Tips for Writing Your First Cryptid Encounter Story

Jun 12

Tips for Writing Your First Cryptid Encounter Story

You’ve had the dream. Or maybe it was real. A tall, shadowy figure between trees. A red-eyed winged being above the barn. The woods went silent, your flashlight flickered, and something stepped just out of sight.

Whether you’ve had a real Bigfoot sighting or you’re a fan of unexplained phenomena, writing your own cryptid encounter story is a thrilling way to step into the folklore. It’s also a great way to contribute to the ever-growing body of urban legends, regional folklore, and paranormal literature that fans of cryptozoology can’t get enough of.

Here's how to write a cryptid encounter that keeps readers up at night and earns its place among the mysterious creatures of legend.

1. Choose Your Cryptid (or Invent One)

While Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster are always classics, don't be afraid to explore lesser-known cryptids—or invent your own. Consider these:

Bigfoot (Sasquatch, Ohio Grassman, Appalachian Bigfoot)
Florida Skunk Ape (great for swampy, Southern Bigfoot sightings)
Mothman (for eerie, prophetic winged encounters)
Jersey Devil, Chupacabra, Fresno Nightcrawler
Your own cryptid, drawing on local lore, climate, and environment

The key is to choose a mysterious creature with distinctive features and a believable habitat. Real Bigfoot sightings often include footprints, audio, or other forms of evidence you can build into your story.

2. Ground the Reader in Reality

Cryptid stories work best when they feel real. Start by anchoring your story in a familiar setting:

Location: Is it a national park, a foggy mountain trail, a Southern backroad, or your own backyard?
Time: Use seasonal elements—like winter silence, summer humidity, or fall leaves
Weather: Dark storm clouds or moonlight can add a layer of drama and mystery

Bonus: Add in specific details like state names for better SEO—think Florida Skunk Ape near the Everglades or Pacific Northwest Sasquatch encounter in Olympic National Park.

3. Build Suspense Slowly

The best cryptid encounters don’t throw the monster at you right away. Instead:

Use sound—twigs snapping, strange howls, low breathing
Include shadows or silhouettes
Let the reader feel the tension before revealing anything

Suspense works best when you give readers clues but make them question what's real. A footprint in the mud. A flashlight that dies right before a glimpse of something large. These details enhance Bigfoot footprints and evidence organically.

4. Use First-Person Perspective

Want to make it feel real? Write it like it happened to you.

The first-person voice makes cryptid encounters more intimate and terrifying. Try lines like:

“At first, I thought it was a bear.”
“I wasn’t supposed to be out there after dark.”
“It was silent, like the woods had gone hollow.”

Whether or not it really happened to you, this technique lets the story live in the grey area between fiction and folklore.

5. Include Evidence in the Story

Photos. Audio clips. Trail cam footage. Footprints. All these cryptid merchandise-worthy elements make a great story even better.

Ideas:

Character snaps a blurry photo (think Patterson-Gimlin film vibes)
Finds a hair sample or sees an oddly broken tree
Captures a distorted audio clip or eerie EVP

Use these to enhance your story's believability—and to naturally include search-friendly phrases like “Bigfoot koozies,” “Sasquatch gifts,” or “moisture-wicking outdoor performance shirts SPF 50” if your cryptid hunter is geared up.

6. Let the Ending Be Unresolved

Not seeing the cryptid fully—or having your character question what they saw—is often more powerful than a monster reveal.

Try endings like:

“When I looked again, it was gone.”
“All I have is the audio clip—and no one believes me.”
“The only proof is the footprints I never took a photo of.”

This creates a tone of mystery and invites readers to fill in the blanks.

7. Infuse Local Folklore and Real History

The best cryptid stories blend fiction with reality. Use:

Local legends or real missing persons cases
News headlines from nearby towns
Folklore tie-ins like hauntings, Native American legends, or UFO sightings

This technique works well in Bigfoot legends around the world or even when writing crossover stories like Bigfoot and national parks.

8. Add Personality to Your Witness

Give your narrator or character a clear voice. Are they skeptical? Obsessed? Jaded? A TikTok cryptid hunter with merch?

Characters who have real motivations, flaws, and doubts make the encounter more meaningful—and often, more believable. A good tip is to let their personality influence how they describe the event.

9. Include Real Cryptozoology Terms

To boost SEO and story depth, consider phrases like:

Cryptozoology for beginners
Sasquatch research and evidence
Cryptid encounters in the wild
High-quality cryptid shirts (worn by your character, naturally!)

Mixing real and fictional details helps your story reach readers looking for both entertainment and cryptid culture.

10. Read Real Encounter Reports

Browse Bigfoot forums, Mothman documentaries, or Chupacabra blogs. These can provide:

Real reactions and language
Sightings you can base your story on
Familiar formats to model your pacing and tone

You can also visit online databases of unexplained phenomena or even local folklore archives to deepen your story.

Bring the Legend to Life

Writing your first cryptid encounter story is more than just spooky fun—it’s a way to contribute to the rich tradition of urban legends and folklore. Whether you’re drawing from real Bigfoot sightings, inventing a Skunk Ape with a twist, or adding mystery to an already eerie town, your story becomes part of the larger world of cryptozoology.

So grab your notebook, toss on your What The Sas shirt, and step into the unknown.

Because some stories aren’t meant to be proven. They’re meant to be passed on.