“Where members have a grievance over issues such as plagiarism, with a publisher over a contractual issue, or a similar matter; and that grievance has not been resolved after the member has made reasonable endeavors, the member may approach the HWA Grievance Committee. The Committee will consider the facts and endeavor to assist the Member in getting a satisfactory resolution.” - HWA Member Handbook
Function
HWA Grievance Committee is established to provide an avenue within the organization where members may freely and openly inform the association of events that may negatively affect the organization or its members. The Chairman of the Grievance Committee must appoint volunteers to act as committee members. The committee must have a minimum of 5 volunteers including the chairman, but never exceed 9 members, including chairman.
The committee DOES NOT:
- Make decisions regarding the morality of members.
- Take sides on any issue.
- Play favorites.
The HWA offers this service as a benefit to its members and acts solely as an investigator/mediator. The HWA does not provide legal advice to anyone. If a party to a dispute informs the HWA that such party is represented by legal counsel, the HWA will immediately cease its investigation or mediation unless all parties and their counsel agree otherwise. The HWA is not obligated to conduct an investigation or mediation with regard to any matter that, in its sole discretion, the HWA deems to be outside the scope of the Grievance Committee or deems might place any of the HWA or its officers, trustees, or members of the Grievance Committee in jeopardy or expose any of them to liability.
Purpose
The purpose of the Grievance Committee is to help members resolve various complaints AFTER the member has utilized their own methods of resolution.
The chairman will notify HWA leadership and Board of Directors of any negative trends found in grievances.
Steps of grievance committee upon receiving complaint:
- Ensure that complainant is a dues-paying member of the HWA.
- Ensure that complaint specifies type of grievance.
- Contact complainant within 72 hours.
- Contact defendant within 48 hours after receiving a completed grievance form from the complainant.
- Check complaint against the current bylaws of the association.
Grievance Submission:
Complete the form below to submit a grievance to the HWA.
IMPORTANT: Submitting only one work? This page is for lists of two or more submissions. To submit a single work, look for the applicable category on the following page and submit it there: https://horrorwritersassociation.submittable.com/submit
We have two submission periods:
- January 1 through November 30 — For all works published between January 1, 2025 and November 30, 2025
- December 1 through December 31 — For all works published between December 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025
We do this to save our jurors from having too big an avalanche of works at the end of the year, so please submit early.
You are offering multiple works that you published or edited or had a hand in to be read by the Bram Stoker Award Jury. This does not guarantee that your works will make it to the ballot. This will not get the work on the Recommended Reading List — that is a separate process.
IMPORTANT: Please read the Bram Stoker Award™ Etiquette Rules and the Eligibility Rules before submitting.
Please follow the following two guidelines carefully.
1. Submit a list of the works in Excel (.xls), Word Doc (.doc, .docx), or RTF format
Include the following information for each work:
- Category
- Title
- Author
- Author Email (or Publisher Email)
- Word Count
- Publication Date
- URL to web page about the work, if one exists
2. Submit a digital copy of each work in PDF or Word Doc format
HALT! Take your time. Make sure your recommendation is neatly formatted and complete.
For questions or concerns, please email stokerchair@horror.org.
We have two submission periods:
- January 1 through November 30 — For all works published between January 1, 2025 and November 30, 2025
- December 1 through December 31 — For all works published between December 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025
We do this to save our jurors from having too big an avalanche of works at the end of the year, so please submit early.
You are offering your own or a work you published or edited or had a hand in to be read by the Bram Stoker Award Anthology Jury. This does not guarantee that your work will make it to the ballot. This will not get the work on the Recommended Reading List — that is a separate process.
Before you offer your work or someone else's for consideration, please read the Bram Stoker Award™ Etiquette Rules and the Eligibility Rules.
Please follow the guidelines carefully.
SUBMIT A DIGITAL COPY OF THE WORK
You may upload either or both of the following per work offered:
- an information sheet in PDF, Word Doc, or RTF format
- a digital copy of the work — if you upload only the digital copy of the work, please make sure it contains all the required information listed in the guidelines below.
FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES CLOSELY:
- Upload files only in PDF (Adobe), DOC (Word), or RTF (rich text format)
- If you cannot upload your work, then upload a DOC, RTF, or PDF document about your work
- Be sure to give us as much of the following information as possible:
> Appropriate Award Category
> Publication date
> Publisher
> Word count
> Author Name
> Author Email
> Author website address
> Book website address
> Title
> Synopsis
> Is the work available for free online? Where?
HALT! Take your time. Make sure your recommendation is neatly formatted and complete.
For questions or concerns, please email stokerchair@horror.org.
We have two submission periods:
- January 1 through November 30 — For all works published between January 1, 2025 and November 30, 2025
- December 1 through December 31 — For all works published between December 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025
We do this to save our jurors from having too big an avalanche of works at the end of the year, so please submit early.
You are offering your own or a work you published or edited or had a hand in to be read by the Bram Stoker Award Fiction Collection Jury. This does not guarantee that your work will make it to the ballot. This will not get the work on the Recommended Reading List — that is a separate process.
Before you offer your work or someone else's for consideration, please read the Bram Stoker Award™ Etiquette Rules and the Eligibility Rules.
Please follow the guidelines carefully.
Word count minimum: 40,000
SUBMIT A DIGITAL COPY OF THE WORK
You may upload either or both of the following per work offered:
- an information sheet in PDF, Word Doc, or RTF format
- a digital copy of the work — if you upload only the digital copy of the work, please make sure it contains all the required information listed in the guidelines below.
FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES CLOSELY:
- Upload files only in PDF (Adobe), DOC (Word), or RTF (rich text format)
- If you cannot upload your work, then upload a DOC, RTF, or PDF document about your work
- Be sure to give us as much of the following information as possible:
> Appropriate Award Category
> Publication date
> Publisher
> Word count
> Author Name
> Author Email
> Author website address
> Book website address
> Title
> Synopsis
> Is the work available for free online? Where?
HALT! Take your time. Make sure your recommendation is neatly formatted and complete.
For questions or concerns, please email stokerchair@horror.org.
We have two submission periods:
- January 1 through November 30 — For all works published between January 1, 2025 and November 30, 2025
- December 1 through December 31 — For all works published between December 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025
We do this to save our jurors from having too big an avalanche of works at the end of the year, so please submit early.
You are offering your own or a work you published or edited or had a hand in to be read by the Bram Stoker Award First Novel Jury. This does not guarantee that your work will make it to the ballot. This will not get the work on the Recommended Reading List — that is a separate process.
Before you offer your work or someone else's for consideration, please read the Bram Stoker Award™ Etiquette Rules and the Eligibility Rules .
Please follow the guidelines carefully.
Word count minimum: 40,000
SUBMITTING A DIGITAL COPY OF THE WORK? You may upload either or both of the following per work offered:
- an information sheet in PDF, Word Doc, or RTF format
- a digital copy of the work — if you upload only the digital copy of the work, please make sure it contains all the required information listed in the guidelines below.
FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES CLOSELY:
- Upload files only in PDF (Adobe), DOC (Word), or RTF (rich text format)
- If you cannot upload your work, then upload a DOC, RTF, or PDF document about your work
- Be sure to give us as much of the following information as possible:
> Appropriate Award Category
> Publication date
> Publisher
> Word count
> Author Name
> Author Email
> Author website address
> Book website address
> Title
> Synopsis
> Is the work available for free online? Where?
HALT! Take your time. Make sure your recommendation is neatly formatted and complete.
For questions or concerns, please email stokerchair@horror.org.
We have two submission periods:
- January 1 through November 30 — For all works published between January 1, 2025 and November 30, 2025
- December 1 through December 31 — For all works published between December 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025
We do this to save our jurors from having too big an avalanche of works at the end of the year, so please submit early.
You are offering your own or a work you published or edited or had a hand in to be read by the Bram Stoker Award Graphic Novel Jury. This does not guarantee that your work will make it to the ballot. This will not get the work on the Recommended Reading List — that is a separate process.
Before you offer your work or someone else's for consideration, please read the Bram Stoker Award™ Etiquette Rules and the Eligibility Rules.
SUBMIT A DIGITAL COPY OF THE WORK
You may upload either or both of the following per work offered:
- an information sheet in PDF, Word Doc, or RTF format
- a digital copy of the work — if you upload only the digital copy of the work, please make sure it contains all the required information listed in the guidelines below.
FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES CLOSELY:
- Upload files only in PDF (Adobe), DOC (Word), or RTF (rich text format)
- If you cannot upload your work, then upload a DOC, RTF, or PDF document about your work
- Be sure to give us as much of the following information as possible:
> Award category
> Publication date
> Publisher
> Word count
> Author name
> Author email
> Author and/or book website address
> Title
> Synopsis
> Is the work available for free online? Where?
HALT! Take your time. Make sure your recommendation is neatly formatted and complete.
For questions or concerns, please email stokerchair@horror.org.
We have two submission periods:
- January 1 through November 30 — For all works published between January 1, 2025 and November 30, 2025
- December 1 through December 31 — For all works published between December 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025
We do this to save our jurors from having too big an avalanche of works at the end of the year, so please submit early.
You are offering your own or a work you published or edited or had a hand in to be read by the Bram Stoker Award Long Fiction Jury. This does not guarantee that your work will make it to the ballot. This will not get the work on the Recommended Reading List — that is a separate process.
Before you offer your work or someone else's for consideration, please read the Bram Stoker Award™ Etiquette Rules and the Eligibility Rules.
Please follow the guidelines carefully.
Word count limit: 7,500 - 39,999 (submit longer works in the Novel or First Novel categories)
SUBMIT A DIGITAL COPY OF THE WORK
You may upload either or both of the following per work offered:
- an information sheet in PDF, Word Doc, or RTF format
- a digital copy of the work — if you upload only the digital copy of the work, please make sure it contains all the required information listed in the guidelines below.
FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES CLOSELY:
- Upload files only in PDF (Adobe), DOC (Word), or RTF (rich text format)
- If you cannot upload your work, then upload a DOC, RTF, or PDF document about your work
- Be sure to give us as much of the following information as possible:
> Appropriate Award Category
> Publication date
> Publisher
> Word count
> Author Name
> Author Email
> Author website address
> Book website address
> Title
> Synopsis
> Is the work available for free online? Where?
HALT! Take your time. Make sure your recommendation is neatly formatted and complete.
For questions or concerns, please email stokerchair@horror.org.
We have two submission periods:
- January 1 through November 30 — For all works published between January 1, 2025 and November 30, 2025
- December 1 through December 31 — For all works published between December 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025
We do this to save our jurors from having too big an avalanche of works at the end of the year, so please submit early.
You are offering your own or a work you published or edited or had a hand in to be read by the Bram Stoker Award Nonfiction Jury. This does not guarantee that your work will make it to the ballot. This will not get the work on the Recommended Reading List — that is a separate process.
Before you offer your work or someone else's for consideration, please read the Bram Stoker Award™ Etiquette Rules and the Eligibility Rules.
SUBMIT A DIGITAL COPY OF THE WORK
You may upload either or both of the following per work offered:
- an information sheet in PDF, Word Doc, or RTF format
- a digital copy of the work — if you upload only the digital copy of the work, please make sure it contains all the required information listed in the guidelines below.
FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES CLOSELY:
- Upload files only in PDF (Adobe), DOC (Word), or RTF (rich text format)
- If you cannot upload your work, then upload a DOC, RTF, or PDF document about your work
- Be sure to give us as much of the following information as possible:
> Appropriate Award Category
> Publication date
> Publisher
> Word count
> Author Name
> Author Email
> Author website address
> Book website address
> Title
> Synopsis
> Is the work available for free online? Where?
HALT! Take your time. Make sure your recommendation is neatly formatted and complete.
For questions or concerns, please email stokerchair@horror.org.
We have two submission periods:
- January 1 through November 30 — For all works published between January 1, 2025 and November 30, 2025
- December 1 through December 31 — For all works published between December 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025
We do this to save our jurors from having too big an avalanche of works at the end of the year, so please submit early.
You are offering your own or a work you published or edited or had a hand in to be read by the Bram Stoker Award Novel Jury. This does not guarantee that your work will make it to the ballot. This will not get the work on the Recommended Reading List — that is a separate process.
Before you offer your work or someone else's for consideration, please read the Bram Stoker Award™ Etiquette Rules and the Eligibility Rules.
Please follow the guidelines carefully.
Word count minimum: 40,000 (submit shorter works in the appropriate other category)
SUBMIT A DIGITAL COPY OF THE WORK
You may upload either or both of the following per work offered:
- an information sheet in PDF, Word Doc, or RTF format
- a digital copy of the work — if you upload only the digital copy of the work, please make sure it contains all the required information listed in the guidelines below.
FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES CLOSELY:
- Upload files only in PDF (Adobe), DOC (Word), or RTF (rich text format)
- If you cannot upload your work, then upload a DOC, RTF, or PDF document about your work
- Be sure to give us as much of the following information as possible:
> Appropriate Award Category
> Publication date
> Publisher
> Word count
> Author Name
> Author Email
> Author website address
> Book website address
> Title
> Synopsis
> Is the work available for free online? Where?
HALT! Take your time. Make sure your recommendation is neatly formatted and complete.
For questions or concerns, please email stokerchair@horror.org.
We have two submission periods:
- January 1 through November 30 — For all works published between January 1, 2025 and November 30, 2025
- December 1 through December 31 — For all works published between December 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025
We do this to save our jurors from having too big an avalanche of works at the end of the year, so please submit early.
You are offering your own or a work you published or edited or had a hand in to be read by the Bram Stoker Award Poetry Jury. This does not guarantee that your work will make it to the ballot. This will not get the work on the Recommended Reading List — that is a separate process.
Valid works include collections and long-form poetry. The rules for this category have been updated.
Before you offer your work or someone else's for consideration, please read the Bram Stoker Award™ Etiquette Rules and the Eligibility Rules.
SUBMITTING A DIGITAL COPY OF THE WORK
You may upload either or both of the following per work offered:
- an information sheet in PDF, Word Doc, or RTF format
- a digital copy of the work — if you upload only the digital copy of the work, please make sure it contains all the required information listed in the guidelines below.
FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES CLOSELY:
- Upload files only in PDF (Adobe), DOC (Word), or RTF (rich text format)
- If you cannot upload your work, then upload a DOC, RTF, or PDF document about your work
- Be sure to give us as much of the following information as possible:
> Appropriate Award Category
> Publication date
> Publisher
> Word count
> Author Name
> Author Email
> Author website address
> Book website address
> Title
> Synopsis
> Is the work available for free online? Where?
HALT! Take your time. Make sure your recommendation is neatly formatted and complete.
For questions or concerns, please email stokerchair@horror.org.
We have two submission periods:
- January 1 through November 30 — For all works published between January 1, 2025 and November 30, 2025
- December 1 through December 31 — For all works published between December 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025
We do this to save our jurors from having too big an avalanche of works at the end of the year, so please submit early.
You are offering your own or a work you published or edited or had a hand in to be read by the Bram Stoker Award Screenplay Jury. This does not guarantee that your work will make it to the ballot. This will not get the work on the Recommended Reading List — that is a separate process.
If you don't have a copy of the script, but would like to recommend a TV show or movie please see the Recommended Reading List to recommend the work there.
Before you offer your work or someone else's for consideration, please read the Bram Stoker Award™ Etiquette Rules and the Eligibility Rules.
SUBMIT A DIGITAL COPY OF THE WORK
You may upload either or both of the following per work offered:
- an information sheet in PDF, Word Doc, or RTF format
- a digital copy of the work — if you upload only the digital copy of the work, please make sure it contains all the required information listed in the guidelines below.
FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES CLOSELY:
- Upload files only in PDF (Adobe), DOC (Word), or RTF (rich text format)
- If you cannot upload your work, then upload a DOC, RTF, or PDF document about your work
- Be sure to give us as much of the following information as possible:
> Appropriate Award Category
> Release date or original air date
> Production Company
> Writer name
> Writer or studio email
> Author website address
> Movie or show website address
> Title
> Synopsis
> Is the work available for free online? Where?
HALT! Take your time. Make sure your recommendation is neatly formatted and complete.
For questions or concerns, please email stokerchair@horror.org.
We have two submission periods:
- January 1 through November 30 — For all works published between January 1, 2025 and November 30, 2025
- December 1 through December 31 — For all works published between December 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025
We do this to save our jurors from having too big an avalanche of works at the end of the year, so please submit early.
You are offering your own or a work you published or edited or had a hand in to be read by the Bram Stoker Award Short Non-Fiction Jury. This does not guarantee that your work will make it to the ballot. This will not get the work on the Recommended Reading List — that is a separate process.
Before you offer your work or someone else's for consideration, please read the Bram Stoker Award™ Etiquette Rules and the Eligibility Rules.
Please follow the guidelines carefully.
Word count limit: 39,999 (submit longer works in the appropriate other category) (minimum word count accepted: 1000)
SUBMIT A DIGITAL COPY OF THE WORK
You may upload either or both of the following per work offered:
- an information sheet in PDF, Word Doc, or RTF format
- a digital copy of the work — if you upload only the digital copy of the work, please make sure it contains all the required information listed in the guidelines below.
FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES CLOSELY:
- Upload files only in PDF (Adobe), DOC (Word), or RTF (rich text format)
- If you cannot upload your work, then upload a DOC, RTF, or PDF document about your work
- Be sure to give us as much of the following information as possible:
> Appropriate Award Category
> Publication date
> Publisher
> Word count
> Author Name
> Author Email
> Author website address
> Book website address
> Title
> Synopsis
> Is the work available for free online? Where?
HALT! Take your time. Make sure your recommendation is neatly formatted and complete.
For questions or concerns, please email stokerchair@horror.org.
We have two submission periods:
- January 1 through November 30 — For all works published between January 1, 2025 and November 30, 2025
- December 1 through December 31 — For all works published between December 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025
We do this to save our jurors from having too big an avalanche of works at the end of the year, so please submit early.
You are offering your own or a work you published or edited or had a hand in to be read by the Bram Stoker Award Short Fiction Jury. This does not guarantee that your work will make it to the ballot. This will not get the work on the Recommended Reading List — that is a separate process.
Before you offer your work or someone else's for consideration, please read the Bram Stoker Award™ Etiquette Rules and the Eligibility Rules.
Please follow the guidelines carefully.
Word count limit: 7,499 (submit longer works in the appropriate other category)
SUBMIT A DIGITAL COPY OF THE WORK
You may upload either or both of the following per work offered:
- an information sheet in PDF, Word Doc, or RTF format
- a digital copy of the work — if you upload only the digital copy of the work, please make sure it contains all the required information listed in the guidelines below.
FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES CLOSELY:
- Upload files only in PDF (Adobe), DOC (Word), or RTF (rich text format)
- If you cannot upload your work, then upload a DOC, RTF, or PDF document about your work
- Be sure to give us as much of the following information as possible:
> Appropriate Award Category
> Publication date
> Publisher
> Word count
> Author Name
> Author Email
> Author website address
> Book website address
> Title
> Synopsis
> Is the work available for free online? Where?
HALT! Take your time. Make sure your recommendation is neatly formatted and complete.
For questions or concerns, please email stokerchair@horror.org.
We have two submission periods:
- January 1 through November 30 — For all works published between January 1, 2025 and November 30, 2025
- December 1 through December 31 — For all works published between December 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025
We do this to save our jurors from having too big an avalanche of works at the end of the year, so please submit early.
You are offering your own or a work you published or edited or had a hand in to be read by the Bram Stoker Award Young Adult Novel Jury. This does not guarantee that your work will make it to the ballot. This will not get the work on the Recommended Reading List — that is a separate process.
Before you offer your work or someone else's for consideration, please read the Bram Stoker Award™ Etiquette Rules and the Eligibility Rules.
Word count minimum: 40,000 (submit shorter works in the appropriate other category)
SUBMIT A DIGITAL COPY OF THE WORK
You may upload either or both of the following per work offered:
- an information sheet in PDF, Word Doc, or RTF format
- a digital copy of the work — if you upload only the digital copy of the work, please make sure it contains all the required information listed in the guidelines below.
FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES CLOSELY:
- Upload files only in PDF (Adobe), DOC (Word), or RTF (rich text format)
- If you cannot upload your work, then upload a DOC, RTF, or PDF document about your work
- Be sure to give us as much of the following information as possible:
> Appropriate Award Category
> Publication date
> Publisher
> Word count
> Author Name
> Author Email
> Author website address
> Book website address
> Title
> Synopsis
> Is the work available for free online? Where?
HALT! Take your time. Make sure your recommendation is neatly formatted and complete.
For questions or concerns, please email stokerchair@horror.org.
We have two submission periods:
- January 1 through November 30 — For all works published between January 1, 2025 and November 30, 2025
- December 1 through December 31 — For all works published between December 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025
We do this to save our jurors from having too big an avalanche of works at the end of the year, so please submit early.
You are offering your own or a work you published or edited or had a hand in to be read by the Bram Stoker Award Middle-Grade Novel Jury. This does not guarantee that your work will make it to the ballot. This will not get the work on the Recommended Reading List — that is a separate process.
Before you offer your work or someone else's for consideration, please read the Bram Stoker Award™ Etiquette Rules and the Eligibility Rules.
Please follow the guidelines carefully.
Age of intended audience: 8-13
Word count minimum: 25,000 (submit shorter works in the appropriate other category)
SUBMIT A DIGITAL COPY OF THE WORK
You may upload either or both of the following per work offered
- an information sheet in PDF, Word Doc, or RTF format
- a digital copy of the work — if you upload only the digital copy of the work, please make sure it contains all the required information listed in the guidelines below.
FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES CLOSELY:
- Upload files only in PDF (Adobe), DOC (Word), or RTF (rich text format)
- If you cannot upload your work, then upload a DOC, RTF, or PDF document about your work
- Be sure to give us as much of the following information as possible:
> Appropriate Award Category
> Publication date
> Publisher
> Word count
> Author Name
> Author Email
> Author website address
> Book website address
> Title
> Synopsis
> Is the work available for free online? Where?
HALT! Take your time. Make sure your recommendation is neatly formatted and complete.
For questions or concerns, please email stokerchair@horror.org.