A/N I had to change the name of this contest because I already had a Drabbles III. I hope this causes no problems.
I am also extending the deadline due to being out of town. Please have patience and maybe do a bit if editing if you feel the need. I have a few that I know will not make the cut. If you read over yours and do not feel that it is the best you can make it, then by all means edit. I have made no final decisions.
Well, I have entered a few contests (a very few, as it turns out) and decided to host another. Those of you who have done this in the past will know what to do. For everyone else, this is what I want:
A Drabble is an extremely short work of fiction with exactly one hundred words. The purpose of the drabble is to teach brevity and test author's ability to express interesting and meaningful ideas in an extremely confined space.
In drabble contests participants are given a theme and a certain amount of time to write a drabble. Drabble contests and drabbles in general are popular in Science Fiction fandom and in fanfiction. The concept is said to have originated in UK Science Fiction fandom in the 1980s, the 100-word format was established by the Birmingham University SF Society.
This is a fairly modern form of literature although it is said that authors like Mary Shelley, the writer of Frankenstein's Monster, participated in an earlier form of the drabble.
That being said, you now have some idea of what a drabble it.
What I am looking for: I want stories; as the description says, works of fiction. Anything will do, but the format works best with fanfiction. This includes Harry Potter, LOTR, Smallville, etc. So, if you ever wanted to dabble in your favourite TV show, movie or book, the drabble is for you. Fantasy is welcome. I really do not want real life stories, they are technically not drabbles. No suicides or cutting, unless it falls into the realm of fantasy.
If you want examples, you can find them in my Drabble list at allpoetry.com/list/14943 , although I tend to write only LOTR. But, you can get the idea.
Now, the rules part: (And bear in mind that these are guidelines. You do not really have to follow them. However, if you do not, your entry will be affected.)
1)This must be in a story form, not a poetry form. (Please use left alignment so it looks like a story and not a poem. I have allowed one person to center theirs, but no one else. It will affect the judging.) It is not hard to form paragraphs and complete sentences. I have done it to the tune of about 240,000 words. I am only asking for 100 from you.
2)You must use proper grammar. I know, I am an anal grammar nazi, but this is my contest and I am tired of what passes for good grammar. If English is not your first language, IM me and I can make suggestions.
3)You are, under no circumstances, to read anything of mine with the intent to critique it, only as an example. That rule really burns me. If you want to, that is fine, but it will garner you no favour with me.
4)Likewise, do not write anything stupid in your author's notes box. You can explain your story, give any notes you feel helpful, but nothing stupid saying you read the rules. I will know whether or not you read them by your work.
5)Have fun. We write these things in the space of three or four an hour in YIM. I am giving you weeks to do yours.
6)There is no limit to how many you enter, unless it gets out of hand. (Not a problem in the past.)
7)Disqualifiers: chat lingo, netspeak, webtalk or any variation thereof. Foul language- I like to read things to my son and I do not want to have to censor them. Sticky caps. Why go to so much trouble to get your entry booted? Erotica is welcome if done tastefully. If you cannot do it, then do not write it. Subtlety is more sensual than porn.
Bad grammar- see rule number 2.
I realize that this is not for everyone. It may be hard to say what you want to say in just 100 words, but that is the challenge. Look at it as the cinquain of literature. Make the most of your words.
I will comment on everyone's entry before judging. If I have a problem with your story, I will IM you.
My system of judging uses points. You get points for following the guidelines and then you get points for artistic content.
1 Point each for:
Story form
Grammar
Nothing stupid in author's notes
Obvious fiction
Fantasy
Bonus Point:
Commenting on another entry. You can mention that in the notes. This is not a requirement, but rather just an extra point.
ADDED NOTE:
I am amending this to give out one more Honorable Mention.
Mine Alone by Rose Dark Thorn should have been included in the HMs. I aplogize that I missed it.
I am also extending the deadline due to being out of town. Please have patience and maybe do a bit if editing if you feel the need. I have a few that I know will not make the cut. If you read over yours and do not feel that it is the best you can make it, then by all means edit. I have made no final decisions.
Well, I have entered a few contests (a very few, as it turns out) and decided to host another. Those of you who have done this in the past will know what to do. For everyone else, this is what I want:
A Drabble is an extremely short work of fiction with exactly one hundred words. The purpose of the drabble is to teach brevity and test author's ability to express interesting and meaningful ideas in an extremely confined space.
In drabble contests participants are given a theme and a certain amount of time to write a drabble. Drabble contests and drabbles in general are popular in Science Fiction fandom and in fanfiction. The concept is said to have originated in UK Science Fiction fandom in the 1980s, the 100-word format was established by the Birmingham University SF Society.
This is a fairly modern form of literature although it is said that authors like Mary Shelley, the writer of Frankenstein's Monster, participated in an earlier form of the drabble.
That being said, you now have some idea of what a drabble it.
What I am looking for: I want stories; as the description says, works of fiction. Anything will do, but the format works best with fanfiction. This includes Harry Potter, LOTR, Smallville, etc. So, if you ever wanted to dabble in your favourite TV show, movie or book, the drabble is for you. Fantasy is welcome. I really do not want real life stories, they are technically not drabbles. No suicides or cutting, unless it falls into the realm of fantasy.
If you want examples, you can find them in my Drabble list at allpoetry.com/list/14943 , although I tend to write only LOTR. But, you can get the idea.
Now, the rules part: (And bear in mind that these are guidelines. You do not really have to follow them. However, if you do not, your entry will be affected.)
1)This must be in a story form, not a poetry form. (Please use left alignment so it looks like a story and not a poem. I have allowed one person to center theirs, but no one else. It will affect the judging.) It is not hard to form paragraphs and complete sentences. I have done it to the tune of about 240,000 words. I am only asking for 100 from you.
2)You must use proper grammar. I know, I am an anal grammar nazi, but this is my contest and I am tired of what passes for good grammar. If English is not your first language, IM me and I can make suggestions.
3)You are, under no circumstances, to read anything of mine with the intent to critique it, only as an example. That rule really burns me. If you want to, that is fine, but it will garner you no favour with me.
4)Likewise, do not write anything stupid in your author's notes box. You can explain your story, give any notes you feel helpful, but nothing stupid saying you read the rules. I will know whether or not you read them by your work.
5)Have fun. We write these things in the space of three or four an hour in YIM. I am giving you weeks to do yours.
6)There is no limit to how many you enter, unless it gets out of hand. (Not a problem in the past.)
7)Disqualifiers: chat lingo, netspeak, webtalk or any variation thereof. Foul language- I like to read things to my son and I do not want to have to censor them. Sticky caps. Why go to so much trouble to get your entry booted? Erotica is welcome if done tastefully. If you cannot do it, then do not write it. Subtlety is more sensual than porn.
Bad grammar- see rule number 2.
I realize that this is not for everyone. It may be hard to say what you want to say in just 100 words, but that is the challenge. Look at it as the cinquain of literature. Make the most of your words.
I will comment on everyone's entry before judging. If I have a problem with your story, I will IM you.
My system of judging uses points. You get points for following the guidelines and then you get points for artistic content.
1 Point each for:
Story form
Grammar
Nothing stupid in author's notes
Obvious fiction
Fantasy
Bonus Point:
Commenting on another entry. You can mention that in the notes. This is not a requirement, but rather just an extra point.
ADDED NOTE:
I am amending this to give out one more Honorable Mention.
Mine Alone by Rose Dark Thorn should have been included in the HMs. I aplogize that I missed it.
Contest is Over
- Contest was judged on November 17, 2005
- Rewards: Gold: 300
- Final notes: Well, there were quite a few nice entries. Some are very good first attempts. This is not an easy literary form to master. I picked the drabbles that I felt most embodied the nature of that form.
1st & 300 pts. UnHallowe'en by Ms. Trick is a very well structured piece.
2nd & 200 pts. Monsters by Opaque Beauty also is well structured and ends well.
3rd & 100 pts. Waiting by Rose Dark Thorn had the elements necessary for the drabble. I did not care for the centering as to me that is just an unstructured poem, but the story itself carried it beyond my distaste.
Honorable Mentions (50 pts) include
Exiles by Ms. Trick- I really liked this one and had there been none better, it would have taken second. There was just the slightest confusion towards the end as to who was talking, but the last lines cleared that up.
Klingon Supremacy by Liquilust was equally as good. Again, just a bit of confusion in one place, but overall, very enjoyable. And, it did not hurt that I knew what the story was about. That is the problem with drabbles, you get such a small glimpse that important details are left out.
Thank you all for entering. I hope you will practice for the next contest.
Entries [10]
1 - 10 of 10
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Jagged rocks had broken Zeke’s bones and Casey’s heart, but they cemented their bond.• Commented on by judge.
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by NightshadeNymph 4 lines, 1 comment, on Oct 24 8:14 PM 2005. In Other• Commented on by judge.
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Drabble; 100 word story.• Commented on by judge.
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• Commented on by judge.
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Drabble; 100 word story.• Commented on by judge.
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[Drabble] Good Zon's encounter with Stitches for the first time.by Victoria of Aragon 20 lines, 11 comments, on Oct 30 8:24 AM 2005. In Fantasy, Other
Silver trophy winner
• Commented on by judge. -
The placid, angelic creature lay dreadfully broken on the cold stone. Its laments spoke of anguish. The pale shimmer of the beasts coat had faded from stunning• Commented on by judge.
Bronze trophy winner
Gold trophy winner
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Comments
1 - 25 of 25
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I don't write fanfiction anymore. I write drabbles from mostly a fantasy, original perspective and genre. I find that drabbles in the form of fantasy are very wonderful as well. I'm actually holding my own drabble contest at the moment.If you have time, perhaps you could drop by and take a look.
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Hm, you know, I don't think I've ever even written a drabble (sad, no?), and you don't have any of those incredibly moronic and self-centered rules I love to hate (comment on and applaud everything I've ever written! And don't be mean about it either! And don't be offended if I pick my friends too because I love them and they'll hate me if I don't give them first and second place). I'll try it out.
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That is okay. You can write your fantasy drabbles. I just did not want a bunch of cutting and suicide stories. The topic was just a suggestion. I get enough of real life here, I want escapism. I may amend the guidelines to reflect that. Thank you for pointing it out.
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Be careful. If you write one, you may find you like it. As for the stupid rules, I avoid those contest, which may explain why I have entered so few lately. And the friends part, lost many a contest because of that. And it shows in the choices of winners to often. Give it a try. If you do not try something, you only lose the opportunity to do it. I was very leary of doing these at first. My first one sucked so badly that I did not do another one for months. Now, I do one weekly for a challenge and more for other reasons. It is just a good exercise.
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This is interesting! I've never heard of a drabble before! I will have to check them out! I'm a huge Harry Potter fan so it would befun to through in my two cents worth. Regarding the whole snape debate!
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Cutting and suicide seems to be very popular on this site and although I am guilty of writing poetry with those genres, my stories often don't contain such things. No worries about me.
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I am drawn to this contest, as I have recently discovered the art of the Drabble, courtesy of the above poet Rose Dark Thorn. I shall return with a story as soon as I am finished with the one I am currently working on.
Yours,
Kain -
Hmmm'... I'll have to come back to this contest reeeaaaaaaalllllll soon... Because I only just recently got into writting Drabbles, and thus far, none of them are really.. Fantasy-ish.. I'm sure I'll be able to pull one together, though. ^ ^; Best of luck in judging, and I hope your son enjoys some of the not so 'adult' entries, as well.. If you do decide to read a few to him. o o;
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I hope to see you. I have extended it a bit. I really would like more entries.
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I'm pretty sure she'll enter. I've recently inspired her to write them. I seem to be inspiring a lot of people to write them lately.
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I love these and 55 word storues, but I am not a fantasy writer so I will see what else is out there.
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I adore your rules. And the contest idea. And thank you for the history of drabbles; that was interesting. I'll definitely be checking back and, if I find my skills up to the task, I'll enter. ^^
trick -
You are quite welcome. I look forward to it. And, I am extending the contest as I will be out of town next week, so as to give others a chance.
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I'm going to feature this for you. It saddens me that I got so many entries and you have next to nothing.
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I'd suggest stating in your contest title this is for short stories, as I write poems this was in the featured box, I didn't know, I wouldn't have clicked, but it does sound interesting and have been educated to what a drabble is.
Good luck to all contestants. 
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wow what a unique contest this is! i think ill definitelu observe before entering ...all the best to those entering
Rae -
Well, that is very kind of you. I did feature it when I first posted it. I am saving my points for the contest, but I may do it again before I close it. And, your gesture is very well appreciated.
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I have honestly never tried writing drabbles before, mostly because they, in a way, scare me. I am the wordiest person I know - I once told a friend in all honesty that I could write a 10-page paper on the dust bunnies under my bed if I wanted. Sometimes I think I just go overboard, though, so this might be a good exercise in simplicity for me. I'll give it some thought and perhaps I'll return
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It's the least I can do. I've entered four times already. It's about time I horde other people than me to enter too.
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Practicing drabbles can really hone your skills as a writer. I strongly suggest you give it a try. Once you get into it, it's a lot of fun.
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It does state that this is for stories and not poem form. You just have to read down far enough.
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It is not the easiest of forms to write. I would much rather work on my 40000 word project, but I do love the way a drabble works.
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Thank you so much for the trophy and points. I had a lot of fun with your contest.
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Thanks so much for second place, dear. I'm glad you had as many wonderful entries as you did.
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Thank you very much! ^^ You made a good day better and I am one happy sock. Hope your feet have a good week! Thanks again!
trick
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