Ready for Halloween? I grew up in a haunted house. Yup, really. Free-lance writer Sally Diamond has written a spooky-fun guest post on…

Surviving the Night at a Haunted House

Did you know that 45% of Americans believe in ghosts and haunted houses. Have you ever spent the night somewhere that felt creepy? Maybe something just didn’t feel right? Perhaps there was a historical ghost in residence. To inspire your own story writing, imagine staying in a haunted house. But, how are you going to survive the night?

Identify the noises

Creak…creak…ssh! What was that? Was it the door? Was it a broken floorboard? Was it a ghost moving through the hallway of the house? Oh no wait, it was just the cold north wind moving the rusty weathervane. Drip, drip drip…is it the sound of the white lady’s tears? Is it blood dripping from a dagger? Or simply the bathroom tap that has been left on. You might feel nervous or scared, but if you work out what those creepy noises are, then maybe they might not be so terrifying.

Get yourself cosy

If you’re going to get a good night’s sleep, then you have to get yourself as cosy as possible. Tuck into that warm sleeping bag and make sure that your pillow is as soft as a marshmallow. Have you got a cuddly friend that keeps you company at night? You might want to consider whereabouts you’re going to sleep in the haunted house. Are you sure that you want to spend the night on that creaky old four poster bed, the one with the blood red covers? Maybe you might be better down on the floor next to the living room fireplace. Wait a minute – who lit the fire?

Know your ghosts

If you want to survive the night in a haunted house, it helps to know the ghosts. Make sure that you read about the history of the house before you go – learn about the myths and legends. Did you hear the rumor that haunting the bedroom is a Victorian white lady who was killed tragically on her wedding night by her husband’s lunatic brother? Many people believe that ghosts remain on this earthly realm because they seek vengeance, or there is an unfinished task they need done. Maybe there’s a way you can help the white lady move on?

Perhaps there is a haunted house local to you that you could go and visit. I bet there are some wonderful stories you could write about surviving the night there.

Thanks, Sally! I know lots of authors who seek out haunted houses. Are you one? Oh, and I’ll share my own haunted experience soon…………..