Haunted Hideaway
The first magazine to pay professional rates and only accept submissions from new writers.
Haunted Hideaway
OCTOBER PRIZES
1st Place:
$3000 Elegant Literature Award
10c/word and publication
Free enrollment in New Novelist Accelerator
2nd – 10th Place:
10c/word and publication
11th – 35th Place:
$20
Final Submission Count:
204
About the Contest
Write a story involving a haunted place, and silver.
$3,000 grand prize.
Do you tremble from the chill? As the weather cools and leaves scatter the ground, can you be sure it’s not something… else. Which scares you more, the darkness or your own thoughts?
Certain places are known to be haunted. Asylums, crypts, and old creaky houses. The striped-tent circus turns sinister at night. You wonder what lurks inside the fog as the mist rolls through town, as the rain blankets the manor home, as lighting illuminates the deep woods. Where do you hide when the panic sets in? Surely not that cave, hotel, or empty church. An isolated cabin in the forest? Run farther, to a station among the stars, where the echoes you hear are definitely human. Perhaps you’re haunted by memories, of things you’ve done and people you’ve lost. How do you escape the voices in your head, conversations replayed ad nauseam until you scream with guilt? Chased by ghosts—real or imagined—where do you hide?
This contest invites you to explore haunted hideaways, whatever that means to you. Fantasy, contemporary, romance, crime. All genres are welcome.
Submissions close October 31st at 11:59 pm EST. Contest only open to new writers.
Share on:
Meet The Guest Judge
Jim Hull
Jim Hull is the CEO & founder of Narrative First, the story technology company behind Subtxt: the only writing app that combines a proven and predictive narrative framework with cutting-edge artificial intelligence. As a professional story consultant, Jim helped create the Disney+ animated series Tangled, as well as helped develop the narrative for Canada’s Oscar entry for Best Foreign Film 2023, Eternal Spring.
Jim taught story development at the California Institute of the Arts for seven years, and his students have gone on to write and direct critically acclaimed films like Netflix’s Mitchells vs. The Machines. In addition to film, Jim has worked with several novelists, including Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s co-creator Michael DiMartino and swashbuckling-fantasy novelist Sebastien de Castell.
Past Judges
Read stories from
the last contest.
Get it in your inbox (it’s free).
Are you a new or unpublished author? We want to see your work. Check out the link below to learn what we are looking for.
Contest Short Rules
Who can enter?
New or unpublished authors, from anywhere in the world (excluding Quebec, Canada). Full details here.
Prize: 1st place: $3,000 USD. Free enrollment in the New Novelist Accelerator.
2nd – 10th: 10c/word and publication.
11th – 35th: $20 USD and an honorable mention in the magazine.
How to enter: Sign up for an Elegant+ Membership and visit the Members Area, or click “Enter Now” on the contest page. Fill out the form and copy/paste (preferred method) or upload a file containing your work.
Important Dates:
The contest opens at 12:01 am EST on October 1st.
The contest closes at 11:59 pm EST on October 31st.
Winners will be announced on December 1st.
Entries:
Unlimited. English language only. Must follow the contest theme/prompt and include the word “silver”.
Length:
Minimum 500 words. Maximum 2000. Word count does not include title of work.
Head Judge:
Jim Hull
Selection Criteria:
The Judge will choose the winner based on:
Creativity
Character
Structure & Flow
Quality of Writing
For more information, please see the full Contest Rules.
For answers to common questions, please see the FAQ.
We have a uniquely streamlined Publication Process. Read about it here.
See our Submission Guidelines for information on how to increase your chance of selection.
The first magazine to pay professional rates and only accept submissions from new writers.
OCTOBER PRIZES
1st Place:
$3000 Elegant Literature Award
10c/word and publication
Free enrollment in New Novelist Accelerator
2nd – 10th Place:
10c/word and publication
11th – 35th Place:
$20
Final Submission Count:
204
Meet The Previous Winners
About the Contest
Write a story involving a haunted place, and silver.
$3,000 grand prize.
Do you tremble from the chill? As the weather cools and leaves scatter the ground, can you be sure it’s not something… else. Which scares you more, the darkness or your own thoughts?
Certain places are known to be haunted. Asylums, crypts, and old creaky houses. The striped-tent circus turns sinister at night. You wonder what lurks inside the fog as the mist rolls through town, as the rain blankets the manor home, as lighting illuminates the deep woods. Where do you hide when the panic sets in? Surely not that cave, hotel, or empty church. An isolated cabin in the forest? Run farther, to a station among the stars, where the echoes you hear are definitely human. Perhaps you’re haunted by memories, of things you’ve done and people you’ve lost. How do you escape the voices in your head, conversations replayed ad nauseam until you scream with guilt? Chased by ghosts—real or imagined—where do you hide?
This contest invites you to explore haunted hideaways, whatever that means to you. Fantasy, contemporary, romance, crime. All genres are welcome.
Submissions close October 31st at 11:59 pm EST. Contest only open to new writers.
Share on
Meet The Guest Judge
Jim Hull
Jim Hull is the CEO & founder of Narrative First, the story technology company behind Subtxt: the only writing app that combines a proven and predictive narrative framework with cutting-edge artificial intelligence. As a professional story consultant, Jim helped create the Disney+ animated series Tangled, as well as helped develop the narrative for Canada’s Oscar entry for Best Foreign Film 2023, Eternal Spring.
Jim taught story development at the California Institute of the Arts for seven years, and his students have gone on to write and direct critically acclaimed films like Netflix’s Mitchells vs. The Machines. In addition to film, Jim has worked with several novelists, including Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s co-creator Michael DiMartino and swashbuckling-fantasy novelist Sebastien de Castell.
Past Judges
Meet the Judge
Django Wexler
Django Wexler is the author of flintlock fantasy series The Shadow Campaigns, middle grade fantasy The Forbidden Library, and YA fantasy The Wells of Sorcery. His latest is epic fantasy Blood of the Chosen. In his former life as a software engineer, he worked on AI research and programming languages. He currently lives near Seattle with his wife, daughter, four cats, and a teetering mountain of books. When not writing, he wrangles computers, paints tiny soldiers, and plays games of all sorts.
Learn more about Django and read his books at:
Read stories from
the last contest.
Get it in your inbox (it’s free).
Are you a new or unpublished author? We want to see your work. Check out the link below to learn what we are looking for.
Contest Short Rules
Who can enter?
New or unpublished authors, from anywhere in the world (excluding Quebec, Canada). Full details here.
Prize: 1st place: $3,000 USD. Free enrollment in the New Novelist Accelerator.
2nd – 10th: 10c/word and publication.
11th – 35th: $20 USD and an honorable mention in the magazine.
How to enter: Sign up for an Elegant+ Membership and visit the Members Area, or click “Enter Now” on the contest page. Fill out the form and copy/paste (preferred method) or upload a file containing your work.
Important Dates:
The contest opens at 12:01 am EST on October 1st.
The contest closes at 11:59 pm EST on October 31st.
Winners will be announced on December 1st.
Entries:
Unlimited. English language only. Must follow the contest theme/prompt and include the word “silver”.
Length:
Minimum 500 words. Maximum 2000. Word count does not include title of work.
Head Judge:
Jim Hull
Selection Criteria:
The Judge will choose the winner based on:
Creativity
Character
Structure & Flow
Quality of Writing
For more information, please see the full Contest Rules.
For answers to common questions, please see the FAQ.
We have a uniquely streamlined Publication Process. Read about it here.
See our Submission Guidelines for information on how to increase your chance of selection.