August '06 Elimination

[Scheherazade]

Please vote for the story you like best and the winner will be take part in the final vote at the end of the year.

Discussion of the stories are not allowed not to influence the outcome of the poll.

If contributors would like to ask questions, they should email us at [email protected],
instead of asking them on here!

Please note that the authors agree to keep their identities secret when they enter the competition.
Those who breach this rule will be disqualified automatically.


Good luck, everyone! :)

[Scheherazade]

More stories:

[Zippy]

More tough choices this month!

[Scheherazade]

More tough choices this month!Agree, Zippy! :)

What amazes and pleases me most is the variety of styles, themes and techniques we encounter with each selection. I think the members of this Forum is a talented bunch :)

[Kelly_Sprout]

Agree, Zippy! :)

What amazes and pleases me most is the variety of styles, themes and techniques we encounter with each selection. I think the members of this Forum is a talented bunch :)

I'm a little bit mystified though... with eight authors this time, why are there only four votes so far? Are authors afraid to vote or just embarrassed to vote for themselves and unwilling to vote for anyone else?

[Scheherazade]

I'm a little bit mystified though... with eight authors this time, why are there only four votes so far? Are authors afraid to vote or just embarrassed to vote for themselves and unwilling to vote for anyone else?It is only the beginning of the month yet and so far all the contributers have been sportsmanlike; many vote not for their own stories but the ones they think is the best :thumbs_up

[grace86]

When do we have to have our votes in?

[Scheherazade]

By September 1st (the poll deadlines are usually stated at the top of the polls :)).

[grace86]

Sorry, a little blind in the morning. Thanks for letting me know though.

[Adelheid]

Just a question.

If at the time of submission, the story is still unpublished (if it's submitted in the early part of the year) but is later published during the year, will it be disqualified for the finals in November? (Assuming it makes it there) :D

[RobinHood3000]

While we're on the subject, I believe that technically, availability online in this manner qualifies as first online publication.

[Shannanigan]

Arg! It's going to be hard for me to find time to read these! I'm training a new person to take over my job and then I go back to school! Nooooooo....

[Zippy]

While we're on the subject, I believe that technically, availability online in this manner qualifies as first online publication.

I think it depends on what print magazine or internet mag you're submitting your story to.

Some have very stringent guidelines and won't consider a story which has been entered onto an online writers' forum. They count that as being published.

Most of the magazines I've had luck with are a bit more relaxed. They know that a lot of writers post their stories on workshops and sites to get feedback and to improve their writing. They only count a story as being 'published' if it's an actual magazine it's appeared in.

[RobinHood3000]

Really? Well, that's a relief.

[Pendragon]

I think it depends on what print magazine or internet mag you're submitting your story to.

Some have very stringent guidelines and won't consider a story which has been entered onto an online writers' forum. They count that as being published.

Most of the magazines I've had luck with are a bit more relaxed. They know that a lot of writers post their stories on workshops and sites to get feedback and to improve their writing. They only count a story as being 'published' if it's an actual magazine it's appeared in.Quite true. Also a lot of on-line places copyright the story to the author anyway, so that story is still yours to change or do whatever with you chose. Now most magazines copyright to the magazine, so you would have to get permission from the magazine to republish your own story if, say you decided to put out an anthology of your work. Since all I have ever published are my Shadow short stories on http://www.spaceports.com/~deshadow/ (look under Two-Minute Mysteries I'm due one published this weekend!), I would be safe.

[Scheherazade]

Just a question.

If at the time of submission, the story is still unpublished (if it's submitted in the early part of the year) but is later published during the year, will it be disqualified for the finals in November? (Assuming it makes it there) :DWe require the stories entering this competition must not have been published before or during the competition (in online or actual magazines). Since this is a cyber medium, we have very little chance of checking the authenticity of the stories and preventing plagiarism if they are published before.

Those stories which have been published before and their writers will be disqualified automatically.

[Kelly_Sprout]

Just a question.

If at the time of submission, the story is still unpublished (if it's submitted in the early part of the year) but is later published during the year, will it be disqualified for the finals in November? (Assuming it makes it there):D

We require the stories entering this competition must not have been published before or during the competition (in online or actual magazines). Since this is a cyber medium, we have very little chance of checking the authenticity of the stories and preventing plagiarism if they are published before.
Aye, but the question is not pertaining to either publishing elsewhere (ie: in a magazine or online somewhere else) nor to the eligibility to the original competition. It is referring to the technical catch-22 of participating in the finals of this competition. If it is unpublished in the August elimination, but consequently published by LitNet itself (as it/they is/are in this very self-same thread in messages #1 and #2), then does it qualify or is it disqualified when the final, end-of-year round of competition occur?

[Scheherazade]

We require the stories entering this competition must not have been published before or during the competition (in online or actual magazines). Since this is a cyber medium, we have very little chance of checking the authenticity of the stories and preventing plagiarism if they are published before.

Those stories which have been published before and their writers will be disqualified automatically.If a story goes through the finals and gets published elsewhere during the finals time, it will be disqualified as it will have been published during the competition.

However, they will not be disqualified for taking part in the eliminations of LitNet (then, no story would qualify for the finals as they will all have been published on here). I think Adelheid's question is refering to stories which appear elsewhere.

[Adelheid]

Thanks. My question was actually answered by your reply to Kelly Sprout- but as it has been replied to, it is of no consequence now. :)

If the author posts the story in his/her blog, is it considered published online? I think so right? But I'd like to be really sure. :D Thanks for your help, Scheherazade. :thumbs_up

[Scheherazade]

If the author posts the story in his/her blog, is it considered published online? I think so right? But I'd like to be really sure. :D Thanks for your help, Scheherazade. :thumbs_upYou are welcome, Adelheid. :) And yes, if it is posted in a blog, it is considered published online.

[Scheherazade]

We need more votes, folks! Only 3 weeks left for you to read these stories and have a say in who goes to the Finals!

[grace86]

I am going to vote!! I had three I loved, they were all very well written. I have narrowed it down to two.

[Adelheid]

It is hard isn't it... everyone writes so well. :thumbs_up

[grace86]

Okay I finally voted..Grr...it was so hard. I wish I could have picked two!! But I really enjoyed all of them. They were all written so well.

[Zippy]

Looks like we may have a tie-breaker on our hands. What happens then?

[RobinHood3000]

Month's not over yet!

[Pendragon]

But the sands are running through the hourglass... ;) I can't believe the contest has come this far with so few votes! :confused:

[Scheherazade]

But the sands are running through the hourglass... ;) I can't believe the contest has come this far with so few votes! :confused:Ditto.



__________________

[RobinHood3000]

Erm...yeah, now might be a good time to worry...

[RobinHood3000]

...my apologies for the double post, but seriously, we need more votes.

[grace86]

I know more people who actually read the stories than those who voted!!!

[SleepyWitch]

I've just voted...
i found it very hard to decide, too.
there were around 3 or 4 stories I really liked..
where's everybody gone to? didn't there use to be more members who voted?

[RobinHood3000]

Hmm...the plot thickens with those last two votes.

[Logos]

It's summertime, the forums are less active, people are on holidays or more likely to be away from the computer, though that will change soon with school starting in mere weeks (in North America anyway). Maybe next year the competition will take a break for the summer months ;)

[SleepyWitch]

The Internet for Dummies by Logos :)
sorry, I tend to forget that trivial worldy things such as the season can have an influence on human behaviour :)
i find it hard to vote... sometimes the stories I like best are not the objectively most well-written ones...
we should have a list of 150 criteria that everyone has to stick to in making up their mind :) heheh just joking :)

[Logos]

Well, I don't pretend to know human nature in all it's intricacies, just a few guesses :p I like your suggestion of a list of criteria SleepyWitch, I've been out of school for eons and am not "up" on what to look for critically in a short story.

[Virgil]

Wow, the stories get better each month. I had a tough decision to make. None of the stories were perfect, but all were good.

[Shannanigan]

Bleh...I feel so bad, I haven't been near computers much since I've been moving around a lot. When I am near computers, its to do homework or check e-mail quick before going to do something...

I'll try to read them and vote today at work...

[Adelheid]

heh... 3 days left everyone! Decide quickly!

[Schokokeks]

Aw, I would have liked to vote for more than one !
But now I guess I'll just distribute lots of cookies to all the great writers here on LitNet !!

[RobinHood3000]

...I do believe things just got a bit more complicated. :eek:

[Adelheid]

...I do believe things just got a bit more complicated. :eek:

Really? how? There' still one winner, although another's catching up!

It's too sad that not everybody's stories are voted for- especially after all the hard work put in. But be encouraged- I think everyone has done a marvelous job, and deserves a great round of applause and a thumbs up! :thumbs_up :D

[RobinHood3000]

Actually, it is still a tie -- Bookworm Cris has too few posts to vote. Hence, the complication. Still...


~clap clap clap clap clap clap~

[Virgil]

Actually, it is still a tie -- Bookworm Cris has too few posts to vote. Hence, the complication. Still...


~clap clap clap clap clap clap~

Oh, oh. Is someone going to win on a technicality? :crash:

[Shannanigan]

Not fair! I wake up extra early to read these and vote before I have to get homework done, and you guys give me THESE great stories to choose between!?!?

There were definitely 2 that I really, really, really, wanted to vote for, but the rest were also so impressive that I think with a little editing I would have wanted to vote for all 8!

I guess my vote might just seal the deal...

[RobinHood3000]

Yup, looks like it! :) Crisis averted, although who knows what'll happen in the next 24 hours or so?

[Pendragon]

Well, 24 hours can make a lot of changes...;) It ain't over till it's over, as the guy said...;)

[Shannanigan]

Ugh! I want it to be over so I can find out who wrote the "other story" that I wanted to vote for so badly!

I really liked it, but for reasons that I will not yet mention (no discussion of stories allowed until the poll is closed rule) I voted for the one I did....but I still really, really liked it and want to commend the author! lol...

(I figure my vote on the other story is commendation enough...)

[Scheherazade]

Going once...

[RobinHood3000]

It appears that the clock is ticking...

[Shannanigan]

It appears that the clock is ticking...

It has always been ticking, my friend...

[RobinHood3000]

Yes, but it always seems louder around the end of the month.

[Shannanigan]

Tick! Tock! Tick! Tock!

[RobinHood3000]

Almost time to announce the winner...

[Scheherazade]

Going twice...

[Shannanigan]

Okay, it's the 1st here...how long do I gotta wait?!?! lol

I wanna know who wrote ~boyfriend puts hands over my mouth and muffles my words~....

:p

[RobinHood3000]

...time's up. Congratulations to the winner, "On Terrapin Pond"!!

[Kelly_Sprout]

Can I make any guesses as to who wrote what?

I've got a guess for both "On Terrapin Pond" and "Airborne Honour". If the administrators would allow, I'd like to name my guesses before the actual announcement.

[RobinHood3000]

I don't think we're allowed to discuss theories on who wrote the winner -- only the runners-up, if anyone. I'm curious to know your guess for "Airborne Honour," though.

[Shannanigan]

Woot! Poll closed...

Congrats to whoever wrote On Terrapin Pond! I enjoyed it very much :) (I voted for it, woot! woot!) lol

I want to know who wrote Evolution! I liked it a lot, and it was a tie in my head between that and On Terrapin Pond...eenie-meenie-miney-mo...need I say more?

I wrote one, it didn't win, anyone wanna guess which one? lol...

[Pensive]

I wrote one, it didn't win, anyone wanna guess which one? lol...

Is it Table 93? If so, you did a good work on it. :D

This month's stories were very difficult to choose from. I was really confused which one to vote for. Good job by everyone!

[Shannanigan]

Awww, thanks Pensy! :) That was me :p

And thanks also to Sleepywitch for voting for it, I felt so special...when I was up next to those other stories I really wasn't expecting to get any votes.

[Pendragon]

Congradulations to the winning story and to all who participated and voted. Hey, the one I voted for didn't win, but I never backed a horse yet I didn't think was worthy of it! Good job! Sorry to see some didn't even get a vote. Man, that's sad. Vote for yourself if you have to, just to get noticed! ;)

[RobinHood3000]

YOU wrote Table 93, Shannanigan? I really liked that one, nicely done!!

[Shannanigan]

~blush~ thanks. Let me just say that the greatest inspiration often comes from real-life experiences, teehee :D

Pendragon, I agree with you that it can be disheartening for those who didn't get any votes, but honestly all of the stories were great and I think that it's not something to be upset about...look at how many people commented at how hard it was to vote! It's the collection of so many good stories put next to eachother that made it so difficult :D

[Virgil]

I too thought it was a good story, Shan. Like I said, each month the stories got better and better.

[RobinHood3000]

Incidentally, Shannanigan, the trend is officially broken. I may say candidly you didn't vote for mine this month.

[Shannanigan]

gasp! how dare I?

are you going to put it up again for commentation...because I honestly don't know which one it was?

(or did you already do it and I am too lazy to go look? lol)

Thanks, Virgil! :D

[RobinHood3000]

Haha, actually, it IS already up for commentary; I've been waiting for a post in vain for a few hours now. :p

[Taliesin]

I want to know who wrote Evolution! I liked it a lot, and it was a tie in my head between that and On Terrapin Pond...eenie-meenie-miney-mo...need I say more?



Why, thank you.
We wrote Evolution.


It was a difficult vote. We were between Airborne Honour and The Cellar but finally chose the first one.

And Robin, we know that you wrote Airborne Honour.
a) because you have already posted it in the General Writing section
and
b)because of the eeeevil qualities of MWORD
But we hope that it didn't influence our vote.

[RobinHood3000]

Thanks -- I was aware of that, and changed it in the version up for commentary. To be honest, I had rather hoped no one would think to look there, as I'm rather paranoid and was shocked when I realized.

Could you do me an enormous favor and remove the specific method of finding that information from your post? :blush:

And Scher, an absolutely huge, massive favor would be to make my previous entries no longer downloadable in the original elimination threads; I've posted updated versions of them in independent threads, anyway, and to be honest, I'm a bit nervous...

[Shannanigan]

Wow Taliesin! It was really good, I felt like you had been reading my blog and tailored the story to fit my personality! lol...

I found it, Robin :) You para ;)

[Schokokeks]

~blush~ thanks. Let me just say that the greatest inspiration often comes from real-life experiences, teehee :D

As for me, I liked how you describe ! Very easy to imagine the nasty ladies at their table :nod:. Me too, I'm a waitress, but I could never write anything like that ;)

[Kelly_Sprout]

Perhaps I should have voted for my own, but I didn't think that was very honorable, so I chose another instead. Turns out I backed the winner, so not all was lost! (grin). Although at the time of voting, I eliminated my own from my mind and then selected the one I thought was best from the remaining choices, as the month wore on and I reread all of them several times, I slowly began to acknowledge that perhaps I had picked the best one even if I had included my own in the choices. Well done, to whoever wrote On Terrapin Pond.

[SleepyWitch]

Awww, thanks Pensy! :) That was me :p

And thanks also to Sleepywitch for voting for it, I felt so special...when I was up next to those other stories I really wasn't expecting to get any votes.

hehe, :) I liked the story :) to be (compulsively) honest, I thought some of the other stories were better written than yours but I liked the real-life theme... i worked in two crap jobs as a teenager, so I know the kind of customer you wrote about :)

[Scheherazade]

Congratulations to the writer of 'On Terrapin Pond', who is the winner of August elimination.

Those entrants who would like to hear about others' thoughts on their stories can post their stories in individual threads.

You can now email your stories for the October elimination.

I would like to thank everyone who have taken part and/or taken the time to read and vote in the competition so far.