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Post by Torey on Aug 19, 2011 15:17:28 GMT -5
Good luck, Aged. Make sure it's REALLY good so it has a good chance to get in; I'm determined to find out if we can get in twice XD
Yeah, hopefully we'll find out if we can win twice in the editorial.
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Post by agedbeauty on Aug 19, 2011 15:31:29 GMT -5
Thanks! Ditto, since I assume you're writing too I re-submitted my editorial question. I just wanna knowww
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Post by Herdy on Aug 19, 2011 16:30:09 GMT -5
"... your tail is on fire!"
I turned in horror to see the fabric of my tail smouldering, set alight by a stray ember from the Eyrie's campfire. Trying to madly pat it out, a circled round, attempting to catch my own tail, but it was no use.
Clever Clogs Usuki rushed forwards, grabbing my backpack and ripping it off me. She began rifling through the contents until she located what she was looking for - a Usuki Beach Accessories set. She held the cool lemonade it contained aloft for a moment, before throwing it over my smouldering tail.
"How did you know?" I asked.
"Logical, really," Clever Clogs Usuki chuckled. "You come prepared for every eventuality."
"We really have to get back to the shop," Sloth Usuki said. "It's Usukicon tomorrow, and we all need to be back and in best condition."
Clever Clogs Usuki gasped, pointing at my tail.
"I'm so sorry, Explorer Usuki!" she cried.
My tail was now blackened where the fire had burnt it, and stained from the lemonade around it.
"You're a reject now, as well," Sloth Usuki said rather bluntly.
"I can't be put on display now..." I considered.
"Can you ever forgive me?" Clever Clogs Usuki asked.
I brightened, thinking about things from a different perspective.
"Forgive you?" I asked, throwing myself at her for a hug. "I should be thanking you! I don't want to go back to that shop, it's so limiting! Now I don't have to go back! I'm free! Just another reject on the city streets! Don't you see? I can go exploring now!"
"You can't go wandering around the city by yourself," King Skarl Usuki said.
"She won't be alone," the voice of Reject Magical Hair Usuki said, suddenly more confident than before.
She moved to stand next to me.
"I'm going with her," she announced. "Perhaps I can find somewhere that can repair me."
"A real adventure!" I said excitedly, jumping up and down. "You all get back to the shop, and don't worry about us. I promise we'll write."
Gradually, the group of Usukis said their goodbyes to us and marched off towards the Catacombs entrance.
When we were alone, Reject Magical Hair Usuki turned to me.
"Well, where are we going?" she asked.
I thought long and hard.
"A lot of toys are made on Terror Mountain during the Month of Giving," I considered. "Maybe there will be someone who can repair you there?"
She nodded, and linking arms, we started to make our way out of the Catacombs.
As we passed the little campfire, the words the Eyrie had whispered came to my mind.
"The story never ends."
And the adventure was only just beginning. Good luck all!
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Post by Torey on Aug 19, 2011 16:58:18 GMT -5
That's really good, Herdy! I haven't even written anything yet. I've been writing some non-Neopets fiction lol. Good luck Herdy and Aged and whoever else decides to write. It's a bit too late for me now unfortunately. It's time to turn the computer off for the night (it overheats so can't be on for more than about four hours at a time). I look forward to see who wins. I kind of don't want the story to end though
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the storytelling contest
Guest
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Post by the storytelling contest on Aug 19, 2011 17:24:20 GMT -5
okay, so… a few things.
simply put, posting shorter winners = more submissions. entries have been up substantially since the transition to shorter winning entries. because of the shorter winners, lots of folks who might’ve felt in the past like they didn’t stand a chance are now entering, and some of them are winning, which inspires even more folks to come in off the sidelines (a mention in the editorial probably didn’t hurt, either).
now, is there a likelihood that certain narrative aspects are getting shortchanged as a result? it’s entirely possible. here’s the thing, though – mister shankly’s original conception of the storytelling contest was fast-paced, unpredictable, and fun. what it wasn’t was a crowdsourced neopian times story, which is what (over the years, for better or worse) it’s become.
i hesitate to suggest examples since i know i’ll now be flooded with them, but if someone were to send in an entry that consisted of a really creative concept (say, 8-10 haikus, or an entry made up entirely of limericks, or a story beginning in drawn out cartoon form) that still managed to move the plot along, then i’m all but certain that that entry would be in the running to get chosen. mind you, we’re not trying to turn the storytelling contest into the poetry contest or the comics section of the nt – just trying to get you guys to use your noodles and come up with a few clever ideas, that’s all.
the fact of the matter is that, if we’re going to hold a contest, we’d rather that it be something that has broad appeal and lots of people participate, rather than just being a contest where a dozen or so people win a majority of the time. if / when the time comes to sit down and decide which contests stick around and which ones… go the way of the neoadventure spotlight *cough* then having the numbers to show that the storytelling contest’s appeal extends beyond a handful of diehards will be crucial to its continued existence.
lastly, with regard to the “win limit,” it’s still twice per week. the reason why no one’s won more than once each of the past few weeks is that so many more entries have come in (good entries, mind you, not just “and then they died, the end.”) that we’ve generally been able to take care of business without needing to rely on folks for multiple entries.
not gonna lie – if all else is equal (or at least within the ballpark) – and the choice comes down between someone who’s won 20,30, or even 50 times and someone who’s won once or twice (or not at all), then the latter is probably going to get a pretty sizeable advantage. we can see how this might be seen as unfair, but just think of it as your contribution to ensuring that the contest’s following doesn’t dry up and it stays off the scrapheap.
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Post by Herdy on Aug 19, 2011 17:35:27 GMT -5
Thanks for clearing it up Though, perhaps just to clear it up a little more - is this saying that longer entries are now out of the running entirely/need to be exceptional to be considered? (Excluding endings when there's a load of plot to tie up, of course) Not complaining about the change, challenge is challenge - just want to know so time isn't wasted writing longer stuff.
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Post by agedbeauty on Aug 19, 2011 18:18:12 GMT -5
I appreciate you stopping in to give it to us straight - we appreciate that. I don't know that the answers are necessarily ones that makes everyone happy, but I know I speak for all of us when I say sincerely - thank you for stopping in and telling us about what's going on. It kind of stinks to be penalized for having contributed regularly, but I guess it is what it is and I understand that you need to do what you need to do. I think that is also an answer to the double win question - while they're technically possible, it's unlikely to come from a regular then, right? Since even if we write something awesome, chances are someone else wrote something that will also progress the story? On the plus side, I've spent a lot more time on personal writing now. The shorter entries require a lot less time commitment both in reading and comprehending the story and in contributing to it, so that's a positive element - turning those 5-6 thousand words a week inwards has definitely made a dent in my personal writing goals!
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Post by Mel ♪ on Aug 19, 2011 19:08:18 GMT -5
Thank you for clearing that up ^_^
While I'm not quite sure I agree with newbies getting an advantage over people who have won many times, I guess I can live with that. I'd rather have the contest and not be able to win as much than not have the contest at all...
Edit: Congrats, Rune and Herdy c:
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Post by agedbeauty on Aug 19, 2011 19:52:08 GMT -5
Congrats Herdy - lovely ending! =)
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Post by Torey on Aug 20, 2011 5:24:31 GMT -5
Thanks for clearing it up Congrats Herdy!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 20, 2011 12:47:17 GMT -5
Thanks so much for the answers. =)
I remember when I was a Storytelling newbie I would discouraged when I saw the same names get in every time, so I understand why a slight advantage is given to newer writers. It isn't fair that a story should be told by the same twelve people over and over again, really. Challenges can be fun. >D
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Post by Schefflera on Aug 20, 2011 14:41:03 GMT -5
It would be ironic for the success of skilled and persistent writers to destroy the contest.
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Post by linsay|ahdodadodaday on Aug 20, 2011 16:42:46 GMT -5
i leave for a couple of weeks and now the rules have changed? xD so we're not allowed to write long entries any more?
and could i ask, has the stc judge changed? i noticed that the ending note on the penultimate post has changed so i was just curious :3
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Post by Mel ♪ on Aug 20, 2011 22:14:19 GMT -5
i leave for a couple of weeks and now the rules have changed? xD so we're not allowed to write long entries any more? and could i ask, has the stc judge changed? i noticed that the ending note on the penultimate post has changed so i was just curious :3 I think so? Not sure =/
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Post by Schefflera on Aug 21, 2011 12:17:31 GMT -5
It certainly appears that way; the post above reflects a very different writing style in addition to the shift in priorities.
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