Summer Getaway Contest update (on behalf of Sephrena)
Contest Is Over
The Summer 2015 Summer Vacation Getaway! Story Contest has been canceled due to an unprecedented lack of participation. I do not know why more people did not want to participate.
I awarded first prizes to all 4 current participants and am canning it.
Seeing as how badly this contest went, I will probably never run another one again.
This site is what you make of it. You can be come an author and let your voice sing from within you and let the words flow. Being scared and sitting back doing nothing will get you nowhere.
Write! Try it out.
It's all I tried to tell anyone.
Sephrena
Comments
Difficult Decision
When I wrote my latest story, Scott Free, it was because it was something that had been lingering in my mind for about six years. The contest had been running for a while, and I suddenly realized my story was about a 'Summer Get Away'. I realized that it was a pun of sorts, as it was about a child getting away from a horrible situation over the summer. It was not about taking a holiday. Still, I thought I would give it a try.
It is very difficult for me to write on demand, consequently, this was the first time I entered a writing contest. There was an abortive attempt a few years ago, but I realized the story I was posting didn't fit the criteria, and I withdrew it.
Anyway, I guess I and the other three won by default. That's not the way I would have wanted it. A legitimate third place would have been extremely satisfying. I donated my winnings to the shoe box. Any winnings would have gone there regardless.
Portia
Unfortunate
I was going to write a story for the contest after I finished what I was working on now and figured I still had over a month to get something done. I'm the type of person who can only write on one project at a time, so I prioritize what I'm working on. I was under the impression that some people might have difficulty writing a summer story while still being in the cold. I'm lucky, I'm in Florida and it's in the 80s but I hear there is still snow up north.
Our loss really. But I appreciate the effort.
Katie Leone (Katie-Leone.com)
Writing is what you do when you put pen to paper, being an author is what you do when you bring words to life
What,? We're nowhere near the deadlines?
I have four chapters that I have done and they were for this specifically and they were going to be released as a one shot.
I thought I had until the 22nd of May.
Yeah maybe we shouldn't run anymore contests...with a full time job, caregiving to a parent and the other writing I'm trying to its not like i honestly have the luxury of the extra time.
Seriously...yeah I'm taking a writing break maybe from posting for awhile after this.
Bailey Summers
Don't give up on the contest yet
We may end up having something special to do with the entries. :) More later.
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
Cause spring was sorta late starting?
Maybe?
Please don't stop running them!
I really enjoy the contests on the site, but the issue I ran into with this one was that the contest constraints are fairly restrictive:
That's a pretty tight set of boundaries on the main character and the arc of the story that can be explored. Simpler prompts and fewer constraints would open the field up to more possible stories, and thus more entries. Personally, I've had some ideas, but I've had trouble figuring out how to fit them into the shape you're asking for.
Also, y'know, you're pulling the plug over a month before the end of the submission window. There's been some pushback against authors posting unfinished works recently, so authors might be waiting to complete their stories before posting, rather than putting sections up as they go. So there still might be several more entries that are still in-progress.
Nolo Contendere
I have four chapters written and have been working on the outline. I started writing this as soon as the contest was announced.
I didn't realize until reading this thread that it had to be about a teenager.
The story will be finished because I'm liking the characters, even though they apparently don't fit the criteria.
The point of the contest was to inspire writers and you have, so why the long face?
Jill
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)
Because there was specific work just for the criteria.
Because somd of us already committed to writing things took time from that for this, specifically.
Bailey Summers
I didn't think it was that restrictive.
I just read the original contest link.
http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/book-page/55213/topshelfs-2015...
Loving Hugs Talia
Thanks for the Post
I thought I had experienced a senior moment. Actually senior moments for me are those brief seconds when I have cohesive thoughts. The rest of my life is set on messed-up ol'fool.
My story fits. Or "miss-fits".
Jill
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)