How to Tell a Ghost Story

By eHow Holidays & Celebrations Editor

Rate: (17 Ratings)

The telling of the ghoulish tale is as important as the story itself.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Candles
Fans
Firewood
Sound Effects
Flashlights

Preparation

Step1

Choose a suitably scary ghost story. If you don't know any, search through some good ghost story books until you find one you like. (Check out Related Books for some ideas.)

Step2

Choose a partner to help you with effects.

Step3

Practice telling the story so that the telling is automatic.

Step4

Direct your partner at the suitable moments.

Step5

Play scary atonal music in the room in which you will tell the story, so that the listeners hear it as they enter.

Step6

Light a fire if possible and set out many flickering candles. Turn off the lights.

Tell the Tale

Step1

Gather all the listeners in the room.

Step2

Spotlight yourself with a flashlight.

Step3

Speak in a soft voice so people have to pay attention if they want to hear. Get loud gradually as the story nears its end.

Step4

Have your partner turn a fan on the room briefly so the candles flicker. Have your partner slam a door at a suspenseful point in the story.

Step5

Speak very slowly when delivering the last paragraph of the story.

Step6

Hold a flashlight under your face and scream loudly at the end.

Comments

Anonymous said

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on 3/30/2006 If the audience isn't afraid of your story, get your partner
to grab them on the shoulder and yell boo. Also, you could lead the group outside to a forest and make your
partner jump out on them in a scary costume.

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 While you are in the middle of telling a ghost story scare a person near you. Make sure the lights are turned off, so that everyone can't see your actions. Right once you deliver a scary part, suddenly grab the person next to you sides or shoulders. If done correctly, he or she should scream, scaring the rest of the audience as well.

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 Bring a small selection of suitable props that relate to your story - a "haunted" ring or pendant. Start your story, "Do you how I came by this?" Involve your audience. Pick a member of the group and say, "You remind me of a girl/boy I once heard about."

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 Have your partner, sitting among the listeners, surreptitiously put on a scary mask during your narration. At a suitable moment in the story, flash the torch light on his or her face.