Fantasy Collaborative Writing Contest Idea [Please Opine]

Hello folks.

So the writing contests sort of fell off the map the last few months. My apologies about that.

I've caught up on the recent contest and now I think it's time to make another. Short stories are getting a little boring however, so I came up with this idea. I hope you all like it and please provide feedback if you think there's something that could change.

This contest will be open to members who already have the Writer status, as it will be done through the collaborative writing forum.

Next month's contest will continue as normal, will all members being able to participate.

Here's how this works.

I will play nature. I will create an opening post laying the framework for a world, time and place where your character will be.

The contest will run in 3 stages, with members being disqualified based on the scoring.

Part 1

You will create a character based on guidelines I will put in the OP. Your first entry will be an introduction to your character. A back story, a general idea of what the character looks like and what he or she is currently doing in the setting that I've provided.

This portion will NOT be collaborative in nature. Members at large will vote for which 6 members did the best at their introductions and those members will move forward to part 2.

Part 2

At this point the members will split into teams of two.

Nature will create a circumstance for you all to deal with. The order in which you will post will be determined by the scoring of the previous round. I haven't yet worked out if first will be last or if last will be first though, so more on that later.

This portion WILL be collaborative. You will need to create a post for yourself and your partner together, drawing on what nature has put in front of you as a means of driving the story forward.

Members will vote for the 3 best posts, and those members will move forward to part 3.

Part 3

Nature will again force you to react to a given circumstance, based on where the previous posts have taken the story. This portion will consist of two posts per member, drawing on each others posts as well as anything else that's been set in the thread.

It's going to be more complicated than your average contest that's for sure. The membership will then vote for the overall winner and they will be crowned the ATS Collaborative Writing Contest Winner.

If all goes well, we can run one of these every 3months as I would like to give them about 6 to 8 weeks of run time with a 2 to 3 week break in between.

So, I leave this in your hands, let me know what you think.

~Tenth

a reply to: tothetenthpower

Seems like a nice idea but I won't be able to participate - not enough internet time for me.

a reply to: swanne

That's one of the reasons why I want to give the contest 6 to 8 weeks, so that members who may want to participate, but don't have all the time in the world can do so

a reply to: tothetenthpower

After much considerations, I think I will decline anyway. But I hope many won't. It's a really interesting idea.

a reply to: tothetenthpower

I'm game!

Sounds like a worthy challenge!

Ah, I was looking forward to this one after limbering up the creative muscle, but I'm not a writer ... So I guess I'll catch the next one.

originally posted by: ketsuko
Ah, I was looking forward to this one after limbering up the creative muscle, but I'm not a writer ... So I guess I'll catch the next one.

Don't count yourself out yet.

I'm thinking I'll allow everybody.

Just trying to get my ducks in a row. If there are a lot of members who want to participate, then it would be mean of me not to let them.

~Tenth

a reply to: tothetenthpower

I really like it! A lot!
I'm in too

a reply to: beezzer

a reply to: beansidhe

Suggestions?

originally posted by: tothetenthpower
a reply to: beezzer

a reply to: beansidhe

Suggestions?

Let me get back to you in a bit, I actually do!

a reply to: tothetenthpower

The premise is really good, and it has the potential to be brilliant, hilarious, poignant - depending on the pairings of characters.
One suggestion would be to let the members decide which pairings go together from the original six.
My other suggestion would be to echo Ketsuko's point and open this contest up to all members regardless of status.

Maybe all posts in sections 2 and 3 should be organised to be posted on the same day, or would that be too difficult to agree? Maybe that would be too awkward for everyone to manage - I'm not sure on that one, sorry.

a reply to: beansidhe

I like both those first suggestions.

As for the time frame, I wanted to keep really rigid deadlines away from the whole thing as I don't want people to think it's an exam or something like that. I think the writing will suffer if people are pressed for time.

a reply to: tothetenthpower

I think you're right, it would be too anxiety provoking to know you had to have your post in between the hours of x and y on a certain day. (Unless you're a lazy git like me who needs a deadline to actually get stuff done )

a reply to: tothetenthpower

Idea. . . .

Imagine a mall that is filled with every type of shop imaginable. From 10,000 BC to 10,000 AD. These shops sell every type of service or ware. From clothing to magic spells, from foods to pets of every type.

Character development can come from a shop keeper (from any time period) to a customer (from any time period).

Ta-Da!

So what do you think?

a reply to: beansidhe

...a lazy git like me who needs a deadline to actually get stuff done

/steals idea & develops 'lazy' protagonist
...now we need a love interest

a reply to: UNIT76

Develops love interest who not only has the personality of a shrew but the metabolism of one as well. She cannot be lazy and lets you know about it, but you adore that in her.

a reply to: beezzer
This mall wouldn't be located in...Nigeria...would it?
Hope not.

Character development can come from a shop keeper (from any time period) to a customer (from any time period).

That part reminds me of the movie - Gremlins.

a reply to: UNIT76

Absolutely no problem! Ha ha ha!
(Smiling on the outside, whilst secretly mulling over a plan to develop a character who thrives on identity theft...)

originally posted by: WanDash
a reply to: beezzer
This mall wouldn't be located in...Nigeria...would it?
Hope not.

Character development can come from a shop keeper (from any time period) to a customer (from any time period).

That part reminds me of the movie - Gremlins.

The mall exists. . . "anywhere"

originally posted by: beezzer
...The mall exists. . . "anywhere"

So - could it exist in a level of the Mayan cosmological Underworld?
...
Just wondering...