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Q&A What is the structure of a paranormal horror story?

It seems to me many paranormal stories (like possession, or demons on Earth) just begin with the paranormal, period. In The Exorcist a child is possessed and must be cured. In The Omen, Damien (th...

posted 5y ago by Amadeus‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Answer
#4: Attribution notice removed by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-19T22:13:43Z (over 4 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/43769
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#3: Attribution notice added by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T11:25:52Z (over 4 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/43769
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision by (deleted user) · 2019-12-08T11:25:52Z (over 4 years ago)
It seems to me many paranormal stories (like possession, or demons on Earth) just begin with the paranormal, period. In The Exorcist a child is possessed and must be cured.

In The Omen, Damien (the child) is the son of Satan and the Antichrist.

To me most paranormal stories begin very early with a pre-existing paranormal thing and the protagonist is already aware of the paranormal, isn't surprised, doesn't need to "learn" about it, but is an expert that seeks to solve the problem and dispel the paranormal.

Even in Stephen King's Firestarter, the father knows from the beginning what his kid can do, and is fighting to protect her.

Those don't sound like either of your two scenarios.

#1: Imported from external source by user avatar System‭ · 2019-03-19T16:53:40Z (about 5 years ago)
Original score: 0