Author Topic: Contest Rules and Submission Link  (Read 8745 times)

astrokath

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on: August 27, 2018, 08:24:13 PM
The Cast of Wonders Flash Fiction Contest is here!

With a whisper of magic, the portal begins to open. Travel through, fellow wanderers, and tell us of the stories you find.

Submissions will run from September 1-30, 2018, via this link on Submittable:

https://castofwonders.submittable.com/submit/120612/cast-of-wonders-flash-fiction-contest-2018

To be a valid submission to the contest, each story must adhere to the following rules:
  • The story must be no more than 500 words long, not including its title. Do not use the title to skirt around the word count. Word count will be determined using Google Docs.
  • The story must adhere to the general Cast of Wonders Submission Guidelines. Most importantly, it needs to evoke a sense of wonder and be appropriate for a YA audience. We aim for a 12-17 age range: that means sophisticated, non-condescending stories with wide appeal, and without explicit sex, violence or pervasive obscene language.
  • The story must be original and previously unpublished. Stories will be posted on a members-only portion of the Escape Artists forum, so first publication rights will not be spent if your story does not win.
  • The person submitting the story must be the story's author (or acting for the author with express permission) and hold full publishing rights to the story. A story that is derived from a previously published work in another format (i.e. not a short story) may be fine, assuming doing so isn't in violation of copyright, obviously. This is a grey area - a retelling of a classic tale, or popular culture references, are likely to be fine, but other forms of fanfiction would probably not be appropriate. If in doubt, please send an email to katherine@escapeartists.net with the subject line "QUERY" and ask before submitting.
  • If you are not sure whether your story counts as published or not (for example, if an earlier version has appeared on your blog but nowhere else), please send an email to katherine@escapeartists.net with the subject line "QUERY" and ask before submitting. Please do not submit stories that have been entries in a previous Escape Artists contest, or that are under submission elsewhere.
  • The story must be submitted in its final form, as the author intends it to be read by the voting public. We may or may not allow minor typo corrections if those slip in, but as a general rule, we will not allow authors to submit changes to stories, especially not after submissions are closed.
  • Each author may submit only ONE story.
  • Included in the body of the submission must be the title and the text. Any byline will be stripped when the stories are posted in the contest, and will be revealed when either the story fails to advance, or ultimately wins. Feel free to request a pseudonym for the byline, but we will need a legal name if you win for prize purposes. Please also be sure to include an email address!
  • Authors under 18 are very welcome and encouraged to submit their work. By submitting, any author under 18 asserts they have obtained the permission of a parent or guardian with whom Escape Artists, Inc. can enter into a contract on behalf of the author.
  • Winners will be paid $30, making this a pro sale of at least six cents a word.

Please blog, share on Facebook, tweet, email, send owls, telephone, text, light smoke signals, and otherwise get the word out.
« Last Edit: August 27, 2018, 08:27:20 PM by astrokath »

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astrokath

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Reply #1 on: September 01, 2018, 02:56:01 PM
We're live! Get those stories coming!

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Subtle

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Reply #2 on: September 02, 2018, 09:45:07 PM
I'm in! Looking forward to reading the entries!



astrokath

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Reply #3 on: September 03, 2018, 08:03:36 AM
At least one of them has made me cry already! I can't wait to share them all with you.

Okay, I guess I CAN wait, but I'm not going to enjoy it!   :D

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RexMagenta

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Reply #4 on: September 03, 2018, 02:45:27 PM
I wrote a story, but now I'm not really sure it's a Cast of Wonders sort of story. Suitable for a YA audience, sure, but I don't know if it has the requisite sense of wonder. Don't want to waste it if it's more of a Podcastle story.

*continues talking self round in circles until the submission window closes*

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astrokath

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Reply #5 on: September 03, 2018, 03:06:19 PM
I wrote a story, but now I'm not really sure it's a Cast of Wonders sort of story. Suitable for a YA audience, sure, but I don't know if it has the requisite sense of wonder. Don't want to waste it if it's more of a Podcastle story.

*continues talking self round in circles until the submission window closes*


Never self reject! If you submit it to the CoW contest and it doesn't go through, the only thing you can't submit it to in future is another EA flash contest.

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RexMagenta

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Reply #6 on: September 03, 2018, 03:15:45 PM
I wrote a story, but now I'm not really sure it's a Cast of Wonders sort of story. Suitable for a YA audience, sure, but I don't know if it has the requisite sense of wonder. Don't want to waste it if it's more of a Podcastle story.

*continues talking self round in circles until the submission window closes*


Never self reject! If you submit it to the CoW contest and it doesn't go through, the only thing you can't submit it to in future is another EA flash contest.

But since I can only submit it to one flash contest, doesn't it make sense to send it to the *right* one?

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Thunderscreech

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Reply #7 on: September 04, 2018, 09:36:07 PM
Tough call, I get such good feedback on each story I submit that makes me a better writer that I dunno if I could imagine skipping the opportunity to get that community insight, especially if I'm on the fence about it being the right genre.

For instance, I really dislike horror, but I sure as heck submit something every time so I can learn to be better.  YMMV



FictionPhial

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Reply #8 on: September 07, 2018, 10:47:44 AM
I'm in! Let's do this thing!  :D

"You should promise to do the impossible, because sometimes the impossible was possible, if you could find the right way, and at least you could often extend the limits of the possible.  And if you failed, well, it had been impossible." -- Going Postal


astrokath

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Reply #9 on: September 07, 2018, 11:08:22 AM

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shanehalbach

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Reply #10 on: September 09, 2018, 03:02:09 AM
Helloooooo EA forums! Goodness it's been a while.
::dusts off forum login::

Nothing brings me back like the fiction contests though. I was bummed to miss the Escape Pod one, but hey! The past is the past. Here I am for this one, present and accounted for!


Sshaefer

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Reply #11 on: September 25, 2018, 10:13:08 PM
Hello new friends! I can't tell you how excited I am to read everyone's stories! Also, I want to say good job to everyone just for submitting! =^-^=



astrokath

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Reply #12 on: September 26, 2018, 02:15:23 PM
Hello new friends! I can't tell you how excited I am to read everyone's stories! Also, I want to say good job to everyone just for submitting! =^-^=

This! Well done to EVERYONE!

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Thunderscreech

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Reply #13 on: September 27, 2018, 09:14:17 PM
I still don't know if I get what the genre is, but damned if I'll let that stop me from trying.  Full speed ahead, submitted and good luck everyone!



astrokath

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Reply #14 on: September 28, 2018, 08:25:48 AM
I still don't know if I get what the genre is, but damned if I'll let that stop me from trying.  Full speed ahead, submitted and good luck everyone!

Appropriate to a YA audience, and with at least some kind of speculative SF/F/H element. For me, character growth is always good, and anything that sparkles of delight and wonder and new discoveries. Protags don't need to be in the YA age bracket themselves, but a story that would fit well into a 'clean' SF/F/H market won't necessarily have a YA tone. A story that sees the world through younger eyes often helps, but avoid drifting into Middle Grade prose.  We like fun, nuance, diversity, tenacity, discovery and joie de vivre.

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Ronan

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Reply #15 on: September 28, 2018, 04:14:27 PM
I’m in too!
You know what? I am genuinely buzzing with anticipation for this contest!

So much fun.

Repealed!


Feverwood

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Reply #16 on: October 01, 2018, 07:08:10 AM
I’m really excited with this coming up soon. Had a bit of a false start but I look forward to reading what everyone has come up with soon.



astrokath

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Reply #17 on: October 01, 2018, 11:01:04 AM
And we're closed. :D

We had a total of 122 qualifying submissions in the end. Well done to everyone who sent something in!

The first round will open on Wednesday morning.

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