39+ ‘Psychological horror’ Writing Prompts
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Descent into Despair
Write a diary entry of someone who is bitten and is transforming into a zombie.
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Paradox Pandemonium
Write a story that tackles the horror of a man meeting his future self, who warns him of a grave…
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The Unseen Villain
In your horror story, the real villain isn’t the haunted house or the creepy neighbor, but something much less tangible.
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The Unseen Terror
Write a story about a mythical, unseen creature that induces inexplicable fear in a fantasy world.
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Creeping Shadows
Write a scene where the shadow of a character takes on a life of its own in a horrifying way.
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Poe Reimagined
Write a contemporary version of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher”, focusing on mental illness.
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Monsters of the Soul
Craft a storyline where necromancers don’t just raise the dead, but can also summon the darker aspect of a person’s…
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‘Undercover in a Devil’s Cult’
You’re an undercover detective infiltrating a cult rumored to perform human sacrifices.
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Message from the Monster
The monster under the bed starts leaving chilling messages for the protagonist.
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Invaded Safe Haven
Imagine coming back home only to find things in disarray and suggestive of a creepy presence.
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Terrifying Teapot
Create a narrative where an innocuous teapot has strange and horrifying effects on its drinkers.
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Ancient Artifacts
Write about an archeologist discovering an ancient, otherworldly artifact, awakening ancient horrors as a result.
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Requiem For Humanity
Conceive a story about a man who, after being turned into a werewolf, grapples with the beast within.
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Nightmarish Doppelgänger
Your protagonist begins to see an exact, yet clearly more sinister, version of themselves.
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Shadow Follower
You come across a mysterious shadow that follows you everywhere and gradually morphs into horrifying forms.
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The Final Countdown
Imagine waking up with a countdown clock tattooed on your arm that no one else can see.
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Shadowy Silhouettes
Write about encountering a shadowy figure lurking in plain sight during day time.
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Dreadful Doppelganger
Write about a character who is haunted by their exact replica, who starts altering their life in horrifying ways.
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Inanimate Dread
Craft a tale about a seemingly harmless everyday object that brings a wave of terror and misfortune to those in…
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Hallucinatory Havoc
Craft a psychological horror tale where your main character experiences terrifying hallucinations.
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The Deceiving Mind
Tell a tale of someone convinced they’re a character in a horror novel, but they can’t identify whether it’s the…
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The Living Nightmare
A character’s worst nightmare begins to come true during their waking hours. Detail their journey of terror and survival.
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Mirrored Souls
Write a story wherein your protagonist comes face-to-face with their evil doppelganger.
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Haunted Nostalgia
Write about a much-loved relic from your past that begins to exhibit inexplicably terrifying behavior.
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Tormented Sleep
Build a narrative about a character who is plagued by ever-intensifying nightmares that hint at a foreboding reality.
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Shadow’s Breath
Describe a scenario where darkness itself comes alive and starts hunting your protagonist.
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Unseen Passenger
Craft a story around an unseen entity on board an aircraft, creating havoc and uncertainty.
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Psychonaut Ship
Describe an advanced military vessel that is sent underwater both physically and mentally (into the minds of its crew) for…
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Creepy Folklore Inheritance
Write about a character who inherits an old family heirloom tied to a creepy folklore.
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The Unseen Monster
Conceptualize a story where the monster doesn’t physically exist, but is rather a profound and shared psychological fear among the…
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The Ghost of the Past
Craft a tale focusing on a character being haunted by an entity that is connected to an unresolved part of…
