Malazan Empire: 1st Grand Malazan Short Story Contest, Win $$$ - Malazan Empire

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1st Grand Malazan Short Story Contest, Win $$$

#1 User is offline   Shinrei 

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Posted 09 July 2008 - 05:30 AM

I apologize if this has been done. If it has not been done, it is long overdue.

I am continually impressed with the level of literary knowledge, as well as writing chops, posessed by the members of Malazan Forums.

Therefore, I would like to announce the Grand Contest for the best short story, as written by the wonderful individuals of malazanempire.com/forums.

As the founder of this Grand Contest, I would like to offer up $25 dollars of my hard-earned dough as first prize (I'm thinking an Amazon gift certificate). If anyone would like to paypal me additional funds, we could make the prize even bigger which could be fun, but this isn't necessary.

VOLUNTEER JUDGE positions, of which there are 3, have been filled.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR SHORT STORIES IS DECEMBER 20TH, 2008. 12/20/2008.

Authors may choose between

a) Public Display of their submission in the writing forum.
:D Private submission directly to judges.*

*Grand Prize submission will be made public on malazanempire.com/forums regardless of how the work was originally submitted.

ALL SUBMISSIONS MUST BE MADE TO: malazanwriting@live.com

Submissions sanctioned for public viewing will be posted in the Writing Forum in a special thread created for the contest. See link below.

OFFICIAL RULES:

1) Volunteer Judges and Shinrei no Shintai are not eligible to submit short stories for the contest.
2) Any previously published works and works currently considered for publication will not be accepted for this contest.
3) All works must be original creations of and by the person submitting them for the contest. NO THIRD PARTY SUBMISSIONS ALLOWED.
4) Any professionally edited (by editors, professors, english teachers/tutors) are not eligible. This will be on the honor system, so if you have submitted a story for review in a magazine, newspaper, college or high school english course, it is not eligible for this contest.
5) Works must be 7,500 words or less (per Wikipedia's short story definition).
6) Submitted works can be works in progress, IF the work has never been professionally edited or submitted for publication. Therefore, works not started specifically for the purpose of this contest ARE eligible. (If you've had something sitting in your computer forever but have never finished or edited it, this is your chance).
7) Only standing members of malazanempire.com/forums are eligible. User ID's created after the date of this rules post will NOT BE ALLOWED to submit works.
8) If a volunteer judge opts to be anonymous and informs Shinrei no Shintai via Private Message of this desire, Privacy of said judge's ID will be honored.
9) Maximum of 1 submission is allowed per user ID. Single ownership of multiple IDs necessitates that ONE ID must be chosen under which to submit the work. In other words, only ONE SUBMISSION per ONE PERSON regardless of number of User ID's held.
10) Submitted works are intellectual property of the owner and author. Copyright will be honored and enforced, and any reproduction or use of submitted works without express written consent of the owner/author is prohibited.

Submission guidelines:

a) Original work of the person entering the submission.
:D Any subject matter/topic is allowed. The work does not need to be fantasy or science fiction.
c) 7,500 words or less.
d) English language only, except where other language is necessary for storytelling purposes.

Prizes:

GRAND PRIZE: $25.00 gift certificate to Amazon (plust more $ if further donations exist).
1st Finalist: Bragging Rights.
2nd Finalist: Bragging Rights.
3rd Finalist: Bragging Rights.

Here is the link to the writing forum where submissions will be posted:

http://www.malazanempire.com/forums/showth...7970#post347970

Message edited once to provide the link above.
Message edited a second time to extend deadline to 12/20 (edited 7/22)
You’ve never heard of the Silanda? … It’s the ship that made the Warren of Telas run in less than 12 parsecs.
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#2 User is offline   Raymond Luxury Yacht 

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Posted 09 July 2008 - 05:33 AM

Fun idea, but I think to maintain interest by the public you should post all entries.
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#3 User is offline   Lisheo 

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Posted 09 July 2008 - 07:57 AM

Ill take part, I like the idea of this :D
“People have wanted to narrate since first we banged rocks together & wondered about fire. There’ll be tellings as long as there are any of us here, until the stars disappear one by one like turned-out lights.”
- China Mieville
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#4 User is offline   Shinrei 

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Posted 09 July 2008 - 01:18 PM

I figure most people will be fine with keeping their stories public. I just wanted to offer an opportunity to keep the anonymous option open if anyone is really shy about their stuff.
You’ve never heard of the Silanda? … It’s the ship that made the Warren of Telas run in less than 12 parsecs.
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#5 User is offline   The Tyrant Lizard 

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Posted 09 July 2008 - 01:30 PM

I'm in. Do I get any prizes for predicting the future and knowing that I'm going to win ahead of time?
I want to die the way my dad died, peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming in terror like his passengers.
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#6 User is offline   relentless 

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Posted 09 July 2008 - 01:54 PM

Hah, registered just in time I suppose.

Anyway, could we take them offline again when the contest is done?

I have a few short stories that I would like to try to get published sometime in the future. That might be hard if the full text is already online...
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#7 User is offline   caladanbrood 

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Posted 09 July 2008 - 01:58 PM

Sounds good. I'll try and get something done, if I have the time:(
O xein', angellein Lakedaimoniois hoti têde; keimetha tois keinon rhémasi peithomenoi.
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#8 User is offline   Shinrei 

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Posted 09 July 2008 - 02:13 PM

@relentless

Since the works are your property, there is no problem whatsover in deleting the post/attachement from the forum. Just remember to ask to have it done. I've done it myself for something I posted a long time ago.
You’ve never heard of the Silanda? … It’s the ship that made the Warren of Telas run in less than 12 parsecs.
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#9 User is offline   Gem Windcaster 

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Posted 09 July 2008 - 02:17 PM

Sounds fun! I wish I had the time, then I would join, regardless that english is not my first language and all that jazz - I'd do it for fun.

But maybe I can be a judge?
_ In the dark I play the night, like a tune vividly fright_
So light it blows, at lark it goes _
invisible indifferent sight_
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#10 User is offline   Obdigore 

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Posted 09 July 2008 - 02:18 PM

Gem,

Judging will probably require more time than just writing one story.
Monster Hunter World Iceborne: It's like hunting monsters, but on crack, but the monsters are also on crack.
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#11 User is offline   Morgoth 

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Posted 09 July 2008 - 02:19 PM

I think I could try writing something for this too, if there's room
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It's decent in the first of gentlemen
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#12 User is offline   Gem Windcaster 

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Posted 09 July 2008 - 02:21 PM

That is really scary Obdi! :eek: FFS stop it! :eek:

And you're probably right, that being a judge would take time. Bummer!
_ In the dark I play the night, like a tune vividly fright_
So light it blows, at lark it goes _
invisible indifferent sight_
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#13 User is offline   Wordmerchant 

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Posted 09 July 2008 - 02:37 PM

willing to help judge, email sent.
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#14 User is offline   Dr Trouble 

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Posted 09 July 2008 - 02:50 PM

My Grammar is horrible!

I'm in!
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#15 User is offline   Skywalker 

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Posted 09 July 2008 - 03:08 PM

Very nice idea Shin... I'm in...

Did have a few suggestions though...

1) The Judging - why not leave it to the hordes? Post each story in its own thread without mentioning the author, and keep a 'yay/ nay' poll on it for people to read and vote whether they liked it or not. The one that gets the most votes wins!

2) I believe SE frowns on fanfic... can't back that up with a quote, but I think I read something to that effect in an interview. So let's keep fanfic (in SE/ ICE's or anyone else's universe) off limits?

3) Finally, if we do this the right way, we could end up with a lot of stories.. so why not have the mods create start a forum of its own for a while?
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#16 User is offline   Obdigore 

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Posted 09 July 2008 - 03:15 PM

Oh please Skywalker, most everyone is going to like most of the stories. I think there should be judges, it is a good idea.

I am guessing, by the fact that you were talking about being published that the stories do not need to be malazan based?
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#17 User is offline   Illuyankas 

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Posted 09 July 2008 - 03:25 PM

I should have all of September to write, I'm up for this.
Hello, soldiers, look at your mage, now back to me, now back at your mage, now back to me. Sadly, he isn’t me, but if he stopped being an unascended mortal and switched to Sole Spice, he could smell like he’s me. Look down, back up, where are you? You’re in a warren with the High Mage your cadre mage could smell like. What’s in your hand, back at me. I have it, it’s an acorn with two gates to that realm you love. Look again, the acorn is now otataral. Anything is possible when your mage smells like Sole Spice and not a Bole brother. I’m on a quorl.
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#18 User is offline   Gem Windcaster 

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Posted 09 July 2008 - 03:31 PM

Okay, I'm gonna be IN. And hope that I get enough time. I could always drop out.
_ In the dark I play the night, like a tune vividly fright_
So light it blows, at lark it goes _
invisible indifferent sight_
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#19 User is offline   Shinrei 

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Posted 09 July 2008 - 06:18 PM

Skywalker;347756 said:

Very nice idea Shin... I'm in...

Did have a few suggestions though...

1) The Judging - why not leave it to the hordes? Post each story in its own thread without mentioning the author, and keep a 'yay/ nay' poll on it for people to read and vote whether they liked it or not. The one that gets the most votes wins!

2) I believe SE frowns on fanfic... can't back that up with a quote, but I think I read something to that effect in an interview. So let's keep fanfic (in SE/ ICE's or anyone else's universe) off limits?

3) Finally, if we do this the right way, we could end up with a lot of stories.. so why not have the mods create start a forum of its own for a while?


The reason why I think we should stick to judges is because opening it up to the "public" and keeping the voting fair would mean everyone voting SHOULD read everyone's story. I'm not sure everyone has the time to do that, and even if we did it could really drag the process on and on and people might get tired of it by the later rounds. Since stories will be posted, if people DO want to read them all and leave comments, by all means do so!

I'm hoping for a real variety of stories. The short stories I'm working on currently (obviously not for the contest) aren't even fantasy genre. I suppose a good portion of submissions might be fantasy, but I want to reiterate that they don't have to be fantasy/sci fi genre.

I'm going over to the writing forum to create a thread there. I'll put a link to it in my OP in this thread.
You’ve never heard of the Silanda? … It’s the ship that made the Warren of Telas run in less than 12 parsecs.
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#20 User is offline   paladin 

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Posted 09 July 2008 - 06:43 PM

i will judge because i am awesome(and have the creativity of a doorknob, so i cant write fiction)
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