Hey DLP,

Hopefully most of you have seen and clicked on Raven's announcement regarding the DLP Story Competition. He explains the basic idea there, but I'll summarize for you here.

Prompt: Harry discovers why Albus doesn't drink
Word limit: 10k max, no min
Deadline: December 27th - PM stories to Xiph0 (who will post them anonymously)​

This thread is to discuss the competition if you so choose. If this becomes a monthly event (or quarterly, or whatever) there will be a new 'discussion' thread for each competition with details on the specific prompts, rules, etc.

So... talk! Talk about your ideas, talk about your thoughts on the competition, etc! It's true that this is an anonymous competition but don't let that stop you from using this thread for discussion.

The stories themselves will be published in their own threads by Xiph0 (who will be the only staff member aware of the authors).

Go write! Seriously. The more entries the better if we want to keep this going.

GUIDELINES​

Voting / Scoring
Anyone can participate in voting and scoring! Though if you are going to rate one story it's encouraged that you rate all of them. All categories may get a score between 1 and 5.

Original Concept
Characters
Plot
Pacing
Setting & Atmosphere
Grammar & Mechanics

Total score out of 30 (each category above worth 1 through 5). Your score should be accompanied by 150+ words of review/commentary on the story. Feel free to copy/paste the above when you are scoring later (see post below for a typical review example).

Winning
You get to put your idea in the poll for the NEXT competition prompt. When the next competition thread goes up there will be a poll that will look like this:

Vote on the topic / prompt for this competition!

1. Staff Selected Prompt 1
2. Staff Selected Prompt 2
3. Winner's Prompt

Sure it's true that your prompt might not get picked, but hey - there's a chance!
Edit: Additional Prize - Ched has offered a Video Game code from a past Humble Monthly purchase. Several to pick from, no POS games.

 

Updated above post with more details.

Talk motherfuckers. If we want people to enter we need to keep this front and center so that it's on everyones mind and they're thinking and writing and MOTHERFUCKING EXCITED. Righe@Sorrows?

Let's do this.

Harry discovers why Albus doesn't drink. Go write.

Humor at the concept? Seriousness of addiction? Sad at chances lost? Horror at an uncontrollable badass wizard drunk off his ass? I wonder what we shall see.

A typical review might be something along these lines. Feel free to copy/paste the scoring format from above.

Original Concept - 5
Characters - 4
Plot - 1
Pacing - 3
Setting & Atmosphere - 5
Grammar & Mechanics - 4

Total Score - 22

This story concept was fantastic - I never would have guessed that Drunk!Albus would immediately search out methods of getting high and, of course, finding quite a few of them. The effects of various magical substances on his thought processes - and the lowering of his inhibitions - made this hilarious.

That said, there was no plot whatsoever. Just a series of fiascos that occur as Dumbledore gets high on more and more esoteric substances. It made the story memorable but ultimately the humor wasn’t good enough to make it something I’d ever read again – it needed some kind of narrative arc for that.

The setting and atmosphere were great – very surreal feeling, especially when Albus was riding the flying unicorn across the English channel while it pooped an unending rainbow into the sky. That entire sequence was all kinds of WTF while not quite breaking my suspension of disbelief.

Grammar was fine, but mechanically the story was bogged down by far, far too many adverbs.

 

I have an idea myself that I might try to punch out, but we'll see if I can get it past the initial "here is how the story starts!." I dunno how to make it into a story with an actual middle and ending yet.

 

I imagine it will be played by ear. If only 4 people enter the first one then people would be expected to review them all but if you've got 10/15 entries it might be a bit much for someone to read and review them all.

 

I solemnly swear to review all submissions. And damn I really hope @Jarizok goes with his idea or I might just write it myself.

 

Reminder bump!

As an added bonus I'll offer up a video game as a prize to the winner (and if they don't want it, the runner-up) - I have several decent ones that I've gotten and not activated from the couple of months I had Humble Monthly (don't worry, no worthless POS games). Depending on the number of entries I might give out more than one.

 

That moment when you realize that you have a great idea but no actual plot to go with it, despite the fact you've been writing for a while already. Argh!

 

I've been assuming it's inclusive of the 27th - but I'm not sure, and that's not my choice. I'd guess at this point that's up to @Xiph0 .

I'm still writing myself. My entry is not going to be good, nor will it be edited, but by god it might be present. It also might not. I've got to be up in a few hours to be gone for most of the 27th, after all.

 

Well, I got something ready. Rough as all holy fuck. But it's done. Maybe I'll polish it up later for a continuation. I kinda like the idea I settled with.

 

I'm gonna guess midnight is fine, or at least before Xiph0 wakes up. Xiph0 can use his discretion for any that get in after the stroke of 12 but they should probably all be posted together.

 

If you're EST -3 hours.