Backyard Movie Critic’s 1st Annual 50 Word Halloween Horror Story Contest
Dear Substack Friends,
I need your help getting in the Halloween spirit! I love Halloween, but honestly this has been a stressful year. There have been some health things in the family, my daughter went off to college, and just life was life-ing. I’m grateful for much of it, but I need some help capturing the Halloween spirit this year. I believe that, as adults, it’s our job to create the magic of the spooky season.
To that end, please help. I have done this for years on other sites, and it might be fun to do here. I want your 50-word horror stories! I can’t tell you how much fun it is to get a notification of a 50-word horror story on my iWatch! Busy day, rush rush, OOOO 50 words of horror.
I’m honestly not sure what to give out as a prize for this first contest. You’ll get bragging rights, and I’ll restack your articles for a week? We can collab on something? I really don’t know what would be a good prize, but we can work something out. You at least get bragging rights, and I’ll do a note as a big announcement of the winners with links to their substack. .
50 Word Horror Story Rules:
It must be a horror story.
No AI ENTRIES!!!
TITLE: Please title your entries. Title does NOT count in the word count!
It must be 50 words or less.
It must be a complete story.
Entries must be submitted by midnight on October 27th 2026.
Enter as many stories as you like!
Post your story in the comments below.
Scariest Story Wins.
I am the final judge, but I will take how many likes the story gets into consideration.
Prizes:
Bragging Rights
An Announcement with a link to your page telling people to subscribe.
Restacks or collab (we can work out something beneficial if you so desire)
I’m doing this for fun! It’s to get us all in the Halloween spirit. I really am a Halloween freak, and I love for other people to share in that freakiness (don’t take it that way)!
Note on AI: Do not use AI, please. It’s 50 words. I understand some people use it for like grammar and spelling help, that’s one thing, but using AI to write a 50 word story is like having a robot do 500 reps of a 10 lbs dumbbell then bragging about how tough you are. I’ll use a detector, but there is also a bit of the honor system here. Please be honorable.
Lastly, I hope this is fun for everyone. I’d like to do one each year; if it bombs, I get it. Also, there is no pressure here. Any negative comment about a story will be removed! I know not all my readers are writers. I will monitor, read and comment daily!
On the flip side, if you see a story you like, please give compliments and likes! Please be encouraging! This is just for fun, so let’s be positive.
So, write a 50-word horror story below. Happy Halloween.
Here is my 50 word example:
God if you save me from this I will sell this mansion, back to the city. Arms and legs are frozen to the bed. She’s in the hall. Hag in the white veil, those boney hands, please god, please. How cold she is now, those eyes.
Lastly,
Also, if you want more fun like this, please subscribe! I also do articles and am working on some live movies. I hope horror movies for Halloween, so subscribe if you want to keep up to date! Also I need to be able to contact you if you win!
Put your 50 word story below!!!!
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫
I shivered as dark shadows shifted.
Wandering the rumored haunted wood had seemed a lark. But chills slithered down my neck as I felt the icy, fetid breath of the fabled witch of the wood right behind me.
"I'm so hungry," she said, opening her unhinged jaws like a snake.
Let's Play
Porch lights clicked off as the tricker or treaters returned home.
Beneath the moon, something stirred.
By midnight, every Halloween decoration had gathered at the playground.
Children followed the laughter into the dark.
“We are awake,” the wind whispered.
By morning, the playground was empty.
So were the children’s beds.