The Full Moon Disappearances
Imagine a small coastal town that is periodically plagued by inexplicable disappearances every full moon. New to town, a young journalist decides to investigate and uncovers a link to a supposed creature sighting that has been dismissed as a legend. Unravel the town’s dark truth through the journalist's notes, interviews, and eerie encounters.
Suggested length: A short story: 1,500 to 5,000 words, or flash fiction under 1,000
Start the clock
Pick a sprint, press start and keep going until it stops. Momentum beats polish on a first draft.
Make it yours
Three ways to take this prompt somewhere nobody else will.
- Open with the threat already in motion, not the setup.
- Make the person helping your hero the one to worry about.
- End a scene on a phone call, a knock or a name.
Writing thriller books
Something terrible is coming. Can they stop it in time?
Where a mystery looks back at a crime, a thriller looks forward at a threat. The reader often knows more than the hero, and the tension comes from watching danger close in. Short chapters, high stakes and a ticking clock are the tools of the trade.
What readers expect
- A clear, escalating threat
- A hero under pressure
- Twists and reversals
- Pace: little time to breathe
A tip before you start
Put a clock on it. A deadline the reader can count down turns every scene into a race.
More Paranormal Thriller prompts
- The Estate Sale JournalAfter the sudden disappearance of three people in a small, sleepy town, a troubled detective discovers an old journal at a local estate sale. The…
- The Medium's Malevolent SpiritDevelop a thriller centered around a medium who initially uses their gift to help spirits pass on but discovers a malevolent spirit aiming to re-enter…
- The Library's Shadow BookAn ancient book is found hidden in the basement of an old library that hasn’t been accessed for decades. When a group of friends dares to read from…
- The Lighthouse ArtifactA lighthouse keeper on a remote island finds an ancient artefact washed ashore, glowing with an eerie light. Soon after, strange visions plague not…
Fifteen minutes in? Keep going.
Chapterly gives a draft somewhere to grow: chapters, daily word goals, and readers when you're ready.
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