CONTEST #1

Welcome to the first official contest of the Cutie Mark(ed) Crusaders group!

CONTRIBUTORS/ADMINS CAN PARTICIPATE, BUT THEY WILL NOT HAVE ANY ADVANTAGES OVER THE OTHER PARTICIPANTS TO ENSURE FAIRNESS

For this contest, the prompt is simply holiday spirit. Write a fanfiction featuring one or all of the Cutie Mark Crusaders doing something for the holidays. It doesn't matter if they have their cutie marks or not in the story. Please remember that your entry must focus primarily on the Cutie Mark Crusader(s) or else you will be disqualified. Gore and clopfics are not allowed; the rating must also be Everyone and not Teen or Mature. Holiday spirit revolves around happy things, so it wouldn't make sense to write something that's the complete opposite of the prompt.

Considering the current season, it'd be best if you write about Hearth's Warming (Christmas). In addition, all contest entries must be placed in the Contest: Holiday Spirit folder so they can be judged by me. Deadline is November 14th, 2015. The top three winners will receive a special mention on the group page alongside their winning stories. You must also include a link to this thread in the story description.

If you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask me.

4820507
I'll try... I'm so busy.

4820524

Don't worry, real life always comes first (if that's what you're busy with) before the Internet.

4820507 Are you saying that the Contributors and Admins are Judging the entries?
Or is it just that they would have unfair treatment in the contest?

On that note, a story is only qualified to be entered if it focus on at least one of the three?
Possibly with the honorary member included?

Considering the upcoming season, this choice sounds good. And it wouldn't really make sense with a sad to tragical holiday like this.
Even as dark as the origin of their holiday may be? Seems as if they have much darker reasons behind numerous of their holidays than one had expected.

I have an idea for a story featuring Sweetie Belle, guess i could have her celebrating the day.

4821568

Contributors and admins aren't required to judge, but they can if they apply for it.

Yes, a story is qualified if it focuses on at least one of the three primarily. If you mean an honorary member like Babs Seed or somepony else, no. It must be either Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, or just all of them together.

Even if the origin is dark, it's a holiday for joy and celebration.

I look forward to your entry.

4820507

CONTRIBUTORS/ADMINS CANNOT PARTICIPATE

Aww, that's what I feared. The burden of a contributor.
I wish people wouldn't automatically think that the judgement was rigged in favor of one of the contest's organizers when one of them participates and wins. Always hated this.
Granted I find time to write something, would it be okay if I participate out of competition?

I think the rules of the contest might turn out a bit too restrictive, leading to it that not that many will participate because they can't use their idea for it.
I understand why you don't want to have gore and clop in it, those kind of stories probably wouldn't have much to do with the holidays.
But dark, sad and tragedy? There are ways to write those kind of stories and still have holiday spirit in them.
For example:

A Heart's Warming Carol

A Wish for the Ages

Three Nights

Yule in a Donut Shop

4821751

Actually, I think I might reconsider the contributor/admin restriction. I added it at the last minute, but it didn't feel really fair to me.

Anyways, I'm changing the rules. You are now allowed to write Dark, Sad, and Tragedy stories. So foolish of me to forget that people could write a story that includes one of those tags but still stays true to the holidays.

4821568

Oh and also, does that mean you're participating in the contest?

4823390 I am considering a short story with Sweetie Belle and Snails at the Hearth's Warming together,

The story would be after the mark had been applied for the story. Before she was the little foal, now she is more of a teenager.
4822352 So long as they are not on the group of Judges, it should be no problems.

Would still be advisable to have separate judges or a constant team.
4821751 Both Hearth's Warming Eve and Hearts and Hooves Day have a dark to grim Dark history.

I guess this could be reflected in a story, without leaving the spirit behind?
4821577 So, for now you they have to ask to be on the team of Judges?

In that case, any of them who has not signed up could be contributing with a story.

On that note; how many stories is a member permitted to submit, just in case some Pony wanted and had the time to write more than one new story for this event? Not saying that I would add more than one myself in the current situation.

4823939

One entry per person. And yes, contributors/admins can judge, but they'll have to ask.

4822352

That would be great!
Can't promise I can participate with the deadline in two weeks, but it would be much fairer that way!

4824248