What exactly is a psychological horror story?

One idea could be a person who wakes up every day to find that their memories are slowly being erased. They start to see strange symbols around their house that seem to be related to the memory loss. As they try to figure out what's going on, they realize that there's a shadowy figure in the corner of their vision that disappears whenever they turn to look directly at it.

A physiological horror story is one that plays on the fears and tensions related to the human body and its functions. It often involves elements like body mutations, diseases, or psychological breakdowns related to physical aspects.

Well, a Gothic horror story typically has elements such as spooky old buildings, supernatural occurrences, and characters facing psychological terror. It plays on fear and mystery to keep readers on the edge of their seats. Think of things like Dracula or Frankenstein.

Basically, a Gothic horror story combines elements of horror and romance. It usually takes place in a gloomy, decaying environment. There are often tortured characters and a plot filled with mystery and fear.

Well, start by building a creepy atmosphere. Use dark settings and mysterious sounds. Also, give your characters deep-seated fears and traumas.

Imagine a person who receives a series of anonymous letters. The letters contain details about their deepest, darkest secrets that no one else should know. As they try to find out who is sending the letters, they start to feel like they are being constantly watched. Everywhere they go, they sense an unseen presence. Their paranoia grows as the letters become more and more threatening, until they are afraid to leave their own home.

A psychological horror novel is a novel that uses human psychology as the main clue to create a nervous, fearful, and uneasy reading experience by describing the occurrence of a horror event and the protagonist's experience and reaction. In psychological horror novels, the protagonist would usually face a series of seemingly harmless events and scenes, but in fact, these events and scenes originated from the psychological problems and subconscious of the protagonist. This kind of novel often explored the fear, desire, loneliness, and contradiction in the human heart. Through the protagonist's experience and reaction, it showed the horror and depth of these topics. The psychological horror novel was one of the more advanced categories of horror novels. Its plot and atmosphere often attracted the reader's attention and triggered the reader's inner thoughts and reflections. The common psychological horror novels, Faulkner, George Orwell, Margaret Atwood, and others.

They have to be skilled at exploring the dark aspects of human nature. By delving into things like fear, guilt, and madness, they can create truly terrifying stories. A great psychological horror author will make you question your own sanity or the sanity of those around you. For instance, in 'The Yellow Wallpaper', the author shows how isolation can drive a person to madness in a very psychological way.

The key elements often include a sense of unease and dread. For example, an unreliable narrator can make the reader constantly question what's real. Creepy settings like an old, abandoned house add to the horror. Also, psychological manipulation of the characters, such as gaslighting, is common. Subtle foreshadowing that makes the reader anticipate something bad is another element.

Horror and suspense are story types that aim to thrill and scare the audience. They often involve elements of the unknown, danger, and tension to keep you on the edge of your seat.