Contest Rules & Acknowledgement
Thank you for entering The Pagemaster's Halloween Short Story Contest! We are excited to celebrate local writers and the creativity of our community.
Please read the following rules carefully before submitting your entry.
1. ELIGIBILITY
The contest is open to writers in Kapuskasing and the surrounding communities.
There are three age categories:
12 & Under
13–17
18+
An entrant's age category will be determined by their age at the time of the contest.
Entrants under 18 must have permission from a parent or legal guardian to participate.
2. GENRE
Your story's main genre must be one of the following:
-Mystery
-Thriller
-Horror
Subgenres and genre combinations are welcome! Your story may include elements of romance, fantasy, science fiction, comedy, historical fiction, paranormal fiction, or any other subgenre, provided that the primary focus of the story is mystery, thriller, or horror.
For example, a paranormal romance is eligible if the story is primarily a horror story with romantic elements. A fantasy mystery is eligible if the primary focus is the mystery.
3. WORD COUNT
There is no minimum word count.
Entries may be up to a maximum of 3,000 words.
Stories exceeding the 3,000-word maximum may be disqualified.
The title does not count toward the word count.
4. ORIGINAL WORK
All entries must be the entrant's original work.
Stories must not be plagiarized, copied, or substantially based on another person's work.
Previously published stories are not eligible.
Each entrant may submit one story only.
5. USE OF GENERATIVE AI
Generative artificial intelligence may not be used to create, write, substantially rewrite, or generate the submitted story.
This includes, but is not limited to, using AI to generate the plot, characters, scenes, paragraphs, or substantial portions of the story.
Basic spelling and grammar tools, such as standard word-processing spellcheck and grammar suggestions, are permitted.
By entering, the writer confirms that the submitted story is their own original work.
The Pagemaster reserves the right to request drafts, notes, or other reasonable evidence of the writing process if the originality of an entry is questioned.
6. SUBMISSION DEADLINE
All stories must be submitted to The Pagemaster by October 15, 2026.
Entries received after the deadline may not be accepted.
Registration for the contest must be completed by September 30, 2026.
7. JUDGING
Entries will be judged anonymously by a group of judges selected by The Pagemaster.
Judges will not be given the entrant's name while scoring the entries. Each story will be assigned an entry number for judging purposes.
Judges will evaluate entries based on factors such as:
Originality and creativity
Storytelling and plot
Effective use of mystery, suspense, or horror
Characters
Writing quality and readability
Overall impact
Judges will score entries independently using a standardized judging form.
Once judging is complete, the entrant's identity will be revealed to the organizers and winners will be selected based on the judging results.
In the event of a tie, The Pagemaster may use additional judging or discussion to determine the winner.
8. PRIZES
Cash prizes will be determined after registration closes on September 30, 2026.
Prizes will be awarded to the first-place winner in each age category.
Prizes may include:
Cash
The Pagemaster gift cards
Books
Bookish prizes
Other Halloween-themed prizes or goodies
If the number of entries and available prize pool allows, second-place prizes may also be awarded in each category.
The final prize details will be announced before the winners are announced.
9. WINNERS
Winners will be announced at The Pagemaster's Halloween celebration on October 31, 2026.
Winners will also be contacted using the contact information provided during registration.
If a winner is under 18, a parent or legal guardian may be required to claim the prize on their behalf.
10. PARTICIPANT RECOGNITION
Every registered entrant will receive a special Pagemaster Halloween Short Story Contest bookmark as a thank-you for participating.
The Pagemaster may also choose to recognize finalists or notable entries during the Halloween event.
11. STORY DISPLAY & SHARING
By entering the contest, entrants give The Pagemaster permission to display the title of their story and the entrant's name if they are selected as a finalist or winner.
The Pagemaster may display or share winning and/or finalist stories in the bookstore or on The Pagemaster's social media channels for the purpose of promoting and celebrating the contest and local writers.
The writer remains the owner of their original work.
12. DISQUALIFICATION
An entry may be disqualified if:
It does not meet the genre requirements.
It exceeds the maximum word count.
It is submitted after the deadline.
It contains plagiarized or substantially copied material.
Generative AI was used in violation of these rules.
The entrant provides false or misleading information.
The entry otherwise violates the contest rules.
Entry fees are non-refundable once a story has been submitted, except where The Pagemaster determines otherwise.
13. CONTENT
Because this is a mystery, thriller, and horror contest, stories may contain frightening, suspenseful, or mature themes.
Entrants are encouraged to write appropriately for their selected age category.
Stories containing hate speech, discriminatory content, or gratuitous sexual content will not be accepted.
The Pagemaster reserves the right to reject an entry that is inappropriate for a community bookstore event.
14. ORGANIZER'S RIGHTS
The Pagemaster reserves the right to make reasonable changes to the contest schedule, judging process, or prizes if circumstances require it.
Any significant changes will be communicated to registered entrants.
By submitting an entry, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to these rules. A version of these rules will be posted on our website. www.thepagemaster.ca