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Contest January-February 2021 Short Story Contest Entry Thread, (Entries close on February 2nd))

Discussion in 'Fluff and Stories' started by Scalenex, Dec 4, 2020.

  1. Scalenex
    Slann

    Scalenex Keeper of the Indexes Staff Member

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    The theme for our 25th seasonal short story contest is upon us. I am announcing the contest quite early. The theme this season provided by @Killer Angel is "And now for something completely different"

    The Rules
    -We would like you to try to keep your story between 500 and 2000 words. I am requiring that entries do not exceed 2400 words. This is counting title, poems, quotes, any add-ons. If I get a submission that exceeds 2400 words, I will trim it till it meets the limit, and you may not like what words I choose to cut. Even prepositions are not safe...
    -Your name must appear nowhere with the story. There is no point in having an anonymous competition based on skill if we know whose entry is whose.
    -You must send your story via private message to Scalenex before noon (US Central time) on February 2nd, 2021
    -The story must be new. No dragging up a story you wrote months or years ago.
    -No plagiarism. This means no stealing a story verbatim. You are free to use characters or settings from other works including other writer's fluff pieces and past short story contest entries.
    -The story must involve Lizardmen (or Seraphon or Salamanders or Saurian Ancients), at least a little.
    -The story must stick roughly within the theme, at least a little.
    -No comics or illustrations. This is a short story contest. Visuals are limited to fonts and text colors.
    -Only one entry allowed per person.

    I will do my best to providing proofreading and general advise to writers who ask for it though real life is full of many challenges for me right now. If you wish me to provide a detailed edit, please try to get your draft to me as much before the deadline as possible. You are welcome, nay encouraged, to ask anyone else you wish for help or advice.

    Once again, the winner of this contest has the honor of choosing the next contest theme if they so choose. This time because I do not want to be saddled with coming up with a last minute topic. If the winner does not give me a topic, I will pass this burden honor on to the runner-up.

    If you want to talk about the theme or your eagerness to write or read something. Please do so below!
     
    Last edited: Mar 24, 2021
  2. Killer Angel
    Slann

    Killer Angel Prophet of the Stars Staff Member

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    Guys, I expect something really wild and unconventional for this one. :D
     
  3. Lizards of Renown
    Slann

    Lizards of Renown Herald of Creation

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    Okay, so TWO thinking caps on now as I've got the poetry contest at the same time.

    Not complaining! It's good to have some stimuli for the creative impulses.
     
  4. Sudsinabucket
    Skar-Veteran

    Sudsinabucket Well-Known Member

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    Where to even begin... hmmmm wheels start turning
     
  5. Lizards of Renown
    Slann

    Lizards of Renown Herald of Creation

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    Si Capo!
     
  6. Scalenex
    Slann

    Scalenex Keeper of the Indexes Staff Member

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    While this is certainly one way to go, I will accept non-wild entries as well if they represent a genuine attempt to write outside the writer's normal style which I guess means a first-time entrant can write almost anything.
     
  7. Imrahil
    Slann

    Imrahil Thirtheenth Spawning

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    Well that is 2 months of Pain and agony from not getting a coherent story to submid ;)

    Grrr, Imrahil
     
  8. Lord Agragax of Lunaxoatl
    Slann

    Lord Agragax of Lunaxoatl Eleventh Spawning

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    [​IMG]

    Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!

    With such an awesome theme, you can be assured that I will make a triumphant return to the Short Story Contest!
     
  9. Imrahil
    Slann

    Imrahil Thirtheenth Spawning

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    Not to nitpick, but below you see the opening of last contest:

    ;)

    Grrr, Imrahil
     
  10. Imrahil
    Slann

    Imrahil Thirtheenth Spawning

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    One question though, does the theme concern the story itself or could it concern the methode used to come to the story?

    I'd like to try something new, but I am not yet sure it will result in a story that is 'completely diferent'

    Grrr, Imrahil
     
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  11. Killer Angel
    Slann

    Killer Angel Prophet of the Stars Staff Member

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    IMO you can tell a traditional story as if it was a shakespearian piece. :D

    wait... i shouldn't give away ideas.
     
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  12. Scalenex
    Slann

    Scalenex Keeper of the Indexes Staff Member

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    Hmmm, I have never ever made a mistake by copying and pasting the basic template for contest before. I never ever will again. ;)

    This was just a ploy to bring attention to the fact that our 25th contest is very special indeed. This will represent our sixth year of unbroken seasonal contests!
     
  13. Lizards of Renown
    Slann

    Lizards of Renown Herald of Creation

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    And hopefully the biggest contest to date.

    I like that @Lord Agragax of Lunaxoatl has already accepted the challenge.

    I'm obviously in (but for the first time, I have no bubbling ideas, so I'll need to have a think about that :eek: )

    Anyone else?
     
  14. Paradoxical Pacifism
    Skink Chief

    Paradoxical Pacifism Well-Known Member

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    funnily enough, i was thinking of an idea for a story that's perfect for this theme before it was announced.
     
  15. Imrahil
    Slann

    Imrahil Thirtheenth Spawning

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    My thought was more on the following:

    Last birthday we gave our son the game storycubes:
    IMG_20201128_212145.jpg

    I don't know if any of you is familiair with this. It is 9 dices with icons on it. You throw the dices and tell a story including the icons showing.

    IMG_20201128_212206.jpg

    Normaly I would just think of a story fitting the theme by my self, but if I were to use these dices to come up with a story-line, would that hit the brief of the theme?

    Or does the story itself need to be different as well?

    Grrr, Imrahil
     
  16. Lord Agragax of Lunaxoatl
    Slann

    Lord Agragax of Lunaxoatl Eleventh Spawning

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    Those dice are great for designing a story if you can’t think of one yourself, and by all means use them to decide the base of your plot, but story can be anything you like really. I interpreted the theme as being oriented around any story that is different from the normal Warhammer stories we have in the contest - anything with a bit of quirkiness or uniqueness to the plot, the characters or the setting.
     
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  17. Killer Angel
    Slann

    Killer Angel Prophet of the Stars Staff Member

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    All i know is that I've put myself in trouble with this theme... :p
     
  18. Lizards of Renown
    Slann

    Lizards of Renown Herald of Creation

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    I'm in the same boat.

    I totally thought that when I first saw the theme that HUNDREDS of ideas would come to me.... Literally nothing has happened.

    I guess I should write my poem for the other contest and then have another think about it. At least I have an idea for that.
     
  19. Imrahil
    Slann

    Imrahil Thirtheenth Spawning

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    This was the same for me, but now that I entered my poem I can focus on a story...

    Grrr, Imrahil
     
  20. Lizards of Renown
    Slann

    Lizards of Renown Herald of Creation

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    Ironically I haven't done anything on the poem but somehow my brain got rebooted and I now have a short story idea that I'm happy with.

    Now, just need to write both of them... :(
     

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