You can use words related to death, like 'Mortville' or 'Grimston'. These names immediately give a sense of dread.
They use variety. Since it's an anthology, different stories can explore various types of horror. For example, one story might focus on psychological horror, like a character slowly losing their mind, while another could be about a supernatural monster. This keeps the audience on their toes. Also, the element of surprise is key. Just when you think you know what's going to happen in a short story, there's a sudden twist that scares you.
Think about traits that bullies often have. If a bully is always loud and overbearing, you could use a name like 'Boisterous Bob'. Also, look at words that have a negative connotation like 'vicious' and pair it with a name, such as 'Vicious Vera'. Another way is to consider names that sound harsh or grating on the ear, like 'Screechy Steve'.
Blackwood. The word 'black' often connotes darkness and the unknown in horror. Blackwood could be a town surrounded by a thick, dark forest where the trees seem to close in on the inhabitants, and there are tales of things that lurk in the shadows.
Create a sense of mystery in the first sentence and then a sudden shock in the second. Like, 'I found an old diary in the basement. The last entry was written in my own handwriting.' This builds tension as the reader wonders what the diary is about in the first sentence, and then the shock of the second sentence hits.
Create a sense of the unknown. Like 'There was a noise in the attic, but no one had been up there for years.' By leaving things unexplained, it makes the reader's imagination run wild with fear. You don't need to spell out exactly what the noise is. Let the reader fill in the blanks with their worst fears.
Use the element of the unknown. For example, 'There's a noise in the attic, but no one's been up there for years.' By leaving the source of the noise a mystery, it creates fear. People's minds will start imagining all kinds of terrifying things.
First, create a spooky setting like a desolate cemetery or a creepy old mansion. Then, introduce a mysterious character or an unexplained event quickly. For example, a figure that appears and disappears. Keep the plot simple but full of suspense.
Think about nature elements and add a mysterious twist. For instance, if there's a forest, you could call it 'Enchanted Woods' which implies there are magical and mysterious things in the forest. If it's near a lake, 'Mystic Lake' or 'Shadow Lake' would work. Also, consider using old - fashioned or archaic words. Words like 'thorp' or 'dale' combined with a mysterious word like 'eerie' can give you names like 'Eerie Thorp' or 'Shadow Dale'.
You can combine words that have negative connotations. For example, use 'dark' with 'pact' to get 'The Dark Pact'.
Well, start with a unique and terrifying concept. Maybe a space station haunted by unknown entities or a dystopian future with creepy experiments gone wrong.