Stephen King is great at building suspense. In 'The Mist', he keeps you on the edge of your seat, wondering what's going to come out of the mist next. His stories also often have a sense of realism to them, which makes the horror seem more possible. For example, in 'Carrie', the idea of a bullied outcast snapping is all too real in today's society.
For many of his scariest stories, it's the way he taps into our deepest fears. Like in 'It', the fear of the unknown and of things that go bump in the night. He also creates really vivid and disturbing characters. In 'The Shining', Jack Torrance's transformation is both believable and horrifying.
The way he creates a sense of unease. His vivid descriptions of ordinary places turning into something menacing. For example, in some stories, a simple small town becomes a place full of hidden horrors.
For novels like 'Salem's Lot', it's the transformation of a normal town into a place full of vampires. The slow takeover, the people you know turning into blood - sucking creatures, and the feeling of being trapped in a place where evil is spreading. Also, King's vivid descriptions make it seem so real, as if it could be your own town that gets infected.
For his scariest novels like 'It', the ability to tap into universal fears is key. Fear of the unknown, fear of something lurking in the shadows. Pennywise represents that unknowable evil that can be anywhere. Also, the detailed descriptions of the town and the sewers where It hides make it seem more real and thus scarier.
For his scariest novels like 'It', the fear of the unknown is a big factor. We don't fully understand the true nature of It. Also, the vulnerability of the children characters makes it scarier as we naturally want to protect the young. And the fact that It can be anywhere, hidden in the sewers or disguised as something friendly, is truly terrifying.
In 'The Shining', the setting plays a huge role. The large, empty, and haunted hotel. The long corridors and the feeling that something is always watching. Also, Jack's transformation from a normal father and husband to a crazed killer adds to the horror. It shows how isolation and the power of the hotel's evil can break a person.
The psychological depth. Stephen King has a knack for getting into the minds of his characters. In his scariest short stories, he often explores the darkest corners of the human psyche. For example, in 'The Mist', the fear of the unknown and the breakdown of society under extreme circumstances play on our deepest insecurities.
The vivid descriptions. For example, in 'It', the way he describes Pennywise's appearance and the sewers where it lurks is really creepy.
Take 'It' for example. It's scary because it targets children. Children are often seen as innocent and vulnerable. And Pennywise can take different forms, exploiting the fears of each individual. It's also set in a small town, which gives a sense of familiarity, making the horror more real.
Take 'The Boogeyman'. It's terrifying because it taps into a very common childhood fear - the fear of the monster in the closet. King has a way of taking these simple, relatable fears and making them seem very real. The way he describes the boogeyman's presence, the sounds it makes, and the sense of helplessness of the characters makes it a truly scary read.
The psychological aspect. He gets into the minds of his characters, both the victims and the 'terrorists'. This makes it feel very real and relatable.