Fantasy Faction
Fantasy Faction Writers => Archived Contests => Monthly Writing Contest => [SEP 2016] Pirates! => Topic started by: ScarletBea on October 04, 2016, 10:42:56 AM
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It's time to vote on September's Writing Contest: Pirates.
We got 17 entries this month, from oldies and newbies, a larger number again.
Thanks to all of you for participating!
Please read through all of the entries in the submission thread and place your votes for your four favourite entries in this thread. You won't be able to see the vote breakdown until the vote closes, so spread the word for others to come and vote! We do ask that if you entered, to vote for someone else.
The key for the numbers of votes is this: 1-5 entries: 1 vote, 5-10 entries: 2 votes, 11-15 entries: 3 votes, 16-19: 4 votes, 20-25: 5 votes, 26+: 6 votes
Remember that the winning entry will be posted on the main Fantasy-Faction site in a few months.
Good luck to all our entrants and thank you for taking the time to read the stories and vote! :)
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omg! look at that book cover! priceless!
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kindle mobi:
https://fantasyfactiontools.github.io/writing-contest/pirates-noauthor.mobi
https://fantasyfactiontools.github.io/writing-contest/pirates.mobi
generic epub:
https://fantasyfactiontools.github.io/writing-contest/pirates-noauthor.epub
https://fantasyfactiontools.github.io/writing-contest/pirates.epub
word document:
https://fantasyfactiontools.github.io/writing-contest/pirates-noauthor.docx
https://fantasyfactiontools.github.io/writing-contest/pirates.docx
critique sheet:
https://fantasyfactiontools.github.io/writing-contest/critiques-pirates.md
NOTE: Files with '-noauthor' appended only have the author
names listed at the beginning, on the table of contents.
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Okay, so just looking at the titles, I am very curious about Lanko's story.
EDIT: Are we waiting on critique threads and having someone ask for a critique, or are we using m3m's attached template and posting that at the end of the competition?
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EDIT: Are we waiting on critique threads and having someone ask for a critique, or are we using m3m's attached template and posting that at the end of the competition?
I wouldn't start critiquing while the voting is still open...
If you're asking for last month's stories, feel free to create a critique thread in that section and ask or give one out there :)
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EDIT: Are we waiting on critique threads and having someone ask for a critique, or are we using m3m's attached template and posting that at the end of the competition?
I wouldn't start critiquing while the voting is still open...
If you're asking for last month's stories, feel free to create a critique thread in that section and ask or give one out there :)
indeed. that's just for your personal, optional use. to help you keep your opinions on the stories straight.
also, there's some formatting weirdness to lanko's story in the ebooks. i'm looking into that.
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Ah, ok. Not sure why, but just saw the critique sheet and was thinking that was something added after the other poll discussion. Gotcha, nevermind me.
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Ah, ok. Not sure why, but just saw the critique sheet and was thinking that was something added after the other poll discussion. Gotcha, nevermind me.
There was some discussion of getting people to write short reviews of each story, you're not imagining things! Wakarimasen used to do that - a couple of sentences for each rather than a serious critique - and it was always hugely appreciated by everyone. Nothing stopping people from doing that at all - based on past responses the vast majority of participants would love it!
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I've been thinking something like this:
- We should encourage the winner of the contest to open the Critique thread themselves, as a form of "courtesy" to everyone else. Should as "not obligatory, but it would be really nice if you did it." In time it would become "natural and expected of the winner(s)". Hehe, indirect social pressure for the win!
- Then they also post at least 2-3 critiques to get the ball rolling.
- Of course, some people may not be comfortable offering critiques, so they can just say what they liked the most
in some stories. What matter is that the game starts!
- Anyone can ask for a critique as well or about specific parts of their story.
- Bonus points if the winner(s) (or anyone else) can pick a newbie story to comment. It would help by making the new people feel it's a very friendly place and there's a lot of people helping each other to improve. So they get help, later they end up helping too, and hopefully it snowballs with more people coming in the future and becoming regulars.
- The winner can and also should ask for feedback themselves! Improvement is a constant. There's nothing stopping anyone from starting the thread, but by being the most voted story, the winner(s) would probably have a lot of comments right away about what people liked about their story, at the the very least, just by opening the thread themselves.
Add to that some critiques by the winner, and you can get a lot of people in at once, who would start commenting back (hopefully) and the ball keeps rolling around.
What do you all think?
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I like it :) but it's the writers/participants who should have the say!
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- Then they also post at least 2-3 critiques to get the ball rolling.
this one seems sort of pretentious. "i won, so i am going to criticize these guys".
tho, if the 2-3 were requested/cleared by their authors, i'm totally there. i like the dynamic of "winner responsibilities".
What do you all think?
in general, i love the thought of more structure around critiques. i think this is a great list to get the ball rolling, but any ideas NEED to come from an opt-in perspective. some folks don't like their work critiqued in a public forum.
one thing to maybe think about is incentivizing critique participation. getting the critique thread going seems to have a high coefficient of friction.
p.s. anyone who ever has any opinion at all -- good, bad, bored -- about my stories? please, please, please feel free to post it anywhere on the entire internet and point me at it. i love all feedback. i've had critics giving me both good and bad feedback on my various professional works for two decades. i'm completely immune to "hurt feelings" in any way, shape or form. sorta comes with having a godzilla-sized ego.
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Yes, maybe the winner should just start the thread then and people come in to ask for a critique.
I thought the winner simply because we're all happy when they are announced, we cheer and congratulate them, everyone is in a good mood.
And when they open it, people won't be as inhibited when pointing out the good stuff they liked (could be X for one, Y reason for another). Then they return the comments, more people join in and talk about other stories, and the ball rolls.
Of course, it isn't just so we can all feel good and have a cookie, people can ask for feedback on any aspect of their stories. And of course, people may know by themselves what they could've done better, don't want it public, are not interested this month (but may be in the next), etc.
But maybe by creating a structure (the winner opening the thread, in this case) it would eventually become a regular thing, so in time there would always be one, whether a certain month spikes huge interest or not, and it wouldn't depend on one or two specific members to keep critique threads rolling.
Just thought the winner of the month could be this "beacon" for the reasons I mentioned earlier.
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I'm with you, Lanko. A start is a start. We can let it evolve as we go along. Anything to get the ball rolling. I'll open it for last month, just in case we have any takers.
EDIT: Let's continue the Critique discussion Here. (http://fantasy-faction.com/forum/monthly-writing-contest/critique-thread-discussion-andor-suggestions/)
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kerpow!
the director of engineering at m3m & noch publishing co. figured out the issue with the formatting of @Lanko (http://fantasy-faction.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=40739)'s story was due to a cache issue. cleared the cache, and pow! all better!
he also updated the logging to make that clearer next time.
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kerpow!
the director of engineering at m3m & noch publishing co. figured out the issue with the formatting of @Lanko (http://fantasy-faction.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=40739)'s story was due to a cache issue. cleared the cache, and pow! all better!
he also updated the logging to make that clearer next time.
Yay, thanks for fixing it, m3m! Your publishing house is the best ;D
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kerpow!
the director of engineering at m3m & noch publishing co. figured out the issue with the formatting of @Lanko (http://fantasy-faction.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=40739)'s story was due to a cache issue. cleared the cache, and pow! all better!
he also updated the logging to make that clearer next time.
Yay, thanks for fixing it, m3m! Your publishing house is the best ;D
He actually forgot to update the download files ::)
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kerpow!
the director of engineering at m3m & noch publishing co. figured out the issue with the formatting of @Lanko (http://fantasy-faction.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=40739)'s story was due to a cache issue. cleared the cache, and pow! all better!
he also updated the logging to make that clearer next time.
Yay, thanks for fixing it, m3m! Your publishing house is the best ;D
He actually forgot to update the download files ::)
what, what?!?
just saw this -- eep! i see the new ones up.
edit: oh! i think i see. your story is missing some italics. hrm. lemme get those in there. my process supports manual updates these days just for this purpose!
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alrighty, lanko. fixed those pesky italics FOR REAL this time!
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Who would have thought that what challenged and almost defeated m3mnoch's inhuman technological skills was not a government AI hiding beneath the Utah desert collecting worldwide data.
Or swarms of assassin nanobot insects.
Or cyborg goat terminators.
It was italics. Italics! Who would have thought that? ::)
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man, all you have to do is look at the little bastards -- you can tell how shifty they are.
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My phone's kindle app would agree on their shiftiness, it refuses to display italicized words. Perhaps this is the reason why. The phone knows things....
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Ahoy, mateys! I done cast me votes for me favorite stories, me did. Aye, some grand ol' tales ye have told. Best of luck to ye, and may ye rum never run dry.
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finished up prince of thorns, so now, i can read this month's entries! woot!
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finished up prince of thorns, so now, i can read this month's entries! woot!
Excellent series!!
I've got a fair bit of reading to do to refresh my memory on everyone's entries :)
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Halfway through the month, GO READ AND VOTE
SCARLETBEA PEOPLE!
:-[ ;D
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Already the middle of the month and I haven't even started reading! Guess what I'll be doing on the commute to work this week?
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Voted!
I had a good time reading every entry.
Looking forward to seeing how the votes turn out!
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Aaaaaaaaand voted!
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I voted awhile ago, and I have been back twice to reassess. I am tired of comparing all these delightful oranges and apples - I always want more votes. I felt like I let some good stories down :-\
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Voted at last and bumping this to remind everyone - there's a plenty of good reading here, but we need plenty of voters as well.
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I needed to finish reading the stories, but I hope to have the time this weekend between yard work (evil leaves) and house cleaning.
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Last hours to vote, remember!!!
I've just voted and finally looked at the scores: we have 2 stories tied at the top, and a further 3 just 1 vote behind - your vote does matter!
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17 stories, 14 voters and at least 3-4 of them didn't write stories. You see what I'm hinting at?
Nearly half of the contestants haven't voted yet! :o
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If you wrote a story and haven't voted yet... Why?!
(If you have already voted, please ignore this notification. If not, get reading! ;) )
@Alex Hormann
@Gem_Cutter
@m3mnoch
@NightWrite
@tebakutis
@Captain of the Guard
@AlmightyZael
@wakarimasen
@SugoiMe
@LightRunner
@Elfy
@night_wrtr
@WarbossTae
@Anonymous
@Osahon
@Lanko
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My votes be in, mateys!
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I still have a few stories yet to read, but I hope to vote by the end of the night.
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My votes be in, mateys!
aye, cap'n. an mine, too.
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I feel like I should talk pirate to say my votes are in, but I can't think of anything good ;D.
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I am happy to buy any unused votes, as I don't think four was even remotely enough.
That said, if I don't win, the contest's rigged ;D
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Oh drats, it seems I lost a day :-[
Voting was supposed to last until tomorrow, not today... will you forgive me?
Anyway, congratulations @SugoiMe - you won :D
This time I voted for @Jmack, @tebakutis, @Elfy and @Lanko ;D
I felt some stories, despite very good, only linked very tenuously to the 'pirates' subject.
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Congrats, SugoiMe! Yours was a really good story. I this a first win?!
This month, I voted for @Alex Hormann , @m3mnoch, @night_wrtr, and @Anonymous. Darn that anonymous, I vote for her every time!
And congrats to the runners up: @tebakutis and @Elfy!
This was one of my favorite all-time months to write for and read.
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Congrats @SugoiMe you had my top vote! Also voted for @Anonymous , @Elfy , and @Osahon .
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Congratulations, SugoiMe! :)
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Wait, what, it's still ... October 31? My plan was to vote today!
Anyway, grats SugoiMe! :)
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yay, @SugoiMe! congratulations on everyone loving your story!!
i totally voted for you, too! also, for @tebakutis and @wakarimasen. there were too many good stories in the second tier, so i skipped my last vote.
AND! i think that's, like, 30 or 40 thousand times in a row now that i voted for the eventual winner. i'm like the story whisperer! (shhhh . . . don't tell anyone that 2/3s of the rest of us do the same thing too, because that's kind of the definition of winning -- most people vote for them)
I felt some stories, despite very good, only linked very tenuously to the 'pirates' subject.
hrm. weird. i wonder whose story fit that description . . .
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Congratulations @SugoiMe. I voted for you! ;D
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Congrats, SugoiMe! :)
@AlmightyZael, your last submission won, this submission got zero votes. Wondering how your next one will do! ;)
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Wait, what, it's still ... October 31? My plan was to vote today!
I said sorry :'(
I felt some stories, despite very good, only linked very tenuously to the 'pirates' subject.
hrm. weird. i wonder whose story fit that description . . .
Many, actually - for me, mentioning pirates as a side note doesn't really fit :-\
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Congratulations SugoiMe.
And thanks to those who voted for me. :)
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Yay for you, SugoiMe!
And a big "thank you" for those who voted for my poem in the onslaught of such good stories! ;D
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Congrats, @SugoiMe! Also voted for you!
And hopefully that will bring her back to the forums ::)
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Wait, what, it's still ... October 31? My plan was to vote today!
I said sorry :'(
No worries, Bea! That'll teach me to procrastinate. :)
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Congratulations @SugoiMe, really enjoyed your story and it got my vote straight away -go you ;D If RL is difficult just now hope this will cheer you along.
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Congratulations to @SugoiMe and thank you to everyone who threw a vote my way.
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Congratulations to @SugoiMe and thank you to everyone who threw a vote my way.
(https://i.imgflip.com/1db8xt.jpg)
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Congratulations @SugoiMe, and thank-you to the person who voted for me.
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Oh my gosh guys! Thank you soooooo much for voting for me!
A job well done to all participants! There were some great entries in there!
Wish I could comment more, but I've gotta get back to work before my boss sees me on my iPad. But really everyone, thank you!
EDIT: @Jmack yes, it's my first win.
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Congrats, SugoiMe! :)
@AlmightyZael, your last submission won, this submission got zero votes. Wondering how your next one will do! ;)
Ha! I guess it holds true to my inconsistent nature ;)