Tag: writing a scary story

Release the Monster!

On By Terry ConnellyIn prompt, Uncategorized, Writing promptLeave a comment

            Imagine a scene in which a frightening monster arises, eating, mauling, destroying, everything and everyone in sight. Who comes to the rescue? Does it depend upon what kind of beast? For example, if it crawls up from underground, are there special forces that arrive? But what if it’s from outer space? Who then?

            Perhaps it’s not a fantastical monster but rather a tyrannical teenager? The boy who rules the house, or the girl who demands all the attention? What if the teen behaves perfectly at school, but runs roughshod at home? Who, then, tames the beast?

            We’ve all seen toddlers in action. Stomping feet, pounding fists, tossing things about, screaming a the top of their lungs: who brings the kid under control?

            Your task is to write a story in which a monster is the antagonist, a pretty scary one at that.

            Have fun with this one.

Unexpected Action

On By Terry ConnellyIn prompt, Uncategorized, Writing promptLeave a comment

            Your character lives in a rut: the same thing practically every day, at about the same time, with the same circle of friends. Then something changes, which is unexpected and not in character.

            The others in the story have no idea what’s going on. They don’t know what triggered the change.

            There’s a mystery that needs to be solved.

            Your task is to write a story in which your character does something so far out of character that no one understands what’s happening.

            Hae fun with this one.

Halloween Prank

On By Terry ConnellyIn prompt, Uncategorized, Writing promptLeave a comment

            Many comedy shows have kids running up to houses, ringing the bell, then when no one answers, throwing eggs at the door or tossing rolls of toiler paper over tree limbs.

            Or there’s a home invasion, where a scary somebody, like an evil clown or a deranged murdered, sneaks up on a group watching a scary movie on television.

            Some pranks are downright funny, causing no permanent harm. Eggs can be washed away, the friend who dressed up as a criminal will be forgiven, and many laughs about it will be shared for years to come.

            But what it the prank turns out not to be funny or to have lasting impact? What if it causes poor old Mrs. Hubert to have a heart attack or breaks a bunch of windows that the home owner can’t afford to repair?

            Your task is to write a story that features a potentially dangerous prank, that can cause harm to either the doers or the receivers.

            Begin by making a list of things that can logically be done. For example, climbing on the roof might not be possible to seven year olds, but teens could certainly do so.

            Create at least two characters. One might be the instigator, the other hesitant, but goes along with the prank anyway.

            Think of things that can go wrong. Narrow it down to no more than three.

            Write your story, incorporating the fear of Halloween, the mystery of the night, the costumes and the adventure.

            Have fun with this one.

Startling Sounds

On By Terry ConnellyIn prompt, Uncategorized, Writing promptLeave a comment

            Picture yourself sitting before the television, engrossed in your favorite show. A loud boom shakes your house, rattling the windows and causing your heart to seem to skip a beat. You consider investigating, but when no sirens sound, no knock comes to your door, you shrug it off.

            Now imagine that the sound, that boom, caused things to fall off shelves, your floor to rock and roll, and sets off car alarms up and down your street. What do you do now?

            Your task is to write a story in which a sound or sounds plays a major role. First identify the source of the sound, then the effects of the cause dependent upon how close your protagonist it to the source.

            Take into consideration the reactions of your character. Some people startle easily and once shaken, take a long time to recover. Others are curious, might investigate, then do some online research to see if any reports have come in. Still others will do nothing, not wanting to get involved.

            Choose a reaction that will interest readers the most. Tension is critical, so include dialogue as a mode to illustrate what and why your character acts.

            Have fun with this one.

Being Stalked

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There are some situations that give us chills. Being stalked is one of them.

Imagine watching a movie in which the protagonist has a questionable person following him. The stalker jumps in and out of shadows, leaves clues and seems to be everywhere at once.

The protagonist is so terrified that he cannot function normally. The police are trying to help, but they cannot be everywhere at all times.

So far nothing untoward has happened, but the threat that something awful could occur occupies your character’s mind. It’s a dangerous situation, one that inhabits the mind and constricts behavior.

Your task is to write a story in which your character is being stalked. Begin small. It might be that the stalked looks familiar, or has a voice that reminds your character of someone he knows. It might seem accidental that the stalker keeps popping up, but when the quantity of appearances increases, then it gets just plain spooky.

Description will be important as you set the scene. In fact, each time that your character changes setting, new descriptions will be important. Dialogue will pop up when your character tries to tell someone what’s happening. Will the someone believe or not? Will the someone take action or not?

Have fun with this one.

The Bus Ride

On By Terry ConnellyIn Uncategorized, Writing promptLeave a comment

Perhaps you’ve never ridden a bus late at night through a poorly lit area, but you can imagine what it would be like. Shady characters lounging on corners. Strange noises filling the night. Dogs growling, barking. Gun shots ringing out. Sirens. Flames. Shouts.

Consider who is on the bus with you. Are the passengers only little old people sleeping with their heads resting on the windows? Or might there be that one person that makes goosebumps appear on your arms? What causes that reaction? Is it the person’s appearance? Actions? Or is it due to a preconceived notion you have learned from things you’ve read or watched on television?

Your task is to write that story.  Begin with the setting. Establish who the driver is in terms of how she acts toward the passengers. Is she indifferent? Does she challenge anyone and prevent them from entering?

Describe the things that pass by the windows and how they make your character feel. Sensory details are critical. Show us the passengers through your character’s eyes. Make the scene scary by building tension. Something could happen, or maybe not.

Have fun with this one.