THE HORROR WRITERS ASSOCIATION (HWA) is a nonprofit organization of writers and publishing professionals around the world, dedicated to promoting dark literature and the interests of those who write it.
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What inspired you to start writing?
Drawing gives me carpal tunnel, so I must externalize my thoughts through other mediums. More importantly, I was first inspired by great stories that kept me reading till the sun came up. I wanted to write like those authors and create exciting worlds and loveable characters.
Think it’s difficult to self-edit, or to create characters? Try writing a satisfying narrative that clocks in at three minutes. Or standing in front of a roomful of strangers and convincing them you’re somebody else. Those are the kinds of challenges facing songwriters and actors.
2024 FINALISTS (in alphabetical order)
13th Night
Director: Benjamin Percy Writer: Benjamin Percy UNITED STATES / 2024 / 14:32 A father will do anything to save his daughter. Anything.
What inspired you to start writing?
I’ve always just loved creating stories. When I was a child, I would draw my own comics based on things I was a fan of – mostly science fiction shows and movies (shoutout to anyone who remembers the anime epic Robotech). As I got older, I learned to refine this skill in prose, and the creative writing class I took at UC Davis during my senior year was transformational.
What inspired you to start writing?
I’ve written poems since I was eight years old. In third grade, I won third place for a Mother’s Day contest. So, initially, I wrote poems for my mother and stepmother. But it wasn’t until I wrote a poem about childhood trauma for an English class assignment in high school that I connected to writing as a practice to make sense of the most troubling experiences I was facing.
What inspired you to start writing?
I’ve written for as long as I can remember, but the instance that made me want to take it seriously was in middle school. We were assigned the task of writing a fictional short story. Any genre, theme, etc. I spent five hours on it and experienced “flow state” for the first time. I read somewhere that whatever gets you there, in that state where the task at hand is all you can think about, where all else melts away for a while, should be something you take seriously. Something to give you purpose and a way to make sense of the world for yourself.
What inspired you to start writing?
I was always a reader and didn't take the chance on my own writing until quite recently. Once I got started, I was hooked on creating worlds--and imaginary friends--and I couldn't stop.
What inspired you to start writing?
At a young age, I’ve always had a love for books—I was that kid who finished all their summer reading plus some. I even used to make my own books with several sheets of folded paper and a stapler. Over the years, I don’t think I’ve ever outgrown that love for storytelling.
What does it mean to be API/AANHPI?
I suppose I will take a more personal approach to this question, as it is definitely one that has persistently popped up throughout my life. For me, it has always been: what does it mean to be Asian, or more specifically in my case, Chinese? As a child, I was born and spent the early years of my life in China, and even after arriving in Canada,
National Poetry Month may be done, but if you still have piles of verse flowing from your pen, here’s some places you can send it. Not all of these are speculative markets so read your submission guidelines and maybe hold your vampyre poems for a darker market… or ask and see if they will invite you across their threshold and onto the page.
What inspired you to start writing?
I had multiple ideas of what I wanted to be as a child. I said I wanted to be a doctor, an author, and a fashion designer, and sometimes a scientist or witch. But writing and journaling were always my safe place. So, when I could have enough financial cushion to attempt it, I allowed myself to take that risk.
What inspired you to start writing?
Growing up in Hawaii as both a Hawaiian and Filipino, storytelling was a part of my life on my father’s side. Because I loved to tell stories that would scare my classmates, my teacher challenged me to put my stories on paper and to keep up with that challenge, she would submit my stories to different contests that the newspapers and other outlets would have. I haven’t stopped writing since.
What inspired you to start writing?
I’ve always occupied my time with stories through various mediums like television or books. It was escapism for me. It wasn’t until I started watching the cartoon Super Friends that I began to imagine “what if?” type episodes. Like, what if Superman was flying during a solar eclipse? When the moon passes between the earth and the sun, would Superman lose his ability to fly during the obscuration since the yellow sun gives him his powers? What would that story look like? The inspiration comes from stories or narratives that don’t already exist.
What inspired you to start writing?
I started writing stories before I started drawing. I remember the first time I wrote a story; I was 5 or 6 at a Sunday congregation meeting with my family. My mom told me to take notes on the sermon but I interpreted that as taking notes about whatever. I ended up writing a short story about dragons and angels having a picnic.
Pixie Bruner is a poet, writer, editor, and cancer survivor. She lives in Atlanta with her doppelgänger and some sketchy cats. Her poetry has been published or forthcoming in Space & Time Magazine, Crystal Lake Publishing, Star*Line, Punk Noir, Dreams and Nightmares, and more. The Body As Haunted (Authortunities Press) is her debut poetry collection. She wrote for White Wolf Gaming Studio. HWA and SFPA Member.
Recommended Reading: The Body as Haunted (Authortunities Press, April 2024)
The first things that probably come to mind when reading the words, “Pacific Islander,” are hula dances, grass skirts, luaus, tiki huts, and coconuts. You probably don’t think of blood, death, or fear. But you probably should.
A veritable whirlwind of talent, the competition judges for Final Frame represent the same tenacity, perseverance, ingenuity, and passion we see reflected in our finalists’ films. We can’t wait to have them preside over an evening of frights and freak-outs leading up to their selections for Grand Prize, Runner-Up, Best Writing in a Short Film, and more!
Over her long and influential career, editor and anthologist Ellen Datlow has played a major role in shaping not just the genre of horror, but fantasy and science fiction as well. During her pioneering stint as fiction editor at Omni magazine in the 1980s, she acquired and edited stories from writers including William Gibson, Octavia Butler, William Burroughs, and George R.R. Martin. Her Best Horror of the Year, on which she’s currently wrapping up the sixteenth volume, remains essential reading for anyone with a personal or professional interest in the genre. In this month’s edition of Nuts & Bolts, Ellen shares advice about the craft and business of short-story writing, geared especially toward beginning writers.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Columbus, OH – The Horror Writers Association (HWA) is pleased to announce the recipients of its Specialty Awards. These will be presented on June 1st, 2024, during the Bram Stoker Awards® Presentation at StokerCon®2024 in San Diego, CA.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Columbus, OH – The Horror Writers Association (HWA) is pleased to announce the recipients of its Lifetime Achievement Award. These will be presented on June 1st, 2024, during the Bram Stoker Awards® Presentation at StokerCon®2024 in San Diego, CA.
Lifetime Achievement Award The recipients of the HWA’s Lifetime Achievement Award for 2024 are:
