
Foggy Waters
Write a short horror fiction story set in or near a body of water.
Prizes
- First Place:
- $5,000
- Second Place:
- $2,500
- Third Place:
- $1,000
Status
CompletedTimeline
Submissions opened
Sep 30, 2021
Submissions closed
Nov 03, 2021 3:59 AM CUT
Results
Nov 16, 2021
Prizes
- First Place:
- $5,000
- Second Place:
- $2,500
- Third Place:
- $1,000
Status
CompletedTimeline
Submissions opened
Sep 30, 2021
Submissions closed
Nov 03, 2021 3:59 AM CUT
Results
Nov 16, 2021
About this challenge
Summoning all horror-loving spirits! This Challenge is inspired by the unforgiving New England coasts, the lakes too deep to see the bottom, and the clowns and gators that live in the sewer. This spooky season, we're asking you to create a piece of short horror fiction that is set in or near a body of water.
The body of water can be natural or man-made, and serve as an integral plot point or a scenic detail. Whether you choose to create a story about a Victorian ghost ship, a lighthouse where the residents slowly go mad, or a Jaws-inspired massacre amidst the waves, the only requirement is that your entire story takes place in, on, or around the water.
How to enter
Your story should be between 600 and 3,000 words and adhere to our Community Guidelines. Stories published on Vocal and entered into the contest up until November 2, 2021, at 11:59 PM EST will be entered for consideration. Official Rules for the Challenge can be found here.
The Foggy Waters Challenge is exclusive to Vocal+ members. To learn more and upgrade to Vocal+ visit https://shopping-feedback.today/vocal-plus%3C/span%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E.%3C/p%3E%3Cp class="css-1923z11-Text">To be eligible to win the grand prize, second place, or third place prizes, you must be over the age of 13 and residing in a country where Stripe is available at the time of entry. A complete list of countries where Stripe is available can be found here—winners will need to have a Stripe account created and connected in order to receive the prizes. For this reason, entrants located outside of any of these countries will not be eligible to win.
Open challenges
Challenges you can enter now for a chance to win.
Instructions Included
Tell a story in the form of instructions, guidelines, or a how-to manual for something fictional or mundane.
$200 Grand Prize5 days leftNothing But Voices
Write a complete short story using only dialogue. No descriptions, no dialogue tags, and no internal thoughts. Just voices on the page.
$200 Grand Prize12 days leftPublic Announcement
Write a poem that takes the form of a public announcement, notice, or warning.
$200 Grand Prize17 days leftMismatch
Write a story that blends two contrasting genres, such as horror and romance, science fiction and western, or fantasy and noir.
$200 Grand Prize19 days leftCraft Over Catharsis
Write a story that prioritizes structure, technique, or form over emotional release.
$200 Grand Prize26 days leftInstructions for a Feeling
Write a poem that gives instructions for how to experience, create, or avoid a feeling.
$200 Grand Prize31 days leftRituals of Affection
Write a story about a recurring ritual tied to love, romance, or connection. Something about it is unusual, unsettling, or unexplained.
$200 Grand Prize33 days left
Challenge resources
The Ritual of Winter Challenge Winners
Welcome to the Winners Announcement for The Ritual of Winter challenge. This prompt focused on winter rituals and the meaning that settles into them over time. The top pieces stay grounded in ordinary acts and repeated routines, letting winter shape the work through pace, attention, and restraint.
By Vocal Curation Team2 days ago in Resources
FPS: The Last Flame Challenge Winners
Welcome to our first Winners Announcement of the year and to the final challenge in the Fall Poetry Series. The Last Flame invited writers to sit with endings, using fire as a central image to consider what remains when something burns out: ash, warmth, memory, silence, or the faint promise of what comes next. The strongest pieces treated endings as gradual rather than sudden, allowing them to flicker, dim, and linger.
By Vocal Curation Team4 days ago in Resources
FPS: Villanelle of Regret Challenge Winners
Some feelings don’t fade. They repeat. The Villanelle of Regret challenged poets to write into that return. To let regret, longing, and obsession build with each pass, rather than resolve. The strongest entries trusted repetition to carry the weight.
By Vocal Curation Teamabout a month ago in Resources






