What do you want in a Paranormal Ghost Story? (please help!)

TemperThompson · 09-07-2013, 05:19 PM

I am a writer, about to start a new story to publish here on Amazon. It will be a scary, suspenseful ghost story.
My question is to you, the readers of Kinde!

WHAT DO YOU WANT IN A PARANORMAL GHOST STORY?
What is something you always love to have in a story of this type? What is your favorite part of it? What can make it good or ruin the story altogether for you? What is something you wished more stories had?

PLEASE submit all of your thoughts. I want to make an ebook that you will LOVE!
What makes you love a paranormal story above the others?

.

DuskyRose · 09-07-2013, 06:57 PM

Don't know if I can help, since I'm not into Ghost Stories so much as I am Urban Fantasies. But they do have ghosts in them. Sometimes. Not in any particular order...

I like buddy stories, teams that work together. I don't mind a bit of romance, but I don't read those that are mostly romance with some Fantasy in them. Don't try to straddle the fence, do one or the other.

I'm not into really grissly details, or prolong torture or suffering. I want the universe to be consistant. (If you say that ghosts can't cross water, then don't forget your own rule and have them chasing a victim across a river with no effect. Pay attention.)

I can't stand stupid characters. Fine if someone makes a stupid mistake, but if they do it over and over I'll give up on them. Have your characters keep their mind on what's going on. (In one story I read, a woman assassin was supposed to be a professional at her job, but wore unrealistic high heels and spent more time worrying that her thong was riding up than the fact her victim was coming into target range.)

Show, don't tell. Show us what your character is like, don't have them tell us in dialog or back story.

Have a story you want to tell your readers. Don't try to piece it together from bits you think will sell. Telling the story should come first.

Dr. Drib · 09-07-2013, 07:43 PM

This has been moved to the Writers' Forum.

Don
(Moderator)

crich70 · 09-07-2013, 08:05 PM

I think stories where the ghost is implied more than seen through most of the story are spookier than where there is a clear ghost. It builds story suspense if the MC is under ever increasing tension as he/she wonders when they will be brought face to face with the ghost. Especially if the ghost isn't particularly friendly.

Penforhire · 09-07-2013, 11:27 PM

I enjoyed Joe Hill's "Heart Shaped Box" more for his living characters than for the ghost. I wish more stories, of all genres, were as character-driven.

Lazer · 09-08-2013, 01:03 AM

Tension. Constant tension and something out of the box.

mr ploppy · 09-08-2013, 11:56 AM

I think it should have skinheads and football hooligans in it instead of the usual drippy characters you get in that type of book. And maybe the ghost of a hells angel who smacks people around the head with a bike chain. Or rides his bike over them while they're asleep in bed.

VydorScope · 09-08-2013, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr ploppy

I think it should have skinheads and football hooligans in it instead of the usual drippy characters you get in that type of book. And maybe the ghost of a hells angel who smacks people around the head with a bike chain. Or rides his bike over them while they're asleep in bed.

Some how even if you posted this anonymously I would have guessed you were the poster! LOL

bucsie · 09-10-2013, 09:07 AM

I would never read a ghost story where there is a romantic entanglement between the ghost and another character. Even worse if they "get physical" (I have no idea how that would work, perhaps in a dream state?). Just stay away from that, please.

I would love a naughty ghost, not a bad/scary one, but one that occasionally pulls pranks on the living, or scares teenagers out of having a steamy encounter. Sort of the comic-relief partner of the main character. But with some possibility of it being incredibly scary and doing really bad stuff, if that's its fancy.
And then it would grow by going on some sort of quest and change into a better version of itself, and realising something like 'the more good stuff I do, the closer the door that gets me into the light appears' or some other sort of positive change.

09-07-2013, 05:19 PM	#1
TemperThompson Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2013 Device: Kindle	What do you want in a Paranormal Ghost Story? (please help!) I am a writer, about to start a new story to publish here on Amazon. It will be a scary, suspenseful ghost story. My question is to you, the readers of Kinde! WHAT DO YOU WANT IN A PARANORMAL GHOST STORY? What is something you always love to have in a story of this type? What is your favorite part of it? What can make it good or ruin the story altogether for you? What is something you wished more stories had? PLEASE submit all of your thoughts. I want to make an ebook that you will LOVE! What makes you love a paranormal story above the others? .

09-07-2013, 06:57 PM	#2
DuskyRose Guru Posts: 731 Karma: 9209502 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Virginia Device: Boox Note Air3, Palma, K-Scribe, Eclipsa 2e, & Libra 2, Ipads	Don't know if I can help, since I'm not into Ghost Stories so much as I am Urban Fantasies. But they do have ghosts in them. Sometimes. Not in any particular order... I like buddy stories, teams that work together. I don't mind a bit of romance, but I don't read those that are mostly romance with some Fantasy in them. Don't try to straddle the fence, do one or the other. I'm not into really grissly details, or prolong torture or suffering. I want the universe to be consistant. (If you say that ghosts can't cross water, then don't forget your own rule and have them chasing a victim across a river with no effect. Pay attention.) I can't stand stupid characters. Fine if someone makes a stupid mistake, but if they do it over and over I'll give up on them. Have your characters keep their mind on what's going on. (In one story I read, a woman assassin was supposed to be a professional at her job, but wore unrealistic high heels and spent more time worrying that her thong was riding up than the fact her victim was coming into target range.) Show, don't tell. Show us what your character is like, don't have them tell us in dialog or back story. Have a story you want to tell your readers. Don't try to piece it together from bits you think will sell. Telling the story should come first. Last edited by DuskyRose; 09-07-2013 at 07:14 PM. Reason: (And, certainly, spell better than I do.)

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09-07-2013, 07:43 PM	#3
Dr. Drib Grand Sorcerer Posts: 45,037 Karma: 56650819 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Peru Device: Kindle: Oasis 3, Voyage WiFi; Kobo: Libra 2, Aura One	This has been moved to the Writers' Forum. Don (Moderator)

09-07-2013, 08:05 PM	#4
crich70 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,309 Karma: 43993832 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Monroe Wisconsin Device: K3, Kindle Paperwhite, Calibre, and Mobipocket for Pc (netbook)	I think stories where the ghost is implied more than seen through most of the story are spookier than where there is a clear ghost. It builds story suspense if the MC is under ever increasing tension as he/she wonders when they will be brought face to face with the ghost. Especially if the ghost isn't particularly friendly.

09-07-2013, 11:27 PM	#5
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	I enjoyed Joe Hill's "Heart Shaped Box" more for his living characters than for the ghost. I wish more stories, of all genres, were as character-driven.

09-08-2013, 01:03 AM	#6
Lazer Groupie Posts: 174 Karma: 1498858 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Kindle 3	Tension. Constant tension and something out of the box.

09-08-2013, 11:56 AM	#7
mr ploppy Feral Underclass Posts: 3,622 Karma: 26821535 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Yorkshire, tha noz Device: 2nd hand paperback	I think it should have skinheads and football hooligans in it instead of the usual drippy characters you get in that type of book. And maybe the ghost of a hells angel who smacks people around the head with a bike chain. Or rides his bike over them while they're asleep in bed.

09-10-2013, 09:07 AM	#9
bucsie Connoisseur Posts: 71 Karma: 674766 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Kindle	I would never read a ghost story where there is a romantic entanglement between the ghost and another character. Even worse if they "get physical" (I have no idea how that would work, perhaps in a dream state?). Just stay away from that, please. I would love a naughty ghost, not a bad/scary one, but one that occasionally pulls pranks on the living, or scares teenagers out of having a steamy encounter. Sort of the comic-relief partner of the main character. But with some possibility of it being incredibly scary and doing really bad stuff, if that's its fancy. And then it would grow by going on some sort of quest and change into a better version of itself, and realising something like 'the more good stuff I do, the closer the door that gets me into the light appears' or some other sort of positive change.