How to come up with horror story ideas that producers will want to read.
Struggling to come up with horror script ideas? Or maybe you have a horror script, but it doesn’t quite resonate with readers?
No matter which camp you fall into, below you’ll find how to come up with spine-chilling horror story ideas that will help Sell your next horror screenplay.
But first, here’s why writing horror screenplays is a great place to start if you want to be a screenwriter.
Horror scripts are easier to sell because they cost less to produce.
Of course, not all horror movies are low budgetbut many are. This is because they usually require:
- minimal special effects
- Least/Cheap Location
- Second-tier or even third-tier actors
- simple storyline
ETC.
This makes horror a very attractive genre for filmmakers, as it potentially provides them with the greatest bang for their buck. If your storyline is as good as your storyline The Blair Witch Project, saw, paranormal activity, Wait, they might want to read the script.
This in turn gives aspiring screenwriters like you a better chance of seeing their low-budget horror movie on screen as opposed to a big-budget action movie.
Type takes center stage.
Have you ever gone to see a horror movie because of the actors in it? No, you went because you probably saw the trailer or read the synopsis. In other words, people go to horror movies just because school.
People want to feel scared. That’s it.
So you don’t have to worry about complex plots, dizzying locations, or deep characters to edit. All you need to do is write a script that scares the reader.
Sounds simple, right? But what do you do? Follow us into the deep, dark forest and discover how…
3 simple and beautiful ways to come up with scary story ideas.
While we can’t give you a magic formula for cutting and pasting (most of the creative process is short-lived, of course), here are some ideas on how to come up with horror story ideas.
Method #1. Redesign synopsis for other types of plots.
This involves simply looking at some successful logs non horror movie And put them into fear.
Let’s start with an obvious example: the Hangover:
Original synopsis:
When three friends wake up from a bachelor party in Las Vegas with no memory of the night before and no sign of the bachelor, they must circle the city to find their friends before the wedding.
Sounds like a comedy, right? But what if we gave it a horror twist? Here is an example:
horror summary:
Three friends wake up from a festival in Mexico with no memory, only to discover a mysterious video documenting their crazy night. As they piece the events together, they realize that they each made a pact with a demonic entity during a drunken ritual.
This is just a simple example, we’re sure you can come up with better ones, but the point is, it’s easy to come up with good horror story ideas by simply Reimagine existing ideas.
Here’s another non-horror storyline twist, this time from a drama, nomadic land:
Original synopsis:
After losing everything in the Great Recession, a woman in her sixties embarks on a journey across the American West, living a modern nomadic life.
horror summary:
A middle-aged woman travels alone in a van across the country. A young woman hitchhiking takes her into a mysterious community living deep in the forest, from which there seems to be no escape.
Again, we just took an existing idea—in this case, a bland, plotless drama—and transformed it into a plot-driven genre film.
Of course, the technology can be applied to create any type of horror film – from slasher to gothic to psychological and beyond. Brainstorming Summary Taking the opposite genre and turning it into horror.
Method #2. Become a horror movie lover.
It’s amazing how many aspiring horror writers know so little about the genre they write about. Absolutely must Learn about form, themes and Horrible routine As a genre:
- Horror is the most dualistic of genres: life/death, us/them, me/you, etc.
- This is the riskiest type—life or death.
- Its theme is how humans cannot understand the end of death
- The protagonist’s flaws are almost always related to past crimes
- Evil is almost always contrasted with innocence (through child characters)
constantly.
here are some tips and ideas On how to achieve Hitchcock-level depth of horror knowledge:
- Watch dozens of horror movies/TV shows. Classic horror films, B-movie horror films, arthouse horror films, psychological horror films, etc.
- Watch dozens of non-horror movies and shows. Comedies focus on witty dialogue and light-heartedness, action movies focus on fight scenes, romances focus on love B-level stories, and so on.
- Overview and breakdown of horror movies. Write a scene-by-scene outline of what happens on screen in your favorite horror movie. (Read this article on how to outline a movie.)
- Read and talk about horror. Buy books like The Masterpiece by John Truby Genre Analysisregister for specialized horror websites, join online discussion groups, attend horror conferences, etc.
- Check out horror writing prompts. Some writers like to use writing prompts to get their creative juices flowing. You can find two great lists here and here .
- Break down and research movies, synopses, books. Basically, no more time to passively watch movies/TV. From now on, you should dissect every horrific incident you see—find out what’s behind it. Often, horror is a mixture of tense atmosphere, relatable human experience, and shocking, unexpected twists. Your job is to figure out how to make these moments stick with readers long after they’ve read “Fade Out.”
Method #3. Figure out what scares you.
Another great way to come up with horror story ideas is to simply think What are you personally afraid of?.
You can do this by thinking about what Horrible situation The things in movies/shows that scare you the most, and the real-life situations (real or imagined) that scare you the most.
For example, if you have an underlying fear of burglary, you could try to translate that fear into a movie, e.g. stranger. Alternatively, if you are frightened by amusement parks, you could use that fear to write a story set in an amusement park, e.g. haunt. Or if flying makes you sweat, write one final destination. You get it.
Writing a horror film is a challenge for writers because you can’t edit it with a bunch of scary scenes, or some blood and guts, and that’s it. You need to make sure that the basis of your horror story idea is personal fears Rooted deep within yourself.
similar movies sinister, midsummeror geneticsare scary not because of the gore, but because they force viewers to face their own worst, primal fears.
Figure out what you’re afraid of—whether it’s getting lost in the woods, falling from a television tower, clowns, or something else—find it and let it be the star of your scary thoughts.
How to come up with horror story ideas: Conclusion.
Crafting a horror script that sells is all about coming up with some scary ideas with a twist. Never choose the obvious choice At any stage of the writing process—from coming up with an initial idea, to creating characters, to crafting a plot, and more.
Keep the reader on their toes, guessing what will happen next, and if things go wrong, you’ll be well on your way to creating a solid horror script.
And don’t forget to take advantage of What you fear most. If you can translate your nightmare into a story well, your nightmare will become someone else’s nightmare.
Once you have a story or idea in hand, Script Reader Pro can help you connect with a professional screenwriter to turn it into a complete, marketable script. Please feel free to contact us to learn more about our services.
Like this article? Read more about how to come up with script ideas…
How to Write a Story Synopsis: The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide
20 of the Best Horror Scripts to Read and Download for Free
Script Creativity: 5 Proven Ways to Unleash Original Film Creativity
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