Announcing the Liberty Hall 2006 End of Year Contest!

This is a contest, with prizes and not a regular challenge. I will provide prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place, decided upon by a simple majority in the polls, with me breaking all ties.

Here's more:

1. What: - During this period you are to write an original short story incited by a trigger that will be provided here. More on the guidelines for the story later.
2. When: - Open Writing Period Starts Friday, December 22, 2006 and ends Sunday, January 7, 2007. You must submit your story by midnight, US Central time (GMT-6) January 7, 2007. This is NOT a timed challenge; take as long as you want [u]in that time period[/u] to write, edit and polish. Voting will start January 8, 2007 and end January 12, 2007.
3. Where: - You will submit your stories via our regular Flash challenge web page submittal system. Make sure to view the trigger page first just so that the system won't break down, please.
4. Who: Anyone who is a Liberty Hall member by the start of the Open Writing Period. Tell your friends.
5. Why: We try to hold a contest every quarter year or so. We're not always successful, but we try. And in addition to the prizes that I will provide, we have been successful in adding a unique incentive, thanks to the generosity of some excellent people out there. More on that, later.

Liberty Hall Prizes: I'm a bit strapped this time, so the prizes won't be as nice as they've been before, but they'll be better than nothing!

1. 1st Prize: $20 Amazon Gift Certificate
2. 2nd Prize: $15 Amazon Gift Certificate
3. 3rd Prize: $10 Amazon Gift Certificate

Guidelines To Be Eligible For The Liberty Hall Prizes:

1. Your entry MUST be related to the trigger. I will make that determination.
2. Only 1 entry per contestant.
3. You must follow my general guidelines for Liberty Hall.
4. Entries must be at least 1,000 words and no more than 10,000 words, as determined by the Liberty Hall word count checker. See the Resources forums to find it.
5. Your entry must have a title and word count.
6. All entries will be posted with your identity concealed, as usual for a flash challenge. You may NOT reveal yourself before the vote is finalized.

General Guidelines:

1. You are NOT required to critique other entries if you enter, but we encourage it.
2. You ARE required to read ALL entries BEFORE voting.
3. You may vote for yourself.
4. You may encourage people to vote for you by the liberal application of Bogus Bucks.
5. You do NOT have to enter the contest to vote in it.
6. Don't piss Mike off
   

And now for the Real Reason we hold these; they give you a chance to be published!

[size=18]Shimmer Magazine Sponsorship[/size]

The excellent folks at Shimmer Magazine have once again agreed to sponsor our contest!

What does that mean? It means that in addition to competing for an LH prize, you are competing for the [u]possibility[/u] of being published in Shimmer Magazine. Note that I said [u]possibility[/u]; there is [u]no guarantee[/u] that you will be published if they select you.

Here's how it works:

1. Once the entries are posted, the busy folks at Shimmer Magazine will get even busier reading your entries.
2. At a date of their choosing, Shimmer will decide if they wish to select one story for publication in an upcoming issue of Shimmer Magazine.
3. There is NO guarantee that they will select a story. It is entirely up to Shimmer Magazine staff to determine if there is a story they wish to publish. They may decide not to, and that is their uncontestable right. If they decide to not accept any of our stories, and if I read any grumbling about it, I will exercise my godlike powers to take whatever I think is appropriate action. Remember the Golden Rule of Liberty Hall: Don't piss Mike off.
4. Shimmer has prevailed upon John Picaccio, a superb artist, to allow the use of one of his illustrations to serve as our trigger.
5. If you decide to also compete for the Shimmer prize, you may. There is nothing to prevent you from winning both a LH prize and the chance to be published at Shimmer Magazine.
6. IF you decide to compete for the Shimmer prize, you MUST also meet their guidelines. Please pay attention to this and read them before making your decision.
   

So, is there any realistic chance that your story will be published by Shimmer Magazine? Yes, I think so. Our writers have a good track record in these sponsored challenges and the sponsors have been mostly very pleased by what they have read.

I'll post more information later this week. There will be no more Flash challenges for the remainder of the year.

Why do you HAVE to be a member? To protect our members and their work from idiots and spammers.

Is there a fee? No. There never will be, either.

Is there advertising? No, see above.