Finding Ideas for Horror Stories (Writing Advice)

[@janeyrevanescence12]

Years ago, I was in college, I had to write a story for one of my creative writing classes and I was stuck. It was late at night and I was a bit primed for horror because I had finished reading “Turn of the Screw” by Henry James for another class. Just then, my roommate flipped the channel to HGTV and on an episode focused on remodeling a Pepto Bismol colored bathroom from the 1980’s. An idea then came to me: of a young woman possessed by a pink bathroom. I whipped up my laptop and started typing. One week later, I had turned in my project and was prepared to get laughed at. Nope. My professor complimented me on it.

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

What's one of your silliest fears, and have you written a story based on it? Let me know!

[@DwayneF]

Not sure if it is silly, but I had a recurring dream where shadows forms would chase me. It stopped when I ran toward one and grabbed it. It was wearing denim. I woke up laughing and never dreamt of them again. I wrote a short story that I recorded for a podcast, but I'd like to flesh it out eventually.

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

Yeah, you could totally stretch those ingredients into a longer story. Or you could find a way to personify the shadows, kind of like how Freddy Kruger is a walking representation of night terrors.

[@PuppetMaster-Blade]

Easy, a hand from inside the toilet grabbing me when i sit to take a dump 🤣😂😂 Perhaps in my book ill add something like that in to happen against a character or something 😂

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

@@PuppetMaster-Blade I would pre-order that in a heartbeat haha. Ever read anything by Jeff Strand? He does Horror/humor stories very well. That sounds like something he'd write

[@PuppetMaster-Blade]

@@WriterBrandonMcNulty I've heard of him but never read his books, after i finish Bad Parts ill check his books out 😃

[@TrevorDuran3390]

My favorite story about fear is about the most basic fear (death). Alexander the Great searching the ends of the earth for the fountain of youth.

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

Death never goes stale as far as fears go. Also, I had no clue AtG spent his life searching for the fountain of youth. Then again, everything I know about AtG is from the one Iron Maiden song named after him haha. Gotta brush up on my ancient history one of these days.

[@TrevorDuran3390]

@@WriterBrandonMcNulty I'm not sure that he did. It was just a tall tale that probably arose after his death.

[@mcberpine2422]

I am not afraid of death. My biggest fear is fear itself

[@TheBluenyt09]

Congrats on your book! I'm writing a horror short story right now. Thanks for the tips 😎🤘🤘

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

Thanks! And best of luck! Keep those personal fears rolling

[@JamesDHalliday]

@@WriterBrandonMcNulty yessir

[@reubenshuppHorrorAuthor]

I have a fear of tarantulas--writing a story about a toy tarantula that comes to life.

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

Spider terrify a LOT of people so you should have no trouble getting under the audience's skin

[@sarnnox]

Spiders sure did get under my skin. That was until I could feel their sharp fangs as they dug their way out, leaving gaping holes scattered across my body.

[@sanicthehedgehog5076]

@@sarnnox oh god no What kind of hell did you just creat

[@ponderanceofagravedigger2564]

Congrats on your book!

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

Thanks! It's been a wild couple of days, but I'm thrilled to finally have it out there!

[@errantwinds-up8uu]

Oh wow this is such an old video but how cool to know your inspiration behind Bad Parts! Also I think Ray Bradbury is the best author I've ever read. Not necessarily my favourite, though he's in the top 5, but the best with how he wrote things.

[@DIGITAL_ARTS1]

I have a basic fear. Serial killers😂, and I’ve had a good idea for one for a while. I just put all the things I was scared about serial killers and put them into one character.

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

Awesome, best of luck with your story!

[@Dani_1012]

When I was a kid I had an irrational fear of statues. Somehow my brain made up the notion that it was another punishment for people, to be slowly killed and molded into statues. They really gave me the creeps for a long time

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

That's a pretty cool fear you could build a story around. Best of luck with it if you do give it shot!

[@Dani_1012]

@@WriterBrandonMcNulty Hi, thanks. I've got about 600 words already, it's tricky since I imagine covering a limp body with wet cement or clay is no easy task, and then even more challenging what happens with the body inside as it weathers with time. But nothing Google can't help with, I hope

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

@@Dani_1012 Hmm, maybe look up news stories about people who were mixed into wet concrete? (Like how mobsters used to dispose of bodies)

[@Dani_1012]

@@WriterBrandonMcNulty Woah I didn't know that about the mob, that's great to know, thanks!

[@sarthakdas459]

I'm afraid of losing my loved ones. Of dying and somehow hanging in the limbo, watching in silence as my family slowly but surely moves on. Of watching my widow falling in love with another man. Helpless.

[@BornAgainCatholic]

Wow, that sounds like a great book. I like how you came up with the idea. I’m going to order your book off Amazon.

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

Thanks a ton--hope you enjoy it! Please consider leaving a review when you're done

[@mrmadfunny5507]

This is absolutely amazing keep up the great work can’t wait to see more 🔥!

[@TruthSurge]

writing in my journal now..... Brandon's teeth..... okay, well, they are kind of scary. Those canines.... you look like you are in mid vampire transformation! Well, okay, I'm joking... uh... heheheh kind of. Good idea to keep a journal of ideas.

[@mwmann]

What if I'm slightly off kilter ?

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

Any writer who's off kilter is headed in the right direction

[@reubenshuppHorrorAuthor]

Writers are little off anyway. Edgar Allan Poe is a good example.

[@allysanchez5630]

I’ve written my own folklore scary story The weeping widow of Italy This woman named Valentina Florentino in Italy lost her husband as he was killed in a drowning murder by someone unseen in the dark. She was heartbroken and tried to drown herself in the same waters of Italy to join him in death, but she couldn’t until she found out what happened when he was killed, find his murderer, and avenge her husband. She became a vengeful spirit who searches bodies of water in Italy and when you hear her cries, beware. If there is a couple outside in the dark, she might mistake the male significant other for her husband. but if it’s not, then she will suck all the life out of them in horrifying rage with glowing red eyes filled with black streaming tears and leave them emotionlessly blank and gray on the ground, leaving them behind. She cries in the night for her love who was unfairly taken from her and will stop at nothing to find his murderer.

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

Awesome stuff. Best of luck with your story!

[@allysanchez5630]

@@WriterBrandonMcNulty thanks

[@allysanchez5630]

@@UnjustVerdict thanks

[@shakuntshenoy7406]

I have a fear of being lonely when you are not alone and not being alone when you are alone.

[@xChikyx]

I'm scared of dogs, and my MC gets chased by one in my fiest book :D

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

I got bitten by a dog as a kid and was afraid of them till my mid-20s. Totally feel you on that one

[@JuliaElizabethGraves]

My weirdest fear is definitely the color yellow. I get very uneasy when there is too much of it around and I could write about it, but sadly (or not, its great) the yellow wallpaper already exists 😂

[@cyanrazorCel]

Oh god, your thumbnail just for a second made me think you were Smash JT. And for that insult, I apologize.