Something wicked this way comes! Students in grades 6 through 12 and adults in Lorain County are welcome to participate in our 2025 Spooky Short Story Contest by submitting one original short story between Sept. 2 and Sept. 22.
To enter the contest, please fill out the form below and attach your document. (For teachers or parents with multiple submissions for children, please provide the same information required on the form below for each child, but email the submissions to contest@lpls.info.)
In the body of the email, attach your story as a .doc or .docx file; list your legal name; pen name (if applicable); school grade or adult; name of school, if applicable; home address; phone number; and email address.
The deadline for submission is midnight Sept. 22. Prizes sponsored by the Friends of the Lorain Public Library will be awarded.
All entrants will be invited to attend the Spooky Short Story Recital at the Avon Branch on Oct. 25, from 2 to 4 p.m., where our contest winners will be announced and will read their spooktacular story! If unable to attend, your story will be read by the emcee at the event and arrangements will be made for you to receive your prize.
We look forward to reading your original short story!
Format Requirements
- File type: .doc or .docx
- Font Type: Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri
- Font Size: 12
- Spacing: Double
- Margins: 1" all sides
- The short story should be at least 500 words, or 2 pages, but no longer than 2,500 words, or 8 typed pages, whichever comes first.
- Pages must be numbered.
Entries that do not adhere to these format requirements will not be considered eligible.