I've had a few members ask me about the when, what, how, and if of this years challenge.
This year we're going all out. I am working on a prize that will surpass our past prizes. Don't have any judges yet, but a copy of the antho will be the minimum we will have for a prize.
Last year Ms Birch's story in our contest was named as a finalist in the WotF contest. Several stories over the years found homes in the publishing world, so the quality of work this in house contest generates is top notch. So everyone get set.
All I have is a trigger for the contest, Twelve Seconds. What ever you come up with that trigger is up to you. The only restriction is you cannot plagiarize Tina Smith's winning story (very unlikely, so don't worry about it).
I am open to suggestions on when and how long the contest should run. Help on a word count ceiling would be appreciated. I am leaning toward 4000 words - remember, reading and judging your fellow contest-ies is required for this contest - so you let me know. More? Less?
I'll post for more information as soon as I get some.
Added note for She Who Must Be Obeyed
Thank you for moving the previous post to the other thread but Grist for the Mill is way too low brow for Nick - and that will be the only time I will mention him in Writing Discussions (unless he goads me - hard to ignore a natural goader like him).
To the rest of you...
Last year, we produced a finalist in the contest from our trigger challenge - lets do better this time. With a new coordinating judge, the contest has become wide open. The prejudices and allowances KDW had, Dave does not. This years antho doesn't even have the token Australian previous anthologies had - very unusual.
Looking for opinions and insights!
Posted by Grumpy old guy (Member # 9922) on :
I could put my hand up for the position of token Aussie.
Phil.
Posted by extrinsic (Member # 8019) on :
David Wolverton, I've noted, has his own subjective preferences. He's longer on craft and shorter on storytelling of the raconteur manner: more action-adventure, less summary and explanation, and more fantastical motifs, for a few differences between him and Ms. Wentworth.
Wolverton's not as averse as a visceral reaction to any use of the term "orb" either, and metaphorical "stygian" and "obsidian" usages. I wonder if Wolverton has a word or term that he's as especially loathe to read. He's not as fond of Golden Age rivet-and-chrome plausible science and technology science fiction, though, for which Wentworth had a powerful passion.
Wolverton favors conflict resolution outcomes, classic Aristotlean comedy. Wentworth's strongest reading preferences were for tragically beautiful outcomes, classic Aristotlean tragedy, though she rarely encountered them as coordinating judge.
Posted by Nick T (Member # 8052) on :
Snapper,
I'm happy to act as a final judge again, if only to violently disagree with your opinions, ideas and continued existence.
Nick
Posted by A Yeatts (Member # 9500) on :
I want in! I do! I do!
What are we doing again? Posted by snapper (Member # 7299) on :
Good news! I have elicited the help of this years Gold Award Winner - Tina Smith. She has agreed to act as the finalist judge for the competition, as well as providing us a signed copy of the latest anthology
Writers of the Future Vol 29.
So once again, put on your thinking caps. This years trigger will be Twelve Seconds, and we have a tentative word count ceiling of 4000 words (any objections?).
The official start will be coming soon but if you want in, you will be expected to help judge and crit. The contest gets a fair amount of participants, but not to worry. The work load will not be that great.
It will be an anonymous competition. The primary goal is to get you to write and to receive some valuable critiques.
Past WotF trigger contest entries went on to be published. It may be the most successful challenge that has been throw at hatrack.
So get ready. The game is on!
Posted by LDWriter2 (Member # 9148) on :
quote:Originally posted by snapper: Good news! I have elicited the help of this years Gold Award Winner - Tina Smith. She has agreed to act as the finalist judge for the competition, as well as providing us a signed copy of the latest anthology
Writers of the Future Vol 29.
So once again, put on your thinking caps. This years trigger will be Twelve Seconds, and we have a tentative word count ceiling of 4000 words (any objections?).
The official start will be coming soon but if you want in, you will be expected to help judge and crit. The contest gets a fair amount of participants, but not to worry. The work load will not be that great.
It will be an anonymous competition. The primary goal is to get you to write and to receive some valuable critiques.
Past WotF trigger contest entries went on to be published. It may be the most successful challenge that has been throw at hatrack.
So get ready. The game is on!
Just one thing, well two.
4,000 is good for a work load the challenge but would is this too short to be good for the contest? (Redid this sentence because it didn't come out the way I pictured it)
Second that is a very nice prize but this year they have calendars also,
I had myself pretty much talked into participating because of the prize even before I knew Tina would sign it, but I was reminded of something yesterday so I changed my mind.
Have fun Should be quite a few good stories here.
[ April 26, 2013, 10:55 PM: Message edited by: LDWriter2 ]
Posted by Grumpy old guy (Member # 9922) on :
Just wondering about the timeline: how long do I have to come up with a viable idea and submit a first draft?
Phil.
Posted by snapper (Member # 7299) on :
Good question, Grumpy. Looking for input on that. I am considering making the deadline at the end of May.
Will that work for you all?
Posted by axeminister (Member # 8991) on :
A month for 4000 polished words? Sounds good.
That's cool of Tina to do. She is awesome.
I'm in. Now, need to start thinking of a story.
Axe
Posted by Grumpy old guy (Member # 9922) on :
I've already got the milieu worked out and what the Twelve Seconds refers to. However, like axeminister, I still have to come up with a story.
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