Ideas for ghost stories: How can you create a truly terrifying ghost character?

A plot for a terrifying ghost story can be achieved by making the ghost's motives unclear at first. The mystery around why the ghost is there and what it wants keeps the audience on edge. For example, a ghost that just stares at the main character from a distance without any obvious actions for a while. Also, using a slow - paced plot that gives time for the fear to build up. The anticipation of when the ghost will finally make a big move can be more terrifying than a lot of sudden scares.

A creepy ghost story involves an old abandoned asylum. People who dare to enter claim to hear whispers and feel cold drafts. Some have even seen ghostly patients wandering the halls. It's said that the place is cursed and haunted by the tortured souls of those who were mistreated there.

Begin with an unexplained event. Say something like 'She woke up to find her bedroom door wide open, even though she was certain she had locked it before going to bed. A cold draft swept through the room, carrying with it a faint, musty smell she couldn't place.' This kind of mystery right at the start can draw the reader in.

There's the story of the haunted theater. Actors and stagehands often reported seeing a man in old - fashioned clothing sitting in the balcony during rehearsals. No one knew who he was, but it was said that he was a playwright from long ago who had a heart attack in that very theater and his spirit never left. It gives everyone the creeps just thinking about it.

Yes, some can be. For example, the story of the phantom librarian who moves books around at night can be quite spooky. Just imagining a ghostly figure among the stacks, disturbing the order of the books, gives one chills.

One of the scariest might be the story of the haunted mansion. It's said that at midnight, strange noises come from the attic, and shadowy figures can be seen in the hallways. People who have visited the place claim to feel a cold presence following them around.

Yes, it is. The story is full of spooky elements like the mysterious woman in black who haunts a particular place. Her presence alone is enough to send chills down one's spine.

Yes, indeed. The 'Woman in Black' is a true ghost story that has many elements that make it terrifying. The mystery surrounding the woman in black herself is a huge factor. We don't really know her full backstory at first, but we can sense her malevolence. The events that unfold in the story, such as the strange deaths and the feeling of being watched, all contribute to making it a truly chilling ghost story.

The element of realism can make a ghost story truly terrifying. If the story is set in a familiar place or situation, like an old, abandoned house in your neighborhood or a lonely road you often drive on. When something supernatural occurs in these normal settings, it blurs the line between the real and the supernatural, making it all the more frightening. It makes you think that such things could actually happen to you.

The mystery in the story is likely a big factor. There are things that are left unexplained, like the origin of the ghost or the strange events that keep happening. This sense of the unknown, along with the possible appearance of a ghostly figure, makes 'The Presence: A Ghost Story' a really terrifying one. The writer may also use elements like sudden changes in the environment, such as a cold breeze when there's no open window, to enhance the fear factor.