 Time for Another Shadowrun Fiction Contest |
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 Jan 3 2008, 11:18 PM
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#26
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Shadow Cartographer  Group: Members Posts: 3,737 Joined: 2-June 06 From: Secret Tunnels under the UK (South West) Member No.: 8,636  |
Well I'll submit an entry. Point worth making - I don't think contest is the main element, but we should be avoiding saying "I'm writing about a character called X" to avoid mucking up the anonymity. I actually have a story ready written which has now been accepted three times by editors for the Shadowrun site web-fiction (the editors keep changing and one accepted my story twice). But it's been over a year of waiting for them to bring back the fiction and I've now been referred to the next editor in the chain. So I may just submit that to the competition. I wrote it because I wanted to contribute something to Shadowrun (it's not like you get paid) and it's doing nothing sitting in someone's inbox month after month. Okay, rant over. This is a 'yes' from Nasser Press. ;) -K. |
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Jan 4 2008, 02:55 AM
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#27
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Midnight Toker Group: Members Posts: 7,686 Joined: 4-July 04 From: Zombie Drop Bear Santa's Workshop Member No.: 6,456 |
Nah, more like Quicksilver from Imago, but within the crazy Ghost in the Machine action. And totally ripped off from a Johnny Depp film. |
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Jan 4 2008, 03:03 AM
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#28
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Immoral Elf Group: Members Posts: 15,247 Joined: 29-March 02 From: Grimy Pete's Bar & Laundromat Member No.: 2,486 |
Gilbert Grape? |
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Jan 4 2008, 03:30 AM
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#29
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Midnight Toker Group: Members Posts: 7,686 Joined: 4-July 04 From: Zombie Drop Bear Santa's Workshop Member No.: 6,456 |
Dead Man, a 1995 Acid Western. Depending on who you ask it is either sub-mediocre or the best film of the late 20th Century. I subscribe to the latter theory. |
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Jan 4 2008, 04:04 AM
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#30
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Free Spirit Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 3,950 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Bloomington, IN UCAS Member No.: 1,920 |
I have asked that the stories conform to SR rules, meaning no time travel, meaning werewolves are animals that change into human form not humans bitten by other werewolves during the full moon, meaning etcetera. If you can pull it off while conforming to the rules, go for it. In the past, I have had trouble with stories that seemed to deliberately try to skirt this issue. Since there is a new edition out and people still playing older editions that do not conform well with the new rule set, if your story makes use of an edition specific rule, for example the spirit wealth power, please note the edition in the header of the story after the title or around the authors name. Speaking of authors names, I leave them out when posting the stories for vote, adding them at the conclusion of the contest.
The specific topic contests did not go so well, so any SR story. Readers may suggest topics, but that does not guarantee anyone writing them. But who knows, maybe it will get the creative juices going and inspire someone to write about a suggested topic. Maybe it cures someones writer's block. DEADLINE: What has worked best in the past seems to be to set a number for submissions and end the contest when the allotment is filled. The Polling feature I use to allow Dumpshockers to voice their opinion and vote restricts the number to 10. I have always tried to keep everyone updated on the progress of submissions as I receive them, so everyone can follow how the process is playing out. So there is no firm deadline - just when I get 10 submissions (or in the event I get about a half dozen and interest seems to have dried up, I'll post them then.) There is always the prospect of a future contest, so if you did not get it done in time for this one hold onto it for the next one. LIMITATIONS: As has been stated, conform to SR rules. Length - Long enough to tell the story, short enough to avoid ADD. An editor could help here. You can write a War and Peace length novel as far as I am concerned, but make it a bit livelier than W&P or it will probably not be read by many who have also not bothered reading W&P. The only real problem with a lengthy submission (other than boredom) is making the page take longer to load when all the submissions are posted. My hint is to save the page and read it offline. Postage To keep from excluding long range submissions, I ask the winners to pay postage on the prize so I do not get hit with high shipping costs. I have also volunteered to deliver prizes in person at GenCon to avoid all shipping charges. Prizes Winner gets to choose from Shadowrun books. In the past I have only limited the selection once, and that was to 3 books. Other winners asked for a specific book and I awarded it. Last contest, I had some credit with the company store and extended the offer to also include any product they carried. UNPUBLISHED: This is about the only way to really get disqualified. Do not submit stories that have appeared on other websites or been previousely published. The point of the contest is to sate our hunger for fresh fiction. I have read a lot of fiction spread across the web. So have others that I hope will rat you out if you want to recycle a story.
A month seems pretty quick when remembering previous contests. 2 months did not seem long enough to get more than a couple entries.
Submission Guide I have the authors send me their story by Private Message. The page may be reached by clicking on the "0 new messages" control in the upper right portion of the page. Use the story title as the Message Title. If the title leaves room to add Fiction Entry, you may add that. This makes it a lot easier to manage the entries from the inevitable questions I will get concerning the contest (or Moderator Warnings, since I seem to be the leader in that category. :)) Next, I have found the simplest way to get the correct formatting is for me to use the quote function on the story/message I recieved and copy it into a post. So authors can check their submissions the same way to get the formatting correct. Every now and then I still have to go through a submission line by line inserting italics and paragraph breaks which gets tedious, which makes me mad, which prejudices me against a story. ;) I do accept and post edits to stories until the contest is concluded. If you would like your story edited, ask. I will do it and/or forward it to a volunteer. There is one author I can think of that I like the content of his stories (and he has previousely won) but the stories always need some editting. I will not hold poor grammar against someone who asks for help editing it before submitting it for posting. I have seen comments about poor grammar hindering a story's chance for winning.
It will greatly hinder your chance of winning if the ultimate judge (myself) cannot read the story. I barely understand the written English language, I have almost no comprehension of other languages.
Long time no see, knasser. Welcome back. Entering it here will probably disqualify it from being accepted by the official site. (And may prompt another rant how their submissions differ from my contest. ;)) |
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Jan 4 2008, 04:13 AM
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#31
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Free Spirit Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 3,950 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Bloomington, IN UCAS Member No.: 1,920 |
See, I do not follow how the crap in Imago followed SR rules. I would rather not read a similarly concocted story. If anyone wants to explain how Imago works within the SR rules (and I would not mind seeing it explianed as other than canon because it made it into print), please start another thread as this one will likely be convoluted enough. |
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Jan 4 2008, 04:35 AM
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#32
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,353 Joined: 5-June 02 Member No.: 2,840 |
So we have a few months yet?
I might want to get in on this. |
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Jan 4 2008, 04:53 AM
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#33
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Free Spirit Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 3,950 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Bloomington, IN UCAS Member No.: 1,920 |
Based on previous times, it will be about 3 months. But there seems to be a lot of interest and it sounds like 2 already completed stories, so maybe 2 months? Don't let a possible missed floating deadline prohibit you from starting - there will likely be another contest after this one. And as I stated, I'll keep everyone updated as the submissions come in so we can see how things are progressing. |
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Jan 4 2008, 05:16 AM
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#34
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Immoral Elf Group: Members Posts: 15,247 Joined: 29-March 02 From: Grimy Pete's Bar & Laundromat Member No.: 2,486 |
I was trying for funny. ;) I actually figured that it was Dead Man from your comments in the Movie thread. :) |
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Jan 4 2008, 07:30 PM
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#35
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 834 Joined: 30-June 03 Member No.: 4,832 |
I've had a story brewing for a while, maybe I can make something of it and turn it in!
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Jan 5 2008, 04:13 PM
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#36
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,353 Joined: 5-June 02 Member No.: 2,840 |
I don't plan on waiting by any means - I just may need some time given that I have a job that takes up a lot of my time.
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Jan 8 2008, 02:23 AM
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#37
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,180 Joined: 22-January 07 From: Rochester, NY Member No.: 10,737 |
I'm in; the muse has been extremely talkative of late and having another outlet might help for those times when the other stories that I'm working on start flowing like honey in Maine in January.
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Jan 8 2008, 02:56 PM
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#38
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ghostrider Group: Retired Admins Posts: 4,196 Joined: 16-May 04 Member No.: 6,333 |
Fiction contest. Awesome.
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 Jan 20 2008, 12:35 PM
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#39
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Free Spirit Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 3,950 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Bloomington, IN UCAS Member No.: 1,920 |
*bump*
... & an update. No entries yet. Not worried, just keeping it somewhat fresh. |
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Jan 20 2008, 09:03 PM
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#40
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 932 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Orlando, Florida Member No.: 1,042 |
I should have mine ready in a few more days.
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Jan 20 2008, 10:23 PM
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#41
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Runner Group: Members Posts: 3,382 Joined: 22-February 06 From: Shadowland Member No.: 8,297 |
Mine's started - work just got in the way the past couple of weeks.
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Jan 20 2008, 10:46 PM
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#42
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Shadow Cartographer Group: Members Posts: 3,737 Joined: 2-June 06 From: Secret Tunnels under the UK (South West) Member No.: 8,636 |
Mine is "done". But depending on how long it takes for the actual competition to happen, I may complete and enter a different piece. The one I have at the moment is currently accepted (I was told so at least) for the Shadowrun webfiction, but it's been accepted for over a year now, so if nothing happens by the time your ready for it, I'll withdraw it and enter it here. If they publish it, I'll enter one of my other pieces. Let me know when your close to printing the submissions and I'll send it. How many are you waiting for? -K. |
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Jan 21 2008, 01:55 PM
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#43
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 718 Joined: 10-September 05 From: Montevideo, in the elusive shadows of Latin America Member No.: 7,727 |
usually it is until he gets ten submissions / or just enough and he gets bored. Whatever comes first... =)
Cheers, Max P.S. good to see you back here K. |
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Jan 21 2008, 01:56 PM
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#44
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 718 Joined: 10-September 05 From: Montevideo, in the elusive shadows of Latin America Member No.: 7,727 |
usually it is until he gets ten submissions / or just enough and he gets bored. Whatever comes first... =)
Cheers, Max P.S. good to see you back here K. |
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Jan 21 2008, 06:17 PM
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#45
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Shadow Cartographer Group: Members Posts: 3,737 Joined: 2-June 06 From: Secret Tunnels under the UK (South West) Member No.: 8,636 |
Thanks. It's good to be back. |
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Jan 21 2008, 06:17 PM
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#46
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Shadow Cartographer Group: Members Posts: 3,737 Joined: 2-June 06 From: Secret Tunnels under the UK (South West) Member No.: 8,636 |
Thanks. It's good to be back.
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Jan 21 2008, 06:27 PM
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#47
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 351 Joined: 17-February 06 From: San Francisco Member No.: 8,275 |
Definitely started, I hope to be done within the next week or so.
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Jan 21 2008, 10:59 PM
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#48
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 351 Joined: 17-February 06 From: San Francisco Member No.: 8,275 |
Hey Alex and knasser, how many words do you you'll have when all is said and done? I'm hoping to be around 5,000, but after editing it could (should) be shorter.
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Jan 21 2008, 11:20 PM
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#49
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Shadow Cartographer Group: Members Posts: 3,737 Joined: 2-June 06 From: Secret Tunnels under the UK (South West) Member No.: 8,636 |
Mine is just under 5,000 (about 50 under) because the Shadowrun site guidelines insisted on 5,000 word limit. I might tweak it to be a little more now I have the freedom, but if I do a different one in time to submit instead it may come in slightly shorter (or longer). I wouldn't tie yourself to aiming for a particular length though. Write what suits the story. -K. |
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Jan 22 2008, 12:16 AM
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#50
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Runner Group: Members Posts: 3,382 Joined: 22-February 06 From: Shadowland Member No.: 8,297 |
Mine is still a work in progress. I have no idea how many words right now because I got started and then realized there was a giant hole that I had to fix. I ended up starting over so I have material that is still hanging in there but may not stay.
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