The Molly Brown House Museum Scary Short Story Writing Competition
for Middle School Students
This year students that take part in Victorian Horrors are also encouraged to pen their own
creative scary stories as part of our Scary Short Story Writing Competition. The story must
be set in the Victorian time period at the Molly Brown House. All other story details are
open to student creativity. This is a great way for students to prepare for their visit and to
think about the story-writing process.
Eligible Students: This contest is open to students nationwide, attending public, private, or
home schools. Students are eligible even if they are not planning on attending Student
Victorian Horrors. Students must be in junior high/middle school or high school in the
U.S., or the equivalent level in their specific school system.
Entries must be a scary short story written specifically for the contest, or a school
assignment.
Entry Limit: An entrant may enter no more than 1 entry
Deadline: All entries must be received between October 1, 2008 and November 1, 2008.
Winners will be announced in November 2008.
Judging: Entries will be judged by the museum educator of the Molly Brown House
Museum, a children’s librarian, and the director of the Molly Brown House Museum.
GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSIONS
Nothing profane or sexually explicit will be accepted.
Short story (fiction)
• Maximum length: 1000 words
All entries must be typed and submitted with an entry form. The entry form can be found
below.
GENERAL SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
• Submissions must be TYPED and double-spaced, saved in a MS Word (.doc) or .rtf file.
• Submissions should be sent ATTN: Scary Short Story Contest via e-mail to
asalutz@mollybrown.org, fax to 303-832-2340 or mail to Molly Brown House Museum 1340
Pennsylvania St. Denver, CO 80203
• Deadline for entries is 5:00 pm on November 1, 2008.
• The Molly Brown House Museum reserves the right to cancel a category if, at the sole
discretion of the judges, there are not enough entries to merit judging.
• All submissions should be accompanied by a signed entry/ permission form.
• Contest entry grants a one-time, non-exclusive print and electronic right for the Molly
Brown House Museum to publish the entrant’s submission, in Historic Denver News and
on the Molly Brown House Museum Website. Entrants retain the copyright to their
individual work.
• The first-prize winner will have their story printed in Historic Denver News, a MBHM
organizational newspaper with a circulation of 2000. A copy will be sent to the author, their
teacher, and their school’s principal.
ENTRY/Permission FORM
STUDENT’S NAME:
E-MAIL ADDRESS
OWNER OF EMAIL ADDRESS
* Name of person who is the owner of this e-mail address (Entrant, Parent, Teacher, Student, friend,
etc.)
MAILING ADDRESS
CITY, STATE, ZIP
AGE:
GRADE:
NAME OF SCHOOL:
CITY AND COUNTY WHERE SCHOOL IS LOCATED
TITLE OF ENTRY
CONTEST RULES AND REQUIREMENTS
• Entries must be typed and double-spaced, formatted in a MS Word (.doc) or .rtf file.
• A completed Entry Form (with complete contact and entry information) must accompany
each entry.
• All entry paperwork MUST BE sent via ELECTRONIC mail (e-mail) as a SINGLE
attachment to asalutz@mollybrown.org or mailed to ATTN: Scary Short Story Writing
Contest Molly Brown House Museum 1340 Pennsylvania St. Denver, CO 80203 and
received by November 1, 2008 at 5:00pm.
I acknowledge that I have read, accepted, and followed the rules and requirements of this
contest. I certify that the writing submitted is my own original work. If I am chosen, I give
the Molly Brown House Museum permission to publish my submission. I understand that
my name and school will be included in the publication. I understand I will own the
copyright to my own work and no others.
______________________________________________________
Student’s signature
I acknowledge that I have read and accepted the rules and regulations of the 2008 Scary
Short Story Writing Contest. I certify that I am the parent or guardian of the student
submitting this entry and that the entrant has my permission to enter this contest. If this
entry is chosen, I give the Molly Brown House Museum permission to publish his/her
submission in a 2009 edition of Historic Denver News and on the website of the Molly
Brown House Museum. I understand that the writer’s name and school will be included in
the publication and that the writer will own the copyright to his/her own work.
_____________________________________________________
Signature of parent or guardian