Competition » The May 2020 Pairing Contest · 4:33pm May 2nd, 2020
It's May! You know what that means, right?
Welcome to the May 2020 Pairing Contest!
We had such a great turnout last year, so I've been waiting for months to announce that we're going to be bringing it back this year as well! If you competed last year, the rules are going to be basically the same. If this is your first time, welcome to the contest! Let's get started.
The May Pairing Contest? What's that?
If you've been on fimfiction for more than two days, you've probably noticed that the characters you see used in stories are typically only used with each other (for instance, the mane 6 plus Anon, Vinyl Scratch x Octavia, Derpy Hooves and Dr. Hooves, etc.) The May Pairing Contest is a competition to see who can write the best content by using two characters who we rarely see interact with each other. It's basically a fun way to get your creativity out and discover what would happen if two ponies who never get stories with each other (such as Princess Cadence and Fleur De Lis) just happened to be involved in the same plot!
So what are the rules?
The rules are as follows:
1. You may only use two character tags. You're allowed to have other characters in the story, but the plot should revolve around two characters who we rarely see interact with each other.
2. Your story may not include any of the following: OC's, Anon, Self-inserts or non-canon characters (which means unnamed changelings/gryphons/humans/etc.)
3. The story cannot be a crossover
4. The pairing must be rare if not unique. A story that focuses on Twilight and Octavia is OK, but not a story that focuses on Octavia and Vinyl Scratch.
5. All entries must be finished by the time they are submitted. No incomplete stories, please.
Is it ponies only, or can I use gryphons, seaponies, Equestria Girls, etc?
You're more than welcome to use whoever you'd like, just so long as they're canonical characters. Last year, we had a really fun story involving Gabby and Terramar, so if you can make it work, I'd love to see it!
How do I know if something is original, though?
Use your best judgement. If you're not sure, trying typing in the character tags into the search bar and seeing if there are many stories that predominantly center around the two characters you use. Of course, there are bound to be stories that use both tags that don't center around your pairing, so as long as you're honestly trying to use an original pairing, your submission will count.
Is there a word count? Does it need to be a specific rating? What about a genre?
You may use whatever genre or rating you prefer. As for word count... just try not to be over 10k words, OK? It's fine if it goes a little bit over, but please don't write an entire encyclopedia on the comprehensive history of Equestria, featuring Autumn Blaze and Bulk Biceps.
When does my story have to be finished by?
Submissions will go until 11:59 PST on May 31st. Can you imagine a May Pairing contest in June? Me neither.
How do I enter my submission?
By joining the Original Pairings group, you'll be able to post your story in the May Pairing Contest folder. Feel free to also post it in one of the other folders as well. It also doesn't hurt to put in the long description that you're writing this for the May Pairing contest.
How many stories may I submit?
Literally as many as you want, just so long as they meet all the criteria.
I just did a story like that a couple weeks ago! Can I submit it?
This year, we're doing just stories written between May 1st, 2020 and May 31st, 2020. Remember, even 1k words stories have a chance of winning 1st place!
Wait, there are winners?
Yes. There will be a first, second and third place. Once the contest is over, I will add the winners to the "Winners of the May Pairing Contest" folder along with the winners from 2019. It's also nice to put in the description of your story that you won an award. 
Not only that, but there are going to be CASH PRIZES!
First Prize will be awarded $15
Second Prize will be awarded $10
Third Prize will be awarded $5
Also, if you want to donate, be sure to PM PRlNCESS CADENCE so that the funds can be dispersed properly. All proceeds will go to the winners in a 3x2x1 ratio. (Important: Anyone who donates will not be allowed to win any of the cash prizes due to conflict of interest. I'd hate for someone to donate a whole bunch of money and be disappointed if they don't win. If you can donate, though, it would be a real treat for the winners!)
How will these stories be judged?
I (as well as possible judges, depending on how many entries we receive) will read every story that is submitted and will grade based on the following criteria:
- How original is the pairing?
- How well is the story written?
- How creative is the plot?
- How well has it been received on Fimfiction? (This will receive the least amount of consideration, but it is still a factor just so that there will always be more than one judge reading your story.)
AND THAT'S IT!
So I hope that all of you participate in the contest, and spread the word while you're at it! My goal is to get as many original stories going on Fimfiction as possible! I can't wait to read your stories. 
From April horror to May shipping, the contests lately have been interesting for sure.
So long as the characters are canon, how canon does the world around them have to be? For example, love forming in the trenches of the Sombra Wars, or romance blossoming between zeppelin technician and wealthy financier in Steampunk-questria?
Well now. This should be very fun. I'll see what I can come up with.
5254687
April scares bring May hugging mares.
if i clear out my assignments maybe hahah
I suppose the story has to be written in May.
I'd love to enter however most of my stories suck so I will be passing on the contest.
Interesting. NOPE! I'm already in a contest and I know I can't write well, I don't need to be in another. Probably. Maybe. Fine, I'll consider doing it after I write my other contest story. Happy, me? Very.
Finally! An excuse to write my Daring x Boulder crackfic!
(That's only half a joke. Maud is also involved, so this particular idea is ineligible.)
Combinations of less well known and obscure charactes can lead to a lot of world building, next year giving variations that build on those, but how often are rare pairings between more well known characters?
Poor Stephen Magnet. Up the river without a mudpack?
{unpopularhottake}Oh, thank Sun.{/commentdownvotesincoming}
Oh, a writing contest where the focus is on obscure character pairings?
GEE, I WONDER HOW YOU CAME UP WITH THAT IDEA?!
5254709
Next month, we're going on a quest for the six treasures of the Elements!
So I guess that means I can't use my story 'Turn Around, Flutters', huh?
Any restriction on the rating? And does the story have to primarily be a romance, or can that be a subplot of a story in a different genre?
Dang, I just had an idea for one a few days ago. Guess I have a reason to get working on it.
I just had an extremely silly idea thanks to this. Time to crank out another oneshot, then!
Would Coluratura and applejack be Eligible? Feel like they’re right right on the line of yay or neigh
Would Button Mash be an acceptable character to include?
Cool idea for a contest! Definitely tempted by this.
I do like doing this kind of thing once in a while, so sure, why not, this might be fun.
Just a quick question though, is there someone we can try running specific combinations by if we think of one sometime in the middle of the month? I know you said to use our best judgement, and I like that, but I was curious about certain cases of ones that seemingly came and went. Like, I was thinking of doing a Sandbar x Ocellus thing a couple months ago. I'm familiar it had traction for a while early on, but was pretty much sunk after Yonabar became a thing.
You know, Rainbow Dash and Moondancer would make sense, considering how much RD and Twi get shipped together.
Can we make up our own shippings or are we supposed to use the ones on the blog?
5254687
yep
Sounds fun.
I'm always interested in donating to good causes.
I can probably donate $50-$75 a week till the end of the contest.
5254749
Ah okay!
Can I write something Equestria girls? or is it just the main series?
Also do I need to link this post?
I should consider myself fortunate that I neglected to write that [Redacted] x [Redacted] story I’ve had in my head for years until now.
Out of curiosity, does R63 count as canon?
5254743
Since I sort of threw it out there anyway, is the whole Sandbar and Ocellus thing okay? Or is that a nay?
So does this contest require us to ship the two characters we use, or can they just be in any kind of story?
Does it need to be a romantic ship?
I can think of a few ponies I’d pair platonically to tell a story (Maud and Vinyl Scratch reminiscing about their university days, for example), but I wouldn’t wanna go against the spirit of the contest.
I see that it can be any genre, but just to be completely clear, the pairing itself doesn't have to be romantic?
I don't know if I'll enter but I love random ships, so if I don't end up entering I wish you all luck.
5254799
Noice! I've got a few non-ship pairings in mind that I can wrangle into stories.
In a flash of serendipity, I wrote a one-shot today to slam one more entry into DLS's contest before it ends that totally qualifies (Gilda/Ember). Can stories be in multiple contests?
Rarity the Homewrecker
... it'd probably just be cheating if I hammered out another Flash Sentry/Carrot Top fic. Dang.
i have no creative juices recently, but i read the rules and thought of pairing Stephen Magnet and Torch (Ember's father), so if anyone would like to use that one, go ahead!
5254814
Just to clarify, since these seem to be grey areas:
1. The rules indicate that "over 10k words" is considered the upper limit, but is there a given maximum (e.g. no more than 10% over)? Honestly, I'd prefer a solid indicator as to how e.g. 11k, 12k, 13k, 14k, 15k, or so on would be taken, given my own experience with word limits.
2. What's the policy regarding background characters? To me, they seem to be a borderline case between "canon character" and "OC". The episode "Slice of Life" helps with some of them, but what about characters like Cloudkicker or Sea Swirl who don't even have lines?
It's not a deal-breaker if the rules are going to be flexible or on a case-by-case basis, but a working idea ahead of time might help with, say, the editing stage.
Two things that I have to ask.
M/M?
-
Sex play and/or bad end?
I don't think your examples are the best examples. Every example in the image involves breaking up a canon pairing! You don't need to break up families in order to write a crackship. (You can, you just don't have to.)
pbs.twimg.com/media/ENnQRx_U8AAt32X?format=jpg&name=small
Thank Celestia. Bless you, kind sir.
img.favpng.com/21/11/8/rainbow-dash-youtube-pinkie-pie-how-the-grinch-stole-christmas-pony-png-favpng-TZ8SE3zduN6zQW3zXKsH9bDBE.jpg
5254852
Give me GlimTrix, or give me death.
(...also there have been strong hints about that one in secondary canon sources)
5254842
Gotcha. Another question I considered whilst browsing the character tags:
3. How should we treat group tags e.g. the Royal Guard, Wonderbolts, and so on? Ignore them since they're not technically one character, allow a one-character representative (e.g. Fire Streak and/or Surprise, since they are Wonderbolt members), treat the group as if it were a single entity and thus a single character, or some other approach?
Just a clarification question: When you say
Do you mean that it can't include them in the pairing in question, or it can't include them like...at all?
5254814 Started and finished today: The Enemy of my Enemy is Annoyingly Hot
Just to be sure, but are trios absolutely out of the question? Like, for example, a story involving Garble, Sweetie Belle and Shining Armor, where all three are equally important instead of one of them having a background role?
5254890
Excellent! Thank you for answering my questions. I think this should be enough to make a start; an idea has just struck my fancy. Bye for now!