Drabble Contest
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it's time for another Pentrace contest! Stuart Williams has generously offered to donate a paperbound copy of Bram Stoker's Dracula as a prize for the best drabble. Here are the rules:
-
A drabble is a short story that is exactly 100 words
long, not including its title (if any). Don't even think of
submitting a story of any other length; we have a very skilled word
counter on permanent retainer. Contractions such as don't
and o'clock count as single words, but the words in hyphenated phrases such as one-time are counted individually. Here is an example of a
drabble:
The mantel clock softly chimed three. Hours earlier, my shrew of a wife had stormed upstairs after one of our incessant altercations; and I sat alone in my study, squinting in the guttering glow of a cheap tallow taper and scribbling in my journal. As my narration progressed, the words on the paper seemed to acquire a deep russet hue. Distracted from my writing, I became aware of a gentle plopping sound. Casting my glance at the ceiling, I leapt away in horror, for the source of my ink's strange metamorphosis was a monstrous bloodstain dripping into the open inkpot. - In keeping with the season, each entry must have a spooky theme. You can submit an entry in whatever style pleases you; suggested styles include ghost stories, Poe-style psychothrillers, Lovecraftian homespun, even something out of Dark Shadows.
- In keeping with the contest venue, each entry must be in some recognizable way related to pens and writing. Subtlety in complying with this rule is a virtue but is not a requirement.
- Each participant may submit only one entry, so you'll have to concentrate on making your story your very best effort.
- Entries must be submitted by email to the Contest Moderator before 12:00 midnight Eastern Daylight Time, Wednesday, October 24, 2001.
The Contest Moderator will assign numbers to preserve the anonymity of each entry's authorship and will then forward the entries in a group for judging by an impartial panel comprising professional writers and editors as well as nonprofessionals who read and enjoy horror stories of all types. One prize, the aforementioned book, will be awarded to the author of the winning story. The Moderator will contact the winner to arrange for delivery of the prize. On Wednesday, October 31, all of the entries will be posted for the community to enjoy.