Are you ready to delve into the dark and twisted corners of your imagination? Here are 70 scary writing prompts to inspire your next tale of terror, from ghostly encounters to psychological dread.
Ghosts and Hauntings Scary Writing Prompts
- A family moves into an old mansion where mirrors reflect a world darker than reality.
- A child’s imaginary friend turns out to be the spirit of a previous tenant.
- A ghost hunter becomes the hunted during a livestream investigation.
- Every night, footsteps echo in the attic, but no one lives above.
- A town’s church bells ring at midnight, summoning spirits from the graveyard.
- A man finds a diary written by a ghost that describes his own death.
- A ghost ship appears in the harbor every full moon, seeking a new crew.
- The face in a family photo doesn’t belong to anyone alive.
- A mirror in an antique shop traps souls in its reflection.
- A haunted forest grows back overnight no matter how many trees are cut.

Paranormal and Supernatural
- A small town experiences time loops every Halloween night.
- A cursed object passed down through generations exacts its revenge.
- A friendly stranger’s kindness comes with a supernatural price.
- A person wakes up in their own body but in a different, nightmarish world.
- A pet’s strange behavior hints at a demonic possession.
- Shadows on the wall move independently, whispering secrets.
- A bridge built over an ancient burial ground claims a life every year.
- A spellbook found in the attic works, but only for sinister purposes.
- A child’s birthday party is visited by an uninvited and otherworldly guest.
- A carnival ride teleports its riders to a horrifying dimension.
Psychological Horror
- A character starts to doubt their sanity as they see themselves in places they’ve never been.
- A new mother begins to suspect her baby isn’t human.
- A neighbor’s polite small talk grows increasingly invasive and eerie.
- A person finds notes in their handwriting predicting terrible events.
- A sleep-deprived insomniac begins dreaming while awake.
- A once-lovable doll begins to move on its own—but only when no one is looking.
- A journalist interviewing a reclusive writer realizes they are the subject of the latest novel.
- A character’s deepest fears manifest physically around them.
- A man’s new smartphone app knows too much about his future.
- A group of friends plays a party game that turns deadly serious.
Related: Halloween writing prompts
Creatures and Monsters
- A monster under the bed turns out to be real and desperate for help.
- A woman’s reflection in the pond doesn’t mimic her movements.
- A werewolf terrorizes a remote mountain village during a blood moon.
- A man discovers his boss transforms into a creature at night.
- Something ancient and monstrous awakens beneath the city’s subway tunnels.
- A person stumbles upon a nest of giant, carnivorous insects.
- A small island’s inhabitants vanish one by one as a sea creature feeds.
- A farmer’s scarecrow comes to life to protect the land at a terrible cost.
- A hiker in the wilderness encounters a predator that can mimic human voices.
- A child’s bedtime story begins coming true in horrifying ways.
Urban Legends and Folklore
- A hitchhiker vanishes from the car without a trace.
- An urban legend about a killer who leaves notes on bathroom mirrors turns real.
- A cursed song causes anyone who hears it to disappear.
- A mysterious figure grants wishes, but at a steep, unforeseen price.
- A legendary monster said to haunt the woods starts leaving evidence of its existence.
- A statue in a public park moves slightly every night.
- A group of teenagers dares each other to stay overnight in a cursed house.
- A local legend about a witch turns out to be true.
- A chain letter spreads a deadly curse to those who ignore it.
- A small-town festival has a secret, sinister purpose.
Dystopian and Apocalyptic Horror
- A virus turns people into emotionless husks, yet they remain alive.
- The world is plunged into darkness, and creatures begin to emerge.
- Every time the power grid fails, people disappear without explanation.
- A character wakes up to find themselves the only human left on Earth—or so they think.
- A rainstorm brings creatures that dissolve anyone caught outside.
- A dystopian society uses nightmares as punishment.
- Food supplies are tainted with a substance that causes hallucinations.
- A cult arises, claiming to protect people from an invisible apocalypse.
- A child is born with abilities that could either save or doom humanity.
- People are forced to wear masks, not for protection, but to hide terrifying mutations.
Miscellaneous Terror
- A door appears in the middle of a field, and opening it leads to unspeakable horror.
- A character begins receiving letters from their future self, warning of impending doom.
- A camera captures images of people’s deaths before they happen.
- A town’s residents can never leave—and outsiders can never find it.
- A storm brings with it a flood of blood instead of rain.
- A family heirloom grants immortality at a sinister cost.
- A book written in an unknown language appears on a character’s doorstep.
- A snowstorm traps a group of travelers with an unseen killer among them.
- A character’s reflection begins acting independently, whispering dark secrets.
- A person’s shadow starts behaving as if it has a mind of its own.
Unleash your creativity with these prompts and craft stories that will send shivers down readers’ spines. Happy writing!