Fanfiction Challenge

[-Jade-]

Ahh so a slightly longer time for this challenge, then a fun christmas challenge, and then a fully reinvented challenge for 2007...? That sounds like a great idea to me! Good idea furrylogic.

Ok so the deadline for this challenge will be the 5th December now.

So straight after we could have the xmas challenge. furrylogic would you like to host that since you thought up the idea? Or someone else could... I'd be fine with doing it if no one else wanted to... but only if no one offers. So what, the prompts would be inspired by christmas?Like glitter, red, snow (etc...) for example? I guess it would be up to the hoster...

So maybe if we could set up the rough details over the next couple of weeks for the xmas challenge (i.e. who hosts) and it would then be ready to post as soon as the current challenge ends. I'm sure that everyone would agree on the first thing about the xmas challenge being that no voting would occur.

In terms of the current challenge...

What I say, is that for this final challenge we keep the voting, because it's simpler, and it will give us time to get a list of possible hosters etc.. Then we can fully concentrate on brainstorming and discussing how the new 2007 challenges will work - and we can sort out a proper system that involves no voting. Also it would give us a chance to completely regenrate the challenge which I think would be quite fun. lol Does that make sense? What does everyone think?

I was thinking about what things we needed to address/sort out for the new challenges, and I thought of the following. Feel free to add to.

1) Working out a non voting and hosting system.

2) Compiling a hosters list.

3) Sorting out a standard review guide - I know this was started but maybe we could set it in stone?

4) Maybe looking at how to broaden the number of people who enter the challenge and/or read the entries and review.

5) Sorting out a standard competition posting and sending system because it's been done in different ways - through email, through PM, and then posted on ff.net, posted on here etc...

What does everyone think?

[Skykat]

I think the christmas challenge is a great idea and I was going to suggest you offer to host it Anna but there's been a development.

I've just been speaking to Dan and it seems I now have the same powers as mods with regards to monitoring posts in this forum...what that means is that if we were to run a poll I could oversee it for cheating without having to worry about bothering a mod.

So that leaves us with a dilemma. Do we:

a) have a winner and revert back to the original poll and review method of voting

b) have a winner based on reviews only

c) have no winner and have the decision of who hosts each challenge be a matter for volonteers

Personally I'd still prefer to have no winner but I know other people disagree and so now that it's safe to run a poll without cheating, I'm going to start one up.

I'd ask anyone who usually ventures in here, or enters the challenges to cast their vote and once a vote has been added post a reply saying that you've voted. That way we can wait until most of the people usually involved in this thread have voted and then we can make a decision based on the results.

[Pierced Musie]

I'm saying no winners. It would make it a lot more friendlier for newbies who want to have a go.

[Skykat]

Poll is up so votes can now be casted. We can keep debating it amongst ourselves but this is possibly the only way to get a majority decision.

[-Jade-]

Personally I'd still prefer to have no winner but I know other people disagree and so now that it's safe to run a poll without cheating, I'm going to start one up.

I'd ask anyone who usually ventures in here, or enters the challenges to cast their vote and once a vote has been added post a reply saying that you've voted. That way we can wait until most of the people usually involved in this thread have voted and then we can make a decision based on the results.

Ok, that sounds good to me. I think most people do want a no winners competition, but I dunno, I just think that voting adds a bit of spark. I mean, of course it's not like people are desperate to out do people or anything, but I do find it gives me a bit more of an incentive. Maybe that's just because I'm a naturally competitive person - well against myself mostly, because I always want to improve and better my previous efforts. But if no voting is what everyone wants then that's great. and I do agree, that voting would probably make the challenge more accesible to newbies.

[Skykat]

This is what we need to decide...I can just see the debate running forever otherwise! I just figured that now polls can be fair we might as well use it to get a majority vote.

[-Jade-]

I totally agree - I don't think we're gonna get anywhere if we keep discussing because obviously there is going to be differences in opinion. Thank you to your librarian skills.

[Skykat]

It's actually Dan F we need to thank...it's just taken him over two hours to sort it out so that we could do this, I think he's probably sick of the sight of me!

[furrylogic]

Ok, that sounds good to me. I think most people do want a no winners competition, but I dunno, I just think that voting adds a bit of spark. I mean, of course it's not like people are desperate to out do people or anything, but I do find it gives me a bit more of an incentive. Maybe that's just because I'm a naturally competitive person - well against myself mostly, because I always want to improve and better my previous efforts. But if no voting is what everyone wants then that's great. and I do agree, that voting would probably make the challenge more accesible to newbies.

I'd prefer no winners at all. And see its not called a FanFic Competition... its called a FanFic Challenge. Its all about being challenged, challenging ourselves to improve our stories, and challenging the readers to improve their feedback/constructive criticism. I love the feeling I get when Ive finished the story, and feel proud of myself. And then to get people who love the story, and say how great a story it is. That's what Im in this challenge for. Thats why I come back again and again. I write for me and me alone. Its all about the challenge.

Im not saying its wrong to have winners. I'd just prefer not to have then.

Also Im glad you liked my christmas idea. I'd be happy to host, as long as I get to write a story too. I love christmas.

[SfanS]

I think that maybe it'd be a good idea for NO winners in the Christmas one, just for Christmas spirit and everything, but maybe a winner for the other one?

Another idea, sorry if this is totally stupid:

How about a competition anyone can enter, say the topic was...say, as we're entering 2007, something to do with the new year or whatever, and then the winners of that, say....a certain number, like a short list all write another fic on a different topic to decide the overall winner....bad idea?

I like winners and things though SOMETIMES, but not to let it get overly competetive, but we all seem pretty nice on this forum, basically...I'm probably going to be IN for these challenges, I'll take a shot at it, even though I've never done a challenge before!