good horror plots for stories

One good plot could be a haunted house. An old, dilapidated mansion that has a dark history of murders or suicides. People who enter start experiencing strange phenomena like cold spots, doors opening and closing on their own, and seeing shadowy figures. Another is a cursed object. For example, a mirror that reflects something different than what's actually in front of it and brings misfortune to those who look into it. A third plot could be a small, isolated town where all the residents seem normal on the surface but are actually part of a cult that performs dark rituals at night.

A young journalist is assigned to cover a story about a small, remote town. When she arrives, she notices that the townspeople are all very secretive and seem afraid. She starts to investigate and finds out that every few decades, a mysterious fog descends on the town. During this fog, people disappear. As she delves deeper, she discovers an ancient curse placed on the town by a wronged witch centuries ago, and now she might be the next victim as the fog begins to roll in again.

One classic plot is the haunted house. A family moves into an old, dilapidated house and strange things start to happen. Doors open and close on their own, cold spots are felt, and there are unexplained noises at night. Another plot could be a cursed object. A character finds an old artifact and after that, they are plagued by misfortune and terrifying visions. It could also be about a serial killer on the loose in a small town. The townspeople live in fear as the killer strikes randomly, leaving a trail of blood and mystery.

A family moves into a new house. At night, the children start to see a shadowy figure in their room. The parents dismiss it as their imagination at first. But then, objects start to move on their own, and the figure becomes more menacing. As they dig deeper, they find out that the previous owners of the house were involved in a dark cult ritual, and the house is now cursed. The family must now find a way to break the curse before the entity in the house consumes them all.

You can start by looking at real - life urban legends. Many horror stories are based on these, like the story of Bloody Mary. Another way is to draw inspiration from your own fears. If you're afraid of the dark, you can create a plot where the darkness itself is a living entity that hunts people. You could also read a lot of classic horror literature. Writers like Edgar Allan Poe have created some really great horror plots that you can use as inspiration.

A hiker gets lost in a forest and stumbles upon an old, dilapidated cabin. Inside, there are strange markings on the walls and a diary. As he reads the diary, he realizes it was written by a previous hiker who had also been lost and was slowly going insane from something in the forest. Then, he starts to hear growls outside and see pairs of glowing eyes through the window. He's trapped inside with whatever is out there.

Common plots in gothic horror stories include the exploration of the unknown. Characters might venture into a strange forest or an abandoned mine, only to encounter terrifying and inexplicable phenomena. There's also the plot device of the supernatural inheritance. A character might inherit a property or an item that brings with it a host of horrors. For instance, inheriting a mirror that shows disturbing visions or a book that unleashes dark magic. And the idea of a slow descent into madness is also prevalent, as the characters are exposed to the horrors around them and gradually lose their grip on reality.

There is a forest that is known for its beauty, but at night, it turns into a nightmare. Hikers who venture in after sunset find themselves lost in a maze of trees that seem to move. The forest is filled with strange noises, like the howling of a wolf mixed with a human scream. They soon realize that there are ancient spirits in the forest that are angry at humans for invading their territory and are now hunting the hikers.

One good plot is a missing heir mystery. There's an old, wealthy family and suddenly a will is discovered, but the heir named in it has vanished. This sets off a search among various characters who all have motives to either find the heir first or keep them from being found. It could involve a lot of family secrets and hidden pasts.

One good plot could be a haunted house. An old, dilapidated mansion that was the site of a grisly murder long ago. People who enter it start to experience strange phenomena like cold spots, doors slamming on their own, and seeing shadowy figures out of the corner of their eyes. Another plot could involve a cursed object. A seemingly innocent antique, like a mirror, that brings misfortune to anyone who comes into contact with it. People who look into the mirror start seeing terrifying visions of their future deaths. A third good plot is a small, isolated town with a dark secret. All the townspeople seem normal at first, but as night falls, they transform into some sort of blood - thirsty creatures.