Wicked Writing IV

New Year, New Contest!

The New Year has arrived!! Along with it a new and improved Wicked Writing Contest has entered the fold.

The Macabre Monday team has been trying to figure out how best to go forward with the Wicked Writing Contest and the most recent one only solidified our thoughts.

We want everyone that wants to join in on the fun to be able to and it seemed that the time constraint of having it monthly was really effecting many writer’s ability to participate. This isn’t surprising considering how many projects writers tend to take on!

It didn’t leave much room for error either. If you so happened to miss the announcement, you were at a disadvantage from the get-go. We’ve also heard from others that they had either started working on or nearly finished their piece only to run out of time. We can’t imagine how disheartening that is, and it is not something we want to have continue into 2024. We like our writers to keep their hearts—makes for a better sacrifice later on.

This is why, going forward, there will be four contests per year—so every three months you can expect a new contest! This solves quite a few of the issues that I stated above as well as some others. The Wicked Writing contest will now be a much more special event, instead of being normalized throughout the year. This also effects the anthology, which is now going to be an annual release of the top 5 stories from the four contests.

With the new contest we have launched the new submission form (found here), so no longer will you have to email your entry in and be confused about any of the rules! Please, take care in reading all of the rules moving forward, as it is now contingent upon entering that you accept our publication contract so that your story may be included in the annual anthology.

With all the freed up time that we have now, you will see other changes coming to Macabre Monday! You’ll see that we will be leaning even heavier into the the community aspect of things. Soon we will be unveiling a new collaborative project that we have in the works that will hopefully have everyone working close together towards an excruciatingly exciting project!

We have terribly high hopes for 2024, so here’s to hoping it is every bit as Macabre as we intend for it to be!

Behold, a new contest awakens!

It is rather fitting that the first Monday of the New Year has fallen on the 1st of January, bringing with it the first Wicked Writing contest of 2024! With all the new changes, we hope that everyone—new or seasoned, young or old, cursed or hexed, damned or diseased—will participate in our quarterly event.

Your panel of judges for 2024’s first Wicked Writing contest are:

The Chronicler

Jon T

John Coon

We all are looking forward to seeing what you all craft this time!

Prizes

1st place:

1. $20 e-gift card 

2. Featured spot in the annual WWC anthology

3. Free digital copy of the anthology

4. Discounts on the physical copy of the anthology (if applicable)

5. Featured promotion in The Cemetery post

2nd-5th place:

1. A spot in the WWC anthology 

2. Free digital copy of the anthology

3. Discounts on the physical copy of the anthology (if applicable)

4. Featured promotion in The Cemetery post

Theme Introduction: Music Mania

Genres: Classical, Rock, Soul

Music is powerful. If anything can be compared to the rich history of storytelling that spans all the way to the dawn of humanity, it is music. Truly, the go hand in hand. Music uniquely effects and stimulates our very emotions and can even go as far as altering our mood, our experiences and even our own brain chemistry. As amazing as music is, there is no denying that the macabre pervades throughout this art. Tragedies have long been sung about, horrific events being captured with song to last through the ages. The industry itself has been plagued with mystery, controversy, murder, and so much more to take inspiration from.

Why Music?

This theme challenges you to explore rhythm, musicality and experimenting with emotions that you can bring forward through song. There is practically infinite choices to pick from for inspiration throughout the provided genres of classical, rock and soul music. It allows you to play with any era, provided the genre you pick existed at the time. Will you weave a centuries old, sorrowful tale of love and murder that takes advantage of the unique melancholy sound of classical music or will you write a modern, brutal, fast-paced splatter fest to the tune of hard rock? Maybe you’d rather go down the route of a mind-bending betrayal taking place in the mid 20th century that pairs well with daringly upbeat soul music. Perhaps you are brave and want to combine two or all three of the genres together. Whatever you choose, may the music and the words flow through you.

For Rules, requirements, timeline and how to submit your entry, please click this link: Wicked Writing Contest

Your Weekly Horror Digest

Chris Well

shared a culmination of the 2023’s top posts that have to do with vampires for his first Macabre Monday. There is some killer content here to satisfy your thirst for every-fang vampire!

The Man Behind the Screen

decided to go a different direction and talked about the true horror of nature—Tornadoes. Why do these natural phenomena instill such a deep fear in us over other disasters that strike? Take a look at his thoughts on the matter!

Skyla

wrote a piece on everyone’s favorite Christmas horror story, “A Christmas Carol”. It may be weird to think of it as one, but all the elements for good horror are present!

Stirling S Newberry

graced us with a short story titled, “Jesus Saves”. Check it out!

Jesus Saves

reinancruz

offered her reading suggestions from the books that she chose to give as gifts this year. There’s no better way to spread horror, than to gift it! Make no mistake, this note is a gift in of itself, there are some amazing recommendations.

John Coon

asked everyone who their favorite holiday-themed monster is and why. Do you have a favorite? It’s Krampus, isn’t it? Regardless, check out what others had to say; maybe you’ll find a new favorite!

Honeygloom

was inspired by a haiku

erniet

wrote for her Horror Haiku Club (which you should join) and sought out some rather…interesting…information regarding if human fat was ever used in candles. If this is not macabre, then I don’t know what is!

Kathrine Elaine

shared her story that she submitted for the cancelled Wicked Writing Contest. She may not have had a chance to win the contest, but the story is a winner regardless!

That’s all I have for you this week! Check back in next Monday for the Meet the Maniac interview!

Join the discussion on notes here on the Substack platform every Monday!

Stay Spooky.

If you are looking for another community project to be apart of, check out the ongoing Blackwater Files by The Chronicler! Click here.

If you are looking for people to follow on notes for Macabre Monday, check out all the people participating (updated list): haunting the staircase Jenovia Honeygloom John Coon reinancruz Koshmarov Michael S. Atkinson Author Michele Bardsley L.L. Ford A. B. Frank Patricia J.L. 👻🧶🖊️ Jessica Maison Jennifer Morrow Stirling S Newberry Nicolina Torres Lauren Salas Susan Earlam Jon T Daniel W. Davison Daniel O’Donnell Michael P. Marpaung Buck Weiss Leigh Parrish Macey Cole Noble Olivia St. Lewis EJ Trask Joshua T Calkins-Treworgy Skyla Anna C. Webster Carla Pettigrew V Kelly-Sibley Kathrine Elaine Renee George Alec Worley haunting the staircase ReddOscarWrites Slasher EJ Trask Josh Tatter The Man Behind the Screen Hamish Kavanagh