The word haunted has a wide range of associations and meanings in modern English. A ghostly apparition that is seen, heard or otherwise sensed may be considered to haunt a person, place or thing. Ghosts can appear as a visual apparition, the movement of objects, the fading and obscuring of light, sounds that seem to come from nowhere, or even the presence of strange smells. The concept of being haunted is also associated with a variety of emotions including remorse, fear, guilt, regret, envy and vengeance.
The way in which you approach your haunted story will have a great impact on the type of ghostly experience that you want to convey. Decide whether your ghost story is going to be a horror, paranormal, suspense or mystery and think about how your characters will react to the ghostly presence. Will they be frightened, sceptical, amused or curious?
Then decide if you are going to use visual or audio cues to build the tension of your ghost story. Classic visual signs include a misty apparition, the appearance of strange lights and sounds like a hum, footsteps or the sudden ringing of bells. Audio cues can include phantom voices, screams and the resounding echo of doors slamming. You can also evoke foreboding through the gradual deterioration of something such as a scarecrow or an abandoned house. Add all these elements together and you have a ghost story that will be unsettling, creepy and frightening.