Schedule
Entry period: October 15, 2023 – December 31, 2023
Winners announced: February 2024
Winners published: 2nd quarter of 2024
Fees and Prizes
| Contest name | Fees* | Submissions/Entry | Prizes* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 666-Word Horror Story | $20 (entry) $15 (optional feedback) | 1 story of 666 words or less | 1st: $333 2nd: $222 3rd: $111 |
| Scary Thoughts OP-ED | $15 (entry) $15 (optional feedback) | 1 article of 1,500 words or less | 1st: $150 |
| Spooky Haiku | $10 (entry) | 3 haikus | 1st: $100 2nd: $50 3rd: $25 |
| Eerie Image | $10 (entry) | 3 images | 1st: $100** 2nd: $50 3rd: $25 |
**1st place winner of the Eerie Image Contest will be published on the cover of the “Words from Behind the Mask” quarterly publication.
Guidelines
- Contests are open to anyone aged 18 or over at the time of entry, excluding residents of Quebec, Italy, Spain, Brazil, and sanctioned countries as per Global Affairs Canada.
- Winning work will be published by Redbrook Publishing in the “Words from Behind the Mask” quarterly publication.
- All entries must be submitted online at wordsfrombehindthemask.com
- Pen names will be accepted for publication purposes.
- Entries must be in English and adhere to the prompt.
- Participants may enter each contest as often as they like.
- All fees and prize payments will be processed through PayPal.
- Modifications to entries will not be accepted.
- Entries must be original and previously unpublished (with the exception of the #HorrorPromptAwards winners).
- Participants must own and will retain the rights to their work, and may publish their work elsewhere after the contest has closed.
- Work produced by artificial intelligence is not eligible.
- Submitted work cannot contain any information identifying the participant.
- No one associated with Redbrook Publishing may enter the contest and all entries will be judged anonymously.
- Redbrook Publishing reserves the right to disqualify entries at its sole discretion.
- Work will be judged on criteria such as grammar and punctuation, structure, technique, pacing, originality, interest, and scariness.
- Judges and organizers will not engage in correspondence with participants.
- The judges’ decisions are final.
- Shortlisted participants will be notified by email.
- Winners will receive an email confirming their ranking and cash prize, and will be announced at wordsfrombehindthemask.com and on social media.
- Feedback is only available (for a fee) to participants of the 666-Word Horror Story Contest, and the Scary Thoughts OP-ED Contest, and will be provided by email approximately 1 month after the contest closes.
- Winners will have the opportunity to provide a short bio and photo of themselves to appear alongside their winning work.
Scary Thoughts OP-ED
Write an original opinion/editorial article and keep the wordcount below 1,500 words.
