Whether it’s sitting in the dark with friends or toiling over your laptop in the back room, a few scary story prompts can help get your juices flowing.
- As a group of friends heads into the woods for a weekend camping trip, they stumble upon an abandoned cabin. Inside, they find a dusty old book with strange symbols on the cover. Curiosity gets the best of them as they begin to read the book’s eerie contents, only to realize too late that they have awakened an ancient evil that was better left undisturbed. Scary story prompt: The curse of the forgotten cabin.
- A family moves into a new home, excited to start fresh. But strange occurrences begin to happen as soon as they settle in, and the youngest child starts talking to an imaginary friend named “Mr. Shadow.” As the family delves deeper into the house’s history, they uncover a dark past that threatens to consume them all. Scary story prompt: The haunting of Mr. Shadow.
- A young woman inherits her grandmother’s mansion after her passing, but as she starts to explore the sprawling estate, she realizes that her grandmother may not have been entirely human. With each passing day, the woman discovers new secrets about her family’s dark past, and soon finds herself the target of a sinister force. Scary story prompt: The legacy of the half-blooded witch.
- A group of college students decide to explore an abandoned asylum, thinking it will be a fun adventure. However, as they delve deeper into the asylum’s decaying halls, they realize that they are not alone. A malevolent spirit haunts the abandoned building, and it’s hungry for fresh souls. Scary story prompt: The asylum’s vengeful ghost.
- A family vacationing in the mountains decides to take a shortcut through an old mining town. But as they drive deeper into the deserted streets, they realize that they may never make it out alive. The town’s residents have all vanished without a trace, leaving only a sense of dread and something lurking in the shadows. Scary story prompt: The abandoned mining town.
- A group of friends rent a cabin in the woods for a weekend getaway. But as the sun sets on their first night, they realize that they are not alone in the forest. Something sinister is lurking just beyond the trees, and it won’t stop until it has claimed them all. Scary story prompt: The forest’s malevolent presence.
- A small town is plagued by a string of mysterious disappearances, and no one knows what’s causing them. But when a group of high school students decides to investigate, they uncover a sinister plot that’s been hidden for centuries. The town’s dark secret is finally revealed, and it’s far worse than anyone could have imagined. Scary story prompt: The cursed town.
- A young couple moves into a new house, excited to start their life together. But as they start to unpack their belongings, they realize that the house is not what it seems. Doors open and close on their own, and strange noises can be heard throughout the night. The couple soon realizes that they are not alone in the house, and that their new home may be haunted by something malevolent. Scary story prompt: The haunted house.
- A group of urban explorers decide to investigate an abandoned factory, thinking that it will be an easy adventure. But as they explore deeper into the factory’s dark and decaying halls, they realize that something is stalking them. The group soon finds themselves trapped in the factory, with no way out and something unspeakable hunting them down. Scary story prompt: The abandoned factory.
- A family moves into a new town, excited to start over after a tragedy. But as they settle into their new home, they realize that the town has a dark secret. Every year, on the night of the full moon, a monster emerges from the surrounding forest to claim more victims. As the family fights for survival, they begin to realise they have a strong connection to the monster that is related to the previous tragedy. Scary story prompt: The monsters of the past.
Want to add your own prompt? Put it in the comments below and we may add it to the list.