Send in your eerie prose, haunted moments, and uncanny tales, from the strangeness of the everyday to the sublime.

Deadline: February 19, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

How it works:

Tell us a ghost story in 500 words or less. We welcome works that orbit fact and fiction.

For inspiration, check out our previous winners, Squeeze Me by Hsien Chong Tan, Paul’s Tomb of Madness, Hopeness, Oneness, Repurposed Kosher Dill Jars, Good Luck Money Trees, Avoiding Osteoporosis, and Good Housekeeping—Which is to Say, Everything by Tyler Finley, and Holes by Jennifer Robinson.

Prizes:

First prize: $500
Second prize: $250
Third prize: $150

All winning entries will be published in Geist and on geist.com

Entry Fee: $25

Includes a one-year subscription to Geist, Canada's favourite literary magazine. International entrants will receive the digital edition.

All additional entries are $5.

How to enter: Submit your entry online through Submittable

You can also mail your entry, fee and cover letter to us at:

Contest
210-111 West Hastings Street
Vancouver, BC V6B 1H4

Please note that judging is anonymous, so ensure your name doesn't appear on the story.

Entries without an accompanying cover letter or entry fee will not be accepted. Entries must be postmarked by contest deadline.

Open to Canadian and international entrants.

Good luck and ghostly writing!

Questions? Please email geist@geist.com with your queries.

THE FINE PRINT

Winning entries: Geist takes first serial rights for print and non-exclusive electronic rights to post your entry at geist.com. All other rights remain with the author.

All publication rights for non-winning entries are retained by the entrants.

Geist contests are open to all entrants except Geist staff, contract employees, board members and executives of the Geist Foundation.