You must create an interesting character who is more than a mere victim, so that when the horror affects them, we care. Victims make boring characters. Make the story relevant to your character's inner motivations. In The Mainstream , Royle's character experiences a nightmare journey while travelling down the M1. All the images, ideas and emotions that you write, will have a purpose, and can be linked to this theme, directly or symbolically.
Many horror stories rely more on a mood, than they do on drama and plot.
Recent debate in the horror field has shown a consensus which says that plot is a device to offer an easy soap-opera style ride to readers. Chris Fowler, author of Spanky , said, 'As children, horror writers tell disgusted convoluted lies to anyone who'll listen. The problem is that plots, no matter how clever, can seem too traditional for the new subject matter and material. They often feel artificial and predictable. If you can find a way to advance your fiction, going beyond plot, then do so.