Writing prompts for deathbed visions

 

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Want to write a horror or crime story? There are 3 posts on my Weird Wednesday blog about deathbed visions, with writing prompts

Crisis Apparitions

The story goes like this: when someone is in a moment of crisis, whether it be death, near-death, or just a time of great anxiety, they can project an image of themselves to a loved one. The image can speak or be silent. It can look ghostly— someone floating above the floor, shining with radiance, or resting in a coffin— or it can seem exactly like a real person visiting. Many times crisis apparitions are comforting: a beloved family member coming to say a last goodbye.

The Third Man Phenomenon

​​The “third man" is the phenomenon where people in life-threatening or highly stressful situations sense another person (of whatever gender) with them. The solo hiker has a companion, or the group of four becomes five, of which most or all report seeing the extra person.

and A Peak in Darien

People who are dying or who have gone through near-death experiences (NDE’s) often report deathbed visions, in which they see apparitions of family members or friends who have passed on. A “Peak in Darien” experience refers specifically to seeing the apparition of someone who has died, but whose death is unknown to the experiencer. It describes gazing into the afterlife and inexplicably seeing someone that you believe to still be alive, only to find out later that the person has indeed died.

A “Peak” writing prompt:

Rumors of my demise. Obviously, the fact that someone has died but that no one knows about it yet would be very unsettling. It might be the case that the news has been kept from the person on their deathbed because it would upset them and they are already in poor health. Or it could be the case that no one in the room knows of the death because it hasn’t been announced yet, and thus everyone is distressed later when they find out. You could have a group of characters off doing something dangerous, like mountain climbing, and at the news that one of them has died, their friends and family must attempt to rescue the rest.

Check out the posts for more prompts!

DannyeChase.com ~ Ao3 ~ Linktree ~ Weird Wednesday writing prompts blog ~ Resources for Writers

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