Haunting Hooks: Dictionary.com Announces Winners of Annual Scary Writing Contest

This year's horror writing competition, judged by the hosts of the Scared To Death podcast, proved it only takes a few words to cast a real fright

SAN MATEO, Calif., Oct. 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Just in time for Halloween, Dictionary.com, the world's leading digital dictionary, is excited to announce the winners of its fourth annual Haunting Hooks writing contest: Hannah Martin (Winner) and Greg Hauk (Fans' Choice). The competition dares wordsmiths to write a story introduction, using 50 words or less, full of vivid descriptions and eerie atmospheres that give readers the heebie-jeebies, while leaving them craving more.

The theme for 2024? Scary Monsters. From humorous to suspenseful and outright horrifying, participants conjured up terrifyingly creative story hooks filled with monsters, madness and mayhem.

Making this year even more thrilling, Haunting Hooks welcomed two special guest judges and authorities on all things frightening: Dan (acclaimed standup comedian) and Lynze (film and television costume and wardrobe stylist) Cummins from the Scared To Death podcast. Known for delivering hair-raising tales to their devoted listeners, the husband-wife duo brought their expertise to select this year's most chilling entries, adding an extra dose of terror to the contest.

And the winner is…
This year's competition featured nearly 900 submissions, but two scary stories stood out from the rest.

• Winner—Hannah Martin hooked readers with a spine-tingling introduction to a mysterious wooded path leading to an unseen beast: "She walked down the familiar path into the woods. The cooing owls were her only friends tonight, but the beast would scare them away soon. The path in front of her had been paved by the girls who came before. She was not the first and wouldn't be the last."

"As the hosts of a podcast centered around scary stories, it was such a blast for us to judge this year's Haunting Hooks contest," said Dan and Lynze Cummins. "We were blown away with the creativity and uniqueness of this year's submissions and can't wait to read Hannah's story on an upcoming episode of Scared To Death!"

• Fans' Choice—Greg Hauk captivated readers with a chilling passage about a character waking up after a long night, only to find mysterious figures in their bedroom: "I woke up drunk. Again. Nothing new. Facing a world-class hangover. Nothing new. The unmoving female form beside me was new. The wet coppery smell of fresh blood. That was new. Then there was the hooded figure looming in the corner. That was definitely new."

Discover more incredible hooks that earned honorable mentions in this year's competition here.

In addition to having her story read on a future Scared To Death podcast, Hannah will receive a $100 Amazon gift card, Scared To Death swag and Dictionary.com swag.

Greg, who won the Fans' Choice award by receiving the most votes on Instagram, will receive a $50 Amazon gift card, as well as fun merch from Scared To Death and Dictionary.com.

"The Haunting Hooks contest is a fun way for us to engage with writing enthusiasts and celebrate creativity, storytelling and the limitless world of words around Halloween," said Steve Johnson, Curriculum Design Manager of the Dictionary Media Group at IXL Learning. "We couldn't think of a better set of guest judges than Dan and Lynze Cummins, and having their involvement added an extra layer of excitement to this year's competition."

Head to Dictionary.com to learn more about the meaning behind Halloween and get inspired to write your own chilling tales!

About Dictionary.com
Words define every aspect of our lives, from our ideas to our identities. Dictionary.com aspires to empower people to express themselves, make connections, and find opportunities through the power and joy of language. With 96 million visitors each month, Dictionary.com is the premier destination to learn, discover, and have fun with the limitless world of words and meanings. We help you make sense of the ever-evolving English language so you can put your ideas into words—and your words into action.

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SOURCE IXL Learning