A great way to start a horror story is by introducing a cursed object. 'The antique mirror was beautiful, but there was something off about it. Every time she looked into it, she saw a figure in the background that wasn't in the room. One day, when she reached out to touch the mirror, she felt a cold hand grab hers from the other side, and that was the start of the horror that would consume her life.'
You can start with a strange dream. 'He fell asleep and entered a world of chaos. In his dream, he was running through a forest filled with trees that had eyes and roots that reached out to grab him. When he woke up, he found that the nightmare was just beginning as there were scratch marks on his bedroom door that weren't there before.'
Start with a sudden and unexplained event. 'The moment he opened the front door, all the lights in the house went out. He could feel a cold draft sweep over him, but there was no sign of where it came from.'
Start with a false accusation. For instance, a well - respected man in the community is wrongly accused of a crime he didn't commit. This creates a sense of injustice and the need for the real truth to be uncovered. A detective can then be brought in to clear his name and find the actual culprit.
Begin with a cryptic message. Maybe a piece of paper with a riddle or a series of numbers that seem to have no meaning. This hooks the reader as they will be curious to see how the detective deciphers it. It also sets the tone for a story full of puzzles and secrets.
One way is to start with a dialogue. Such as 'I'm not going in there,' said Tom, his eyes wide with fear as he stared at the dark cave entrance. This makes the reader curious about why Tom is so afraid and what is in the cave.
Begin with a dream sequence that is filled with dark and disturbing imagery. For instance, the protagonist dreams of being chased through a pitch - black forest by an unseen entity. When they wake up, they're not sure if it was just a dream or if it was a premonition of something real. This blurring of the lines between reality and nightmare is a classic gothic trope and makes for an engaging start.
Begin with an eerie setting, like 'The old, dilapidated house stood alone at the end of the overgrown lane, its broken windows like gaping mouths in the moonlight.'
Beginning with a mysterious disappearance can be great. Say something like, 'When he woke up that morning, his sister was gone. There was no sign of a struggle, just an empty bed and a cold breeze coming in through the open window. He knew, in that moment, that something truly terrifying had begun.' This immediately creates a sense of unease and mystery, drawing the reader in.
One effective way is to introduce a mysterious character who seems to have a dark secret. Maybe they show up at an isolated place and give off an eerie vibe. That can really draw readers in.
One good way is to introduce a mysterious character who gives off an eerie vibe. Maybe they have a hidden past or strange behavior that makes the reader curious and nervous.
One way is to start with a discovery. For instance, a character could find a strange object like a small, ornate key that has no obvious lock it fits. It's a simple yet effective start as it sets up the mystery of what the key is for and where it belongs. The reader will be eager to follow the character's journey to figure it out.