Agreed. The only months I've bothered to produce something for were the ones were I had plenty of warning, allowing me a week or two to flesh out ideas before I actually started writing.

 

Indy/Romance? You're guessing that on what the contests were last year, right?

But yeah, really, they could've just close the May contest with a message for June's subject. It's not like you have to wait till one month's contest is judged before deciding on the next month's.

 

Last years? No, those are just the only two left

 

Well...there is the Restricted Section.

 

I feel like the Dark Arts contest wasn't done justice. Entries were good but they were too few and uncompleted.

I'm thinking once we finish the other sections, we go back to Dark Arts and give a whole 3 months for people to write.

 

Alternatively, give each section a second round. Or two three-month contests for the rest of the year, split into July-September and October-December periods.

 

I'm not a fan of this idea. If someone has a specific idea in mind, there's nothing to stop them from writing and just waiting for the appropriate category to arrive.

Can't speak for others, but I only think of ideas once the subject has been announced. It allows for one to focus their thoughts.

 

That gives me an idea.

How about non-category focused monthly contests?

One month could be a Harry/fem!Harry competition. Every submission would have to include this pairing.

Another month could be contest where Voldemort has to be the protagonist.

You guys see where I'm going with this...

 

In that case, we would certainly need a Draco kill-off.

 

It could continue on as a flavor-of-the-month thing, instead of the DLP category. Like one month is wrong BWL, one is manipulative!Dumbledore, one month is a specific pairing, slytherin!Harry, etc.

EDIT: pretty sure that's a ninja, if I'm understanding Stalin's Pipe Organs right.

 

Rare pairings and/or rare protagonist months sound like a good idea. I've got an idea for a Pettigrew-centric story..

 

That way leads to madness, Sir!
I like it!

 

I don't think it's a good idea. Too specific themes and I doubt we will see many entries for the contest.

 

Celestin is onto something. The contest has been getting a good amount of entries as of late, but narrowing the topics is certainly not going to encourage an author's creative license.

 

Only change I'd like to see is more time to write. This can be done by either announcing the next genre on the 1st, at the same time submissions for the previous contest end. Or it could be done by extending the length a bit, perhaps two more weeks. This will result in some contests ending in the middle of the month, but aesthetics aside, I don't see a problem with that.

 

I'd take part in that one. There is a derth of good Harry/Fem!Harry fics.

 

No reason for you to skip doing such a story for Romance or Restricted Section months, though. Setting too narrow a focus would become more like the Challenges sub-forum. The idea of the monthly contest is to shore up the dwindling offerings that qualify for inclusion in the Library.

(btw, it's 'dearth')

 

Yeah, I suppose keeping it on Library categories is a good idea. Nobody really uses the challenges subforum, more's the pity. Maybe we should figure out a way to revive it?

 

We could do a cross over month.

 

I could get behind that notion. I'd also suggest that October be reserved for Horror, which isn't a Library category but could be inspiring.

Amend that- make September the horror month so that the stories are available to be enjoyed for October.