You'll have probably noticed we've been a bit inactive recently. This is because we were working on this here contest for you all, and we didn't want to post it whilst Scribblefest was still going to avoid conflicts. Now that it's over, we feel now's the best time to get started.

This contest is, like many of the others we've tried hosting, a bit different. Usually, completing a story is a great start towards having a strong contest entry. Not so this time around! One of the questions I've seen posed a lot on TWG (which I help admin) is how do I get people interested in a story? Well, today, we're investigating this directly.

Anyone wishing to participate may only provide the first chapter of their story. It'll be your job to make that first chapter as appealing as possible and get people excited for the continuation of the story. You'll have to think of things like 'how do I hook a reader' and 'how do I make this story look promising?'

If this sounds unusual, that's because it is. Nevertheless, having a strong beginning is one of the surest ways to attract attention on FimFiction, and tackling the matter sounds like a good use of our time. Plus, this time around, we'll have actual prizes!

Rules:

-Each participant must provide the first chapter of a story, which can be of any length between 1000 and 6000 words. However, it must only be the first of a longer story. If more than one chapter is provided, only the first will be judged.

-Stories must be written specifically for this contest, so no older stories or stories published before this contest aired.

-Any kind of story is allowed. The things we will be judging is how interested we are in reading the rest of the story, as well as how it presents its premise, and initial appeal. Whilst content like porn or gore is allowed, you may want to consider having more to your story than that.

-Wanting to crush your enemies underfoot is mandatory.

-Deadline will be two weeks from now, on the 20th of March.

As for judging, I was initially going to have this be done by popular vote, but unfortunately, I don't think that would be easy to enforce (although it would certainly be interesting if I could guarantee unbiased readers). As such, your judges will be myself, and Verbose and Mac Edgy. Between the three of us, we've got some pretty diverse tastes, so once we stop arguing, there shouldn't be too much bias.

Prizes! Everyone likes prizes. This time around, we will have some concrete prizes for everyone, although they're a bit steam-reliant. First place will earn any steam game or games up to 30£, that I will send off using the gift system (which I've used before, so I shouldn't need too much technical help). Second place earns a steam game up to 15£ in much the same way, and third place earns dem bragging rights.

Why Steam, you ask? Because I've got it, and I know how it works.

Deadline: 20th of March. By that, I mean that as soon as the whole world has gone into the 21st, the contest is over, and we begin judging. This includes the strange land of Nukualofa (I think that's how it's spelt).

Any questions, post below. Good luck, fellas.

Nice :)
How is it to be submitted, though? In the post here or as a standard story? (The explanation of having more than one chapters seems to suggest that, but still, thought I'd ask)

5091848 Good question!

Whilst I'd much rather the story is posted on FimFiction, if, because this is a single chapter deal, you don't want to submit it to FimFiction before it's completed entirely, I think it's okay to submit it in form of GDocs, DA thingy, or really, anything I can get my grubby hands on and show the other judges. It would also be great if any other contestant could also see it too, so there's a bit of intercontestant viewing going on.

Huh. Maybe I'll do this. I actually just recently came up with an idea for a cool crossover fic, but it would have ordinarily demanded a lengthy adventure plot I don't really have time to write all of.

This sounds interesting. Count me in!

5091601 Hi, I'm new, and I totally joined this group once I saw this contest (I like entering contests, okay? Sue me!)

That being said, how do we let you know that our story is up? Do we submit a link to it on this forum? Do we PM someone directly?

*Takes a shot of vodka, smashes the glass to the ground. Then tosses a near dead cigarette under hoof killing it. Nods to let the sunglasses slide down across the eyes. Smiles like a real big boss bug.* Challenge... ACCEPTED!

5091601

-Wanting to crush your enemies underfoot is mandatory.

>don't have feet

5093718 This one does.

No excuses.

5093748
What in the hell sorta freaks of nature have you been researching?
I wouldn't want to put that thing in my basket, let's put it that way.
This is what GM foods gets ya...

5091601 I like this idea... I can't write multi chapter fics without dying... uh... I'll get back to you.

http://www.fimfiction.net/story/319329/crime-pays

5094288 Jesus. Did you write that in a day?

5095278 The idea has been in my head for a while, and competition brings out the best in me

5095281 Fair play. I'll be adding it to a special folder once I've got it up.

5095283 Awesome! This contest is hella weird, but I really like it.

5095286 We kinda like weirdness. Our last one (which didn't work out, unfortunately) was about imitating an MLP episode, right down to the length constraints and breaks for commercials. We even included a last-minute Hasbro request to accommodate. I was really disappointed it didn't pan out, because it was really fun to come up with.

5096642

You need to write the first chapter of what must be a longer story. You may link us to your story on Fim Fiction directly, or to a GDoc is you use one. For the rest, simply follow the Contest Instructions.

Good luck !

5096649 That was uncharacteristically friendly. D:

5096653

Do not be fooled. I'm just waiting for any occasion to use my new gif.

Also, one must know how to hide its true nature.

5091601 I'll bite. I should have something relatively soon, although the NLE might say otherwise.

5096690 NLE?

5096694 National Latin Exam. I've taken it for the past two years, and it is a pain to get through. I'm taking it again later this week.

5096696 Oof, latin. Did that once. One of the worst mistakes of my life.

It was bad. So bad vocabulary didn't cover how much I sucked. If latin weren't already a dead language, my skill at using would have butchered it so much you could put it six feet under six times over. I had so little talent that physicists learned that the smallest concievable unit that can exist in the universe is known as the 'Hap's latin level'. I hear it's groundbreaking. If Antman shrank himself down past the smallest atom and into the fabric of the universe, he'd still need a microscope to locate my ability at writing the language.

If I were feeling poetic, I'd even say that I was not very good.

5096714 Yeah, the language can be a pain sometimes. Hopefully I can make it through this batch alright. Also, I love the phrasing of your comment.

Ooh, looks like this one's getting a lot of attention! Now it's getting interesting.

5091601 I may enter this contest.

...Only so I may win and bathe in the blood of my enemies.

5097132 That's the best reason for doing anything. Baths are important for hygiene.

5097247 I worry though, is that 6k max word count negotiable? I've got an idea but I don't think I can pack everything into the first chapter and have it still be 6k.

5097453 The real important bit is that it serves as an opening chapter to a larger story. I picked 6000 words since very few stories really need more than that and it's a pretty strong way to ensure nobody just packs the entire story into the first chapter. Of course, I know FimFic's word counting program is ultra-weird, having just banged heads against it for the EFNW contest recently, so I'm happy to be flexible with it up to a few hundred words. If there's a serious problem and you end up with a first chapter of 7000 or so words, PM me and I'll see if we can work something out, but if possible, try and remain as close as you can to 6k.

EDIT: of course, if you have a much shorter story and actually finish it within the 6k words, then we have another problem entirely, since the whole point is it being incomplete.

5097467 Even though I have yet to actually write anything yet, I'm estimating my first chapter at somewhere around 8k words, one particular scene being about 4K words.

So I may already disqualify.

5097500 Possibly. But what I can do is take a look when you have it ready and make a judgement call if I need to, so don't despair entirely (although 2k words is likely a bit overboard).

5097508 Sounds good. Though, this is all theoretically banking that I actually finish before the time limit.

Better get writing I guess.

5097510 That would be wise! Good luck, whatever happens.

5091601

Well, I just finished my entry:

The Great Equestrian Dragon Ball Scramble

There wasn't anything in the rules saying it couldn't be a crossover, so I went for it. It's not like you need to be a hardcore fan to understand the chapter or anything. Heck, I've never even watched DBZ or the original series, just Team Four Star's abridged series and Dragon Ball Super.

ONE WEEK WARNING, CHUMS!

Deadline is on the 20th.

5091601 Brief question. If I were to post a link to my GDOC now (which has the story in it), would I still be able to go back and make some final edits as long as it's before the final deadline? Don't worry, it's all minor stuff. I don't have any big additions or changes, only minor, but I have something of an issue worrying about contests, deadlines and forgetting things.

5113740 Thanks for the quick reply.
5091601 Well, here goes nothing. Winter's Crown.

5114355 Awesome. That leaves us at three entries. Just one more and we'll have enough for a top three and runner up.

20th?! I could have sworn it was 28th...
Aww... I'll try for runner up...

5115278 Because this one only involved the first chapter, with the kind-of goal to not finish the story, I kinda figured more than two weeks was a bit excessive. Usually I'd go for a whole month.

5115778 I know :) Just my lists for seeing/remembering wrong :(

2 days left and I've got 500 words.

Of a 6k outlined chapter.

Fuck.

Deadline is tomorrow, guys!

Remember, when the whole world has gone into the 21st, the contest is over. That means it will have officially ended when it's around, what, 12 O'clock Monday, GMT? Sounds about right. Gotta cater to those users from Baker Island. Or Alofi.

Here is my story entry.
Deadly Courier

5117729 Thanks :) There is hope yet!

5091601 All right, and here's my entry! Since I've already got people begging me for sequels to two other one-shots, I'm not going to put myself or the readers through it and just make this a Google Doc!

Hope you like it! This story is called:

5091601 Question: Does it have to be a story about ponies?

Edit: I now see that the contest is nearly over and my story would just be incredibly rushed if I chose to make an entry at this time.

5119100 Yeah. Definitely about the ponies.

I realize I didn't clarify that, but I'm pretty much a pony-only guy when it comes to these things, unless I specifically say so.

5091601 Since it's literally an intro chapter, I'm going for gdoc. Hopefully to be developed and published soonish... ( O:))

In any event hope you enjoy :)

(will also give me insight as to its understandable at all... :P)

Celestia's Lost Class