Paranormal Fantasy Summer - Paranormal Abilities With A Twist

Paranormal abilities are a lot of fun to write, especially If you try something new with them. Some of the most common are -

• Telekinesis
• Precognition
• Telepathy
• The ability to see and talk to ghosts
• Pyrokinesis
• Psychometry

All of these abilities can really add a new layer to your story and help your main character out when they are in trouble. We have all seen movies like Carrie and the dark side of these 'gifts'. But how can we shake things up a bit? Do things a little differently?
Telekinesis is a fun ability but what if the user was exceptionally strong? Or exceptionally weak for that matter? Their power could destroy an entire building or maybe they can only move tiny objects. How would that affect them if they went against a bad guy?
Precognition is the ability to see future events. But maybe it only works if the MC is high. Or through their dreams. That would certainly hinder them If they were in danger!
Telepathy could be an extremely overwhelming ability to have. When we see it in movies or TV shows, the main character usually gains control quickly and is able to single out specific thoughts. But what if it was more like the episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer -Earshot? What if it was nearly impossible to tell the difference between voices? Or what if it was impossible to tell the difference between their actual thoughts and their daydreams? That could lead to some mishaps!
The ability to talk to ghosts has been used many times over and here is a lot that has been done with it. There are some good ways to mix things up though. Maybe your MC can only hear ghosts, not see them. Or vice versa. Maybe they only attract vengeful spirits. That wouldn't be fun.
Pyrokinesis is the ability to start fires with your mind. A cool idea might be that the user can only set themselves on fire! Imagine seeing that and then the person walks away unscathed.
Psychometry is the ability to see things when touching an object. But perhaps it only works if the owner died violently. Or if the object is very old and therefore has had many owners, it confuses the user.
​There are so many fun ways to alter these abilities and give your MC a harder time in using them. Play around with them, try to create issues that will impact your MC and really let your imagination fly. 

Happy writing!