Writing a novel “Haunted”
Hints on Writing Ghost Stories Really frightening ghost stories do not depend on horror – blood, limbless bodies, stakes in the heart – to chill the reader’s blood.
Just think of the times you’ve been scared at night – only to discover the finger tapping on the window was a leafless branch, or the creaking on the stairs was caused by central heating. It was your imagination! Try to build up the tension in your story by having your hero/heroine experience strange noises, smells, sights that may or may not be caused by his/her imagination.
Hint 1. You can tease your reader into feeling afraid by having the ‘horror’ just out of sight, heard but not seen.
Hint 2 Try to build up the story slowly. Do not have all the ‘ghostly bits’ happening together in an early chapter or the reader will lose interest in your story.
Hint 3 It’s a good idea to finish each chapter with a ‘cliff hanger’ – then the reader will be desperate to read next week’s instalment.
Hint 4 Your reader will never feel afraid unless he/she understands ‘you’ – the storyteller character. Tell the reader how ‘you’ feel when you are scared.
Hint 5 Do not feel that your story has to have a neat, ‘happy ever after’ ending. Sometimes it is more effective to leave the reader guessing as to what finally happens.
The Final Instructions … Before you start writing, you MUST have some ideas of how the story is going to turn out. Now is the time to make those decisions about setting, plot, character etc.
Read the given chapter headings and make a note in your jotter about the following: What exactly is The Curse? Within what type of building is your story set? What is the frightening thing that happens as you approach the building? What is the appalling secret? What is the cause of The Curse? What is IT? What happens at the end of the story? You should have a clear idea of what you are going to do before you start. You can, however, change your mind as the story develops.
Now it begins … Preparation Plan your novel in detail, making a note of your ideas. Design an attractive front cover for your novel. This can be as creepy or as scary as you wish. Remember to include the author’s name (yours) and class.
Chapter One “The Curse” You hear or read of a terrible curse that has been placed upon anyone who visits a certain building in your district. Awful accidents have befallen brave souls who have ignored the curse …
Chapter Two “The Journey” You discuss your plans with a friend but nobody will go with you. Your family forbid you to go. You have to get out of the house in the dead of night. During your journey the weather changes – for the worst. As you approach the building, something frightening happens …
Chapter Three “The Window” You recover and examine the outside of the building. A light flickers in the window and then disappears. Suddenly you hear a noise behind you; is it the police or somebody (something) else? Having no choice, you now decide to enter the building …
Chapter Four “The Building” In this chapter, you explore the building. Make the description as creepy as possible. You return to your place of entry and find the exit is mysteriously locked/blocked/shut …
Chapter Five “The Secret” You search for a way out of the building. During the search you stumble across an appalling secret. The secret allows you to work out the cause of “The Curse”. As you tumble to the truth, you hear someone/something approach. Terrified, you realise you must escape before …
Chapter Six “Trapped” You run from ‘it’ – the noise – desperate to escape. You are very frightened. The noise follows you, until finally, you are trapped. You barricade the door. But the door starts to move … It is …
Chapter Seven “It” In this chapter you discover what ‘it’ has to do with the secret and The Curse … ‘It’ may be supernatural, dangerous or harmless. You manage to escape from the building but your troubles are not over yet …
Chapter Eight “Help” In this chapter you have to summon help – to get someone to believe your story and to come back to the building to see … whatever it is you saw – and thus believe your story. This time you are not alone when you enter the building …
Chapter Nine “The End” What finally happens? How the story ends up is entirely up to you.