Welcome to our 2019 $500 Halloween Horror 50 Word Story Contest. Yes, that’s right. It’s already here. Every year we run our contests, and those of you who have been frequent readers, this is what you’ve been waiting for.
First we will be doing a print issue! We will be doing 2 print issues, and we will pick entries from this contest to be in our issue. If you had a 50 word story designated to be in our print issue, from a past contest, please contact us.
Second, we will be giving out a $500 reward for the best 50 word horror story. This is not easy for us. Every Writer is not doing as well as it did in the past, but we want your stories. I believe writers should get paid for their work. I wish we could pay all of our writers, but it’s just impossible. So $500 for 50 words, I think is a unique and valuable statement to our readers. Ten dollars a word is what all writers really deserve.
So here are the rules:
• Story must be scary
• Story must be 50 words
• Story must be original and your own
• Story may not be published elsewhere
• Story must have a title (does NOT count in word count)
• Deadline is October 25, 2019
• Enter as many times as you want
• Story must be written in the comments below!
• Be nice or be disqualified
I love these stories. This is one of favorite traditions of Every Writer. I look forward to this every year, and this year I have extended the time we are going to spend with the contest.
The winners will:
• Be announced on October 31, 2019
• Will get $500
• Will be published in our digital and print issue.
• Will get an author page on our site
There is no entry fee for this contest. It would help us out greatly if you would donate 1$ or more, if you can, to help out the site. We would really appreciate it. A donation will not be considered in the deciding this contest.
If you want to keep up with me on Twitter, please follow me at @everywriter, I follow back all writers.
Good luck, and let the writing begin.
HERE IS THE WINNER
I have picked 4 stories. They all have times and days on them. If the winner does not respond by Friday 11/22/19 the money will go to the next story on the list. Here are the top 4 stories in order. ONLY OUR 1st PLACE WINNER gets the $500. Also, so this insanity never happens again, the winner will be invited back next year to be one of the judges.
WINNER 1st Place:
Kit Steward 10/13/19 5:20 pm
THE MIDNIGHT INCUBATOR
She heard mushy sounds for days and suffered from unbearable itchiness.
A doctor’s visit revealed earwig pupae nesting in her ear canal, it was flushed out.
Later, weary from stress, she crawled into bed.
That night while she slept, the creature returned.
And finding the eggs missing, it laid more.
2nd Place:
Elizabeth Lee 09/24/19 4:36 pm
Secondhand Doll
She didn’t want a secondhand doll so she flung it across the room. Porcelain cracked against the wall. Her mom made her glue the pieces back together. A thin shard sliced her hand, baptizing the doll in her hateful blood. The secondhand doll decided she didn’t want an ungrateful child.
3rd Place:
Alexander Daley Escobedo 10/25/19 3:38pm
Heirloom
We Buried my brother today. Suicide. He thought something evil was haunting him. He’d been medicated, institutionalized, shocked and secluded. He found his own way out. I wish I could tell him I’m sorry. Or had listened more closely. Because, when I got home, it was on my couch. Laughing.
4th place:
JB 10/25/19 8:12pm
TITLE: RESEVOIR
We should have known something was wrong when we first tasted the water. It was a little brown, but no more than usual in this apartment complex.
We kept drinking it until it turned black.
When they opened the water tank, they found the bloated, rotting corpse of my neighbor.
We usually always contact the winners first, but after all the trouble, we are opening up the process. I am again, very sorry for how late this is. I did not expect 4000 stories. Next year I will be ready.
Distasteful
The dysphoria shattered my skull and krept into my brain taking over reasoning. oh no, that skin will not do, must get rid of it. You can’t say you didn’t see that way they mocked me. I didn’t lose it, no, I found something. Scrape the flesh off the bone.
Hollow
Something deep in my heart told me not to open my eyes… but I had too. And it was a decision I’d come to regret.
I opened them and my body suddenly stiffened. All I could do was stare at the face looking at me with bloodied, empty eye sockets.
Crazy Joker
The scar-faced joker solicited hostages to kill themselves and promised to honor the last person alive. They were shuddering, but one of them grabbed two guns and shot all the other hostages brutally. Joker Clapped and slashed the hostage head with the sharp sword and said, “You’re seriously honored ”.
The Scary Ghost
The masked robber shouted, “ Runaway, there’s a ghost”. John laughed and replied, “ You fool, are you insane?”. John unlocked the door and frightened when he noticed a black figure drinking blood. The ghost instantly ruptured him into pieces and licked his blood. Then said, “ It’s not tasty”.
Stock’home’ Syndrome
Sitting there on the freezing concrete floor of that basement was quite bothersome. The silence was maddening and the shackles hurt my wrist. The sound of metal scraping the wall sent a shiver up my spine. He was here, he was different, he was generous, he is my love.
FEAR
Every night, the same phone call.
“What is your biggest fear?” the voice would rasp. A click as the call disconnected.
Tonight I unplugged the phone, turned off the light, climbed into bed.
“What is your biggest fear?” a voice rasped in the darkness.
Rebuilding A Broken Family
I was so excited to arrive home. My sister was finally getting released today, and our family will be whole again.
I swung the door open, jubilated, only to be devastated.
My sister was on the bloodied sofa with our lifeless parents on the ground.
“I’ve been waiting, little sis.”
Friendship
“It’s always nice to talk to friends.” Alana said to Mandy. “I love talking to you. You’re such a good listener.”
Mandy was as silent and still as ever.
“Hey Mandy, do you want to play pattycake?”
Mandy’s arm fell off in the process. The corpse had decayed too much.
Babysitting
The clown statue leers at her from outside the window. It’s grin appears to grow more menacing by the second. Frantically, she calls the owners.
“Hey, would you mind if I moved your clown statue outside your window?”
“What do you mean? We don’t have a window, only a mirror.”
Daemon
Carefully, I stepped into the bedroom. The floorboards creaked, accompanied by the howling wind. Huddled in the sheets was a body. Its head slowly turned in my direction. I took a step back. When its eyes fell upon me, I swear, even the shadows paused.
“I dreamt I was human.”
TITLE: Evelyn
“I can’t understand how this happened to her. She was fine until she went in the woods. What’s wrong with her?”
“I don’t know, but she’s different now; different than before.”
“Different how? Where’s she at?”
“In her bedroom. I locked her in there; I don’t think she’s Evelyn anymore.”
Sweet….
His predicament found him noosed, with a bucket of
snakes strategically placed below him.
Death was inevitable.
The slithering beasts crawling, slowly onto his boots.
The bites vicious, the venom intoxicating.
A kick as big as he could muster, and the bucket sails away.
The noose tightens quickly.
…. death.
Title: They Never Listen
Her final behest was to be cremated, the remains tightly sealed. I scattered her amongst the flowerbed, lest she feel constrained in the afterlife. That night I awakened to her embrace about my neck, squeezing ever tighter, cautioning in canorous whisper, that I’d have been wise to heed her warning.
TRICK OR TREAT
“Trick or treat! Can I use your bathroom?”
If only I had known then what I know now. Turns out you have to invite them in.
Turns out that once you invite them in, they never leave.
“Trick or treat! Trick or treat!” she sings as she walks the halls.
The baby monitor stirs me. Plastic clangs against the window, clearing all sleepiness.
“Someone’s in her room!” I yell.
I fumble with jell-o limbs down the blackened hallway, swinging open baby’s door.
Eyes dart to an empty crib, then the opened window. Cold washes my skin and fills my stomach.
Apple of my Eye
Those eyes. Bloodshot and crazed, they eat away at your soul. That face, it’s sinews and muscles torn into a grimace. Those hands. They’ll reach, spindly digits grasping for any hope of survival left.
That thing. That thing with those godforsaken eyes
And now it’s coming. It’s coming for you.
Why You Should Never Try to Wake a Sleepwalker
John had a history of sleepwalking but never felt it was a serious problem.
Aside from waking up in strange places, like the bathtub, none of his nighttime antics were dangerous.
Until the night he woke suddenly to his girlfriend’s stricken expression and a kitchen knife plunged in her chest.
THE DISAPPEARANCE
“Race you!”
Michael ran ahead on the path. I followed behind, slowly.
Suddenly, a scream. Then, silence.
Guess the rumors about these woods are true. Guess there really are things that go bump in the night.
Guess I won’t have to pay that bitch child support anymore.
A Sacrifice?
The eerie vibe of the hall had me taking large strides. I made to take another step, but bloody, soulless eyes stopped me in my tracks. Instantly, I made to retrace my steps, but it was of no use.
It hovered over me, grinning as it tore through my chest.
Hell of A Night
The blindfold and being strapped down only amped up my excitement. The guy I messaged was into everything I wanted to try. Flogging, gagging, and utter domination.
He undid the blindfold, revealing his playroom.
There were lit candles and toys. But bloody blades and grotesque photos?
“I hate dating sites.”
SATURDAY NIGHT
Seven young guys drove their cars out of the city towards the country fields. Parked by the paved road, they drank and laughed. A boy wishing to pee approached a wired fence in front of tall bushes. Behind them a smart man was gazing at the dizzy boy, eyeballs like fire.
THE MASK
Mom is acting strange. She hums an unfamiliar tune as she makes breakfast – eggs, bacon and toast.
She moves haltingly, unnaturally. As if she’s uncomfortable in her own skin.
The eggs are rubbery, bland.
“Now, don’t scream, honey,” the thing whispers as it removes its mom-mask.
THE CORNFIELD
The worst part wasn’t getting lost in the field.
It wasn’t even when darkness fell.
It wasn’t when I started to get cold, hungry.
No.
The worst part was when the scarecrows started to move, stalking me through the rows of corn.
love it…!
No Playing In Grandma’s Attic
“Don’t go into the attic.” My Grandma Muller would always say.
But today, we had to. She had passed away. We were tasked with cleaning her house for auction.
I was in the attic, where there was a lifesize sack doll stabbed with a knife.
“It’s wearing grandpa’s favorite shirt.”
Mother
My mother is standing in front of me and my siblings. We thought she was dead. I ran to her happily, and she grabbed my face. I looked at my siblings, but they were gone. Then I turn to look at Mother again. Her mouth’s wide open… she ate me.
GODDESS
I saw God yesterday. She spoke to me in whispers, telling me of her plans.
Turns out we were all wrong.
There is no god of love. Of peace. Of light.
There is only the God of Vengeance. And she’s pissed.
At us.
And she’s planning her return.
Big Mouth
Every night there’s a weird sound coming through my new apartment wall. It has a hole that goes through my neighbor’s. One night, I decided to peek on the hole but all I saw was darkness… not until it stopped grinding its teeth on the wall and looked at me.
Hide and Seek
One night my five year old son came up to me and said “Mama, do you remember that night when you played hide and seek with me, Dada, and Gina? She was so good that we never found her, but I saw Dada helping her bury herself on the ground.”
The Best Wife
My wife is the best wife I could ever ask for. She does everything for me and doesn’t let me go outside. She does the groceries, cooks for me and gives me warm baths… but I don’t like the chain on my wrists and ankles, and the gag on my mouth.
The most frightening experience is what we can’t capture on film
James only knew of the monsters in the movies. So it was a stare of frightful confusion, as he looked at Margaret going into memory. She’s no longer with him. He felt her muscles tightening. Moments have passed and she opened her eyes and said, “see what’s in my mind.”
Depicting The Sadist
He spoke as he dragged a knife across her body. We breath the same air but we’re not the same. You feel warmth, ease with humanity. My only way is to crawl inside you, watch you bleed. My answer, your stupid problem. You’re no longer relevant but now I am.
It Ends Before His Laugh
I know. I’m going to! Stop with the tears. Find a way. He’s going to find you. No, I can’t go on. The smell is getting to me. Keep your hand on your stomach, don’t want your guts to fall out. It needs to stop. I hear him la… Ahhhh!
My Reaper is Kept
Do you want to know what he said.
“Yeah.”
He said if I hide these things I’ll keep
“Keep, what?”
Safe.
You’re unsafe too you know
Come with me and he’ll keep you
Keep you from sorrow, pain, and desire.
Hide these things and you’ll not feel it again. If…
Death Rattle
Mia woke to a rasping sound over the intercom. The train was still, eerily dark. She maneuvered toward the doors and struggled to pry them open. The rasping became a horrid croak, then abruptly ceased. Her labored breathing filled the silence. She twisted through the doors and into waiting arms.
He weeps knowing he is but a drop in the well, buried by the flood of hopefuls just like him. His previous stories are all but forgotten, lost in the sea of syntax. Will he be remembered or blotted out the same as before. I foresee the latter, and you?
The Handwriting is on the Wall
Flickering light emanated underneath the basement door. Had I forgotten to turn it off? Was I sleepwalking? Scraping like nails on a blackboard rose up the stairs.
I descended the steps to discover glowing handwriting clawed onto the wall. Right above my crumpled dead body, it said, “Remember… you fell.”
THE UPSIDE DOWN
There I was walking in the complete and pitch darkness, the smell so musky and rotten and this feeling of the vines is so slimy and they look quite dark and brown-ish. I know for a fact that I don’t have much time left so please GO its coming..
THE OTHER DIMENSION
There I was walking in the complete and pitch darkness, the smell so musky and rotten and this feeling of the vines is so slimy and they look quite dark and brown-ish. I know for a fact that I don’t have much time left so please GO. Its coming..
THE CRY FOR HELP
There I was walking in the complete and pitch darkness, the smell so musky and rotten and this feeling of the vines is so slimy and they look quite dark and brown-ish. I know for a fact that I don’t have much time left so please GO. its coming..
Love At First Bite!
She fell in love with him the moment he bit her and sucked her blood and let her drink his blood afterwards and she couldn’t get enough and he said please stop but she had sucked him dry and killed him and left to live her new
vampiress life
JAM
It tastes like jam to them,
crouched over the bones.
It tastes sweet.
On Halloween when Oliver got home he was in shock to see two scarecrows standing there with his parents bloody clothes they looked half dead Then GONE.But when he found them he was in shock tears dripping from his eyes and before him his parents dead on the floor.
Breath by Breath
I checked the clock, at 3:02 am, when I turned and saw a gruesome, hideous, disgusting figure, out of the blur of my eyesight, floating above me like a sea otter floating on the surface of water. It was making an unusual, eerie breathing sound, consuming my soul …… breath by breath.
Darci Young was blonde,
A shiver ran down my spine as I sat on the old porch swing, the soft fall breeze nipped at my nose and face. “You know, you aren’t going to get better by sitting out in the cold, right?” I scoffed and didn’t bother to look up at Maci. “Here.” She shoved a mug into my hands, I took it. She followed my gaze to the neighbor’s lawn as she sat beside me. She sighed and folded her legs up under her. I knew what she was thinking. We watched in mutual silence together as the cops paced across the lawn and guarded the drive way like their life depended on it. I held on tighter to the mug as they begin to haul a gurney out of an ambulance and into the house. Maci hummed as they returned with a black body bag on it.
The detective hastily left the house and stood on the porch watching as the rest of the crew taped off the house.
“It’s him again. She was drained like an animal.”
I gave Maci a look, who returned it. She promptly got up and went back inside.
I looked down at my mug and sighed. I swished the warm blood and took a sip.
That’s definitely not 50 words…
Timothy woke up and remembered… today was the day he would see his dead father. With his mother, they went to the lab that took him back in time where Timothy would get to relive, although it was just a brief moment, his last moments with his beloved father.
this one is a mess up please read newer one instead.
T in this should be capitalized and read should be write.
No, he meant read since he wrote a different version of the story and would like that one to be considered (read) instead.
“No Harm in Killing, Right?”
Walking home from school, I blink, now I’m in a chokehold.
Tossing, turning, and biting vigorously. One clean bite on his hand and, “Boom!” dropped dead. I see fingerprints with names beneath them. Pondering, I lick a bully’s fingerprint at school. Next day, absent. I’m now the ruler of Earth.
Timothy woke up and remembered… today was the day he would see his long-dead father. With his mother, they went to the lab that took him back in time where Timothy would get to relive, although it was just a brief moment, his last moments with his beloved father.
Tinder & Tequila
His mouth was dry cotton. Everything spun. He was going to be sick, but from which end? Probably both.
He retched violently. Heavy splashes stippled red freckles on white porcelain. The taste was bad, the smell worse.
He remembered the tequila. Nothing after.
Especially the finger floating in the bowl.
The demons in my life
They hide in plain sight
May give you fright
The demons i see
will make you run
They scare others
But i wont be bothered
They smile, don’t be fooled
Your mind and heart is their food
I’ll face them myself
the way to hurt them is by hurting myself
Once on a stormy night in a misty , gloomy island filled with monsters and killer clowns . Thunder crashes and lighting flashes hitting stones and trees . In the small forest filled with thorns and big brown bears . Deep in the forest, there was a small cave filled with bats and vampires . Hives field with the beating of small wings of bees . No human has been there before. But on this night a family with one baby girl and 2 ten year old boys washed ashore from a lighting storm hitting their boat .Then they awoke from their sleep they were surrounded by vampires , demons , zombies , werewolves, creepy clowns and witches . the family felt scared and the monster thought they could hurt them so they thought “we can turn them into us so they won’t hurt us”
The ten year old boys and their mother and father grabbed their instruments the mother grabbed Xylophone, and the dad grabbed his blue recorder , one of the boys grabbed his violin and all of them started to play the song twinkle twinkle little star. The monsters look confused with tilted heads . the people thought that they were going to be safe so they put it down for a minute .Next the creepy clowns grabbed chainsaw and then chopped a tree down making a loud bang when it hit the ground . One of the boys grabbed a rubber band and stick making a slingshot then grabbed 2 stones but he was too late to save himself, one of the werewolves bit the young boy making him fall asleep then
The other boy hit the white werewolf with his blue , and purple guitar . All the sudden the dad when frozen still with fear when the fallen boy started floating with black sparkles around him wolf ears and tail popped out. All of the people split their mouth in shock .Then when the mom turned to check on the baby girl she was gone only and where she was was a scary, threatening doll with and moonlit sign saying look up if you dare she looked up and saw a vampire wearing a long, black cloak holding the baby in and horrible , magical , black blanket and pointing down she looked down and saw a two headed ,black dog as they opened their mouth she saw sharp teeth so she ran the other way but got blocked off by demons she jumped up and screamed then turned right there was zombies so she turned left and there was creepy clowns. Then her son that got turned into a wolf made it through the monster with and sword the two other werewolves said “point it at her neck nick” but his name was really drake the son pointed it at his mother then cut her head off turning her into a ghost and went to hell for doing a crime. a long time ago she stole the crown of the queen of Denmark and killing the king . the dad unfroze but got stabbed by the son too making him into an angel and went to heaven then the other son said brother this is not you please remember but then he was turned into a ball as for the baby ? She got bit by the vampire and got named midnight when any humans come they will be ready with the new werewolf , Nick and the new vampire midnight when she gets older but the mother got turned into a demon and joined the other demons Day hit and all the monsters went to bed or did they ? Ten years later there was a meeting all the monsters were there even Nick and Midnight. Nick was getting married to the princess of werewolves ,Princess mist but humans came but they were ready to slice and dice them to pieces the end .
Faerytale Carousel
One-two-three, one-two-three
Round and round the ring they go
But hush! If they see you peek
They’ll invite you to their dance
So enchanting you’ll never leave
Till your feet turn to stumps
And mind melts into putty
One-two-three, one-two-three
Round and round they go, on and on and on…
For love
Amelia was the only girl I have ever loved. So why is she doing this? My hands and legs tied to a chair, drink she says. I look down at her bloody wrist. The smell so intoxicating. What’s wrong with me? The pain in my stomach becomes stronger. Drink she whispers.
Finis Tenebris
The leather-bound book sat ominously in the sacristy. Weathered pages creased as she read aloud its mysterious words,
“Invocationem malarum . . . ”
Cold chills crept in through the corners of the room,
“De spiritu. . .”
Shadows, moving closer . . .
“Diabolo.”
His fiendish figure loomed forbiddingly . . . she thrust the lance into his chest.
“Amen”.
Mama.
“Not my children!” The woman wailed from the police car. At the red light,the officers screamed,but she only smiled. “Mama’s here, it’s nearly done.” she whispered. Silence fell,fanged teeth and black eyes met hers in the rear-view. She was right, those were not her babies but His.
Title: Touch of the Unknown
“Click click, buzz..”
The lights go off as she looks for her keys.
Frightened by the darkness, she freezes.
She follows a hint of light by her windows.
A cold, silent presence approaches her.
“There you are, ha ha ha….” says the unknown.
She never makes her way back home.
WHEN I WAS LITTLE
she didn’t know it then
and she doesn’t know it now
how easily the blade would open her wrists
how quickly the blood would spill
how effortlessly it would contaminate the water filling the tub
or how it would drip drip drip over my rubber ducky as I sat watching
Reaper’s Rejection
I wait at night.
Alone.
By the window with a crack down the side,
codeine in one hand, bourbon in the other.
I have a box cutter, would you prefer that?
Perhaps the old rope in the basement. . .
Will you visit soon?
Please.
I don’t want to be alone anymore.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Who won?
That’s what I’m wondering
How do we know who won? Been waiting all day…
Jeez, loser. They say it above. They need more timeeeeee. XD -wink-
lol, friend
who won?
YSH
Also wondering guys, lol
Happy late Halloween
Who won?
who won
Read above.
YSH
By The Graveyard
There was a girl named Caroline. The night of Halloween Caroline fell into a grave. The dead body started to squeeze the brains out of her. Next thing you knew the blood gushed out of her mouth and eyes. Next, Caroline couldn’t breath. The dead body suffocated her and she died.
Why are people still posting stories? The deadline has already passed.
Please pay attention to the rules to make this easier for the owners of Every Writer. We must respect the rules.
I am pretty sure that stories well over 50 words will not be considered nor stories posted after the deadline which is October 25th. OR stories without titles.
It isn’t that hard to follow the rules if you simply read the given instructions.
Also, to everyone asking who won…the rules have been updated stating that they new a few more days to decide. There is over 4k stories to sift through after all.
Now let’s be respectful, patient, and await the results. May the best story win. Cheers!
Your statement is over 50 words.
Exactly. I would hate to be putting this pressure on Every Writer. Lets please be respectful, and read the guidelines.
Yup. It’s sad that no one has been paying attention to the rules. Writers, out of all people, should have good reading comprehension…
Rulz R 4 Fulz
Did they give a date for when they would be posting. THANKS!
Have a good day!
agreed. I’m assuming stories less than 50 words wouldn’t qualify either. It is my understanding they had to be exactly 50.
I dig your writing Gregory, particularly ‘Intimacy’. Do you have a website?
I dig your dig at YSH. Nope, no website. Thanks for the compliment, though.
Your statement is well under 50 words so I guess that means we’re both out.
Oh, well. Back to the coal mines…
so who is the winner
Jesus is the winner. Because he is the son of God. How cool would that be on take your kid to work day? And you wouldn’t have to pray, just say ‘hey dad.’ But on Father’s Day what are you going to give him? That’s a tough one. Maybe he’s not a winner but a big fat loser. See, this picking a winner thing is tough. It’s gonna take a few more days. In the mean time feel free to post more stories.
In the mean time I think we all could do some things to support this site, which is a very cool opportunity to help it flourish. 1) Set up an author page so you can promote yourself and connect with other writers 2) give a dollar or more for the donation to this contest. I’m betting all that money goes towards the prize if it’s less than 500, I’m guessing it is. 3) this is a truly unique contest where you can see ALL the entries, betting this is the only contest that offers that. What a great opportunity to comment on stories you like and offer constructive criticism on those you think need it, and avoid snide little jabs that seem to predominate a lot of the comments. Thanks, Mike
Personally, I don’t appreciate your tone when talking about Jesus. And frankly, I don’t believe many others do either. Please, just keep your opinions and snide comments to yourself, they aren’t helping anyone, least of all yourself.
True Taylor are you part of the administration here, because again your comments imply you are. If administration has a problem with any of my posts they can let me know and delete them, no problem with me. Your problem with the Jesus comment is duly noted and no such comments will be forthcoming, sorry you were offended. So how can I find your stories?
I’m the one beneath the Jesus comment under Michael, I think you’ll agree that was a pretty helpful comment, yours not so much. I have also made about 20 positive comments praising stories I liked, and a couple of writer tips so people could improve there writing skills with micro flash fiction. Scroll though my comments you’ll see. How can I scroll through your comments?!
I’m signed in now if you want to check out my other comments.
Is there a way to search one author in this contest? Some of the authors have multiple good stories and it would be nice to see them as a group.
great idea!
If the person has an author page you can click on their name and it takes you there, then you click on the comment bubble and it gives you links to all their stories. If they dont not sure you can. You can try searching by name.
If you are going to check out anyone, look at Troy Jackson’s submits.
The scope of subjects and tone of voice; very interesting stuff.
Troy’s great, we are FB friends.
Most of Troy Jackson’s stories are vulgar, and if they aren’t, the tone of voice isn’t particularly incredible, either. He may have a wide range of subjects, but as I said before most of them weren’t what Every Writer was looking for. They were sexual, not horror.
Troy are you on the every writer staff? Because you post implies you are, as in “not what every writer is looking for.” Seems like Kit would know better what every writer is looking for. BTW where are your stories, i’d Like to read them. I can’t search because you didn’t bother to make an author page.
I was addressing True not Troy last comment
Ok, I get they need more time. Why is it taking soooooooooolong? I want to know who won!
Ask Watermelon Seed.
Google has previous year’s contests. It seems like this magazine has been going through some tough financial times over the last two years, though. Also, it looks like last year’s contest had a fraction of the number of entries as this year’s contest. Not sure if that’s the case, or if a lot of entries were deleted last year due to an issue with malware.
They are offering $500 with no required entrance fee. Honestly, they deserve a donation just for the fun I had thinking of stories and then trying to say them within 50 words. It’s a really cool and unique contest.
I’m eager to read the winning entrees as well (and crossing my fingers that I get on the list!), but I am sure the folks (or folk) at Every Writers Resource is working as quickly as they can.
Well said.
Hey. I’m Troy Jackson. I am very appreciative of the high praise given.. And, am ( strange thing for a writer to admit) nearly at a loss for words.. Just enjoy putting out good content.. This site is a very interesting platform to me…
I need to learn more about the interactivity of the site..love the contests and story telling opportunities..
Only even tried due to the example of my fb buddy Mike Kelly.. Never even knew that places like this existed before now..
I’m such a newbster.. Lol
I would like to donate but the PayPal link only goes to its main page not directly to the Every Writer’s donate page. Can we get that link?
Thank you! I’m also having trouble with this as well.
Perhaps enter their email once there.
I went on the “about me” section to “contact us” and their email is eds@everywritersresource.com. I used that to donate through PayPal and it seemEd like it went through okay.
I am with you on that! I would love to know who won and the link to whatever page they shared it on!
Good Morning! Has the Winner(s) been contacted? I read, More time was needed to determine Winner(s)? And, I’m not sure how long ago was that update. So, DID I, or AM I, ONE, of the Winner(s)? 🙂 Any updates are greatly appreciated. Thanks!
They said the winners were contacted, so if you weren’t, you didn’t win.
It was a lot of fun writing these stories. Thank you for the opportunity. Looking forward to reading the winning submission!
It was a lot of fun reading everyone else’s too, that was a truly unique experience.
In case any of you are still wondering, they have sent an email to the winner already and will anounce who it was later at a given time. Hopefully you all had fun!
Thank you Richard Edwards and Every Writer for a fun and challenging contest. Congratulations to the winner. I am anxious to read it.
When/where did they announce the winner?
It says in red they contacted the winner…
The ability to search for authors stories through their page appears to have been disabled.
I really hope this is a legitimate contest. How many days can it take to contact the winner? And publishing the winning entry is just a quick keystroke. One person in these comments said that past winners are “on google”. I looked, and unless I’m missing something, I only see the names of winners, not actual entries. In any case, the past winning entries should be easily found on THIS site. Another thing that gives me pause is asking the very writers who are participating in the contest for a donation. The disclaimer states that donations will not be considered in the voting process. But if I were the site owner, I would avoid even the appearance that some people might have an advantage. It just makes sense. There are other ways to fund a contest. And finally, I don’t understand the wisdom of letting people post as many entries as they’d like. There should be a limit, whether it’s five, ten or whatever. Based on what I’ve seen here, there’s an inverse relationship to the number of entries submitted and the quality of the work. I’m not talking about “good” or “bad” writers; just the fact that a person trying to have more visibility by cranking out as many entries as possible may not be focusing on quality.
I appreciate that. Thank you.
Well said Kit.
And yes, to the complainers…STOP, this cant be the only thing in your world.
Anyone can start their own contest if you think you know better.
I became addicted to this contest. It scratched a 50-word-horror story itch I didn’t know I had. I usually write humor, so this contest allowed me to grow.
I had to stop entering because I started having scary nightmares and couldn’t sleep.
Nothing but gratitude for the process, thank you Richard.♥
I’m also struggling to understand why simply posting the winner, that has apparently already been selected days ago, is taking so long. I also thought it was strange that only one winner will be chosen. $500 is a huge prize and could have easily been divided in a number of different ways for multiple winners-especially if this site is financially struggling. But that’s the rules I guess. Also unusual that you don’t appear to have the option to withdraw an entry or comment after the 15 minute mark. If this site is run by a one man show I can certainly understand the lack in some areas, however, there could have been a better way to go about this contest. I think it also lacks a certain level of professionalism that other sites have. Apparently at one time during a different contest a contestant who turned out to be the winner supposedly gave a fake e-mail address and couldn’t be reached or notified for a very long time if at all. This site seems to be run by a pattern or system that is obviously flawed and not working. I don’t mean to shoot or break down the owner(s) but I think they should definitely reconsider how they’ve been running this site. I wouldn’t mind offering a helping hand either if it would make a difference. I want to support this site because I think it does have something good in it and potential but I’m just not sure…
The Grand Prize winner is the one that has been contacted. They are preparing a publication that will feature all the winners, because all runner ups chosen will still be published. That takes time to compile.
I expected that choosing a winner would be a somewhat long process but I didn’t expect that the time between choosing the winner and revealing said winner and runner ups would take so long. But you’ve already explained why, so thanks. Although that still only addresses one issue of many.
I think many of us are very eager to see the final results. Antsy even.
Anyway, thanks again for replying in a mature way.
I agree that this contest was poorly organized. I hope it’s the last one for a while.
I was 1 of the winners from last years contest; Yes it takes time regardless of how many work for the site; they obviously had a ton of entries. From what I’ve observed thus far there are well over 1500 stories that were submitted. I am still reading stories from early October due to the massive multiple daily entries! Also I assure you those who won have already been contacted and are waiting for their stories to be published professionally.
There is a process in which the winners have to be asked if edits are needed, the winners have to respond if they don’t then they may have been passed up and the process starts all over again!
Be patient, keep writing and good luck in your endeavors!
i meant well over 4500
Congrats! Even though it might be a bit late to say that?
Lol anyway, thank you! Good to hear and that makes more sense now.
YSH, you are correct, and I am taking steps to address this issue. We will be announcing a new Managing Editor, a new Page Editor and a Sections Editor. There will be big changes coming to Every Writer soon. I’m sorry that issues haven’t always been quickly addressed. They will be. If you are really interested in helping, contact me at eds@everywritersresource.com, and we will talk. Thanks for being on the site, and submitting your work, and it really does mean a lot.
YSH,
Thank you, it is an awesome feeling to be picked and published!
Every Writer,
So sorry to hear about all the issues. I hope it all gets resolved and look forward to sharing my stories with the magazine…
also i am still having trouble signing into my page … any suggestions? Thank you
I want to give an explanation and announcement. First I did not expect 4500 entries! It is great, but has made this very difficult. The second thing: If you are going to join a contest like this, please make sure you use your real and or working email address!! THE WINNER HAS NOT RESPONDED. I wanted to wait to make sure I was correct about the email being faulty. I am going to pick another winner. Being that I did not really pick a runner up, it will take a few more days. THIS CONTEST IS REAL. The person will get their money and you will get your winner. I AM VERY SORRY FOR THE DELAY!
Thanks for the update!
Very smart idea! And just in case the winner posted more than once, you can compare the email addresses from their posts to make sure they’re all consistent. If they’re all the same then I guess it is a faulty email after all. ?
Or perhaps they’re busy? On vacation?
Heck, I dunno. >.>
I think it could honestly make a mess of things, and a lot of people became members of the site for this contest. I have decided to move on. You will have a winner. It will be a different winner, and it will be soon.
Bravo.
Thanks for clearing the confusion! I joined just for this contest and I was afraid my email wouldn’t work because of that.
Appreciate the update! I’ve been scanning my email for weeks! xD
Me too. It’s too bad we can’t go to our entries if we weren’t logged in and check to see if we made a typo in our email address.
I understand. But perhaps the winner hasn’t responded because they can’t? I’ve tried emailing the given Every Writer email address in order to resolve an issue with my account but it didn’t work. My email got returned. Have you already ensured or confirmed it isn’t an issue on your end perhaps?
Just a thought~
And now everyone will check their SPAM boxes in a panic, haha. Good job on the contest regardless and best of luck finding the next winner. 🙂
I went through all my spam and trash just in case. No luck. ?
4500 entries? Yikes! Thanks for doing this. Even if I didn’t win, I had a blast trying to write a story in only 50 words. Great fun!
Hello, I totally understand your viewpoint about a faulty email address. However, I’m sure the entrant didn’t intentionally use a faulty email address. You clearly chose a winner based on his/her writing talents. I’m not trying to beat a dead horse, but is a possibility of reconsidering using the original winner and displaying the winners email address for confirmation? I’m certain they would reply very promptly…considering.
I agree….I don’t know if it will be the best decision, but not trying would be unfair to the actual winner.
@Bryce Simmons, Thanks for the reply, but the update also said they needed more time. In the same paragraph, which brought doubt. So…logical people would question, ‘Which is it…did you finish reading ALL the entries, ignore the rest…or already picked, winners.
Any, who…it was fun! Thanks for the opportunity, Every writer!
Dear Richard Edwards,
Please take your time. The contest, with a response of well over 4000 entries, should be considered a resounding success. Everybody enjoyed the challenge and letting their creative juices flow. Some of the results were amazingly good. I have many things to do to keep me occupied until you come to a decision, so again, please take your time.
Jon Beight, nicely stated.
Dear Edward Richards,
I’ve tried emailing you a few times during the contest about some problems I had with submissions, and again after the contest to ask for an update on the winners. I never received any responses. Is it possible that the problem lies on your end?
Our email is working, and has been working. We got another 1000 or so 50 word stories through email and through our submissions portal. We could not respond to those entries. Do you need help?
Thank for the reply, I didn’t need help anymore. During the competition, I was unable to post a story as a comment. I tried again a few days later and it worked, so I just think the website must have been overloaded with submissions at the time.
I’d also like to say thank you for running this competition. I’m glad you’ve persevered through all these unfortunate problems to make a really enjoyable competition for everyone here.
Sorry about the fake comments. I am really sorry. The users have been blocked. Winner will be announced on Sunday 11/17/19
VENGEANCE OF AN EX-GF
After his ex-girlfriend’s homicide, he stared long in the mirror and cried.
Looking at his reflection he said, “because of you she’s dead.”
“You’ll be too,” replied the mirror. Suddenly he tried retreating his hand in terror. But the reflection had it already clutched; and he was murdered in horror.
Though I’m late, I came with the latest 🙂
Thank you soooo much for the competition. I don’t think I won, but I still enjoyed writing stories. I am ten years old, so I think I’m better off with a kids competition. but thank you!!!!!!!
The winner is posted above. Please contact me Kit at eds@everywritersresource.com or leave a comment here.
Hey man,I just wanted to say thank you for running this thing. I really had a fun time thinking of new stories and trying to keep them to 50 words. I’m pretty happy to have come in fourth place and I’m looking forward to next year!
Sorry for sore losers fake comments by bad users. They have been blocked. I hope Kit contacts us soon. If not we will move on.
Greetings Richard. I sent an e-mail, please let me know if you received it.
Greetings Richard. I sent an e-mail, please let me know if you received it.
Congratulations to the winners! And thanks to Every Writer for putting so much work into the contest. Looking forward to next year!
Congratulations to the winner!
Dude the real Kit was being nothing but kind and supportive (and good on him for winning). And nobody is putting guns to people’s heads to write their stories on here!
People are getting way too uptight and entitled about this contest. I think that’s the scariest part of this whole thing, the little social experiment going on in the comments!
Congrats to Kit! You really work-horsed this contest, you deserved it for that alone bud
POSI VIBES ONLY
Thank you Victor, I really enjoyed “OUR MEALS ARE MADE HAPPY” it was a sweet and sour kind of twisted. ; )
The kind I enjoy reading!
The winners…
Congratulations
Amen.
Well said
So I saw the fake comment, too bad, but he asked an interesting question. Kit has nothing on line. Kit who are you?
Michael,
What’s the name of your Amazon book?
I know what it is. You friended me early in the competition. I tried to contact you, but you have no online presence. I even looked for you under pathologists.
I’m real, are you?
kitsteward@gmail.com
I have no idea. I have an email address, and I have a first and last name.
Everyone needs to be aware, Michael Devine was behind all the fake accounts. He posted as 5 or 6 different people for the contest. He even had conversations with himself. He is the one who just posted my daughters phone number here and threatened her. I’ve reported it and blocked him from the site. Really sorry for all the problems.
Hello all. I’m holding and reviewing negative comments, I’m not deleting them this morning. I’m listing to you. Kit has suggested that we break up the contest money. I think this is so kind and gracious:
1st = $300
2nd =$100
3rd =$75
4th =$25
I’m fine with breaking up the winnings. I have no idea how to prove to any of you that Kit is real….
Richard, thanks for the contest. I stumbled upon your site by accident. Liking what I found here, I know I’ll be stopping by often. Sorry to hear about the poor sports.
Huh? Why were my comments deleted? I didn’t say anything negative or offensive at all. I’m confused.
Tojo, your comments are just being held for moderation, it’ll only be for a few days. I’m sorry about the trouble.
Pretty sad that people have to go and try to ruin a good thing. Please don’t let the bad apples sour a great contest. 🙁
I just wanted to say congratulations to the winners! This was a fun little comp that stirred the imagination.
Hey thanks for the contest. I wasn’t in the top four so I wanted to make sure I can share my story on my site. I wasn’t sure if there was a certain number you were printing and didn’t want to mess up anything you were doing. I guess if these are locked can you email the answer to me? edbutler17@gmail.com
Congratulations..
A very belated thank you for this opportunity and congrats to the winners, nice work 🙂
“After Sunset”
I woke up to the sound of a sharp screech. I looked over to my sister who was resting peacefully in her bed, undisturbed. I got up to investigate the source of the scream. When I was about to place my hand on the door knob and open the door, it wiggled vigorously and I heard “open the door…I know you’re in there” coming from a shaky voice on the other side. I saw a flashlight drop and the light could be seen from a crack below the door. I saw a dry, wrinkly hand, almost claw like, reach under the door searching for the flashlight. Then I felt it grasp my ankle everything went dark. The last thing I heard was the same voice saying “give me what I want.”
Our current 50 word contest is here: https://www.everywritersresource.com/october-2024-halloween-fright-contest-50-word-horror-stories/