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Fright Club | Creative Writing Contest | Middle & High
Creative writing contest ideal for 10-18 year-olds
A creative writing contest to engage your students, teaching them how to write a spooky story packed with atmosphere.
Inspire your students to write spine-tingling mini sagas, stories told in up to 100 words with Fright Club. The fun theme is guaranteed to ensnare their imaginations as they explore what lurks in the shadows. Will they write a scary story with a thrilling twist or a funny tale of things going bump in the night?
The free online resources, including a ready-made lesson plan and accompanying slide deck (also available in Google Slides - select 'Make a copy' to save an editable version), will help you teach your students how to write with tension, atmosphere, and suspense to create their creepy tales.
Use the 8-story starter postcards to kick-start their ideas, taking away the fear of the blank page. Where they take the story after that is up to them!
Why enter? 🕯️Boost students' confidence in creative writing
🕯️Opportunity for students to be published
🕯️Give students a sense of pride and achievement
🕯️Allow students to explore their imaginations and creativity
🕯️Fantastic prizes to be won
🕯️Free resources to help you plan and teach creative writing lessons
🕯️Free to enter
If you’d like further entry forms they can be copied or downloaded. If you prefer to go paperless, check out the Online Writing Portal where your students type their work during your lesson!
Tell your colleagues so your whole school can get creative today and join Fright Club!
Closing Date: Friday Apr 18, 2025
We've worked with over 20,000 schools. Here's what some of them have to say...
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This is my sixth year using YW to publish my students' writing and they are so easy to work with! My students are always excited to use the provided theme and challenge themselves to be chosen!
Thank you so much for another opportunity! The class really enjoyed this.
Justina Denapoli, Father Vincent Capodanno Catholic Academy, NYSee more...
The students enjoyed the freedom of this project (Peculiar Pets). It got them excited to write.
Amanda Peterson, Christ The King School, NYSee more...
Peculiar Pets was a great activity!
Anne Piccoli, Immaculate Heart Of Mary School, NYSee more...
Thank you for the intriguing prompts and engaging activities! I look forward to these contests each year.
Mike Carter, Millis Middle/High School, MASee more...
My students absolutely loved the challenge of writing mini sagas!
Darla Bubar, Edward Town Middle School, NYSee more...
The story starters are so fun!
Nichole Charbonneau, Old Rochester Regional Junior High School, MASee more...
My students look forward to this contest every year, and so do I!
Rachel Barnes, Monomay Regional High School, MASee more...
This was such a fun way to have my students engaged with their writing!
Christina Guertin, Midland Street School, NYSee more...
This is my sixth year using YW to publish my students' writing and they are so easy to work with! My students are always excited to use the provided theme and challenge themselves to be chosen!
To make sure your entries are valid, please follow the rules listed below:
Closing Date: Friday Apr 18, 2025
Only one entry per student, there is no limit to the number of entries per school.
Teachers please submit your entries altogether where possible, using one Teacher Entry Form per teacher.
Students can work together to submit a joint story.
Mini sagas can be submitted on the entry form or a sheet of paper or typed (on a computer or using the Online Writing Portal or Word Doc entry form)
Each student's name, age and school name should be included on their entry. (Entries can be submitted with first names only or initials if needed.)
Mini sagas have a 100-word limit. Titles are not included in the word limit.
If a story starter is used, it must be included in the 100-word limit.
US entrants only.
Copyright remains with the author.
Free to enter.
If you are unsure on any rules or have any queries, please don't hesitate to Contact Us.
For Schools
Young Writers’ Award of Excellence is awarded to the school that submits the best set of entries for this contest.
PLUS every participating school receives a free copy of the book their students feature in.
(The more entries you send, the more free books you’ll receive: E.g. Send 1-30 entries & you'll receive 1 free copy, send 31-60 entries you'll receive 2 free copies, etc. Every participating school receives at least 1 free copy their students feature in.)
For Pupils
Our favorite 3 writers will each win a will each win a $50 Amazon gift card.
PLUS every entrant receives a bookmark for taking part. Students chosen for publication also receive a certificate.
(The school & student winners will be chosen from the entries received Feb-April 2025)
Enter Online
Email
Email your entries to [email protected]
and please ensure your students' names and ages are on their work, and that you include your name, school name and school address in your email. Thank you!
Please ensure your name, email and school name and address are included with your entries if you send entries digitally via a non-Young Writers service.
Send by Post
Send your entries, along with your school entry form, to:
Young Writers Middle & High 77 Walnut Street Unit 11 Peabody MA 01960
We can't wait to be frightfully delighted by your students' mini sagas!
Jenni, Editor
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