Short Story Contest #9: Idea Poll

[Apheraz Lucent]

This will decide the next theme of the Short Story Contest.
The poll is open for 15 days.
You can vote for more than one theme!

Meet four stunning themes.

1. Macabre Classic
Contestants are required to rewrite one of famous fairy tales to get them a little bit darker and more intriguing: filled with new happenings, but still referencing to the original.

2. Final Confrontation
Participants will have to write a story about one final battle, whether it would be including one or more characters, clans or factions, and can be placed in any generic theme (abstract, medieval, realtime, futuristic, combined, etc.)

3. Finishing Touch
One capable and experienced story writer will provide you with the beginning of a story. You will have to make it go through the center towards the ending, where you will meet one final preset sentence which finishes the story.

4. Sisters by Ink, Sisters by Story
This contest requires teams of two users. You will be given random presets of two female characters (picked blindly and randomly out of a group of characters): you and your partner will have to write a story which will guide them through the theme of them being caught in a fantasy book of your choice, and their experiences in that book (Any book or story can be used, such as: Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Witches Abroad, etc.).

 

[Sorceress]

Finishing Touch. Sounds like something new and funny.

 

[Amargaard]

They are all exciting themes to me

 

[Apheraz Lucent]

Finishing Touch. Sounds like something new and funny.

Sounds like a hell ride when you're given a preset beginning and the last sentence in the story.

I think that I will write the presets. For Sisters by Ink/Story theme as well, if it gets the most votes; so you don't have to worry about that.

Oh, and we'll be experiencing a little different contest this time. You'll see what I'm talking about when it gets hosted.

 

[Grey Nightmare]

The Macabre Classics sounds like a good, safe bet. I believe an exotic theme was the reason the last attempt at this contest bore little fruit.

 

[Apheraz Lucent]

^Knife Edge had no place for experiments, and that's why it failed.

Successful contest consists of persistent host and freedom.

 

[Arcisal]

Who is this capable and experienced story writer creating the settings for Finishing Touch?

Macabre Classics!

 

[Apheraz Lucent]

I would ask TWIF or Dragonson or Wolfe or even write it down myself.
Or we could have a poll for that as well.

 

[Grey Nightmare]

I would ask TWIF or Dragonson or Wolfe or even write it down myself.
Or we could have a poll for that as well.

I'd say just do it yourself. No one there is any more qualified than you are and you're reliable and active. I can't say the same for them.

 

[Wolfe]

I am assuming you'll be hosting it. It'd make more sense for you to write down the presets so that the other writers are allowed to compete. Why? Well, if we wrote the presets and wanted to compete it'd be unfair for the other contestants.

I would also like to encourage that people with no intention in competing or no interest in writing do not vote.

 

[Apheraz Lucent]

Arcisal and I are currently discussing who will host the contest, I'll agree with anything he suggests. However, since I will most likely be the one who will write the presets, I will join the contest as a judge.

But so far, the contest enjoys the first two themes in a tight battle.

 

[Skycraft]

I'm going with Macabre Classic, seems like something fun and everyone could do it.

 

[Sorceress]

Sounds like a hell ride when you're given a preset beginning and the last sentence in the story.

Maybe, but it would be something new.

 

[Grey Nightmare]

I would also like to encourage that people with no intention in competing or no interest in writing do not vote.

This. SO MUCH! Please, please, anonymous submissions this time... For my mercy!

 

[Apheraz Lucent]

Guys.
Poll for this contest will have 25% of total score from the Poll, and 75% from appointed judges, which generally means a score of 1-5 points as a bonus from the Poll's results.
Judges are there for a reason. Also, there will be two or three judges. If I don't have enough time to participate, I'll be happy to qualify again as a judge.
I'm reminding that this story contest starts a new way of doing it, you'll see what I'm talking about when I get a detailed discussion on hosting it.

And damn, it's a tight battle

 

[Lordkoon]

By 'short story' do you mean like a limit to words per story or just not make it a novel ?

By the way if I may put my opinion a rewriting of an existing story may cause many people to use the rich tone of words used by the original authors and really drop the creativity and actuall display of skills in writing/rewriting such masterpieces. While a story 'from scratch' is much more likely to display the writing skills and qualities of the authors in this contest.

 

[Grey Nightmare]

The limit is usually set in words, per contest. But yeah, length doesn't really match any judging criteria. Some people can pitch their message in fewer words than others. Just like you say; don't make it a novel.

 

[Lordkoon]

That clarified some things.

Still don't you think retelling an old story would cause the things I wrote above ?

 

[Grey Nightmare]

You're referring to the Macabre Classics?
I think you only need to look at the amount of different books, videos and films about the various fairy tales and ancient legends (King Arthur being a perfect example) to see that a reworked story can be just as unique as its teller.

More recently, take a look at the old Rapunzel and compare it to Disney's "Tangled".

 

[Apheraz Lucent]

If the story resembless too much of the original, it's points will drop down.

But if little red riding hood discovers that the wolf and the grandma are actualy the same person, it will pump up the originality. Not to mention a secret relationship between the woodcutter and her mother, which later appears as a dark witch who placed the curse on grandma.

As you can see, simple role reversal is enough for a brand new story. Just imagine what happens when you have your own details, new characters and mysteries

Oh, and I don't think we'll be able to start this before Legendary Event, unfortunately, unless by some magic, nobody from the contest is participating there.

 

[Grey Nightmare]

The Legen-wha? -OH! That thing... I'm not. So if you need anything doing to set this up, whatever that may be... Yeah, I can do that. No idea what. But I can do it. If it needs be done.

 

[Apheraz Lucent]

Damn, totaly forgot about the Frozen Arena Event

Well, expect a story contest after it ends.

 

[Pharaoh_]

You can still do it. Frozen Arena is not in effect yet.

 

[Grey Nightmare]

Glad to hear it, cheers Paraoh_ - I'm good when you guys are!
I'll judge or participate, whatever we lack, I'll fill

 

[Lordkoon]

You're referring to the Macabre Classics?
I think you only need to look at the amount of different books, videos and films about the various fairy tales and ancient legends (King Arthur being a perfect example) to see that a reworked story can be just as unique as its teller.

More recently, take a look at the old Rapunzel and compare it to Disney's "Tangled".

You are missing my point. I am talking about the writing style, not the content itself, surely it changes over time and the amount of people retelling it. Users can easily copy/paste well written paragraphs from the original or retelled books/stories and I doubt the judges can read all versions of them written in the past to make sure there is no plagiasm.
That is just my opinion.

 

[Apheraz Lucent]

As a matter of fact, you can copy the entire story, and you'll get discarded from (future) contest(s). Since there will be 3 to 5 judges for this contest, most fairy tales should be covered.

Anyways.
Guys, let me give you a glimpse of my new system for Story Contests. For now, I will only say that you will be able to get a maximum of 300 points from a judge, divided into 12 categories. This will help judges to avoid giving same points for stories of different quality. There are also negative points for those who think they can troll around and avoid punishments. The new contest will have an informative system with which your progress in it will be much easier to track - same goes for judges. And it wil far more organised and flowing.

 

[Pharaoh_]

You may as well show it to us

 

[Grey Nightmare]

Umm hmm.
Bump?