Threads of Horror

A horror poetry ebook created annually by the poet community online. It is and always will be distributed to readers for free on Halloween.

Think Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Twilight Zone, or Black Mirror—but with poetry.

Chronicles in the Crypt

View past editions of Threads of Horror

in all its spooktacular glory.

Threads of Horror Vol II

Threads of Horror Vol I

Call for Poems!

You can be a part of this bloodcurdling story—write and submit your best horror poem. All are encouraged to participate.

Contribute up to 3 poems rated PG-13 to R. Submissions close Oct. 18th at midnight.

Submit a poem

Take a look at last year's Threads of Horror Vol I to conjure up some inspiration!

Submissions are free!

Submissions to PPP projects like its ebooks or apps are and always will be free.

Submissions for Vol III will open in September 2026.

New Awards!

From the depths of Volume II onward, these recognitions shall rise!

◊ Cutting Through

Awarded to the most outstanding entry that cuts deeper than the rest.

◊ Slashing Ahead

Awarded to the runner-up whose prey just barely escaped.

◊ Creeping Up

Awarded to the poet lurking, waiting to strike.

New Awards!

Prize Haul!

*skulls are not displayed at actual scale

Prize haul!

Each award tier will receive a miniature Skull Trophy, a Threads of Horror embroidered hat, and a black t-shirt featuring this season's cover art on the back.

Everyone is welcome!

Threads of Horror is open to every writer. Don't let the idea of competition scare you off. You can even opt out of scoring if you'd like. We're here to have a good time.

The Raven’s Rubric

Entries will be evaluated on the following criteria

Thematics & Atmosphere (15pts)

How well the poem builds a consistent mood and captures the essence of suspense, fear, or horror.

Story & Structure (10pts)

The clarity, flow, and impact of the narrative or progression.

Stylistic Flair & Originality (10 pts)

The freshness of voice, creativity, word choice, and avoidance of cliché.

Poetic Devices (10pts)

Use of alliteration, assonance, enjambment, rhyme, and other structural choices.

Bonus Points (5pts)

Extra impact through visceral chills or a beacon of hope presence.

What is the
Public Poetry Project?

The Public Poetry Project is an initiative to publish a wider variety of writer's and to distribute the compilations to readers for free—while having some fun along the way.

The topics chosen for the PPP editions are simple, Love and Horror. Because if we simplify life down as much as possible, what else is there—that's about as poetic as it gets.

Values

Threads of Horror ebooks and apps will always be distributed for free.
Submissions to Threads of Horror will always be free.
Poets will always be given credit and backlinks to help build their own audience.
Submission to Threads of Horror is open to everyone.
Poets retain the copyright to their work(s) and may publish them wherever else they wish to do so.

Short Term Goal

Have fun writing silly poetry together.

Long Term Goal

Build an audience for Threads of Horror, so that as many eyes as possible are reading a wider variety of poetry than what makes it onto bookstore shelves and markets today.
Sell merch to support giving awards and prizes to the best poems of each edition as well as run social media ads to attract more readers. Make it self-sufficient.
Dream Goal: generate enough revenue through swag to pay poets for their submissions and publish special edition paperbacks for collecting.