SHORT STORY WRITERS CONTEST -- Aug 2023 -- YOU SPIN ME --YSM2023 --winners announced

This is an Official ATS Short Story Writers Contest!

It is open to ALL members of ATS.

This area is a safe place for our 'mighty fine creative minds' to gather. If you'd like to participate, know that the Terms and Conditions of your membership are strongly enforced. Profanity, Political baiting, Personal attacks, are not allowed or welcomed at all. Want to talk about something else? Then go to the other forums here at ATS. We only discuss the stories in here written by YOU, the membership.

By submitting a Short Story in an Official ATS Contest, you agree to the following;

Your Entry Has to be Original Fiction & posted in it's own thread HERE in the Short Stories forum,. Then in this contest thread, create a post with a link to your story. If you need any help with Spelling or Grammar-checking, Word-Counting, and more please visit; Writer Tools; Spell Check and More

Your Story Should be written and edited with paragraphs. We have noticed that stories copy & pasted from 'mobile devices' might lose their formatting. Please review how it looks on the ATS Thread and add the proper editing (as you have only about 20 minutes to make edits/corrections). This is a contest, no one wants to read a solid block of words.

A.I. Technology can not be used in the stories creation. Only ATS members are allowed to participate in the Contest.

You may enter more than once, but you can only win one prize.

"The END" needs to be at the bottom of your story, it wont add to the word-count.

You will be awarded "Writer" Status if you win 1st or 2nd in the non-writer category, please add in your stories title 'non-writer'.

The contest will run from NOW to Friday, September 1, 2023. Any submissions after that date will be disqualified. A period of ONE WEEK after the closing of the contest will be provided for reading & voting.

Contest Winners get to choose the next Contest Theme. This contest theme is courtesy of SprocketUK, our 2nd Place Winner and is entitled: YOU SPIN ME - YSM2023 --"You spin me right round baby right round

I am thinking here in terms of say a cyclotron like the LHC in CERN. Though it could be something far more mundane like the way falling in love can leave you off centre and bewildered."

RULES OF ENTRY (are simple)

* Entries must be original fiction. ATS members cannot be characters.
* The Contest is for Humans only: No AI submissions.
* Entries MUST include -YSM2023- in your Stories title. ( e.g. Wedded Bliss -YSM2023- non-writer )
* This is a 'SHORT STORY' Contest. Stories that run past the OP are accepted but no points given for additional posts.
* You need to post a link to your story here in this contest thread so others know that you made up an entry.
* You must stay within the Terms and Conditions (please read)

WINNERS and SCORING

ATS "Writer" status, prizes as follows:
1st -- 5 Applause, and gets to choose the next contest theme (Repeat winners can choose to pass to another for the theme of a future contest).
2nd -- 3 Applause
3rd -- 1 Applause

non-writer will receive the following:
1st Place -- 3 Applause & Writer Status
2nd Place -- 2 Applause & Writer Status
3rd Place -- 1 Applause

How the Contestants get points to win all depends on you! You can give FLAGS to your favorite story and add STARS to your favorite stories opening post.

We then tally up the scores of 'Flags' (worth 2 points each). And 'Stars' in the opening post (worth 1 point each)

And that's it! Got a question? We're happy to try and answer anything about the
contests/rules etc. But ENJOY this new contest, GOOD LUCK, HAPPY READING and HAVE FUN!

Note: New OP contest format, image selection and artwork thanks to JohnnyAnonymous. Artwork for this contest courtesy of Encia22





UPDATE----WINNERS
www.abovetopsecret.com...

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

Thanks, DTOM, for organising the new contest.

An interesting theme from SprocketUK, with a wide scope for spinning some fine yarns...



Good luck everyone!

A.I. Technology can not be used in the stories creation.

Welcome to our new world.

Cheers

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

Thank you for this contest again. Here is my entry www.abovetopsecret.com...

Writer

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

Ace I thought August would never come Great work on the pic btw

a reply to: SprocketUK

Cheers, SprocketUK, I did it specifically with you in mind.

a reply to: Encia22

And you did an ace job too!

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

Thank you for the opportunity. Here's an original I wrote and posted here previously. I updated to current events.

Non-writer

www.abovetopsecret.com...

I've got a tentative title and one sentence.

FML

a reply to: Moon68

a reply to: Moon68

That's a start, Moon68.

If you have the ending as well, try reverse engineering from that point. Like building a tunnel, the two ends will meet up somewhere in the muddle.

In fact, most of my stories have been retro-thought and written backwards.

a reply to: Encia22

We can all meet to discuss Moons entry or rename it how I spun the moon!

Gives me such pleasure to see another SS contest up and running. In spite of my lack of recent participation, this thread is the lifeblood that keeps me coming back. Everyone who contributes gives of themselves in a matter which will remain timeless.

Let us bow our heads in respect and wish for JohnnyAnonymous to reemerge into our midst. We miss you Johnny.

originally posted by: argentus
Let us bow our heads in respect and wish for JohnnyAnonymous to reemerge into our midst. We miss you Johnny.

I second that motion!

Good to see you again, Argentus. You have been missed as much as Johnny and some other old friends.

a reply to: JJproductions

Spinning got me thinking of my autistic granddaughter..

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Forgot to add "The End" . I have corrected. TY!

"Thank you for the opportunity. Here's an original I wrote and posted here previously. I updated to current events".

Non-writer

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Rather quickly done submission. But I like it nonetheless.

The Fountainhead of Autumn Storm

Grandpa......YSM2023




www.abovetopsecret.com...

Here's my entry...

Morning Glory