Elftown Prose Contest - Fairy tales

2006-01-02 [Corazie]: Hmm... I'm planning mine, I hope I get it finished in time XD

2006-01-02 [Skydancer]: question please.. Do we need to have the piece totally complete before submitting or can we have wiki in progress and go ahead and commit to the contest by listing our entry as a WIP?

2006-01-02 [Yuriona]: Another question: does the entry have to be a complete fairy tale?

2006-01-02 [Ocean Soul]: [Tawnee.] I think you're not supposed to write your story on THIS wiki, but on a separate one (something like starburst's entry for example).

2006-01-02 [shotokan_gal]: [Tawnee.] please put your entry on a wiki page and link it next to your name. I've deleted it from this page, although if you need it you can find it again by clicking on the 'previous version' button for the wiki.

2006-01-02 [shotokan_gal]: To answer the questions: [Skydancer] you may continue to edit your entry up to the deadline, however we'd prefer a vaguely complete story (i.e. one with an end) to be posted firstoff to stop people placeholding :) [Yuriona] - what do you mean by a complete fairy tale exactly? A complete story?

2006-01-02 [Yuriona]: Yes, a complete story. :)

2006-01-02 [shotokan_gal]: *scans the rules* Hmm, I'll get back to you on that one. I'd probably say yes, though I'll see what the other judges think first. Stories which have are slightly open-ended though still 'complete' in the sense of the word (as in, the sort that leave you guessing) are definitely allowed though ;)

2006-01-02 [shotokan_gal]: It might depend on the individual case. One that was ended properly, as above, but still 'open-ended' (could have a 'sequal' say) I think I'd allow, but not one that stopped practically mid-sentance without a clear finishing point.

2006-01-02 [Skydancer]: Some small details and editing are still in progress.. :)

2006-01-02 [Yuriona]: Ah so room for continuation but not a killer cliff hanger. Gotcha. ;) Let me know what the judges say though.

2006-01-02 [shotokan_gal]: Thankyou for your entries then, both of you :)

2006-01-02 [shotokan_gal]: Will do. If needed we can add something about it to the rules. Tsk, knew I'd forget something.

2006-01-02 [Skydancer]: Well, this way I will be forced to sit down and work on it.. :) If we ever had a contest for procrastination and inertia, I think we would have some powerful contenders. :D

2006-01-02 [Tawnee.]: should we put a password on our page?

2006-01-02 [Ocean Soul]: If you want to *make sure* no-one edits it, put a password. But I guess you don't have to.

2006-01-02 [Skydancer]: you can make it owner edit only, that works too, or a password. After all, you are the only one you want to be able to change it.

2006-01-02 [Kelaria]: erm, why is there gonna be a password exactly?

2006-01-02 [Tawnee.]: oooh.. ok... thx.  I took the type of layout you had [Skydancer]. Just how the page is set up. Is that ok?

2006-01-02 [shotokan_gal]: I think she meant on her own story page [Kelaria], not this one.

2006-01-02 [Skydancer]: sure, I just copied the opening paragraph wiki and modified it to fit. :)

2006-01-02 [Tawnee.]: ooh.. ok thx

2006-01-02 [Kelaria]: oh goodie :)

2006-01-03 [Melocrie]: Oh good, three entries already^^ [shotokan_gal], about the complete story: You said yourself you didn't want the contest too be complicated. Perhaps it's better to enter complete and finished stories, in any case no seperate episodes, what so ever.^^

2006-01-03 [Melocrie]: Oh, yeah, question to [shotokan_gal]: is this still going to be followed by an illustration contest?

2006-01-03 [shotokan_gal]: Hopefully, that's the plan ^_^ though we'll see how the entries turn out first.

2006-01-03 [shotokan_gal]: And as for finished. In the last contest there was at least one entry (haven't read them all yet) which ended with 'so ends the first chapter in the tale of (bleh di blah)'. And no, I wouldn't want to accept something like that. But slightly open-ended stories can sometimes be my favourite to read when they're done well (the sort where the writiers not actually intending to write a continuation)

2006-01-03 [Melocrie]: I agree with that^^

2006-01-03 [TheRogue]: *sigh* I totally missed the mark with mine, methinks...

2006-01-03 [ACCOUNT DELETED.]: I don't think you did; 'twas a good read!

2006-01-03 [ACCOUNT DELETED.]: Quick note; i changed my name from 'She Used To Be A BigSHOT' to 'Of Avalon'; so no one is stealing my work, i just changed the name.

2006-01-03 [Ocean Soul]: Well, your name is still there next to your entry, right. That's why the writing-username-between-[] is so important ^_^

2006-01-04 [ACCOUNT DELETED.]: heh, true.

2006-01-05 [-Shadow-Nell-]: Puf, it's tough to write a story in only 2000 words, I tend to like to flesh things out. Too much so. Ah well, this will be good practice for me then.

2006-01-05 [Melocrie]: It is quite possible. You see, the thing is, in entire novels many, many details are written. Mostly, in a classic fairy tale there are no detials. That saves a lot of space^^

2006-01-05 [Asryth]: I just read the other entries, and some names and descriptions in mine are similar to TheRogue's entry. Should I post as is, and allow you (the judges) to decide if it needs changing? Or should I just change it? I will post what I have so far, with a date on it. Please let me know. I don't want to be thought a story thief. Thanks.

2006-01-05 [shotokan_gal]: After looking at both I think they seem fine as they are :) Unless either you or TheRogue wish to change aspects of this nature of your own accords. It's not the names which fully make a story anyway (unless they have particular significance).

2006-01-06 [EmeraldGrizzly]: We can keep working on our stories till the deadline, even if we've already entered them, right?

2006-01-06 [Lizisthebest]: hey can I join in on this....I don't feel like entering a story because this is prose and everything that isn't really short for me is a short story....and thats not prose.....but yea can I join?

2006-01-06 [shotokan_gal]: 1st question - yes. Any changes made after midnight (elftown time) on the deadline will not be counted though. [Lizisthebest] - anyone may enter as long as they follow all the rules.

2006-01-07 [Lizisthebest]: ok sounds good to me

2006-01-07 [EmeraldGrizzly]: Thank you much *bows in respect*

2006-01-11 [thoughtfox]: Does the 1-entry only rule from the last competition still count? Or can we enter more than once?

2006-01-11 [shotokan_gal]: Still just one entry please :) Although you may change it if you feel you've written a better one.

2006-01-15 [shotokan_gal]: [*Night_Shade*] as you've been given long enough since realising the rules to replace or change your entry in some way, I'm removing it from this page for now. Feel free to still enter if you create something following the theme.

2006-01-15 [MidSuMMer.Nights]: does the story have to be absolutly finished? or can you leave it to the imagination?

2006-01-15 [shotokan_gal]: Entries with a slightly 'open end' are to be allowed, as long as that's actually meant to be the end of the story. Ones such as these will most probably be checked with the participants in question at the end of the contest whether they've actually completed their entry or not. As incomplete entries will not be judged, but if you meant for that to be the end, it's something different (although we will also use common sense to try and avoid liars in this respect).

2006-01-15 [MidSuMMer.Nights]: ok, i just wasn't sure... i've finished mine yey!.. adding now...

2006-01-16 [RiddleRose]: hmmm... perhaps i will join! if i have time that is... >.<

2006-01-17 [BinaryPhoenix]: I've started my entry, but it isn't finished... I guess I have until the 19th February to finish it!!! (since the deadline is February 20th 2006)

2006-01-17 [Ocean Soul]: Just don't forget to finish it :)

2006-01-17 [BinaryPhoenix]: I won't!! Promise! =)

2006-01-17 [shotokan_gal]: The deadline is midnight elftown time on February 20th ;) Elftown time being that on the clock just below the search for members slot. Any changes made on story wikis after that will not be read, and we'll revert it to the previous version.

2006-01-23 [zankou]: how do i start writing?

2006-01-23 [shotokan_gal]: Erm, type some words on your keyboard? :) Heh, but if you want to enter, put your story on a wiki page, making sure it contains the opening on Prose contest - fairy tales opening and link to it here.

2006-01-23 [shotokan_gal]: And if you need help making a wiki have a look at CNETG9.

2006-01-29 [Wolf By Nature]: is it just a time limit or is there an entry limit too?

2006-01-29 [bluefan8989]: People have to check spelling.

2006-01-29 [Melocrie]: yeah oh well.... there's no entry limit, right [shotokan_gal]?

2006-01-30 [shotokan_gal]: Indeed, no entry limit apart from the deadline date :)

2006-01-30 [Wolf By Nature]: thank you

2006-02-04 [-Shadow-Nell-]: Darn! I tried to cut some stuff from my story and ended up adding 600 words! I need help cutting stuff! My entry is at Once...

2006-02-05 [BinaryPhoenix]: I know what you mean!!! I haven't been able to post my complete story as yet, because it is too long! I am still trying to shorten it, it is very difficult!!! =)

2006-02-05 [Wolf By Nature]: i shortened mine before i put it on, but it took me about four days to make it fit right

2006-02-05 [Elisha Kelly]: sometimes cutting descriptions works... just keep the barebones of descriptions, including he said, she said's down... If that makes sense... I wrote mine carefully, spell checking after every paragraph, that way I knew what kind of story it had to be, and knew when it was time to end it.

2006-02-06 [thoughtfox]: a couple of hints to editing: write in the positive - don't say "It's not expensive" - say "it's cheap." and replace adverbs with strong verbs - don't say "He spoke softly" - rather, "he placated."

2006-02-07 [-Shadow-Nell-]: Wow, thanks for the hints! I'll see how I can use them in my story!

2006-02-09 [Ceallaigh]: [Lakayana] I put a boarder between your work and [Paz]'s

2006-02-13 [Lakayana]: tanx a million times [Ceallaigh]

2006-02-13 [Lakayana]: *shrugs and walks away*

2006-02-14 [Melocrie]: People, the deadline is approaching. So please be sure your entries are compleet. Also, be wise to check your grammer one more time and of course the count of words used. Unfinished or incorrect stories will be deleted after the deadline. Good luck!

2006-02-14 [David the Good]: Would anyone mind reading over mine?>One Rainy Day

2006-02-15 [Melocrie]: Sorry, I'm off to school now, but I'll read it when I get back^^

2006-02-15 [thoughtfox]: if anyone could spare the time to read my story as well, I would be thankful too <Come and Play With Me>

2006-02-15 [Ceallaigh]: And while your at it people, take a look the 27 other entries...

2006-02-15 [Melocrie]: The stories will all be read, but during the judging. We count on you to read over your stories yourselves.

2006-02-16 [BinaryPhoenix]: I agree, In art contests, you don't ask other people to "correct" your artwork for you. So why in a prose contest?! o_O

2006-02-16 [thoughtfox]: you can certainly ask them to comment on your artwork. We just want to make sure what we've written is of the standard expected in this contest. But yes, an art contest one can scan over images: here one has to read up to 2000 words, so we really shouldn't ask.

2006-02-16 [David the Good]: And [Melocrie] has made a statment on the matter so why should anyone else?

2006-02-19 [shotokan_gal]: Another reminder: this contest will close midnight elftown time on Monday, after which we will check for and remove stories not following the rules. Any changes to your wiki page made after the deadline will not be looked at in the judging, so if there is a problem with your story (particularly if it's still incomplete! Also too many words, not using the given opening etc) fix it soon!

2006-02-20 [Skydancer]: Done, done, does a little dance, done!!

2006-02-20 [shotokan_gal]: ^^

2006-02-20 [thoughtfox]: and if no more entries come in, then it'll be just under half of the entries of the last prose contest ^_^

2006-02-20 [Dark Side of the Moon]: Well, that should make things run a little faster for all of the poor souls that have judge this thing. Thanks for running this contest guys! *stands and claps for judges*

2006-02-20 [I stabbith ye]: I am sensing sucking up!! Grr...it shall not beat my bribes ;)

2006-02-20 [Dark Side of the Moon]: [I stabbith ye] I stabbeth ye! Tis not sucking up! Just showing appreciation... and bloody glad it isn't me that has to read all of these! ;^)

2006-02-20 [Shika Lane]: *laughs*

2006-02-20 [thoughtfox]: absolutely. The judges deserve our deepest appreciation for their patience and organising the contest. Ir-Iddyn speaks on behalf of us all by showing her gratitude.

2006-02-20 [I stabbith ye]: How dare you stabbeth me...but the power of stabbith is much more powerful than the power of stabbeth...And I want to read all the stories anyway :p

2006-02-20 [thoughtfox]: and I stabbith ye: - may the most cunning briber win :P lol

2006-02-20 [Shika Lane]: i'm just here to take part really

2006-02-20 [I stabbith ye]: Cunning? I do not need cunning! I just need my parents bank card and I am bound to win :D

2006-02-20 [Dark Side of the Moon]: *piss and moan* [thoughtfox] I'm a she! But I thank you for pointing that out, twas indeed what I meant! [I stabbith ye], have at you! *lunges, misses, and falls on her face* I'd better quit the chat now, I'll get into trouble. *turns to vapour and floats away*

2006-02-20 [I stabbith ye]: Well if that wasn't the most random thing I have ever read...excluding my house xD...You know after reading a few of these stories I am amazed at the variety of ideas that have come out of the same begining...

2006-02-20 [shotokan_gal]: Interesting how a looming deadline spurs people into action! I'm impressed with the last minute turnout (even if it means more reading).

2006-02-20 [Paul Doyle]: I blame it on the ADHD ;-)

2006-02-20 [shotokan_gal]: *looks at clock* *yawns* fair enough if you can work late. I can't wait to jump into bed right now, at 1 minute past 12.

2006-02-20 [I stabbith ye]: According to my clock it is 11:55pm and 52 seconds :P

2006-02-20 [Cliché]: Well, it's only 7 here.

2006-02-21 [shotokan_gal]: we're working on elftown time - top right corner

2006-02-21 [I stabbith ye]: Ahh but when I made my last comment it was mearly 11:53pm...I checked tee hee ;)

2006-02-21 [shotokan_gal]: And it's after midnight, so we're now officially closed people. I'm going to bed, and judging will commence (for me at least ;) ) in the morning.

2006-02-21 [Skydancer]: yep, the deadline did it.. though getting my computer back together so I could finish it helped too.

2006-02-21 [Islene the night spirit]: oh whooy! it ended already! i thought i could get mine in on time! mabey next time

2006-02-21 [Asryth]: Crap! Why did I think the deadline was the 22nd? No chance of a last minute repreive? Oh well. I'll finish it anyway.

2006-02-23 [Janouk]: I so totally missed this! :o

2006-02-23 [Shika Lane]: no chance of anything probly, this competition is badly planned, the judges should have read the stories as they were added so people had a chance to change things if they're not right!

2006-02-23 [Elisha Kelly]: everyone knew the word limit... and the deadline... the rules were clearly stated... the judges should not have to read them before the closure of the contest because it is the respomsibility of the participants to make sure that the rules are followed.

2006-02-23 [Skydancer]: A writer has the same criteria as any other artist. You do not put works in progress into art exhibitions or contests, and you do not expect the judges to critique your work as you create it. A finished, to the rules, story is what was stated, and that is what should be expected. It is the responsibility of the entrants to be aware of the deadlines and the rules, not the job of the judges or the operators of a contest or exhibition to keep track of the artists. If you want critiques for your work, then you join a wiki, of which we have many here on ET, that is set up for exactly that, so you can get feedback and comments as your story develops. But that will not make you a successfull writer

2006-02-23 [Elisha Kelly]: here here [Skydancer] :}

2006-02-23 [Skydancer]: Rather it will just make you dependent on outside input for your work, where it should be completely from your own creativity. Proper construction and ability to write is something you get from education, not peer review.

2006-02-23 [Shika Lane]: i think it was unfair my story was finished it followed all the rules but one. it was one little tiny error, i must have miscounted becayuse it was in the word limit when i checked it, i think it's highly unfair when it was just one little thing

2006-02-23 [Skydancer]: Then discuss it directly with the persons holding the contest. Often if you approach people in a reasonable fashion, they will be reasonable with you, but standing in a public space and stating how unfair or improper they are is not likely to get you any respect.

2006-02-23 [Shika Lane]: i dont care about getting respect, thats not the reason i make speeches, i state my opinion the way it is whether people agree with it or not

2006-02-23 [Elisha Kelly]: hint: microsoft word has a word counter... it comes in handy... if not, count the words of each paragraph and write the number next to the paragraph... it is easier than trying to count all the words at once.

2006-02-23 [Shika Lane]: did that, 1900 words it said so what happened i don't know

2006-02-23 [Elisha Kelly]: did you count one lettered and two lettered words?

2006-02-23 [Shika Lane]: i thought i did but theres a lot of one letter words in it, more likly my computers just crap and cant do anything right

2006-02-23 [Elisha Kelly]: shouldn't say things like that... everyone makes mistakes... but there is always next time.

2006-02-23 [Shika Lane]: i'm a very bad loser, one of my worst traits, i won't be entering another prose contest probably my temper wont let me

2006-02-23 [Elisha Kelly]: o.0 i am a fantastic loser... cause I believe the fun lies in competeing...

2006-02-24 [Shika Lane]: i dont like competing for me the fun lies in the creating something beautiful and then getting credit for it so things like this dont come into it

2006-02-24 [Cliché]: The fun was writing it. I don't expect to win, but it was fun to write, and that's all that really matters

2006-02-24 [Skydancer]: I have another version, that is way more fleshed out and complete than this one, and frankly, I entered simply for the poke in the nose to make me write a new work. :)

2006-02-24 [Elisha Kelly]: i just like writing... :} and getting better the more i write

2006-02-24 [Shika Lane]: "poke in the nose" i must say thats an expression i don't hear often

2006-02-24 [Skydancer]: :) I am well known for unusual and obscure expressions. :)

2006-02-24 [Cliché]: I like it. Mind if I use that sometime?

2006-02-24 [Shika Lane]: i see...

2006-02-24 [Skydancer]: sure, help yourself. :)

2006-02-24 [Cliché]: Sweet.

2006-02-24 [Paul Doyle]: I've yet to win one of these Elftown contests (maybe because my stuff is not really mainstream ET? :P) but heck, they are fun to enter, and it's great to see everyone participating, putting effort into their work and perhaps sticking around to say hello to other entrants. People who enter these contests with the sole purpose of collecting badges really ought to get a hobby. :P

2006-02-24 [shotokan_gal]: Lots of comments o_O . Well [Shika Lane] to answer your queries / complaints - under a spell check done by both myself and [Melocrie] your story came roughly 100 words over the limit, which we couldn't allow. We can't remove some stories for not following the rules and not others - that is what would be unfair. As for monitering the stories as they came in, we (or certainly I) tried that as much as possible at first, but we have lives too, and with quite a few works in progress being submitted it started becomming a bit of a waste of time. As technically all writers could edit their stories up to the deadline.

2006-02-24 [shotokan_gal]: Also, I believe all rules were made explicitely clear at the beginning of the contest, so sorry but 'one tiny error' breaks them as much as a larger one. If you choose not to enter prose contests in the future, that is of course your prerogative. Of course if anyone has a problem with the way some rules are written, it helps if they speak up so things can be made clearer in future. Without feedback on these things we wouldn't know (note that this isn't the same as disputing why a rule exists - if you do that you will be informed why we considered it necessary).

2006-02-24 [David the Good]: Just to let you know [Shika Lane] most artists myself included don't create things for other people to deem beautiful but more for self indulgence and self want. Its not about competition.

2006-02-24 [wilwarina]: i couldn't agree more. I made this story just for fun. And I DID have fun. The other thing is if it goes further in the contest. Everything can be used as experience :)))

2006-02-24 [Dark Side of the Moon]: Here here! I've been wondering about something though: is it alright to submit this Elfwood's Wyvern area? I don't know that I would be allowed since the beginning paragraphs were written by someone else.

2006-02-24 [Skydancer]: Just whip up a new beginning.. :D

2006-02-24 [Dark Side of the Moon]: *smacks self on forehead* Of course! Thank God someone else is thinking right now, my mind is far away right now. Thanks [Skydancer]!

2006-02-24 [shotokan_gal]: Hmm I don't know actually. The opening was written by [Melocrie], so she'd have to give permission of course (unless you change the opening as Skydancer suggested). But as the art section allows artist collaberations I don't see why the writing wouldn't (as long as the correct links etc were put in the description - I know they're quite strict about that). But I don't actually have a wyverns shelf so I don't know the full rules to it, so don't want anyone taking anything I say as complete truth without checking it out.

2006-02-24 [Dark Side of the Moon]: Absolutely agree. I'll be checking the rules for Elfwood before I even try to submit there. And I will definitely change the opening and perhaps add more to it if I decide to send it to Elfwood. Thanks for your comments/suggestions!! Cheerio!

2006-02-25 [Shika Lane]: i wasnt the one that said i liked competing i said i didnt like competing and i do it for the creative flow this competition was just a chance thing for me. as for getting credit for it, i like people to say that my work is good coz i have a lack of confidence so unfortunatly reasurance is needed

2006-02-25 [I stabbith ye]: Ok everybody *butts in* I think we are all getting a bit carried away...the whole point of this section is to discuss the wonderful stories ^_^

2006-02-25 [shotokan_gal]: The competing thing - everyone has their own reasons why they enter a competition, so lets not get onto why they're competative or not. As for people telling you your work is good - just because it didn't fit within the rules, this wasn't us saying 'your work is crap, leave our contest', it was because of the word count. If you want feeback, post a link to the story in your bio (you're allowed to use it for more than just this contest), have your friends look at it... etc etc. That can be done completely independantly of the contest.

2006-02-25 [I stabbith ye]: Ahem...*points to previous comment* we are now moving on from this subject to compliment each others stories

2006-02-25 [shotokan_gal]: :P Your comment wasn't posted when I was writing mine. And I'm one of the contest moderators, so was trying to point out to [Shika Lane] that she shouldn't take being removed from this contest so personally. Feel free to comment on eachothers stories, but I'm certainly not at the point of deleting comments here yet, they've stayed reasonably civil so far.

2006-02-25 [I stabbith ye]: *Taps foot* We are still not moving on from the topic...I shall do it *jumps up and down* I think the story Funtosee, the Dwarf had a complete awwness factor, written well of course, as artsie always does ;) but I do believe that it matches the fairtale genre perfectly ^_^

2006-02-25 [Shika Lane]: of course they're civil, even when angry or upset i try not to be too unpleasant or nasty. yes [I stabbith ye] *joins you in jumping* we can happily move on from the topic now if you would like

2006-02-25 [Elisha Kelly]: }:] I want to rant... as it is me [Shika Lane] has pointed a finger at... *glares at [Shika Lane], so I shall be content with that one glare, and move on.

2006-02-25 [I stabbith ye]: You people aren't very good at moving on are you ¬.¬

2006-02-25 [Shika Lane]: *does not want to get uncivil and so quietly walks away*

2006-02-25 [Elisha Kelly]: no I am afraid it isn't one of my talents :P

2006-02-26 [Artsieladie]: *blushes* Thanks, [I stabbith ye]. Only about 2/3 of the story is there, though, so I could fit it in the limit. If I had a quarter for the number of times that I counted & re-counted just to be sure. Editing it down to fit, too, I did several times. I love to write for children. I enjoyed just writing a good childrens' story & trying to see how well I could. *staying out of the controversy* I enjoyed reading all the different stories everyone wrote & the diversified directions they took!  :D

2006-02-26 [Skydancer]: It has been interesting, just as I had to rip out chunks to make it fit, then redo the entire tense of a paragraph to bring it back into the knit, I can see here and there where other authors have done similar edits. :D

2006-02-26 [Elisha Kelly]: I counted as I wrote... when I got to 1500 I knew it was time to wrap the story up... a lot easier that way... :D I like writing, I never really have a plot in mind, I just let the story take me were it will... it's the same for my artwork... I rarely have a set idea... :P

2006-02-26 [Dark Side of the Moon]: Based mine on a dream I had. Dreams also make for excellent inspiration for stories. You just never know the kind of fun (and sometimes horrifying) things you'll see as you sleep! 8D

2006-02-26 [Artsieladie]: Glad to see that we're talking about writing, now! XD

2006-02-26 [Elisha Kelly]: when were we ever talking about anything else ? :P

2006-02-26 [I stabbith ye]: YAY my interfearing worked ^_^ Anyhoopy: Dreams can be a good inspiration

2006-02-27 [Lakayana]: Mine was based on treasures and unexpected inheritance. I think that looks more of a fairy tale than Just a mere prose

2006-03-09 [Ceallaigh]: Don't wanna sound rude, but could you estimate a date for when the winners will be announced?

2006-03-09 [Dark Side of the Moon]: I was sort of wondering that myself. But, there is a lot to read here and the judges may have other things going on in their lives. Not to sound rude either, mind you. Cheerio all! :^)

2006-03-09 [BinaryPhoenix]: You try reading all of them and deciding the winner! It's not so easy as it might seem! =D

2006-03-09 [shotokan_gal]: While I can't give a date - I can give some insight into our general judging strategy this time around. While initially all the stories are read by myself and [Melocrie], we wish to narrow down the selection at this stage, and then have those read and judged by further judges, all based on the criteria outlined on the main page. So it's not merely a matter of reading all the stories and choosing our two favourites out of those (which would be very subjective) to be winners :)

2006-03-09 [Ceallaigh]: Thanks for the info! :)

2006-03-09 [ACCOUNT DELETED.]: When do we find out who won etc?

2006-03-09 [Dark Side of the Moon]: Read the above comments. No one knows yet...

2006-03-10 [ACCOUNT DELETED.]: Oops; sorry. Was late when i wrote that. Must have missed the comment. Ta.

2006-03-25 [David the Good]: .........

2006-03-25 [David the Good]: Does anyone know if they have narrowed down the choices?

2006-03-25 [MidSuMMer.Nights]: hmmmm.... is there only one person judging?

2006-03-25 [shotokan_gal]: Yes the choices have been narrowed down, but no the information on which ones is not going to be made public - because then everyone would want to know why their story was picked or not. In answer to the second - the main page informs you that there are currently two judges. And there will be more to judge the finalists when we get to that stage.

2006-03-25 [MidSuMMer.Nights]: it's a big workload for two people...

2006-03-25 [Melocrie]: We'll manage, but in turn we ask of you to have a little patience ^_^

2006-03-25 [MidSuMMer.Nights]: take as long as you want.. some of those entries are huge!

2006-03-28 [Mikhul, the Bard]: I wish someone would have told me that both of those paragraphs was one introduction...I hate that I had to take my story out of the contest. I was really happy with it. *wimpers*

2006-03-29 [I stabbith ye]: Awww *hugs* there there Michael, it is ok, you can enter the next one ^_^

2006-04-11 [ufo]: wow..this takes long..

2006-04-11 [Paz]: It does :P There are many stories to read through, you know ;)

2006-04-12 [Ceallaigh]: Congrates to the winners. I had a look at their work and its easy to see why they were winners. Personally [ACCOUNT DELETED.]'s entry was my fav.

2006-04-12 [wilwarina]: winners, you have my congradulations ;)

2006-04-12 [DeadSockMonster]: Thanks wilwarina ^^ I'm still in shock...and congratulations to everyone who participated ^^

2006-04-12 [ACCOUNT DELETED.]: Congratulations!

2006-04-12 [MidSuMMer.Nights]: Congratulations!!!!!!

2006-04-12 [Lizisthebest]: Congrats to the winners

2006-04-12 [Dark Side of the Moon]: Thanks everyone! And congrats also to [DeadSockMonster]!

2006-04-13 [DeadSockMonster]: Congrats to you too [Dark Side of the Moon] Whee for prose...

2006-04-13 [Wolf By Nature]: congrats to both of you, i;m sure you earned it!!

2006-04-14 [ufo]: congrats, you are both the greatest!!