Quick Fan Fiction Contest

[TelephotoMarigold]

Just a reminder you still have one day left to enter this contest.....

Love

Tele

xx

[Anaya]

I know it has not been written, but generally a rule for this type of contest is that people who enter are not permitted to vote.

Sorry to those who didn't realise that, but I'm sure everyone can understand that it might give an unfair advantage.

If anyone would like to share their thoughts or ideas for rules they think would make the contest fair and fun for all, please do so here.

In the past for the Fan Fiction Challenge authors that have entered the contest were able to review/vote and would need to review their own too, so as to keep the anonymity. Therefore if you entered the competition you were not obliged to review/vote but what people have tended to do in the past is review all the entries including their own. It throws people off the scent but also sometimes gives you a chance to defend your own work and objectively make note of what you'd improve with your own work in hindsight.

Also you obviously cannot vote for your own entry & if anyone did so the host would be aware of this and could then discount that vote. So this type of rule could be followed & used for the Quick Fan Fiction Contest, and that way those authors that have entered and would still like to review all the other entries are able to do so.

[Miranda]

Thanks Anaya. If I am unsure of rules next time I will ask you [as a librarian] if that is alright? I just thought as Ish started the competition I should ask her. But no harm done

[Anaya]

^ You can definitely come to me if you're unsure of things. Any time. Also those were the rules for the Fan Fic Challenge, which is pretty similar, that's why I thought I'd bring it up as they could apply here. Ofcourse Ish would be the obvious person to ask first seeing as she started this contest.

Anyway it's still pretty confusing regarding the rules of this contest, so if Ish is happy then we can follow the Fan Fic Challenge rules, especially regarding who is able to review/vote. If she still wants to not allow entrants to review/vote then that is also fine. Either way once a decision has been made then we can edit the first post & state the rules clearly in there so all future host are aware of this.

[ish_the_angel]

Thanks for the ideas, I am all too happy to change the contest to any format that works best for everyone.

If there are no objections then we shall bring in the rule:

Entrants may review/vote in the contests, however they cannot vote for their own entry.

[QUIET ACHIEVER]

Speaking of anonymity and this contest, might it be a good idea Ish to make a rule for entrants to refrain from publishing their entry on other sites on the Internet and as well as other forums until after the contest has finished? I noticed one entry that looked familiar and it gave away their anonymity - so therefore it gives an unfair advantage to those other entrants who have kept their identity safe from exposure.

[Anaya]

Thanks Ish. Now that everyone is on the same page regarding reviewing/voting, I have edited the first post to include that & all the other rules. So that all hosts/entrants are aware of them. I'll also post them again here:

Quick Fan Fiction Contest Rules

- The winner of the previous contest gets to host the next contest, including choosing the theme for the next one.

- The word limit for each fan fiction entry is between 750 – 1500 words.

- Only one entry is permitted for every member to each new contest.

- Authors that have entered the contest are still able to review all the other entries, and must review their own too in order to keep the anonymity. They are also able to vote, but obviously they cannot vote for their own entry. If an entrant does so then the host must discount that vote.

- Entrants must refrain from publishing their entry on other sites on the Internet and on other forums too until after the contest has finished.

- Only votes that have been clearly stated, with reasoning, in the individual thread opened for each new contest will be counted. Votes via PM’s, emails, MSN etc. are not permitted. This ensures that no doubt can be cast on the fairness of the voting within each contest.

[Anaya]

I’d also like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that one of the main points of these type of challenges is to improve as a writer, so don't be offended by people critiquing your work and giving you points to improve, they're only trying to help you write better.

Also it would be great if voters of each contest tried to review all the entries, even if it’s just a couple of lines expressing what you liked about the story and suggest any areas where there could be improvement. Simply stating your vote for a specific entry alone means that entrants do not get any useful feedback. We could easily make the voting system for this contest a poll, but this would defeat the purpose of entering these types of contests.

[I love music]

I’d also like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that one of the main points of these type of challenges is to improve as a writer, so don't be offended by people critiquing your work and giving you points to improve, they're only trying to help you write better.

Also it would be great if voters of each contest tried to review all the entries, even if it’s just a couple of lines expressing what you liked about the story and suggest any areas where there could be improvement. Simply stating your vote for a specific entry alone means that entrants do not get any useful feedback. We could easily make the voting system for this contest a poll, but this would defeat the purpose of entering these types of contests.

Sorry I never got round to reviewing again, I just have less and less time. But for anyone who would like some hints on improving their writing, just a few tips:

Have a strong beginning. Never, ever begin a story with mundane lines such as Aden and Belle went into the Diner. "Two chocolate milkshakes, please, Irene," said Aden. "No, I will have strawberry," said Belle. Spend TIME on the opening lines of your fic. Go back to it. Change words, rewrite lines, re-read until you're completely happy with it. It's the most important part of your story.

Unless it's a script, a fic should NEVER be ALL dialogue. Break it up every now and then. After seven or eight lines of he said, she said, write a little description such as Belle was growing tired of Aden's excuses. She stormed over to the other side of the road. She could hear him yelling her name but she refused to look back or a more vivid description such as The day had turned suddenly cold. Annie shivered, looking up at the darkening sky reflecting her mood. She had stopped listening now. She wrapped her arms more tightly around herself and choked back tears.

Have strong characters. Okay, everybody knows the characters in H&A but the only way you're going to make them come alive (after all, unlike the show, you don't have the benefit of actors) is to feel the emotions with them. So don't just write Miles and Kirsty had had yet another row and Kirsty was more upset than ever. Get inside Kirsty's head and write how you think she'd feel, such as He'd never, ever understand her, Kirsty thought, slamming down the dinner plates and fighting back tears of anger. How dare he say what he'd said! Well, if he thought she was going to go along with that, he had another think coming. A large crack appeared in the plate Kirsty slammed down a little too violently...

Hope someone may have found that helpful. And

CONGRATULATIONS, KIRSTYEKUA!!!

[KirstyEkua]

Quick FanFic Contest #5

Christmas has finally arrived in Summer Bay. But one resident is hiding a shocking secret that will ultimately change the lives of those close to them. Is this going to bring joy and happiness or cause devastation? It's up to you to decide.

Length: 750- 1500 words

Rated: G

Any Characters

Entries to me by 12:00 GMT/9pm AEST Friday 4th December