RAINA SULLIVAN HORROR FICTION SHORT STORY CONTEST 2026

THE PROCESS

In order to facilitate transparency in the contest, we will list the titles of all stories entered into the contest on the website. For anonymity, the author’s name will not be listed.

We will whittle down submissions to the top 10%, at which point a judge, potentially two, yet to be announced, will make a decision for the winning story. If there is an excess of submissions, we will have a 2nd place prize of $50. There could potentially be a third-place prize, also, if there is a large number of submissions. However, the top prize of $100 is the baseline for the competition.

The Contest will run from January 1st, 2026 to June 1st, 2026. The winner(s) will be announced on Halloween, October 31st, 2026.

Payment can be made through PayPal, Venmo, or Zelle. All entrants are nonrefundable. As questions come up, we will send additional emails to clarify any points that remain confusing.

How to Participate

Email Samjoko Magazine for the participant form. Once filled out, choose the method of payment and submit the participant form and the submission. An invoice will be sent in reply. Only after payment is made will the submission be considered eligible and added to the list.

How to Format

Absolutely no PDFs, for either submission or participant’s filled out form. Story format should be Times New Roman, 12” Font, Double Spaced. 3000 words maximum. Send file as .doc or .docx only. No PDFs under any circumstances.

If these guidelines are not followed, pieces will be automatically disqualified.

ENTRANT’S TITLE AND DATE