A family moves into an old house and experiences unexplainable events including phantom footsteps, doors opening, and noises. They shrug off the events until they escalate and a dark presence seeks to harm one of them. These stories often use classic demonic elements such as claw marks, screams, foul smells, and threats of death. The ghost might be see-through or solid, can walk through walls, move furniture, slither across the floor, or even attack the character with physical force.
Ghosts have been a source of fear and comfort for humans throughout history, spanning all cultures. Homer’s Odysseus journeys to the underworld in a spiritual adventure that crosses the boundaries between life and death, Pliny the Younger writes of a ghost bound in chains haunting a house, and the 2nd century AD writer Lucian describes Democritus residing in a tomb to prove that cemeteries are not haunted by spirits of the dead.
The key to writing a good haunted story is escalating the supernatural occurrences as well as showing the impact that the ghost has on your characters’ lives and their emotional state of mind. It’s also important to reveal the ghost’s backstory and any unresolved conflict that ties them to earth. This will keep your reader on the edge of their seat while keeping them wondering what the ghost is up to and how they’ll resolve the situation. If your ghost is a physical entity, you can add more suspense by revealing any special abilities they have, such as being able to touch your characters or travel through electrical lines.