What’s So Good About Two-Sentence Horror Stories?

Written By D. T. Adams

Believe it or not, horror stories two sentences long do have a few good points.

Have you heard of two-sentence horror stories? If you have, great! If you haven’t, they’re self-explanatory. I’m a big fan of these extremely short tales of terror and have self-published 1,200 of them to date (with more on the way!). I love writing them and getting to share them with people.

But the thing is, not everyone’s sold on the idea of two-sentence horror stories. Some people think they’re a gimmick; others might think they’re a waste of time. In this blog post, I’m going to share a few reasons why these stories are worth reading.

What Makes Two-Sentence Horror Stories Worthwhile

Now I’ll cut to the chase (using very sharp scissors!). Below are a few key reasons why I think two-sentence horror stories are great to read. When you’ve read some scary stories just two sentences long, you might find that you agree with some of the points made below.

The Quick Boyfriend from Terror in Brief: Volume IV

They’re Quick to Read

To get the most obvious point out of the way first, two-sentence horror stories are very quick to read. In fact, it can take less than a second to read some of them. These incredibly short tales of terror are over in a flash.

If you want to read horror stories but haven’t got the time, patience or concentration for longer pieces of writing (i.e. short stories and novels), two-sentence ones might be what you’re looking for. There’s no major time commitment needed to read these stories.

Even if you download a Terror in Brief e-book - each one contains 200 two-sentence horror stories - you can dip in as you please. Read dozens in one go or even just read a handful of them at a time. It’s entirely up to you.

A Hit for a Hit from Terror in Brief

They Pack a Punch (Some of Them Literally Do!)

Short stories and full-length novels are able to build up tension and make elements of horror all the more dreadful as a result. When writing horror stories made up of just two sentences, you haven’t got that luxury. You have to make the story as short as possible but as long as necessary.

It’s all about getting straight to the point and omitting unnecessary details. Two-sentence horror stories can be seen as summaries of longer, more fleshed-out stories; this is certainly something I agree with. Even though they lack detail and are about as succinct as can be, they can still be effective at telling some pretty horrific stories.

The thing is, you have to let these stories have an impact. For them to be effective and hit you hard, you have to read the story carefully, visualise what’s going on and, if you can, put yourself in the shoes of whoever’s suffering.

Imagine the scenario you’re reading and think about its consequences and implications. A two-sentence horror story might not pack a punch when you read it, but if you focus and allow your mind to realise the full horror of the story, you’ll realise that it might be more terrifying than you initially thought.

TV Is Life from Terror in Brief: Volume VI

They Invite You to Think

In my blog post How to Read Two-Sentence Horror Stories, I talk about a way to read these stories in a way that makes them have more of an impact. This involves reading the first sentence, pausing to imagine what might happen next, then reading the second sentence.

Yes, these stories by their very nature can be read in an instant. But if you take a little bit of time to think between the first and second sentences, you could end up enjoying the story more.

It’s always great to have something that encourages you to use your imagination and let your creativity run riot. Two-sentence horror stories encourage you to do both of these things, though you have to let them.

These stories give you very little to go on. With few specifics, there’s more scope for you to come up with all sorts of weird, disturbing, creepy and unsettling scenarios for the fateful second sentence. You never know, reading these very brief horror stories might even inspire you to write some of your own.

A New Home from Terror in Brief: Volume II

They Let You Experience the Breadth of Horror in Very Little Time

In every Terror in Brief e-book, the stories don’t just focus on a particular type of horror or a single trope or sub-genre. Instead, the stories explore the vast, rich world of horror, covering everything from unhinged psychopaths and remorseless murderers to brutal monsters and deadly phenomena.

With any Terror in Brief e-book, you get to experience all sorts of horror. The stories may be over in an instant, but together they show how varied the horror genre can be. They showcase many different terrifying situations, scenarios and events, but even so, there’s still so much more to the genre.

With two-sentence horror stories, it’s as if you’re getting bite-sized previews of the many different aspects of horror. With longer stories, there might not be as much variety, but there’s still a whole lot of horror.

Two-Sentence Horror Stories Aren’t the Best Way to Experience Horror

The title above might seem shocking to you. After all, I’ve self-published lots of two-sentence horror stories and am writing this blog post to promote them. So why have a section that’s about these stories not being the best way to experience horror?

The answer is simple: even though I love writing two-sentence horror stories, I agree that longer stories are more effective at conveying the full depth of horror. Yes, very short stories can be frightening, gruesome, twisted and macabre, but they only scratch the surface, so to speak. They can have an impact, but longer stories, I think, leave an impression that lasts much longer and creates much more of an emotional response in the reader.

A collection of two-sentence horror stories is like a pick ‘n’ mix full of sugary sweets. You don’t know what you’re going to get, there’s always a lot of variety and eating the sweets gives you a brief feel-good sensation. A full-length horror story is more like a proper meal that fills you up and leaves you satisfied long after you’ve finished eating. Pick ‘n’ mixes are good once in a while, but it’s sumptuous meals that are better for us.

Two-sentence horror stories are great. I’m a big fan of them. While I love writing without restrictions, I enjoy approaching stories where there’s some sort of limit in place, i.e. keeping the story length to just two sentences. Having restraints can help creativity flow. Though I do think horror is at its best when there’s a lot of writing you can immerse yourself in, two-sentence horror stories are still a great way to experience the genre.

Read Some Two-Sentence Horror Stories

Now that you know why two-sentence horror stories are good, why not read some yourself? Below you’ll find links for all six Terror in Brief e-books, which you can read in any order. Each instalment contains exactly 200 two-sentence horror stories. Give them a read and see which micro tales you find the scariest, creepiest and most disturbing!

Thanks for Reading!

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this blog post and have gained a newfound appreciation for horror stories that are just two sentences long. If you’re now obsessed with these stories and want to read more about them, check out these other blog posts:

Have a horrific day!

D. T. Adams
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