Horror Writing Competitions Novels & Stories

Looking back at the call for submissions for that Halloween contest in 2023, the process typically involved a few clear steps, though the specifics always hinge on the host. Usually, a dedicated contest page on the organizer's website was the central hub. That's where you'd find the complete rules, word count limits, the exact theme beyond just 'Halloween', and crucial deadlines. For a 2023 event, the submission window was likely open for a month or two before October, with a final deadline sometime in early fall. The submission method itself was probably digital—an email with the manuscript attached to a specified address, or more commonly, an online form where you'd paste your story and fill in your details. They often required the manuscript in a standard format (like double-spaced, 12pt Times New Roman) and as a PDF or .docx file, with your contact info only on a cover page to keep judging blind.

I remember digging through the fine print for similar contests, and they almost always had specific eligibility rules—like being unpublished work, sometimes regional restrictions, or categories for different age groups. Payment of an entry fee, or lack thereof, was also a major point to check. Reading the terms about rights was essential; some contests wanted first publication rights if you won, while others just wanted non-exclusive rights to publish the winning entry. Missing those details could lead to headaches later. For promotion, the hosts usually pushed updates through their social media channels and newsletters, so following them was the best way to catch any last-minute changes or extensions. The whole setup was designed to be straightforward, letting the spooky stories themselves take center stage, which I always appreciated as a writer focused on the craft.

I get overwhelmed by the sheer number of options sometimes. So I just pick three target markets for the year and focus on them. Last year it was 'Nightmare', 'The Dark', and one specific anthology series. I studied every story they published for six months, tailored my submissions to their style, and kept sending my best work only to them.

I got rejected a lot, but I also got a personal note from an editor at 'The Dark' that helped me improve. Eventually, I sold a story to the anthology. The focused approach felt more manageable than spraying submissions everywhere. It felt like I was having a conversation with these publications, learning what they wanted, rather than just tossing stories into a void.

I'm skeptical of most free contests, honestly. Too many feel like data collection or anthology-mill schemes, where you 'win' a spot in a pricey collection you have to buy. But I found one exception last year: 'The First Chapters Prize' from The London Library. No fee, open internationally, decent prize money and mentoring. I entered on a whim, didn't win, but the feedback was genuinely thoughtful—more than I got from some paid submissions. The key is vetting: if it's run by a legit literary journal, university creative writing department, or a major publisher's imprint, it's usually okay. Random websites promising 'exposure'? Run.

WordHunt (formerly Scribophile's) quarterly contests are another solid free option. You need to critique others' work to earn karma points to enter, which keeps the community serious. The prizes are small but real, and the feedback you get during the process is the real value. Helped me tighten a short story that later got published elsewhere. I'd take that over a hundred no-feedback rejections from random places.