The Fantasy Writers' Toolshed

How to Write Ghost Stories: Haunting, Atmosphere and Fantasy Influences Explained


Listen Later

Learn how to write compelling ghost stories, including key techniques for atmosphere, tension, and how the genre influences fantasy storytelling.

Ghost stories are one of the oldest and most enduring forms of storytelling—but writing one that truly unsettles and lingers with readers takes skill.

In this episode, I’m joined by Janina Arndt and Lucy Atkinson from The Fey Fellows Podcast to explore what makes ghost stories work—and how they connect to the wider fantasy genre.

We break down both the craft and the tradition of ghost storytelling, including:

  • What defines a ghost story and its core features
  • How to build atmosphere, tension, and dread
  • Techniques for writing haunting, memorable scenes
  • Classic and modern examples—and why they work
  • The influence of ghost stories on fantasy storytelling
  • Common mistakes to avoid when writing supernatural fiction

If you want to write ghost stories that genuinely unsettle readers and add depth to your fantasy writing, this episode will show you how to do it right.

OUR GUESTS

Janina Arndt and Lucy Atkinson - The Fey Fellows Podcast - https://www.instagram.com/feyfellowspodcast/ / https://anchor.fm/fey-fellows-podcast

JOIN OUR WRITING COMMUNITY

https://www.patreon.com/TheFantasyWritersToolshed⁠

LEARN MORE ABOUT FANTASY WRITING

To join our writing community, access exclusive interviews, discussions, fantasy writing classes, books and more, head over to our ⁠Patreon⁠ page - ⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheFantasyWritersToolshed⁠

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Fantasy Writers' ToolshedBy Richie Billing

  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5

4.5

31 ratings


More shows like The Fantasy Writers' Toolshed

View all
Writing Excuses by Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler

Writing Excuses

1,298 Listeners

Last Podcast On The Left by The Last Podcast Network

Last Podcast On The Left

51,319 Listeners

Limited Resources by Marshall Sutcliffe

Limited Resources

1,115 Listeners

The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers by Joanna Penn

The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers

630 Listeners

The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience by Kelton Reid

The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience

226 Listeners

SPA Girls Podcast by SPA Girls podcast - self publishing for authors

SPA Girls Podcast

103 Listeners

Writer's Routine by Dan Simpson

Writer's Routine

313 Listeners

Crime Junkie by Audiochuck

Crime Junkie

369,956 Listeners

Fiction Writing Made Easy with Savannah Gilbo | How to Write a Novel & Writing Advice by Savannah Gilbo

Fiction Writing Made Easy with Savannah Gilbo | How to Write a Novel & Writing Advice

1,477 Listeners

The Rebel Author Podcast by The Rebel Author Podcast

The Rebel Author Podcast

74 Listeners

The Ancients by History Hit

The Ancients

3,358 Listeners

The Shit No One Tells You About Writing by Bianca Marais, Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra

The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

786 Listeners

Writing About Dragons and Shit by Writing About Dragons and Shit

Writing About Dragons and Shit

47 Listeners

If Books Could Kill by Michael Hobbes & Peter Shamshiri

If Books Could Kill

9,438 Listeners

Panic World by COURIER

Panic World

309 Listeners