From November 15, 2006 through through January 7, 2007, original holiday-themed stories posted to BigCloset TopShelf will be eligible for cash prizes!
A BigCloset donor is offering cash prizes for the best holiday-themed story.
Stories should be short-story length (500 to 7500 words) but longer and shorter stories will be considered. Entries must have a holiday theme but it doesn't have to be Christmas theme, any holiday will do -- and yes, birthdays and vacations are holidays, too. New stories appearing elsewhere during the time period are also eligible but must be posted to BigCloset before the contest deadline as well.
Stories will be voted on by members and authors of BigCloset and prizes will be awarded by a panel of judges whose decision will be final.
Amounts and details of prizes will be announced soon.
Start writing!
Comments
Okay, I can do this ....
No pressure at all. The deadline is 51 days away ... 51 days!!! I gotta get started!
Scott
Writing is not necessarily something to be ashamed of--but do it in private and wash your hands afterwards.
Lazarus Long
Robert A. Heinlein's 'Time Enoough for Love'
Bree
The difference between fiction and reality? Fiction has to make sense.
-- Tom Clancy
http://genomorph.tglibrary.com/ (Currently broken)
http://bree-ramsey314.livejournal.com/
Twitter: @genomorph
What's a holiday?
I've been working on a story for a while in which critical events take place on Oscar Night - does that count as a holiday?
(I probably won't be finished with it by then anyway, so it most likely doesn't matter.)
Yes
Believe me, I've lived in a company town. In LA, Oscar Night is a holiday. :)
- Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
My Kind Of Holiday!
Cool!! I was writing one anyway! I appreciate the large window, but I planned on posting mine on Dec. 23rd, just in time for Christmas.
Anything special we need to do Erin, like flag it as a contest story or what?
Hugs!
Karen J.
“When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn’t become a king. The palace becomes a circus.” - Turkish Proverb
I've added a category for holiday contest stories
It's in the permissions pulldown when you write a story. :)
- Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
Hmmm... might be fun
Can it be a standalone chapter in another work? Because I have just the thing. *smiles hopefully*
Standalone chapters ...
Otherwise known as independent short stories, like Wanda's "Andie's Valentine" and"Andie's Halloween" in Kelly Girl, are certainly eligible as Holiday stories for the contest. But it's up to the judges and how the readers vote. :)
- Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
Ah Man!
Now I gotta' write a holiday story? Erin, your mean!
Groundhog day, no that was a film or is that pork sausage? -- see Bob and Ray about groundhog meat.
I posted one part of my three part Glaicer Girl Halloween 2006 story at The Crystal Hall so that's probably out, and its very long. The whole thing could end up 60 to 70 pages. Your judges would go comotose.
Maybe an obscure holiday, like Secretaries day? Nah, too flowery.
Was was toying with a MORFS story, that could work ...
--gear and cogs creak, punch cards are sortd, tape reels spin, and vacumn tubes hum in my mind -- Hey, I have a 1957 model brain, The integrated ciruit wasn't out until 1958.
John in Wauwatosa
John in Wauwatosa
Upgrade!
I have a '57 model also, John, but I got it upgraded along with everything else some years back. Even got the optional blonde memory package. I think. . . . (I do, really!)
How about a Joannie Christmas story? She could help Santa by time-stopping during his deliveries.
Ooh, this is going to be FUN!
Hugs,
Karen J.
“When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn’t become a king. The palace becomes a circus.” - Turkish Proverb
Deadlines?
Can you make the deadline a little longer? Say four years?
See I started writing an awesome story (I like to think) it'd do really well I'm sure. I started writing it two years ago and I'm not quite finished... so another four years should see it done. :D
JC
The Legendary Lost Ninja
Dead lines? We don't do dead lines! GEEZE!
Thank goodness you said a part or chapter of a longer work will do! I'd hate to have any new dead lines to bury.
Giggler, giggle.
Huggles Mom
Angel
Be yourself, so easy to say, so hard to live.
You can find my stories by going to. http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/taxonomy/term/39
The ones I deleted from this site are here. (Well, most of them anyway.)
http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/weblink/go
"Be Your-Self, So Easy to Say, So Hard to Live!"
Dead lines
The point is to make your lines live and move and speak, not just lay there on the screen and pixelate. :)
Don't worry about deadlines, we're going to do this two or three times a year, though there may not always be cash prizes.
- Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
Deadlines?
I don't do deadlines! Giggle, giggle...
Let me see what I can do...
Deadlines? What in hell is a deadline to an epic story writer? OH, that's it, a short story writer! Short stories? I don't do short stories!
Giggle, giggle, Huggles Mom
Angel
Be yourself, so easy to say, so hard to live.
You can find my stories by going to. http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/taxonomy/term/39
The ones I deleted from this site are here. (Well, most of them anyway.)
http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/weblink/go
"Be Your-Self, So Easy to Say, So Hard to Live!"
Holiday stories
Erin,
Are you looking for only Christmas/New Year type stories, or any holiday?
Teddie
As said above
Any holiday theme is okay for the contest, but judges and readers may be more in tune with stories in sync with the season.
- Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
Prizes?
If I write a big enough Turkey can I get a Thanksgiving prize?
Gwen Lavyril
Gwen Lavyril
Manic Muse ...
My muse *insisted* that I start writing down the story she has in mind for this ...
All I wanted to do was finish the chapter of Ma'at I was working on. *whimper*
Itinerant
Nicole (a.k.a. Itinerant)
--
Veni, Vidi, Velcro:
I came, I saw, I stuck around.
Heh!
A-muse-ing. :)
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
Jan 7th, Thank Ghod!
I thought it was due Dec 16th.
Whew!
Oh, Karen_J, I'm working on a Joanie Christmas story, Bru ha ha ha !
John in Wauwatosa
John in Wauwatosa
Dead lines?
Angel made the comment about not doing deadlines and she was one the very first to finish. (If not the first) We have till Jan 7th? I am struggling away, I hope I can finish in time. I have way too many plot lines going, but what do you expect a novice writer to end up with? Wizards, Angels, Demons, flight delays, and even an teenager or two.
grover-
Holidays and deadlines, hmmmm ...
... OK, I have my title, "Holly Daze and the Dead Line Steakout" Buffy, Scrooge, and Marley get outta da way; you're in for a Dickens of a time. :-) Now all I have to do is write the darn thing!
"All the world really is a stage, darlings, so strut your stuff, have fun, and give the public a good show!" Miss Jezzi Belle at the end of each show
BE a lady!
Motivation
Now I'm motivated to write that story that's been rattling around in my head. Don't know if I can make the deadline, though.
Holiday Story
It wasn't mentioned, so I thought I'd ask. Does the story have to be a new, unpublished story?
Melanie
Story posting for Contest
To be eligible for the prize, the story has to first appear online between the announcement and the deadline, and be posted to BC during that time also.
So, if you had a story that had been submitted to Crystal's or FM but had not yet appeared before the contest announcement, it would be eligible.
Also, stories that are posted elsewhere and appear during the contest period are still eligible to be reposted to BC for the contest.
I hope that is sufficiently clear, but somehow I doubt it. :)
We'll be having another contest for all-time best Holiday TG story later in 2007 but there will be no cash prizes for that one.
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
Darn. All my holiday stories
Darn. All my holiday stories were pubished in FM already. Guess I better write another one.....
Dang, these are good!
I send mine in and shortly thereafter, I read a bunch of even better stories! Next time I'll know better, but I just love a challenge. Mom now's how to get me! SNOT FAIR! Giggle, giggle.
Huggles All and a very Merry Holidays to all!
Angel
Be yourself, so easy to say, so hard to live.
"Be Your-Self, So Easy to Say, So Hard to Live!"
Contest Entries
Click to see Contest Entries so far.
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
Contest Entries.
Oh Angel, with a name lik that you know you have an advantage this time of year. :) Question for Erin, is there a limit to how long his submission can be? I think that I recal an earlier misif that they be "Short", but are we talking "real short", or "Angel Short"? I know I am naughty but I so want stockings to put coal in.
Gwen
Gwen Lavyril
Gwen Lavyril
Sheesh, nevermind
Sorry kids,
Next time I will actually read the message at the beginning.Duh, all I want for Christmas is the two sides of my brain...
Gwen
Gwen Lavyril
Gwen Lavyril
Holiday Contest Entries
If you've got a Holiday Story Contest Entry that does not show up here, let me know and I'll take care of it. :)
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.