Short Stories Contest #1

Rheias

New Helper (I got over 2000 posts)
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232
This is a new contest that was created to challenge the writers here on thehelper.net. Contestants would submit short stories, which will be judged by three judges. Each judge will give each submission a score (out of 100) depending on several factors, and then the average would be calculated, and the winner will be announced.

Rules:

  • Length: Your story’s length must be between 1,000 and 2,500 words. That’s about a page and a half to four pages in Word, font Times New Roman size 12. If you are using Word you can check the number of words you have so far by going to Tools > Count Words.
  • Prompt: The story must have something to do with the picked “prompt”. The host of every contest chooses the prompt. The prompt can be anything really, as long as you can write a story about it.
  • Attach: When submitting your story you must attach here (don’t link some odd site) a Note Pad (*.txt) file with your story. If you have Word, you may attach a word file as well. You may also put your story in your post, and wrap it in spoiler tags.
  • Deadline: You have a month to submit your story which will be at the 13th of January, 2008.
  • Winner: Once the winner would be announced he could be the host of the next contest, choosing the prompt and getting to be one of the three judges if he wishes to. Judges and hosts can never win a contest.
  • Rule: The short story must be written especially for this contest. Submitting something that was posted already somewhere else will get you disqualified.

The Prompt:

The chosen prompt for this contest is forest, meaning your story has to do a forest. I chose forest because forest can represent many different things. It can represent mysteries, horrors, crimes but it can also represent friendship, childhood, fairies and so on.

Grading:

Each submission will be graded by those parameters:

  • Grammar + Vocab. - X / 20 - Up to 20 points will be given for using proper grammar and spelling words properly. Also, if you’ll use a rich language in your story, instead of using the same words, you’ll get a few more points in this category.
  • Interesting - X / 20 - How interesting is your story? Does it make us regret we started reading it, or does it push us forward into the story?
  • Originality - X / 10 - How original is the story? Will it be just like many other stories we read, or will it be something new and refreshing?
  • Themes - X / 15 - Is there any meaning behind the story? How well can it be understood and seen? What is the meaning?
  • Plot - X / 20 - Up to 20 points will be given to the plot of the story.
  • Characterization - X / 15 - How interesting are you characters? Are they shallow, or are they interesting beings? Do we understand them, or do their acts seem completely random for us? How well are they described?

Reward

The reward will be reputation points from me, and all other members that want to give you some reputation for winning. If given permission and the contest will be popular enough, an award system may be used, or more reputation points may be given.

Judges for this contest


Contestants list:


Contest CLOSED. Gradings will be given soon.
 

Miz

Administrator
Reaction score
428
Well I will try to make a short story but I am writing one already and I am planing on writing a long story XD

so I will join but theres no promise that I will finish my story or not
 

BANANAMAN

Resident Star Battle Expert.
Reaction score
150
Does chapters of a book count?

Cuz im making a book and im done with chapter one :D
so yeah....Im in if i can enter that chapter as a short story...
 

Rheias

New Helper (I got over 2000 posts)
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> BANANAMAN

If it would follow all the rules posted above, then yes, it would do.
 

hortononon

"I give em the hip then I take it away"-Jim Thorpe
Reaction score
29
im in, as well as halahan (he told me too post for him as he has been banned)
 

Rheias

New Helper (I got over 2000 posts)
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232
All added. It seems like this contest is getting popular. A few more contestants and another reward may be added.
 

esb

Because none of us are as cruel as all of us.
Reaction score
328
I'm in too! :D
 

Ninva

Анна Ахматова
Reaction score
377
Wrap it in spoiler tags, huh? I believe my story is valid for I made the key location a forest. There wasn't really much of a location, actually. My main character was jumping all over time and space. It's slightly crazy, but the forests really do change those characters.
Sorry for putting a naughty word into my story. I felt it could pass for it's literature and not flames.
 

Attachments

  • Goat Shit.doc
    26.5 KB · Views: 270

Rheias

New Helper (I got over 2000 posts)
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232
Thanks for submitting so quickly Ninva! :) Is there anyway you could add a Notepad file? Not everyone have MS Word.
 

esb

Because none of us are as cruel as all of us.
Reaction score
328
If you download OpenOffice, it can open any Microsoft Office Document, and is pretty much the same for free (It has Excel, Word, PowerPoint like programs too, and opens Office documents)

Ahh! This thing's the devil, Can't PM, or attach with spoilers (messed up indentation) I'll upload in NotePad (Forums don't accept .rtf)

EDIT: Removed Attachment
 

Rheias

New Helper (I got over 2000 posts)
Reaction score
232
Thanks for the link Esb, but I would still rather you post Notepad, you can add Word as well, but when posting a Notepad document it ensures anyone who wishes can read it.

To keep you updated, if we get 10 submissions (contestants that actually post something) a medal will most likely be given to the winner.
 

Ninva

Анна Ахматова
Reaction score
377
Thanks for submitting so quickly Ninva! :) Is there anyway you could add a Notepad file? Not everyone have MS Word.
Sure.

NOTE: For those who do not have notepad, I would really like you to use your imagination with all the hours I used to make my structure look pretty. Apparently notepad ruins that structure.

EDIT: This would be my official notepad submission (thanks esb, but it'll be easier for me to keep my files together). My most recommended submission would be my Word document. Also, if you want, I could transfer this text into my DA account so it'll look better than the notepad file.
DA is just a portfolio for my works, so it wouldn't be "bad" to post a link to my story.
 

Attachments

  • goatshit.txt
    6 KB · Views: 277

esb

Because none of us are as cruel as all of us.
Reaction score
328
Yeah, notepad really ruins the indentation and spacing. And yeah, probably a DA portfolio would work, but people could still edit after their submission.
 

BANANAMAN

Resident Star Battle Expert.
Reaction score
150
Finally it's done :D
I named it That so i wouldn't be confused with the many rewritten versions
of that particular chapter saved in my comp.

Tittle:Hero's Arrival


SPOLIER ENDING
I DON'T GIVE OUT SPOILERS READ THE STORY Jerk
 

Halahan

To die will be an awfully big adventure.
Reaction score
52
Relieved from my ban a day ago and didn't realize it. Don't really keep track of dates : /

I'll have my story up shortly. Is there a due date?
 
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