The Horror Writers Association (HWA), the premier organization of writers and publishers of horror and dark fantasy and home of the iconic Bram Stoker Awards®, offers the Rocky Wood Memorial Scholarship Fund for Non-fiction Writing, an endowed fund providing grants for research and writing nonfiction relating to horror and dark fantasy literature. Exclusions for its use may apply.
The Fund will provide grants annually. Membership in HWA is not a requirement.
PLEASE NOTE: This Scholarship Fund is NOT a general scholarship, but is intended to advance the writing of a specific nonfiction project related to the horror field. Applications to the Rocky Wood Memorial Scholarship Fund that seek general educational funds will be immediately declined.
Rocky Wood, the former President of the HWA, passed away in December of 2014 from complications with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
“Not only was Rocky one of the world’s leading authorities on the work of Stephen King,” said Lisa Morton, former HWA President, “but he was also much beloved for his tireless support of upcoming writers. We are delighted to be able to honor him by offering this scholarship in his name.”
“Rocky was extremely dedicated to the HWA,” said former Board of Trustees Chairperson Marge Simon. “It is fitting that a new generation of horror writers will be supported through a grant bearing his name.”
The Rocky Wood Memorial Scholarship Fund for Non-fiction Writing (the “Wood Scholarship”) is established by the authority of the Horror Writers Association Board with the generous support of individual donors.
Rules Read the rules prior to applying to improve your chances of success.
One cannot be eligible for the same scholarship, grant, or endowment 2 years in a row. Exclusions may apply.
All applicants must use the online application forms, filling in all sections and copy/paste the documents requested: cover letter, author bio, statement of financial need (if applicable), education plan, and creative writing sample. Failure to include any information may invalidate the entry. The Rocky Wood Memorial Scholarship for Non-fiction Writing is made possible by the generous donations of Aeroflex Foundation and Hippocampus Press as well as individual donors.
Deadline: Midnight, October 1 (Pacific Time)
The Diversity Grants will be open to underrepresented, diverse people who have an interest in the horror writing genre, including, but not limited to writers, editors, reviewers, and library workers.
Like the Diverse Works Inclusion Committee, the Diversity Grants have adopted the broadest definition of the word diversity to include, but not limited to, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disabled, and neurodiverse.
The Horror Writers Association (HWA) believes barriers—often unseen but very real—exist that limit the amount of horror fiction being published by diverse voices. The goal of this grant is to help remove some of the barriers and let those voices be heard.
2020 was the first year each Grant is offered. The HWA will award four (4) grants. Additional grants will be awarded, depending upon funds donated.
The grants will open for application on August 1 and close October 1 at midnight.
All applicants must use the online application forms, filling in all sections and uploading the documents requested. Failure to include any information may invalidate the entry.
Thanks to the generosity of multiple donors, each Grant is worth $500 and may be spent on approved expenses for a period of two (2) years following the awarding of the Grant.
A sub-committee of the HWA Board—consisting of four (4) HWA member volunteers and chaired by a HWA Board member—will collect the applicants’ information, verify it, and choose the winners. Other information to know: Membership in the HWA is not a requirement for application. Grant Qualifications. The Grant Sub-Committee will consider the following:
- the applicant’s explanation of why they qualify, using the grants' broad definition of diversity (as stated above)
- the applicant’s financial need
- the likelihood that the applicant’s career would benefit from further writing or writing-related education
- the likelihood that the applicant is committed to the horror genre
- the likelihood that the applicant will contribute to the development of the genre, including increasing and/or broadening our readership.
Grant Rules. The winners of each Grant have two (2) years in which to spend the funds, which may be allocated to enhance their horror careers on such things as:
- fees for physical or online writing courses
- resources (textbooks, Guides, etc.)
- registration and/or travel fees* for writing festivals that include relevant presentations
- registration and/or travel fees* for one (1) horror genre convention per year
- subscription fees to appropriate periodicals
- Other expenses may apply.
*Travel fees include, but are not limited to, hotel, airfare, bus fare, car rental costs, etc. Use of funds for meals is also acceptable, but for a $50/day maximum. Use of funds for general college tuition is not acceptable. Other exclusions may also apply.
One cannot be eligible for the same scholarship, grant, or endowment 2 years in a row.
This is part of the HWA’s Annual Program of Scholarships and Grants (no individual may win more than one of these Scholarships or Grants in the same year). However the sub-committee is empowered not to award any of the Scholarships or Grants in any given year, if the quality of the applicants and their submissions is deemed insufficient.
Questions can be addressed to scholarships@horror.org. However, please review the rules carefully or visit our FAQ first, since your questions can probably be answered here! If you would like to donate to the Diversity Grants (but not apply), click here: https://hwa46.wildapricot.org/event-3928217
IMPORTANT: This award can NOT be used to pay college tuition.
The Horror Writers Association is proud to announce The Dark Poetry Scholarship to supplement its Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley and Horror Writers Association Scholarships.
The first Dark Poetry Scholarship was awarded in 2015. Thereafter, the scholarship will be given annually. The scholarship is designed to assist in the professional development of our members writing Horror and/or Dark Fantasy Poetry.
A sub-committee appointed by the HWA Board will choose the winner, who will be announced each year.
The Dark Poetry Scholarship is worth $1250, which may be spent on approved writing education over the two years following the granting of the scholarship. Exclusions may apply.
Rules – The Dark Poetry Scholarship.
Please read the rules before submitting to give yourself the best chance of success.
One cannot be eligible for the same scholarship, grant, or endowment 2 years in a row.
Applicants need to show an active interest in writing horror/dark fiction or poetry, as the case may be.
The Dark Poetry Scholarship was originally made possible by a grant from Michael Randolph. It is currently funded by monies received by HWA from the Authors Coalition.
IMPORTANT: This award can NOT be used to pay college tuition. Applicants need to show an active interest in writing horror/dark fiction or poetry, as the case may be.
You are applying for both scholarships with this form.
The Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Scholarship may be awarded to a writer who identifies as a woman.
The HWA Scholarship may be awarded to any writer of any identity.
One cannot be eligible for the same scholarship, grant, or endowment 2 years in a row. Rules — The Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Scholarship and the Horror Writers Association Scholarship
The Horror Writers Association (HWA) has established two $2500 Scholarships to assist in the professional development of horror writers:
- The Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Scholarship,
- and the Horror Writers Association Scholarship.
The Scholarships are effectively two facets of the same award; applicants enter the same competition using the same application form. A sub-committee of the HWA Board chooses the scholarship winners from that pool of applicants. The Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Scholarship is available for those members who identify as women and the Horror Writers Association Scholarship is available for any member, regardless of gender.
The Scholarships are made by possible by monies received by HWA from the Authors Coalition.
Deadline: Midnight, August 1 (Pacific Time)
YOUNG ADULTS WRITE NOWLibrary Teen Writing Program Endowments
The Horror Writers Association (HWA), the premier organization of writers and publishers of horror and dark fantasy and home of the iconic Bram Stoker Awards®, will be offering endowments to libraries to fund teen writing programs as part of its ongoing dedication to furthering young adult literacy.
The Young Adults Write Now fund will provide up to five (5) endowments of $250 each per year for selected libraries to establish new, or support ongoing, writing programs. The program is currently open to United States libraries, but will be expanded in the future to include other countries, as part of the HWA’s global presence. Membership in the HWA is not a requirement.
Before applying, please read the rules at http://horrorscholarships.com/young-adults-write-now-endowment-program/
Deadline: Midnight, October 01 (Pacific Time)
You must be at least 13 years old to apply for this scholarship. We recommend you have a teacher or parent assist you with the application. Applicants need to show an active interest in writing horror/dark fiction or poetry, as the case may be.
One cannot be eligible for the same scholarship, grant, or endowment 2 years in a row.
The Dennis Etchison Young Writers scholarship will be open to students in grades 10-12 (or the equivalent, if homeschooled), with an interest in writing horror/dark fiction.
Students must provide a selection of their work (at least 1 completed short story over 1,000 words, 3 chapters from a novel in progress, or 4 poems), at least one letter of reference by their instructor(s), and a description of their goals with an education plan for use of the stipend.
The winner may apply the $500 toward college tuition, course fees (online or traditional), and/or materials pertaining to the enhancement of writing skills, such as textbooks, software, or computers. The money can also be used for online Horror University courses from the HWA (information on Horror U. courses available online – www.horror.org or by request).
The recipient will have 2 years to utilize the funds.
Bonus: Multi-award nominated author JG Faherty will mentor the winner for 6 months.
The winner will be chosen by HWA’s Scholarship Committee.
Deadline: Midnight, October 1 (Pacific Time)
“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.
We have two submission periods:
- January 1 through November 30 — For all works published between January 1, 2026 and November 30, 2026
- December 1 through December 31 — For all works published between December 1, 2026 and December 31, 2026
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 or your authorized agent are offering your own work to be read by the Bram Stoker Award Jury. This will not get the work on the Recommended Reading List — that is a separate process. Neither submitting to the Jury nor the work’s presence on the Recommended Reading List guarantees that the work will make it to the ballot. By submitting, you are affirming no AI was used in your submission.
SUBMIT A DIGITAL COPY OF THE WORK
- Upload files only in PDF (Adobe), EPUB, MOBI, DOC (Word), or RTF (rich text format)
- If you cannot upload your work, then upload a DOC, RTF, or PDF document about your work and where to get a review copy (NetGalley, Edelweiss, etc) plus the required information from the form below.
DEEP BREATH.
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, 2026 and November 30, 2026
- December 1 through December 31 — For all works published between December 1, 2026 and December 31, 2026
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 or your authorized agent are offering your own work to be read by the Bram Stoker Award Jury. This will not get the work on the Recommended Reading List — that is a separate process. Neither submitting to the Jury nor the work’s presence on the Recommended Reading List guarantees that the work will make it to the ballot. By submitting, you are affirming no AI was used in your submission.
SUBMIT A DIGITAL COPY OF THE WORK
- Upload files only in PDF (Adobe), EPUB, MOBI, DOC (Word), or RTF (rich text format)
- If you cannot upload your work, then upload a DOC, RTF, or PDF document about your work and where to get a review copy (NetGalley, Edelweiss, etc) plus the required information from the form below.
DEEP BREATH.
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, 2026 and November 30, 2026
- December 1 through December 31 — For all works published between December 1, 2026 and December 31, 2026
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 or your authorized agent are offering your own work to be read by the Bram Stoker Award Jury. This will not get the work on the Recommended Reading List — that is a separate process. Neither submitting to the Jury nor the work’s presence on the Recommended Reading List guarantees that the work will make it to the ballot. By submitting, you are affirming no AI was used in your submission.
SUBMIT A DIGITAL COPY OF THE WORK
- Upload files only in PDF (Adobe), EPUB, MOBI, DOC (Word), or RTF (rich text format)
- If you cannot upload your work, then upload a DOC, RTF, or PDF document about your work and where to get a review copy (NetGalley, Edelweiss, etc) plus the required information from the form below.
DEEP BREATH. 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, 2026 and November 30, 2026
- December 1 through December 31 — For all works published between December 1, 2026 and December 31, 2026
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 or your authorized agent are offering your own work to be read by the Bram Stoker Award Jury. This will not get the work on the Recommended Reading List — that is a separate process. Neither submitting to the Jury nor the work’s presence on the Recommended Reading List guarantees that the work will make it to the ballot. By submitting, you are affirming no AI was used in your submission.
SUBMIT A DIGITAL COPY OF THE WORK
- Upload files only in PDF (Adobe), EPUB, MOBI, DOC (Word), or RTF (rich text format)
- If you cannot upload your work, then upload a DOC, RTF, or PDF document about your work and where to get a review copy (NetGalley, Edelweiss, etc) plus the required information from the form below.
DEEP BREATH.
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, 2026 and November 30, 2026
- December 1 through December 31 — For all works published between December 1, 2026 and December 31, 2026
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 or your authorized agent are offering your own work to be read by the Bram Stoker Award Jury. This will not get the work on the Recommended Reading List — that is a separate process. Neither submitting to the Jury nor the work’s presence on the Recommended Reading List guarantees that the work will make it to the ballot. By submitting, you are affirming no AI was used in your submission.
SUBMIT A DIGITAL COPY OF THE WORK
- Upload files only in PDF (Adobe), EPUB, MOBI, DOC (Word), or RTF (rich text format)
- If you cannot upload your work, then upload a DOC, RTF, or PDF document about your work and where to get a review copy (NetGalley, Edelweiss, etc) plus the required information from the form below.
DEEP BREATH.
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, 2026 and November 30, 2026
- December 1 through December 31 — For all works published between December 1, 2026 and December 31, 2026
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 or your authorized agent are offering your own work to be read by the Bram Stoker Award Jury. This will not get the work on the Recommended Reading List — that is a separate process. Neither submitting to the Jury nor the work’s presence on the Recommended Reading List guarantees that the work will make it to the ballot. By submitting, you are affirming no AI was used in your submission.
SUBMIT A DIGITAL COPY OF THE WORK
- Upload files only in PDF (Adobe), EPUB, MOBI, DOC (Word), or RTF (rich text format)
- If you cannot upload your work, then upload a DOC, RTF, or PDF document about your work and where to get a review copy (NetGalley, Edelweiss, etc) plus the required information from the form below.
DEEP BREATH.
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, 2026 and November 30, 2026
- December 1 through December 31 — For all works published between December 1, 2026 and December 31, 2026
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 or your authorized agent are offering your own work to be read by the Bram Stoker Award Jury. This will not get the work on the Recommended Reading List — that is a separate process. Neither submitting to the Jury nor the work’s presence on the Recommended Reading List guarantees that the work will make it to the ballot. By submitting, you are affirming no AI was used in your submission.
SUBMIT A DIGITAL COPY OF THE WORK
- Upload files only in PDF (Adobe), EPUB, MOBI, DOC (Word), or RTF (rich text format)
- If you cannot upload your work, then upload a DOC, RTF, or PDF document about your work and where to get a review copy (NetGalley, Edelweiss, etc) plus the required information from the form below.
DEEP BREATH.
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, 2026 and November 30, 2026
- December 1 through December 31 — For all works published between December 1, 2026 and December 31, 2026
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 or your authorized agent are offering your own work to be read by the Bram Stoker Award Jury. This will not get the work on the Recommended Reading List — that is a separate process. Neither submitting to the Jury nor the work’s presence on the Recommended Reading List guarantees that the work will make it to the ballot. By submitting, you are affirming no AI was used in your submission.
SUBMIT A DIGITAL COPY OF THE WORK
- Upload files only in PDF (Adobe), EPUB, MOBI, DOC (Word), or RTF (rich text format)
- If you cannot upload your work, then upload a DOC, RTF, or PDF document about your work and where to get a review copy (NetGalley, Edelweiss, etc) plus the required information from the form below.
DEEP BREATH.
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, 2026 and November 30, 2026
- December 1 through December 31 — For all works published between December 1, 2026 and December 31, 2026
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 or your authorized agent are offering your own work to be read by the Bram Stoker Award Jury. This will not get the work on the Recommended Reading List — that is a separate process. Neither submitting to the Jury nor the work’s presence on the Recommended Reading List guarantees that the work will make it to the ballot. By submitting, you are affirming no AI was used in your submission.
SUBMIT A DIGITAL COPY OF THE WORK
- Upload files only in PDF (Adobe), EPUB, MOBI, DOC (Word), or RTF (rich text format)
- If you cannot upload your work, then upload a DOC, RTF, or PDF document about your work and where to get a review copy (NetGalley, Edelweiss, etc) plus the required information from the form below.
DEEP BREATH.
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, 2026 and November 30, 2026
- December 1 through December 31 — For all works published between December 1, 2026 and December 31, 2026
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 or your authorized agent are offering your own work to be read by the Bram Stoker Award Jury. This will not get the work on the Recommended Reading List — that is a separate process. Neither submitting to the Jury nor the work’s presence on the Recommended Reading List guarantees that the work will make it to the ballot. By submitting, you are affirming no AI was used in your submission.
SUBMIT A DIGITAL COPY OF THE WORK
- Upload files only in PDF (Adobe), EPUB, MOBI, DOC (Word), or RTF (rich text format)
- If you cannot upload your work, then upload a DOC, RTF, or PDF document about your work and where to get a review copy (NetGalley, Edelweiss, etc) plus the required information from the form below.
DEEP BREATH.
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, 2026 and November 30, 2026
- December 1 through December 31 — For all works published between December 1, 2026 and December 31, 2026
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 or your authorized agent are offering your own work to be read by the Bram Stoker Award Jury. This will not get the work on the Recommended Reading List — that is a separate process. Neither submitting to the Jury nor the work’s presence on the Recommended Reading List guarantees that the work will make it to the ballot. By submitting, you are affirming no AI was used in your submission.
SUBMIT A DIGITAL COPY OF THE WORK
- Upload files only in PDF (Adobe), EPUB, MOBI, DOC (Word), or RTF (rich text format)
- If you cannot upload your work, then upload a DOC, RTF, or PDF document about your work and where to get a review copy (NetGalley, Edelweiss, etc) plus the required information from the form below.
DEEP BREATH.
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, 2026 and November 30, 2026
- December 1 through December 31 — For all works published between December 1, 2026 and December 31, 2026
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 or your authorized agent are offering your own work to be read by the Bram Stoker Award Jury. This will not get the work on the Recommended Reading List — that is a separate process. Neither submitting to the Jury nor the work’s presence on the Recommended Reading List guarantees that the work will make it to the ballot. By submitting, you are affirming no AI was used in your submission.
SUBMIT A DIGITAL COPY OF THE WORK
- Upload files only in PDF (Adobe), EPUB, MOBI, DOC (Word), or RTF (rich text format)
- If you cannot upload your work, then upload a DOC, RTF, or PDF document about your work and where to get a review copy (NetGalley, Edelweiss, etc) plus the required information from the form below.
DEEP BREATH.
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, 2026 and November 30, 2026
- December 1 through December 31 — For all works published between December 1, 2026 and December 31, 2026
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 or your authorized agent are offering your own work to be read by the Bram Stoker Award Jury. This will not get the work on the Recommended Reading List — that is a separate process. Neither submitting to the Jury nor the work’s presence on the Recommended Reading List guarantees that the work will make it to the ballot. By submitting, you are affirming no AI was used in your submission.
SUBMIT A DIGITAL COPY OF THE WORK
- Upload files only in PDF (Adobe), EPUB, MOBI, DOC (Word), or RTF (rich text format)
- If you cannot upload your work, then upload a DOC, RTF, or PDF document about your work and where to get a review copy (NetGalley, Edelweiss, etc) plus the required information from the form below.
DEEP BREATH.
Take your time. Make sure your recommendation is neatly formatted and complete. For questions or concerns, please email stokerchair@horror.org.