Have you ever encountered a horror story that kept you nervously guessing and turning the pages until the very end, to find out what happens?
That’s suspenseful horror.
But how does one go about writing such a story? How can horror writers inject more suspense into their stories, to keep their readers engrossed?
Summary: This guide explains what suspense is, what it’s made of, and how you can develop it when writing a horror short story or novel.
What Is Suspense, Exactly?
In fiction, suspense is a state of uncertainty and anticipation that keeps people engaged in a story. It makes the reader worry about what might happen next, turning the pages to find out.
In a well-crafted horror story, suspense doesn’t just entertain. It grips the reader and makes them feel the fear alongside the characters.
When we read a horror story or novel, we know that it’s probably going to be scary at some point. That’s how the genre works. It’s right there in the label.
But we don’t know how or when the scary thing will emerge, or what form it will take.
This “not knowing” creates a level of suspense that can be equally thrilling and nerve-wracking for the reader. This makes it a powerful tool for writers.
What Factors Contribute to Suspense?
Suspense isn’t created in a vacuum, nor does it result from just one thing. In horror fiction, there are usually several overlapping factors that create tension collectively.
Here are some of those contributing factors:
- High stakes: In fiction, the “stakes” refer to what the main character has to lose. The reader must know what the character risks losing, whether it’s their life, their sanity, or someone they love. As the story progresses, the stakes increase until the peak or climax.
- Imminent threat: The threat of danger creates a sense of urgency in fiction. Even if the threat isn’t immediately visible, it has to be there, lurking in the shadows.
- Deliberate pacing: The rhythm of a story can also influence the tension. Suspense builds when moments of calm are punctuated by sudden spikes of intensity, like an eerie silence before a thundering roar. Unpredictable pacing keeps readers on edge.
- Foreshadowing: Dropping subtle hints or clues about future events can add another layer of suspense to a horror story. The audience knows something is coming—but they don’t know when or how.
- Emotional connection: Suspense tends to have a stronger effect when readers can empathize with the protagonist. When they feel a character’s fear, desperation, or vulnerability, the story becomes personal.
- Uncertain outcomes: Unanswered questions can keep readers engaged in a story. What’s making that noise? What’s casting that shadow? How will the characters make it out of this alive? The more uncertain the outcome, the higher the suspense.
Specific Techniques for Horror Writers
We’ve covered the primary factors that create suspense in fiction. Next, let’s explore some of the methods you can use to inject them into your story.
Here are five techniques horror writers can use to build suspense:
1. Begin with a mystery.
Think of ways to begin your story with an unanswered question, an unsettling event, or some other element of mystery.
For example, a character might wake up to find an unfamiliar object in their home or hear strange noises in the night. This sets the stage for suspense and plunges the reader into an unsettling situation.
Imagine you read a horror short story that starts like this:
Abbie was skipping down the sunlit, wooded path to her friend Jessie’s house, whistling back to the birds and relishing the sun’s warmth, when she spotted the cave.
Right away, we have questions that need answering.
Why hasn’t Abbie seen the cave before? Did she take a new route? Was it hidden before but visible now? And most importantly … what’s inside this cave?
In horror stories, an initial mystery can lead to even more mysteries. Maybe Abbie gets closer to the cave’s entrance and hears a moaning sound. Maybe she mentions it to her parents, who exchange a nervous glance before warning her away from it.
2. Use occasional cliffhangers when ending scenes.
We often associate cliffhangers with chapter endings in novels. They can also be used in the short story format, though they require a bit more subtlety.
If you end a scene with unanswered questions (see above) you create an itch for the reader. You’re creating unresolved tension, pushing both the reader and the story forward.
Remember our cave mystery from above, the one that Abbie found?
What if a particular scene in that story ended like this:
She was being silly, that was all. Childish. There was absolutely no reason to be afraid of some boring old cave in the plain, ordinary woods of a boring old town.
And yet, as she resumed her trek down the path to Jessie’s house, Abbie could almost feel that dark mouth reaching out to her, as if it wanted to draw her in.
It would be hard to put the story down at this point, wouldn’t it?
Related: 10 ways to structure a horror story
3. Limit the reader’s knowledge of events.
When writing a scary scene in a horror story, consider limiting the amount of information the reader has. Let them see only what the characters see. This forces them to experience the dangers and uncertainty firsthand, just as the protagonist would.
In our Abbie-and-the-cave example, there might come a scene where is she walking through the woods and hears something moving along with her. It’s somewhere off in the shadows, deeper in the forest and out of sight.
When she moves, it moves.
And when she stops, it stops.
If the reader knows what “it” is, there would be less mystery and therefore suspense. If the reader doesn’t know, they’re in the same situation as Abbie—clueless, scared, and alone.
4. Create a suspenseful atmosphere with sensory details.
A creepy setting can heighten suspense in a horror story. Dark woods, abandoned buildings, and stormy nights create a natural sense of unease for readers.
Related: How to describe the setting in horror
To get the most out of this effect, use sensory details to describe what the character sees, hears, smells, tastes or feels. Just use them sparingly. Too much description can slow a story down.
In our Abbie-and-the-cave example, I could simply say that “Abbie heard footsteps,” and leave it at that. Or I could go further to describe the sound of crunching leaves, the snapping of twigs, the silencing of birds as the thing passed beneath them.
If you want to make a horror story more suspenseful, help the reader “see” the story. Use sensory details to create atmosphere and bring it to life. Make the atmosphere palpable.
5. Reveal the threat gradually, versus all at once.
If you give away too much too soon in a horror story, you’ll have a hard time increasing tension. It’s like doing the grand finale at the start of a fireworks display, rather than at the end.
At the start of your story, offer glimpses of the danger rather than revealing it outright. Build slowly from there. Later, when the story reaches its peak, you can release the threat in full.
With Abbie and the cave, I could initially show a glimpse of the creature, through Abbie’s eyes:
It wasn’t human. Abbie knew that much. No human could move that quickly or disappear that fast. All she saw were little pieces—a powerful frame, gray skin, and eyes black as coal.
Now the reader has to keep reading. Their curiosity will drive them along.
