SUBMISSIONS HAVE CLOSED.

Calling all Wisconsin wordsmiths and terror-tellers! The Wisconsin Writers Association is thrilled to announce our Horror Anthology Contest, and we’re dying to read your most spine-chilling tales. Winners will be published in an anthology of horror stories published by WWA Press.

Whether you’re a Badger State native or crafting eerie stories set against Wisconsin’s haunted forests, misty lakes, or shadowy small towns, this is your chance to make readers tremble. We’re seeking original horror stories that grip the soul and linger like a fog over Lake Michigan. From ghostly whispers in Door County to horrors lurking in the Northwoods, let Wisconsin’s eerie essence inspire your darkest creations—make us afraid to turn off the light!

Why Submit?

• Get Published: Winning stories will be featured in our chilling anthology, A Harvest of Wisconsin Horror, distributed across Wisconsin and beyond from WWA Press.
• Showcase Your Talent: Share your work with a community of writers and horror fans.
• Prizes Await: The top three entries (1st, 2nd, 3rd place) will receive publication and bragging rights as Wisconsin’s masters of the macabre.

Judge: Claire Harris, agent with Helm Literary

About Claire: Claire Harris is a literary agent at Helm Literary representing a wide range of fiction and non-fiction for adults. After graduating from The University of Texas at Austin, she got her start in publishing through the NYU Summer Publishing Institute. As a literary agent, Claire is looking for fiction and nonfiction projects that make people fall in love with reading through beautiful writing, dynamic characters, and engaging plots. She loves love, the Midwest, and being scared! But she is also looking for a wide range of projects.

Submission Details:

Eligibility: Open to Wisconsin residents. Stories must relate to or be set in Wisconsin. 

Length: No longer than 2800 words, ANY STYLE

Deadline: The Contest OPENS for submission June 15 12:01 CT, and CLOSES July 31, 11:59 CT

Winners of a first, second, and third place will be notified sometime in September - details to come.

How to Submit: Put title only at the top of your submission; no names, no headers or footers. Submit your properly formatted story (12-point font, one-inch margins) as a Word document. Include a separate one-paragraph bio that includes your Wisconsin connection, name, title, and contact information.

Questions to submit@wiwrite.org with “Horror Anthology” in the subject line.

Entry Fee: $10 per submission (supports WWA’s mission to nurture local talent).

Don’t let your nightmares stay buried! Channel the restless spirits of Wisconsin’s haunted past and craft a tale that’ll keep us up all night. The clock is ticking, and the shadows are growing longer. Submit your story and join us in weaving a tapestry of terror that’ll haunt readers for years to come.