How to Write a GHOST STORY: The Secret to Writing Scary Stories 

I’m doing that exactly with the unknown. Writing a horror script where you never actually see the ghosts. The Haunting (1963) adaption did that and it was hands down one of my favorite horror films. You’re 100% right about it being scary when you can’t see the ghost.

I'm glad that I found your video. I've been planning to write ghost stories of my own that I needed some tips for them. Currently, I'm planning on one that I'll try your tips.

I must compliment you most highly on your delivery. Listening was interesting and slightly addictive. I wanted more and am sure to be haunted by it.

This deserves more likes

I was writing an idea for a crime novel last year which was set in a Yorkshire seaside town called Scarborough and my murder victim was called clementine like the song oh my darling clementine and the way she died was just like in the song but I made her a ghost plus she was part of this rumoured religious cult she still haunts the beach too ahhhh I need to resurrect it and make it interesting but I don't know where it fits in genre 😖😣

I have expernced ghost for most of my life even as a kid u r totally right about what makes them scary even when I did have one that seemed friendly it was still very unnerving cos it was so alien and unknown strange

Ghosts are not naturally scary. How to make it scary, 1. Not having control 2. The unknown 3. The uncanny valley 4. Brutal threats 1. Make your ghost overpowered. Have all weapons not work, they can't run because the doors are all lock. Having the ghost possess your character. 2. Have your characters know nothing about these ghosts, have them not be able to see the ghosts so they never know where they are. They don't know who to trust. 3. Have something off about the ghost this weighs very heavily on description. Have them look human, but something seem wrong. Make the setting seem strange. 4. Ghosts that are out for blood. Show this, not just tell. Show what they're capable of, things the character would not want happening to them. Close calls, friends slaughtered. Pay attention to the things that scare you.

Ghost stories can be one of the hardest to write, the story has to be structured and tight from the beginning, but can be so fun to put together, great channel, thanks!

Thanks. This advice really helped me out a lot with my horror story I’m writing and the video gave me an idea for one of my books scenes. Now I’m going to go back to my main characters backstory that I wrote and pull even more ideas from it for my books next scene.

Great ideas Claire. I am writing a 10K story for a local competition so I thought I'd try a ghost story. Your video has given me plenty of ideas. Thank you.

Good info. Thanks for breaking it down this way...

Wonderful video! See, I play this video game, and one of the characters I use seems to have an affinity for ghost stories. So I had the bright idea to write a ghost story for him to tell to the rest of the team mates. It'd be based off in game lore, but I got really excited about making it an actual good ghost story so decided to research! I found your video first. The story would be told in a classic campfire situation. I think this ghost falls under "brutal threat" category most, maybe (I'm not great a categorizing) Most of his backstory will be told, but what makes him scary is that even in such a magical world as this video game, where even zombies exist due to divine powers, once caught by this ghost, your soul would be so shattered that there'd be no hope of bringing you back to life. It'd also have a tragic back story that affects its appearance. I guess a smidge of "uncanny valley" with eyes frozen and glowing from tears, and wailing cries that blend in with the howling winds of the mountain this ghost roams. I'm a novice at writing, of course, but man is it fun writing descriptions like that. Edit: just realized there a bit of "not having control" in there, since once a person's soul is destroyed by the ghost there's no going back. I didn't think of that though since people are capable of running away. But since this ghost blends in with its icy surroundings rather well, running away may not be so easy.

Would you use these same principles when writing a ghost story that feels more sad? Like eerie and sad? If that makes sense. I've been trying to write something like that but I can never match the feeling to something that's supposed to be scary actually be horribly sad.

This info is Gold... 👍 Amazing tips

This was easily my favorite video, and it makes me want to scare people!

Thanks so much, it was of great help to my student as we watched the video together 😊

I am just about to start writing a very true ghost story with some very scary ghosts :)

Nice! This will be very helpful, thank you for those tips!

You saved my life

Hi Claire, thanks so much for a super helpful video. You've given me heaps of ideas and tools to use for writing my ghost story. Much appreciated. Tania.

thanks alot for uploading this video tip 3 was really helpful. It gave me a me idea that i thought is cool

A good example of # 1 is Resurrection Mary, the ghost who walks around Resurrection Cemetery in Chicago IL at night - she's reported to have just black holes for eyes and a mouth. Does she have hands? I can't remember. And Samara, the villain in the American version of The Ring - the way she walks. In the Japanese version, it's her eyes that are way off. An example of # 2 would be the villain the first Alien movie - he was just a little squiggly thing when he came busting out of John Hurt's chest, and then he disappears. They have no idea where he went or that he could grow so fast - until it's too late. Example of # 3 would also be Samara from The Ring - there's something seriously wrong with this girl, no two ways abot it. Example of # 4 would be the banshee in the old movie Cry of the Banshee - it's not the traditional Irish banshee - it's a werewolf who's killing off his family members & when he finishes with them, they're no longer recognizable. Thank you, Claire! 👍👍

I love ghosts!

Thanks!

How about ghosts possessing spiders and them crawling on people while they sleep...

Very helpful, thanks!

Nice!

I mean I use dolls and sprite and stuff for ghost

Commenting two years after posting to make your day!!! 😄

How about a Claire whos clairvoyant?

you expired me to make a story

You just saved me from getting beaten at school

Very helpful, thanks!