What makes a good horror story? Hideous monsters and fountains of blood might seem like a good place to start, but as horror author H.P. Lovecraft wrote, “The oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.” Writers harness that fear not by revealing horrors, but by leaving the audience hanging in a state of suspense. Victoria Smith gives some tips for adding suspense to your writing.

In the future, the Cybermen take over the earth by using technology to attach to humans and are still looking for ways to keep upgrading.

Wall-E observes the effects of technological advances on society. The citizens enjoy many conveniences, and as a result live an easy, yet dystopic, existence.

Immediately after Rango mentions the need for a hero to face conflict in a story, the car in which he's riding collides with an armadillo on the street, sending his tank out the back window. Rango finds himself in a desert without water, and he is evidently not adapted to this new hot and dry environment.

The story goes something like this: A royal, rich, or righteous individual — who is otherwise a lot like us — makes a mistake that sends his or her life spiraling into ruin. It's the classic story arc for a Greek tragedy, and we love it so much that we continue to use it today. David E. Rivas shares three critical story components, influenced by Aristotle’s “Poetics,” to help illustrate the allure.