Need some guidance for planning your story? Check out what common qualities great horror stories have that elevate them above mediocre attempts at the genre:

• Strong atmosphere and tone – The setting, choice of words, and imagery establishes a tense, creepy, and unsettling mood right from the start.

• Suspense and tension – Keeping the audience guessing about what might happen next. Using mystery and thrill to build suspense.

• Vulnerable characters – Having empathetic characters that the audience can relate to and worry for when danger approaches.

• Creative monsters/villains – Original and frightening antagonists that pose a credible threat without seeming silly or contrived.

• Blurring reality – Obscuring the line between the real and unreal to make the audience question what is actually happening.

• Slow reveal – Withholding just enough information to tease the audience and make them keep reading to get answers.

• Disturbing imagery – Visual descriptions intended to shock, repulse, and frighten, like gruesome death scenes.

• Themes of dread – Touching on universal human fears and phobias – darkness, pain, disease, isolation, madness, death, etc.

• Shocking twists – Surprising revelations that turn the story in an unexpected direction.

There is a reason why Stephen King is such a master of horror. When you read his book, you’ll notice that he hits almost all of these spot on.