Writing Prompts for Horror and How to Make Your Own

Horror writing prompts are not only fun to create but are a great way to kick start your horror writing. Creating your own horror prompts for your own use is very simple. In fact writing my own horror prompts is what prompted this blog. The three easiest ones are the ones I have focussed on, story starters, themes and picture prompts.

To write your own story starters simply get a blank piece of paper or word document, and starting at the top, write the beginning of a sentence, do your best to have either action, mystery or some type of hook in it that will get not only your attention but your reader’s attention as well.

Example…His hand shook as he picked up the gun…or The screaming behind her didn’t stop…

Now fill the left hand side of your page with as many as these that you can, be varied and remember to come back to it again as this can be a wonderful way to beat writers block

To write your own theme is very similar, again starting with a blank piece of paper write down anything from emotion, to items to clichés.

Example… The body lay lifeless on the floor...or the mirror was smashed.

Fill the page with as many of these as you can come up with, returning at later dates to both use the prompts and update them.

Writing Prompts for Horror Writers

Story Generators

Write a short horror story of least 750 words using one of the opening lines from below:

1. Hounded by hell…

2. The lights flickered once…

3. Staring at the open grave…

4. The scream cut off…

5. Peering through the dirty window…

6. The tile floor was stained with blood…

7. The air was like ice…

8. The streets are never this empty…

9. Only the janitor remained…

10. Footsteps behind her…

11. He knew she was hiding something…

12. The graveyard loomed out of the mist…

13. The caravan looked empty…

14. It always happens…

15. The water rippled…

16. Time seemed to move slower…

17. Kill me first…

18. Pain can be the only thing to let you know you’re still alive…

19. The ship drifted…

20. It only looks perfect in the postcards…

Writing Themes

Choose one of the themes below to write a short horror story of no less than 750 words or a poem of any length:

1. Cornfield

2. Dark Forest

3. Murdering heart

4. Secrets

5. Confusion

6. Blood tears

7. Funeral

8. Trespassing

9. Road kill

10. Blindness

11. Old book

13. The wind

14. The desert

15. Poison

16. Incest

17. Old Farm

18. Madness

19. Ancient

20. Beware

Picture Prompts

Picture prompts are the most fun out of these three areas of creative writing prompts, easy to use and even easier to come up with a story. They say a picture’s worth a thousand words so it isn’t any wonder that picture prompts bring out the best in writing.

Choose an assortment of artwork that appeals to you; then narrow your choices to ten to 15 and those aside for prompts. Try to decide what sub-genre the picture fits best. The style of writing, length, characters etc. can all come later.

For example, take a look at the featured image above. What emotions does it trigger? Are they visceral, apathetic or? Would you be able to write a story using the image as your prompt? What sub-genre of horror do you think it would be?

Writing horror is fun - it can be cathartic and satisfying, pushing through boundaries and testing the limits of the darker side of our imagination. So as you write your horror, whether it's your first time or your millionth story, remember to have fun with it.