calic0cat

I've been working on a draft of the rules, etc. for the GW Fic Contest I talked about previously. I've got them hashed out now but I suspect I've probably overlooked a few things along the way. Suggestions for a contest title - and/or a more accurate way to refer to it than as a contest - would be greatly appreciated.

Contest Purpose:

To encourage and inspire authors of good but incomplete multi-part stories to complete those stories.

Contest Rules and Requirements

1. The nomination period begins on August 1, 2004 and ends October 31, 2004. Accepted stories must be completed by March 31, 2005. Some flexibility in deadlines may be allowed under exceptional circumstances.

2. All nominations should be sent to: Calic0cat <calic0cat@fastmail.fm> with "Contest Nomination" as the subject line. You will receive a confirmation note within seven days. If you don't, please re-send your nomination.

3. You may nominate up to ten stories. You may only nominate a story once but you may nominate more than one story by the same author. Authors may not nominate their own stories.

4. You must include a working URL for the story *and* a working contact address for the author in your nomination e-mail. I will contact the author to verify participation if and when a story reaches eligible status.

5. Three independent nominations are required in order to qualify a story for the contest.

6. Three types of "pairings" will be accepted:

1x2x1 - stories must end with Heero and Duo alive, in love, and in an exclusive relationship with one another.

1x2x5 - stories must end with Heero, Duo, and Wufei alive, in love, and in an exclusive relationship with one another (note that it must be a true 1x2x5, not two of them "sharing" the third).

No pairing - stories must end with Heero and Duo as best friends. They may not be in relationships with anyone else and the possibility of a relationship between them must not be explicitly or implicitly denied.

7. Nominations are restricted to multi-part stories that have been stalled (i.e. no new parts have been posted) for a minimum of six months at the time of nomination.

8. Nominated stories must have a clear, well-developed plot. Characters must be sufficiently in-character to be clearly recognizable. Crossovers, fusions, and AUs are eligible. Extremely, excessively, unrelentingly dark fics are not eligible. PWPs are not eligible. Extreme kink is not eligible. Citrus is allowed but not required.

9. Spelling and grammar count. U.K., Canadian, U.S., and Australian spelling are all equally acceptable. Stories with excessive errors will be disqualified. If this is the only problem with a story, the author will be given a chance to correct the problem prior to being disqualified.

10. Depending on the number of stories nominated, they may have to be approved (for quality of plot, character development, readability (grammar, spelling, etc.)) by a panel of volunteers.

11. As the contest sponsor, final approval of nominations rests with me. It is then up to the author to agree or refuse to participate.

12. Stories *must* meet the eligibility requirements to receive prizes; being accepted for the contest is not sufficient. In other words, if a story is accepted but the author changes to an ineligible pairing or kills off Heero or Duo, the story is no longer eligible and will not receive a prize.

Prizes

All accepted stories will be archived at my website as long as they remain eligible for the contest.

All accepted stories showing reasonable progress will receive one piece of commissioned fanart for the story in December 2004.

All completed stories that meet the eligibility requirements will receive one piece of commissioned fanart following completion. In the case of authors who have left the GW fandom, the author will be given alternative rewards to choose from (such as commissioned fanart for another fandom if feasible or a doujinshi or zine of approximately equivalent value).

Depending on the number, length, and quality of stories involved, additional prizes may or may not be awarded.

FAQs/Clarifications

1. Question: "Can't you make an exception and let me nominate this great 1x3 (or 2x5 or 1x2x3 or...)?"

Answer: No. If you like those pairings, sponsor your own contest. Authors have the right to write about whatever pairings they like and you have the right to read those stories however I have no reason to spend my money encouraging that.

2. Question: "Can I nominate a story if the author has left the fandom?"

Answer: If you can provide a working e-mail address for the author, yes. That doesn't guarantee that the story will receive enough nominations or that the author will participate, obviously, but there are special provisions for rewarding an author in that situation. Maybe that will be sufficient motivation.

3. Question: "What if a story that I want to nominate is no longer available online?"

Answer: Send in the nomination after contacting the author and getting him/her to e-mail the story to me. If it's eligible and accepted for the contest, it will be hosted at my site.

Comments from those who've run a contest previously - Sharon, Lev, anybody? - would be particularly appreciated.