As Halloween looms ever closer, it’s only appropriate that I encourage my fellow horror authors to create something creepy, unsettling, or downright terrifying.

So, here are ten writing prompts to inspire you and help you create the horror masterpiece of your dreams.

Enjoy, and let the spooky storytelling begin!

Prompt 1:

You wake up one morning and find yourself suddenly without bones. How do you proceed?

Prompt 2:

The teddy bear your grandmother got you begins whispering to you at night. What does it say?

Prompt 3:

You stare at your reflection in the mirror. Everything looks the same, save for one small detail. Instead of looking back at you, your reflection is looking behind you.

Prompt 4:

You’re a scavenger in a remote area and come across a powerful machine that could wipe out the entire world. What do you do with it?

Prompt 5:

You’re turning into a zombie, but you believe it’s just the flu. Describe the process.

Prompt 6:

You work at a funeral home and begin preparations to embalm the next corpse- but it’s YOU on the table.

Prompt 7:

You find a family photograph hidden in a box. It has the usuals- parents, you, siblings- but there’s an extra person standing beside your mom that you don’t recognize. Who is it?

Prompt 8:

You’re spending the night in a haunted asylum, only to wake up as one of the patients.

Prompt 9:

You find a VHS tape buried in your yard and play it, only to see a recording of your life from birth to the present day. However, there’s someone else on the tape, and as you watch the present day’s segment, you see that they’re standing RIGHT BEHIND YOU.

Prompt 10:

You’re a body slowly rotting away at the body farm in Tennessee. The problem? You’re still fully conscious and aware of your surroundings. What’s that like?

There you have it! Ten original writing prompts to help you usher in another creative Halloween. Let me know what you think (or if you used them), and I hope you have a great week!