Shaun's New Dystopia Contest (Deadline: Mar. 1st)

[Shaun]

Since the last one sort of fell through from a combination of holiday jitters and poor timing on my part I'm going to open up a new contest with an updated deadline and new rules (good rules actually).

Here is what you have to do:
Write a story, 15,000 words or less (less is better), that is placed in a dystopian society or uses a dystopian element of some sort within the story. If you don't know what a dystopia is you have to look no farther than 1984 by George Orwell or Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, or Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, or a myriad of other equally applicable science fiction works out there.
Your story has to be dystopian in some way. No it does not have to be science fiction (as in space ships and aliens and the like). It could simply be a near future story where the government has gone wrong or some other idea. Horror works, provided the dystopian element is pronounced.
Basically, just write a story set in a dystopia. That's it. And you have up to 15,000 words to do it. You can write a flash fiction piece or a longer piece. It's up to you.

The rules:
1. It has to be dystopian.
2. Anyone may enter.
3. Send submissions to arconna@(no spam)yahoo.com (remove the no spam bit). I ask for this because this thread is just for contest stuff. We can open up a thread for submissions later if need be.
4. Must be under 15,000 words. Yes, 15,001 is too many words.
5. It has to follow the rules of the site (i.e.: no erotica or pointless violence)
6. Use your spellcheck/grammar check. Do everything you can to fix all the little mistakes in the story. It makes it easier for me to read.
7. Submit stories by 12:00 PM on March 1st, 2008 (Pacific Time), or thereabouts. Yes, 9:00 PM on March 2nd is too late.

I think that's it. You don't have to write a new story if you tried to write something for the last contest. You continue on that. You can also submit a story you might have submitted for that contest too and are free to tweak it as you wish.

Any questions?

Edit: There are prizes for this in the form of points. For now it's only for the top three spaces, but if a lot of entries are made I'll expand it to 5.

1st: 150 points
2nd: 100 points
3rd: 75 points

[Zombified]

Will it be judged by you or will we get a chance to vote on who wins?

[Shaun]

That's a really good question. At the moment I would be judge. My only concern with 'voting' is that people might play favorites and vote a friend even if that story isn't the best. If there's a way to have anonymous posting of the stories I am up for it though.

Would everyone agree to not sharing their stories with other members of the site to keep things anonymous so proper, non-favoritist voting could occur? I'm certainly open to that.

[GeorgeMichael]

I am ready for this one Shaun :) I'm in, I don't have many priorities at school after this week (Semester Exams) :)

[Zombified]

I think you could just post the story in a voting thread without a title and hope everyone votes fairly.

:D

[GeorgeMichael]

I'm hoping that way of judging works because that's how my contest is being decided :), but it's up to Shaun however he wants to do it because I understand his thoughts on the "voting" idea.

[Nyx]

If our teachers lets up on the homework I'll write an actual worth reading story for this,...the old one...well that was just crap glued together in 30minutes:rolleyes: So yea, if I get the chance I'll write and send something good in.

[Shaun]

That's a good idea Zomb. So people still have to send the stories to me to my email and then I'll post them. But it'll work I think!

The rule though is you all CANNOT let anyone else know what you're writing :P

[Rafael Domination]

Okay! :D

I'll try to get this one done...

[Shaun]

Just a reminder everyone, the contest is still going. You have less than a month to get a story!

[Rafael Domination]

So, I'm ready to submit in my story.

How do we do it again? ^^

[Shaun]

Submit to my email: arconna@(no spam)yahoo.com
Remove the no spam :P.

Hopefully we'll get other entries.

[Nyx]

So my old story that I sent isn't being included in this, is it? Because I don't want it to be...

[Shaun]

If you don't want it in you don't have to have it in :P. Though everyone is supposed to submit today and I don't think anyone other than Raf is...

[Rafael Domination]

D'you get it yet? :D

[Shaun]

Yup, it has arrived!

[Rafael Domination]

WOOOOOO! :D

Anyone else?

[Shaun]

Nope, just you Raf...

[Rafael Domination]

Oh dear :mellow:

are you giving the others an extension, or do I win by default?

[Shaun]

Well I think I'm just going to give you and Nyx points since nobody else decided to bite (Nyx was the only one to submit last time I think, right?)

[Rafael Domination]

Aw...thanks :D

[Nyx]

I'm gony copy Raff here:

Aw...Thanks:D

[Rafael Domination]

Sooo...now what?

[Shaun]

I'll give some free points out this weekend and maybe you could save your story for a later contest. I'll read it though this weekend and maybe give you some of my thoughts on it :D.

[Rafael Domination]

I'll be waiting with a big fat juicy thanks point for helping improve my writing :D

[Shaun]

Haha, cool :)

[Rafael Domination]

No, seriously, you're a better critter (slang for critiquer) than I am. Well, with more experience, duh, but yeah, I'll take help from any critic, as long as it's constructive.

[Zombified]

Any chance I can send in a story and revive the competition?

[Shaun]

Would you be offended if I wanted to do this is a possible contest for the new magazine?

[Zombified]

I wouldn't.

It would bring out a lot of interesting pieces, I think.

[Shaun]

Okay, well then maybe we'll do that. So for now, there's no deadline...just start writing something :P. Everyone can by the way.

[Rafael Domination]

Whatever happened to the first one? :D

[Shaun]

Umm, only one person submitted so I couldn't have a contest :P