This is a fantasy short story contest. Elph and I will be judging.
Givens:
1) Edit your work.
2) Write literature: have a conflict, a point, characters, setting, etc.
3) If you submit a prewrite it should be especially polished having so much extra time to have perfected it.
4) *bangs head on desk. . . . *bang bang bang bang!. . . PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT POEMS OR PROSE. THIS IS A SHORT STORY CONTEST. . . I will be hosting poetry contests later on.
5) In case you failed to read (1) PLEASE EDIT YOUR WORK! If we are trying to read your work and there are mistakes I can't stand it. I physically have to edit it, or it drives me insane! And if I have to do that, I have to read your work thrice. I shouldn't have to. It should already be very clean. I don't care how perfect it is. Read it again and edit again - there are always mistakes and there's always room to improve. Writing sloppy pieces of work gets you nothing. If you want to be a good writer you have to work.
6) If you submit a prewrite and I can find more than one error it won't be considered. Please write diligently. Take your time and write with quality. Spewing words together does not get you any where.
Rules:
1) Write within reason.
2) Write with passion.
Points:
1st place 300
Further placements to be determined
February 26 is going to be the last day to submit stories. . . So far it has been all prewrites. If you grossly ignore the rules your work will be removed from the contest. I grow weary of ignorance. Save anything that's not a short story for another contest. Save anything that's not fantasy for another contest. Having said that, There are now two concerns which I should address:
1) What is a short story?
At least one page and no more than 50-60 pages. It should consist of at least 3 paragraphs and having a beginning, a middle and an end and the other qualities as mentioned in the "Given" above.
2) What is a fantasy short story?
Have a look at the author comments. (Thanks again Papillon for the question
)
Givens:
1) Edit your work.
2) Write literature: have a conflict, a point, characters, setting, etc.
3) If you submit a prewrite it should be especially polished having so much extra time to have perfected it.
4) *bangs head on desk. . . . *bang bang bang bang!. . . PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT POEMS OR PROSE. THIS IS A SHORT STORY CONTEST. . . I will be hosting poetry contests later on.
5) In case you failed to read (1) PLEASE EDIT YOUR WORK! If we are trying to read your work and there are mistakes I can't stand it. I physically have to edit it, or it drives me insane! And if I have to do that, I have to read your work thrice. I shouldn't have to. It should already be very clean. I don't care how perfect it is. Read it again and edit again - there are always mistakes and there's always room to improve. Writing sloppy pieces of work gets you nothing. If you want to be a good writer you have to work.
6) If you submit a prewrite and I can find more than one error it won't be considered. Please write diligently. Take your time and write with quality. Spewing words together does not get you any where.
Rules:
1) Write within reason.
2) Write with passion.
Points:
1st place 300
Further placements to be determined
February 26 is going to be the last day to submit stories. . . So far it has been all prewrites. If you grossly ignore the rules your work will be removed from the contest. I grow weary of ignorance. Save anything that's not a short story for another contest. Save anything that's not fantasy for another contest. Having said that, There are now two concerns which I should address:
1) What is a short story?
At least one page and no more than 50-60 pages. It should consist of at least 3 paragraphs and having a beginning, a middle and an end and the other qualities as mentioned in the "Given" above.
2) What is a fantasy short story?
Have a look at the author comments. (Thanks again Papillon for the question
)Contest is Over
- Contest was judged on March 6, 2005
- Rewards: Gold: 300
- Final notes: Honourable Mentions:
Mutant by green
My Mortal Beloved by DedBelle
There was no singular perfect work. All of these short stories need a lot of work, especially with editting. If you would like criticism/suggestions to help you better your work, please IM me. Also indicate whether you'd like this criticism/suggestions IMed or in in the comments under your story.
Also, if you would like to know what we thought of your story exactly, emphasize that in an IM to us. . . I'll try and leave a final comment on everyone's when I get the chance, but no guarantees. . .
No third place was determined and it's very frustrating to judge stories that were clearly not revised and I hope that you'll all honestly do your best to work on these in the future. . . *sigh. . .
Nevertheless, We were amazed and blown away by your entries. You are all very creative writers and with time and experience you can only get better. It has been a pleasure to read.
P.S. forgive me if I seem harsh, that is hadly my intent. I want to help you improve your writing and I try to be fair person. If you are interested, I'm considering a Creative Writing workshop - i.e. some sort of open set up where everyone critiques/comments on each other's works (constructive of course) and you can submit your current work in this contest or something else that you think needs work. I was thinking of making it a contest maybe, or maybe not. . . and then after you get everyone's comment submit a revised version. . . and maybe something like 300 points for best revised and 150 points for best criticism. What do you all think about this?? Please let me know.
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Comments
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Whats your definition of fantasy? Does it have to involve dragons, elves, or other fantasy creatures to be considered a fantasy story?
~papi -
That is a very good question and I will be discussing the best possible definition to give you with Elph. . . What I believe at least, is that fantasy (and science fiction) is a very difficult to write as literature. Fantasy is a world apart from the waking that you live more or less. . . For me, it's kind of like a dream world, a different world than the real. Can it include your list, yes. . . Does it have to? Nope. But I could be wrong, I have to talk to Elph, she knows fantasy better than me. I'll get back to you, but there will be lots of time, I want to delay this contest 'til at least Feb. 12 if I can. . .
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Ok thanks! I just may enter this one then.
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Bravo! Applause!
Oh, could you ever forgive Silentium for pointing out a slight error in your instructions for the contest? It is easy to understand why you want clean, error free submissions. You wrote, "If we are trying to read your work and there's mistakes I can't stand it." "There's" is a contraction for "there is" and, when used in your sentence, it is inconsistent with the plurality of the word "mistakes." Seems it should have been: "...and there are mistakes, I can't stand it." Now, who could best my nit-picking, hmmm? Looks like this will be a good contest. Looking forward to reading the entries! -
Lol! Thank you kindly. I'm often my own worst editor and far from perfect. And yet, when it comes to editing I'm pretty good and I don't miss much. Generally, I'm a better writer than a typist, as well, honest!
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P.S. The following phrases, as typed by you, lack subjects and/or verbs making them incomplete sentences:
1) "Seems it should have been. . ." (This lacks a subject. Perhaps you mean: "It seems it should have been. . .")
2) "Looks like this will be a good contest." (This sentence is missing a subject as well. Perhaps you mean: "It looks like this will be a good contest."
3) "Looking forward to reading the entries!" (This is an incomplete sentence, as well. There is no subject or verb in this sentence. But, I know you really mean: "I am looking forward to reading the entries!"
Audentis fortuna iuvat sed cave mei. -
I hope you like my story. I know it's odd but I hope that what you're looking for! Everyone has done wonderful
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I love contests like this. I always wonder if the rules are so strict because the person raising the contest is going to use the story for a project
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Come to think off it, lol. . . I'm considering doing something like a creative writing workshop contest out of this as I mentioned above in the final notes, but the truth is this: I'm an English/Creative Writing major and I'm interested in literature. Elph is in English, too. That's about it.
I've had a lot of training in editorial work and writing already, and as I grow I want to help others grow. I'm not perfect by any means. Maybe 1/3 of what I write is worth reading, if that, and I have a long way to go to where I'm getting. However, if I can help someone become a better writer then for me I'm more than halfway there. -
Hey everyone. Elph here.
Yes, we really did love your work. I'm a huge fantasy buff myself and I'm even trying to write my own novel. Heh. We'll see how that goes.
No, neither of us are perfect, but what's the point in perfection? lol
You can IM either of us if you want editing advice or anything else. We'll be happy to respond.
I am an English Major in my second year of University and James is a triple major so we've both got a lot to offer you guys.
That's all for now. Wicked pieces!
Cheers.
Elph
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