Facepunch Writing Competition? - General

Notice: this isn't the official thread. Official thread is HERE: [url]http://www.facepunch.com/showthread.php?p=23670905[/url] I was thinking about hosting a storywriting competition for Facepunch users, since I've seen some promising work floating around the odd place here and there. Unfortunately, while finding reliable guidance for photography, painting, mapping and modding is easy on FP, aspiring writers don't do so well. To remedy this, I hope to hold several themed contests with Steam Gifts as prizes. I'll be able to donate a couple of things to start with, but I'm posting this thread first to A - gauge interest, B - attract participants and C - distribute loads of constructive criticism to help people get started. We need judges, readers and critics just as much as we need writers! So, what does facepunch think? Any budding writers amongst us? This thread is a place to discuss the idea of a contest and post some little snippets you've written for us to comment on and criticise (helpfully and politely, I promise!). A banner might be nice as well. Hint, hint. Edit: [img]http://i30.tinypic.com/143dw89.png[/img] Thanks to Splurgy_A! Edit: Any volunteers for judging/prize donation etc. post with a large, attention-grabbing image so we can sort things out. [b][highlight]THINGS WE NEED:[/b][/highlight] [B]Prizes[/B] (steam gifts are ideal) I will personally be providing a steam game or two to motivate you. [B]Judges[/B] who are genuinely good old miserable critical bastards and won't just say yes to any old stuff. [B]More banners.[/B] Thousands of them. [B]A good number of entrants.[/B] Around 30 or so would be excellent. [b][highlight]THINGS WE HAVE:[/b][/highlight] [B]Judges[/B]: Nigey Nige -Dazed- GhostG45 Penultimate Livewire2440 Fenriswolf

There's a section for writers, I believe.

[QUOTE=Danyull;23664775]There's a section for writers, I believe.[/QUOTE] If you mean the Creationism Corner, you're absolutely right. Problem is, that's very art-oriented, and writing that's posted there tends to go unnoticed or uncriticised. What I'd like to do is draw all the writers out of the woodwork, since none of them actually post in the CC. It's an issue, but hopefully a competition will wake up the community a bit and make them more active in posting their work.

You'd have to give a general theme

I have written a few short stories. This is one I wrote and I wanted to see what you thought of it: [url]http://pleasegodno.wordpress.com/2010/06/27/the-fermi-paradox/[/url] Do I have a future? :saddowns:

I would enter, I'm not a good writer by any standards, but I like writing.

[img]http://i30.tinypic.com/143dw89.png[/img]

Nice.

I'd enter, for prizes.

I would surely enter. You should have multiple categories, as well. I think that those other, lesser skilled writers should have a chance to win something. So having a 'Shitfunny Stories' section would be interesting. Number of categories would surely depend on the depths of the kind sponsors' pockets, but I'll list a few I think should exist anywho: - Fantasy Fiction - Science Fiction - Fiction (historical or present) - Non-fiction (might be interesting...) - Satire - Plays - Shitfunny Stories

[QUOTE=Eudoxia;23665073]I have written a few short stories. This is one I wrote and I wanted to see what you thought of it: [url]http://pleasegodno.wordpress.com/2010/06/27/the-fermi-paradox/[/url] Do I have a future? :saddowns:[/QUOTE] Okay, I read it through and I've got a few thoughts I typed out real quick. Don't be discouraged, I've focused on the points for improvement. Avoid things like "But I’m getting ahead of myself." unless you feel like you really are rambling, otherwise it's quite a cliche. It's a bit science-heavy for plebs like me, but if you deliver your science in small doses then it can be a great scene-setter. Mass Effect's writers do this quite well. Try to introduce it gently. Ironically, "The ash of burning forests" as a sentence seems quite out of place. It's hard to tell if it's supposed to be a musing or some other character interrupting. Remember to show restraint when you break paragraphs for a single sentence. Doing this too often lessens the impact. "On the ship time slowed down until the ship reached 9.999999% of c and keep growing." There's a few sentences like this that could use rewriting, but it's not a big problem. Other ones like "trillions of peUntitled 1ople" and "Cummunity" are examples, but this is just me nitpicking. "All that was left was an impact crater the size of Australia." I quite liked this as a final sentence. On the whole, I'd say it's not really a story without characters or an established setting, but it's absolutely rammed with really cool sci-fi ideas. If you wrapped it all up with some characters and a story arc then I genuinely think people would love the shit out of it. Prognosis: read some stories by Timothy Zahn or Arthur C. Clarke. You've definitely got potential.

I like to write S.T.A.L.K.E.R. stories, however my language sucks. :smith:

[QUOTE=Nigey Nige;23665675]Okay, I read it through and I've got a few thoughts I typed out real quick. Don't be discouraged, I've focused on the points for improvement. Avoid things like "But I’m getting ahead of myself." unless you feel like you really are rambling, otherwise it's quite a cliche. It's a bit science-heavy for plebs like me, but if you deliver your science in small doses then it can be a great scene-setter. Mass Effect's writers do this quite well. Try to introduce it gently. Ironically, "The ash of burning forests" as a sentence seems quite out of place. It's hard to tell if it's supposed to be a musing or some other character interrupting. Remember to show restraint when you break paragraphs for a single sentence. Doing this too often lessens the impact. "On the ship time slowed down until the ship reached 9.999999% of c and keep growing." There's a few sentences like this that could use rewriting, but it's not a big problem. Other ones like "trillions of peUntitled 1ople" and "Cummunity" are examples, but this is just me nitpicking. "All that was left was an impact crater the size of Australia." I quite liked this as a final sentence. On the whole, I'd say it's not really a story without characters or an established setting, but it's absolutely rammed with really cool sci-fi ideas. If you wrapped it all up with some characters and a story arc then I genuinely think people would love the shit out of it. Prognosis: read some stories by Timothy Zahn or Arthur C. Clarke. You've definitely got potential.[/QUOTE] Thanks :v: And did I seriously write "Cummunity"? Jesus Christ :ohdear:

[QUOTE=-Dazed-;23665622]I would surely enter. You should have multiple categories, as well. I think that those other, lesser skilled writers should have a chance to win something. So having a 'Shitfunny Stories' section would be interesting. Number of categories would surely depend on the depths of the kind sponsors' pockets, but I'll list a few I think should exist anywho: - Fantasy Fiction - Science Fiction - Fiction (historical or present) - Non-fiction (might be interesting...) - Satire - Plays - Shitfunny Stories[/QUOTE] Good idea. We'll need more sponsors then. What kind of prizes are we looking at? We should decide on fitting games for each category, to help people decide which one to enter. I think Garry's Mod for Shitfunny Stories, Mass Effect for Science Fiction, etc. [QUOTE=tarkata14;23665088]I would enter, I'm not a good writer by any standards, but I like writing.[/QUOTE] Do it, everyone loves a trier! [QUOTE=Splurgy_A;23665320][img]http://i30.tinypic.com/143dw89.png[/img][/QUOTE] :golfclap:

I'll enter, but only if it's a theme I actually like. Do something general, but not too general. ("Fantasy" as a theme is not a good idea.)

This is actually a fantastic idea! I might enter if I decide to not be lazy for once.

[QUOTE=Paravin;23665695]I like to write S.T.A.L.K.E.R. stories, however my language sucks. :smith:[/QUOTE] Just reading books really closely helps improve language, I find. Start small by writing a paragraph of fan fiction for a random book, then a paragraph for another book, then maybe two paragraphs for Harry Potter or something. Maybe read the S.T.A.L.K.E.R novels? Disclaimer: fan fiction is a high-risk category. Be [url=http://myimmortalrehost.webs.com/][B]very goddamn careful[/B][/url] while writing it.

Oh and the themed prizes is a great idea too. [editline]07:34PM[/editline] Broke my automerge :saddowns:

Oh yeah, any volunteers for judging/prize donation etc. post with a large, attention-grabbing image.

i write when im bored, im not good, not by any means, but i guess ill give this a shot if it comes up, if you really want examples of my work then just ask, but they aren't up to writers standard.

[QUOTE=Nigey Nige;23665761]Good idea. We'll need more sponsors then. What kind of prizes are we looking at? We should decide on fitting games for each category, to help people decide which one to enter. I think Garry's Mod for Shitfunny Stories, Mass Effect for Science Fiction, etc. Do it, everyone loves a trier! :golfclap:[/QUOTE] I think most people here have gmod, though. I mean, that is what this community was formed around, lol. Well... I think the best way to go is Indie games. I think it will be more common to find a winner who doesn't have Dogfighter than a winner who doesn't has Mass Effect. Besides, that's cheaper on the people paying, AND we're supporting the underdog. Also, graphic novel type short story? Poetry selection as well?

[QUOTE=Nigey Nige;23665961]Oh yeah, any volunteers for judging/prize donation etc. post with a large, attention-grabbing image.[/QUOTE] [IMG]http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp280/Ghost_G45/raptor-jesus-battles-the-unicorns-ps-the-unico-17918-1234478698-9.jpg[/IMG]

[QUOTE=-Dazed-;23666068]I think most people here have gmod, though. I mean, that is what this community was formed around, lol. Well... I think the best way to go is Indie games. I think it will be more common to find a winner who doesn't have Dogfighter than a winner who doesn't has Mass Effect. Besides, that's cheaper on the people paying, AND we're supporting the underdog. Also, graphic novel type short story? Poetry selection as well?[/QUOTE] My thinking is that we don't want to encourage too many shitfunny stories, but I'm not sure. If people can give more suggestions for specific prizes then we can get an idea of what is most sought-after. [QUOTE=GhostG45;23666103][IMG]http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp280/Ghost_G45/raptor-jesus-battles-the-unicorns-ps-the-unico-17918-1234478698-9.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE] my eyes :byodood:

Also, I have decided not to enter; therefore, The Grand Inquisitor offers his judgment. [IMG]http://filesmelt.com/dl/grandinquisitor1.gif[/IMG] Bonus points if you guess what the hat is from!

[QUOTE=Nigey Nige;23666203] my eyes :byodood:[/QUOTE] I did what you told me to do, good sir. But seriously, I can judge if need be and I don't want to write for the theme. I guess I'll be more useful in telling you that after a theme is determined, though.

I'm really interested in this. I'll definitely submit some things, but I also want to be a judge. Of course, this means that I can't judge any category I submit to. Do you have any ideas for a rubric?

[QUOTE=Penultimate;23666379]Do you have any ideas for a rubric?[/QUOTE] Good thinking. I'll come up with one now and put it in the final thread.

Do story entrants need to be finished? Because I have a story I started writing, then took a long hiatus from. It's currently 33 pages, going onto the 34th (Microsoft Word), and it's not very far in to the story I originally envisioned it to be. I also have various stories of varying length scattered around, but that's my grand opus, I suppose.

Probably do one contest at a time

You should probably put some sort of lenghtlimit on the entered stories EDIT: also im in, im really bad though