Every willing author drop an "I'm in." post here before October 1st.

All entry stories must be complete on October 31st. No more than 7,000 words; no less than 500. When your story is complete, an only when you've typed the words "The End", you post your first thirteen (I will post a topic for this, reserve any questions for this topic). All challengers will then critique the stories. After they've all been critiqued, tentatively November 7th, then we will vote on the winner.

Who is up for it?

[This message has been edited by InarticulateBabbler (edited September 26, 2007).]
 

I mean I'm in.
 

It's unfortunate that this area lies dormant. I only heard about it during the last challenge, that was a few months back.
 

What's the judging/scoring system we're going to use?

Jayson Merryfield
 

When you've read them all, post your vote. I suppose I'll have to Post a "Voting" Topic on the seventh.

You can either List them in order of your favorite, or just the one that you think is the best. Winner by tally.
 

Um, but I reserve the right to chicken out later, and be mocked mercilessly.

The Apocalyptic Taco Mix...hrm....I've been noodling on an idea for a post-apocalyptic suburbs story for a long time (you know, armored minivans and the like) and maybe this is the challenge for it. I haven't been able to get the story to take shape for me otherwise.
 

One more day.

No cheating!
 

Pat
 

Favorite (3 points):

Runner up (1 point):

Runner up (1 point):

Oo - or you could have a point for each story you read, and award those to favorite stories as the reader pleases.

So, simple vote, constrained vote of best and 2 runners up, or open market distribute votes as you please?
 

If we're doing the whole stories, I suggest that we break into groups and/or have a longer timeline. I know it's entirely possible/likely that not all of us will have stories in by the deadline, but if there are more than say 8 stories on the deadline date...it would probably be a more reasonable time commitment to expect people to read/crit 4 stories in a week, rather than all 8.

Maybe it's just that I read slowly. And write enormously detailed crits.
 

Voting:
List your three favorite in order.
1) Story Name - Author
2) Story Name - Author
3) Story Name - Author
I think that'll do. If I don't make the top three, I don't want to know that I'm number thirteen. (We want to encourage writing, not discourage it.) We'll tally the votes and the winners we be the result of a democratic process.

Read them, KayTi. If you feel the need to point out anything, you can, but, read them enough so you can vote--that's what the deadline is all about. After the voting is done, we can do full critiques (once the thirteen is posted, it's game to be critiqued).

Okay, keep the questions in this post.

Let the challenge begin.

Like LH Challenges, they need only be first drafts. Feel free to hone them according to feedback. On the other hand, if you have taken it all the way to polish in the alloted time, that's great, too!

[This message has been edited by InarticulateBabbler (edited October 01, 2007).]
 

I live to make things complicated... But then again, my husband designs card games, so I'm used to lots of varied rules.

So does it matter the order of the top three? I assume if someone gets 8 mentions as third favorite story they'd win over someone who only gets 7 mentions but all as favorite story?
 

The only question that has not arrived is the "Is it okay to vote for yourself?" question. The answer is yes. If you have read everyone else's stories and still feel that yours ranks in the top three, vote for yourself. There's no prize--beyond that of your peers thinking you wrote a decent short story (and having to issue the next trigger) --and thus no reason to cheat. If you prefer not typing your vote for yourself, you can do as follows:

1)
2) His Story
3) Her Story

Or whatever order you feel that you honestly placed in. We'll assume the "blank" represents the place you feel that you deserve.

[This message has been edited by InarticulateBabbler (edited October 02, 2007).]
 

I should shut up and start writing, eh?
 

quote:

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Sorry, 'nother one - read and vote on first 13s only? Or will we distribute the entire stories to the entire group? The logistics were bothering me.

---

Uh...no. Once 13 lines are posted, that story is ready for the others to read it. You may critique the first thirteen, or you can wait until you've read them all to critique each individual one (in other words: no time limit on full critiques), but, you must vote by the November 7th.
I had no idea that there would be this big a turnout when I originally suggested the critiques be done by the 7th too, so, the full critques don't have a due-date (though I hope everyone involved will get them out A.S.A.P.), just the voting does.

quote:

---

I should shut up and start writing, eh?

---

You mean you haven't?

[This message has been edited by InarticulateBabbler (edited October 03, 2007).]
 

I've got the elements of my taco mix all set. Trying to create the right geo-political future to place them in. Then someone pointed out to me that there are FOUR horsemen of the apocalypse, not three...so now I need another doomsday event. Ah, the fun of world destruction!
 

Are you presenting a first draft, or a polished? There's no rule about letting it cool and sending in a polished piece.

I'll request them, in order, once I've completed my entry.

 

It turns out that my short story wound up fitting in the guidelines of Interzone's Mundane. So I decided to publish early to get some feedback giving me time to flesh it out before submitting it to Interzone.
 

Winners are determined by total points. Stories receive 3 points each time they're selected as someone's first choice, 2 points each time they're selected as a second choice, and one point each time they're selected as a third choice.

Just an idea.
 

This is more about getting people writing than judging.

Pick your favorite three--in order. That's easy enough. Most votes wins.
 

I know you've declared we each get three equally weighted ballots, but another voting strategy (from product development) is to give the winner 9 votes, second place 3 votes and third place 1 vote.

Of course, then I would be really depressed when I got 0 votes...
 

Are you telling me that only three people have stood behind their convictions?

Where are the other 11?

(Guilt getting to you yet?)
 

Which actually means I'm going to restart it and see if I can write a reasonable 4k word story out of the ashes. Like a leaf on the wind....

I hope everyone that entered the challenge has enjoyed themselves, and the deadline rush. I also hope the monthly challenge becomes a staple.

[This message has been edited by InarticulateBabbler (edited October 30, 2007).]
 

Im waiting to reciece a story from all those who have posted a first thirteen.
 

Ahhh.. that should fix it. Email is in my profile
 

[This message has been edited by Mauvemuse (edited October 31, 2007).]
 

Or (since I looked on your profile and you don't have your e-mail listed hehe!) if you e-mail me (and everyone else) yours, I will return the e-mail with mine.
 

tigertinite and Mauvemuse, I'm glad to see that you've finished. I'm not at the computer that has my story , so I will have to send it out to you two tomorrow.

I'm just stopping in, on the trick-or-treat circuit.

 

If not I'm sure someone else can. My spam filter overheats on a regular basis, I just have to be careful with where my email is posted. Thanks for the understanding!
 

Also, it might be fun to have a winner-choose situation. That is, whoever wins this can choose the challenge for next month (or pass to 2nd place etc...)