Prose Contest Announcement

@ponderable said
This thread is about the Prose competition which will end tomorrow.

Voting cancelled and participation medals given out? 😉

@ponderable said
This thread is about the Prose competition which will end tomorrow.

...actually the submission will close tomorrow. The interesting part of reading the stories and vote for the best will start Tuesday.

@very-rusty said
Ok Pondy,
I will try to behave!

-VR

'Do. Or do not. There is no try.'

Yoda

Ok Deadline is over. No last minute participants. I did check my SPAM directory.
If I didn't reply to anyone please send me a PM. I will set up the reading and voting thread tomorrow morning (in about 12 hours)

@ponderable said
Ok Deadline is over. No last minute participants. I did check my SPAM directory.
If I didn't reply to anyone please send me a PM. I will set up the reading and voting thread tomorrow morning (in about 12 hours)

Thank you! 😍

@ponderable said
Ok Deadline is over. No last minute participants. I did check my SPAM directory.
If I didn't reply to anyone please send me a PM. I will set up the reading and voting thread tomorrow morning (in about 12 hours)

Murder mystery -- the suspense is killing me !

@moonbus said
Murder mystery -- the suspense is killing me !

Good luck and good reading everybody.

I’ve managed to read 5 stories so far and they are all excellent!
This is a lot of reading for someone like me so it will take me a while to read the rest. Just wondered if anyone here uses a scoring system to help them decide upon the winner etc rather than rereading the stories again?

@drewnogal said
I’ve managed to read 5 stories so far and they are all excellent!
This is a lot of reading for someone like me so it will take me a while to read the rest. Just wondered if anyone here uses a scoring system to help them decide upon the winner etc rather than rereading the stories again?

In fact I do, so I take two rounds to decide…
I am through the first time (and I only have to grade 14 stories, so it is easier for me )

@drewnogal said
I’ve managed to read 5 stories so far and they are all excellent!
This is a lot of reading for someone like me so it will take me a while to read the rest. Just wondered if anyone here uses a scoring system to help them decide upon the winner etc rather than rereading the stories again?

I've always used 3x5 Index Cards; assessing each according to 3 basic criteria:

1 - Is the story compelling? Do I crave to read on further after the first few lines?

2 - Does it adhere to the chosen topic?

3 - Does it have continuity? Is it consistent in its thematic focus?


- I then assign each question a value between 1-10 and jot a quick note about the story's positive and negative aspects.

It's, admittedly, still an exercise in subjectivity: But an enjoyable one at that!

@drewnogal said
I’ve managed to read 5 stories so far and they are all excellent!
This is a lot of reading for someone like me so it will take me a while to read the rest. Just wondered if anyone here uses a scoring system to help them decide upon the winner etc rather than rereading the stories again?

I make notes when I read them. (I'm weird like that) and maintain a top 3 as I go along (replacing where necessary).

@ghost-of-a-duke said
I make notes when I read them. (I'm weird like that) and maintain a top 3 as I go along (replacing where necessary).

Is it weird?
Then I'm completely insane! 😀

Does it intrigue me? Do I fully understand it?