Scary Stories

Writing evokes emotions. This is a good thing. Sometimes, as writers, we want to make our readers' skin crawl. This week we are going to write and then read our own scary stories out loud in class.

The Tell-Tale Heart

First, read Edgar Allen Poe's master piece.

Here are some questions to think about

1. Why is The Tell-Tale Heart considered one of the best horror short stories?
2. What makes a story (or anything really) scary?
3. Was the narrator of the story crazy? What was it like to hear a story from a narrator you cannot trust?

Writing Assignment

Write a scary story with the following requirements:

1. The story is school appropriate
2. The story is exactly 666 words long
3. The story has flawless spelling and grammar

Reading Scary Stories

We will share our stories with the class. Make sure that you practice reading your story so you know where to dramatically pause. Use a suspenseful or creepy voice.