Camp Scare
Creative Writing Contest | Ideal for 6-13 years
A campfire. A full moon. A rustle in the bushes... What happens next?
Camp Scare challenges young writers aged 6-13 to create a spooky mini saga in up to 100 words.
From monster summer camps and friendly ghosts, to strange noises in the woods and spooky adventures, anything could happen!
Scary or funny, creepy or cute, the story is theirs.
Write it. Enter it. Get it published.
A 100-word story could turn a student into a published author.
Students have the chance to see their Camp Scare stories published in a real Young Writers book and experience the excitement of seeing their own writing in print.
5 WINNING WRITERS
Our 5 favorite writers will each win a creative writing goody bag.
EVERY ENTRANT GETS SOMETHING
Every student who enters receives Camp Scare stickers, with certificates for all students whose stories we'd love to publish.
TOP SCHOOL
The school with the best set of entries will receive the Young Writers Award of Excellence.
What's out there in the dark?
Not sure what happens next? Start with a campfire, add a little imagination, and see where the story takes you...
Something moved outside the tent...
Is it an animal, a monster, or something nobody expected?
The campfire suddenly went out...
Why did it happen, and what do they hear in the darkness?
There’s a ghost at summer camp...
Is it frightening, friendly, funny, or just looking for someone to talk to?
Nobody was supposed to go into the woods...
So what happens when someone does?
We heard a howl across the campsite...
What made the noise, and is it getting closer?
This is the strangest camp ever...
What makes this camp different from every other one?
Or invent a campfire adventure completely your own.
Monsters, mysteries, strange creatures, secret trails, friendly ghosts, things that go bump in the night... anything can happen at Camp Scare.
Easy to offer. Easy to get started.
Use Camp Scare in whatever way works for you and your students.
Run it as a class activity, share it with interested writers, use it for enrichment, or offer it as a fun fall writing challenge.
We've created everything you need to make getting started simple, including:
- a video introduction
- slide deck
- graphic organizer
- activity resources
- student entry forms
Use as much or as little support as you need.
DOWNLOAD FREE RESOURCES →
Everything you need to get young writers started with Camp Scare.
1
IMAGINE
Think of a spooky idea
2
PLAN
Plan what happens
3
WRITE
Tell it in 100 words
4
ENTER
Send it in
Free resources to make it easy
Whether you're running Camp Scare with your whole class or simply giving interested young writers the chance to enter, pick the support that works for you.
DOWNLOAD FREE RESOURCES →
Pick the resources that work for you and your students.
Big imaginations. Just 100 words.
Writing a complete story in up to 100 words encourages students to make every word count.
As they create their Camp Scare mini saga, they can explore plot, atmosphere, suspense, and tension while thinking carefully about how to build a story with a beginning, middle, and end.
Can they take one spooky idea and turn it into a story readers will remember?
Prizes and recognition
Give your students the chance to become published authors, celebrate their creativity, and win some fang-tastic prizes!
FOR STUDENTS
5 writers will each win a creative writing goody bag
Become a published author
Students have the opportunity to see their Camp Scare stories published in a real Young Writers book.
Celebrate their achievement
Students whose work we'd love to publish will receive a certificate.
PLUS:
Every entrant receives Camp Scare stickers.
FOR SCHOOLS
Young Writers' Award of Excellence
The school with the best set of entries will receive the Young Writers Award of Excellence.
Free copies for your school
Your school will receive a free copy of the book your students feature in.
The more entries you send, the more free books you’ll receive:
1–30 entries = 1 free copy • 31–60 entries = 2 free copies • and so on.
1–30 entries = 1 free copy • 31–60 entries = 2 free copies • and so on.
Ready to enter?
Entering your students' Camp Scare mini sagas is easy:
COLLECT THEIR STORIES
Each mini saga should be no more than 100 words.
Each mini saga should be no more than 100 words.
CHOOSE HOW TO ENTER
Submit entries online, by email, or mail them to us.
Submit entries online, by email, or mail them to us.
SEND THEM BY OCTOBER 30, 2026
Then leave the rest to us!
Then leave the rest to us!
Ready to send in your Camp Scare stories?
Closing Date: Friday Oct 30, 2026
We've worked with over 20,000 schools. Here's what some of them have to say...
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