Time for Another Shadowrun Fiction Contest

Time for Another Shadowrun Fiction Contest

bibliophile20 View Member Profile	Jan 22 2008, 03:13 PM Post #51
Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,180 Joined: 22-January 07 From: Rochester, NY Member No.: 10,737	In progress ATM; I was planning on doing some of it this past weekend, and I ran into some trouble with my computer--the kind of trouble that requires about eight hours trying to boot into safe mode after trying nearly every other approach, and another six spent in safe mode fixing things.

Zen Shooter01 View Member Profile	Jan 22 2008, 11:36 PM Post #52
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 932 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Orlando, Florida Member No.: 1,042	Discussing the length of our submissions here could damage the authors' anonymity when the stories actually go up.

Zen Shooter01 View Member Profile	Jan 22 2008, 11:45 PM Post #53
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 932 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Orlando, Florida Member No.: 1,042	Knasser, I was puzzled by the 5,000 word maximum from the official website, too. That's a really short story. And it's not like the website has production costs by the page. Why not allow longer pieces? Besides that, they said they'd start putting up fiction...how long ago? And...how many pieces have appeared? I submitted If You Meet The Buddha to them, I can't remember when. The editor at the time sent me some notes, I replied, and then I never heard from them again.

Glayvin34

Jan 23 2008, 12:09 AM

Post #54

Moving Target

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QUOTE (Zen Shooter01 @ Jan 22 2008, 06:45 PM)

The editor at the time sent me some notes, I replied, and then I never heard from them again.

I think we all have experienced a similar situation. Whenever I picture the Shadowrun web fiction editor, I see someone rocked by concussive explosions and in the midst of gunfire, trying to pound out an email on the beaches of Normandy while Matt Damon and Tom Hanks take cover behind their desk. So when I don't hear from them, I assume they've been shot, are holding their best friend's guts in, or are writing a more important email given their priorities.

tisoz

Jan 23 2008, 12:09 AM

Post #55

Free Spirit

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QUOTE (knasser)

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.

QUOTE (MaxHunter)

usually it is until he gets ten submissions / or just enough and he gets bored. Whatever comes first... =)

Cheers,

Max

That is pretty close to how it works.

I would like to get 10 submissions. Sometimes things drag on and the authors can not stand waiting to get some feedback and post their story anyway, or threaten to do so. At that time, they, the authors, are usually right (that things have ground to about a standstill), then I set a deadline date (hopefully short enough to appease the authors and long enough to let the laggards finish), wait to the deadline and post the entries I have.

I try not to read any of the submissions until I post them. This means if someone got their entry in two months before someone else, they both are new to me. This is also why I like to have Title/Fiction Contest in the PM header so I can just let it sit in my mailbox until I am ready to post, but still not worry about deleting it. Revisions should probably just go by Title1.1/Fiction Contest, etc.. Sorry for bolding all that, but I wanted to draw attention to it. I think I asked someone once to follow a format so I could clear out 3 or 4 messages/story versions they PMed me that I could not distinguish without opening them and reading the story to figure out if it was the current edit. I have not lost anyones entry yet, and do not want to do so. I also want to make it as easy for myself as possible, and the more of these contests I run, the more I see what makes them easy for me to manage.

tisoz

Jan 23 2008, 12:12 AM

Post #56

Free Spirit

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QUOTE (Glayvin34)

QUOTE (Zen Shooter01 @ Jan 22 2008, 06:45 PM)

The editor at the time sent me some notes, I replied, and then I never heard from them again.

I think we all have experienced a similar situation. Whenever I picture the Shadowrun web fiction editor, I see someone rocked by concussive explosions and in the midst of gunfire, trying to pound out an email on the beaches of Normandy while Matt Damon and Tom Hanks take cover behind their desk. So when I don't hear from them, I assume they've been shot, are holding their best friend's guts in, or are writing a more important email given their priorities.

Wow!

We have wildly different visions of what the editor is doing.

Zen Shooter01 View Member Profile	Jan 24 2008, 04:27 PM Post #57
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 932 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Orlando, Florida Member No.: 1,042	Tisoz: I'm ready. I'm concerned about preserving the paragraph spacing and italics in my entry. If I cut and paste from Word to PM, will that work? Or would it be better for me to email the story in its original formatting as an attachment?

tisoz

Jan 24 2008, 06:26 PM

Post #58

Free Spirit

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QUOTE (Zen Shooter01 @ Jan 24 2008, 12:27 PM)

Tisoz: I'm ready.

I'm concerned about preserving the paragraph spacing and italics in my entry. If I cut and paste from Word to PM, will that work? Or would it be better for me to email the story in its original formatting as an attachment?

Try cut & paste to PM. Self check by sending/saving a copy to yourself, then I think if you click the quote function the text will appear with the spacing and things like bold and italics tags. This is the text that I want to be able to cut & paste into the final thread. If you sent me a copy at the time you saved your copy and discover needed changes, then resend the updated version with a new Title1.1/Fiction Contest in the header. I'll keep that copy and delete older copies. While using the DS software, you could also run the text through its spell checker to find any obvious typos.

If this proves a problem, we'll go from there.

JBlades has offered edit time, so you may want to send him the original and save to yourself to begin. Then there is another person to help figure things out.

From past entries, the layout problems seem to be paragraph breaks (I do not know if it was originally formatted using the TAB key or not) and italics. Instead of using TAB just use the double space that posters normally use here on DS. Italics (and other tagged passages) should have their tags clearly displayed during the "quote" phase, if not then you may have to key them in to your PM text before sending.

This is all making it sound harder than it probably is, because I am trying to go over all the past problems and how to find and possibly fix them. One way or another, the text will get worked out.

Oh, last but not least, thanks for your participation, and good luck.

PS. Which reminds me of a question that usually gets asked but has not come up yet. Yes you may submit multiple entries. There are Pros and Cons to doing so. Pro: you submit the first 10 stories and are almost guaranteed of winning unless they all suck so bad, I think you were playing me for a free book. Pro: more stories give you more chances to win. (If you have a strong piece and maybe a weaker piece that you want feedback on, this could be a way to get the feedback and avoid splitting the vote.) Which means - Con: people who like your style and would vote for one of your submissions split their vote, so even though your stories may have the most total votes, another author's story may have a single vote more than any of yours. (The good news is - there is likely to be future contests so saving a story for it is a possibility.)

HMHVV Hunter View Member Profile	Jan 25 2008, 04:12 AM Post #59
Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,353 Joined: 5-June 02 Member No.: 2,840	How long do we have to turn this in?

tisoz

Jan 27 2008, 11:20 AM

Post #60

Free Spirit

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QUOTE (HMHVV Hunter)

How long do we have to turn this in?

I have one story. The time it takes to get 8 more.

JBlades View Member Profile	Jan 28 2008, 04:04 AM Post #61
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 263 Joined: 18-October 03 From: Cal Free State Member No.: 5,734	...

tisoz

Jan 28 2008, 07:28 AM

Post #62

Free Spirit

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QUOTE (JBlades)

Indeed, shoot them over to me if want a little free editing. See the word free? Why not take advantage of free? :)

You can send it to me either through the DS mail system or my gmail account, whichever you want. (I will be passing them to tisoz through the DS system, so having it in there might be easier for formating and such, but whatever works.)

My gmail is: the(dot)taoist(at)gmail(dot)com if you really want to go that route.
Don't send me spam, plz. ;)

I would rather you work with the author and let them submit what they consider the final edit. This will help keep them organized in my PM folder as the author will be listed as sender.

JBlades View Member Profile	Jan 28 2008, 10:31 AM Post #63
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 263 Joined: 18-October 03 From: Cal Free State Member No.: 5,734	Ok, sounds fine. Sorry. :)

CrystalBlue View Member Profile	Jan 28 2008, 01:41 PM Post #64
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 284 Joined: 16-June 05 Member No.: 7,450	I've got a story. Well...the beginning of one. I'm just wondering if it's up to the challenge. It's got three parts to it, parts that link together in some way...but because it's only the start of a story, I don't know if it'll make much sense. I guess it'd be a good teaser. I guess I just don't know if I should add it yet or not.

HMHVV Hunter View Member Profile	Jan 28 2008, 03:57 PM Post #65
Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,353 Joined: 5-June 02 Member No.: 2,840	I'm getting things set up to write my story - working out his stats as per SR4 right now (I prefer to establish those things beforehand).

kanislatrans View Member Profile	Jan 28 2008, 04:21 PM Post #66
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 602 Joined: 2-December 07 From: The corner of Detonation Boulevard and Fascination Street Member No.: 14,464	I'm still in and should be ready for an edit by end of week. wish I had more time to write but between family and job responsibilities I am only getting an hour or two at night to focus on it. In my next life I wanna be born rich instead of good looking.(grin) :spin:

tisoz

Jan 29 2008, 07:42 AM

Post #67

Free Spirit

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QUOTE (JBlades)

Ok, new system is officially being wacky. I tried to edit my above post and ended up double posting here...

What are your qualifications for editor again?

Oh, yeah. Free! ;)

JBlades View Member Profile	Jan 29 2008, 07:57 AM Post #68
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 263 Joined: 18-October 03 From: Cal Free State Member No.: 5,734	:P lol

Zen Shooter01 View Member Profile	Feb 1 2008, 04:43 AM Post #69
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 932 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Orlando, Florida Member No.: 1,042	Any new developments with this contest?

tisoz

Feb 2 2008, 06:59 AM

Post #70

Free Spirit

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QUOTE (Zen Shooter01)

Any new developments with this contest?

Nothing new to report in the last 2 or 3 days. I will post when I get submissions to let everyone guesstimate how much time may be left.

Critias View Member Profile	Feb 2 2008, 09:12 AM Post #71
Freelance Elf Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 7,324 Joined: 30-September 04 From: Texas Member No.: 6,714	Meh. I'm probably out. Too much other stuff going on right now that needs me a-typin' on it.

Tobias View Member Profile	Feb 2 2008, 02:04 PM Post #72
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 118 Joined: 17-April 05 From: Sheffield, UK Member No.: 7,340	Hopefully I'm not too late, I've been changing computers which has knocked me offline for a bit. Should get something together ASAP

HMHVV Hunter View Member Profile	Feb 3 2008, 08:23 AM Post #73
Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,353 Joined: 5-June 02 Member No.: 2,840	Just started work on it Saturday, Feb. 2. I'll type it up as soon as I'm able.

MaxHunter View Member Profile	Feb 3 2008, 02:29 PM Post #74
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 718 Joined: 10-September 05 From: Montevideo, in the elusive shadows of Latin America Member No.: 7,727	Excellent! I am eager to read your stories. Keep it up, everyone! Cheers Max

kanislatrans View Member Profile	Feb 4 2008, 09:41 PM Post #75
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 602 Joined: 2-December 07 From: The corner of Detonation Boulevard and Fascination Street Member No.: 14,464	first draft finished. working on fluff and pre-edit-clean-up phase. anyone know a good fluffer? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

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