How to tell a great ghost story
  • 1. What is the most important element of a great ghost story?
A) Atmosphere
B) Length
C) Jump scares
D) Gore
  • 2. What setting best enhances a ghost story?
A) Crowded beaches
B) Modern apartments
C) Isolated, old places
D) Busy cities
  • 3. What sense is most crucial to engage when building tension?
A) Sight
B) Hearing
C) Taste
D) Smell
  • 4. What narrative perspective typically works best?
A) Third person limited
B) First person
C) Second person
D) Third person omniscient
  • 5. What is a key technique for building suspense?
A) Foreshadowing
B) Happy endings
C) Detailed character backstories
D) Sudden explanations
  • 6. What should be avoided to maintain mystery?
A) Over-explanation
B) Character development
C) Vivid imagery
D) Descriptive language
  • 7. What is a good way to create a sense of unease?
A) Unreliable narrator
B) Perfectly rational characters
C) Predictable events
D) Lack of detail
  • 8. What is the purpose of a red herring in a ghost story?
A) Misdirection
B) Happy ending
C) Resolution
D) Explanation
  • 9. What kind of detail is best for evoking fear?
A) Abstract and vague
B) Happy and bright
C) Subtle and suggestive
D) Explicit and graphic
  • 10. What is a common theme in ghost stories?
A) Technological advancement
B) Financial success
C) Unfinished business
D) World peace
  • 11. What should the pacing of a ghost story be like?
A) Slow burn
B) Fast and frantic
C) Even and predictable
D) Abrupt and jarring
  • 12. What role does silence play in a ghost story?
A) Heightens tension
B) Reduces fear
C) Confuses the reader
D) Is irrelevant
  • 13. What is a good way to introduce the ghost?
A) Immediately
B) Gradually
C) Blandly
D) Humorously
  • 14. What is the effect of blurring the line between reality and perception?
A) Weakens the story
B) Makes the story boring
C) Reduces confusion
D) Increases suspense
  • 15. What's important to consider about the ghost's motive?
A) It should be random
B) It should be compelling
C) It shouldn't exist
D) It should be silly
  • 16. What makes a ghost story relatable?
A) Human emotions
B) Complex plots
C) Supernatural powers
D) Futuristic settings
  • 17. What type of ending is often effective?
A) Happily ever after
B) Completely resolved
C) Ambiguous
D) Predictable
  • 18. What is the purpose of using sensory details?
A) Bore the reader
B) Immerse the reader
C) Distract the reader
D) Confuse the reader
  • 19. What is one way to make the ghost more frightening?
A) Make it boring
B) Make it friendly
C) Give it clear rules
D) Make it unpredictable
  • 20. What should a ghost story NOT rely on for scares?
A) Psychological tension
B) Building suspense
C) Cheap jump scares
D) Atmospheric descriptions
  • 21. Why is it important to know your audience?
A) It's not important
B) To avoid offending anyone
C) To make more money
D) Tailor the scares
  • 22. What kind of language enhances a ghost story?
A) Descriptive and evocative
B) Simple and plain
C) Technical and precise
D) Modern slang
  • 23. What does internal conflict in characters add to the story?
A) Simple resolution
B) Less emotion
C) Deeper engagement
D) Boring characters
  • 24. What is the impact of using local folklore?
A) Reduces creativity
B) Adds authenticity
C) Guarantees success
D) Limits audience
  • 25. Why should you avoid clichés?
A) They always work
B) They are predictable
C) They are easy to write
D) They are original
  • 26. What creates a lasting impression after the story ends?
A) Happy resolution
B) Complete closure
C) Lingering questions
D) Forgettable details
  • 27. Why is it important to set the stage early on?
A) Confuse the reader
B) Establish the atmosphere
C) Introduce all characters
D) Delay the plot
  • 28. What role do secrets play in a ghost story?
A) Hinder character growth
B) Obscure the plot
C) Drive the plot
D) Are irrelevant
  • 29. What is a good way to use dreams in a ghost story?
A) Filler content
B) Comic relief
C) Foreshadowing events
D) Exposition dumping
  • 30. How can you use the history of a place to your advantage?
A) It's irrelevant
B) To make the story boring
C) To distract the reader
D) To build a backstory
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