Think about which situations meeting a ghost would be most terrifying. Imagine the details of the ghost and how it haunts you, noting what scares you the most. Try watching your favorite horror films or reading other ghost stories to get inspired.
What locations do you find disturbing or discomforting? Your setting should have a feeling of isolation, cutting the main characters off from help.
Stasis. This is the introduction to your story and it demonstrates the normal life of your characters. Trigger. This event is something that pushes your character out of their normal life. Quest. This is where your character is given a goal or something they must do. Surprise. This will take up the middle section of your story and will be the events along the way towards your heroes goal. Critical choice. Your protagonist will need to make a hard choice that demonstrates their character. Climax. This is the moment your story was building up to and the most dramatic moment of the story. Reversal. This should be the consequence to your character’s critical choice or the main challenge. Resolution. This point is where your characters return to everyday life but are changed from the ordeal.
Write your outline in a chronological ordering of events. Don’t leave any gaps in the narrative for your outline. Try to think about each scene and examine how they work together. If writing an entire ghost story seems overwhelming at first, try writing a 100-word ghost story to warm up. You get 100 words to write something truly creepy and unsettling. It takes less time, and you won’t have to worry as much about outlining and pacing.
Don’t rush to reveal the confrontation or climax of your ghost story. Building the tension of the story slowly can make the climax even more intense.
Try to think of why your character is in the situation they are. Imagine how your character would react to the events in your story. Try to get a clear mental picture of what your character looks like.
Your ghost will need a reason or motive for existing and doing what they do. Ghosts come in different forms, being more or less physical or having different powers.
Foils usually have different personalities than the main characters in order to highlight the individual characteristics. Your supporting characters should also have their own unique qualities and personalities. Ask yourself what relationships these characters might have with the main characters of your ghost story.
”The ghost appeared and I was frightened” is an example of telling the reader what’s happening. ”The ghost appeared and my stomach tightened up in knots. I could feel my face break out in a sweat and my heart trying to leap out from my chest. ” is an example of showing the reader what’s happening.
For example, “The ghost was ten feet tall and exactly as wide as the door that it came through. ” is probably too direct. Try saying something like “The ghost was enormous, making the room suddenly feel claustrophobic and tight. ”
Consider ending your story in a single sentence. Offering too much explanation at the end of your ghost story can lessen the impact of your ending.
