1. Start with a Creepy Idea or Premise

Think of an ordinary situation and add something unsettling. For example: A family moves into a new house but finds evidence that someone—or something—never left.

Draw inspiration from universal fears (isolation, the unknown, loss of control) and add an original twist.

2. Build a Suspenseful Atmosphere

Use vivid, sensory details to make readers feel as if they’re in the scene. Describe sights, sounds, smells, and the feeling of the air.

Keep things mysterious; show just enough to unsettle without giving too much away. For example, instead of showing a monster, describe the faint, scratching sounds behind a locked door or the shadow that keeps flickering past the corner of your vision.

3. Develop Characters Who Feel Real

Make readers care about your main character by giving them relatable traits, desires, and vulnerabilities.

Show why your character stays in the situation despite the fear—curiosity, a need to protect loved ones, or feeling trapped.

Sometimes a flawed character adds complexity. Maybe their pride keeps them from running, or their guilt convinces them to stay despite the danger.

4. Create an Imposing Setting

Settings can add a lot to the horror. Abandoned places, dark forests, mist-covered lakes, or creepy basements work well, but even a sunny day can be terrifying if something is "off."

Let the setting feel like a character with its own secrets. For instance, a room where the walls seem to "breathe," or a house that makes everyone feel like they’re being watched.

5. Pace the Scares

Good horror is about pacing. Don’t jump right into the biggest scare; build up to it gradually. Start with smaller, subtle moments to create tension.

Create a pattern of calm moments followed by a scare to keep readers on edge. For instance, have the character calm down after a fright, only for something more terrifying to happen.

6. Use Unreliable Perceptions

Horror can be heightened by unreliable narrators or perceptions. Is the main character truly seeing these horrors, or is it all in their head? Letting the reader question what’s real can add a psychological edge.

Use your character’s fear to warp what they see and feel, making them question their own senses or judgment

7. Uncover Dark Secrets Slowly

Horror often involves some hidden truth or revelation. This could be a secret history of the setting or a revelation about the protagonist’s past.

Drop hints throughout the story, letting readers piece together the mystery. It could be odd objects, strange messages, or other clues that something sinister is at play.

8. End with a Lasting Impression

A good horror story often leaves readers with an eerie aftertaste or sense of unresolved dread. Think of a twist, a lingering question, or a final haunting image that sticks with readers.

Avoid neat resolutions. Ambiguity can be scary—suggesting the horror might continue or that the main character has been forever changed by their experience.

Example: Putting It All Together

Idea: A young woman inherits her grandmother’s old house, only to find that her grandmother may never have left.

Beginning: Show the main character exploring the house, finding odd things like journals, whispers, and maybe a locked room she’s told never to enter.

Building Tension: She starts hearing her grandmother’s voice at night or smelling her favorite perfume in empty rooms. Items move, lights flicker, and there are strange cold spots.

Climactic Moment: She finally opens the forbidden room to confront whatever spirit might be lurking, only to discover something unexpected, like a mirror where her grandmother's ghost is trapped… or a dark ritual meant to trap her there instead.

Ending: As she tries to leave, she realizes she can’t. Her own reflection whispers, “I’ve been waiting,” and she’s left with a terrible realization—she can’t escape.

By balancing atmosphere, character, pacing, and mystery, you can create a story that lingers in the reader’s mind long after they’ve finished reading. Happy haunting writing!