Think the winner of the last challenge gets to suggest the new prompt. There is talk of selection being different next time.

 

Say there are four entries, how do you score the fourth ranked one? It cant have a score of zero or else we quickly end up with a story ranked last having the least amount of points, and therefore be the winner.

I don't think the reversal of point equivalency to rank from q1 actually simplifies anything

Edit just realized someone already brought this up

Also do we have to use the first line prompt verbatim?

 

I don't understand your question / suggestion.

The winner of the previous challenge gets to pick one of the options to vote on. Staff picks 1-2. If there's a tie the person who tied also gets to pick.

Not sure there's talk of selection being different so much as I'm going to make sure that a broad/generic prompt ends up on the poll for the staff pick if the winner goes specific again. People wanted a prompt or two like "Azkaban" or something else that isn't too specific. More of a theme than a topic.

About to update the main post - I've been ... not around the last week or two. I'll get someone to update the banner as well.

I fixed the voting issue.

Technically you should use the prompt as provided... but honestly if you needed to change around 1-2 words I don't personally have an issue with that. Whether someone decides to vote you down for it or not I don't know. Just use your judgement - if you change it TOO much it won't count.

 

Updated the initial posting to include...

1. Topic we voted on
2. You don't HAVE to worry so much about staying anonymous
3. Scoring is back to 3 points for #1, etc.
4. You can just leave a solid review instead of using the required criteria, but criteria are still suggested and you still have to rank stories in this thread for your votes to count.

 

For a review?

No. If you aren't sure if your review is worthwhile then use the provided format and word count.

 

To clarify - you can replace the "..." in the first line with whatever you like, and you can adjust a few words in the prompt as needed. I've had two people now ask if it had to be actual first line or could be in the first paragraph, etc.

Honestly I'm of two minds on that. We did say 'first line' prompt, but on the other hand... first paragraph probably maintains the spirit of it.

Thoughts?

 

OMGERD BURMP because people need to write moar.

I have an idea for this one as I did past competitions. But it's unknown whether I'll have time to write.

I actually wrote a (very) rough draft of the first one about Albus drinking. I had an idea for the second that I didn't start writing but would still like to write (possibly). The idea for this one... same as the second, urgh. So busy, and it's just an idea not an outline.

But Harry is going to break in more than once.

 

I have a 50th Wedding Anniversary to pay for and plan as well as a wedding in which I'm the equivalent of the "Best Man" coming up, not to mention that I have a textbook deadline and I'm not yet done with the school year.

...but yes I am thinking of moar plot. :3

 

I think we should have a mini-story section for people who don't have time to write a whole story, they could have something like 500 words to do some interesting twist on the premise which can be put up as a mini-story thread to browse next to the longer entries.

 

I'd count this as a full entry - it's why I've been so careful to always put "no minimum" in the story requirements. I feel fairly strongly about the ability to tell a story in this length/format that is engaging and interesting.

One of the biggest issues that I personally see with fanfiction and new authors is that they use too many words. I could see a very tight story winning at this word length just because it doesn't ramble or say more than it needs to to get the point across.

Hell I'd prefer that more of the entries be shorter rather than approach anywhere near the 17.5k word count limit. But we picked that limit because in several major Sci-Fi/Fantasy competitions that's where the cut-off for a novelette is.

 

OMG WRITE MOAR!