PseudoPod Flash Fiction Contest V Rules and Other Horrors

[Bdoomed]

Don't blink, Group 4 is here.

[Constance]

It's that we can vote for up to three stories per group, rather than being required to make three votes, right?

[Sally]

I'm really enjoying a lot of these stories. However,  a small constructive criticism for several would be to establish the reader in a specific location with a specific narrator early in the piece. Being vague, by using generalizations, just confuses the reader and isn't scary/horror. I find it more frustrating that I don't know what is really going on or what the author intended.

[Bdoomed]

It's that we can vote for up to three stories per group, rather than being required to make three votes, right?

Yes! You are by no means required to use all three of your votes per round.

[Gray]

Hi, some great stories so far and not even ½way. Is it permitted to vote in the category that your own story appears in? Not for your own story of course (although 1 vote would be nice) but just to acknowledge stories and also to vicariously see the number of votes.

[astrokath]

Hi, some great stories so far and not even ½way. Is it permitted to vote in the category that your own story appears in? Not for your own story of course (although 1 vote would be nice) but just to acknowledge stories and also to vicariously see the number of votes.

You CAN vote for your own story. You just can't get anyone else to vote for it (or let anyone else vote for it, if they know you wrote it - so don't tell anyone!)

[Bdoomed]

You can 100% vote for your own story!!!

Just not more than once per round it's in.

And you can't get your friends and family to come in and vote for your story.
Your friends and family can TOTALLY participate though! They can even know which story is yours! As long as they don't vote for it in that case.

If they don't know which story is yours and they figure it out because they know your style, they also should refrain from voting on it.

Basically, don't try and manipulate the vote, but you have just as much right as anyone else to vote on your own story with one of your three votes.

[MattDovey]

In fact it's usually recommended you *do* vote for your own story, because everyone else will, so you're operating on a handicap if you don't. I always think of it asa a way of encouraging authors to take part in the contest, and not just fire & forget the submission

[Gray]

Oh, that sweet, sweet, sweet single vote will be mine, alll mine.

[Bdoomed]

Group 5 will be a bit late today, sorry all! Apparently dealing with workers comp claims (not me, my wife's) is a 3 hour ordeal.

[Bdoomed]

And posted sorry for the delay.

[JeremySzal]

Question: are we allowed to comment in the threads where our stories are posted, as long as we don't indicate or hint its ours?

[Thunderscreech]

Question: are we allowed to comment in the threads where our stories are posted, as long as we don't indicate or hint its ours?

That's a dangerous game, and keep in mind that once the authors are revealed your innocent comments will be re-read with your identity in mind. 

No rules forbidding it I've ever seen, but danger.  Also, it's not a real Escape Artists contest without authors screaming at their screens because the readers are missing or misinterpreting pivotal details.

[FictionPhial]

In the PodCastle contest rules it explicitly said you COULD comment on your own story, and I assume this is the same. But, yeah, a bit dangerous. Probably best to bite your tongue!


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[Not-a-Robot]

In the PodCastle contest rules it explicitly said you COULD comment on your own story, and I assume this is the same. But, yeah, a bit dangerous. Probably best to bite your tongue!


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I’ve commented on all of my stories in the past contest and never revealed myself. It’s best to comment on a bunch of others before and after though.

If I remember correctly, there was one contest where a moderator had to step in because an authour was so harsh on their own story.

[Constance]

If I remember correctly, there was one contest where a moderator had to step in because an authour was so harsh on their own story.

That after-submission regret will get ya every time.

[shawnproctor]

FWIW, I suggest not commenting on your story and leaving at least a handful of other stories without comment so it won't be obvious that you're leaving only your own without comment. As was said above, it is dangerous to comment on your own in any form, but especially to clarify meaning or offer praise. Since it's intended to be a story read apart from names and reputation, I prefer to honor the contest's goal and enjoy everyone else's stories rather than focus on my own.

[Not-a-Robot]

I prefer to honor the contest's goal and enjoy everyone else's stories rather than focus on my own.

I definately agree with this sentiment, but I’d like to add that trying to guess whose story is whose based on comments is also very dangerous.

Most of the time you’re wrong.

I had someone tell me that they thought a story was mine based on a comment I made in a different contest.

I didn’t even submit a story to that contest.

[Glass_Figurine]

I'm planning just to leave feedback on stories after they've been eliminated, or after my story is eliminated. I figure it's the safest way! I definitely plan to comment on every story eventually though- I know when I entered the last contest the feedback was so helpful and encouraging, and it got me writing more. I definitely want to give a little back to all the authors who've put their hard work in!

[davidturton]

Just wondering... are pretty much all submissions entered into this contest or is there some longlisting exercise to choose the 191 final ones?

[Bdoomed]

All submissions received are entered unless they violate word-count rule or are withdrawn by the author prior to the contest beginning.

[JeremySzal]

Question: are we allowed to comment in the threads where our stories are posted, as long as we don't indicate or hint its ours?

No rules forbidding it I've ever seen, but danger.  Also, it's not a real Escape Artists contest without authors screaming at their screens because the readers are missing or misinterpreting pivotal details.

Yeah, I know what that's like. I'm a (relatively) normal human being, in that case.

I don't see the danger if I comment on a bunch of 'em, but good to keep in mind.

[helenf]

Stupid question, but it's top three from each going through right? So if you were in group 1 and  close but not quite close enough to the top three, you could tell people now?

[prestond]

Stupid question, but it's top three from each going through right? So if you were in group 1 and  close but not quite close enough to the top three, you could tell people now?

And don't we get an author reveal for those stories that didn't make it now that the voting is closed?

[Bdoomed]

Stupid question, but it's top three from each going through right? So if you were in group 1 and  close but not quite close enough to the top three, you could tell people now?

And don't we get an author reveal for those stories that didn't make it now that the voting is closed?

Because I haven't had the chance to do it yet

Feel free to out yourself if you didn't win!