How to tell the ultimate, scary campfire story?

If a weekend spent sleeping in a tent, roasting marshmallows and communing with nature sounds like a screaming good time, then you’re going to need a confident amount of ammo to frighten your campfire audience. So, dim the flames and gather round my pretties’ as we prepare your soul to learn the mysterious methods of scary storytelling. After all, it’s the dead of summer and your horror lovin’ spirit is grimly awaiting a countdown to the start of fall.

Don’t rush your story along

The focal point of storytelling is to allow the listener to place themselves in the shoes of the characters, so when you’re resurrecting your favorite ghost story or simply creating one from scratch, it’s also best to remain grounded and tell all the elemental details with meticulous care. Also, play into the natural settings of the area and take note of your surroundings. It’s possible that the sound of trickling rain, the rushing of the nearby river or the shrill hoot of an owl, paired with some eerie mist rolling in, can provide you with some added effects that might aid the spookiness of your story. You can also deliver your tale like it’s a warning by slowing the pace of your voice.

Try to make it sound like you’re also a known believer

While we know that you’re reading our blog because you’re a supreme believer in apparitions and supernatural entities, when you’re telling your campfire story it’s always best to play the role of a non-believer. This is because it only makes sense for the narrator to create a relaxed ambiance, only to join others by freaking out later stating that it can’t possibly be true.

Speak in the present tense as if the story just happened 

A good way to ground your tale and make it terrifying is to speak about it in the present moment. Ghost stories and fables are always scarier when your audience thinks that the murderer is still lurking in the shadows. So, play into this role by subjecting alarming details that make you more believable.

Try not to be too descriptive during the grim scenes

An alarming ghost story leaves a ton of room for interpretation and the more you describe, the less scary it may be. Since fears are subjective and usually based up a person’s personal experiences and traumas, it’s always better to skip over some of the narrative gore to allow your audience to paint their pictures. Nevertheless, storytelling is a bit of a mind game, tapping into the dismay and superstition of your audience. However, using some horror collectibles as props may be just the right amount of bizarre to move the story along. After all, regardless of who you are, most ghouls are afraid of what goes bump in the night.

 How to end the story? 

The best way to end a truly ghastly ghost story is to leave your audience dwelling with a chilling cliff hanger. You’ve just spent time establishing the plot through spooky interactions and some sort of devilish entity, so leave listeners enchanted by the fact that the ghost could return. Not only will they not be able to sleep easy, but you could even pull out your horror collectibles and reveal that the ghastly apparition may be stuck inside the stitching of your well-loved toy. Wouldn’t that make for a grisly plot twist? 

Do you know any other ghost story tips that are worth sharing with our readers? Drop your comments below to get the word out.