I first found out about the Nosleep subreddit more than half a decade ago. Back in the early 2010s, I started to get really interested in creepypasta and other horror content online. Eventually I found my way to Reddit’s Nosleep. I fell in love with the subreddit and it’s stories pretty much instantly. Before I ever posted on there myself, I’ve been reading the stories posted on the subreddit. In the last five years, I’ve read hundreds if not thousands of stories on the sub. Some are good, some are bad, and some are amazing. So I decided to create a list of my personal list of the best Nosleep stories of all time.
If you’re a regular on the sub, you probably know most of these stories, but hopefully I can still shed light on a few lesser known stories that are still amazing.
Should you be looking for other horror recommendations, I recommend my list of the best horror manga or my list of the best horror books.
And now, on with the list!
Milk and cookies
Another great story that I adore deeply. It was written by Reddit user u/straydog1980. Each week an old man buys milk and cookies at a petrol station. The narrator, the young clerk working at the station, follows the old man to find out why he does it. This might very well have been the first story on Nosleep that made me cry my eyes out.
Want to learn more about u/straydog1980? Check out his Reddit profile!
A Shattered Life
One of the most popular and one of the best Nosleep stories of all time. A Shattered life tells a story about exactly that, a life shattered and experienced in bits and pieces. It’s written by Matt Dymerski alias u/M59Gar and one of the best writers on the sub. If you haven’t read this tale yet, I urge you to do it.
Stuck
Another story by u/M59Gar. This story is weird, really weird, yet it works perfectly well. It’s the story about a man who appears outside his house and seems to be stuck out there, not able to move. If you enjoy tales that are a bit weirder, this one’s right for you. I absolutely love this one, and it’s probably my favorite by Matt Dymerski!
The Black Square
u/M59Gar can’t stop writing weird stories, it seems. This is another one of them that begins with a strange Black Square appearing outside the narrators home in the middle of the street. It’s a surreal scenario, and the story focuses heavily on how the people in a neighborhood would react to something utterly unknown and surreal appearing in the middle of their mundane lives. I can only applaud Matt Dymerski for writing it so damn well.
Psychosis
This is a classic. When I found out this was written by Matt Dymersky, I was surprised, awed, and then I said to myself ‘of course’. This is a classic tale showing the slow descent into paranoia and isolation of a young man. It’s an incredibly well-written tale and something everyone who likes tales that focus on paranoia and anxiety should check out.
Want to learn more about Matt Dymerski? You can visit his website right here.
I met someone who claimed to be the devil… and I think I believe them
Many people try to make sense of how Nosleep works. One of the most predominant rules seems to be that stories shouldn’t be too long.
Every once in a while someone comes along, in this case Reddit user u/athousandrows, who seems to disregard all the rules and takes the subreddit by storm. This long tale is amazing. It tells the story of a narrator who’s out drinking one night and runs into someone who, as the title says, pretends to be the devil. Another long tale, but another one that’s amazing and well worth the time spent reading it. Definitely one of the best Nosleep stories of all time.
Don’t let them in.
A story written by u/Coney-IslandQueen, one of my favorite writers on Nosleep and one of the best Nosleep stories I ever read. It tells the story of a girl who struggles with her mother’s addictions. As you can expect, things take a turn for the worse.
It’s an amazing tale, well written, and what makes it terrible is how realistic it is, tackling the very real issue of addiction and what it can lead to.
You can learn more about Coney-IslandQueen and her work on her Reddit profile.
My sister discovered a universal language, but she hasn’t spoken a word since 2003
I’m a sucker for otherworldly lovecraftian tales, and this story by u/deathbyproxy is probably one of the best lovecraftian stories I ever read on Nosleep. It tells the story of a narrator who’s sister discovers, as the title says, a universal language, but not in the sense you could imagine. This one is goes much further and seems to be truly ‘universal’. Go read it, it’s great!
Want to learn more about deathbyproxy? Visit her Facebook page or her website!
So, Yeah… I Don’t Do Drugs Anymore.
This is one of the most creative and best Nosleep stories I ever read. u/TheJesseClark isn’t just telling a story, but uses the formatting and style themselves to push and transcend normal narrative in a way. You will see lines of dialogue repeated, text being distorted and many other things, all to drive home the sense of confusion and the trip the narrator suffers through. I have to say, this tale is truly unique and I haven’t seen anything similar on Nosleep yet.
The Deepest Part of the Ocean is Not Empty
Another story by TheJesseClark. This one is at its core a monster tale about a deep sea creature. It’s as simple a story as can be. Some people dive into the depths of the ocean and encounter a giant, unknown creature. What elevates this into the rank of the best Nosleep stories is the writing. TheJesseClark keeps you on the edge of your seat as the suspense continues until the story is over.
What Happens when the Stars Go Out
This one is probably my favorite tale by TheJesseClark. The writing is amazing, the way the story is told is magnificent and the plot itself is as emotionally charged as can be. The story is told in an unconventional way, switching between present time and the past, but in a very creative way. It’s another story that makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside when reading, but also hot and blazing because I know just how much I still have to work on my writing to write anything near as good as this one.
There’s a Gravitational Anomaly out past the orbit of Jupiter
TheJesseClark is one of the most prolific writers on Nosleep. This story deviates from the usual personal horror predominant on Nosleep. It’s in fact more a science-fiction tale than a horror one. I totally love science-fiction and I wish there’d be more of it on Nosleep, alas, there’s this story and if that’s all I get than that’s more than I can ask for. In true science-fiction fashion, the crew of a spaceship has to make their way to an anomaly far away in our solar system. If you like science-fiction and good writing, read this story!
Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow of Death
The last story by TheJesseClark featured on this list, but I just couldn’t skip this one. There is the occasional story on the sub featuring historical accounts of the horrors of World War Two or the concentration camps in Germany. This story by TheJesseClark is also set in the same historical period, yet it doesn’t talk about the obvious horrors of the war, instead it gives us a more major look, a bigger, grander picture of the horrors all seen through the eyes of a narrator. This is a tale not just of World War Two or the Nazis, it’s a tale of the horrors of war, of humanity and of hope. If the Stars Go Out is my favorite story by TheJesseClark, this one is a close second and probably his deepest one.
Want to learn more about TheJesseClark? Visit his Facebook page or his website!
I have an unusual job. The pay is good, but I really hate the moaning sounds that go with it.
u/ByfelsDisciple is a name that probably everyone on Nosleep knows and that no one is surprised to find in a list of best Nosleep stories. Byfels often writes about things that are almost a bit too far, a bit too disgusting, and seems to enjoy dancing on the fine line between great horror and sick, disgusting shit, yet never crossing over into the just ‘sick and disgusting’ side. He’s a truly prolific writer with a lot of series and stories under his belt, of which I sadly haven’t read nearly enough yet.
This is the story of a man with an usual job who visits a new client. I will not give away more of it, but I can tell you already, it’s not what you expect.
I Was Fucking Fat
Well, as I mentioned above, Byfels has written his share of controversial tales. This is one of them, as you can see from the title. The subject matter and the scenario in the story are fucked up, at times even disgusting. Yet, Byfels is such a talented writer that you can’t help but read on. You know you’ll feel dirty afterwards, but you will still crave for more of his depraved writing. I absolutely love his work!
Want to learn more about ByfelsDisciple? Subscribe to his official subreddit, visit his Facebook page or sign up for his mailing list!
The Grim Reaper’s scythe isn’t to harvest you. It’s to protect you from something on your journey.
Tobias Wade alias u/TobiasWade is another well known Nosleep writer. In the past I’ve read many of his tales, but none stayed with me like this one. It’s a simple, yet great tale that’s surprisingly deep for Nosleep.
The Taking Tree
Another great story by Tobias Wade. In the tale, our narrator learns that his grandma has a tree in her backyard that supposedly harbors god. As the story progresses, the narrator learns more about the tree and the mystery surrounding it. Another story that’s a bit deeper, like many other’s on this list.
Want to learn more about Tobias Wade? Visit his Facebook page or his website!
Borrasca
Well, it probably surprises no one to find this series by C. K. Walker alias u/The_Dalek_Emperor on a list of the best Nosleep stories. This is the Nosleep story, the one everyone knows about. I first read Borrasca at the time when it was released but came back to it again and again, rereading it. It’s the tale of Sam Walker, and his two friends Kyle and Kimber, who try to figure out what’s behind the mysterious disappearances that happen in the town of Drisking and how it’s all related to Borrasca.
Room 733
My favorite by C. K. Walker. Room 733 tells the story of two young women who start college and are assigned room 734, the room next to the titular room, known as the suicide room. This story has it all. It’s so well put together and written that I can’t help but go back and reread it occasionally. It’s just that good.
Betsy the Doll
The first story by C. K. Walker and the first of her stories I ever read. I won’t give anything away about this one and if you haven’t read it already, go do it. It’s good, damn good, but also absolutely heart-wrenching. It’s no accident that C. K. Walker rose to Nosleep stardom quickly if her first story on there was this one.
The Chandelier
Another story by C.K.Walker. This one is shorter than her usual stories, but it’s still as good. The Chandelier is almost poetic in the way it’s written and excels in terms of style and writing. When I first read it, I thought it was C.K.Walkers most well-written tale and after rereading it, I still stand that by those words.
Want to learn more about C. K. Walker? Visit her Facebook page, her website or follow her on Twitter!
The Price of Sugar
This is the first tale I ever read by Caitlin Spice alias u/Cymoril_Melnibone, but I didn’t know who this writer was back then and didn’t know she should soon become one of my favorite Nosleep writers ever. I just lave her tales and I think she’s written some of the best Nosleep stories of all time.
In this tale, the narrator has ant troubles. At first she does all she can to get rid of the annoying little buggers, but soon enough she strikes a deal with them. It’s a magnificent, well written little tale.
It Was a Different Time
This is one of Cymoril_Melnibone’s more recent stories, and man is it a good one. We meet our narrator and his friend Johnny Raisin, a young boy who discovers a secret at an old, abandoned mall. It’s another long tale, like is normal with Cymoril, but it never feels long. That’s just how good it is.
The Escher Room
One can see the inspiration Escher took on Cymoril when reading this tale, yet it’s different from what you’d expect, quite different. It’s a great story, that heavily features the unknown and surrealistic like Escher did in his works, yet in a different way. It’s a great read.
The Most Beautiful Garden
This was the story that made me fall in love with Cymoril_Melnibone’s writing and that made me go back through her whole posting history. The story itself is about a diver discovering a beautiful underwater cave and coming to learn who created it. What makes this story so great is the beautiful writing and the use of vocabulary. Cymoril_Melnibone is a writer with a vast vocabulary. In my opinion she walks the small line between absolutely beautiful writing and pretentiousness. Yet, so far, she’s never been pretentious, only detailed and beautiful.
What Remains of Jesus
Another tale by Cymoril_Melnibone. This one is a more complex story, focusing on religion, secrets hidden in the Vatican Libraries, and the answers to the titular question. Another beautifully written tale by Cymoril and another amazing story. If you like religious themed horror and something a bit more complex, read this!
Carnival Cove
The last tale by Cymoril_Melnibone on this list because I don’t want to fill up the entire list with her stories, which I very well could.
In this story we learn of a young woman who finds an old picture of a summer vacation at a place called Carnival Cove. Yet for some reason she can’t remember the place or anything related to it. It sparks a search for answers. This is probably one of the most creative and original stories Cymoril has written. The scenario is so absolutely weird that I can’t help to fall in love with it. Great story, as always!
Want to learn more about Catlin Spice? Vist her Facebook page, her official subreddit or follow her on Twitter!
Mimicry
This was one of the first story by S. H. Cooper alias u/Pippinacious that I ever read on Nosleep. Mimicry focuses on the story of a woman who discovers that the mockingbirds near her home can imitate various noises and words. As the story continues, we come to learn the true nature of those noises. It’s a great, well-written story.
Auntie Bells
I don’t know why, but I always associate Pippinacious with wholesome and sad stories, even though her writing portfolio is much bigger and more diverse and she’s written some of the best Nosleep stories of all time. I think it’s because of tales like this, tales that make you feel and cry. If sad is what you’re looking, this story is for you.
Want to learn more about S. H. Cooper? Visit her Facebook page, her website or follow her on Twitter!
A Package Marked “Return to sender”
This story, holy shit. u/manen_lyset is another writer whose stories I really enjoy, but this one truly took the cake. I won’t tell you anything about it, all I’ll tell you is to read it.
Want to learn more about Manen Lyset? Follow her on Twitter or check out her children’s horror book on Amazon!
My Name is Lily Madwhip, and I See Things Before They Happen
There are not many stories that take Nosleep by the storm like this series. Lily Madwhip has grown to be one of the most popular series on Nosleep ever, and there are good reasons for it. This story is written by no other than Nosleep legend William Dalphin. What truly drove the point home for me was the amazing writing. A big problem on Nosleep and something my own writing suffers from as well is the narrative voice. So many narrators just sound the same. The same simple voice of some random internet user retelling something that happened to them. In comes Lily Madwhip, a narrative voice so distinct, so different and so likeable, you can’t help to continue reading!
Want to learn more about William Dalphin? Visit his Facebook page, follow him on Twitter or check out his book “Don’t Look Away” on Amazon!
If you’re armed and at the Glenmont metro, please shoot me
This tale is another very creative and original tale. It was written by Peter Frost David alias u/sarcasonomicon. It’s also a tale that describes a scenario so wildly unusual and horrific I couldn’t help but shudder. It’s such a great and original concept, that I can only tell everyone to read it. You won’t regret it!
Want to learn more about Peter Frost David? Follow him on Twitter or visit his Wattpad account.
Feed the Pig
Yes, this one belongs here without a doubt. u/Elias_Witherow is another great writer on Nosleep, who’s written countless stories. Feed the Pig is undoubtedly one of his most popular ones and one of the most popular Nosleep stories ever written. If you haven’t read this one, go for it, but better be prepared, this one’s dark.
Third Parent
Oh Tommy Taffy, what a sick, twisted thing you are. Tommy Taffy is another creation by writer Elias Witherow. A strange human-like being, with skin looking like soft plastic that stumbles into the young narrator’s life. There’s much more to uncover about this tale, many more stories about Tommy Taffy and Elias Witherow even wrote a novel about him. It’s damn good writing as usual with Elias Witherow, but the story can be quite fucked up. Still, it’s one of Nosleep’s most iconic creations and everyone should check it out.
Want to learn more about Elias Witherow? Go and visit his Facebook page!
I Clean Crime Scenes and Hoarder Houses for a Living. Today I Saw Something I Don’t Understand
The very first thing that I ever read by u/Dopabeane and a series that made me fall in love with her writing. The story starts off with the narrator finding an unusual painting at a crime scene. This series is not simply about a painting, instead you should prepare for things to get much stranger and much more fantastical. The story also features its fair share of body horror that made me both cringe and read on in excitement.
Because You Are My Baby
The most popular of Dopabeane’s stories. It tells the story of a young girl who lives with her mother in the forest. It’s a very emotional tale, a very weird tale, but what makes it so special is the writing. Dopabeane is one of those writers who has amazing command of her extensive vocabulary and paints a truly colorful and emotional tale.
They told me I was nothing but a dog
My favorite story written by Dopabeane. This story is probably best called a dark fairy tale rather than a horror story. It’s such a grand tale, telling the story about a girl with an amazing ability, a grandfather who’s monster, a dog named Laika, and so much more. This is one story that truly impressed me and again showed me just how much I still have to grow as a writer.
Want to learn more about Dopabeane? Visit her Facebook page, check out her books and stories on eepurl or her profile on Curious Fictions.
I can see people’s auras… and it’s a curse.
This short tale by u/A10A10A10 is another great example of a simple, yet well executed scenario. The narrator in this story can see people’s auras. A psychic gift that makes people’s morality visible to him. It’s a well-written tale and holds quite a surprise for the reader.
Want to learn more about u/A10A10A10? Visit their Reddit profile!
Ten years ago, I taught sophomore creative writing. Two student stories still haunt me to this day.
There are sometimes stories that don’t really explain what’s happening. This is one of those stories, and I think it makes the story even better. You know, or at least guess, that something actually did happen, but you’ll never know what it was. It’s one of many stories by u/Red_Grin who’s amazing at crafting tales like this.
Uncle Gerry’s Family Fun Zone
Another story by RedGrin and my favorite of his. The story centers around a supposed attraction in town know by the titular name. What makes this story so interesting is the way it’s written. As always, RedGrim gives us bits and pieces of information through the eyes of various people. At the end we’re again left, left knowing something strange and entirely wrong happened there, but again we seem to be missing the most important pieces. Yet, this is what makes his stories so great and some of the best Nosleep stories out there.
When I was 10, my granddad tossed me a shovel and took me to dig up my grandmother’s corpse
Another of RedGrin’s stories. This story centers around the narrator’s grandfather. For years the old man had nightmares of his wife being buried alive. When the old man finds a mysterious photo album, he decides to exhume his late wife and takes the narrator along. This is another strange story and again leaves so much open to the reader. Still, it’s a damn good read and as always with Red_Grin’s stories, you just know there’s something hidden under the surface there.
Want to learn more about RedGrin? Visit his Facebook page or follow him on Twitter!
Three Visits to a Hidden Tribe
Jared Roberts akau/nazisharks is probably someone that most people on Nosleep know. To say his stories are strange might be an understatement, but man are they good. I’ve reread this story more than once in the past weeks, simply because I couldn’t get over it. It’s not just good, but it’s one of those stories that will somehow unsettle you deeply. Go ahead and read it, it’s fantastic!
Want to learn more about Jared Roberts? Check out his Reddit profile!
The Showers
This one’s another classic. It was posted almost eight years ago, by Dylan Sindelar aka u/clover10176, but it has lost nothing of its charm and is still as good as ever. I actually remembered about this story because I heard it on the Nosleep Podcast recently and went back to read it again. It starts with the narrator’s teacher recounting how he stumbled upon the titular showers. As the story progresses, our narrator himself goes on a search for them as well. It’s a long post, especially with the addition of three new parts posted recently, but it’s all worth it!
Want to learn more about Dylan Sindelar? Check out his Instagram or follow him on Twitter! Also the definite edition of ‘The Showers‘ is out on Amazon, go check it out!
Box Fort
What could ever happen when you build a simple box fort to rekindle your childhood nostalgia? In this story by u/southpacificmuse we find out just how unsettling things can become. This is another classic story, posted more than eight years ago, but man is it good! It’s well worth the read!
Want to learn more about u/southpacificmuse? Check out their Reddit profile!
Mr. Banana
There are sometimes stories that are so weird you just sit there after finishing it, wondering what the hell you just read. This story written by u/rkgstories is probably the weirdest Nosleep story on this list. If you like strange, absurd and weird tales, this is for you!
Want to learn more about u/rgkstories? Check out his Linkedin profile!
Among the Court of the Stag-King
I’m a big fan of lovecraftian writing. Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of lovecraftian writing on Nosleep. Every once in a while though, some writers appear that seem to focus on lovecraftian story. J. M. Nelson akau/J_M_Novels is one such writer. This story by his tells the story of a young boy who has the misfortune of meeting the titular Stag-King. It’s a great, well-written tale, and one of the best Nosleep stories out there.
Want to learn more about J.M. Nelson? Check out his website, visit his Facebook page or follow him on Twitter. If you love lovecraftian literature, you should definitely check out his book Seven Spires: Whispers of the Necropolis!
