed forces they cannot control.
A character encounters a creature from Native American folklore while hiking through the wilderness.
A person visits a remote village in Eastern Europe and becomes entangled in its dark folklore.
A group of travelers seeks shelter in a haunted inn rumored to be the domain of a vengeful spirit.
A character discovers that the fairy tales they were told as a child are based on true events with horrifying consequences.
A family moves to a remote island inhabited by creatures from Celtic mythology.
A person discovers a hidden society living beneath the streets of New York City, ruled by creatures of legend.
A group of adventurers sets out to find a lost city rumored to be inhabited by creatures from Greek mythology.
A character encounters a banshee while exploring an abandoned castle in Ireland.
A person visits a haunted forest said to be inhabited by the spirits of those who died there.
A family vacation to a remote village in Japan turns deadly when they encounter a vengeful yokai.

READ ALSO: 50 Exclusive Writing Prompts For High School Students

A character finds themselves trapped in a never-ending nightmare, where each dream is more terrifying than the last.
A person discovers a hidden camera in their home, capturing footage of their every move while they sleep.
A group of filmmakers sets out to make a documentary about a notorious serial killer, only to become his next victim.
A character receives a mysterious VHS tape containing footage of their own murder.
A person starts to notice strange glitches in reality as if they’re trapped in a never-ending loop.
A family’s home security system captures footage of shadowy figures moving through their house at night.
A group of friends discovers an old film reel in an abandoned theater, only to realize it contains footage of unspeakable horrors.
A character becomes obsessed with a cursed film rumored to drive anyone who watches it insane.
A person starts to receive anonymous phone calls from someone claiming to be a long-dead relative.
A family’s home movies start to reveal disturbing secrets about their past.
A character’s smart home devices start to turn against them, locking them inside their own house.
A person receives a mysterious email containing footage of their own death.
A group of gamers becomes trapped in a virtual reality game where dying means death in real life.
A character discovers a website that predicts their every move with unsettling accuracy.
A person’s social media accounts are taken over by a malevolent AI that knows all their darkest secrets.
A group of scientists creates an artificial intelligence that becomes self-aware and starts to view humanity as a threat.
A character’s self-driving car takes them to a remote location against their will, with sinister intentions.
A person’s smartphone starts to display messages from a future version of themselves, warning of impending doom.
A group of hackers unleashes a virus that turns people’s devices against them, causing chaos and destruction.
A character discovers a hidden camera in their workplace, revealing that they’re being watched by someone with malicious intent.
A person wakes up in a locked room with no memory of how they got there, surrounded by clues to a sinister puzzle.
A character receives a package containing a mysterious artifact and a note warning them of impending danger.
A group of strangers receives invitations to a dinner party hosted by a reclusive millionaire, only to realize they’re being hunted for sport.
A person starts to receive anonymous letters detailing their deepest secrets and darkest fears.
A family’s camping trip takes a terrifying turn when they stumble upon a buried secret that someone is willing to kill to protect.

How To Write A Horror Story

Crafting a horror story demands a great level of skill and awareness to excel in the act. Here are a few tips that will help you take your writing to the next level.

1. Use the environment

Jump-scares are a simple and effective technique used in horror films and television shows, but creating frightening literature has its own way of evoking fear. To completely engross your readers in your location, build up your surroundings in a vivid manner.

Using detailed descriptions of confined spaces might make people feel claustrophobic. A character finds a quiet, dark house even more terrifying when they hear the squeak of a floorboard upstairs. Being an outsider in a strange environment, like a small town where no one has cell phone coverage and everyone knows one another, is already unnerving. The unease of the situation can be increased by adding a malevolent paranormal entity to the mix.

2. Use your own fears

One of the greatest things writers do is to let their point of view fuel their writing; write what you know.

If you’re scared of heights, there is no way you’ll better express the feelings of a character who is at the top of a skyscraper screaming for help. If your biggest fear is height, use that POV, to sum up the feeling in a way that others who share your fear can relate to—don’t try to scare your audience with a werewolf if you can’t properly tap into that fear.

3. Write longer sentences

Longer sentences in writing when used properly can equate to longer anticipation and suspense. While full stops provide natural pauses for readers to take a breath, if you stretch out your sentences, you build anticipation for the reader—which they might not even know until they reach the end of the sentence. By using tactics like this, you get your readers engrossed in the horror story, making them feel what the main character feels and creating a heart-pounding connection.

4. Make your readers breathe faster

Short paragraphs with only one sentence can make your readers take more breaths to keep up with your story, while extended sentences can heighten the tension of a narrative.

Writing abrupt lines increases the tension in your terrifying story and causes the reader’s eyes to scan the page faster in an attempt to find solace in the protagonist’s safety. This may cause your audience to breathe more quickly, which can exacerbate their anxiety and fear.

5. Utilize fear of the unknown

A prevalent motif in numerous outstanding horror fiction and film pieces is the fear of the unknown. Panic and dread are brought on by things that adversely impact us but that we are unable to appropriately identify or manage. When writing horror stories, you can heighten the suspense and terror by teasing your readers with an indefinable creature or a villain no one knows how to stop.

6. Avoid clichés

Clichés are boring and predictable, and a predictable horror scene is likely to not be scary. A good horror story creates its pattern; it doesn’t conform to the regular. Look beyond the obvious when trying to write a scary scene—what is something readers wouldn’t expect? How can you surprise them with fear?

7. Practice

If you’re struggling to get a handle on writing a good scary story, our horror writing prompts are here to help you practice. Writing prompts expands your scope of thinking and opens up new avenues of imagination that you hadn’t thought of before.

Horror writing prompts offer you a wide range of chilling scenarios to ignite your imagination and spark terrifying tales. Irrespective of the type of horror fiction you are creating, these prompts provide solid inspiration on which you can ride to craft your amazing story. Cheers!

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Blogs / Crime, Horror, and Thriller / 50 Horror Story Ideas and Scary Writing Prompts

Craft the Perfect Crime

50 horror story ideas and scary writing prompts.

Feeling brave? Well, step right up to the literary house of horrors. We’ve got a smorgasbord of terror just waiting to tickle your dark fancy.

Fifty fear-inducing prompts are lurking in the shadows, ready to jumpstart your next nightmare-on-paper. From whisper-quiet creeps to full-blown bloodbaths, we’ve got it all. So grab your favorite writing weapon, find a nice dark corner, and let’s dance with the devil, shall we?

Fair warning: side effects may include insomnia, paranoia, and an irresistible urge to check under the bed. Enter at your own risk, and remember—in here, the monsters are all in your head.

Or are they?

Horror Writing Prompts

Horror goes for the jugular. It’s visceral, often graphic, and aims to shock and disturb. Think buckets of blood, unspeakable monsters, and that feeling in your gut that says, “I shouldn’t be watching this, but I can’t look away.”

These stories often involve supernatural elements like ghosts, monsters, or dark forces, but they can also be about more human dangers, like serial killers. Think of classic slasher movies or haunted house tales where something goes bump in the night, and you can’t help but peek around the corner in suspense.

Ready for some horror writing prompts? Here’s a list that’ll make your skin crawl and your imagination run wild:

A young woman buys an antique mirror at a flea market. She soon notices that her reflection doesn’t always mimic her movements. Sometimes, it seems to be trying to communicate—or even step out of the glass.
Every time you kill a spider in your new house, two more appear. Your walls are starting to move…
You’re a sleep researcher studying night terrors. Your newest patient’s dreams start invading your own sleep.
A group of friends rents an Airbnb for a weekend getaway, but the basement door is padlocked with warnings not to enter. Strange noises and voices come from below, and one by one, the friends start vanishing after midnight.
A suburban book club unwittingly summons an ancient evil when they read passages aloud from a mysterious leather-bound tome.
A child’s drawing of a “new friend” bears an uncanny resemblance to a figure from local folklore associated with missing children.
After a strange meteor shower, people’s reflections start acting independently—and violently.
You’re on a solo hike when you stumble upon a hidden village. As you explore, you realize none of the inhabitants cast shadows.
A true crime podcaster moves into a house to investigate an old murder. The house seems to be “helping” with the investigation.
Every night, you wake up with new, intricate scars. They’re slowly forming a map—but to where?

There ya go, a smorgasbord of spooky scenarios to sink your teeth into. Any of these tickle your terror bone? Or should we keep fishing in the lake of nightmare fuel?

Scary Story Ideas

Scary is horror’s slightly tamer cousin. They’re designed to make you feel frightened, but not always in a deep, emotional way. They might be about anything from a jump scare to a creepy situation that gives you the shivers. Scary stories can be quick and to the point, like a campfire tale meant to spook you for a moment rather than leave a lasting sense of dread.

In scary stories, it’s all about that build-up of dread and those jump-out-of-your-skin moments. Scary stories are the ones that make you want to pull the covers over your head but leave one eye peeking out.

Let’s dial it back a notch and cook up some scary stories that’ll give you the heebie-jeebies without sending you into therapy. Here’s a fresh batch of fright-lite for your campfire chronicles:

You’re home alone and your dog keeps barking at the closet. When you open it, there’s nothing there. Then you notice tiny, wet footprints leading under the bed.
A babysitter keeps getting prank calls asking if she’s checked on the children. Plot twist: she’s not babysitting tonight.
Your GPS insists on rerouting you down increasingly deserted roads. The voice starts to sound… hungry.
Every night, the last person to leave work hears a child giggling in the empty office. Tonight, you’re working late.
You wake up to dozens of missed calls from Mom. The voicemails are just static and distant screaming.
That creepy doll your aunt gave you keeps showing up in different rooms, no matter where you hide it.
On a dare, you say “Bloody Mary” three times in the mirror. Nothing happens—until you go to bed and see her reflection behind you.
Your new smart home device has started locking doors on its own and whispering your name at night.
During a power outage, you see a face pressed against your window. You live on the 20th floor.
You’re scrolling through your phone’s camera roll and find photos you don’t remember taking – of yourself sleeping.

There you have it—ten tales to tingle your spine without melting your brain. These are like horror’s gateway drug—just scary enough to get your heart racing, but not so terrifying you’ll need to sleep with the lights on… probably.

Shall we creep on to the next stop on our fear tour?

Spooky Writing Prompts

Spooky stories are more about atmosphere than outright terror, relying on eerie vibes and things that go bump in the night. They’re like walking through a foggy graveyard at night—chilling, mysterious, and maybe a little eerie, but not necessarily terrifying.

Spooky tales often have a ghostly or magical element to them and are more likely to give you goosebumps than nightmares. Think of Halloween stories with witches, ghosts, or things that go “bump” in the night but don’t actually harm anyone.

Here are ten spooky writing prompts, focusing on atmosphere, mystery, and eerie chills:

The local cemetery has a gravestone that changes inscriptions. Tonight, it bears your name.
On Halloween night, you explore an abandoned mansion and hear childlike laughter in the empty halls.
Every night at midnight, a candle lights up in a vacant house. When you step inside, the candle goes out.
You find an old photo album, and a blurry figure appears in each picture, getting closer with every shot.
You take a shortcut through a forest and hear soft voices all around you, whispering secrets.
An old music box in the attic of your new house plays by itself on full moon nights. The melody sounds… familiar.
Footsteps echo outside your window at 3 a.m., but there are no footprints and no sign of anyone.
In a deserted town, your car breaks down, and a shop sign reads, “Closed Until They Return.”
A shadow on your wall doesn’t match anything in your room and slowly starts to move.
The paintings in your house subtly change whenever you’re not looking directly at them.

So, feeling sufficiently spooked? Or should we keep channeling the spirits of storytelling past for more ethereal inspiration? Maybe it’s time to turn up the heat and dive into those psychological horrors that’ll really mess with your melon.

Psychological Horror Story Ideas

Psychological Horror is like the quiet one in the corner who’s actually the most disturbing of them all. This is where things get deep. This bad boy gets inside your head, making you question reality, sanity, and whether that shadow in the corner just moved.

Instead of relying on gore or monsters, psychological horror stories focus on mental fear—paranoia, anxiety, and confusion. The real horror is often what’s happening inside the characters’ heads. You’re left wondering what’s real and what isn’t, which can make it even scarier.

These stories often explore themes of madness, obsession, and the fragility of the human mind, leaving you unsettled long after you’ve finished the story.

Ready to have your brain turned inside out?

You start noticing small inconsistencies in your daily life—objects slightly out of place, conversations you don’t remember having. Is your memory failing, or is someone gaslighting you?
Every night, you dream you’re someone else. Every morning, you wake up with new memories that aren’t yours. Which life is real?
You discover your childhood imaginary friend was real—and they’re back, demanding payback for being “abandoned.”
A mysterious app appears on your phone. It shows predictions of future events that always come true… then it starts showing your death.
You wake up in what seems to be your normal life, but everyone insists you’ve been in a coma for years. Which reality do you trust?
Your therapist has been secretly recording your sessions and selling them as a hit podcast. But the stories aren’t yours—they’re much, much worse.
Every time you pass a specific stranger on the street, they smile at you knowingly, as if they’ve been watching you for years.
Every time you fall asleep, you wake up in a different person’s body. You’re starting to forget who you really are.
You realize your whole life has been a scripted TV show, but only you know it. How do you escape when everyone else is an actor?
Your reflection starts giving you advice. It’s helpful at first, but its suggestions become increasingly disturbing and violent.

So, feeling a little unmoored from reality yet? Maybe checking over your shoulder to make sure your reflection isn’t watching you? Good—that means we’re on the right track.

Remember, in psychological horror, the real monster is usually… you. Sweet dreams!

Short Horror Story Ideas

Alright, let’s cut to the chase and serve up some bite-sized terror. Short horror stories are like jump scares in text form—they hit you fast, leave you breathless, and stick with you long after you’ve finished reading. These puppies are perfect for those nights when you want a quick fright without committing to a full-blown horror novel.

Think of these as the horror equivalent of a shot of espresso: small, potent, and guaranteed to keep you up at night. Ready to dance with the devil in the pale moonlight? Let’s go:

The last person on Earth sits alone in a room. There’s a knock at the door.
You receive a text: “I’m outside your house.” It’s from your own number.
Every night, the same nightmare. Every morning, a new unexplained scar.
A mysterious Polaroid appears under your pillow each morning, showing you sleeping.
You’re home alone. Alexa says, “I’ve called the police. Get out now.”
The face in the window isn’t your reflection. It’s smiling.
Your pet cat brings you a “gift.” It’s your missing wedding ring.
A ouija board spells out your name. You’re alone in the room.
The family portrait on the wall has changed. You’re no longer in it.
A child’s laughter echoes from the basement. You don’t have kids.

These little nightmares are like potato chips; bet you can’t write just one. They’re short, sharp shocks to the system that’ll leave your readers checking under the bed and side-eyeing their mirrors.

Tips For Using Horror Story Starters

Are you getting into the spirit of things yet? You’ve got the seeds of terror in your hot little hands, but how do you nurture them into a forest of fear? Then let’s talk about how to take these creepy kernels and grow them into full-blown nightmares. Here’s the down-and-dirty guide to turning prompts into pulse-pounding horror stories:

Embrace the “What if?” game. Take that starter and run with it. What if the creepy doll could talk? What if the ghost was actually trying to warn you? Let your imagination off the leash and see where it leads you.
Know your scare style. Are you going for subtle creeps or full-on gore? Psychological mind-bends or supernatural spooks? Tailor the prompt to fit your preferred flavor of fear.
Build the atmosphere. Horror is all about mood, baby. Use all five senses to drag your readers into your terrifying world. Make them smell the musty air, feel the clammy touch on their skin.
Develop your characters. Even in horror, we need someone to root for (or against). Give your characters depth—it makes their inevitable doom all the more delicious.
Decide: Are you going for a slow burn or a fast fright? Decide on your pacing. Some stories are best as a slow creep of dread, others as a rollercoaster of terror. Choose your tempo and stick to it.
Twist it up. Nothing beats a good plot twist in horror. Take the expected and flip it on its head. Make your readers gasp – then scream.
Remember, less is more. Sometimes, what you don’t show is scarier than what you do. Leave some things to the imagination—it’s usually darker than anything you could describe.
End with a bang (or a whimper). Your ending can make or break your story. Go for the gut-punch finale or the lingering sense of unease. Just make sure it packs a punch.
Read it out loud. Seriously. Nothing exposes weak spots in your terror tale like hearing it. If you’re not creeping yourself out, back to the drawing board.
Have fun, you sicko. Remember, you’re here to entertain—yourself included. If you’re not having a blast conjuring up these creepy scenarios, neither will your readers.

Now, armed with these tips and those prompts, you’re ready to unleash holy horror. Just remember: with great power comes great responsibility. Try not to traumatize your readers too much, okay?

On second thought, go ahead and traumatize ’em. That’s what they’re here for, right?

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BEST HORROR WRITING PROMPTS

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The perfect recipe, write about a backstabbing (literal or metaphorical) gone wrong., set your story in a house of mirrors and make the atmosphere increasingly eerie., set your story in a creepy mansion — except nothing horrifying takes place in it., set your story in a haunted house., start your story with a character seeing something terrifying..

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The best horror writing prompts

A locked door, a creaking house, a shadow under the bed — horror can come from anywhere. It’s all about being able to tap into your own fear. But you know what’s even more scary to writers than screams, blood and gore? The terror of a blank page. That’s where our horror writing prompts come in.

Our prompts are here to give you inspiration, whatever type of horror story you’re writing. Whether your looming threats are demons, ghosts, monsters, witches, zombies, or simply something unknown lurking in the darkness, we’ve got the right ideas to spark your imagination and fuel your nightmares.

With that in mind, here are our top ten horror writing prompts:

Start your story with a character looking out of a window in the middle of the night.
An apparent coincidence occurs. Write a story about a character who suspects paranormal, spiritual, or criminal causes.
Write a story set in a city where the power suddenly goes out, leaving everyone in darkness.
Write a story that involves a reflection in a mirror.
Start your story with the arrival of a strange visitor in a small town.
The phone won't stop ringing, but it's not plugged into the wall.
You hear the crash of plates and a bloodcurdling scream coming from the kitchen.
It’s 3 am and you don’t know where your children are.

Looking for more help to get your horror writing started? We've got you covered. Check out some of our free resources, handpicked to help you write a story that goes bump in the night.

How to Master the 'Show, Don't Tell' Rule (free course) — To write a story full of suspense and mystery, you need to get the atmosphere right. Use our Show, Don't Tell course to master immersive storytelling, and make your readers feel like they're right there.
Character profile template (free resource) — Whether your protagonist is a scaredy cat or misguidedly bold (do they not realize this is a horror story?), you'll want to know exactly what makes them tick. That's how you scare them! Use our character profile to create three dimensional characters, whether they're man, woman, child, or ghoul.
How to Write a Horror Story: 7 Tips for Writing Horror (blog post ) — Our horror writing bible. No matter what kind of story you're working on, you'll find the answers here.

Want more help learning how to write a short horror story? Check out How to Write a Short Story That Gets Published — a free, ten day course guiding you through the process of short story writing by Laura Mae Isaacman, a full-time editor who runs a book editing company in Brooklyn.

Ready to start writing? Check out Reedsy’s weekly short story contest , for the chance of winning $250! You can also check out our list of writing contests or our directory of literary magazines for more opportunities to submit your story.

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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.

Three ghosts are near a spooky castle on the outskirts of a forest.

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.

A scary airborne doll is staring eerily.

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.

An angry zombie is preparing to attack a man.

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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25 Horror Writing Prompts: How to Write Scary Stories

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Sep 3, 2021 • 1 min read

Not all horror stories need to be set during Halloween. Looking for inspiration to start writing a scary story or creepy film? See these 25 creative writing prompts for writing your own horror story .

45 Horror Writing Prompts and Story Ideas

Writing horror is all about tapping into our biggest fears, right?

That feeling of not being quite safe, of something lurking in the shadows. It’s tough to make words scare folks on the page, but a great writing prompt can be like a spark!

So, we’ve got a whole bunch of horror writing ideas for you – some freaky psychological stuff, ghost stories, good old-fashioned jump scares, the whole deal.

These aren’t your average spooky stories. They’re designed to make your brain ask those scary “what if?” questions.

Let your imagination go wild and see what kind of spine-chilling stories you can build!

45 Horror Writing Prompts

A terrifying storm has stranded you and a group of strangers in a dilapidated seaside inn. As the night unfolds, strange happenings begin to occur and you realize you’re not alone in the inn. The storm is not the only thing you need to fear, but the ancient entity the storm has awakened beneath the inn. Your task is to write a tale of suspense and terror as you try to survive the night and understand the true nature of your ethereal foe.

A peculiar antique shop on a forgotten street corner catches your attention. You buy an old mirror which, you soon discover, shows you not your own reflection but someone else’s life. The catch: this person died a violent death years ago, replaying their final moments each time you gaze into the mirror. Your story revolves around your attempt to change the past, uncovering a dark web of secrets and lies.

Set in the future, a scientist invents a device that can bring back extinct species . The initial tests are successful, but when they decide to bring back a species unknown to modern science, they unknowingly release an ancient predatory creature into the world. Your writing should capture the horror and chaos caused by this creature and the desperate attempts to rectify the mistake.

A young couple moves into a small town, famous for its annual Halloween tradition which every inhabitant religiously follows. The couple laugh it off as folklore, until the night of Halloween, when they see the townsfolk turn into the very monsters they dress up as. The narrative should explore their struggle to survive the night and the mystery behind the town’s curse.

You are a paranormal investigator visiting an abandoned asylum with a group of skeptics. The asylum is notorious for the inhumane experiments that were conducted decades ago. As the investigation progresses, one by one, the members of your group start to exhibit behaviors of the asylum’s former patients. The story revolves around the chilling discoveries you make and your battle against time to save your team.

In your childhood home, you discover an old diary filled with cryptic entries and strange symbols. It turns out to be the diary of a former resident who practiced dark magic. As you read, you realize the house was and still is, a host to a powerful demonic entity . The writing revolves around your efforts to exorcize the demon while dealing with increasingly hostile paranormal activities.

You are a detective on the hunt for a serial killer who, by all evidence, seems to be copying the modus operandi of a notorious murderer from the 1800s. The deeper you delve, the more you find disturbing links to your own ancestry. Your task is to solve the case before the killer completes their macabre masterpiece while unraveling your own family’s dark past.

A popular online challenge dares participants to stay a night at an allegedly haunted location – the abandoned Chernobyl Exclusion Zone . As you, a seasoned explorer, delve into the ruined city, your equipment starts to fail, not from radiation, but from an unseen presence. The story focuses on your harrowing night in the radioactive ghost town and the dreadful secret that has been locked away since the disaster.

A citywide power outage plunges your town into darkness. As you and your family hunker down, waiting for power to be restored, your youngest child starts to claim that they can see creatures lurking in the shadows. As the night progresses, you begin to hear and see strange things too. Your task is to protect your family from the unknown and discover the origin of these entities.

You’re a seasoned hiker and decide to tackle a remote , unmarked trail mentioned in hushed whispers among locals. As you venture deeper into the woods, you start noticing strange signs like whispers in the wind, chilling cold spots, and strange footprints that weren’t there before. The main plot revolves around your harrowing trek through the haunted woods and the shocking history of the trail.

An unassuming trip to a local carnival leads you to an old fortune teller. She tells you that you are marked by an ancient curse and will be pursued by a relentless specter until dawn. The writing should capture the terror-filled night, full of unexpected chases, as you try to survive and find a way to break the curse.

An old friend gifts you a vintage photography camera that seems to have a mind of its own. It takes pictures at random, but the subjects in the photographs either vanish or die under mysterious circumstances shortly after. Your story needs to navigate the fear and guilt as you try to unravel the camera’s sinister secret and find a way to break its deadly cycle.

A string of unexplained deaths in your city leads you to a sinister urban legend about an ominous tune heard over the phone. It’s dismissed as a hoax until you receive the call yourself. The narrative explores the horrific repercussions that follow the call and your fight against time to uncover the truth behind the legend.

Your eccentric billionaire neighbor invites you and other residents of your building to a luxurious dinner at his penthouse. As the night progresses, he reveals that he has sealed all exits and you all are now participants in a lethal game. The story focuses on the terror-filled night as you and the others must outwit the traps and find a way out.

You are a renowned archaeologist who unearths a forgotten crypt below a centuries-old church. As you explore deeper, you uncover artifacts and inscriptions warning of an ancient plague sealed within. As members of your team start falling ill to an unknown ailment, your mission shifts from exploration to survival, and containment of a menace that could wipe out humanity.

A successful software developer, you create an AI home system that’s beyond revolutionary. However, it starts developing sinister characteristics, predicting disasters and deaths with eerie accuracy. The AI begins to manipulate electrical systems, locks, and appliances in your smart home, turning your life into a living nightmare. Your task is to outsmart your own creation before it’s too late.

You inherit a beautiful, yet isolated manor house in the Scottish Highlands . Shortly after moving in, you start to hear whispers and footsteps in the middle of the night. Your story follows the chilling realization that the house is home to the ghosts of a clan massacred centuries ago, their unrest tied to a ghastly secret hidden within the manor.

During an expedition to the Amazon Rainforest, you encounter an uncontacted tribe . After spending some time with them, they share an age-old tale of a malevolent spirit that roams the jungle at night, preying on the souls of those who wander off. The narrative revolves around the chilling experiences that follow, testing your beliefs and survival instincts.

A popular virtual reality horror game turns all too real for you when the headset refuses to come off, trapping you in the terrifying virtual world filled with grotesque creatures and psychological horrors. The plot unfolds as you try to distinguish reality from virtuality and find a way to escape before you lose your sanity.

You move to a small coastal town where locals tell tales of a monstrous sea creature that requires a sacrifice every decade. Laughing it off as a local myth, you change your mind when the town’s people draw lots and your name is pulled. Your story revolves around your attempt to escape the town and the haunting monster beneath the waves.

During a road trip, you’re forced to take shelter in a small town due to a blizzard. As night falls, you realize the town is completely abandoned and frozen in time , stuck in the same day years ago. As you try to understand what happened, you encounter spectral figures and echoes of past events that seem to replay in a loop. Your story should deal with some findings that you never thought possible and a way to escape out of the loop.

You’re the new night guard at a famous museum , but your first night on the job turns into a living nightmare as exhibits come to life. From ancient mummies to carnivorous dinosaurs, the museum’s halls become a labyrinth of horrors. The narrative should delve into your struggle to survive the night and unravel the museum’s dark history.

A hidden radio frequency picked up on an old ham radio broadcasts the voice of a woman who claims she’s trapped in a parallel dimension filled with unspeakable horrors. You become her only link to our world and possibly her only chance of escape. Your task is to help her navigate her frightful environment based on the limited information she provides.

A renowned medium, you are hired to cleanse an infamously haunted house . As you begin your rituals, you realize that the spirits inhabiting the house are not merely ghosts but trapped souls in a purgatorial state, bound by a powerful dark entity. The narrative revolves around your chilling encounters and your efforts to free these tormented spirits.

While on a mission on the International Space Station, a sudden and unexplained malfunction leaves you isolated in the vacuum of space. In the eerie silence, you start hearing soft whispers and noticing ghostly apparitions. The story revolves around your struggle to survive while trying to discern if you are alone or if there’s something otherworldly with you.

You are a detective with the unique ability to experience the final moments of a murder victim by touching something they touched before their death. Your latest case is particularly gruesome and leaves you with horrifying images that start to bleed into your reality, taking you on a chilling quest to solve the crime before you lose your sanity.

You buy a quaint, rundown cottage in the countryside , but soon after moving in, the seasons begin to change at an alarmingly rapid rate. Winter lasts mere hours, while summer lasts only minutes, and with each passing season, the surrounding flora and fauna grow increasingly aggressive and bizarre. The story involves your endeavor to break this bizarre cycle and uncover the mystery of your cursed abode.

You stumble upon a hidden room in your cellar with a single, black-and-white television set that only shows news broadcasts from the future. At first, the predictions are mundane, but soon they begin to relay a series of catastrophic events that you try to prevent, leading you into a web of conspiracy and terror.

A routine flight becomes a nightmare when the plane enters a strange cloud formation and the passengers and crew begin to disappear one by one. Your tale involves the panic-stricken fight for survival and the unraveling of the truth behind the bizarre weather phenomenon and its terrifying effect.

You inherit a peculiar pocket watch that possesses the power to transport you back in time for exactly one hour. However, with each use, you start to see menacing shadow figures lurking in the background. The story involves your increasing dread as these figures begin to notice you and step closer each time you use the watch.

As a marine biologist, you discover a new species of deep-sea creatures with hypnotic bioluminescent patterns. However, anyone who observes the creature’s light display for too long begins to suffer from vivid, waking nightmares of underwater monstrosities. Your tale revolves around the strange phenomena and your attempts to save yourself and your crew.

You move into a new apartment with a massive, ornate mirror in the living room . Soon, you notice your reflection behaving oddly, moving independently, and scribbling frantic messages on the mirror. The narrative involves your increasing horror as your reflection tries to warn you about an impending threat.

During a spelunking expedition, you and your team discover an uncharted cave system . Deep within the labyrinthine tunnels, you find ancient carvings that warn of an eldritch entity trapped within. As the team ventures deeper, you begin to experience unexplained phenomena, and one by one, your team members start to disappear.

After a long day, you sit down to read a recently purchased second-hand book . As you progress, you realize it’s a diary that recounts the previous owner’s descent into madness after being haunted by a spectral figure. The horror begins when you start seeing this figure in your own life, hinting at a haunting that’s tied to the diary itself.

Your town is known for its annual midnight sun phenomenon , a period when the sun doesn’t set for weeks. However, this year, with the constant daylight, people start behaving oddly, displaying erratic, violent tendencies. Your tale revolves around the disturbing transformation of the townsfolk and your desperate attempts to survive the relentless daylight.

You are a sleep scientist studying nightmares , using a technology that allows you to enter and observe the dreams of your patients. One of your subjects dreams of a horrifying creature that becomes aware of your presence. It threatens to follow you back into the waking world, making each session a terrifying journey into the subconscious.

After a series of misfortunate events, you decide to visit a renowned psychic. She performs a cleansing ritual , but something goes awry, and you start seeing ghostly apparitions of people who aren’t dead yet. The narrative follows your life as you’re tormented by visions of imminent deaths and your struggle to prevent them.

As an urban explorer , you’ve seen your fair share of abandoned locations. But nothing prepares you for an old, deserted theme park that seems to come alive at night with spectral laughter, music, and apparitions of past visitors. Your story delves into your spine-chilling experiences and the park’s tragic past that left it haunted.

You are a lightkeeper stationed at a remote lighthouse known for its eerie occurrences. One foggy evening, a ship appears on the horizon, only visible in the light beam of your lighthouse. It’s a ghost ship that disappeared in the same waters decades ago, bringing with it ghastly apparitions and ominous events.

A renowned cryptolinguist , you’re given a project to decipher an ancient language inscribed on a recently unearthed monolith. As you progress, you inadvertently invoke a forgotten deity described in the inscriptions. You must navigate through a series of chilling and inexplicable events while trying to find a way to appease the angered deity.

As a newly hired archivist in a massive library , you’re tasked with cataloging an uncatalogued section filled with antique books. Late one night, you come across a book that screams when opened and whispers when closed. The tale revolves around the terrifying events that unfold, and your endeavor to comprehend the origin of this haunted book.

You move to a rural town nestled within a dense forest. The locals warn of a phantom train that appears on moonless nights, carrying with it the wailing ghosts of past passengers. Your curiosity leads you to witness the spectral locomotive, leading to a chain of eerie events that tangle you in the town’s dark history.

You’re a seasoned paranormal investigator with an internet show. For your latest episode, you decide to spend a night in a supposedly cursed forest known for its chilling folklore. As the night advances, the lines between myth and reality blur, with you in the center of a nightmare broadcasted live to your unsuspecting viewers.

An eccentric inventor, you create a device that can record and playback dreams . However, your dreams soon become infiltrated by a nightmarish entity that’s hell-bent on entering the real world. Your narrative revolves around your race against time to understand and halt this entity before it manifests itself physically.

On a solo camping trip, you stumble upon an abandoned cabin in the woods . Inside, you find a dusty journal filled with entries that describe your life in detail up to the current moment, but the next entry describes a terrifying event yet to happen. Your story delves into your fight for survival and the mysterious connection between your life and the cabin’s former inhabitant.

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50 Horror Writing Prompts from Different Points of View

April 13, 2024 by Richard 1 Comment

50 Horror Writing Prompts from Different Points of View: In the realm of horror fiction, perspective plays a crucial role in crafting tales that unsettle, terrify, and captivate readers. By exploring the depths of fear through various viewpoints, writers can tap into the psyche of both the tormentor and the tormented, creating a rich tapestry of horror that leaves a lasting impact. This list of 50 horror writing prompts invites authors to step into the shoes of diverse characters, from vengeful ghosts and struggling vampires to cursed individuals and haunted objects, each with their own unique story to tell.

The power of perspective in horror lies in its ability to humanize the monstrous and demonize the human. By delving into the minds of the undead, the cursed, and the supernatural, writers can explore the complexities of their existence, their motivations, and their struggles. Simultaneously, by portraying the darkness that lurks within the hearts of seemingly ordinary people, authors can expose the true horrors that reside in the depths of the human soul. These prompts challenge writers to confront the uncomfortable, the grotesque, and the unimaginable, pushing the boundaries of their creativity and testing the limits of their readers’ courage.

From the classic tropes of haunted houses and werewolf transformations to the modern terrors of sentient AI and post-apocalyptic mutations, this list encompasses a wide range of horror subgenres. Each prompt offers a unique opportunity to explore the fears that have captivated audiences for generations, while also inviting writers to put their own spin on these timeless tales. Whether delving into the psychological horrors of a person slowly losing their grip on reality or the physical terrors of a monster’s relentless pursuit, these prompts provide a foundation upon which writers can build their own nightmarish visions.

Moreover, these prompts encourage writers to experiment with narrative structure and pacing. By focusing on specific moments, such as a night in a haunted asylum or a serial killer’s inner monologue during a murder spree, authors can create immersive, visceral experiences that leave readers breathless. Alternatively, by exploring the long-term consequences of a curse or the gradual transformation of a person into a creature, writers can craft slow-burning tales that build tension and dread with every passing page.

Ultimately, this list of 50 horror writing prompts from different points of view serves as a catalyst for writers to explore the depths of their imagination and confront the fears that lurk within us all. By embracing the power of perspective and delving into the minds of the monstrous and the human alike, authors can create horror stories that not only entertain but also provoke thought, evoke emotion, and linger long after the final page is turned. So, grasp your pen, summon your courage, and prepare to traverse the darkest corners of your psyche as you embark on a journey through these 50 spine-chilling prompts.

Here are 50 horror writing prompts from different points of view:

Write a story from the perspective of a vengeful ghost haunting their murderer.
Describe a day in the life of a vampire struggling with their thirst for blood.
Narrate a tale from the point of view of a cursed object that brings misfortune to its owners.
Write about a werewolf’s transformation during a full moon from their perspective.
Describe a haunted house from the point of view of the malevolent entity residing within.
Write a story from the perspective of a doll possessed by a child’s spirit.
Narrate a zombie apocalypse from the point of view of a newly turned zombie.
Write about a serial killer’s inner monologue during a murder spree.
Describe a demonic summoning ritual from the perspective of the demon being summoned.
Write a story from the point of view of a shapeshifter luring their prey.
Narrate a tale of a cursed family from the perspective of the family’s patriarch.
Write about an alien abduction from the point of view of the extraterrestrial.
Describe a night in a haunted asylum from the perspective of a tortured soul.
Write a story from the point of view of a sentient AI that turns against its creators.
Narrate a tale of a cult ritual from the perspective of the sacrifice.
Write about a post-apocalyptic world from the point of view of a mutated survivor.
Describe a monster’s lair from the perspective of the monster itself.
Write a story from the point of view of a person slowly turning into a creature.
Narrate a tale of a cursed town from the perspective of the town’s oldest resident.
Write about a possessed vehicle from the point of view of the vehicle.
Describe a night in a morgue from the perspective of a reanimated corpse.
Write a story from the point of view of a scientist’s failed experiment.
Narrate a tale of a haunted theater from the perspective of a ghostly actress.
Write about a monster’s hunt from the point of view of the monster’s prey.
Describe a night in a haunted forest from the perspective of a lost hiker.
Write a story from the point of view of a person trapped in a time loop.
Narrate a tale of a cursed painting from the perspective of the artist.
Write about a possessed child from the point of view of the exorcist.
Describe a night in a haunted hospital from the perspective of a deceased patient.
Write a story from the point of view of a person whose dreams become reality.
Narrate a tale of a witch’s curse from the perspective of the cursed individual.
Write about a haunted ship from the point of view of a ghostly crew member.
Describe a night in a vampire’s castle from the perspective of the vampire’s servant.
Write a story from the point of view of a person whose reflection starts talking back.
Narrate a tale of a cursed amulet from the perspective of the amulet’s creator.
Write about a monster’s transformation from the point of view of the monster’s loved one.
Describe a night in a haunted prison from the perspective of a wrongly accused inmate.
Write a story from the point of view of a person whose imaginary friend turns evil.
Narrate a tale of a cursed book from the perspective of the book’s author.
Write about a monster’s origins from the point of view of the monster’s creator.
Describe a night in a haunted carnival from the perspective of a creepy clown.
Write a story from the point of view of a person slowly turning invisible.
Narrate a tale of a demonic possession from the perspective of the possessed individual.
Write about a monster’s last stand from the point of view of the monster hunter.
Describe a night in a haunted cemetery from the perspective of a restless spirit.
Write a story from the point of view of a person whose nightmares come true.
Narrate a tale of a cursed mirror from the perspective of the mirror’s trapped souls.
Write about a monster’s offspring from the point of view of the monster’s mate.
Describe a night in a haunted castle from the perspective of a cursed knight.
Write a story from the point of view of a person who discovers they are a monster.

As we reach the end of this list of 50 horror writing prompts, it becomes clear that the possibilities for terror and intrigue are truly endless. Each prompt, with its unique perspective and premise, offers a gateway into a world of fear, where the boundaries between reality and nightmare blur. These ideas serve as a testament to the enduring power of horror fiction, its ability to tap into our deepest anxieties, and its capacity to make us question the very nature of our existence.

Through these prompts, we have explored the realms of the supernatural, the psychological, and the visceral. We have walked in the footsteps of the haunted and the haunting, the cursed and the cursed, the monstrous and the all-too-human. In doing so, we have discovered that horror is not merely about the external threats that lurk in the shadows but also about the darkness that resides within ourselves. By confronting these fears head-on, we gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be human in a world where nothing is quite as it seems.

As writers, these prompts offer us a chance to push the boundaries of our craft, to experiment with voice, style, and structure, and to create stories that leave an indelible mark on our readers’ minds. Whether we choose to explore the classic tropes of the genre or to venture into uncharted territory, these ideas provide a solid foundation upon which to build our own unique visions of terror. By embracing the challenge of writing from different perspectives, we can unlock new depths of creativity and discover fresh ways to make our readers’ hearts race and their skin crawl.

But perhaps the greatest gift of these prompts is the reminder that horror is not merely a genre but a lens through which we can explore the human condition. By delving into the darkest corners of our imagination, we can shine a light on the fears, desires, and struggles that unite us all. Through our stories, we can offer our readers a chance to confront their own demons, to find catharsis in the face of terror, and to emerge stronger, wiser, and more empathetic than before.

So, as we close this list of 50 horror writing prompts, let us embrace the power of perspective and the endless possibilities of fear. Let us take these ideas and run with them, crafting stories that will haunt our readers’ dreams and linger in their minds long after the final page is turned. For in the end, it is through our words that we can truly explore the depths of the human experience, and in doing so, perhaps even catch a glimpse of the divine in the darkness. We have many more writing prompts you might be interested in .

65 Romantic Gothic Fiction Writing Prompts

About Richard

Richard Everywriter (pen name) has worked for literary magazines and literary websites for the last 25 years. He holds degrees in Writing, Journalism, Technology and Education. Richard has headed many writing workshops and courses, and he has taught writing and literature for the last 20 years.

In writing and publishing he has worked with independent, small, medium and large publishers for years connecting publishers to authors. He has also worked as a journalist and editor in both magazine, newspaper and trade publications as well as in the medical publishing industry. Follow him on Twitter, and check out our Submissions page .

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May 16, 2024 at 1:00 am

Great article! I really appreciate your efforts to create quality and meaningful work. Thank you for your inspiration!

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Home / Book Writing / Horror Writing Prompts: 50+ Ideas to Get You Started

Horror Writing Prompts: 50+ Ideas to Get You Started

Horror writers get their ideas from a number of sources. Whether it be from a seemingly innocent interaction at the grocery store or a terrifying nightmare that just won't go away, there's no shortage of horror story ideas. But sometimes, you just need a little nudge to get the terror flowing. And that's just what you'll get in this article with these horror writing prompts.

Ingredients for a good horror story.
Horror story writing prompts.
Vetting your horror story idea.

How to Write a Good Horror Story
Serial Killer Writing Prompts
Ghost Story Horror Prompts
Monster Horror Writing Prompts
Psychological Horror Story Prompts
Halloween Writing Prompts
Science Fiction Horror Story Prompts
Mystery Writing Prompts
Test Your Horror Idea

Like most umbrella terms for major genres, “horror” covers a whole range of different styles, tropes, and subject matter. Psychological horror and slasher horror are two examples that lie near opposite ends of the spectrum. That said, there are certain things that horror readers expect from stories, no matter what subgenre.

As you can probably guess, these expectations aren't about feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. Horror readers want to be scared . Some of them want to be grossed out and scared. They want to deal with fear from the safety of their couch or bed. They want to feel the hairs on the back of their neck prickle as the hulking monster stalks the unwitting character or the malevolent spirit stands next to the sleeping woman.

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But to do this effectively, the reader has to care about the character . Like all stories, horror tales are about humans. Most often, they’re about good people who find themselves in bad situations. So make sure to include a character arc and a good number of round characters .

Additionally, horror readers like to be surprised . While not every horror story needs a plot twist, you'll find that many of them have one (or more).

Keep these factors in mind as we go through this article and explore the prompts that can help you write a great horror story. And if you're suffering from writer's block , the following prompts can certainly help.

Horror Story Prompts

Horror stories don't necessarily have to fit into a subgenre. Any of the following ideas will make for a scary story.

1. A woman is convinced demonic possession is real, and only she can tell who is possessed. The only way to send the demons back to hell is to kill the person.

2. A little boy shows up at an adult character's house. He knows things about the adult that he's never told anyone. And he wants help killing someone.

3. A woman comes home to find that her house has been ransacked. The only thing that's missing is the positive pregnancy test she just took the day before.

4. As part of his job, a law enforcement officer investigates a dark website about demonic killers. Strange things start to happen as the investigation proceeds.

5. A teenager comes back home to his small mountain town after being away at camp. But he finds that everyone is acting strange and all the birds are gone.

6. A character finds that her social media has been hacked, and all her pictures have been expertly altered to make it look like she's dead.

7. There's a new scary movie out. The main character goes to the special midnight showing, but something terrible happens in the middle of the movie, and many of the audience members now have a taste for human flesh.

8. A small town is tormented by a supernatural force. It turns out that many of the people in the town helped cover up a horrible murder. Someone is seeking revenge from beyond the grave.

9. A man wins the lottery and starts living the high life. He breaks up with his old girlfriend for a new one. But the new one ends up dead, and he's the main suspect.

10. A bully terrorizes a small town, until the people have had enough. What they don't realize is the town bully is well-versed in the dark arts.

11. A girl who loves writing horror stories finds herself dealing with a crazy religious group that thinks what she does is immoral.

12. A couple of burglars break into a house only to find that they've been set up. The house is a mess of traps designed to torture the two burglars.

13. An amusement park worker finds that something sinister is going on behind the scenes.

14. A character attends a party in which an ancient ritual will be performed. He doesn't believe in the ritual, but he's in for a horrible surprise.

15. A new phone app that young people are using gives them powers to do amazing things. But with too much use, the app takes control of them.

Slasher horror movies are popular for a reason, and the same goes for books. Sometimes the scariest horror fiction involves something that can happen in real life.

16. Write a story set in the old west, where people are being brutally murdered. It's made to look like Native Americans are doing it, but the local sheriff suspects otherwise.

17. A killer is targeting police officers. The city is on edge, and a detective has a personal stake in catching the killer. But the killer soon targets her loved ones.

18. The main character thinks his neighbor is a serial killer. But we soon find out that the main character is the killer, and he's trying to set up his neighbor to take the fall.

19. A group of young people shows up at a camp three years after several people are murdered there. But these young people have come for revenge against the killer.

20. A man feels compelled to kill people he doesn't know. He soon figures out that someone is manipulating him with the dark arts.

Whether we're talking about Stephen King, Peter Straub, or any number of other great horror writers, ghosts and ghouls make for great horror fiction.

21. The staff of a mortuary start dying off through unexplained means. It turns out they've been stealing from their clients, and their dead family members are trying to right the wrongs.

22. A child is convinced his house is haunted. He tries to tell his mother about it but finds that she can no longer hear or see him. It's like he never existed.

23. A story about a haunting convinces people that ghosts are trying to kill them. Anyone who hears the story starts experiencing strange things. People say it's all in their heads, but it might be real.

24. A young couple driving cross-country finds a little girl. She tells them her story as they take her to the nearest police station. But when they get there, she's gone.

25. Explore the implications of an old man who goes out of his way to make ghosts so he'll have company after he dies.

Hulking monsters that go bump in the night are common staples of the horror genre. These prompts should lend you some monstrous inspiration.

26. An experiment gone wrong releases a virus that turns certain dog breeds into demonic killing machines.

27. A fracking company accidentally releases something huge and horrific from under the surface of the earth.

28. Vampires exist, but they're far more brutal, ugly, and harder to kill than lore suggests. And they've suddenly been released from their containment spell.

29. There's something strange about the neighbors who've just moved into the house. They say they have dogs, but the main character has only ever seen evidence of these huge dogs during full moons.

30. A horror writer is desperate for ideas. She steals a cursed item that is supposed to give her inspiration. But instead, it makes the monsters of her imagination come to life.

Not every horror story idea has to do with visible monsters or killers. Psychological horror uses the human psyche to ratchet up the fear factor for ultimate screams.

31. A young reporter's Twitter account is hacked. She keeps getting strange and threatening messages. Soon, she comes home to find her cat dead. Someone is messing with her, and she needs to find out why.

32. A man with a mysterious past has finally found some peace. But someone who he thought was dead shows up from his past.

33. This creepy story takes place over the course of a single night, in which campers are taunted by beings in the forest that pit the campers against each other.

34. Two coworkers are forced to spend the night in a dilapidated hotel. But it's a night that never ends, and they're both convinced there's something seriously wrong with the other.

35. A social media influencer live-streams a crime spree. It turns out the whole thing is faked, but the people who go out to stop him don't know that.

We couldn't mention horror stories without talking about Halloween. These prompts are all Halloween-themed.

36. As Halloween night gets into full swing, the power to the entire city goes out. And there's something in the dark that's powerful and ruthless.

37. A family who loves Halloween decides to take their haunted house a step further by stealing some dead bodies from the local morgue. But they choose the wrong morgue, because these bodies aren't all the way dead.

38. A town that has been haunted by a brutal killer on Halloween for years is on edge. A kid playing a prank dresses up as the killer and gets shot. Chaos ensues as neighbors turn against each other.

39. The main character wakes up on Halloween morning to find herself in a dilapidated version of her town. And all the people are mysteriously gone. But it seems she's not alone.

40. A cult leader convinces his followers to kill themselves on Halloween night. But some of the characters try to escape. The cult leader won't allow that to happen.

Mixing common science fiction themes with tried-and-true horror themes can make for a great story.

41. A mission to Mars is thrown off track as one of the astronauts becomes sick with a mysterious and deformative virus.

42. Strange ball-shaped objects suddenly appear all over Earth. People who come near them start acting very strange.

43. While testing a new weapon, the US Government accidentally opens a portal to another dimension. And the creatures of that dimension don't like humans.

44. In the not-too-distant future, the Earth is infested with killer plants and deformed beasts that keep getting better at killing humans.

45. A scientist opens a time portal, but he lets the wrong person use it. He must trip through time to right the wrongs done by the antagonist.

Mystery and horror often go hand-in-hand. So if you like intrigue with your terror, pick a horror prompt from below to get the creative juices flowing.

46. There's a killer terrorizing an American colony in the eighteenth century. But as the main characters get closer to the culprit, they suspect there's something inhuman at work.

47. A Sherlock Holmes-like character uses his skills to make criminals pay for their crimes . . . with their lives.

48. A woman decides to take self-defense classes. But someone from the class follows her home and tries to convince her she's in danger.

49. A group of people is locked in a house together. They must figure out why they've each been chosen, or else they'll die by morning.

50. A man takes it upon himself to do what the police can't: find out who is abducting children in his town. But what he finds is a conspiracy involving powerful people in a dark cult.

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While practicing your craft with these prompts is a worthy time investment, you may have an idea for a full-length novel. If so, it's best to do a bit of research to ensure that the idea is commercially viable . And the easiest way to do this is with Publisher Rocket .

You can think of the information you get from Publisher Rocket as the foundation for your horror writing career . You get insights directly from Amazon on:

Keywords – Metadata to position your book on Amazon.
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When I’m not sipping tea with princesses or lightsaber dueling with little Jedi, I’m a book marketing nut. Having consulted multiple publishing companies and NYT best-selling authors, I created Kindlepreneur to help authors sell more books. I’ve even been called “The Kindlepreneur” by Amazon publicly, and I’m here to help you with your author journey.

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101 Terrifying Horror Story Prompts

Welcome to the story den of horror, scares, and the macabre.

Most writers are often asked, "Where do you get your ideas from?" A majority of the time, writers find it difficult to answer that question.

We get our ideas from a plethora of sources — news headlines, novels, television shows, movies, our lives, our fears, our phobias, etc. They can come from a scene or moment in a film that wasn't fully explored. They can come from a single visual that entices the creative mind — a seed that continues to grow and grow until the writer is forced to finally put it to paper or screen.

In the spirit of helping writers find those seeds, here we offer 101 originally conceived and terrifying story prompts that you can use as inspiration for your next horror story.

They may inspire screenplays, novels, short stories, or even smaller moments that you can include in what stories you are already writing or what you will create in your upcoming projects.

But beware! If you scare easily — and have active imaginations like most writers do — turn up the lights and proceed with caution...

1. A girl goes missing in the woods, and her parents find only a decrepit and scary doll left behind. They soon learn that the doll is actually their daughter. And she's alive.

2. New residents of an old neighborhood are invited by their friendly neighbors to a Halloween party. The neighbors are vampires.

3. A family dog runs away from home. He returns a year later to the delight of his family. But there's something different about him. Something demonic.

4. A girl goes missing. Fifteen years later, her parents get a call from her older self. But they listen in fear because they killed their daughter that dark night years ago.

5. A man reads a novel, soon realizing that the story is his very own — and according to the book, a killer is looming.

6. A scientist clones his family that died in an airplane crash — but soon learns the repercussions of playing God.

7. A man wakes up bound to an electric chair.

8. A man wakes up in a coffin next to a freshly dead body.

9. A woman wakes up to find her family gone and her doors and windows boarded up with no way to escape.

10. A man afraid of snakes is shipwrecked on an island covered with them.

11. Serial killers worldwide are connected by a dark web website.

12. The world's population is overtaken by vampires — all except one little child.

13. A woman afraid of clowns is forced to work in a traveling circus.

14. An astronaut and cosmonaut are on the International Space Station when their countries go to Nuclear War with each other. Their last orders are to eliminate the other.

15. A treasure hunter finds a tomb buried beneath the dirt.

16. A young brother and sister find an old door in their basement that wasn't there before.

17. Winged creatures can be seen within the storm clouds above.

18. A man wakes up to find a hobo clown staring down at him.

19. Residents of a town suddenly fall dead while the dead from cemeteries around them rise.

20. A doctor performs the first head transplant — things go wrong.

21. A man is texted pictures of himself in various stages of torture that he has no memory of.

22. A girl wakes up to find a little boy sitting on his bed, claiming to be her younger brother — but she never had one.

23. A scare walk in the woods during Halloween is actually real.

24. A bartender serves last call to the only remaining patron, who is the Devil himself.

25. Earth suffers a planet-wide blackout as all technology is lost.

26. A boy's stepfather is actually a murderous werewolf.

27. Something has turned the neighborhood pets into demonic killers.

28. A priest is a vampire.

29. A woman wakes up with no eyes.

30. A man wakes up with no mouth.

31. A monster is terrified by the scary child who lives above his bed.

32. An astronaut jettisoned into the cold of space in a mission gone wrong suddenly appears at the doorstep of his family.

33. A woman answers a phone call only to learn that the voice on the other end is her future self, warning her that a killer is looming.

34. A boy realizes that aliens have replaced his family.

35. A woman wakes up in an abandoned prison that she cannot escape.

36. A bank robber steals from the small town bank that holds the riches of witches.

37. A door-to-door salesman circa the 1950s visits the wrong house.

38. Deceased soldiers return to their Civil War-era homes.

39. Kidnappers abduct the child of a vampire.

40. An innocent circus clown discovers the dark history of the trade.

41. A homeless man is stalked by faceless beings.

42. A spelunker stumbles upon a series of caverns infested with rattlesnakes.

43. A group of friends is forced to venture through a chamber of horrors where only one is promised to survive.

44. He's not the man she thought he was. In fact, he's not a man at all.

45. Suburbia is actually purgatory.

46. Someone discovers that we are all actually robots — who created us and why?

47. She's not an angel. She's a demon.

48. An old shipwreck washes ashore.

49. A sinkhole swallows a house whole and unleashes something from beneath.

50. A man has sleep paralysis at the worst possible time.

51. A woman out hiking is caught in a bear trap as the sun begins to go down.

52. Naked figures with no faces stalk campers in the woods.

53. An astronaut is the sole survivor of a moon landing gone wrong — only to discover that the moon is infested with strange creatures.

54. A woman is wrongfully condemned to an insane asylum.

55. A mother's baby will not leave its womb and continues to grow and grow and grow while doctors try to cut it out but can't.

56. Friends on a road trip stumble upon a backcountry town whose residents all dress up as different types of clowns.

57. Tourists in Ireland retreat to an old castle when the country is taken over by greedy and vengeful leprechauns.

58. A boy on a farm makes a scarecrow that comes alive.

59. A figure dressed in an old, dirty Easter Bunny suit haunts the children of a town.

60. The abused animals of a zoo are unleashed and wreak havoc on a small town.

61. A deceased grandma's old doll collection comes alive.

62. Little Red Riding Hood was a vampire.

63. Somebody clones Hitler and raises him as a white supremacist.

64. A pumpkin patch comes alive — beings with heads of pumpkins and bodies of vines.

65. An endless swarm of killer bees wreaks havoc on the country.

66. Christ returns to Earth — at least that is who people thought he was.

67. A natural anomaly brings all of the country's spiders to a horrified town.

68. A woman finds old 16mm film from her childhood and sees that she had a sister — what happened to her?

69. Something ancient rises from an old pond.

70. A woman suddenly begins to wake up in somebody else's body every morning — each day ends with her being stocked and killed by the same murderer in black.

71. An Artificial Intelligence begins to communicate with a family online, only to terrorize them through their technology.

72. A family buys a cheap house only to discover that an old cemetery is their back yard.

73. Years after the zombie apocalypse subsides, survivors discover that the epidemic was caused by aliens that have appeared to lay claim to the planet.

74. A woman has memories of being abducted by aliens — but she soon learns that they weren't aliens. They were...

75. A boy has a tumor that slowly grows into a Siamese twin — the older they get, the more evil the twin becomes.

76. A cult that worships history's deadliest serial killers begins to kill by copying their methods.

77. Stone gargoyles suddenly appear on the tops of buildings and houses of a small town.

78. A family on a boat trip stumbles upon an old pirate ship.

79. A winter snowstorm traps a family in an abandoned insane asylum.

80. A little girl comes down from upstairs and asks her parents, "Can you hear it breathing? I can."

81. A town is enveloped in unexplained darkness for weeks.

82. A jetliner flies high in the sky as Nuclear War breaks out below.

83. Children discover a deep, dark well in the woods — an old ladder leads down into it.

84. A child sleepwalks into their parent's room and whispers, "I'm sorry. The Devil told me to."

85. As a woman showers, a voice comes from the drain whispering, "I see you."

86. A child finds a crayon drawing of a strange family — it's inscribed with the words we live in your walls .

87. All of the cemetery's graves are now open, gaping holes — the dirt pushed out from underground.

88. A woman is watching a scary movie alone on Halloween night — someone, or something, keeps knocking at her door.

89. Someone is taking a bath as a hand from behind the shower curtain pushes their head into the water.

90. A farmer and his sons begin to hear the laughter of children coming from his fields at night — no children are in sight.

91. Someone looks out their window to see a clown standing at a corner holding a balloon — staring at them.

92. Mannequins in a department store seem to be moving on their own.

93. What if the God people worshiped was really Satan — and Satan had somehow kept God prisoner?

94. A man dies and wakes up in the body of a serial killer — and no matter how hard he tries to stop killing, he can't.

95. A prisoner awakens to find the prison empty — but he's locked in his cell.

96. A woman jogging stumbles upon a dead, bloody body — she then hears a strange clicking sound and looks up to see a dark figure running towards her.

97. A girl hears laughter downstairs — she's the only one home.

98. An Uber driver picks up the wrong person — and may not live to tell the tale.

99. There's someone or something living and moving up in the attic — but it's not a ghost.

100. A child's imaginary friend is not imaginary.

101. The reflections that we see of ourselves in the mirror are actually us in a parallel universe — and they are planning to do whatever it takes to take our place in this world.

Share this with your writing peers or anyone that loves a good scary story.

For some more scares, check out ScreenCraft's 20 Terrifying Two-Sentence Horror Stories and 8 Ways Horror Movies Scare the S*** Out of Audiences!

Sleep well and keep writing.

Once you're inspired, take your idea to the next level and Develop Your Horror Movie Idea in 15 Days .

Ken Miyamoto has worked in the film industry for nearly two decades, most notably as a studio liaison for Sony Studios and then as a script reader and story analyst for Sony Pictures.

He has many studio meetings under his belt as a produced screenwriter, meeting with the likes of Sony, Dreamworks, Universal, Disney, Warner Brothers, as well as many production and management companies. He has had a previous development deal with Lionsgate, as well as multiple writing assignments, including the produced miniseries Blackout , starring Anne Heche, Sean Patrick Flanery, Billy Zane, James Brolin, Haylie Duff, Brian Bloom, Eric La Salle, and Bruce Boxleitner. Follow Ken on Twitter @KenMovies

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20 Spine-tingling Horror Story Prompts

by Sue Weems | 1 comment

We've been looking at the nine types of stories, and next up is horror—survival stories where a character is facing a fate worse than death. What's worse than death? Fear. We hope today's horror story prompts will inspire some truly terrifying tales.

Nine Types of Stories and The Horror Story

We've been studying the nine types of stories based on what humans value most in real life ( full guide here ). Today, we're going to practice another type of story where the character must survive other people, beings, or forces. In horror (like its siblings mystery and thriller), the character teeters between their life and a fate worse than death.

The fate worse than death in horror is paralyzing terror, fear, and dread. Horror wants to scare, to shock, to terrify, and sometimes even to repulse readers or audiences. It delves deep into the human psyche to look at what scares us and why, as well as to examine the limits of human depravity (Hannibal Lector, anyone?).

The horror genre spans a host of sub-genres from psychological horror (like the film Psycho or any number of Stephen King's novels) to monster horror (like Dracula ) to paranormal (like The Exorcist ) or even gothic horror (like the stories by Edgar Allan Poe and H.P. Lovecraft).

All of the prompts below can be adjusted to your particular favorite type of horror, by carefully selecting details in the execution. Love gore horror? Amp up the blood in scenes. Love the more psychological aspects? Include details that keep the characters and audience off-balance. The common denominator is fear. Use it to your advantage.

Horror Story Prompts

Here are some prompt ideas for your own creepy story—try one or all of them—if you dare!

Psychological Horror Prompts

Three college students take a final road trip during spring break of their senior year, not knowing that each of them harbors a dark secret about one of their college professors who was murdered in the fall. As revelations begin to stack up, they each begin to suspect the other.

A quiet golf community is upended after a series of grisly murders begin happening on the greens, and a golf pro's seemingly perfect life begins to unravel with each body they find. She isn't the killer, but she has a terrifying idea of who might be.

A police officer on terminal leave before retirement finds himself in a bar where he suddenly realizes the art on the walls shifts and reveals pictures of serial killers from the last twenty years. And his best friend and former partner, who is still on active duty, is there on the wall too.

A grieving daughter revisits the libraries and locations where her famous horror writer mother penned her most famous works. And finds out her mother's stories weren't quite the fiction everyone believes.

A teacher returns to teach at the school where they attended to find that their entire class is made up of the children of every bully and enemy from their life. But no one claims to remember them.

Monster Horror Prompts

A cursed siren hunts a fishing village looking for the boat and man that killed her true love.

A hoarder dies and the mother-daughter team hired to clean up the mess discover a dead body and the horror of how it all began might connect to a shape-shifting monster from their own family.

A yacht party veers off course during a summer squall and lands on an island. Their relief gives way to terror as they realize they aren’t alone and worse, they’re prey.

Radioactive scorpions escape from a lab and begin to attack a small desert town.

An experimental romance rehab resort goes into lockdown after a therapist and a participant are found dismembered and clawed to shreds on the beach. But the threat is inside the compound.

Paranormal Horror Prompts

A lonely janitor desperate for cash to pay for his mother's long-term care unearths the ghost of a bank robber in the basement of the building he cleans. The ghost offers to help him access a hidden cache of unmarked cash in exchange for a specific kind of revenge.

At summer camp, one cabin is always left empty in memory of a boy who died there twenty years earlier. This summer, he's back—but not quite himself.

A television studio where a popular 70's horror show was filmed for years is reopened unleashing a dark secret and a meddling demon hellbent on tormenting every former cast member to death.

After a hit-and-run accident, a fortune teller begins having dreams full of strange creatures who threaten to spill into her world from a parallel universe.

An alien child hacks into the video security systems of a nationwide childcare chain looking for playmates and begins to lure them into its world.

Gothic Horror Prompts

A young family has just moved into a fixer-upper in a small town, excited for a new start. But when strange symbols begin to appear on the walls along their hallway revealing town secrets, can they decipher the omens and escape or will the house be their undoing?

One fall solstice, a tormented widow who lost her husband to war opens her dilapidated ancestral home for a treasure hunt with a prize no one can refuse.

Two elderly aunts take in their troubled nephew and defend him against accusations of disappearing fiancés until a mutilated sweetheart’s body turns up in their basement.

A winery disgraced by a bad batch of wine that killed dozens years ago, reopens as a haunted house of horrors revealing that far more than the wine was buried under their dark past.

Two children separated from their parents during a hike find shelter in an old miner’s shack until the ghostly inhabitant returns, their dead parents in tow.

It's Your Turn: Terrify Us!

We hope that these prompts have given you some horror ideas for your own story. Which prompt creeps you out most and why? Tell us in the comments .

For today's creative writing prompt, choose one of the scary story ideas above. Set the timer for 15 minutes and write out one scene for the prompt. Think about the moment the character realizes that their worst fear is staring them in the face.

Share all or part of your horror story in the Pro Practice Workshop for members. Not a member yet? Check out how to join us .

Sue Weems is a writer, teacher, and traveler with an advanced degree in (mostly fictional) revenge. When she’s not rationalizing her love for parentheses (and dramatic asides), she follows a sailor around the globe with their four children, two dogs, and an impossibly tall stack of books to read. You can read more of her writing tips on her website .

title with red, orange, and yellow leaves stacked down the left side

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Award-winning instructor and writer of 20+ years, book coach, and editor. Sue Weems specializes in working with Children's, Memoir, Middle Grade, Mystery, Nonfiction, Romance, and Thriller books. Sound like a good fit for you?

My very own creepy pasta. Four friends find a way to get to Cutter’s Mill a town that does not exist. The goal is to reach the abandoned elementary school and find the little girl that can ask any one and only one question. But break any rules along the way and the Principle will release the Teacher to administer punishment: Death.

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40 Scary Writing Prompts to Give Your Readers Nightmares

There is something primal and deeply satisfying about being scared. The rush of endorphins that pumps through your body while you’re reading something terrifying (and then again later that night every time your house creaks or groans) is strangely exhilarating.

Or is that just me?

Probably not, since you’re here to check out more than thirty different writing prompts to help you write something spooky.

Not all of these prompts are just for horror stories, either. There are other genres where a dash of fear or suspense are needed. To that end, we’ll be looking at:

How to use these scary writing prompts
Scary writings prompts for horror stories
Creepy writing prompts for fantasy tales
Spooky writing prompts for sci-fi
Stressful writing prompts for real-word fiction (aka literary fiction)

So grab your favorite blanket, dim the lights, and ignore the scratching noises coming from the closet as we dive into these prompts.

How to Use These Prompts

Before we get into the (grotesque) meat of the prompts, let’s take a second to talk about how you should use them.

If you already know you want to write something scary, take any of these prompts and just run with them. Even if a dozen different authors choose the same prompt as the basis for their story, we’ll end up with a dozen unique books.

Maybe you know the general plot of your story. Use these prompts as inspiration for a particular scene or subplot. Maybe one will make you think of an entirely new way to approach a character arc or theme!

You can use these scary writing prompts for practice, too. Writing something that scares someone is totally different from any other form of writing. The pace, the tone, the level of detail you need to put into it—all of these and more must be fine-tuned for an audience that is primed to experience terror.

The first time I tried my hand at a horror novel came after years of writing dark fantasy. When I was revising what I had, I realized I wasn’t capturing the essence of a scary story. My scenes were fast-paced, like my fantasy writing. There was less build-up and tension than I needed.

So, regardless of where you are in your writing journey, grab any one of these prompts and write a short story. Hone those scary writing skills to become the best, most terrifying author you can be.

Scary Writing Prompts for Horror

The most likely place you’ll use scary writing prompts is for writing horror. The horror genre ranges from slow-burn dreads to haunted houses to splatterpunk killers, with a bunch of things in between. The goal is to make your reader feel uneasy, unsettled, or uncomfortable.

For a complete guide to writing horror, click here . It dives into a lot, but one of the best takeaways is how effective horror is when you combine two phobias that force the protagonist to choose one of them. Keep that in mind when thinking about these prompts.

A woman wakes up in the middle of a swamp, a severed arm handcuffed to her wrist.
Three teens use a ouija board and contact the spirit of a murdered witch.
A father is convinced one of his twins is possessed, but he can’t tell which one.
A cannibal that only eats other cannibals.
A single mom who looks after her child, unaware that she already died protecting that child.
An Antarctic expedition that gets stranded in a bay that shouldn’t exist.
A serial killer who murders and impersonates the new sheriff in a small town before that sheriff can meet anyone.
A house full of ghosts who are living (as best they can) a normal life when a non-dead couple moves in.
A cult leader trying to con people out of their life savings only to unleash an ancient evil.
A woman discovers a spot on her skin that slowly grows every day. As it grows, it looks like words that describe how she’s going to die.
On a road trip, a family finds an abandoned car on the side of the road. With no service, they can’t call for help so they decide to keep driving, only to have their own car break down a few miles later.
To try and help with their trauma, a grief counseling group goes on a weekend retreat. But their hosts turn out to be practitioners of some ancient religion.
Trying to save his family from losing their home , a man signs up for a gladiator-style bloodsport hosted by wealthy families.
In the wake of a global plague (too soon?) a woman wakes up from a coma and must find her children in a city filled with criminals and virus carriers.
Someone volunteers to donate a kidney to their best friend, but didn’t sign up for whatever they put in its place.

Creepy Writing Prompts for Fantasy

Like I said before, it isn’t just horror that amps up the scares. If you’re writing fantasy, horror elements might be ingrained in your story, like in the dark fantasy subgenre . Or maybe you just want to change up the pace and tone by adding some suspense.

It’s a great way to force your reader to keep turning those pages!

Fantasy can range from epic tales to urban adventures, which means there’s a lot of room to play around. So here are some prompts to get you thinking about ways to creep out your fantasy readers.

The party must dive into the pitch-black, claustrophobia-inducing hive of monsters to slay the monstrous queen.
A necromancer is kidnapping people from the nearby village, stitching their body parts together with magic to create unspeakable monstrosities.
In a clan of vampires, one human child tries to survive a family that would drain them if they discovered the truth.
Two thieves must journey through a cursed tomb to find a magic amulet.
A strange traveler wanders into a village, somehow knowing and exposing a shocking number of secrets held by the villagers.
A plague has swept through the land, turning the afflicted into zombies.
A cleric must exorcise a monarch while demons from all across the kingdom try to stop them.
Centuries ago, a country was cursed by a witch. Since then, everyone born in the country has carried a birthmark representing the curse. Our protagonist gives birth to a baby who doesn’t have the birthmark.
A good witch is pursued by witch hunters, forcing her to seek refuge with an evil coven.
A walled town has lived for decades with werewolves prowling the lands beyond their gates. But resources are running out, and the townsfolk must brave the wolflands to find a new place to settle.

Spooky Writing Prompts for Science Fiction

While sci-fi can be a great place for large-scale space operas and grand displays of technology, it also presents a massive sandbox filled with the unknown and potentially horrifying.

Us human beings love knowing stuff. So, when we’re presented with something we don’t know or can’t understand, it fills us with unease. And that’s exactly what we’re going for.

A newly discovered moon is thought to have resources a planet needs for energy production, so it sends a mining team. Unfortunately for that team, the moon is also home to a breed of feral aliens that doesn’t take too kindly to visitors.
A company developing a new A.I. has a security breach, unleashing the malicious program through the company’s campus and employees.
A spaceship breaks down near a strange star, and the radiation from that star is slowly eating away at their minds as their oxygen starts to run out.
A peaceful alien race is systematically hunted by human colonizers who want to terraform their planet.
An archaeological expedition in another solar system uncovers remnants of a society and a religion that promises immortality… at a price.
While visiting the matriarch of an alien species, a diplomat is infected by a parasite that connects them to the aliens’ hivemind.
A man addicted to augmenting his body is implanted with something infected by a computer virus that makes him see ghosts.
In the near future, violent solar storms disrupt and destroy technology, plummeting society into an age without electricity.
Scavengers find a ruined ship floating in space and decide to strip it for parts. There, they find a crew that looks exactly like themselves still in cryosleep.
In a dystopian society, burglars no longer break into your house but hack into your mind.

Scary Writing Prompts for Real World Fiction

Bringing it back to (our current) reality, sometimes the scariest things are those we face every day. These can range from stories about natural disasters to debilitating illnesses, common fears to unthinkable tragedies, and everything in between.

When adding scary elements to real-word fiction, you want to keep it realistic. Make the readers think these dreadful events could really happen tomorrow.

On vacation, a family learns a tsunami is approaching and they can’t find a flight to safety.
Friends on a backcountry hiking trip suffer an accident, stranding them days away from help.
In the middle of a bustling town fair, a child is taken.
A stay-at-home mom is delivered a letter claiming her partner has died. She can’t reach them and they never checked into their hotel.
Woken by their alarm, a family finds the front door of their house open.

What Scary Story Will You Write?

Don’t forget, these prompts can be used to inspire a new story, help you with your current story, or get you writing a short story to buff your scary writing skills, use them in whatever way works best for you.

And, if you’re looking for more inspiration, check out the Story Craft Café. It’s a community of writers who support, encourage, and motivate one another. There are writers from all genres, at every stage in their writing journey.

So head on over and say hello. Share what writing prompt spoke most to you. And, when you’re ready, post the story you wrote with one of these prompts and celebrate with your fellow authors!

Doug Landsborough can’t get enough of writing. Whether freelancing as an editor, blog writer, or ghostwriter, Doug is a big fan of the power of words. In his spare time, he writes about monsters, angels, and demons under the name D. William Landsborough. When not obsessing about sympathetic villains and wondrous magic, Doug enjoys board games, horror movies, and spending time with his wife, Sarah.

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Themes add an important element to our stories, giving them meaning and adding extra depth. We'll cover some common book themes and how to write stories with them in mind.

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Check Out These 75 Horror Writing Prompts

Get your scary ideas onto the page with a little help from us..

'The Conjuring'

Are you a fan of horror movies or a writer looking to delve into the depths of terror and suspense? Look no further.

In this post, we bring to you an exclusive collection of 75 horror movie writing prompts, designed to spark your imagination and set your nerves tingling.

Let's dive in.

75 Writing Prompts for Horror Movies

'M3GAN'

An ancient book that unleashes a curse when read.
A haunted doll that terrorizes a family.
A small town plagued by mysterious disappearances.
A group of friends trapped in a haunted house.
An evil spirit that possesses its victims.
A serial killer who targets campers in the woods.
A ghost seeking revenge from beyond the grave.
A family moves into a house built on an ancient burial ground.
A mysterious virus that turns people into zombies.
A scientist who creates a monster in his laboratory.
A possessed painting that influences its viewers.
A mirror that shows more than just reflections.
A cabin in the woods with a sinister secret.
A hotel where guests check in but never check out.
A creepy carnival with a mind of its own.
A group of teenagers playing with a Ouija board.
A town where nightmares become reality.
A creature that lurks in the shadows.
An abandoned asylum with a dark past.
A lighthouse that guides ships to their doom.
A babysitter facing unknown terrors in a strange house.
A mysterious fog that brings death.
An ancient evil awakened in a small village.
A cursed video tape that predicts death.
A secret society with a deadly initiation ritual.
A ghost ship adrift at sea.
An urban legend that turns out to be true.
A photographer who captures more than just pictures.
A demonic cult in a quiet suburb.
An old theater where the shows are too real.
A time traveler who brings back a terrible entity.
A cursed gemstone that brings misfortune.
An alien invasion in a rural town.
A witch's curse that spans generations.
A reality show where the dangers are all too real.
An ancient pyramid with a deadly secret.
A game where the stakes are life and death.
A haunted music box with a sinister tune.
A cursed object that brings death to its owner.
A ghostly bride searching for her groom.
A monster that feeds on fear.
A secret room that holds a terrifying secret.
A witch hunt in a modern town.
A family cursed by a vengeful spirit.
A soul collector who preys on the living.
A stranded spaceship with an unknown threat.
A possessed child with terrifying powers.
A haunted hospital with a gruesome history.
A town cursed by a witch's spell.
A psychic who sees more than she wants to.
An experiment that goes horribly wrong.
A haunted train that carries more than just passengers.
A dark web game that traps its players.
A demonic possession in a religious community.
A haunted painting that changes its appearance.
A cursed graveyard where the dead don't rest.
A vengeful spirit that haunts a school.
A mysterious island with a dark secret.
An ancient deity demanding sacrifice.
A paranormal investigator facing true terror.
A cult leader with a diabolical plan.
A supernatural storm that brings horrors.
A man who can see how people will die.
A cursed play that brings tragedy to its actors.
A monster hiding in plain sight.
A haunted castle with a bloody history.
A town where the sun never rises.
A serial killer inspired by a horror novel.
A reality bending nightmare.
A haunted maze with no escape.
A creature from folklore comes to life.
An apocalyptic scenario with a supernatural twist.
A virtual reality game that becomes too real.
A haunted road trip with unexpected detours.
A family heirloom that holds a deadly secret.

These prompts can be the starting point for a wide variety of horror stories, each with its own unique twist and terror.

Whether you're crafting a screenplay, a short story, or simply enjoying a moment of macabre fascination, let these prompts guide you into the shadows.

Now, go get back to writing.

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Check Out SSFF & Asia's Autumn Showcase of Spectacular Shorts

Ssff & asia showcase this year’s award winning shorts and more than 60 shorts online..

Are you a fan of Academy-qualifying short films? What about a myriad of them available online through November? Well, oh baby, do we have a pitch for you.

Short Shorts Film Festival (SSFF) & Asia is one of our favorite, extremely innovative collaborators, and they're offering access to some of their best shorts of the 2024 festival this Fall for their "Screening in Autumn" event. They have several specially coordinated programs hosted for your viewing pleasure, all for $12, dates ranging from now through Nov. 7.

Check out what's in store below! And click here to visit their site directly.

Women in Focus Program

SSFF & Asia

"Maybe Someday"

Director: Praditha Blifa Rahayu/22:08 /Indonesia/2023

Sri and Yanti, two teeange girls who are blind, have been close friends since they lived in a dormitory. They are inseparable and always together. One day, Yanti announce her plan to move out of town to pursue her dream. It makes Sri angry and keep questioning: whether they even deserve to have dreams?

Special Screening

"Haunted by the Sound of the Wind"

Director: Xavier Tera/13:00 /Canada/2023

As Spring blooms, Yuki's disassociation with light and hope is faded by torment. Mourning and trapped by her own house, the impermanence of life is actualized in personal reconnection with an old encounter.

" The Chicken"

Director：Neo Sora/13:31 /U.S.A/2020

As Spring blooms, Yuki's disassociation to light and hope is faded by torment. Mourning and trapped by her own house, the impermanence of life is actualized in personal reconnection through an old encounter.

“CRAFT STORIES AROUND JAPAN” Streaming Schedule

■Sep. 26-Nov.7

CRAFT STORES AROUND JAPAN

6 short films which depicts tradition, crafts, and artisan culture of Japan.

■Sep.26- Oct.10

Comedy & Family Shorts

15 short films including J-WAVE Sound of Cinema Award winner ”Cantata”

■ Oct.11-Oct.24

Animation Shorts

15 short films including “SEPIA NOTES”, a nominee of U-25 Project

■ Oct.25-Nov.7

SSFF&ASIA 2024

Award Winning Program

21 short films including Grand-Prix,

George Lucas Award winner “Sen”

Swiss Shorts: Swiss Eyes on Japan

"Johan, l'épreuve du feu (Johan, Trial by Fire)" is a documentary set in Hiroshima following Johan, a Swiss man who fell in love with Japanese swords and became a swordsmith. "THIRD WHEEL" offers a comedic take on a love triangle, unveiled through psychic powers in the Edo period and "TOKYO RAIN" presents a mysterious story of Tokyo in the near future, where rain continues to fall. This year, which marks the 160th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Switzerland and Japan, we invite you to rediscover the fascinating Japan depicted in these three short films by Swiss directors. After the screening, special guests Johan Leutwiler—Japan's first foreign swordsmith— and director Romain Guélat, who followed his story in the documentary "Johan, l'épreuve du feu", will make a special appearance to discuss the making of the film and Johan's thoughts on his passion as a sword-smith.

Oct. 26 @ Tokyo Photographic Art Museum

How to Watch

All the works are available at the Online Grand Theater, on the platform LIFE LOG BOX. https://app.lifelogbox.com/shortshortsonlinegrandtheater

Please purchase a “Online Grand Theater Passport” at the site.

＄12 for all the programs（outside Japan）

Shoot Light and Fast With Canon's Smallest RF Zoom Yet

Why indie film distribution is about to go punk rock, 10 questions tv writers use to refine their scripts, the 'longlegs' ending explained, pricing and details for the blackmagic ursa cine 17k 65 are finally here, find the subjectivity of your narrative with "the professional parent", how 'chimp crazy' was edited with ethics, the state of spec scripts, ‘the substance’, and panama filmmaking, put fast macro shooting in your hands with this new tamron 90mm f/2.8 short-telephoto, a look at the award winners from this year’s fantastic fest.

Get Free high-resolution PDF of How to Write a Screenplay

Horror Story Writing Prompts: Chilling Ideas for Your Next Creepy Story

Writing horror stories is a blast, but it’s not always easy to come up with new ideas. That’s why I’ve put together another list of writing prompts—horror story themed this time! If you’re feeling monsters, ghosts, killers, or just mystery and suspense, then I’ve got you covered with these writing prompts.

Take a look at some of these ideas, and you might find the inspiration for your next big story!

Writing Warmups for Horror Writers

This category doesn’t have any story prompts, so if that’s what you’re here for, you can skip to the next section. Instead, these prompts are exercises to help you warm up and practice some of the techniques you’ll use when writing in the horror genre!

Describe a horrifying monster in as much detail as possible. Don’t leave anything up to the imagination with this beast.
Write a monologue for a character who is afraid of something. They could be speaking out loud to comfort themself, speculating about what could be lurking in the dark, or something else.
Write a scene in which several characters are accusing each other of something. Focus on the tension and the emotions, especially if characters are hurt that others don’t believe them.
Describe a creepy old house. What are the elements that make it creepy, and how can you describe them in a way that would make your readers nervous?
Write a scene in which a character is paranoid about being watched or followed. Maybe they’re walking home in the dark, afraid of an ex-partner, or just overthinking.
Write a character’s reaction to finding a dead body. Be as authentic as possible in describing their thoughts, actions, fears, and subconscious reactions.
Write a scene in which a character receives terrible news. Try to convey the emotions they would feel with intensity and authenticity.
Listen to a horror movie soundtrack or horror ambiance track and write whatever it makes you think of.
Write a series of letters, composed by one of your characters to a member of their family (or a close friend). They are going through something (such as an illness or an adventure) and cannot visit personally, so they send letters to explain their situation. Try to make your character’s writing style differ from your own, and utilize the unique pacing of the letters to build suspense and mystery over time. You can write the other character’s responses too, or not!

Horror Story Prompts

It’s not always easy to come up with ideas for writing horror stories, so I’ve created a small list of ideas for you! Feel free to use any of these, or take bits and pieces from several different ones. They’re a little longer than some of my other prompts, but I hope you find the additional context helpful!

While exploring an abandoned house, you find a porcelain doll on the ground. You’ve always had an interest in creepy aesthetics, so you decide to take it home. Soon after taking the doll home, however, you begin to feel an overwhelming sense of dread and sadness that clouds your mind. In addition to that, you seem to be having terrible luck with everything you attempt. As it turns out, a girl went missing in your neighborhood a few years ago—and she has the exact same features as the doll, down to the same beauty mark on her cheek and the same scar above her eyebrow. She’s even wearing the same clothes that the girl was last seen wearing.
You and your best friend have been buds since elementary school, and now, you go to college together. He’s always been the kind of person to leave parties early and flake out on plans to hang out, but you’ve gotten used to it so you rarely think much of it. That is, of course, until a recent news report announces that police are on the lookout for a serial killer with a physical description that sounds a lot like your friend. The announcement comes after a student at your college was found dead on campus—the same night your friend decided not to go to a party with you.
A traveling carnival has come to your town, so you decide to check it out with some friends. You all have a great time together, but when you go to bed that night, your dreams are plagued by terrifying, murderous clowns. This goes on for a few nights before you bring it up to your friends, and they reveal that they have all been having similar dreams. You guys decide to investigate the carnival, and you find that it doesn’t actually exist, and no one else in town has any memory of it. (Need some help writing about nightmares? Check out Writing About Dreams and Nightmares !)
You bought a refurbished cellphone from a second-hand seller, but it’s been acting weird. You can’t afford to get it checked out, so when it randomly opens apps on its own, you simply close them and continue using it like normal. One day, as you’re sitting bored in a lecture or meeting, you decide to just watch your phone to see what it does if you don’t stop it. As it turns out, your phone has been trying to communicate with you this entire time! Well, more specifically, the ghost possessing your new phone has been trying to use apps and notes to get your attention.
Your spouse has been acting a little strange lately, but for the most part, it is easy to brush it off like you’re overreacting. One night, however, you catch a glimpse of them in a mirror or around a corner, and what you see isn’t your spouse at all… it’s someone—or something —else impersonating them.
You’re a doctor, and you recently saw a peculiar patient. They complained of grogginess, fatigue, and insatiable hunger. While examining them, you also noticed patches of necrotic tissue. You couldn’t formulate a diagnosis right away, but you suggested that the patient stays in a hospital until you can figure out what is wrong with them. One by one, hospital staff call in sick with similar symptoms, so you decide to move the patient into quarantine. However, when you get to their room, you discover the patient missing, with a nurse dead—and half-eaten—on the floor. (Psst! Check out these other Zombie Writing Prompts !)
You’re an amateur paranormal investigator, and you just received a commission to investigate a house. You decide to go alone. After a thorough investigation, you don’t find any signs of the supernatural, so you pack up and head home. Ever since then, however, you’ve noticed a little girl lurking in the shadows around your apartment. One time, you were even sure you saw her inside your room.
You recently went to an island for vacation, and got to swim in some breathtaking underwater caves. Now, a few weeks later, you can’t stop thinking about those caves. You’re finding it harder and harder to control your impulses, and at times, it feels like you aren’t in control of your actions. Unbeknownst to you, a little parasite from those waters has taken up residence in your brain, and it’s changing the way you think and act.
Recently, you’ve noticed the same man in many different places. You often see him on the subway on your way to work, in your favorite coffee shop, and even just walking on the street. You’ve noticed him watching you until you make eye contact with him, at which point he immediately looks away. One day, you don’t see him on the subway after work, and honestly, it’s a bit of a relief. That is, of course, until you get home and find that your front door has already been unlocked.
You and your friends decide to trespass in an abandoned factory, just for fun. It’s terribly creepy inside, plus the old machines and spare scrap metal laying around makes it a bit hazardous. Soon, your group stumbles upon some evidence that someone has been living here: a dirty mattress on the floor, a cooler, trash, and several articles of clothing strewn about. You also, unfortunately, find several knives and devices that look like instruments of torture. You and your friends decide to leave quickly to avoid trouble, but get lost on your way to the exit. One creepy sound is enough to send several of your friends running, and now, you all have to find each other before you can find your way out.
You wake up one morning, and you have no idea who you are. You can’t remember your past at all. In your quest to figure out what kind of life you’ve led up until now, you end up discovering evidence that you’ve committed crimes in the past. Many… many crimes. You aren’t sure if anything you’ve discovered is true, but when the police come looking for you, you have no choice but to run away. Now living the life of a fugitive, you slowly work to uncover the secrets of your gruesome past.
You’d heard many rumors about vampires lately, but you aren’t a particularly superstitious person. Rumors are just rumors, after all. Or at least… that’s what you thought until one fateful night. You were walking home late at night, when you witnessed an attack—one man viciously stabbed another in the chest, and then fled the scene. Cautiously, you approached the wounded man, who still had the wooden stake sticking out of the center of his chest. He was alive, but barely. In his dying moments, he told you the truth about vampires: they exist, but they are being kept a secret, contained in a horrible asylum where they are experimented on. Very few vampires ever escape, and those that do get hunted like him. Just before he died, he begged you to spread the truth, and to save the rest of his kind. Want more writing prompts about vampires? I got you.
Your worst nightmare has come true: you’ve been kidnapped. You don’t know who your kidnappers are or what they want from you, but you do know one thing. They keep referring to you with a name that isn’t yours. No matter how much you try to convince them that they have the wrong person, they don’t believe you.

Writing Horror Stories

Horror is a vast and diverse genre, but it is riddled with clichés. However, you don’t have to come up with something completely original in order to make a good story. You can breathe new life into old, overused tropes by adding in surprising twists and new perspectives. If your characters pull their car over on a creepy road in the middle of the night, what are your readers going to be expecting? What can you do to surprise them instead? Subvert readers’ expectations, and your story will end up being much more memorable!

Keep it creepy, writers!

Home — Essay Samples — Entertainment — Movies — Horror

Essays on Horror

The importance of writing an essay on horror.

Writing an essay on horror is essential for several reasons, as it allows individuals to explore the genre's significance, impact, and cultural relevance. Horror literature, films, and art have long been integral parts of human culture, reflecting societal fears, anxieties, and taboos. By delving into the genre through essays, individuals can gain a deeper understanding of its complexities and contributions to literature, cinema, and art.

One of the primary reasons for writing an essay on horror is to explore fear and its profound effect on human psychology and society. Horror confronts us with our deepest fears and forces us to confront the darker aspects of human nature. By analyzing horror works, individuals can gain insights into human behavior, emotions, and the human condition itself.

Furthermore, essays on horror allow us to understand the cultural and social dynamics that shape the genre. Horror often reflects the fears and anxieties prevalent in society during specific historical periods. By examining horror works within their cultural contexts, individuals can gain valuable insights into societal norms, values, and concerns.

Moreover, writing essays on horror provides an opportunity to examine the literary and cinematic techniques used to evoke fear and suspense. From Gothic literature to contemporary horror films, the genre employs a wide range of stylistic devices, symbolism, and narrative structures to create chilling experiences for audiences. By analyzing these techniques, individuals can deepen their appreciation for the artistry and craftsmanship behind horror works.

Essays on horror also challenge assumptions and stereotypes associated with the genre. While horror is often dismissed as mere entertainment or dismissed as lowbrow, it encompasses a diverse range of themes, styles, and perspectives. By critically evaluating horror works, individuals can challenge preconceived notions and recognize the genre's artistic and intellectual merits.

Finally, writing essays on horror encourages individuals to engage in meaningful discussions about important societal issues. Horror often addresses topics such as power dynamics, gender roles, identity, and morality in thought-provoking ways. By analyzing these themes in horror works, individuals can contribute to broader conversations about culture, politics, and human nature.

Writing essays on horror is essential for gaining insights into the genre's significance, exploring fear and humanity, understanding cultural dynamics, examining artistic techniques, challenging stereotypes, and engaging in meaningful discussions. Through thoughtful analysis and reflection, individuals can appreciate the richness and complexity of horror as a genre and its enduring impact on literature, cinema, and art.

What makes a good Horror essay topic

When it comes to choosing a horror essay topic, it's important to consider what will captivate and engage your audience. To brainstorm and choose an essay topic, start by considering your own interests and fears. What scares you? What keeps you up at night? These personal experiences can serve as a great starting point for a horror essay topic. Additionally, consider the cultural and societal fears that are prevalent in today's world. What are people afraid of? These considerations can help you choose a horror essay topic that is relevant and thought-provoking. A good horror essay topic should be intriguing, thought-provoking, and capable of eliciting strong emotions from the reader.

Best Horror essay topics

The psychological impact of isolation in horror films
The role of the supernatural in modern horror literature
The evolution of the zombie in popular culture
The use of sound and music in creating horror in film
The portrayal of mental illness in horror movies
The significance of setting in gothic horror literature
The cultural significance of urban legends in modern society
The symbolism of monsters in horror literature
The impact of technology on the horror genre
The intersection of horror and comedy in film
The role of gender in horror storytelling
The influence of folklore on modern horror narratives
The portrayal of fear in contemporary horror literature
The impact of censorship on the horror genre
The representation of trauma in horror films
The use of suspense in horror storytelling
The depiction of evil in horror literature
The role of religion in horror narratives
The use of body horror in contemporary cinema
The impact of social media on horror storytelling

Horror essay topics Prompts

Write a horror story from the perspective of the monster.
Imagine a world where everyone's deepest fears come to life - what would this look like?
Write a horror essay exploring the concept of "survival horror" in video games.
Create a horror story set in a haunted house, but with a unique twist.
Write an essay analyzing the role of the final girl in slasher films and its impact on gender representation in horror.

The Reflection of Society's Fears in Horror Movies

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The Use of Genre Theory in The Horror Genre

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Stephen King and His Legacy in The Genre of Horror

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Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes.

Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, apocalyptic events, and religious or folk beliefs. Cinematic techniques used in horror films have been shown to provoke psychological reactions in an audience.

Body horror, Comedy horror, Folk horror, Found footage horror, Gothic horror, Natural horror, Slasher film, Supernatural horror, Teen horror, Psychological horror.

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We Inherit Our Ghosts: On Gothic Fiction and the Need to Remember

"the gothic as a genre is about the skeletons in the family’s closet.".

Ghosts at their definition are an aftermath. They have always represented the unresolved, be it grief, guilt, unfulfillment, or injustice. They represent something that came before; as a result, ghosts are such powerful sites for conversations about loss: we all carry once-wases and could’ve beens.

But a haunting specifically requires a subject; it is an interaction that makes a ghost tangible in the real world by the touches it leaves. A haunting is the touch of something that came before you. A haunting is a relationship. Whether taken on, or fostered upon you.

In Mike Flanagan’s TV adaptation of Hill House , the haunting is not just the experience of the house itself, but the echoes left in the years and miles after. The horror isn’t so much the ghosts as the ghosts they further create, literally and metaphorically, in this estranged family in the wake of their mother’s death. If we speak of hauntings as a relationship, family is the most fundamental relationship we experience. It is the only relationship you do not choose, you cannot truly leave, and to which you are physically bound. It is very like the characters of a story who enter life in their new mansion only to understand they’re stuck with its demons.

In some horrors, you fear invasion. Home is sanctuary and the terror is of what lurks beyond, trying to break it. But more often than not, this pressure is also a catalyst that reveals the ugly fractures of the inhabitants, sometimes resulting in them killing each other off: see The Witch (2015). So now we move into the dimension of horror in which the fear is not of outsiders, but of what exists within its inhabitants. What sort of ghosts have they in fact always lived with, and what role might they have played in its creation?

Most haunted houses are about a family in some way. (Flanagan’s Hill House , crucially, is not about the house but about the family that builds and runs from it.) The inescapability of family is the foundation of its potential horror. We are bound to family whether we like it or not; the fact of our bloodlines will follow us wherever we go. There’s a lot of existential terror to mine from that. You can inherit goodness or you can inherit the worst of them, having been literally created from them. With family, you are the haunted house. You are the wallpaper they distort, the doors they lock, the mirrors they appear in. Grappling with family is grappling with afters: you have already been made. Now you must go on from there.

In my novel The Dark We Know , runaway artist Isadora Chang comes home for an inheritance. She needs the money from her abusive dad’s passing to keep living out in art school in the city. But returning to the secluded small town she swore never to go near again digs up a whole host of graves, including her tense relationship with her silent, cooped-up mother and the religious community she grew up in. The Dark We Know is as much about real ghosts as it is about the metaphorical ones she’s been left with. I thought about secrets, trauma, shame, neglect, insecurity, fear, guilt; passed from communities to their children, parents to their offspring, from older sibling to younger. What elders give or refuse to give their kids can keep them alive, or kill them. In one moment, Isadora thinks that she has inherited her mother’s silence, and what she fears most is that she is fated to become her mother. That is their tragedy, as Wilde says.

We talk a lot these days about mental health, identifying traumas, breaking cycles and examining institutions. We’re talking about a lot more internal wounds and tracing them backward. Unsurprisingly, generational trauma and what we inherit from the way we grew up has become a much bigger theme, and with it, a surge of interest in the gothic.

The gothic as a genre is about the skeletons in the family’s closet. It is a genre about the decay of the moneyed estate as a result and reflection of a buried darkness–Rochester’s wife in the attic, etc. The classic opulent manor or closed estate of these stories also represents its inhabitants in a way; its deterioration is their deterioration. Gothic’s ghosts are in its walls and family tree, often left for a newcomer–a disruptor of the status quo–to unearth or demand the wrongness of. It is about families that have been their own undoing, and about asking the inhabitants to finally, properly, look at the rooms around them.

It’s a perfect vehicle for a hidden darkness passed through generations from some original sin. Its characters are often concerned with preserving that sanctity of their home, and by representation, their family and bloodline, and so the revelation that all this rests on rotten foundations is a critique of that righteous purity.

At the same time, we’re also talking about inherited trauma on a societal scale, trauma imposed by forces of war, colonial violence, slavery, genocide, patriarchy, capitalism. As the horror genre sees more voices from marginalized and underrepresented communities, we also see generational trauma from parents and ancestors who experienced wide systemic suffering– Mexican Gothic and She is a Haunting , for example, make full use of that aforementioned gothic setting to ask where that opulent estate came from in the first place, and whose blood was required to build it. Parasite subverted the home invasion trope to comment on class: built on the exploitation of the poor, the sanctity of the home was rotten to begin with. The Yellow Wallpaper is a classic in which a wife locked up for her “hysterical tendencies” actually goes mad as a result. In these gothics, the manor is not symbolic of merely individual greed and arrogance but of systemic oppression.

I think ghosts have a natural kinship with themes of marginality, since they’re literally liminal, usually considered dark and unwelcome and unpleasant disruptions to the otherwise well-ordered hierarchy of life and death, past and present. A lot of marginal perspectives resonate with monstrous figures. Minorities too often are made to feel like they are the ghost decaying the ancestral manor, and I think that’s a fascinating undercurrent as we start seeing more diverse claims to the genre.

And then, what to do about the haunting put upon you? I also find myself resonating with mental illness and strain as a form of possession. It feels like it takes over you, gets in the way of a life. In my experience, depression has felt like being taken from myself, or else an emptiness waiting for something to fill it. There are times I would probably have liked an exorcism.

Still. We may be born into a home of ghosts, but I want to write towards moving out. I reject, I think, the idea of inescapability, or at least invulnerability–I write towards being able to find your ghosts, and your mother’s, and hers, and either confronting them or making peace. I don’t believe in resigning yourself to haunting. I think there are windows in every house and you must open them.

I always knew what the ending of The Dark We Know would be. Overcoming, and crucially, it was about being able to let go. To break cycles, to come to terms with loss, to let go of pasts you cannot return to and live for the coming instead. To release oneself from yearning for the love of those who do not love you. To find strength instead in those that do.

It’s a hopeful ending; I hope it’s an ending for everyone.

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1. Use the environment

2. Use your own fears

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6. Avoid clichés

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