Scary Short Story Competition!
I didn't participate in any of the competitions last year because so much was happening in my personal life. This year, though, they created a competition for horror stories specifically. I've had 48 hours to write a 400 word horror story with a given topic, character, and subject. It was a lot harder than I thought because it's difficult to construct a story with not that many words. I hope I move on to the next round!
Okay, so after the whirlwind of submitting my horror story to the NYCMidnight Scary Story Challenge 2025, I wanted to share a little more about the experience and what I've learned, especially for those of you curious about writing or even wondering, like some search queries suggest, about finding a good "scary.com website" or a compelling horror "book." First off, let's talk about NYCMidnight.com. It's not exactly "scary.com," but it's a fantastic platform for writers, especially those who love a good challenge! They host various writing competitions throughout the year, and their "Scary Story Challenge" is definitely a highlight for horror enthusiasts like me. What I love about it is the structure: you get a specific genre, subject, and character, and then you have a very limited time – usually 24 or 48 hours – to write a complete short story. It's boot camp for creativity! For this specific challenge, submitting to the "Scary Story Challenge 2025" meant diving deep into a prompt with just 400 words to scare the pants off someone. My laptop screen proudly showed "Upload Success!" when I finally hit submit, and that feeling alone was worth the frantic writing. Now, regarding the query "do you know this book?" – I totally get it! We all love a good horror book to sink our teeth into. While my submission was a short story, not a full novel, these kinds of challenges are often where authors hone their craft. Sometimes, a chilling 400-word piece can be the seed for a much larger, more terrifying book! Think about how many classic horror novels started with a simple, terrifying premise. Crafting a short scary story is a unique beast. You don't have chapters to build suspense slowly; you need to create an immediate impact, a creeping dread that seeps in quickly. My main tip for anyone attempting this is to focus on one single, powerful image or emotion. Don't try to cram too much plot in. Instead, make every word count towards building that specific unsettling atmosphere. The 48-hour deadline for this NYCMidnight challenge was brutal but incredibly effective. I learned so much about efficient brainstorming and ruthless editing. When you only have 400 words, every sentence has to pull its weight. I focused on a strong opening hook, a quick build-up of tension, and a punchy, lingering ending. It made me realize how much unnecessary fluff I sometimes include in longer pieces. If you're looking to improve your writing, especially in horror, I highly recommend finding similar timed challenges or even setting your own. It forces you to be decisive and creative under pressure. Seeing "Upload Success!" for the "Scary Story Challenge 2025" was a huge personal win, regardless of whether I advance. It's all about the experience and pushing your boundaries! I'm genuinely excited to see other submissions and maybe even discover a new chilling "book" or author from the competition.
