Question

What would be a good opening for a piece of narrative horror writing? I need one for my exam but my minds gone blank.

Answer 1

Start off saying... "I woke up at 5:00 in the morning. Everything is silent not a single noise startled me. I shut off my alarm as i was getting up. Then I heard a doorbell ring. Who would of come over at 5:00 in the morning. I was shaking, scared, frightened even! I grabbed the door handle then..." I don't know if this is helpful so yeah :)

Answer 2

Well, first of all, do you have a plot? If you don't have your plot planned out, you shouldn't be thinking of beginning a story. Especially with horror stories, those have very intricate plots and conflicts. I'd start out with a plot diagram. In 1-2 sentences, or even bullet points, explain what will happen in the: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and finally the resolution. Once you've got all that figured out, plan the characters. A characters personality contributes to the story greatly, especially with the story-telling part. A brave character will have a totally different view from that of a shy, wimpy character. Now that you've got your characters, choose your point of view. Will it be first person? Third Person? Or even second person? Choose wisely, because each point of view will have a different impact on the story and reader. Great, okay. You have the main elements down. Now you can start your story. The person above did a pretty good job. Always remember to start with a hook, that grabs your readers attention. Dialogue, onomatopoeia, etc. "A loud clash sounded upon my door, in the late hours of the night. I sat up lightning fast in my bed, my eyes half closed as I looked around my room. I rubbed my sleepy eyes with the heel of my palm, swinging my legs over the bed. I was not scared per se, more alarmed. I lived in a bustling city, full of action and energy. Loud noises could always be heard from the busy streets down below. But never had I heard such a loud sound, that sounded so dangerously close...My feet touch my apartments cold, wooden, floor, sending a shiver up my spine. I tip toed across my flat, making my way carefully to the door. I looked through the little magic eye, surprised to see no one there. I began to feel a little bit scared, my heart racing, my palms becoming cold and clammy. Everything in my body told me not to, but my hand defiantly wrapped itself around the door knob, twisting it slowly. I pulled open the door, and gasped at the scene before me. Never in a million years would I have expected to find...." Dot dot dot, fill it in with whatever it is she'll find. Thats more or less how you can start it, its kind of cliche but hey, I wrote this in 2 minutes.

Answer 3

I'm not a big horror story writer but if i wrote one i would probably start with normality. i wouldnt make everything seem perfect because reality isnt perfect. i also wouldnnt start by the horror part of the book. i would probably draw flashbacks to help develop the story. i would take my time developing the characters so that the reader has an idea of who the person is.

Answer 4

True