Fanfic Contest Discussion Thread

[KAIZA]

Well...since I suck at giving criticism, I guess I could be an entrant. If I could, I would offer prizes, but unfortunately, my art skills still count as mediocre in that regard.
I'd prefer if it were general, but if it's lemon...well, I guess I'd have to pop that cherry at some point.

[Cherry Lover]

Well, I would do a general contest, but I'm a bit wary because BL just did one, so I don't see that many people bothering to enter, aside from the people who are already here. At least a lemon contest is something a bit different.

[KAIZA]

Also, I don't remember the contest having anything against betas. What I remember was some discussion about point distribution, particularly Technical when betas are involved.

[lantzblades]

KAIZA your art is great.

and yeah sure i'll enter lemon or not.

[KAIZA]

KAIZA your art is great.

Well, I'm flattered, but I don't really think it's prize-worthy (especially compared to others I've seen).

[Milbunk]

I think that it would probably be best to play this relatively safe for it's first outing, maybe have a general category or if you want multiple ones then nothing too specific.

Also it would be a good way to attract more people to this forum if you wanted to do that.

[Alice]

I like the words Mil is saying. But yeah, since the forum's still on the smaller side, it might not hurt to have the categories for entries be on the broad side of the spectrum.  And we should hopefully have more people soon.

But yeah, sadly I have no prizes to offer other than giving the winner a fancy glowy name and a special usergroup due to lack of money. I can, however, judge if need be. I can also enter.

And your art is good KAIZA. Whether you think it's prize worthy or not is entirely up to you though.

[Cherry Lover]

I think that it would probably be best to play this relatively safe for it's first outing, maybe have a general category or if you want multiple ones then nothing too specific.

The thing is, we need to find a way to get people to enter a contest with no prizes on a forum they don't usually go to that is being run about a week after the BL contest finishes. I don't think "playing it safe" will work, because everyone will just see a generic fanfiction contest and think "nah, not worth it".

There was significant demand on BL for a lemon contest, so why not run one of those? It is at least different, which means people are more likely to come over for it.

Also it would be a good way to attract more people to this forum if you wanted to do that.

Attracting people to the forum is basically the whole point of it. Personally, I don't expect much of interest to me personally from the contest (because Sakura one-shots are often hard to write and most authors don't care), but it will be of interest to other people and, if we can get enough entrants, people will come over here to read the entries and post stuff about them.

I like the words Mil is saying. But yeah, since the forum's still on the smaller side, it might not hurt to have the categories for entries be on the broad side of the spectrum.  And we should hopefully have more people soon.

The thing is, I don't think that actually works. The broader the categories the harder it is to judge and compare the fics, and the more likely people are to get pissed off. Which, of course, means they just won't bother to enter.

But yeah, sadly I have no prizes to offer other than giving the winner a fancy glowy name and a special usergroup due to lack of money. I can, however, judge if need be. I can also enter.

Well, yeah, that's the thing, none of us can really offer much in the way of prizes.

And your art is good KAIZA. Whether you think it's prize worthy or not is entirely up to you though.

Well, I would say it is certainly as good as one of DP's fics, at least, and the BL contest had that as a prize....

[lantzblades]

Well, I'm flattered, but I don't really think it's prize-worthy (especially compared to others I've seen).

if you say so dude, better then me certainly

that is being run about a week after the BL contest finishes.

uh, you realize we need time to enter and then write it right? it'll be open for longer then a week.

(because Sakura one-shots are often hard to write and most authors don't care)

the latter might be true, the former not so much.

The thing is, I don't think that actually works. The broader the categories the harder it is to judge and compare the fics, and the more likely people are to get pissed off. Which, of course, means they just won't bother to enter.

have category winners and then an overall winner then.

[Cherry Lover]

that is being run about a week after the BL contest finishes.

uh, you realize we need time to enter and then write it right? it'll be open for longer then a week.

Well, yes, obviously, but people need to decide whether to enter pretty early on....

(because Sakura one-shots are often hard to write and most authors don't care)

the latter might be true, the former not so much.

The former is also true to some extent, particularly in the action category.

The thing is, I don't think that actually works. The broader the categories the harder it is to judge and compare the fics, and the more likely people are to get pissed off. Which, of course, means they just won't bother to enter.

have category winners and then an overall winner then.

Well, yeah, that is pretty obvious. It does mean that we need categories, though.

[lantzblades]

genre categories are rather easy

[Cherry Lover]

Yeah, definitely. It does divide the entrants up, though, and even BL only got a couple of entrants for some of the categories....

[lantzblades]

I think that that's fine

[Elf]

I actually agree with Mike on the Lemon Contest thing.

Back in the day F1 use to do lemon contests and they were amazing.  (And he had some good swag too, which was also good for the prizes.)

Plus a strict lemon contest would deviate this forum's contest from BL's.  Plus, Type-Moon started as an eroge, we're playing homage to it's roots.

Also for prizes, Arashi was saying he'd donate stuff to make his own contest.  Maybe someone should get in touch with him.  I know Milbunk's been talking to him lately.  I'd do it, but we have some issues between the two of us.

As for how it should be ran, maybe both a voting system and a judging system.

[lantzblades]

you have a great point Elf