Ghost Stories

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Anninyn

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I'm writing a ghost story - full length novel - after years of reading them and loving them.

Personally I prefer a creepy atmosphere, and a more psychological fear. I'm not so into the gore. I also prefer it when the haunting isn't over-explained.

What makes a ghost story effective for you? And what are some over-done cliches you'd rather not see any more?
 

Lillith1991

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I love the creepy atmospher as well! Though, I'm partial to ones where the ghosts can influence people and things. But I'm a fan of old legends of undead and ghostly lovers.

What makes them effective? Good build up, the creeping feeling should permeate everything about it. I want to be on the edge of my seat.
 

Alma Matters

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What Lillith said.

If you’ve read and loved many ghost stories you probably know what works and what doesn’t.

The part I always find fascinating is when you find out the history of the place that is haunted. I also like the isolation and claustrophobia of a good ghost story. Lock the reader in with the characters and ghosts – you’re in it until the end...
 

Jamesaritchie

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I love ghost stories, but I do want some kind of explanation.
 

Ken

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The ghost and mrs muir is more my cup of tea. Yours too as it seems.

Light on the supernatural; more focused on the emotional ramifications, etc.

Creepy isn't even necessary. Actually I can do without that. I scare easy.

:chair

Shameful to be sure.
 

Anninyn

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Thanks.

I like the history.explanation bit, but I think it's a tough line to walk between explaining enough to increase the creep factor, and explaining too much.

Like, I know the whole history of the ghost/haunting. All of it, every single nasty little detail. But how much should I include? How much should I leave up to readers imagination?

Obviously, it needs to be clear why my MC, specifically, is so vulnerable to this haunting (and it will be) but how much explanation is *too much*, before it takes away from the fear?

I know, I know, 'how long is a piece of string'.
 

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An agent once wrote on his blog that he hates receiving ghost stories that use some form of white fog to demonstrate a ghostliness to the character or area the author is writing about. He said it was too cliche. But then, that's sometimes how ghosts are seen by humans. So I don't see how that shouldn't be used, if it works for the scene.

ETA: the movie "The Others" used a lot of fog, I believe.
 
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Alma Matters

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I know it goes without saying but avoid the 'info dump' back story. I think it can be drip fed and weaved into the story as you go. But as you say - don't feel like you must explain absolutely everything.

One thing I do dislike in a ghost story (I would probably say cinema is more guilty of this than novels...) is when there seems to be a series of almost random happenings to simply add in a shock/creep moment. 'American Horror Story' is guilty of this time and again ...

Typically, I can't think of an example right now... Sorry.
 

Andieee

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I love me a good creepy setting, above all (rain, small chambers, dingy hallways), along with a good amount of tension. I also find it pretty awesome when the horror elements do not belong to the supernatural (though this one wasn't a good piece of advice since you're writing a ghost story) but to the every day life. It's that 'believable' element that always makes my skin crawl (in the good way) as it makes me wonder 'But what if that actually happened?'
Ending twists are good too, especially when they're in the 'mindfudge' cathegory.
I can't stand excessive gore. It just takes away all the charm and makes the story seem silly.
 

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I love creepy atmosphere. I think a great example of the effectiveness of atmosphere is if you can do it in bright lighting. A great example is The Shining. There aren't really any dark corners. Everything is brightly lit.

Something a little different that has tons of atmosphere is The Innocents, based on the Henry James novel. I also liked The Omen and few other movies. In the Innocents, you're not sure if everything is imagined by the nanny or is it a real haunting. You are left to think for yourself. That is freaking awesome! I may swatch it again after having written this. I hope this helps.
 

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As a reader, I really don't mind the typical ghost story cliches as long as the story is well written and sucks me in. In fact there are several ghost story/haunted house cliches I adore, and they are the very thing that attracts me to the story in the first place.

What I don't like are new twists that feel gimmicky or forced, where it's obvious the author is trying to do something different for the sake of newness alone. Sometimes it's done well though, an example would be Peter Straub's "Julia" where heat instead of cold heralds the presence of ghosts in the house.
 

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Obviously, it needs to be clear why my MC, specifically, is so vulnerable to this haunting (and it will be) but how much explanation is *too much*, before it takes away from the fear?

Going by the ghost stories I've read a lot of explanation is OK. Many actually have a lot. Too much? I guess it is a matter of opinion. But if it's worked in in an interesting way it's probably fine. Don't just explain. Let the explanation unfold thru the characters, etc. Then it'll be as interesting as the actual ghost scene(s).
 
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Sticks

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I'm a big fan of ambiguity when it comes to ghost stories.
 

Galumph_Triumph

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I'm writing a ghost story - full length novel - after years of reading them and loving them.

Personally I prefer a creepy atmosphere, and a more psychological fear. I'm not so into the gore. I also prefer it when the haunting isn't over-explained.

What makes a ghost story effective for you? And what are some over-done cliches you'd rather not see any more?

I agree with you 100% on all counts. To illustrate this point, I think the film The Others is so much better than the film House of 1000 Corpses. They're both horror, except one uses suspense and subtlety, and the other uses gore and shock.

Tropes I'd like to never see again, unless done deftly: haunted houses, zombies, a character ends up being a ghost herself, creepy children, zombies, anything related to bigfoot, zombies.
 

Okelly65

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I agree with you 100% on all counts. To illustrate this point, I think the film The Others is so much better than the film House of 1000 Corpses. They're both horror, except one uses suspense and subtlety, and the other uses gore and shock.

Tropes I'd like to never see again, unless done deftly: haunted houses, zombies, a character ends up being a ghost herself, creepy children, zombies, anything related to bigfoot, zombies.
why the hate on zombies? done right zombies can be atmosphere, sources of tension and horror, they can be used to move a story forward or to keep characters isolated in one location for a psychological storyline.
 

C.bronco

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An agent once wrote on his blog that he hates receiving ghost stories that use some form of white fog to demonstrate a ghostliness to the character or area the author is writing about. He said it was too cliche. But then, that's sometimes how ghosts are seen by humans. So I don't see how that shouldn't be used, if it works for the scene.

ETA: the movie "The Others" used a lot of fog, I believe.
That was scary! Peter Straub's Ghost Story is another iconic book, in my estimation.
 

Okelly65

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Ghost story, was one of the few Straub books I really enjoyed. The Others, Well not my cup of tea.

The fog in the movie was one of the things that helped me figure out what was going on fairly early in the movie. It not only was for mood and showing the isolation of the characters but represented where she and her children were really at.
 

Haggis

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That was scary! Peter Straub's Ghost Story is another iconic book, in my estimation.

Ghost story, was one of the few Straub books I really enjoyed. The Others, Well not my cup of tea.

The fog in the movie was one of the things that helped me figure out what was going on fairly early in the movie. It not only was for mood and showing the isolation of the characters but represented where she and her children were really at.
Not a new thread, but....

If Ghost Story was the only book Straub ever wrote, it's good enough for me to tell him I'm not worthy. One of my all time favorites. But of course he wrote others. I enjoyed the ones he wrote with King. And more. Ghost story remains on top, but he's been a hell of contributor to our field, IMO.

Dammit, we need more ghost stories. It's not that I don't like vampires (though I'm not fond of the way certain authors are taking license with the mythos), and we need more werewolves too. Mostly we need more fright. More scare. Less blood and guts but more flat out fear. Scare me, dammit. Don't describe to me a clown eating somebody's head off, let me worry about a clown I haven't seen that might eat my head off. And let me know just how he might do it.

[/preaching]
 

Okelly65

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Not a new thread, but....

If Ghost Story was the only book Straub ever wrote, it's good enough for me to tell him I'm not worthy. One of my all time favorites. But of course he wrote others. I enjoyed the ones he wrote with King. And more. Ghost story remains on top, but he's been a hell of contributor to our field, IMO.

Dammit, we need more ghost stories. It's not that I don't like vampires (though I'm not fond of the way certain authors are taking license with the mythos), and we need more werewolves too. Mostly we need more fright. More scare. Less blood and guts but more flat out fear. Scare me, dammit. Don't describe to me a clown eating somebody's head off, let me worry about a clown I haven't seen that might eat my head off. And let me know just how he might do it.

[/preaching]
dont get me wrong I am not slamming him. There just something about his style that doesnt appeal to me. But Ghost Story was the one that hit me in a good story place.

for the rest of your comment, I agree completely. Bring back the fear!

If your going to write about Vampire, make them monsters, not glittery, whiny, angst ridden two hundred year old teen agers who only want to date and go to the beach. :D

oh and I know its an old thread, But I wasn't around when it was started and wanted to comment. :)
 
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Haggis

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dont get me wrong I am not slamming him. There just something about his style that doesnt appeal to me. But Ghost Story was the one that hit me in a good story place.

for the rest of your comment, I agree completely. Bring back the fear!

If your going to write about Vampire, make them monsters, not glittery, whiny, angst ridden two hundred year old teen agers who only want to date and go to the beach. :D

oh and I know its an old thread, But I wasn't around when it was started and wanted to comment. :)
No, I gotcha, O. And not everybody needs to like the same authors the same way. And it's not like we don't agree that Ghost Story was Straub's best to date. It's okay if we disagree on the rest. :D

But I do want to reclaim our tropes. Vampires don't sparkle. They kill. Werewoves don't go to High School. They kill High Schoolers. GAH. You know where I'm going with this.
 

Okelly65

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No, I gotcha, O. And not everybody needs to like the same authors the same way. And it's not like we don't agree that Ghost Story was Straub's best to date. It's okay if we disagree on the rest. :D

But I do want to reclaim our tropes. Vampires don't sparkle. They kill. Werewoves don't go to High School. They kill High Schoolers. GAH. You know where I'm going with this.

if you want to see a great Werewolf movie, check out "Dog Soldiers."
 

Lhowling

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I love ghost stories related to urban legends. Like the woman in white who haunts the cemetery and has a sordid history leading to her death. I grew up watching unsolved mysteries and loved reading short story collections about ghosts and haunted places. If there is an creepy backstory and even creepier setting, then that's a ghost story that hits the spot.

Although it is more of a paranormal romance than a horror story, A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb was an interesting read. I would propose it has certain horror elements, but the use of it here is reversed. We know right away the MC is a ghost, and the concepts of being a ghost or spirit in the story are pretty creative. Then, we see her haunt the soulless body of a young girl and she has to live in this uber-Christian household that's crumbling behind the happy, pious facade. So, the ghost feels trapped and confused, not to mention she's haunted a body to be closer to another ghost (also in possession of a body with no soul). Makes the concept of being human far more frightening than being haunted. Again, not traditional horror, but an interesting idea.
 

Okelly65

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some of those Urban tales are worthy of becoming novels. Ive never read that book but I will add it to my list to read. Thanks.
 

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Tropes I'd like to never see again, unless done deftly: haunted houses, zombies, a character ends up being a ghost herself, creepy children, zombies, anything related to bigfoot, zombies.

So I guess you're not the ideal audience for my upcoming book, Creepy zombie children versus zombie bigfoot in the haunted zombie house, then.
 
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