Horror Challenge
October 02 to October 12, 2025
It’s time for our horror writers to send us something that has us checking our back seats, under our beds, and our closets. We’re seeking stories that center around the frightening, creepy, and horrific. And to make things extra spooky, we’re only giving you 10 days to submit! For this challenge, we’re pleased to offer the grand-prize winner $500 and publication. All entries will be considered for general publication at our regular rate of $200.
Novel Excerpt Prize
October 15 to December 14, 2025
We’re looking for the best 5,000 words or fewer of your novel in progress! Have a favorite chapter? An exciting and noteworthy prologue? A section where the dialogue crackles and the characters loom larger than life on the page? Give us a chance to read the most captivating section of your novel—and make us want to read more! The guest judge is Rachel Howzell Hall!
Three winners will receive $1,000 each and publication!
Cinematic Short Story Contest
January 05 to March 08, 2026
For this short story contest, we want stories that feel immersive, like we walked out of our lives and into the technicolor settings and conflicts of your main characters. We want stories that use the array of our senses in new and exciting ways. We want stories with vitality and velocity that rely on swift cuts of action and reaction.
Guest Judge TBA will choose three winning stories from our shortlist. We’re excited to offer the first-place winner of this contest $2,000 and publication, while the second- and third-place winners will receive publication and $300 and $200, respectively.